Internal combustion engine

Abstract

The invention describes an internal combustion engine having at least one crankcase, at least one cylinder head, at least one cylinder head cover, at least one oil separator and at least one oil pan for collecting returning oil as well as having at least one oil return channel that connects the oil separator and the oil pan.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine comprising: a crankcase; a cylinder head; a cylinder head cover; an oil separator; and an oil pan for collecting returning oil as well as having an oil return channel that connects the oil separator and the oil pan, a top end of the oil return channel being slanted at an intersection with a lower end of the oil separator to align the top end of the oil return channel with a surface of the oil in the oil separator when the internal combustion engine is in a slanted position.

2. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the oil separator is arranged in the cylinder head cover.

3. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the oil separator has a partition facing a clean air part.

4. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the oil return channel is arranged in a middle below the oil separator.

5. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the oil return channel leads from the cylinder head cover into the cylinder head via at least one joining piece or axial gasket.

6. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the oil return channel is part of a cylinder head gasket so that the cylinder head gasket acquires oil-conveying properties.

7. The internal combustion engine according to claim 6 wherein the oil return channel below the cylinder head gasket is in the form of a groove created in a pipe part contour of the crankcase and the oil return channel makes a transition to a pipe cross section that runs essentially perpendicularly in a direction of the oil pan.

8. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein an end of the oil return channel is fitted with a non-return valve.

9. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the oil return chancel that is slanted is in the cylinder head cover.

10. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the top end of the oil return channel extends from a corner of the oil separator.

11. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 further comprising a further oil return channel, a top end of the further oil return channel being slanted at a further intersection with the lower end of the oil separator to align the top end of the further oil return channel with the surface of the oil in the oil separator when the internal combustion engine is in a further slanted position opposite of the slanted position.

12. The internal combustion engine according to claim 11 wherein a portion of the further oil return chancel that is slanted is in the cylinder head cover.

13. The internal combustion engine according to claim 11 wherein the top end of the further oil return channel extends from a further corner of the oil separator.

14. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the oil return channel includes a further slanted portion beginning at a top of the cylinder head.

15. The internal combustion engine according to claim 14 wherein the further slanted portion ends at a cylinder head screw and the oil return channel changes course.

16. The internal combustion engine according to claim 15 wherein the cylinder head screw extends entirely through the cylinder head and into the crankcase.

17. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the oil return channel extends horizontally along a top of the crankcase.

18. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1 wherein the top end of the oil return channel is slanted in two opposite directions such that oil return channel converges as the oil return channel extends downward from the lower end of the oil separator to align the top end of the oil return channel with the surface of the oil in the oil separator when the internal combustion engine is in the slanted position and a further slanted position opposite of the slanted position.

19. An internal combustion engine comprising: a crankcase; a cylinder head; a cylinder head cover; an oil separator; and an oil pan for collecting returning oil as well as having an oil return channel that connects the oil separator and the oil pan, wherein, after the oil return channel enters the cylinder head, the oil return channel runs at a slant outwards into a cylinder head screw and around the cylinder head screw.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described in greater detail on the basis of an embodiment and making reference to the drawings. The following is shown:

(2) FIG. 1 an internal combustion engine at a maximum slanted position α and with one oil return channel,

(3) FIG. 2 an internal combustion engine at a maximum slanted position a and with two oil return channels,

(4) FIG. 3 an internal combustion engine with an oil return channel arranged in the middle and at a slanted position β,

(5) FIG. 4 a non-return valve is arranged at the lower end of the oil return channel,

(6) FIG. 5 a drain through the cylinder head and crankcase bores.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows an internal combustion engine at a maximum slanted position α and with one oil return channel 7. The internal combustion engine has a crankcase 1, a cylinder head 2 and a cylinder head cover 3 which is arranged over the cylinder head 2 and in which an oil separator 4 is arranged that has a partition 5 facing the clean air part. The separated oil 6 is held in the oil separator 4 at the defined slanted position angle α in such a way that it just barely cannot overflow out of the oil separator 4. The oil return channel 7 is arranged at the lower end of the oil separator and it runs on the outside of the internal combustion engine to the oil pan 9.

(8) FIG. 2 shows an internal combustion engine at a maximum slanted position a and with two oil return channels 7. The internal combustion engine has a crankcase 1, a cylinder head 2 and a cylinder head cover 3 which is arranged over the cylinder head 2 and in which an oil separator 4 is arranged that has a partition 5 facing the clean air part. The separated oil 6 is held in the oil separator 4 at the defined slanted position angle α in such a way that it just barely cannot overflow out of the oil separator 4. The oil return channels 7 are each arranged at the lower end of the oil separator and they run on the outside of the internal combustion engine to the oil pan 9.

(9) FIG. 3 shows an internal combustion engine at a maximum slanted position β and with one oil return channel 7, whereby the angle β is greater than the angle α. The internal combustion engine has a crankcase 1, a cylinder head 2 and a cylinder head cover 3 which is arranged over the cylinder head 2 and in which an oil separator 4 is arranged that has a partition 5 facing the clean air part. The separated oil 6 is held in the oil separator 4 at the defined slanted position angle β in such a way that it just barely cannot overflow out of the oil separator 4. The oil return channel 7 is arranged in the middle below the oil separator and it runs from the middle of the cylinder head 2 in the direction of the cylinder head screw 8 on the outside of the internal combustion engine to the oil pan 9 in such a way that, in a partial area, the returning oil flows around the cylinder head screw 8, whereby, in the area of the cylinder head gasket 12 (FIG. 5), the returning oil is carried away from the cylinder head screw and to the wall of the crankcase, for example, in a groove created in the crankcase 1 for this purpose. As shown in FIG. 4, a non-return valve 10 is arranged at the lower end of the oil return channel 7.

(10) FIG. 5 shows a drain 11 through the cylinder head and crankcase bores.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(11) 1 crankcase 2 cylinder head 3 cylinder head cover 4 oil separator 5 partition facing the clean air part 6 separated oil 7 oil return channel 8 cylinder head screw 9 oil pan 10 non-return valve 11 drain through the cylinder head and crankcase bores 12 cylinder head gasket