Internal-combustion engines – Lubricators – Crankcase – pressure control
Patent
1998-11-24
2000-05-09
Solis, Erick R.
Internal-combustion engines
Lubricators
Crankcase, pressure control
184 624, 210168, 210297, 210377, 210405, 210429, 2105121, F01M 1103, B04B 512
Patent
active
060588993
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for separating impurities from the lubricant oil of an internal combustion engine.
Such apparatus are known, for example in German Patent 43 06 431. If it is desired to use such apparatus, for example in crowded engine compartments of internal combustion engines, it is a disadvantage that often the necessary space is not available for it. It might be possible to mount such an apparatus outside of the engine compartment. This, however, is complicated, inasmuch as it would involve the additional expense of conduits and the necessary pumps; therefore it would increase the cost of the apparatus. But also the maintenance and the replacement of parts would make it impractical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is therefore addressed to the problem of improving an apparatus of the kind described above so as to have an apparatus which is easy to set up, flexible in application and design, as well as inexpensive.
This problem is solved by the invention by providing an apparatus comprising at least one filter insert, a centrifuge that can be driven by flowing lubricant oil, and at least one inlet passage for lubricant oil to be cleaned and at least one outlet passage for cleaned lubricant oil, wherein the filter insert and the centrifuge driven by flowing lubricant oil are located in separate housings connected by a communicating lubricant oil passage.
Thus it becomes possible to arrange the two functional units, filter insert and centrifuge, at nearly any desired place in the engine compartment of an internal combustion engine. Suitably, an effort should be made to keep the lengths of the flow passages short so as to keep the pressure losses low.
Advantageously, provision can be made for a pressure regulating valve to be contained in at least one of the communicating lubricant oil passages. This will assure for example that optimum working conditions will prevail in the centrifuge.
In an additional advantageous embodiment provision can be made for the centrifuge and/or the filter insert to be situated in the area of an operating element of the internal combustion engine. This assures that so-called functional units can be formed, capable of acting in concert on elements involved in control, regulation and power. This applies in the same degree to housing walls that can be used in common.
Another advantageous embodiment provides that the functional element is the crankcase venting valve, which is suitable because of its geometrical configuration.
Advantageously it is possible to provide for the centrifuge and/or filter insert and the functional element to have at least one common housing side. By the formation of functional units that use, for example, common housing sides, a weight-saving effect can be achieved. The spatial requirements can thus also be reduced.
Another advantageous embodiment provides for the longitudinal axes of filter and centrifuge to be arranged parallel to one another.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the filter is removable and replaceable with the filter housing open. This facilitates maintenance and filter element replacement.
In another advantageous embodiment, the passage feeding the apparatus is the same as the passage feeding the centrifuge. In this variant the centrifuge is operated on the raw oil side.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the outlet passage of the apparatus is the same as the passage feeding the centrifuge. In this case the centrifuge is operated on the clean oil side.
These and other features of preferred embodiments of the invention will be found not only in the claims but also in the description and the drawings, it being possible for the individual features to be realized individually or together in the form of sub-combinations in the embodiment of the invention and in other fields, and can be advantageous as well as independently patentable embodiments for which protection is hereby claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invent
REFERENCES:
patent: 4615315 (1986-10-01), Graham
Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
Hairston Brian
Solis Erick R.
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