Cylinder Head Oil Return Pump for Horizontal Engine Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

In internal combustion engines with cylinders inclined or horizontal, oil stagnates in the lower part of the cylinder head due to high temperatures, leading to oil seepage and smoke issues, particularly during sudden braking or acceleration.

Innovation Solution

An oil return pump is integrated into the cylinder head, driven by the distribution system, which sucks oil from the low point and returns it to the main engine casing, effectively addressing the oil stagnation and seepage issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the cylinder head is positioned horizontally or inclined below the horizontal plane, then the engine architecture allows for specific vehicle configurations (flat-six engine, flat-twin motorcycle, aerobatic aircraft), but oil stagnates in the lower part of the head causing seepage and smoke

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveengine architecture adaptabilityVSAvoidoil seepage and smoke
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the harmful element (stagnant oil) from the cylinder head by introducing a pump that actively removes oil from the lower part of the head and returns it to the crankcase. This extraction principle directly addresses the oil stagnation problem while preserving the flexible engine architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The pump performs preliminary action by proactively removing oil from the cylinder head before it can accumulate to harmful levels. The system continuously prevents oil stagnation rather than reacting to it, thereby eliminating seepage and smoke issues before they occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If gravity-based oil drainage is used in vertical engines, then oil drainage is simple, but in horizontal or inclined engines oil accumulates in the lower cylinder head

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoil drainage simplicityVSAvoidoil drainage effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the passive gravity-based drainage system with an active mechanical pump system. The pump is driven by the distribution system and actively transports oil from the lower cylinder head to the crankcase, ensuring reliable drainage regardless of engine orientation while maintaining operational simplicity through integration with the existing distribution system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If a pump is introduced to drain oil from the cylinder head, then oil stagnation is prevented, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoil drainage reliabilityVSAvoidcylinder head structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the pump function with the existing distribution system by driving the pump off the distribution system's rotational movement. The pump body is integrated into the cylinder head structure itself, combining multiple functions (oil drainage, structural support) into a single integrated component, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The distribution system serves multiple functions: it continues to distribute oil to the engine components while simultaneously driving the pump to drain oil from the cylinder head. This multi-functionality approach reduces the need for separate dedicated systems and minimizes overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution prevents oil seepage and smoke by efficiently draining lubricating oil from the cylinder head, maintaining engine performance during various driving conditions.

Implementation Method 1

the said pump is a trochoidal pump

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTrochoidal pump mechanism: Pump

Data Source

PatentEP3094834B1Oil aspiration system for an engine having a cylinder horizontal or inclined under an horizontal plane
Publication Date: 2019.11.27 RDMO
  • EP3094834B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3094834B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3094834B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder that is horizontal or inclined below the horizontal plane, including a cylinder head (1) provided with lubrication means, and a distribution system. The cylinder head (1) comprises an oil return pump drawing the oil into the low point of the cylinder-head cover (18) and discharging the oil towards the main crankcase of the engine.