Oil sump, engine and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of engine accessories, and disclose an oil pan, engine and vehicle, the oil pan includes oil pan body, support cover, float and seal cap. Oil pan body side wall is equipped with oil supply hole, support cover is detachably connected in oil supply hole and is equipped with guide hole in, float partial sliding cooperation is in guide hole, one end enters the oil pan and moves up and down with oil level, seal cap is connected to support cover and closes oil supply hole, seal cap is equipped with the guide cavity that communicates with guide hole in, the one end of float is located outside guide hole slides in guide cavity, and at least partial side wall of seal cap is visual window. The structure has the oil filling and oil level detection function through single oil supply hole only, need not to set up oil gauge hole alone, reduce the number of opening and the occupied space of engine outer surface, improve the compactness of arrangement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of engine parts technology, specifically to an oil pan, an engine, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Current engines generally use a combination of an oil filler cap and a dipstick to perform oil filling and oil level checks. Typically, the oil filler cap is located on the cylinder head cover or valve cover and is sealed by a cap. During vehicle maintenance or repair, the cap is unscrewed to add oil to the oil pan. The dipstick is located separately on the side or top of the engine, inserted into the oil pan via a guide tube. The operator needs to pull out the dipstick and observe the markings to determine if the oil level is within the acceptable range. Designing and arranging the oil filler cap and dipstick as two independent structures is the conventional approach for current engines. However, when the oil filler cap and dipstick are two independent designs, two relatively independent installation areas must be allocated on the engine's outer surface, and sufficient space must be reserved for assembly and maintenance of each component. This inevitably occupies a significant portion of the engine's surface area. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to at least solve the problem of the oil filler cap and oil dipstick cap occupying a large amount of engine space due to their independent placement. This purpose is achieved through the following technical solution: This utility model proposes an oil pan, comprising: An oil pan body, wherein an oil supply hole is provided on the side wall of the oil pan body; A support cover is provided, which is detachably connected to the oil supply port and can close the oil supply port. The support cover has a guide hole, through which the interior of the oil pan body is connected to the exterior of the oil pan body. A float, along the axial direction of the guide hole, is partially slidably disposed in the guide hole, and one end of the float can extend into the oil pan body and slide in the guide hole along the axial direction under the drive of the oil level change in the oil pan body; A cap is provided, which is connected to the support cover and closes the oil supply hole. The cap has a guide cavity inside, which is connected to the guide hole. The float is located at one end outside the guide hole and can slide in the guide cavity. At least part of the sidewall of the cap is a viewing window.

[0004] According to this invention, the oil pan has a single oil supply hole on the side wall of the oil pan body. A support cover, a cap, and a float are integrated at this oil supply hole. The support cover connects to the guide cavity inside the cap via a guide hole. The lower end of the float is immersed in the engine oil inside the oil pan body, while the upper end is located within the guide cavity of the cap and in the viewing window area. This structural arrangement allows the oil supply hole to be used as an oil filling port when open, and to allow direct reading of the oil level in the oil pan through the viewing window of the cap when closed. Thus, a single oil supply hole simultaneously performs both oil filling and oil level detection functions. Therefore, this invention eliminates the need for a separate dipstick and its assembly, avoiding the need for additional installation space and insertion / removal area for the dipstick, effectively reducing the number of openings on the engine's outer surface and the installation area occupied.

[0005] In addition, the oil pan according to this utility model may also have the following additional technical features: In some embodiments of this utility model, the support cover includes a guide portion extending in a direction away from the oil supply hole, a guide hole passing through the guide portion, and a cap slidably fitted onto the guide portion so that the cap can move from a first position to a second position on the guide portion. In the first position, the guide portion is inserted into the guide cavity, and one end of the float located outside the guide hole is fixed between the guide portion and the cap. In the second position, the cap extends outward relative to the guide portion, and one end of the float located outside the guide hole can slide in the guide cavity along the axial direction.

[0006] In some embodiments of this utility model, the guide portion is provided with a first locking structure on the circumferential outer wall at one end facing the oil supply hole, and the cap is provided with a second locking structure on the circumferential inner wall at one end facing the support cover. When the cap is in the first position, the first locking structure and the second locking structure can lock each other.

[0007] In some embodiments of this utility model, the guide portion is provided with a limiting structure on the circumferential outer wall away from the oil supply hole. The limiting structure has an abutment surface facing the outside of the oil pan body. The sealing cap is provided with a limiting block on the circumferential inner wall. When the sealing cap is in the second position, the limiting block can abut against the abutment surface.

[0008] In some embodiments of this utility model, the float has a circular boss at one end outside the guide hole, the diameter of the circular boss is larger than the diameter of the guide hole, and an elastic element is provided on the bottom wall of the guide cavity facing the support cover. When the cap is in the first position, the elastic element abuts against the circular boss so that the circular boss closes the guide hole.

[0009] In some embodiments of this utility model, the guide portion has an annular boss protruding from one end away from the oil supply hole, and the side of the annular boss facing the support cover can abut against the limiting block.

[0010] In some embodiments of this utility model, the support cover further includes a tightening part, the guide hole passes through the tightening part, and the tightening part is inserted into the oil supply hole and threadedly connected to the inner wall of the oil supply hole.

[0011] In some embodiments of this utility model, the support cover further includes a handle portion, the handle portion being an annular structure, and an annular groove is provided on the end face of the annular structure facing the oil pan, and a sealing ring is provided in the annular groove, the sealing ring being able to abut against the inner wall of the annular groove and the oil pan respectively.

[0012] This utility model also proposes an engine, including a cylinder block and the aforementioned oil pan, wherein the sealing cap and the support cover are respectively offset from the cylinder block.

[0013] This utility model also proposes a vehicle including the aforementioned engine. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an oil pan according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the support cover, float and cap in combination according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 A schematic half-sectional view of the support cover, float and cap in combination according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the support cover according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 5A schematic half-sectional view of the cap according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 6 A schematic half-sectional view of the oil pan in the first position according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 8 A schematic half-sectional view of the oil pan in the second position according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 9 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a section at point B.

[0015] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 100. Oil pan; 10. Oil pan body; 20. Sealing cap; 21. Limiting block; 22. Second locking structure; 23. Positioning cylinder; 30. Support cover; 31. Guide part; 311. First locking structure; 312. Annular boss; 313. Limiting structure; 314. Positioning groove; 32. Handle part; 321. Annular groove; 322. Arc-shaped notch; 33. Tightening part; 40. Float; 41. Circular boss; 50. Sealing ring; 60. Elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0017] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0018] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0019] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relationship of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" would subsequently be oriented "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations.

[0020] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, according to an embodiment of this utility model, an oil pan 100 is proposed for installation at the lower end of the engine block. The oil pan 100 includes an oil pan body 10, a support cover 30, a float 40, and a cap 20. The oil pan body 10 is, for example, a thin-walled metal shell, used to form an oil chamber for storing engine oil together with the engine block. To realize the functions of oil filling and oil level detection, an oil supply hole is provided on the side wall of the oil pan body 10. The oil supply hole serves as both an oil filling channel and an oil level detection channel, eliminating the need to open a separate oil dipstick mounting hole on the engine block or the oil pan body 10.

[0021] The support cover 30 is detachably connected to the oil supply port. In the assembled state, the support cover 30 seals against the wall of the oil supply port to seal it and prevent oil leakage. Specifically, the outer peripheral wall of the support cover 30 can be threaded into the wall of the oil supply port to form a screw-on connection structure. When the support cover 30 is tightened, it seals the oil supply port; when loosened, it can be removed from the oil supply port. A guide hole is provided inside the support cover 30 along its axial direction, and the guide hole communicates with the oil supply port, allowing the interior of the oil pan body 10 to communicate with the outside through the guide hole.

[0022] The float 40 is arranged along the axial direction of the guide hole. The middle region of the float 40 is slidably fitted into the guide hole. One end of the float 40 facing the oil pan body 10 extends into the interior of the oil pan body 10 and can be immersed in the engine oil in the oil pan 100. The other end of the float 40 facing away from the oil pan body 10 is located outside the guide hole. Since part of the float 40 is in the guide hole and part of it extends into the oil pan 100, when the oil level in the oil pan 100 rises, the float 40 slides upward along the axial direction of the guide hole under the action of buoyancy. When the oil level falls, the float 40 slides downward along the axial direction of the guide hole under the action of its own weight. Thus, the position of the float 40 in the guide hole changes in accordance with the oil level in the oil pan 100, realizing mechanical tracking of the engine oil level.

[0023] The cap 20 is connected to the support cover 30 to further seal the oil supply hole on the outside of the support cover 30 and form a visible oil level indicator structure. The cap 20 can be detachably connected to the support cover 30 by threads, snaps, or other fastening structures. When the cap 20 and the support cover 30 are assembled in place, the cap 20 and the support cover 30 together seal the oil supply hole. A guide cavity communicating with a guide hole is formed inside the cap 20, and the guide cavity is located in the axial extension direction of the guide hole. One end of the float 40 located outside the guide hole extends into the guide cavity and can slide axially within the guide cavity. At least a portion of the sidewall of the cap 20 is made of transparent material and forms a viewing window, allowing the interior of the guide cavity to be seen from the outside. Preferably, a scale line or marking area can be provided at the viewing window position. When the position of the float 40 in the guide cavity changes, the user can observe the position of the float 40 relative to the scale line through the viewing window of the cap 20, thereby reading the corresponding oil level height.

[0024] During use, under normal engine operating conditions, both the support cover 30 and the cap 20 are tightened, and the oil supply port is sealed by both the support cover 30 and the cap 20, preventing oil leakage from the oil pan body 10. To check the oil level, simply observe the position of the float 40 in the guide cavity through the viewing window of the cap 20 after the engine has been stopped and left to stand for a period of time. This will determine if the oil level is within the normal range, without needing to disassemble the oil pan body 10 or other parts of the engine block, nor requiring the removal of a traditional dipstick. When adding oil to the oil pan 100, the operator can remove the support cover 30 as needed to open the oil supply port and add oil to the oil pan body 10 through it. After adding oil, tighten the support cover 30 again to restore the seal.

[0025] As can be seen from the above embodiments, this embodiment provides a single oil supply hole on the side wall of the oil pan body 10, and integrates components such as a support cover 30, a cap 20, and a float 40 at this oil supply hole, enabling the oil supply hole to simultaneously perform both oil filling and oil level detection functions. Compared to the prior art where oil filler and dipstick ports are separately provided on the engine block or oil pan 100, this embodiment eliminates the need for an additional independent dipstick port and its matching dipstick assembly, reducing the number of openings and sealing points on the engine's external surface. It also avoids reserving separate installation and insertion / removal space for the dipstick, thereby significantly reducing the engine surface area occupied by the independent placement of the oil filler and dipstick ports, improving the compactness and space utilization of the engine's external layout, and facilitating the subsequent arrangement of other pipes and accessories within a limited space.

[0026] In some embodiments, the support cover 30 includes a guide portion 31 extending outward from the body of the support cover 30 in a direction opposite to the oil supply port. A guide hole passes through the interior of the guide portion 31 and extends along the axial direction of the guide portion 31, i.e., the axis of the guide hole substantially coincides with the axis of the guide portion 31. A cap 20 is slidably fitted onto the outer peripheral sidewall of the guide portion 31, with a radial clearance fit between the cap 20 and the guide portion 31, allowing the cap 20 to slide reciprocally relative to the guide portion 31 along the axial direction of the guide portion 31. Specifically, the cap 20 can move from a first position close to the support cover 30 to a second position away from the support cover 30, forming a guided sliding stroke between the first and second positions. By providing an axially extending guide portion 31 on the support cover 30 and slidably fitting the cap 20 around the guide portion 31, the movement of the cap 20 can be reliably guided axially, preventing wobbling or tilting during movement. Furthermore, by defining the first and second positions of the cap 20 on the guide portion 31, the cap 20 can be controllably switched between refueling and oil level detection conditions, providing a clear stroke basis for the subsequent locking and limiting structures 313, thus facilitating stable positioning of the cap 20 in different working positions. In the first position, the guide portion 31 is inserted into the guide cavity, and one end of the float 40 located outside the guide hole is fixed between the guide portion 31 and the cap 20. In the second position, the cap 20 extends outward relative to the guide portion 31, and the end of the float 40 located outside the guide hole can slide axially within the guide cavity.

[0027] Furthermore, a first locking structure 311 is provided on the circumferential outer wall of the guide portion 31 near the oil supply port, and a second locking structure 22 is provided on the circumferential inner wall of the cap 20 near the support cover 30, which cooperates with the first locking structure 311. When the cap 20 is in the first position of the guide portion 31, the first locking structure 311 and the second locking structure 22 engage or lock with each other to lock the cap 20 in the first position. The first locking structure 311 and the second locking structure 22 can be a protrusion and groove structure that interlocks with each other, a tooth and slot structure, or an elastic buckle structure that can form a holding engagement, etc., which can be selected by those skilled in the art as needed. By providing a first locking structure 311 and a second locking structure 22 that cooperate with each other between the guide portion 31 and the cap 20, the cap 20 can be reliably locked when it is in the first position, preventing the cap 20 from moving unexpectedly along the axial direction of the guide portion 31 under engine vibration or external force, and ensuring that the cap 20 continuously maintains a closed state to the oil supply hole under normal driving conditions, thereby improving the sealing reliability and safety of the oil pan 100 during long-term use.

[0028] Based on the above embodiment, a circular boss 41 is provided at one end of the float 40 located outside the guide hole. The diameter of the circular boss 41 is larger than the diameter of the guide hole, preventing the circular boss 41 from entering the guide hole. Thus, the circular boss 41 can form a shoulder-like stop fit at the guide hole outlet. An elastic element 60 is provided on the bottom wall of the guide cavity facing the support cover 30. The elastic element 60 can be a spring, an elastic washer, or other components with elastic recovery capability. When the cap 20 is in the first position of the guide portion 31, the elastic element 60 abuts against the side of the circular boss 41 facing away from the guide hole under elastic pre-tightening action, causing the circular boss 41 to be pushed towards the support cover 30. As a result, the circular boss 41 is tightly attached to the guide hole outlet and seals the guide hole, forming a sealed state between the guide hole and the guide cavity at this position. By setting a circular boss 41 with a diameter larger than the guide hole on the float 40 and arranging an elastic element 60 on the bottom wall of the guide cavity, when the cap 20 is in the first position, the elastic element 60 presses the circular boss 41 against the outlet of the guide hole, thereby achieving active sealing of the guide hole outlet by the float 40 and effectively preventing oil and oil mist in the oil pan 100 from entering the guide cavity through the guide hole. This ensures the cleanliness of the viewing window inside the guide cavity of the cap 20, preventing oil stains from affecting the observation effect, and also forms a secondary seal between the guide hole and the guide cavity, improving the sealing reliability of the overall structure. At the same time, with the elastic deformation of the elastic element 60, the pressure on the circular boss 41 can be released when the cap 20 moves to the second position, allowing the float 40 to return to a state of free sliding with the oil level, thus combining the functions of sealing and oil level indication.

[0029] Furthermore, a limiting structure 313 is integrally formed on the circumferential outer wall of the guide portion 31 at the end opposite to the oil supply port. Preferably, the limiting structure 313 is an annular flange protruding along the circumferential sidewall of the guide portion 31. The annular flange is substantially continuous circumferentially, with an opening section formed only at a predetermined angular position. An abutment surface for axial limiting is formed on the side of the annular flange facing the outside of the oil pan body 10.

[0030] A limiting block 21 is provided on the circumferential inner wall of the cap 20. The limiting block 21 is arranged circumferentially along the cap 20 and radially retracts towards the guide portion 31, so that the limiting block 21 can pass through the opening section of the annular flange and engage with the rest of the annular flange during the axial sliding of the cap 20 relative to the guide portion 31. When the user needs to check the oil level, the cap 20 is first released from the first position and rotated relative to the guide portion 31 until the limiting block 21 is aligned with the opening section of the annular flange. Then, the cap 20 is slid away from the oil supply hole, so that the limiting block 21 passes over the annular flange through the opening section. After continuing to slide to the predetermined stroke, the cap 20 reaches the second position. At this time, the limiting block 21 is located outside the annular flange and abuts against the contact surface of the annular flange facing the outside of the oil pan body 10. Through the above structural arrangement, the limiting structure 313 allows the limiting block 21 to smoothly pass over the annular flange during the opening of the cap 20, thereby enabling the cap 20 to move from the first position to the second position. Furthermore, after the cap 20 reaches the second position, the contact surface between the limiting block 21 and the annular flange forms an axial limit. Thus, after the cap 20 is opened from the oil supply port position, it can stably remain in the second position away from the oil supply port. The operator can observe the position of the float 40 through the viewing window on the cap 20 without holding it, facilitating oil level checks and preventing the cap 20 from being lost or contaminating surrounding engine components due to loosening.

[0031] Based on the above embodiment, an annular boss 312 protrudes from the circumferential outer wall of the guide portion 31 at its axial end away from the oil supply hole. The annular boss 312 extends continuously along the circumference of the guide portion 31, and an annular shoulder surface is formed on the side facing the support cover 30. The cap 20 is slidably connected to the outer periphery of the guide portion 31 in a sleeve manner, and a limiting block 21 is provided on its circumferential inner wall. The limiting block 21 is arranged radially inward toward the guide portion 31. When the cap 20 slides in the direction away from the oil supply hole to near its maximum stroke, the limiting block 21 abuts against the side of the annular boss 312 facing the support cover 30 in the axial direction, thereby preventing the cap 20 from continuing to slide away from the oil supply hole and preventing the cap 20 from completely sliding off the guide portion 31 and detaching from the support cover 30. It should be noted that the annular boss 312 is mainly used as an anti-detachment structure to limit the maximum sliding stroke of the cap 20. Its function is different from the aforementioned limiting structure 313 used to limit the second position of the cap 20. Both can be set on the circumferential outer wall of the guide part 31. The annular boss 312 is set further away from the oil supply hole than the limiting structure 313. The two work together to ensure the stable positioning of the cap 20 in the second position and to prevent the cap 20 from accidentally detaching during operation.

[0032] In some embodiments, the support cover 30 further includes a tightening portion 33, which is disposed along the axial direction of the support cover 30, and a guide hole is disposed inside the tightening portion 33. An external thread is formed on the outer peripheral sidewall of the tightening portion 33. The tightening portion 33 is inserted into the oil supply hole and engages with the internal thread formed on the inner wall of the oil supply hole, thereby fixing the support cover 30 to the sidewall of the oil pan body 10 through the threaded connection between the tightening portion 33 and the oil supply hole. The guide hole penetrates through the tightening portion 33, allowing the float 40 to extend into the oil pan 100 through the tightening portion 33. By providing a tightening part 33 on the support cover 30 and inserting the tightening part 33 into the oil supply hole and threadedly connecting it to the inner wall of the oil supply hole, a reliable and detachable fastening connection between the support cover 30 and the oil pan body 10 is achieved, which facilitates assembly and disassembly. On the other hand, the threaded connection can provide a high axial preload and good positioning accuracy, which helps to ensure the sealing performance and coaxiality between the support cover 30 and the oil supply hole, and allows the guide hole to be accurately aligned with the oil cavity inside the oil pan 100, thereby improving the guiding accuracy of the float 40 movement and the sealing reliability of the overall structure.

[0033] In some embodiments, the support cover 30 further includes a handle 32, which is an annular structure arranged circumferentially along the oil supply port. An annular groove 321 is formed on the end face of the annular structure of the handle 32 facing the oil pan 100, and the annular groove 321 extends continuously circumferentially along the annular structure. A sealing ring 50 is fitted inside the annular groove 321. The sealing ring 50 is, for example, an elastic rubber ring or other elastic seal. The outer side of the sealing ring 50 abuts against the inner wall of the annular groove 321, and one axial side of the sealing ring 50 abuts against the outer surface of the oil pan body 10. After the support cover 30 is installed in place, the sealing ring 50 is compressed and deformed under the preload force, thereby forming a seal between the inner wall of the annular groove 321 and the outer surface of the oil pan body 10. By providing an annular handle 32 on the support cover 30, the operator can easily grip the handle 32 to tighten or loosen the support cover 30 within a limited space, improving the convenience of installation and disassembly. On the other hand, an annular groove 321 is provided on the annular structure of the handle 32 and a sealing ring 50 is arranged therein, so that one end of the sealing ring 50 abuts against the inner wall of the annular groove 321 and the other end abuts against the outer surface of the oil pan body 10, forming a circumferential sealing contact. This helps to further block the leakage of oil or oil mist along the joint surface between the support cover 30 and the oil pan body 10, thereby adding an auxiliary seal on the basis of the thread seal of the tightening part 33, and improving the overall sealing performance of the oil pan 100 in the oil supply hole area.

[0034] In one specific embodiment, a reinforcing rib is integrally formed on the side wall of the oil pan body 10, inclined along a direction away from the axis of the oil pan body 10. The oil supply hole is opened in the reinforcing rib, thereby setting the axis of the oil supply hole at a predetermined angle relative to the axis of the oil pan body 10. By arranging the reinforcing rib inclinedly, a more reasonable installation angle and operating space can be reserved for the oil supply hole and its outer structure within a limited space.

[0035] The support cover 30 is installed at the oil supply port and consists of a guide portion 31, a handle portion 32, and a tightening portion 33 from top to bottom. The guide portion 31, handle portion 32, and tightening portion 33 are all approximately cylindrical structures, coaxially arranged. A guide hole is formed axially inside the support cover 30, passing through the guide portion 31, handle portion 32, and tightening portion 33 sequentially, allowing the oil cavity inside the oil pan body 10 to communicate with the outside of the oil pan body 10 via the oil supply port and the guide hole. An external thread is formed on the circumferential outer wall of the tightening portion 33, and an internal thread that mates with the external thread is formed on the circumferential inner wall of the oil supply port. The tightening portion 33 is inserted into the oil supply port and threadedly engages with the inner wall of the oil supply port, thereby achieving a detachable and secure connection between the support cover 30 and the oil pan body 10 by tightening or loosening the support cover 30.

[0036] The float 40 is disposed within the guide hole. One end of the float 40 facing the outer side of the oil pan body 10 has a circular boss 41 with a diameter larger than the diameter of the guide hole. The circular boss 41 forms a shoulder at the outlet of the guide hole to prevent the float 40 from sliding entirely through the guide hole into the interior of the oil pan body 10. The other end of the float 40 is located in the internal oil cavity of the oil pan body 10 and is in direct contact with the engine oil. Under the buoyancy of the engine oil and its own weight, the float 40 can slide up and down along the axial direction of the guide hole, thus changing its position within the guide hole according to the change in the engine oil level inside the oil pan 100.

[0037] An annular snap-fit ​​flange is formed on the outer peripheral wall of the guide portion 31, near the end connected to the handle portion 32. The annular snap-fit ​​flange is continuously or substantially continuously arranged along the circumference of the guide portion 31 and is used to cooperate with the elastic snap-fit ​​structure on the cap 20. The cap 20 is a sleeve-type structure fitted outside the guide portion 31, with an opening at one end that communicates with a guide cavity formed inside the cap 20. The guide cavity is used to accommodate the end of the float 40 located outside the guide hole and guide its sliding. An elastic snap-fit ​​structure is formed at the edge of the opening of the cap 20. This elastic snap-fit ​​structure can be an elastic ring structure with radial elasticity. When the cap 20 is in the first position, the cap 20 is pushed axially to the end near the support cover 30. After radial elastic deformation, the elastic snap-fit ​​structure locks the annular snap-fit ​​flange, thereby reliably locking the cap 20 onto the guide portion 31 by elastic deformation, so that the cap 20 remains stable relative to the guide portion 31 in the first position.

[0038] An annular flange is also provided on the circumferential outer wall of the guide portion 31, extending further away from the oil supply port. The annular flange is substantially continuous along the circumference of the guide portion 31, with an opening section formed only at a predetermined angular position to allow the limiting block 21 on the cap 20 to pass through. The limiting block 21 is provided on the circumferential inner wall of the cap 20, and the limiting block 21 is arranged radially inward toward the guide portion 31. When the operator pulls the cap 20 from the first position away from the oil supply port, the cap 20 drives the limiting block 21 to slide together on the outer circumference of the guide portion 31. When the limiting block 21 is aligned with the opening section of the annular flange in the circumferential direction, the limiting block 21 can pass through the opening section and move to the axial outer side of the annular flange. The limiting block 21 abuts against the contact surface of the annular flange on the side away from the oil supply port in the axial direction, thereby preventing the cap 20 from sliding down back to the first position during use. By using the limit block 21 in conjunction with the annular flange, the cap 20 can be stably held in the second position after being opened, allowing the operator to observe the oil level without holding the cap 20.

[0039] An annular boss 312 protrudes from the top of the guide portion 31, and the annular boss 312 is continuously formed around the circumference of the guide portion 31. The annular boss 312 is located above the limiting block 21. When the cap 20 is in the second position, the limiting block 21 is located in the annular area between the annular flange and the annular boss 312. The annular boss 312 is used to abut against the limiting block 21 when the cap 20 continues to slide away from the oil supply hole, thereby preventing the limiting block 21 from going over the annular boss 312 and causing the cap 20 to completely disengage from the guide portion 31. This ensures that the cap 20 is fitted around the outer circumference of the guide portion 31 throughout the entire stroke range, preventing the support cover 30 and the cap 20 from separating from each other.

[0040] The handle 32 is located between the guide 31 and the tightening part 33. Multiple arc-shaped notches 322 are provided on the circumferential outer wall of the handle 32. The operator can insert his / her fingers into the arc-shaped notches 322 for gripping. With the increased force-bearing area and friction of the arc-shaped notches 322, the operator can tighten or loosen the support cover 30, thereby improving the convenience of assembling and disassembling the support cover 30 in a confined space.

[0041] A positioning cylinder 23 protruding axially is provided on the bottom wall of the guide cavity inside the cap 20, and a spring is sleeved on the positioning cylinder 23. A positioning groove 314 is provided on the end face of the float 40 facing the cap 20. One end of the spring is sleeved on the outside of the positioning cylinder 23, and the other end is compressed and housed in the positioning groove 314 when the cap 20 is in the first position, applying axial pushing force to the float 40, causing the float 40 to move towards the outlet of the guide hole, thereby pressing the circular boss 41 on the float 40 against the outlet of the guide hole, thus sealing the guide hole. When the cap 20 moves to the second position, the spring is in a relatively relaxed state, with one end fixed on the positioning cylinder 23 and the other end separated from the positioning groove 314.

[0042] Preferably, the circumferential sidewalls of the cap 20 are at least partially or entirely made of glass or other transparent materials, making the interior of the guide cavity and the end of the float 40 therein visible from the outside. When the oil level in the oil pan 100 changes, the position of the float 40 in the guide hole and guide cavity changes accordingly. The operator can directly observe the height of the float 40 in the guide cavity through the transparent sidewalls of the cap 20, thereby determining whether the oil level in the oil pan 100 is within the normal range, and can complete the level detection without removing the traditional dipstick.

[0043] This utility model also proposes an engine. The engine includes a cylinder block and an oil pan 100 as described in any of the aforementioned embodiments. The oil pan 100 is installed at the lower end of the cylinder block and, together with the cylinder block, forms an oil chamber for storing engine oil. In this embodiment, the cap 20 and the support cover 30 are disposed on the side wall of the oil pan body 10. In the engine's installed position, the cap 20 and the support cover 30 are staggered horizontally or obliquely relative to the contour edge of the cylinder block, meaning that the cap 20 and the support cover 30 are not in the same vertical projection area as any protruding accessory mounting portion or other extended structures on the cylinder block. By staggering the cap 20 and the support cover 30 relative to the cylinder block, sufficient operating space is provided for the removal and installation of the cap 20 and for observing the engine oil level, even with a relatively compact overall layout in the engine compartment. This avoids interference with the cylinder block and its surrounding accessories, improving the engine's maintainability and assembly flexibility.

[0044] This utility model also proposes a vehicle. The vehicle includes a frame and the aforementioned engine mounted on the frame. Because the engine adopts the aforementioned oil pan 100 structure, when arranging the vehicle as a whole, there is no need to reserve space separately for the traditional dipstick opening. Oil filling and oil level detection can be completed simply through the cap 20 on the side wall of the oil pan 100. This facilitates the compact arrangement of internal engine compartment components and meets the requirements of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, or construction machinery vehicles for high space utilization and convenient maintenance operations.

[0045] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An oil pan, characterized in that, include: Oil pan body (10), the side wall of which is provided with an oil supply hole; Support cover (30), the support cover (30) is detachably connected to the oil supply hole and can close the oil supply hole, the support cover (30) is provided with a guide hole, and the interior of the oil pan body (10) is connected to the exterior of the oil pan body (10) through the guide hole; A float (40) is slidably disposed in the guide hole along the axial direction of the guide hole, and one end of the float (40) can extend into the oil pan body (10) and slide in the guide hole along the axial direction under the drive of the oil level change in the oil pan body (10). A cap (20) is connected to the support cover (30) and closes the oil supply hole. The cap (20) has a guide cavity inside, which is connected to the guide hole. The float (40) is located at one end outside the guide hole and can slide in the guide cavity. At least part of the sidewall of the cap (20) is a viewing window.

2. The oil pan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support cover (30) includes a guide portion (31) extending away from the oil supply hole. The guide hole passes through the guide portion (31). The cap (20) is slidably fitted onto the guide portion (31) so that the cap (20) can move from a first position to a second position of the guide portion (31). In the first position, the guide portion (31) is inserted into the guide cavity. One end of the float (40) located outside the guide hole is fixed between the guide portion (31) and the cap (20). In the second position, the cap (20) extends out relative to the guide portion (31). One end of the float (40) located outside the guide hole can slide in the guide cavity along the axial direction.

3. The oil pan according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide portion (31) has a first locking structure (311) on its outer circumferential wall facing the oil supply hole, and the cap (20) has a second locking structure (22) on its inner circumferential wall facing the support cover (30). When the cap (20) is in the first position, the first locking structure (311) and the second locking structure (22) can lock each other.

4. The oil pan according to claim 3, characterized in that, The guide portion (31) has a limiting structure (313) on its circumferential outer wall away from the oil supply hole. The limiting structure (313) has an abutting surface facing the outside of the oil pan body (10). The sealing cap (20) has a limiting block (21) on its circumferential inner wall. When the sealing cap (20) is in the second position, the limiting block (21) can abut against the abutting surface.

5. The oil pan according to claim 4, characterized in that, The float (40) has a circular boss (41) at one end outside the guide hole. The diameter of the circular boss (41) is larger than the diameter of the guide hole. An elastic element (60) is provided on the bottom wall of the guide cavity facing the support cover (30). When the cap (20) is in the first position, the elastic element (60) abuts against the circular boss (41) so that the circular boss (41) closes the guide hole.

6. The oil pan according to claim 5, characterized in that, The guide part (31) has an annular boss (312) protruding from one end away from the oil supply hole. The side of the annular boss (312) facing the support cover (30) can abut against the limiting block (21).

7. The oil pan according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The support cover (30) also includes a tightening part (33), the guide hole passes through the tightening part (33), the tightening part (33) is inserted into the oil supply hole and threadedly connected to the inner wall of the oil supply hole.

8. The oil pan according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The support cover (30) also includes a handle (32), which is an annular structure, and an annular groove (321) is provided on the end face of the annular structure facing the oil pan. A sealing ring (50) is provided in the annular groove (321), and the sealing ring (50) can abut against the inner wall of the annular groove (321) and the oil pan respectively.

9. An engine, characterized in that, It includes a cylinder block and an oil pan according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cap (20) and the support cover (30) are respectively offset from the cylinder block.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including the engine according to claim 9.

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