Noise reducing oil pan for automotive engine

Details Noise reducing oil pan for automotive engine Noise reducing oil pan for automotive engine

2000-02-22

2001-05-22

Kamen, Noah P. (Department: 3747)

Internal-combustion engines

Frame construction

Horizontal cylinder

C123S19800E

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234136

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to oil pans for internal combustion engines and, more specifically, to an engine noise dampening oil pan assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the desire to reduce noise emitted from internal combustion engines oil pans, various sound dampening arrangements have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,271, discloses a laminated oil pan structure of a thin plastic damping material positioned between flat inner surfaces of the pan and stamped steel insert pan liners.
An engine sound deadening arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,735, which provides a liquid sound barrier in the form of an oil reservoir between a cylinder block walls and cowling cover.
The Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc. paper No. 1999-01-1759, entitled: “Development of a Technique for Using Oil Viscosity to Reduce Noise Radiated from the Oil Pan”, discloses a vibration dampening technique for engine oil pans to reduce radiation noise. Damping is obtained with a “squeeze” oil pan, formed with a thin oil film between the pan and an added inner plate, which reduces the pan vibration level to lower radiation noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention concerns an oil pan assembly for automotive internal combustion engine blocks formed with passages for returning oil to an oil pan reservoir. Applicant's pan assembly comprises a pair of corresponding inner and outer pan units, wherein the inner unit is supported in nested spaced relation within the outer unit. The space between unit walls provides a return oil chamber, with the upper opposed edge portions of its walls defining oil inflow gaps. The chamber substantially envelops the inner pan unit oil reservoir, allowing the chamber oil to dampen engine noise radiating from the reservoir.
Another feature of the invention set forth above is to provide an oil pan assembly wherein, with its outer pan unit being secured to the bottom of the engine block, the chamber inflow gaps are located subjacent the return oil flows exiting the block oil passages. Upon filling the chamber, the return oil overflows into the inner pan unit reservoir for re-circulation to the engine.
Still another feature is to provide a duel-walled oil pan assembly as set forth above, wherein the assembly is fabricated from thinner gauge sheet steel such that its weight is substantially the same as conventional oil pans formed from thicker gauge sheet steel. In the disclosed embodiment the inner and outer nested metal pan units are secured together in a spaced manner by a plurality of welded spacer members, defining a “honeycomb panel” type, dual wall structure.
It is yet another feature to terminate the inner wall upper edge portion in an upwardly facing convex curved lip for directing the return oil flow from the block passages into the chamber. After the chamber is filled with oil, the convex lip provides an overflow path for returning the oil to the pan unit reservoir.


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Authors- Uraki, Kondo, Yashiro “Development of a Technique for Uning Oil Viscosity to Reduce Noise Radiated from the Oil Pan” May 17, 1999; pp. 835-841 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc. SAE 1999-01-1759.

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