Drain Back Seal With Blow-Back Lip for Engine Oil Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sealing techniques between the cylinder head and engine block in internal combustion engines are insufficient, allowing blow-by oil to leak due to increased crankcase pressure, despite diverting oil back into the engine block, resulting in external oil leaks.

Innovation Solution

A drain back seal with a body, head portion, and blow-back lip is designed to divert oil from the cylinder head back into the engine block while preventing blow-by material from escaping, featuring a tapered opening and ridged head portion for enhanced sealing and contact with the cylinder head.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sealing techniques (cylinder head gasket and shim gasket) are used to seal coolant and oil, then sealing is provided for all cylinders, but blow-by oil leaks through the shim gasket joint due to increased crankcase pressure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidoil leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is divided into multiple functional components: the head gasket provides primary sealing, while the drain back seal with blow-back lip provides secondary sealing specifically针对 the drain back hole area. This segmentation allows each component to address specific leakage paths without interfering with the overall sealing system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drain back seal acts as an intermediary component between the cylinder head and engine block at the drain back hole. It intercepts blow-by oil before it can escape through the shim gasket joint, redirecting it back into the engine block while maintaining the sealing function of the primary gaskets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If oil is diverted back into the engine block through the drain back hole, then oil drainage is achieved, but blow-by material escapes through joint crevices due to crankcase pressure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoil drainage functionVSAvoidblow-by material escape

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The blow-back lip is positioned to create a barrier against blow-by material before it can escape through the joint crevices. The lip extends into the drain back hole to preemptively block the escape path of pressurized blow-by gases and oil, forcing them back into the engine block through the intended drainage path.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of trying to prevent blow-by material from reaching the joint crevices directly, the invention inverts the approach by using the drain back hole itself as a barrier. The blow-back lip utilizes the drain back hole's geometry to create a seal that redirects blow-by material back into the block, turning the potential leakage path into a protective feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11725606B2Oil drain back seal and systems, assemblies, kits, and methods thereof

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 CATERPILLAR INC

AI summary

A funnel or drain back seal and systems, assemblies, components, kits, and methods thereof can comprise a body defining an opening that extends from a top of the body to a bottom of the body; a head portion that extends outward from the top of the body; and a flap or lip that extends outward from the bottom of the body. The opening can be adapted to pass draining oil from the top of the body to the bottom of the body for supply into an engine block.