Lubricating Oil Bypass Valve for Engine Pressure Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lubricating oil systems for combustion engines in industrial and commercial vehicles face high costs and reliability issues due to the use of variable displacement pumps, which are sensitive to oil contamination and have unproven durability, leading to increased engine management costs despite potential fuel consumption and pollutant emission reductions.

Innovation Solution

A lubricating oil system utilizing a controllable bypass path with a valve controlled by engine speed and load, allowing for traditional non-controllable pumps with optional variable pumps, employing a run-time engine model to calculate expected oil pressure based on engine speed and BMEP, and adjusting valve state with pressure feedback for efficient oil circulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If variable displacement pumps are used to adapt oil pressure to engine conditions, then fuel consumption is reduced and pollutant emissions decrease, but the system cost increases significantly and reliability decreases due to sensitivity to oil contamination and unproven durability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoidsystem reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A controllable valve is introduced as an intermediary component in the bypass path to regulate oil pressure. This valve acts as a mediator between the fixed displacement pump and the engine components, allowing pressure adaptation without requiring a complex variable displacement pump. The valve modifies the bypass flow based on engine conditions, achieving the pressure control function of a variable pump while maintaining the simplicity and reliability of a fixed pump system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replicates the pressure adaptation function of variable displacement pumps through a different mechanism. Instead of varying pump displacement, the system uses a controllable valve in the bypass path to achieve the same effect of adapting oil pressure to engine needs. This functional copy allows the system to achieve variable pump benefits (fuel efficiency) without the drawbacks (cost, reliability issues).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Use of energy by moving object

If variable displacement pumps are implemented to control oil pressure according to engine operating conditions, then energy efficiency improves, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidpump system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controllable valve serves as a simpler intermediary component compared to the complex variable displacement pump mechanism. By placing a valve in the bypass path, the system achieves pressure control through a less complex means, reducing manufacturing costs and device complexity while maintaining energy efficiency benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces expensive variable displacement pumps with more affordable fixed displacement pumps combined with controllable valves. This substitution uses cheaper, more readily available components to achieve the same functional outcome, significantly reducing system cost and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Device complexity

If traditional non-controllable pumps are used with a simple bypass valve, then system cost and complexity are reduced, but fuel consumption increases due to excessive oil pressure in certain operating conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidfuel consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The bypass valve is transformed from a static spring-loaded design to a dynamic controllable valve whose state is actively adjusted based on engine speed and load conditions. This dynamic control allows the system to optimize oil pressure in real-time, reducing energy losses and fuel consumption while maintaining the simplicity of using a fixed displacement pump.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit receives feedback signals from engine sensors (speed, load) and adjusts the bypass valve state accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt oil pressure to actual engine needs, minimizing energy waste and reducing fuel consumption while maintaining simple pump hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 system reduces fuel consumption while maintaining high engine reliability, achieving energy efficiency comparable to variable pump systems without their drawbacks, with rapid pressure control and reduced wear, and can be implemented with various actuators for precise pressure management.

Implementation Method 1

A bypass path is provided between an input of the pump and an output of the pump. A controllable valve is provided on the bypass path, whose state is controlled as a function of the engine speed and load.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow control:

Implementation Method 2

a bypass path is usually provided coupled with a loaded spring valve in order to limit the oil pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring force: Spring

Implementation Method 3

A actuator is provided on the bypass path to control the state of the controllable valve

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical actuation:

Data Source

PatentEP2963257B1Lubricating oil system for a combustion engine, in particular for industrial and commercial vehicles
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 FPT MOTORENFORSCHUNG AG
  • EP2963257B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2963257B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Lubricating oil system for a combustion engine, in particular for industrial or commercial vehicles, the system comprising a bypass connection (BP) suitable to bypass an oil pump (P) associated to an engine oil circuit (OC), a controllable valve (CV) suitable to adjust an amount of oil to be bypassed through the bypass connection, control means (ECU) controlling the controllable valve (CV), programmed to control said controllable valve (CV) as a function of the combustion engine speed.