DESC:FORM 2
The Patent Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2005

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SEE SECTION 10 AND RULE 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

“INTEGRATED LUBRICATION MODULE FOR AN ENGINE”

APPLICANT:

Name Nationality Address
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited Indian Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.,
MRV, Mahindra World City (MWC),
Plot No. 41/1, Anjur Post, Chengalpattu,
Kanchipuram District – 603204 (TN) INDIA

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:-

TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The embodiments herein generally relate to internal combustion engines and more particularly, but not exclusively to an integrated lubrication module in internal combustion engines.

BACKGROUND
[002] Generally, an engine lubrication system is used to supply lubrication oil to engine moving parts in order to reduce friction produced by an engine. A conventional engine assembly includes an oil pump that is mounted inside the engine and is adapted to circulate pressurized oil to engine moving parts, an oil filter that is mounted externally to a cylinder block of the engine and is adapted to remove contaminants and provide clean oil to the engine moving parts and a pressure relief valve that is provided in the oil pump and is adapted to regulate an oil pressure of the engine and thereby preventing damage to the engine in the event of high oil pressure. The aforementioned type of lubrication system in engine assembly is usually complex in design and in case of oil pump failures that poses a difficulty in accessing the oil pump such that other parts of the engine has to be dis-assembled first before dis-assembling the oil pump thereby resulting in increased labour cost and increased off-road time for a vehicle.
[003] Therefore, there exists a need for an integrated and compact lubrication module in engines that provides easy servicing of oil pump. Furthermore, there exists a need for integrated lubrication module for an engine that eliminates aforementioned drawbacks.

OBJECTS
[004] The principal object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide an integrated lubrication module in engines that allows easier servicing of oil pump.
[005] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide the integrated lubrication module in engines that provides reduced labour cost and reduced off-road time for a vehicle.
[006] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[007] The embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[008] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of an integrated lubrication module with a crankcase of an engine, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[009] FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of the integrated lubrication module, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0010] FIG. 3 depicts a front view of a drive mechanism for integrated lubrication module, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0011] FIG. 4 depicts a side view of the drive mechanism assembled to the crankcase of the engine, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0012] FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the integrated lubrication module, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0013] FIG. 6 depicts another view of FIG. 5, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0014] FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the integrated lubrication module assembled to the crankcase of the engine, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein; and
[0015] FIG. 8 depicts a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0017] The embodiments herein achieve an integrated lubrication module in engines that allows easy servicing of oil pump. Further, embodiments herein achieve the integrated lubrication module in engines that provides reduced labour cost and reduced off-road time for a vehicle. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 8, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.
[0018] FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the integrated lubrication module 100, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of the integrated lubrication module 100, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein.
[0019] The integrated lubrication module 100 includes an oil pump assembly 102, an oil filter 104 and a plurality of sealing elements 106 (as shown in FIG. 6).
[0020] The oil pump assembly 102 includes a housing 102a, an inner rotor 102b, an outer rotor 102c, a back plate 102d, a shaft 102e (as shown in FIG. 1), a gear 102g (as shown in FIG. 3) and a control valve 102v. The oil pump assembly 102 is used to circulate pressurized oil to engine moving parts (not shown). In an embodiment, the oil pump assembly 102 is mounted externally to the engine (not shown) i.e., the oil pump assembly 102 is mounted outside a crankcase 200 (as shown in FIG. 7) of an engine (not shown). In an embodiment, the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102 includes at least one inlet 102i, at least one first outlet 102f and at least one second outlet 102s (as shown in FIG. 6). The inlet 102i of the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102 is provided in fluid communication with an oil strainer 300 (as shown in FIG. 4) mounted inside the crankcase 200 of the engine (not shown). The first outlet 102f of the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102 is provided in fluid communication with a main oil gallery (not shown) of the engine (not shown). The second outlet 102s of the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102 is used to lubricate the shaft 102e of the oil pump assembly 102. The inner rotor 102b is mounted to one end (not shown) of the shaft 102e. The outer rotor 102c is driven by the inner rotor 102b. The back plate 102d is used to enclose the inner rotor 102b and outer rotor 102c of the oil pump assembly 102. The gear 102g is mounted to other end (not shown) of the shaft 102e. In an embodiment, the control valve 102v is mounted on to the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102. The control valve 102v of the oil pump assembly 102 is used to regulate an oil pressure of the engine (not shown) and thereby preventing damage to the engine (not shown) in event of high oil pressure by venting the excess oil to an oil pan (not shown) of the engine (not shown). In an embodiment, the control valve 102v is a pressure relief valve. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the integrated lubrication module 100 with any other type of pressure control valve without otherwise deterring the intended function of the control valve 102v as can be deduced from the description.
[0021] In an embodiment, the oil filter 104 is mounted externally to the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102. The oil filter 104 is used to remove contaminants from oil and provide clean oil to the engine moving parts (not shown).
[0022] The plurality of sealing elements 106 is used to prevent leakage of oil. Each of the sealing elements 106 is mounted to corresponding inlet 102i, first outlet 102f and second outlet 102s of the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102.
[0023] FIG. 3 depicts a front view of a drive mechanism for integrated lubrication module 100, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. The crankshaft gear 200g is mounted to the crankshaft 200a. The crankshaft gear 200g drives the gear 102g of the oil pump assembly 102.
[0024] FIG. 8 depicts a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. The shaft 102e of the oil pump assembly 102 is supported by the crankcase 200 of the engine (not shown).
[0025] The working of the integrated lubrication module 100 is as follows. As and when the engine (not shown) is in operation, the crankshaft gear 200g drives the gear 102g to rotate the inner rotor 102b of the oil pump assembly 102. The inner rotor 102b drives the outer rotor 102c resulting in rotation of lobes (not shown) of the inner rotor 102b away from the openings (not shown) of the outer rotor 102c thereby creating a low pressure to receive oil from oil strainer 300 via inlet 102i of the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102. Then, the oil flows through the oil filter 104 to facilitate removal of contaminants from oil. In the meantime, the oil from the oil filter 104 is supplied to the main oil gallery (not shown) of the engine (not shown) via the first outlet 102f of the housing 102a of the oil pump assembly 102. In the event of high oil pressure, the control valve 102v of the oil pump assembly 102 vents an excess oil to the oil pan (not shown) of the engine (not shown).
[0026] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

CLAIMS
We claim,
1. An integrated lubrication module for an engine, said integrated lubrication module comprising:
an oil pump assembly adapted to be mounted external to said engine, said oil pump assembly having a housing, an inner rotor, an outer rotor, a back plate, a shaft and a control valve; and
an oil filter connected to said housing of said oil pump assembly,
wherein
said housing of said oil pump assembly defining at least one inlet adapted to be provided in fluid communication with an oil strainer, at least one first outlet adapted to be provided in fluid communication with a main oil gallery of said engine and at least one second outlet adapted to lubricate said shaft of said oil pump assembly; and said control valve of said oil pump assembly is adapted to regulate an oil pressure of said engine.
2. The integrated lubrication module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said oil pump assembly is mounted external to a crankcase of said engine.
3. The integrated lubrication module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sealing elements adapted to prevent leakage of oil.
4. An engine comprising:
an oil pump assembly having a housing, an inner rotor, an outer rotor, a back plate, a shaft and a control valve, said oil pump assembly mounted external to said engine; and an oil filter connected to said housing of said oil pump assembly,
wherein
said housing of said oil pump assembly defining at least one inlet provided in fluid communication with an oil strainer, at least one first outlet provided in fluid communication with a main oil gallery of said engine and at least one second outlet adapted to lubricate said shaft of said oil pump assembly; and said control valve of said oil pump assembly is adapted to regulate an oil pressure of said engine.
5. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said oil pump assembly is mounted to a crankcase of said engine.
6. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of sealing elements adapted to prevent leakage of oil.

Dated this 10th March 2016

Signatures:
Name of the Signatory: Dr. Kalyan Chakravarthy

ABSTRACT
Integrated lubrication module for an engine includes an oil pump assembly, an oil filter and a plurality of sealing elements. The integrated lubrication module is mounted externally to the engine so that the oil pump is easily accessible in case of oil pump failures thereby resulting in reduced labour cost and reduced off-road time for a vehicle.

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We claim,
1. An integrated lubrication module for an engine, said integrated lubrication module comprising:
an oil pump assembly adapted to be mounted external to said engine, said oil pump assembly having a housing, an inner rotor, an outer rotor, a back plate, a shaft and a control valve; and
an oil filter connected to said housing of said oil pump assembly,
wherein
said housing of said oil pump assembly defining at least one inlet adapted to be provided in fluid communication with an oil strainer, at least one first outlet adapted to be provided in fluid communication with a main oil gallery of said engine and at least one second outlet adapted to lubricate said shaft of said oil pump assembly; and said control valve of said oil pump assembly is adapted to regulate an oil pressure of said engine.
2. The integrated lubrication module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said oil pump assembly is mounted external to a crankcase of said engine.
3. The integrated lubrication module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sealing elements adapted to prevent leakage of oil.
4. An engine comprising:
an oil pump assembly having a housing, an inner rotor, an outer rotor, a back plate, a shaft and a control valve, said oil pump assembly mounted external to said engine; and an oil filter connected to said housing of said oil pump assembly,
wherein
said housing of said oil pump assembly defining at least one inlet provided in fluid communication with an oil strainer, at least one first outlet provided in fluid communication with a main oil gallery of said engine and at least one second outlet adapted to lubricate said shaft of said oil pump assembly; and said control valve of said oil pump assembly is adapted to regulate an oil pressure of said engine.
5. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said oil pump assembly is mounted to a crankcase of said engine.
6. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of sealing elements adapted to prevent leakage of oil.