Intake manifold ports and PCV passages integrated into cam cover

Abstract

An internal combustion engine having manifold ports and positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) passages integrated into the cam cover is disclosed. The engine system comprises a cam cover having an internal, gas-passing passage, a PCV valve associated with the passage, an oil separator associated with the PCV valve, and an intake manifold having a port, the port being associated with the PCV valve. An oil separator is fitted between the gas-passing passage and the PCV valve. The oil separator is mounted on the cam cover. A manifold chamber is also provided and the PCV oil separator is associated with the manifold chamber.

Claims

1. An engine system comprising: an elongated cam cover having a long axis, side walls and a top wall, said top wall having a PCV opening formed therein; a PCV intake runner manifold and an elongated PCV intake runner port connected to said runner manifold, said runner manifold and said runner port being integrally formed within said cover, said elongated runner port being formed along said long axis of said cam cover; a PCV valve having a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a cam cover opening formed therein, said PCV valve being attached to said top wall of said cam cover such that said PCV opening and said cam cover opening are in fluid communication; and an intake manifold having plural intake runners, said intake runners being connected to said runner port.

2. The engine system of claim 1 further including a PCV oil separator associated with said PCV valve.

3. The engine system of claim 2 wherein said oil separator is fitted between said passage and said PCV valve.

4. The engine system of claim 2 wherein said oil separator is mounted on said cam cover.

5. The engine system of claim 2 further including a manifold chamber, said PCV oil separator being associated with said manifold chamber.

6. The engine system of claim 2 wherein said PCV valve is integrated with said oil separator.

7. An engine system comprising: an elongated cam cover having a long axis, side walls and a top wall, said top wall having a PCV opening formed therein and having an elongated, internal, gas-passing passage having an input end and an output end, said elongated gas-passing passage being formed along said long axis of said cam cover; a PCV valve having a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a cam cover opening formed therein, said PCV valve being attached to said top wall of said cam cover such that said PCV opening and said cam cover opening are in fluid communication, said valve being attached directly to said input end of said passage; an oil separator associated with said PCV valve; and an intake manifold having plural intake runners, said runners having an input port, said port being attached directly to said output end of said passage.

8. The engine system of claim 7 wherein said oil separator is fitted between said passage and said PCV valve.

9. The engine system of claim 7 wherein said oil separator is mounted on said cam cover.

10. The engine system of claim 7 further including a manifold chamber, said PVC oil separator being associated with said manifold chamber.

11. The engine system of claim 7 wherein said PCV valve is integrated with said oil separator.

12. An engine system comprising: an elongated cam cover having a long axis, side walls and a top wall, said top wall having a PCV opening formed therein and having an elongated, internal, gas-passing passage, said passage having first and second ends, said elongated gas-passing passage being formed along said long axis of said cam cover; a PCV regulator having a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a cam cover opening formed therein, said PCV valve being attached to said top wall of said cam cover such that said PCV opening and said cam cover opening are in fluid communication, said valve being directly connected to said first end of said passage; an oil separator associated with said PCV regulator; and an intake manifold including plural intake manifold runners having an input port connected directly to said second end of said passage.

13. The engine system of claim 12 wherein said PCV regulator is a PCV valve.

14. The engine system of claim 12 wherein said oil separator is fitted between said passage and said PCV valve.

15. The engine system of claim 12 wherein said oil separator is mounted on said cam cover.

16. The engine system of claim 12 further including a manifold chamber, said PCV oil separator being associated with said manifold chamber.

17. The engine system of claim 12 wherein said PCV valve is integrated with said oil separator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view of an internal combustion engine having a cam cover having integrated positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) passages according to the disclosed inventive concept;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a portion of the internal combustion engine illustrated in FIG. 1 in which the PCV intake runner ports and the intake runners are illustrated in broken lines according to one embodiment of the disclosed inventive concept;

(4) FIG. 3 also illustrates a close-up view of a portion of the internal combustion engine illustrated in FIG. 1 in which the PCV intake runner ports and the intake runners are illustrated in broken lines according to another embodiment of the disclosed inventive concept; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a cut-away section of a portion of the engine depicted in FIG. 1 taken along a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the crankshaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(6) In the following figures, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components. In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for different constructed embodiments. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting.

(7) In general, the disclosed invention is related to directing crankcase gases from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine and into the intake manifold for combustion through the use of intake manifold ports and positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) passages integrally formed in the cam cover. The disclosed inventive concept provides a cam cover within which both PCV separation and distribution are completely contained.

(8) The internal combustion engine illustrated in the figures is only intended as being suggestive and is not intended as being limiting as the disclosed inventive concept may find application with any internal combustion engine. Variations of the illustrated configuration may be envisioned without deviating from the concept.

(9) Referring to FIG. 1, an internal combustion engine 10 is illustrated. A cam cover 12 is provided. The overall shape of the cam cover 12 is intended as being illustrative and is not intended as being limiting.

(10) The internal combustion engine 10 may comprise any number of cylinders and the number illustrated is only suggestive. As illustrated, the internal combustion engine 10 includes a first ignition on plug arrangement 14, a second ignition on plug arrangement 14, and a third ignition on plug arrangement 14. An oil fill port 16 is shown formed on the cam cover 12.

(11) The internal combustion engine 10 includes an intake assembly 18 is fitted to the internal combustion engine 10 adjacent the cam cover 12. The intake assembly 18 includes an intake manifold 20.

(12) A manifold chamber 22 is formed generally between the cam cover 12 and the intake manifold 20. The manifold chamber 22 defines an enclosed volume. An oil separation system 24 is associated with the manifold chamber 22. The oil separation system 24 separates oil from crankcase gases. The oil separation system 24 includes a PCV oil separator 26 and a PCV regulator valve 28.

(13) Referring to FIG. 2, a close-up view of a portion of the internal combustion engine 10 is illustrated according to one embodiment of the disclosed inventive concept. The manifold chamber 22 is associated with the PCV regulator valve 28 such that an intake runner port directs gases from the crankcase to one or more intake runners. The arrangement of intake runner ports may be any of a number of possible scenarios, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 2. A PCV intake runner manifold 30 is connected to the output side of the regulator valve 28. The PCV intake runner manifold 30 has PCV intake runner ports 32, 32 and 32 branching therefrom. The PCV intake runner port 32 is associated with an intake runner 34. The PCV intake runner port 32 is associated with an intake runner 34. And the PCV intake runner port 32 is associated with an intake runner 34. The PCV intake runner manifold 30 and the PCV intake runner ports 32, 32 and 32 are integrally formed within the cam cover 12.

(14) Referring to FIG. 3, a close-up view of a portion of the internal combustion engine 10 is illustrated according to another embodiment of the disclosed inventive concept. As is the case with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed above in conjunction therewith, the manifold chamber 22 is associated with the PCV regulator valve 28 such that an intake runner port directs gases from the crankcase to one or more intake runners. As shown, each of three PCV intake runner ports 36, 36 and 36 is connected at one end to the PCV oil separator 26. The three PCV intake runner ports 36, 36 and 36 are associated with a like number of intake runners 34, 34 and 34 The PCV intake runner ports 36, 36 and 36 are integrally formed within the cam cover 12.

(15) FIG. 4 illustrates a cut-away section of a portion of the internal combustion engine 10 depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in which a cylinder head 38 is shown as are a pair of spaced apart cam shafts 40 and 40. The view shown in FIG. 4 is taken along a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the cam shafts 40 and 40. The relationship between the manifold chamber 22, the oil separator 26, the PCV valve 28, the PCV intake runner port 30 and the intake runner 32 is illustrated in this figure.

(16) In addition to the embodiment of a single port connecting the manifold chamber 22 and to the illustrated embodiment of separate PCV intake runner ports associated with a like number of intake runners, a single runner port may be associated with the manifold chamber 22 and may be connected with a manifold such that two or more intake runners are provided associated with the single port. According to this approach, the crankcase gases can be ported into some or all of the intake runners.

(17) Regardless of the embodiment, by integrating the intake manifold ports and PCV passages with the cam cover, several advantages are achieved over the prior art. The disclosed inventive concept eliminates known external hoses now fitted between the air/oil separator and the intake manifold. The disclosed inventive concept also eliminates two external PCV hose connections provided on the cam cover and on the intake manifold in today's vehicles. By eliminating the external hoses and connections, the joints on the PCV are eliminated that contribute to evaporative emissions. The risk of system failure related to the use of external components is also avoided by integrating the ports and passages into the cam cover. Elimination of the hoses and connectors also reduces assembly time and reduces overall vehicle weight.

(18) The disclosed invention as set forth above overcomes the challenges faced by known positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) systems by providing an internal combustion engine having intake manifold ports and PCV passages integrated into the cam cover, thus resulting in both PCV separation and distribution being completely contained within the cam cover. However, one skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.