Dry sump oil tank assembly

• US 7,017,546 B1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Dipak R., Hommes, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US10/975,891
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 123/90.12, 123/90.13, 123/41.42, 123/195.R, 123/195.C, 123/196.R, 123/198.C, 123/446, 184/6.13, 184/104.2, 184/104.3
• US Class Current: 123/196.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 1/12 Closed-circuit lubricating systems not provided for in groups F01M1/02 - F01M1/10
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 13/04 having means for purifying air before leaving crankcase, e.g. removing oil
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2001/126 Dry-sumps

Abstract

A tank assembly for a dry sump lubrication system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The tank assembly includes a tank having an upper tank portion and a lower tank portion. An interface assembly is disposed at the lower tank portion and is configured to operably deliver and receive a lubricant to and from the engine. A first end of a return tube in fluid communication with a second end is configured to receive lubricant from the engine at the interface assembly. The second end opposite the first end is in fluid communication with the upper tank portion. In this manner, a return hose and a feed hose may be connected to a same portion of the tank assembly.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a return hose and a feed hose to a same end of an tank assembly for a dry sump lubrication system for an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

configuring a tank having a first tank portion and a second tank portion;

disposing an interface assembly at said first tank portion, said interface assembly configured to operably deliver and receive a lubricant to and from the engine; and

configuring a return tube having a first end in fluid communication with an opposite second end, said first end configured to receive said lubricant from the engine at said interface assembly, said second end in fluid communication with said second tank portion.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disposing an air separating means at said second tank portion for separating entrained air from oil pumped from the engine by a scavenging pump means; and

connecting said second tank portion to said scavenging pump means to receive said lubricant therefrom via the return hose connected to said first end of said return tube at said interface assembly located at said first tank portion.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

configuring said first tank portion as a storage tank for deaerated lubricant from said air separating means.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising;

configuring said interface assembly to include a first fitting and a second fitting each disposed at first tank portion, said first fitting configured to operably couple with the return hose and said second fitting configured to operably couple with the feed hose, wherein the feed hose is in fluid communication with deaerated oil in said first tank portion.

5. A tank assembly for a dry sump lubrication system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

a tank having a first tank portion and a second tank portion, said first and second tank portions vertically arranged with respect to one another;

an interface assembly disposed at said first tank portion, said interface assembly configured to operably deliver and receive a lubricant to and from the engine; and

a return tube having a first end in fluid communication with an opposite second end, said first end in fluid communication with said lubricant from the engine via said interface assembly, said second end in fluid communication with said second tank portion.

6. The tank assembly of claim 5, wherein said interface assembly includes a fitting assembly configured to allow both a return hose and a feed hose to be operably connected from one of an under side and a top side of the engine.

7. The tank assembly of claim 6, wherein said first tank portion is a lower tank portion and said second tank portion is an upper tank portion above said lower tank portion.

8. The tank assembly of claim 6, wherein said first tank portion is an upper tank portion and said second tank portion is a lower tank portion below said upper tank portion.

9. The tank assembly of claim 8, wherein said interface assembly is disposed at said lower tank portion, said first end is configured to receive said lubricant from the engine at said interface assembly, and said second end is in fluid communication with said upper tank portion.

10. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said interface assembly includes a fitting assembly located on a bottom portion of said lower tank portion allowing both a return hose and a feed hose to be connected from an underside of the engine.

11. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein the said interface assembly includes separate fittings located on a bottom portion of said lower tank portion eliminating a need to access said upper tank portion for connection of a return hose.

12. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said lower and upper tank portions and said return tube comprise separable sections which are secured together by fastening means to form a unitary assembly to form a unitary assembly and a fluid tight seal between said lower and upper tank portions.

13. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said upper tank portion includes at least one of a filler cap and a dip stick extending therefrom.

14. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said lower tank portion includes at least one of a lubricant temperature sensor connector and a mounting flange extending therefrom.

15. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said lower tank portion includes a baffle plate disposed in an intermediate portion of said lower tank portion, said baffle plate configured to restrict flow of oil past said baffle plate.

16. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said interface assembly includes a first fitting and a second fitting each extending from said lower tank portion, said first fitting configured to operably couple with a return hose to receive said lubricant from the engine and said second fitting configured to operably couple with a feed hose to deliver said lubricant to the engine.

17. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said return tube is integrated with said upper and lower tank portions and substantially internal to at least said upper tank portion.

18. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said return tube is cast with said upper and lower tank portions.

19. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said return tube allows a scavenging pump means to feed said lubricant to a bottom portion of said lower tank portion and up to said upper tank portion via said return tube where said lubricant is deaerated and said deaerated lubricant is allowed to return to a storage portion in said lower tank portion.

20. The tank assembly of claim 19, wherein said storage portion is in fluid communication with a feed hose via said interface assembly, said feed hose configured to deliver said lubricant to the engine.

21. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said lower tank portion and said upper tank portion each having a portion of said return tube associated therewith comprise separable sections which are secured together by fastening means to form a unitary assembly and a fluid tight seal between said lower and upper tank portions and between each said portion of said return tube.

22. The tank assembly of claim 21, wherein said separable sections of said upper and lower tank portions include a gasket therebetween.

23. The tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said upper tank portion includes an air separating means for separating entrained air from said lubricant pumped from the engine by a scavenging pump means and connected to said scavenging pump means to receive oil therefrom via a return hose connected to said first end of said return tube at said interface assembly located at a bottom portion of said lower tank portion.

24. The tank assembly of claim 23, wherein said lower tank portion is a storage tank for deaerated lubricant from said air separating means.

25. The tank assembly of claim 23, wherein said air separating means includes a spiral channel configured in said upper tank portion, said spiral channel having a first end in fluid communication with said second end of said return tube and a second end open to allow deaerated oil to exit therefrom and flow to said lower tank portion.

26. The tank assembly of claim 25, wherein said spiral channel is further defined with a plurality of apertures along a length thereof to further deaerate lubricant and allow a portion of said deaerated lubricant to exit therefrom and flow to said lower tank portion.