Double oil pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure, comprising a dual-oil-pool oil pan, an oil suction pipe with an automatic opening and closing valve, and an arc-shaped defoaming plate with a tapered circular hole; the oil pan is connected to two hemispherical oil pools by an arched structure, and the oil suction pipe is provided with an automatic opening and closing valve, the outer layer of the valve is spherical, and there is a hollow sealing ball inside, and there is a spring above the ball, and the ball can move on the axis of the spring, and the two oil suction pipes are connected to the oil pump after merging; the defoaming plate covers the area above the oil pool, and a tapered circular hole is arranged on the defoaming plate, the hole is larger outside and smaller inside, and the center line of the hole forms an acute angle with the tangent of the arc-shaped defoaming plate. The present invention adopts a unique defoaming structure and an oil suction pipe with an automatic opening and closing valve, which can effectively eliminate bubbles carried by the oil. The automatic opening and closing valve on the oil pipe can automatically select the oil pool with a large amount of oil for oil extraction, avoiding the situation where the oil pump cannot suck up oil temporarily due to the excessive tilt angle of the engine; at the same time, the engine height is reduced, which is conducive to lowering the center of gravity of the entire vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of automobile technology, and specifically relates to a dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure, which is particularly suitable for automobile engines used on roads with large inclinations, such as those used in off-road climbing, or for engines used by speedboats making sharp turns and traveling on water with large waves. Background Art

[0002] As the power source and core component of cars and boats, the engine is a crucial component. Its performance and reliability significantly impact the overall performance of these vehicles and boats. The oil pan, a crucial component of the engine, is located at the bottom of the engine, also known as the lower crankcase. It forms a sealed space with the upper crankcase to prevent impurities from entering the engine. It also stores the engine oil required for lubrication. An oil pump draws oil from the sump into the oil cooler and oil filter, where it is then supplied to the various friction surfaces of the engine for cooling and lubrication. After use, the oil flows back to the sump by gravity for the next lubrication cycle. This type of oil pan is called a wet sump. Currently, wet sump systems are mostly stamped from thin steel sheet and are shaped like a scoop. Inside the reservoir, an oil suction device and baffle are installed at the lowest point. A dipstick is mounted on the side for checking the oil level, and a drain plug is installed at the bottom for oil changes.

[0003] Under unusual driving conditions, such as sudden braking or climbing a steep slope, or sharp turns or navigating waves, a wet sump can cause the oil in the engine oil pan to splash or flow toward the other side of the oil inlet due to inertia. This can cause two problems: 1. The oil splashing and oscillation can easily increase the oil bubble content in the oil pan, leading to rapid oil deterioration and poor lubrication of the friction surface. 2. Excessive engine tilt can cause the oil to flow toward the other side of the oil inlet, preventing the oil pump from drawing oil. This can cause the entire friction surface to be temporarily delubricated, impacting engine reliability. This is why manufacturers specify a maximum tilt angle before the vehicle leaves the factory, limiting vehicle performance. Furthermore, the wet sump's deep reservoir, designed to contain the oil, affects the height of the engine, which in turn results in a higher center of gravity for the vehicle, impacting stability and safety.

[0004] Existing technologies typically install baffles within the oil pan. While this can mitigate oil fluctuations, it can still cause oil absorption gaps when traveling up or down ramps, resulting in temporary lubrication interruptions, making the performance less than ideal. Some specialized engines also utilize dry sumps with external oil tanks. This requires engine redevelopment, increases engine width, and makes it impractical for existing vehicles or speedboats. Therefore, a new oil pan design is needed that is simple to implement, can ensure uninterrupted oil absorption under a wider range of operating conditions, reduce oil aeration, and mitigate oil oxidation and deterioration. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure, and the technical problems to be solved are: solving the problem of excessive oil-gas mixture entering the friction pair surface with the random oil pump and reducing the lubrication effect, realizing rapid oil and gas separation of the engine lubricating oil in the wet oil pan, and inhibiting oil-gas mixing; at the same time, it can avoid the lack of lubrication caused by the oil pump failing to suck up the lubricating oil when the engine tilt angle is large; it can also reduce the engine height and thus lower the center of gravity, thereby increasing safety.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure, which is characterized in that it includes an oil pan 1, an oil suction pipe with an automatic opening and closing valve 3 and an arc-shaped defoaming plate; the oil pan 1 includes two oil pools distributed at both ends, the two oil pools are a certain distance apart, and the connecting part is an arched structure. There is an arc-shaped defoaming plate above the oil pool, and the arc-shaped defoaming plate has a conical circular hole at a certain angle to the defoaming plate; each oil pool has an oil suction pipe with a filter inside, and an automatic opening and closing valve 3 is provided on the pipeline above the oil suction port of the oil suction pipe. The outer layer of the automatic opening and closing valve is spherical, and there is a hollow sealing ball inside. There is a spring above the hollow sealing ball. Under the action of the suction force of the oil pump and the buoyancy of the oil, the hollow sealing ball overcomes the spring force and opens. The two oil suction pipes merge above the oil pool and are connected to the oil inlet of the oil pump.

[0007] Beneficial effects: The unique defoaming structure of the present invention can effectively eliminate the bubbles carried by the lubricated oil when it flows back to the oil pool, and at the same time avoid the situation where the oil fluctuates greatly due to sudden braking and carries bubbles and the oil pump cannot suck up the oil temporarily; by setting an arc-shaped defoaming plate, the engine lubricating oil can be quickly separated from the oil and gas in the wet oil pan, and the oil and gas mixing can also be suppressed; when the engine is tilted significantly, no matter whether the oil flows to the front or rear oil pool, the automatic opening and closing valve on the oil pipe can automatically select the oil pool with a large amount of oil to pump oil. Combined with the oil pan structure, the lack of lubrication caused by the oil pump temporarily failing to suck up the lubricating oil when the generator is tilted is solved. The valve has a low mechanical structure cost and high reliability; due to the use of a double oil pool structure, the same amount of lubricating oil can be achieved with a shorter oil pan, which reduces the engine height and is conducive to lowering the center of gravity of the entire vehicle; this solution is suitable for upgrades and modifications of most engine manufacturers. Only the oil pan needs to be replaced, and there is no need to redesign the upper part of the engine and the body, which is economical. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 : Schematic diagram of the oil pan

[0009] In the figure, 1 is the outer wall of the oil pan; 2 is the oil pump; 3 is the automatic opening and closing valve; 4 is the arc-shaped defoaming plate

[0010] Figure 2 :Schematic diagram of automatic opening and closing valve

[0011] In the figure, 11 is a spring hanging plate; 12 is a spring; 13 is a hollow ball; 14 is an oil pipe

[0012] Figure 3 : Schematic diagram of spring hanging plate

[0013] Figure 4 : Schematic diagram of the curved defoaming plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] In order to make the purpose, content and advantages of the present invention more clear, the specific embodiments of the present invention are further described in detail below.

[0015] The present invention proposes a dual-oil-sump, self-switching defoaming oil pan structure, comprising an oil pan 1 with hemispherical oil pools at either end, each with a small flat surface at the bottom; an oil suction pipe with an automatic on-off valve 3; and a curved defoaming plate 4 with a tapered circular hole at an angle to the defoaming plate. While a small flat surface is permitted at the bottom of the oil pool, this article uses a hemispherical shape as an example.

[0016] The cross-section of the oil pan along the crankshaft axis is "ω"-shaped. The two hemispherical oil pools are a certain distance apart, and the connecting part is an arched structure to facilitate oil return. There is an oil drain plug at the bottom of the oil pool.

[0017] Each oil sump houses an oil suction pipe with a filter. Above the suction port is an automatic on-off valve that closes when the oil level drops, primarily for use when the engine is tilted at a steep angle. The valve is spherical in shape, housing a hollow sealing ball. A spring acts above the ball, opening it under the combined force of the oil pump's suction and the buoyancy of the oil, overcoming the spring's force. When the oil level drops and the buoyancy disappears, the spring forces the ball to close quickly, preventing the pump from drawing air. When the oil level in the other sump is higher, another valve automatically opens under the action of buoyancy, ensuring the pump always has oil. The two suction pipes meet above the sump and connect to the pump's inlet, allowing a single pump to draw oil from both sumps. The hollow sealing ball engages the inlet, and the spring is secured to the pipe above the automatic on-off valve via a spring plate. The spring plate has a Y-shaped structure to facilitate oil flow.

[0018] An arc-shaped defoaming plate 4 is installed above both oil pools. The defoaming plate covers the area above the spherical oil pool except the oil suction pipe. A conical circular hole is arranged on the defoaming plate. The hole is large on the outside and small on the inside, which is convenient for the oil to return to the oil pool. The center line of the conical circular hole and the tangent of the arc-shaped defoaming plate form an acute angle of 30 degrees. The oil return route formed by the conical circular hole and the inner and outer surfaces of the arc-shaped defoaming plate is Z-shaped, which is beneficial to the separation of oil and gas when the oil flows back outside the arc-shaped defoaming plate.

[0019] When the car brakes suddenly, the oil in the oil sump moves forward violently due to inertia. However, the curved defoaming plate 4 blocks the oil flow, causing it to move at a small angle in the opposite direction of the centerline of the oil return hole, making it difficult for the oil to escape. The curved defoaming plate 4 locks most of the oil in the oil sump, preventing temporary oil absorption gaps. Even if a small void is created in the oil sump, the curved defoaming plate 4 and its tapered holes allow the oil to quickly flow back to fill the void.

[0020] When the engine is driven down a steep slope for an extended period, oil flows to one end of the oil pan. The oil level in one sump drops, and when buoyancy disappears, the ball in automatic on-off valve 3 quickly closes under the force of a spring, preventing the oil pump from drawing air. The oil level in the other sump is higher, and the other valve automatically opens under buoyancy, ensuring the oil pump can always draw oil. When driving uphill, the opening and closing order of the two valves is reversed.

[0021] The present invention adopts a unique defoaming structure to effectively eliminate the bubbles carried by the lubricated oil when it flows back to the oil pool, and at the same time avoids the situation where the oil fluctuates greatly due to sudden braking and carries bubbles and the oil pump is temporarily unable to draw up the oil; when the engine is used at a large tilt, no matter whether the oil flows into the front or rear oil pool, the automatic opening and closing valve on the oil pipe can automatically select the oil pool with a large amount of oil to pump oil. The valve has a low mechanical structure cost and high reliability; due to the use of a dual oil pool structure, the same amount of lubricating oil can be achieved with a shorter oil pan, which reduces the engine height and is conducive to lowering the center of gravity of the entire vehicle; this solution is suitable for upgrades and modifications of most engine manufacturers. Only the oil pan needs to be replaced, and there is no need to redesign the upper part of the engine and the body, which is economical.

[0022] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dual oil pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure, characterized by: The invention comprises an oil pan (1), an oil suction pipe with an automatic opening and closing valve (3), and an arc-shaped defoaming plate; the oil pan (1) comprises two oil pools distributed at both ends, the two oil pools are a certain distance apart, the connecting part is an arched structure, an arc-shaped defoaming plate is arranged above the oil pool, and the arc-shaped defoaming plate has a conical circular hole with a certain angle to the defoaming plate; each oil pool has an oil suction pipe with a filter inside, and an automatic opening and closing valve (3) is arranged on the pipeline above the oil suction port of the oil suction pipe, the outer layer of the automatic opening and closing valve is spherical, and a hollow sealing ball is arranged inside, and a spring is arranged above the hollow sealing ball. Under the action of the suction force of the oil pump and the buoyancy of the oil, the hollow sealing ball overcomes the elastic force of the spring and opens, and the two oil suction pipes are connected to the oil inlet of the oil pump after merging above the oil pan; the conical circular hole arranged on the arc-shaped defoaming plate is large on the outside and small on the inside, and the center line of the hole forms an acute angle with the tangent line of the arc-shaped defoaming plate; the oil return route formed by the conical circular hole and the inner and outer surfaces of the arc-shaped defoaming plate is Z-shaped.

2. The dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross section of the oil pan along the crankshaft axis is "ω" shaped.

3. The dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil pool is a hemispherical structure, and its bottom is designed as a flat structure.

4. The dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The hollow sealing ball cooperates with the oil inlet, and the spring is fixed on the pipeline above the automatic opening and closing valve through a spring hanging plate.

5. The dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The arc-shaped defoaming plate covers the area above the hemispherical oil pool except the oil suction pipe.

6. The dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acute angle is 30 degrees.

7. The dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the car brakes suddenly, the oil in the oil pool moves forward violently due to inertia. Due to the obstruction of the arc-shaped defoaming plate (4), the oil movement path is in the opposite direction of the center line of the oil return hole at a small angle, and the oil is not easy to escape. Most of the oil is locked in the oil pool by the arc-shaped defoaming plate (4); through the arc-shaped defoaming plate (4) and the tapered holes distributed on it, the oil can quickly flow back to fill the space in the oil pool.

8. The dual-oil-pool self-switching defoaming oil pan structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the engine is in a downhill steep slope for a long time, the oil flows to one end of the oil pan. The oil level in one oil pool drops. After the buoyancy disappears, the ball in the automatic opening and closing valve quickly closes under the action of the spring force to prevent the oil pump from inhaling air; the oil level in the other oil pool is higher, and the other valve automatically opens under the action of buoyancy to ensure that the oil pump can always suck up oil; when going uphill, the opening and closing order of the two automatic opening and closing valves is opposite.

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