LUBRICATION CIRCUIT WITH A FILTER AND VEHICLE WITH THE LUBRICATION CIRCUIT

Description

[0001] Lubrication circuit including a filter and vehicle equipped with the lubrication circuit. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The invention relates to a lubrication circuit including an oil filter and to a motor vehicle equipped with the lubrication circuit.

[0003] The invention can be applied in heavy-duty and / or medium vehicles, such as trucks, buses and construction equipment. The invention also can be applied to car.

[0004] The invention is applicable on working machines within the fields of industrial construction machines or construction equipment, in particular wheel loaders. The invention is not restricted to this particular machine but may also be used in other working machines such as articulated haulers, excavators and backhoe loaders.BACKGROUND

[0005] The oil filter is an essential element for vehicle lubrication systems. It eliminates impurities or particles present in the oil that could damage the vehicle's mechanical components. The emergence of hybrid vehicles with more complex transmissions incorporating electric motors makes lubrication systems more complex, particularly because of the greater need to cool the oil. Current filters require the use of more circuits and connections. US20110297119 describes such a lubrication circuit.

[0006] US6595371B1 and US2031935A describe oil filters having two outlets but do not teach how to use such oil filters in lubrication circuit.

[0007] US6708665 B1 discloses a fluid cooling device having cooling means, filtering means, having only one outlet and located upstream of the cooling means, and pump means located upstream of the filtering means. The oil flows through the pump means, through the filtering means, then through the cooling means. A control unit having a settable temperature threshold allows bypassing of the cooling means when the temperature threshold is not reached. Thus, a complex architecture, requiring a control unit, is required to allow bypassing of the cooling means.SUMMARY

[0008] The first object of the invention is to provide a lubrication circuit comprising an oil filter for vehicle lubrication system requesting a simpler oil circuit architecture.

[0009] The object is achieved by a lubrication circuit according to claim 1.

[0010] Using two distinct outlets allow to reduce the number of connexion and / or the length of the circuit.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the housing is cylindrical.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the axis of the first outlet orifice is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder forming the housing.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the axis of the second orifice is sequential with at least the longitudinal axis of the cylinder forming the housing.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the axis of the first outlet port is coincident with the axis of the cylinder forming the housing.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the first and second ports are connected.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the axis of the first outlet port is perpendicular to the axis of the second outlet port.

[0017] Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle using a lubrication circuit according to the first object of the invention.

[0018] Further advantages and advantageous features of the invention are disclosed in the following description and in the dependent claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.

[0020] In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an oil filter, and Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a lubrication circuit equipped with the oil filter, the lubrication circuit being according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The oil filter 1 will be described with reference to figure 1. The oil filter 1 comprises a housing 10 forming a cavity inside which a filter medium 20 is placed. The housing 10 comprises at least one side wall 11 between a base 12 and a top wall 13. The top wall 13 and the side wall(s) may be made in one piece. According to one embodiment, the housing 1 is cylindrical in shape. The longitudinal axis of the housing is perpendicular to the base 12 and the top wall 13.

[0022] The housing 10 comprises at least one inlet port (not shown) located upstream of the filter media 20 in the direction of oil flow through the filter. The filter also includes a first 30 and a second 40 oil outlet port. These two outlet ports 30, 40 are located downstream of the filter media 20 in the direction of oil flow in the filter 1.

[0023] According to the illustrated embodiment, the filter 1 comprises a first conduit 31, a first portion 32 of which occupies the cavity of the housing 10 and a first end of which forms the first orifice 30. The first portion 32 comprises a perforated zone 33 placed opposite the filter medium 20 in the cavity of the housing 10 so that the oil passing through the filter medium 20 can circulate to the first orifice 30. According to the illustrated embodiment, the first duct 31 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder forming the filter housing 10. The first duct 31 may also be coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the housing 10.

[0024] According to the illustrated embodiment, the first duct 31 passes through the housing 10 of the filter 1 so that both ends open out to the outside of the filter 1. As previously indicated, the first end of the duct 31 forms the first orifice 30. The second end 34 of the first duct 31 comprises a plug 2. The plug 2 includes a seal to prevent oil leakage from the filter 1. When the plug 2 is removed, it is possible to drain the lubrication circuit of the vehicle on which the filter is mounted.

[0025] The filter 1 comprises a second conduit 41, a first portion 42 of which occupies the cavity of the housing 10 and a first end of which forms the second outlet port 40 of the filter. The first portion 42 is disposed downstream of the filter medium 20 in the direction of oil flow in the filter 1. According to one embodiment, the axis of the second port 40 is not in a direction parallel to the axis of the first port 30. According to an embodiment not shown, the second duct 41 also comprises a perforated area similar to the perforated area 33 of the first duct and also positioned opposite the filter media 20 in the housing cavity 10 so that oil passing through the filter media 20 can flow to the second port 40.

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, the axis of the second port 40 lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the first port. This arrangement makes it easier to connect two components of the lubrication circuit. In particular, in order to reduce the size of the filter 1, the first conduit 21 is connected to the second conduit 41. Thus, according to the illustrated embodiment, the oil passing through the filter medium 20 passes through the first and second conduit after having passed through the perforated area 33 of the first conduit 31.

[0027] The filter medium 20 used in the filter is of a type known per se. For example, it is made of pleated paper. The shape of the filter medium 20 corresponds substantially to that of the cavity of the housing 10. According to the illustrated embodiment, the shape of the filter medium 20 is a cylindrical sleeve. The central channel of the cylindrical sleeve is occupied by the first duct 31 when the filter media is assembled in the filter housing 10.

[0028] The two outlet ports 30, 40 allow two separate components of a lubrication circuit to be connected directly to the oil filter. This simplifies the lubrication circuit and reduces its size.

[0029] An example of a lubrication circuit 52 according to the invention and comprising the oil filter is shown in Figure 2. The lubrication circuit 52 is, for example, that of a motor vehicle and more particularly the lubrication circuit of a transmission of the vehicle.

[0030] The lubrication circuit 52 comprises a pump 2 for circulating oil throughout the lubrication circuit 52. The oil filter 1 is placed downstream of the pump 2. The lubrication circuit 52 also comprises a heat exchanger 4 for cooling the oil in the lubrication circuit, a bypass circuit 5 for the heat exchanger 4 and a three-way valve 6.

[0031] The first port 30 of the filter is connected to an inlet 41 of the heat exchanger 4. The outlet of the heat exchanger 4 is connected to a first inlet of the three-way valve 6. The bypass circuit 5 is connected on the one hand to the second port 40 of the filter 1 and on the other hand to a second inlet of the three-way valve. Thus, the three-way valve 6 is arranged to allow oil to flow either through the heat exchanger 4 or through the bypass circuit 5. When the oil flows through the bypass circuit 5 it is not cooled by the heat exchanger 4. The output of the three-way valve is connected to the input of the pump 2.

[0032] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A lubrication circuit (52) of a motor vehicle comprising: - a pump (2), for circulating oil throughout the lubrication circuit, - an heat exchanger (4) for cooling the oil of the circuit, the heat exchanger (4) comprising an inlet (41) and an outlet, - a by-pass circuit (5) of the exchanger, - an oil filter (1), placed downstream of the pump (2), and - a three-way valve (6), comprising a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, wherein the oil filter (1) comprises: - a housing (10) forming a cavity, - a filter medium (20) mounted in the housing cavity, - an inlet port located upstream of the filter medium (20) in the direction of oil flow, - a first outlet port (30) located downstream of the filter medium, and - a second outlet port (40) located downstream of the filter medium, and wherein: - the first outlet port (30) of the oil filter (1) is connected to the inlet (41) of the heat exchanger (4), - the outlet of the heat exchanger (4) is connected to the first inlet of the three-way valve (6), - the second outlet port (40) of the oil filter (1) is connected to the second inlet of the three-way valve (6) via the by-pass circuit (5), and - the outlet of the three-way valve (6) is connected to an inlet of the pump (2), so that the three-way valve (6) is arranged to allow oil to flow either through the heat exchanger (4) or through the by-pass circuit (5).

2. Lubrication circuit according to claim 1, characterised in that the housing (10) is cylindrical.

3. Lubrication circuit according to claim 2, characterised in that the axis of the first outlet orifice (30) is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder forming the housing (10).

4. Lubrication circuit according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the axis of the second orifice (40) is sequential with at least the longitudinal axis of the cylinder forming the housing (10).

5. Lubrication circuit according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the axis of the first outlet port (30) is coincident with the axis of the cylinder forming the housing (10).

6. Lubrication circuit according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the first and second outlets ports (30, 40) are connected.

7. Lubrication circuit according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the axis of the first outlet port (30) is perpendicular to the axis of the second outlet port (40).

8. Motor vehicle characterised in that it comprises a lubrication circuit according to any of the preceding claims.