Work vehicle engine with split-circuit lubrication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11486277-B2
Application number	US-202117187057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2021
Priority date	Feb 26, 2021
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

A lubrication system for an internal combustion engine of a work vehicle includes an engine oil sump and a pump unit fluidly connected to the engine oil sump to receive engine oil therefrom. The pump unit, in turn, includes a first oil pump comprising a variable displacement pump, a second oil pump, a drive line mechanically coupled to the first oil pump and the second oil pump that drives each of the pumps, and a manifold that directs engine oil from the engine oil sump to the first and second oil pumps. A first oil circuit is fluidly coupled to the first oil pump to direct a first flow of engine oil to piston spray jets in the engine and a second oil circuit is fluidly coupled to the second oil pump to direct a second flow of engine oil to one or more oiled engine components in the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lubrication system for an internal combustion engine of a work vehicle, the lubrication system comprising:
an engine oil sump;
a pump unit fluidly connected to the engine oil sump to receive engine oil therefrom, the pump unit comprising:
a first oil pump comprising a variable displacement pump;
a second oil pump;
a drive line mechanically coupled to the first oil pump and the second oil pump and that drives each of the first oil pump and the second oil pump; and
a manifold that directs engine oil from the engine oil sump to the first oil pump and the second oil pump;

a first oil circuit fluidly coupled to the first oil pump to direct a first flow of engine oil to piston spray jets in the internal combustion engine; and
a second oil circuit fluidly coupled to the second oil pump to direct a second flow of engine oil to one or more oiled engine components in the internal combustion engine;
wherein each of the first oil pump and the second oil pump comprises a linear actuator port configured to receive an actuator therein that adjusts a flow rate of engine oil generated by a respective one of the first oil pump and the second oil pump.

2. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the second oil pump comprises a fixed displacement pump.

3. The lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulating valve operable in an open and closed position to control oil pressure in the second oil circuit, wherein the pressure regulating valve is actuated to the open position when oil pressure in the second oil circuit meets a desired pressure level and wherein, when the pressure regulating valve is in the open position, engine oil is routed from the second oil circuit back to an intake of the manifold without going to the engine oil sump.

4. The lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising an engine control unit operably connected to the pump unit to control the first and second flows of engine oil to the first oil circuit and the second oil circuit.

5. The lubrication system of claim 4 , wherein the engine control unit operates the first oil pump to reduce or cut-off the first flow of engine oil to the first oil circuit during an engine start-up or operation of the internal combustion engine in a sleep mode.

6. The lubrication system of claim 5 , wherein a pressurization time of the one or more oiled engine components via the second flow of engine oil on the second oil circuit is reduced when the first flow of engine oil to the first oil circuit is reduced or cut-off.

7. The lubrication system of claim 4 , wherein the second oil circuit comprises a main oil gallery, and wherein the engine control unit is configured to:
receive oil pressure readings in the main oil gallery; and
control at least one of the first flow and the second flow of engine oil provided by the first oil pump and the second oil pump, respectively, based on the oil pressure readings in the main oil gallery.

8. The lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising a blowoff valve positioned in each of the first oil circuit and the second oil circuit and operable in an open and closed position, wherein when the blowoff valve on one or more of the of the first oil circuit and the second oil circuit is in an open position, engine oil is routed back to the engine oil sump.

9. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of oiled engine components comprise one or more of main bearings, a fuel pump, auxiliary ports, an oil control valve, an auxiliary drive, turbochargers, rocker shaft and rocker arm bearings, and a camshaft and camshaft bearings.

10. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold comprises:
a first intake that directs engine oil from the engine oil sump to the first oil pump; and
a second intake that directs engine oil from the engine oil sump to the second oil pump;
wherein the first intake is fluidly connected to the engine oil sump via a first pick-up tube and the second intake is fluidly connected to the engine oil sump via a second pick-up tube.

11. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the pump unit further comprises a mounting plate on which each of the first oil pump, the second oil pump, and the manifold are mounted.

12. The lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising an oil cooler positioned in the second oil circuit to cool the engine oil prior to delivery to the one or more oiled engine components.

13. An internal combustion engine for a work vehicle comprising:
an engine block having a plurality of piston-cylinder arrangements;
a valve head positioned above the engine block and at least in part containing a valve train;
an engine oil sump positioned below the engine block;
a pump unit fluidly connected to the engine oil sump to receive engine oil therefrom, the pump unit comprising:
a first oil pump comprising a variable displacement pump;
a second oil pump;
a drive line mechanically coupled to the first oil pump and the second oil pump and that drives each of the first oil pump and the second oil pump; and
a manifold that directs engine oil from the engine oil sump to the first oil pump and the second oil pump;

a spray jet oil gallery fluidly coupled to the first oil pump to direct a first flow of engine oil to piston spray jets in the internal combustion engine; and
a main oil gallery fluidly coupled to the second oil pump to direct a second flow of engine oil to one or more oiled engine components in the internal combustion engine;
wherein each of the first oil pump and the second oil pump comprises a linear actuator port configured to receive an actuator therein that adjusts a flow rate of engine oil generated by a respective one of the first oil pump and the second oil pump.

14. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 , wherein each of the spray jet oil gallery and the main oil gallery are formed in the engine block.

15. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 , wherein the second oil pump comprises a fixed displacement pump.

16. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 , further comprising a pressure regulating valve operable in an open and closed position to control oil pressure in the main oil gallery, wherein the pressure regulating valve is actuated to the open position when oil pressure in the main oil gallery meets desired pressure level and wherein, when the pressure regulating valve is in the open position, engine oil is routed from the main oil gallery back to an intake of the manifold without going to the engine oil sump.

17. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 , further comprising an engine control unit operably connected to the pump unit to control the first and second flows of engine oil to the spray jet oil gallery and the main oil gallery.

18. The internal combustion engine of claim 17 , wherein the engine control unit operates the first oil pump to reduce or cut-off the first flow of engine oil to the spray jet oil gallery during an engine start-up or operation of the internal combustion engine in a sleep mode.

19. The internal combustion engine of claim 17 , wherein the engine control unit is configured to:
receive oil pressure readings in the main oil gallery; and
control at least one of the first flow and the second flow of engine oil provided by the first oil pump and the second oil pump, respectively, based on the oil pressure readings in the main oil gallery.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Buttjer Jeffrey Alan

Classifications

• F01M9/102

  of camshaft bearings · CPC title

• F01M2011/0033

  with special means for guiding the return of oil into the sump · CPC title

• F01M5/002

  Cooling · CPC title

• F01M2001/0246

  Adjustable pumps · CPC title

• F01M9/107

  of rocker shaft bearings · CPC title