TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure described herein, in general, relates to an oil sump structure for a vehicle engine having high stiffness and rigidity. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a lower oil sump structure for a vehicle engine.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed subject matter, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] A typical oil pan or oil sump is placed beneath a cylinder block and crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The oil sump is configured to receive oil that drains or is otherwise exhausted from the cylinder block and the crankshaft and/or main bearings that support the crankshaft. The oil is collected in a lower structure of the oil sump and is then pumped from a pick-up location into a lubrication system associated with the engine. Also, a typical oil sump is manufactured or produced using the process of casting.
[0004] In an existing type or conventional type of a lower oil sump structure, a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing ribs is formed at an inner bottom surface of the lower oil sump structure. The reinforcing ribs are formed parallel to each other. However, the reinforcing ribs don't provide high strength and rigidity to the oil sump along with reducing the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) level to an appreciable level. The reinforcing ribs also result in an increased weight of the oil sump as more material is required for their formation during the casting process which in turn increases the cost.

[0005] In view of the above issue, there is a need to provide a solution which overcomes the shortcomings associated with the reinforcing ribs of the conventional lower oil sump structure.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfy, are listed hereinbelow.
[0007] It is a general or primary object of the present disclosure to provide a lower oil sump structure for a vehicle engine that doesn't increase the weight and also reduces the cost of the oil sump.
[0008] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a lower oil sump structure that provides high rigidity, stiffness, and strength to the oil sump.
[0009] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a lower oil sump structure that reduces noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) level to an appreciable level.
[0010] These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY
[0011] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a lower oil sump structure for a vehicle engine. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0012] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a lower oil sump structure for a vehicle engine. The lower oil sump structure at its inner bottom surface comprises a pair of horizontal ribs formed parallel to each other, a pair of vertical ribs formed in between the horizontal ribs parallel to each other and a

circular rib whose circumference abuts one of the horizontal ribs wherein the pair of horizontal ribs crosses the pair of vertical ribs to form a quadrilateral.
[0013] In an aspect, one of the horizontal ribs is longer than the other horizontal rib.
[0014] In another aspect, the pair of horizontal ribs, the pair of vertical ribs and the circular rib are connected to each other.
[0015] In yet another aspect, the circular rib abuts the horizontal rib which is longer than the other horizontal rib.
[0016] In an aspect, the distance between the pair of the vertical ribs and the distance between the pair of the horizontal ribs is equal to form a square.
[0017] In another aspect, the distance between the pair of the vertical ribs and the distance between the pair of the horizontal ribs is unequal or different to form a rectangle.
[0018] The horizontal, vertical and circular ribs require less material for their formation and therefore, save the cost of extra material required in their formation but are able to provide high strength, stiffness, and rigidity to the oil sump as compared with the reinforcing ribs 104 of the existing lower oil sump structure 100. Further, the horizontal, vertical and circular ribs reduce noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) level to an appreciable level.
[0019] In order to further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the scope of the present subject matter.
[0020] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an outer surface of a lower oil sump structure in accordance with the present disclosure; and
[0023] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the NVH analysis of the lower oil sump structure carried out using computer-aided engineering (CAE) in accordance with the present disclosure.
[0024] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives

falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0026] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0027] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes" and/or "including," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
[0028] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may, in fact, be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0030] In order to reduce the weight of the oil sump due to more amount of material required to form the reinforcing ribs at the inner bottom surface of the conventional lower oil sump structure and further reduce NVH level and increase rigidity, stiffness, and strength of the oil sump, the present disclosure provides a different lower oil sump structure 100 of an oil sump for a vehicle engine. FIG. 1 shows a front view of an outer surface of a lower oil sump structure 100. The lower oil sump structure 100, although shown separately in FIG. 1, is formed with the help of the casting process and is to be connected with an upper oil sump structure (not shown) to form a complete single oil sump. The lower oil sump structure 100 at its inner bottom surface 100a comprises a pair of horizontal ribs 102a, 102b formed parallel to each other. In an embodiment, the horizontal rib 102a is longer than the horizontal rib 102b. The short length of the horizontal rib 102b is due to the shape of the lower oil sump structure 100 which is irregular in front of the horizontal rib 102b that could cause hindrance in its extended formation. The lower oil sump structure 100 also comprises a pair of vertical ribs 104a, 104b at its inner bottom surface 100a formed in between the horizontal ribs 102a, 102b and parallel to each other. In an embodiment, the vertical ribs 104a, 104b are of equal lengths. In an embodiment, the vertical ribs 104a, 104b can be formed in bracket or arc shape facing towards or away from each other. The pair of horizontal ribs 102a, 102b crosses the pair of vertical ribs 104a, 104b to form a quadrilateral.
[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, the distance between the two vertical ribs 104a, 104b is equal to the distance between the two horizontal ribs 102a, 102b so as to form a square. In another exemplary embodiment, the distance between the two vertical ribs 104a, 104b is unequal or different to the distance between the two horizontal ribs 102a, 102b so as to form a rectangle. The horizontal ribs 102a, 102b and the vertical ribs 104a, 104b require less material in their formation. This results in a reduced weight of the oil sump. In order to provide strength, rigidity, and stiffness to the region where the lower oil sump structure 100 is irregular in shape, a circular rib 106 is formed whose circumference abuts one of the horizontal ribs 102a, 102b. In an aspect, the

circular rib 106 abuts the horizontal rib 102a which is longer in length than the horizontal rib 102b. The ribs that are circular, in general, require less material and time in their formation. The circular rib 106, therefore, is easy to be formed and requires less material during casting thereby helping in reducing the weight of the oil sump. In an embodiment, the pair of horizontal ribs 102a, 102b, the pair of vertical ribs 104a, 104b, and the circular rib 106 are connected to each other and are connected to a drainage portion 108. The ribs 102a, 102b, 104a, 104b and 106 also act as drainage passages, as they all are connected and are finally connected to the drain plug area. Since, the pair of horizontal ribs 102a, 102b, the pair of vertical ribs 104a, 104b, and the circular rib 106 are connected to each other it will help in distributing the force when any impact is exerted in a drain plug (not shown) which is the lowest point in underbody of a vehicle and is suspected to get damage frequently. Since less material is required for the formation of horizontal ribs 102a, 102b, vertical ribs 104a, 104b and circular rib 106, the cost for their formation is also reduced. The horizontal ribs 102a, 102b, vertical ribs 104a, 104b and the circular rib 106 although require less material for their formation but are still able to provide high strength, stiffness and rigidity to the oil sump as compared to that provided by the reinforcing ribs of the conventional lower oil sump structure because of crossing or being connected to each other. Further, the horizontal ribs 102a, 102b, vertical ribs 104a, 104b and the circular rib 106 reduces noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) level to an appreciable level.
[0032] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) analysis of the lower oil sump structure 100 carried out using computer-aided engineering (CAE). FIG. 2A illustrates a reduced distribution area of the vibrations in the lower oil sump structure 100. FIG. 2B illustrates the even distribution of the force or strain energy in the lower oil sump structure 100.
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES
[0033] The present disclosure provides a lower oil sump structure for a vehicle engine that doesn't increase the weight and cost of the oil sump.

[0034] The present disclosure provides a lower oil sump structure that provides high rigidity, stiffness, and strength to the oil sump.
[0035] The present disclosure provides a lower oil sump structure that reduces noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) level to an appreciable level.
[0036] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present disclosure when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

CLAIM

We claim

1.A lower oil sump structure (100) for a vehicle engine, the lower oil sump
structure (100) comprising:
at an inner bottom surface (100a) of the lower oil sump structure (100):
a pair of horizontal ribs (102a, 102b) formed parallel to each other;
a pair of vertical ribs (104a, 104b) formed in between the horizontal ribs (102a, 102b) parallel to each other; and
a circular rib (106) whose circumference abuts one of the horizontal ribs (102a, 102b),
wherein the pair of horizontal ribs (102a, 102b) crosses the pair of vertical ribs (104a, 104b) to form a quadrilateral.
2. The lower oil sump structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of horizontal ribs (102a, 102b), the pair of vertical ribs (104a, 104b), and the circular rib (106) are connected to each other.
3. The lower oil sump structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the horizontal ribs (102a) is longer than the other horizontal rib (102b).
4. The lower oil sump structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circular rib (106) abuts the horizontal rib (102a) which is longer than the other horizontal rib (102b).
5. The lower oil sump structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
distance between the pair of the vertical ribs (102a, 102b) and the distance
between the pair of the horizontal ribs (104a, 104b) is different to form a
rectangle.