Oil level detection device

Abstract

To provide an oil level detection device capable of accurately detecting an oil amount.SOLUTION: An oil level detection device includes: an oil level gauge that detects a height position of a liquid level of oil stored in an oil pan; and a partition wall provided from a position lower than a lower limit of a predetermined range of the height position to a position higher than an upper limit of the predetermined range and surrounding the oil level gauge from the lateral side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an oil level detection device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an oil pan that stores oil for lubricating an internal combustion engine. The amount of oil in the oil pan is detected from the position of the oil attached to an oil level gauge inserted toward the oil pan. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-122468 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The oil in the oil pan is agitated by, for example, oil droplets falling from the cylinder block, or the operation of the crankshaft, balancer, and chain of the internal combustion engine, causing air bubbles to get mixed into the oil. If air bubbles adhere to the oil level gauge, the position of the oil level becomes unclear, and there is a risk that the amount of oil cannot be detected accurately.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide an oil level detection device that can accurately detect the amount of oil. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The oil level detection device of the present invention comprises an oil level gauge that detects the height position of the liquid surface of oil stored in an oil pan, and a partition wall that surrounds the oil level gauge from a position lower than the lower limit of a specified range of height positions to a position higher than the upper limit of the specified range. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the amount of oil can be detected accurately. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an oil pan taken along a horizontal direction. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the oil pan taken along line AA in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Fig. 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of oil pan 2, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of oil pan 2 taken along line AA (vertical direction) in Fig. 1. Oil pan 2 is connected to a lower portion of cylinder block 5 of an engine, and stores oil 9 that lubricates the engine. As an example, oil pan 2 is a tray-shaped member having a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above.

[0010] A strainer 3 is provided inside the oil pan 2, extending from the cylinder block 5 toward the oil pan 2. The strainer 3 draws oil 9 from the oil pan 2 using an oil pump (not shown), and pressure-feeds the oil 9 to various mechanical components such as the crankshaft bearings (see arrow S).

[0011] The oil that has lubricated the engine is discharged into the oil pan 2 via the drain passage 4 (see arrow E). The drain passage 4 extends from the inside of the cylinder block 5 along the side wall of the oil pan 2, and its outlet 4s faces the bottom surface of the oil pan 2. Oil (oil droplets) falls into an area 9b of the liquid surface 9s of the oil 9 in the oil pan 2 directly below the outlet 4s of the drain passage 4 and is agitated. This causes air bubbles 90 to form in the oil 9. The oil 9 is also agitated by the operation of the engine's crankshaft, balancer, and chain, etc.

[0012] The oil level detection device 1 has an oil level gauge 10 and a partition wall 11. The oil level gauge 10 detects the height position X of the liquid level 9s of the oil 9 stored in the oil pan 2. The oil level gauge 10 is a rod-shaped member, and is inserted into a guide 50 that extends from the outside into the cylinder block 5. When the oil level gauge 10 is fully inserted, its tip 11a is immersed in the oil 9 in the oil pan 2.

[0013] A height position X of the oil level 9s of the oil 9 is detected from the position of the oil 9 attached to the tip portion 11a. A user can detect the amount of oil in the oil pan 2 by pulling out the oil level gauge 10 and checking the height position X of the oil level 9s of the oil 9.

[0014] However, if air bubbles 90 are generated in the oil 9 as described above, and the air bubbles 90 adhere to the oil level gauge 10, the height position X of the oil level 9s of the oil 9 becomes unclear, and there is a risk that the amount of oil cannot be detected accurately.

[0015] For this reason, the partition 11 is provided from a position Db lower than the lower limit L of a predetermined range R of the height position X of the liquid level 9s to a position Da higher than the upper limit H of the predetermined range, and surrounds the oil level gauge 10 from the side. For this reason, the intrusion of air bubbles 90 into a region 9a of the liquid level 9s of the oil 9 that is surrounded by the partition 11 is suppressed. Note that the upper limit H and lower limit L of the predetermined range R are the range of the liquid level 9s expected under general conditions, and coincide with the upper and lower limit markers of the oil level gauge 10, for example.

[0016] The partition 11 has a substantially U-shape in top view, and an open portion is connected to the inner wall 2a of the oil pan 2. As a result, the partition 11 covers the oil level gauge 10 from three sides so as to sandwich it between the partition 11 and the inner wall 2a, thereby isolating the area 9a near the oil level gauge 10 from the area 9b where air bubbles 90 are generated. Note that, in this example, the oil level gauge 10 is located near the inner wall 2a of the oil pan 2, but for example, when the oil level gauge 10 is located in the center of the oil pan 2, the oil level gauge 10 may be surrounded on all four sides by the partition 11 having a substantially square shape in top view. Furthermore, the partition 11 may be a cylindrical member.

[0017] In this way, the oil level detecting device 1 can suppress adhesion of air bubbles 90 to the oil level gauge 10 by the partition wall 11, so that the height position X of the liquid surface 9s of the oil 9 can be clearly confirmed by the oil level gauge 10. Therefore, the oil level detecting device 1 can accurately detect the amount of oil.

[0018] The above-described embodiment is a preferred example of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0019] 1 oil level detection device, 2 oil pan, 10 oil level gauge, 11 bulkhead

Claims

[Claim 1] an oil level gauge for detecting the height of the oil level stored in the oil pan; a partition wall that is provided from a position lower than the lower limit of the predetermined range of height positions to a position higher than the upper limit of the predetermined range and that surrounds the oil level gauge from the side; Oil level detection device.

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