DRAINAGE DEVICE

Abstract

In order to provide a drainage device, for example an oil drainage device used in particular for crankcase ventilation in motor vehicle engines, which reliably prevents an undesired liquid reflux and can be produced easily and inexpensively, it is proposed that the drainage device comprises a fluid line and a drainage valve arranged in the fluid line, wherein the drainage valve comprises a floating body that opens a fluid passage in an open position and closes it in a closed position.

Claims

1. Drainage device, comprising a fluid line and a drainage valve arranged in the fluid line, wherein the drainage valve comprises a floating body, which opens a fluid passage in an open position and closes the same in a closed position.

2. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein a buoyancy body of the floating body, in the open position, is positioned relative to the fluid passage in such a way that the buoyancy body of the floating body remains in the open position independently of a gas flow through the drainage device.

3. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein a buoyancy body of the floating body, in the open position, is positioned relative to the fluid passage in such a way that the buoyancy body of the floating body remains in the open position independently of a pressure difference between an inlet opening of the drainage device and an outlet opening of the drainage device.

4. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the drainage device comprises a floating body receptacle for movably receiving the floating body, wherein the fluid passage is arranged on an upper region of the floating body receptacle in relation to the direction of the force of gravity (g), wherein an outlet opening of the drainage device is arranged in a side wall of the floating body receptacle.

5. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein a buoyancy body of the floating body is substantially bell-shaped.

6. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the floating body is formed as a plastics component, in particular as an injection-moulded plastics component.

7. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the floating body is formed in one piece.

8. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein a buoyancy body of the floating body is formed in two parts or more than two parts, wherein a component formed as a bell element or pot element is preferably provided, which component surrounds an interior of the buoyancy body sealed off laterally and upwardly in the direction of the force of gravity (g), and wherein a component formed as a cover element or base element is provided, by means of which the interior is closed, in particular sealed, downwardly in the direction of the force of gravity (g).

9. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the drainage device comprises an alignment device, by means of which the floating body is configured to be brought into a predefined position and/or rotational alignment or to be held in a predefined position and/or rotational alignment relative to a floating body receptacle of the drainage device.

10. Drainage device according to claim 9, wherein the alignment device comprises one or more alignment elements, which preferably is/are arranged on a buoyancy body of the floating body and/or which preferably protrudes/protrude away from the buoyancy body of the floating body.

11. Drainage device according to claim 10, wherein one or more alignment elements is/are formed as guide protrusions, which are configured to be brought into engagement with one or more cut-outs or recesses in a side wall of the floating body receptacle.

12. Drainage device according to claim 11, wherein one or more cut-outs is/are provided in the side wall of the floating body receptacle for receiving and guiding the one or more guide protrusions, wherein the one or more cut-outs forms/form one or more outlet openings of the drainage device.

13. Drainage device according to claim 10, wherein one or more alignment elements is/are formed as vertical protrusions which protrude upwardly from the buoyancy body of the floating body at least approximately opposite to the direction of the force of gravity (g).

14. Drainage device according to claim 10, wherein one or more alignment elements is/are formed as vertical protrusions, which extend through the fluid passage of the drainage device in the closed position of the floating body and/or in the open position of the floating body.

15. Drainage device according to claim 10, wherein one or more alignment elements is/are formed substantially in a rod-shaped or sword-shaped manner.

16. Drainage device according to claim 10, wherein one or more alignment elements has/have a substantially star-shaped or cross-shaped horizontal cross-section.

17. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the drainage device comprises a main body, which comprises the fluid line, a floating body receptacle, a sealing element receptacle, an insertion portion and/or a fastening portion.

18. Drainage device according to claim 17, wherein the main body is formed as a plastics component, in particular as an injection-moulded plastics component.

19. Drainage device according to claim 17, wherein the main body is formed in one piece.

20. Drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the drainage device is an oil drainage device, in particular for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0075] FIG. 1 a schematic perspective illustration of an oil separation device, which comprises a drainage device for draining separated oil;

[0076] FIG. 2 a schematic side view of the oil separation device from FIG. 1;

[0077] FIG. 3 a schematic perspective illustration of the drainage device from FIG. 1;

[0078] FIG. 4 a further schematic perspective illustration of the drainage device from FIG. 1;

[0079] FIG. 5 a schematic side view of the drainage device from FIG. 1;

[0080] FIG. 6 a schematic vertical section through the drainage device from FIG. 1;

[0081] FIG. 7 an enlarged illustration of a floating body of the drainage device from FIG. 1;

[0082] FIG. 8 a schematic side view of a component, in which a drainage device from FIG. 1 is integrated;

[0083] FIG. 9 a schematic vertical section through the component and the drainage device from FIG. 8 along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

[0084] FIG. 10 an alternative side view of the component and the drainage device according to FIG. 8;

[0085] FIG. 11 a schematic vertical section through the component and the drainage device from FIG. 10 along the line 11-11 in FIG. 10; and

[0086] FIG. 12 an enlarged illustration of the region XII in FIG. 11.

[0087] Like or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference signs in all drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0088] An exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12 of a drainage device denoted as a whole by 100 is used for example as an oil drainage device 102 in oil separation devices 104 of internal combustion engines (not illustrated).

[0089] The drainage device 100 serves here in particular to return engine oil separated by means of the oil separation device 104 into an oil tank (not illustrated) of the internal combustion engine.

[0090] The drainage device 100 is for this purpose arranged by way of example at a drainage channel 106 of the oil separation device 104 (see FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular).

[0091] The drainage device 100 comprises a main body 108, which is formed at least in part and at least approximately in a hollow-cylindrical manner.

[0092] The main body 108 is formed in particular in one piece as an injection-moulded plastics component 110.

[0093] The main body 108 in particular forms a housing 112 for a drainage valve 114 of the drainage device 100.

[0094] In particular, the main body 108 comprises a floating body receptacle 116 for receiving a floating body 118 of the drainage valve 114.

[0095] The floating body receptacle 116 is formed for example as a floating body cage 120. By way of example, the floating body 118 is fixable or fixed in the floating body receptacle 116 in a latching manner.

[0096] The main body 108 also preferably comprises a sealing element receptacle 122 for receiving a sealing element 124, for example an O-ring 126.

[0097] In particular, an outer sealing of the main body 108 can be provided between the main body 108 and a component 128 yet to be described (see FIG. 12 in particular) by means of the sealing element 124.

[0098] The main body 108 also preferably comprises a weld portion 130.

[0099] By means of the weld portion 130, the main body 108, in particular the entire drainage device 100, preferably can be welded to a drainage channel 106 of the oil separation device 104.

[0100] The weld portion 130 thus forms in particular a fastening portion 132 of the drainage device 100 for fastening the same to the oil separation device 104.

[0101] The floating body receptacle 116 and the sealing element receptacle 122 inclusive of a sealing element 124 arranged thereon preferably form an insertion portion 134 of the drainage device 100.

[0102] The insertion portion 134 is in particular a portion of the drainage device 100 which, when the drainage device 100 is in an assembled state, can be inserted into an insertion opening 136 of a component 128 (see FIG. 12 in particular).

[0103] The main body 108 also comprises a fluid line 138, which comprises an inlet opening 140 and one or more outlet openings 142.

[0104] A gas flow and/or a liquid can be passed through the drainage device 100 by means of the fluid line 138.

[0105] The inlet opening 140 is in particular arranged on the main body 108 substantially centrally in the region of a central middle axis 144 or axis of symmetry 146 of the main body 108.

[0106] The one or more outlet openings 142 is/are arranged and/or formed in particular in a side wall 148 of the floating body receptacle 116 of the drainage device 100.

[0107] In particular, the one or more outlet openings 142 is/are formed by cut-outs 150 in the side wall 148 of the floating body receptacle 116.

[0108] As can be derived in particular from the enlarged illustration of the floating body 118 in FIG. 7 and also the sectional illustration of the drainage device 100 in FIG. 6, the floating body 118 in particular comprises a buoyancy body 152.

[0109] The buoyancy body 152 is formed for example in two parts and comprises a bell element 154 or pot element 156, which substantially surrounds an interior 158 of the buoyancy body 152 on five sides. A sixth side of the interior 158 is formed for example by a cover element 160 or base element 162. The cover element 160 or the base element 162 is in particular fixed to the bell element 154 or the pot element 156 in a latching manner.

[0110] The interior 158 of the buoyancy body 152 is preferably air-filled. The buoyancy body 152 thus preferably has a low mass, such that it can float in particular in a liquid, for example engine oil.

[0111] The floating body 118 can be moved upwardly and downwardly along a direction of the force of gravity g relative to the floating body receptacle 116.

[0112] The floating body 118 is effectively prevented from falling out of the floating body receptacle 116, which would be undesirable, preferably by means of a latching mechanism.

[0113] The drainage device 100 preferably comprises an alignment device 164, by means of which in particular a rotational alignment of the floating body 118 relative to the floating body receptacle 116 is definable or defined.

[0114] In particular, by means of the alignment device 164, the floating body 118 can be moved upwardly opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g or downwardly in the direction of the force of gravity g without changing its rotational alignment relative to the floating body receptacle 116.

[0115] As can be deduced in particular from FIG. 6, it can thus be ensured in particular that the floating body 118 can be placed reliably against a fluid passage 168 of the main body 11 shaped in a part-spherical or conical manner. The fluid passage 168 can thus be reliably closed by means of the floating body 118.

[0116] The alignment device 164 in particular comprises one or more, for example three, alignment elements 170, which are rod-shaped or sword-shaped and which protrude substantially vertically upwardly from the buoyancy body 152 of the floating body 118.

[0117] These alignment elements 170 are formed in particular as pins.

[0118] These alignment elements 170 preferably extend through the fluid passage 168 in an open position of the floating body 118 (illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12) and in a closed position (not illustrated) of the floating body 118.

[0119] The fluid passage 168 and the region of the fluid line 138 arranged above the fluid passage 168 thus serve as a stop for the alignment elements 170, whereby an undesirable rotation of the floating body 118 can be effectively prevented.

[0120] Due to the embodiment of the alignment elements 170 and the spaced-apart arrangement thereof, a flow through the fluid passage 168 is preferably not influenced by the alignment elements 170 or is influenced only slightly.

[0121] The alignment device 164 also preferably comprises one or more alignment elements 170 formed as guide elements 172.

[0122] These guide elements 172 are formed and/or arranged for example as guide protrusions 174 on the buoyancy body 152 of the floating body 118 and protrude substantially laterally away from the buoyancy body 152.

[0123] In the assembled state of the drainage device 100, the one or more guide elements 172 extends/extend into the one or more cut-outs 150 in the side wall 148 of the floating body receptacle 116.

[0124] These one or more cut-outs 150 thus form alignment element receptacles 176 for receiving the one or more alignment elements 170 formed as guide elements 172.

[0125] The one or more guide elements 172 is/are movable here together with the floating body 118 along or opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g in the one or more cut-outs 150, in particular whilst the floating body 118 is moved from the open position into the closed position or from the closed position into the open position.

[0126] As can be derived in particular from FIG. 12, it is provided in the case of the illustrated drainage device 100 that a gas flow indicated by arrows in FIG. 12 can be passed through the drainage device 100 in the direction of the force of gravity g or opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g.

[0127] Here, the gas flow merely sweeps lightly over the floating body 118, and the gas flow does not flow around the floating body.

[0128] In particular, a flow of gas through the drainage device 100 opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g preferably does not lead to an undesirable lifting of the floating body 118 and a resultant closure of the drainage valve 114.

[0129] Rather, it is ensured, substantially independently of the direction of flow through the drainage device 100 and the prevailing pressure ratios between the inlet opening 140 and the one or more outlet openings 142, that the floating body 118 remains in the illustrated open position. Merely with rising liquid level is the floating body 118 lifted and brought into the closed position.

[0130] The component 128, into which the insertion portion 134 of the drainage device 100 can be inserted, is for example part of the internal combustion engine and serves to feed separated oil to an oil tank (not illustrated) of the internal combustion engine.

[0131] The embodiment of the drainage device 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12 functions as follows:

[0132] In the assembled state of the drainage device 100 and during operation thereof, a gas flow on the one hand and a liquid flow on the other hand are passed through the drainage device 100.

[0133] Depending on the operating state of the combustion device, the gas flow can be passed through the drainage device 100 in or opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g.

[0134] However, the liquid flow is always directed downwardly in the direction of the force of gravity g.

[0135] In particular, oil which has been separated from the gas flow by means of the oil separation device 104 can thus always be guided downwardly in the direction of the force of gravity g by means of the drainage device 104 and for example fed to an oil tank.

[0136] On account of the design, in the case of the illustrated drainage device 100 it is ensured that the floating body 118 remains in the illustrated open position independently of the occurring gas flow.

[0137] Merely if oil is suctioned or pushed upwardly through the drainage channel 106 of the component 128 opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g on account of an undesirable malfunction of the internal combustion engine is the drainage valve 114 of the drainage device 100 preferably then closed,

[0138] This is implemented in particular in that the floating body 118 floats on the oil on account of the lower mass density of said floating body and is moved upwardly opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g. The floating body 118 here comes to bear against the fluid passage 168 of the main body 108 by means of the part-spherical or conical region 166 and seals the fluid passage 168.

[0139] A further reflux of the oil suctioned opposite to the direction of the force of gravity g or pushed into the drainage channel 106 of the component 128 is effectively stopped as a result.

[0140] As soon as the oil in the drainage channel 106 of the component 128 decreases again, the floating body 118 also moves downwardly in the direction of the force of gravity g and reaches the open position again. The fluid passage 168 is then opened again, in particular in order to enable the flow of gas through the drainage device 100.

[0141] In particular, a reliable operation of the oil separation device 104 and of the internal combustion engine as a whole can thus be ensured by means of the illustrated drainage device 100.