Lubricant Conducting Housing with a Separation Function and Recirculation

Abstract

A lubricant conducting member includes a lubricant conducting housing arranged between a crankcase and a lubricant collecting trough. The lubricant housing is surrounded by a bordering edge, and a projection of the bordering edge delimits an area in a plane parallel to a standing plane of the motor vehicle. A cumulative area of all of the lubricant passage openings is smaller than ⅓ of the area. In a perpendicular view, from the standing plane of the motor vehicle onto the lubricant conducting housing, in particular the view from below at least one lubricant passage opening, all lubricant passage openings are completely covered by the lubricant recirculation system.

Claims

1. A lubricant conducting member for an internal combustion engine having a crankcase and a lubricant collecting trough arranged geodetically below the crankcase in a motor vehicle, the lubricant conducting member comprising: a lubricant conducting housing arranged between the crankcase and the lubricant collecting trough having at least one lubricant passage opening and a lubricant recirculation system, wherein the lubricant recirculation system is configured to supply lubricant from the upper side of the lubricant conducting housing, in particular on sides of the crankcase, to the lubricant collecting trough, the lubricant housing is surrounded by a bordering edge, and a projection of the bordering edge delimits an area (A1) in a plane parallel to a standing plane of the motor vehicle, A cumulative area (A2) of all of the lubricant passage openings is smaller than ⅓ of the area A1, and in a perpendicular view, from the standing plane of the motor vehicle onto the lubricant conducting housing, in particular the view from below at least one lubricant passage opening, all lubricant passage openings are completely covered by the lubricant recirculation system.

2. The lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lubricant conducting housing is at least partially or completely composed of a plastic.

3. The lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lubricant conducting housing is an injection molded part.

4. The lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lubricant housing is at least partially or completely composed of a light metal, preferably aluminum or preferentially an aluminum alloy.

5. The lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lubricant recirculation system extends from the lubricant housing in the direction of a lubricant collecting trough, the lubricant recirculation system runs at least partially or at least over a region of 50% of its length or more at an angle of inclination (α), and α is selected from a range which is greater than 10° , and smaller than 80.

6. The lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lubricant recirculation system is oriented with respect to the main direction of travel of a motor vehicle parallel to the main direction of travel and from the front at the top to the rear at the bottom.

7. The lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lubricant recirculation system has an open-edge cross section at least in a cross-sectional plane which is oriented parallel to a standing plane of the motor vehicle, preferably a v-shaped or preferentially u-shaped cross section, and in that the opening of the cross section is oriented rearward with respect to the main direction of travel.

8. The lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 7, wherein the open-edge cross section is at least partially asymmetrical.

9. A lubricant supply system for an internal combustion engine, the system comprising: a crankcase which is configured to receive a crankshaft; a lubricant collecting trough that collects a lubricant, a lubricant conveying device having an intake line, which is arranged in the lubricant collecting trough and via which lubricant is sucked in a suction region in the lubricant collecting trough, and the lubricant conducting member as claimed in claim 1, which is arranged spatially between the crankcase and the lubricant collecting trough.

10. The lubricant supply system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the suction region is at least arranged in the region of at least one of the lubricant recirculation systems, preferably all of the lubricant recirculation systems, and preferably the distance of the suction region from at least one of the lubricant recirculation system is smaller than 250 mm.

11. The lubricant supply system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the suction region is arranged behind at least one or all of the lubricant recirculation systems with respect to the main direction of travel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inventive lubricant conducting housing,

[0022] FIG. 2 is a view from below of the inventive lubricant conducting housing,

[0023] FIG. 3 is a side view of the inventive lubricant conducting housing,

[0024] FIG. 4 is an inventive lubricant supply system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates an inventive lubricant housing in a perspective view. The lubricant conducting housing 1 has fastening recesses 4. Reinforcing ribs 3 are provided for reinforcing the lubricant conducting housing 1. The lubricant recirculation systems 1a, 1b are arranged approximately in the center of the lubricant conducting housing 1. The lubricant recirculation systems 1a, 1b cover the lubricant passage openings (not illustrated) in this view. The lubricant conducting housing 1 is surrounded by a boundary edge 2.

[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates a view from below of the lubricant conducting housing 1. The contour edge 2 completely surrounds the lubricant conducting housing 1 here. In the illustrated plane of projection of FIG. 2, the contour edge 2 surrounds the area A1. The lubricant passage openings 1c are illustrated as dashed lines since they are completely covered by the oil guides 1a, 1b. The lubricant recirculation systems 1a, 1b have an asymmetrical U-shaped cross section in this plane of projection. The asymmetrical cross section in each case has a short limb 1k and a long limb 11. The lubricant conducting housing 1 is fastenable to the crankcase or to the oil collecting container (not illustrated) via the fastening bores 4. Reinforcing ribs 3 are provided for reinforcing the lubricant conducting housing. The area A2 is very small in comparison to the area A1. The small area firstly particularly readily separates off the moving components from the lubricant collecting trough and secondly the lubricant passage openings 1c and therefore the area A2 have to be of a large enough size that the oil still securely passes through the lubricant conducting housing.

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the lubricant conducting housing 1. In this view, the vehicle standing plane 8 is illustrated as a chain-dotted line. The angle of inclination α of the lubricant recirculation system 1a, 1b in relation to the vehicle standing plane 8 can be seen. The main direction of travel of the motor vehicle (straight ahead travel forward) is represented by the arrow 5. The crankshaft and further moving components of the internal combustion engine are arranged in direction 7. The oil collecting trough is arranged in direction 6.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a lubricant supply system in a partially schematized manner. Starting from the lubricant conducting device 1, the crankshaft 9 is connected to the piston 10 via the connecting rod 11 in the direction 7 upward. The crankshaft 9 is mounted rotatably in the crankcase 16. The movable parts of the internal combustion engine are supplied with lubricant via the oil spray system 12. Lubricant is sucked out of the lubricant collecting trough 17 through the suction region 15 via the lubricant pump 13 and conveyed to the oil spray nozzle 12. The suction region 15 is arranged here behind the lubricant recirculation systems 1a, 1b with respect to the main direction of travel of the motor vehicle 5. The suction region 15 is arranged spaced apart from the lubricant recirculation systems 1a, 1b by the distance 14. The chain-dotted line 8 illustrates the motor vehicle standing plane.

[0029] The lubricant conducting housing is preferentially produced from a plastic, such as, for example, glass fiber reinforced polyamide or a light metal, such as, for example, aluminum or magnesium, preferably from an alloy with at least one of the materials as an alloy element.

[0030] For cost-effective manufacturing, the lubricant conducting housing is preferentially produced as an injection molded part from a plastic or from a light metal.

[0031] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the inventive housing and system and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the inventive housing and system may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.