Internal-combustion engines – Two-cycle – Rear compression
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-09-25
Kamen, Noah P. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Two-cycle
Rear compression
C123S1960CP
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293233
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an engine lubrication control, and more particularly to an improved engine lubrication control that can easily increase lubricant when, for example, breaking-in the engine.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional outboard motor, in general, employs a two stroke engine. Lubricant usually is mixed with fuel and then supplied to a crankcase of the two stroke engine. When an two stroke engine is first operated, i.e., during a break-in period (e.g., about 10 hours), the engine requires more lubricant than it requires after it is broken-in. More lubricant thus is mixed with the fuel during this initial break-in period of the engine's life.
Some outboard motors equipped with the two stroke engines are now employ a direct fuel injection system, because the system affords many advantages such as improvement of emissions. The direct injection system injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber.
Because the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber and not through a crankcase chamber in the system, the engine must have a lubrication pump for supplying lubricant to the crankcase chamber separately. The usual way in which lubricant is increased before mixed with fuel as noted above is, therefore, no longer useful during the break-in period of a direct-injection engine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Control of the engine's lubrication pump provides a suitable way to increase the amount of lubricant delivered to the engine during the break-in period. If an electric pump is applied to the engine, this control can be accomplished using logic circuitry (e.g., by an ECU of the engine. However, such an electric pump is more costly than a mechanical pump. If a mechanical pump is applied to the engine, a control mechanism can be used to increase lubricant during particular different periods of engine operation (e.g., during the engine's break-in period and afterwards).
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an internal combustion engine comprises at least one variable volume combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is defied by at least first and second components which move relative to each other. In one mode, the combustion chamber is defined by a piston that reciprocates within a cylinder bore. A cylinder body defines at least the one cylinder bore, which has a closed end and an open end. The closed end defines, with the piston and the cylinder bore, the combustion chamber. A crankcase adjoins the cylinder body and defines a crankcase chamber with the open end. The crankcase chamber accommodates a crankshaft that is pivotally coupled to the piston and is journaled within the crankcase chamber. A lubrication device delivers varying amounts of lubricant to the crankcase chamber depending upon rotational speed of the crankshaft. The lubrication device also includes an adjustment mechanism to adjust a volume of lubricant delivered to the engine at a particular rotational speed. The adjustment mechanism has at least first and second positions. With the adjustment mechanism in the first position, the lubrication device delivers a first volume of lubricant to the engine at a particular rotational speed. With the adjustment mechanism in the second position, the lubrication device delivers a second larger volume of lubricant to the engine at the same particular rotational speed.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an internal combustion engine comprises at least one variable volume combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is defied by at least first and second components which move relative to each other. In one mode, the combustion chamber is defined by a piston that reciprocates within a cylinder bore. A cylinder body defines at least the one cylinder bore, which has a closed end and an open end. The closed end defines, with the piston and the cylinder bore, the combustion chamber. A crankcase adjoins the cylinder body and defines a crankcase chamber with the open end. The crankcase chamber accommodates a crankshaft, which is pivotally coupled to the piston and is journaled within the crankcase chamber. An air intake system is provided for supplying an air charge to the combustion chamber. The air intake system includes a throttle valve that controls the volume of the air charge delivered to the engine. The rotational speed of the crankshaft increases when the air charge amount increases. The engine further comprises a lubrication pump that delivers lubricant to the crankcase chamber. The lubrication pump includes a rotary member which changes an amount of lubricant flow through the pump when the rotary member is rotated. The lubrication pump also includes a control lever linked with the throttle valve and selectively mounted on the rotary member at least in two positions. The lubrication pump further includes a switchover mechanism for changing the position of the control lever relative to the rotary member.
Further aspects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow. dr
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of this invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of preferred embodiments which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention.
FIG. 1
is a side elevational view showing an outboard motor powered by an engine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. An associated watercraft is partially shown in cross-section.
FIG. 2
is an enlarged cross-sectional plan view showing the engine.
FIG. 3
is an enlarged side elevational view showing the engine.
FIG. 4
is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an lubrication pump employed in the engine and taken along the line
4
—
4
in FIG.
5
. Arrangements including paths and passages are somewhat schematically indicated.
FIG. 5
is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the lubrication pump taken along the line
5
—
5
in FIG.
4
. The arrangements including paths and passages are also schematically indicated.
FIG. 6
is an enlarged plan view partially showing the lubrication pump in a state in which the control lever is engaged with a selector member at a regular position.
FIG. 7
is a plan view showing the selector member of FIG.
6
.
FIG. 8
is a plan view showing the control lever of FIG.
6
.
FIG. 9
is a schematic side elevational view showing the lubrication pump and partially in cross-section.
FIG. 10
is an enlarged plan view partially showing the lubrication pump in a state in which a control lever is engaged with the selector member at an increase position.
FIG. 11
is a graph showing the relationship between angles of the control lever and volumes of lubricant delivered by the lubrication pump.
FIG. 12
is an enlarged plan view partially showing another embodiment of the lubrication pump in a state in which a control lever is engaged with a selector member at a regular position.
FIG. 13
is a plan view showing the selector member of FIG.
12
.
FIG. 14
is a plan view showing the control lever of FIG.
12
.
FIG. 15
is a schematic, partial sectional, side view showing the lubrication pump of FIG.
12
.
FIG. 16
is an enlarged plan view partially showing the lubrication pump of
FIG. 12
in a state in which the control lever is engaged with the selector member at an increase position.
FIG. 17
is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a pin fitted in apertures of the selector member and the control lever to maintain these components at the increase position illustrated in FIG.
16
.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4411225 (1983-10-01), Dell'orto
patent: 4615305 (1986-10-01), Matsumoto
patent: 5934242 (1999-08-01), Anamoto
patent: 6044822 (2000-04-01), Daniels
patent: 4-287817 (1992-10-01), None
Kamen Noah P.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Sanshin Kabushiki Kaisha
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