Internal-combustion engines – Frame construction – Horizontal cylinder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-02-13
Argenbright, Tony M. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Frame construction
Horizontal cylinder
C123S1950HC, C123S192200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186111
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to support arrangements for the crankcase of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine.
German Patent No. 42 04 522 discloses a support arrangement for attaching an oil pan to a flange in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine which is mounted in the open area of the crankcase facing the oil pan. In this support arrangement a dish-like component for noise damping extends in the transverse and longitudinal directions of the crankcase. A balance shaft which is at least partially enclosed by an arched projection of the disk-shaped component rotates between that component and the oil pan. The specially shaped balance shaft forms, together with the dish-shaped component, a damping chamber extending in the longitudinal direction of the crankcase which communicates with the crank mechanism located above it through an opening in the dish-shaped component. The purpose of this arrangement is to distribute the gas pulses produced by the up-and-down motion of the reciprocating pistons through the opening in directions approximately parallel to the axis of the crankshaft, and thus to avoid direct impingement of the pulsating gas columns on the oil pan.
The publication
MTZ Motortechnische Zeitschrift
56, 1995, No. 9, page 531, discloses a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine having a crankcase with side walls which extend beyond the center of the crankshaft bearing toward an oil pan. Within the connection plane between the oil pan and the crankcase is a relatively open-work frame piece similar to that of German Patent No. 42 04 522 which extends essentially in a flat plane and has webs with through-holes for three threaded joints in each transverse plane extending between adjacent cylinders. The outer two threaded joints are connected to the crankcase side walls, while the center threaded joint is connected to the crankshaft bearing shell above it.
A further support arrangement is disclosed in
MTZ Motortechnische Zeitschrift
57, 1996, No. 9, page 496, which describes a mass compensation drive with two balance shafts rotating in opposite directions which is integrated essentially in the region below one of the cylinders. The two balance shafts are driven through a gear located on a crank web of a central cylinder on one of the balance shafts, which in turn drives the other balance shaft in the opposite direction. In principle, this type of dual shaft balancing drive arrangement is known, for example from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 22 53 605. In this case, however, a separate bearing frame is eliminated, and mounting of the two shafts is accomplished by lengthening two bearing brackets toward the oil pan and screwing on separate bearing caps. The attachment of the shafts to the main bearing brackets makes it possible to tap the crankshaft lubricating oil supply, with all of the bearing locations of the auxiliary shafts being supplied with oil as a result of the incorporation of a comparatively large number of longitudinal holes and cross holes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support arrangement for the crankcase of an internal combustion engine which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a spatially optimized support arrangement for the open area of a crankcase facing an oil pan while making structural provision for a balance shaft.
These and other objects of the invention are attained by providing a support component located in the open area of the crankcase opposite an oil pan retained on a flange and extending in the transverse and longitudinal directions of the crankcase which has an essentially plate-like configuration for optimal reinforcement and which substantially separates the open area from the oil pan. To avoid undesirable transmission paths for structure-bome noise between the crank mechanism and side walls of the crankcase, the support component is attached only to the flange surrounding the open area and, at the same time, a balance shaft is supported in bearings which are integral to the support component for optimal utilization of the installation space with a high degree of functional integration. The plate-like configuration of the support component also provides the advantage that the component can serve as an oil scoop that collects lubricating oil mixed with air thrown off by the crank mechanism and directs it through defined, window-like openings into the oil pan.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bearings are made in one piece in projecting bearing blocks that are integral to, and made of the same material as, the support component. In this case, for optimum utilization of space, one of the bearing blocks is integral with a wall at one end of the support component at which the drive for the balance shaft is located. The use of one-piece bearings eliminates component and assembly costs and permits insertion of the balance shaft from an end of the support component which is opposite the end containing the bearing block.
In a further preferred embodiment, the surface of the support component facing the crank mechanism is closely adjacent, at least in part, to the path of motion of the connecting rod of the crank mechanism, so that the conventional separate oil baffle plates used with ladder frames can be eliminated.
For even better utilization of space, an ancillary component of the internal combustion engine, such as an oil pump, can be mounted on the support component adjacent to an end wall and next to the balance shaft. Preferably, the drive wheel for the ancillary component rotates in a drive plane located in front of the end wall which also contains a drive wheel of the auxiliary shaft, an additional idler, and a driven gear of the crankshaft.
In a further preferred embodiment, a passage system connected by a feed passage to a main oil passage in the crankcase is provided in the support component for directing lubricating oil to the bearing locations for the auxiliary shaft.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2914137 (1959-11-01), Muskegon
patent: 3710774 (1973-01-01), Weseloh et al.
patent: 4677948 (1987-07-01), Candea
patent: 4703725 (1987-11-01), Weertman
patent: 5000140 (1991-03-01), Bates et al.
patent: 5174257 (1992-12-01), Ozawa
patent: 5535643 (1996-07-01), Garza
patent: 5542387 (1996-08-01), Okubo
patent: 5743230 (1998-04-01), Yamazaki et al.
patent: 5794493 (1998-08-01), Bollig et al.
patent: 5893346 (1999-04-01), Hosoya
patent: 2253605 (1972-11-01), None
patent: 4204522 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 997076 (1951-12-01), None
patent: 2720464 (1995-12-01), None
MTZ Motortechnische Zeitschrift 56, No. 9, p. 531 (1995).
MTZ Motortechnische Zeitschrift 57, No. 9, p. 496 (1996).
Cornelius Volker
Hilbig Jens
Kämpfner Michael
Tremper Karsten
Argenbright Tony M.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Huynh Hai
Volkswagen AG
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