Residual oil drainage system and related method for replacing an oil filter of an engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10934905-B2
Application number	US-201916247685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2019
Priority date	Jan 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A residual oil drainage system for use in replacement of the oil filter of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The drainage system may include first and second drainage conduits disposed in the oil pan of the engine. The drainage conduits may be fluidly interconnected and coupled to portions of the oil inlet and outlet flow conduits which normally convey oil to and from the oil filter. A flow control device is movable to either open or close the drainage flowpath in the system. In use with an open flowpath and engine off, residual oil captured by the first and second drainage conduits flows through the drainage system and is returned to the oil reservoir in the oil pan via gravity. In one configuration, the drainage conduits are formed internally and directly within the body of the structure of the oil pan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oil drainage system for an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
an oil pan defining a reservoir;
an oil filter removably coupled to the oil pan;
an oil inlet flow conduit formed in the oil pan and configured for supplying oil to the oil filter;
an oil outlet flow conduit formed in the oil pan and configured for receiving oil from the oil filter;
a first drainage conduit formed in the oil pan and fluidly coupled to the oil outlet flow conduit;
a second drainage conduit formed in the oil pan and fluidly coupled to the oil inlet flow conduit;
wherein the first and second drainage conduits are configured to collect and return residual oil from the oil outlet and inlet flow conduits respectively to the reservoir.

2. The drainage system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second drainage conduits intersect and are fluidly interconnected defining a common discharge conduit fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to collect the residual oil from both the first and second drainage conduits.

3. The drainage system according to claim 2 , wherein the common discharge conduit is fluidly coupled to an oil fill connection which in turn is fluidly coupled to the reservoir.

4. The drainage system according to claim 3 , wherein the common discharge conduit is formed by a portion of the first drainage conduit between the oil fill connection and an intersection with the second drainage conduit.

5. The drainage system according to claim 3 , wherein the oil fill connection comprises an upper oil fill tube extending upwards from the oil pan and an oil fill chamber formed in a body of the oil pan, the oil fill chamber being fluidly coupled between both the common discharge conduit and the reservoir.

6. The drainage system according to claim 2 , wherein the first drainage conduit forms a residual oil flow pathway from the oil outlet flow conduit to the common discharge conduit, and the second drainage conduit forms a residual oil flow pathway from the oil inlet flow conduit to the common discharge conduit.

7. The drainage system according to claim 1 , wherein the oil outlet flow conduit receives residual oil drained internally from the oil filter, and the oil inlet flow conduit receives residual oil drained from an inlet plenum formed between a bottom cover plate of the oil filter and the oil pan.

8. The drainage system according to claim 7 , wherein the oil filter is vertically oriented.

9. The drainage system according to claim 2 , wherein the first drainage conduit intersects the second drainage conduit at an angle forming a cross-shaped interconnection between the first and second drainage conduits.

10. The drainage system according to claim 2 , wherein the second drainage conduit is obliquely angled relative to the first drainage conduit such that a first end of the second drainage conduit which is openable to atmosphere is elevated higher than a second end connected to the first drainage conduit.

11. The drainage system according to claim 10 , further comprising a removable stop plug positioned inside the first end of the second drainage conduit and extending downwards through the second drainage conduit, the stop plug movable to selectively open or close the common discharge conduit to allow or block the flow of residual oil respectively.

12. The drainage system according to claim 11 , wherein the stop plug threadably engages the second drainage conduit and has a length such that rotating the stop plug moves it linearly to open and close an entrance to the common discharge conduit.

13. The drainage system according to claim 12 , wherein the entrance to the common discharge conduit may be opened by partially unthreading the stop plug from the second drainage conduit with the stop plug remaining engaged with the second conduit.

14. The drainage system according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second drainage conduits comprise linear bores extending through a body of oil pan.

15. An oil drainage system for an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
an oil pan comprising a body defining a reservoir and a filter mounting portion configured for coupling an oil filter thereto;
an oil inlet flow conduit formed in the filter mounting portion for conveying oil to the oil filter;
an oil outlet flow conduit formed in the filter mounting portion for receiving oil from the oil filter;
a first drainage conduit formed in the filter mounting portion, the first drainage conduit fluidly coupled to the oil outlet flow conduit;
a second drainage conduit formed in the filter mounting portion, the second drainage conduit fluidly coupled to the oil inlet flow conduit and intersecting the first drainage conduit;
a portion of the first drainage conduit defining a common discharge conduit configured to collect and return residual oil to the reservoir from both the oil inlet and outlet flow conduits.

16. The drainage system according to claim 15 , wherein the first and second drainage conduits comprise transversely intersecting linear bores extending through the mounting portion of the oil pan body.

17. The drainage system according to claim 15 , wherein the first drainage conduit includes a first end penetrating a first wall of the filter mounting portion of the oil pan body, and a second end fluidly connected to an oil fill chamber configured for adding oil to the reservoir.

18. The drainage system according to claim 17 , wherein the first drainage conduit is connected to the oil outlet flow conduit at a first fluid connection junction between the first and second ends.

19. The drainage system according to claim 18 , wherein the second drainage conduit is connected to the first drainage conduit at a second fluid connection junction which is between the first fluid connection junction and the second end of the first drainage conduit.

20. A method for forming an oil drainage system for an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
providing an oil pan comprising a body defining a reservoir and a filter mounting portion configured for coupling an oil filter thereto;
forming a first bore in a first direction through the filter mounting portion to define a first oil drainage conduit, the first bore intersecting an oil outlet flow conduit of the oil pan; and
forming a second bore in a second direction through the filter mounting portion which transversely intersects the first bore, the second bore defining a second oil drainage conduit and intersecting an oil inlet flow conduit of the oil pan;
wherein the first and second oil drainage conduits are configured to collect and return residual oil from the oil inlet and outlet flow conduits to the reservoir.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Vandrie Eric Mitchell
• Huibregtse Mark

Classifications

• F01M2011/031

  characterised by mounting means · CPC title

• F16N31/002

  Drain pans · CPC title

• F01M2011/035

  comprising oil pumps · CPC title

• F01M2011/0425

  with a device facilitating the change of oil · CPC title

• F01M11/02

  Arrangements of lubricant conduits · CPC title