Lubrication system for an internal combustion engine

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to "Lubrication system for an internal combustion engine" and more particularly to for the improvement of splash lubrication for parts/system at higher elevation from the sump.

Description of the prior art

Cam drive mechanisms, such as fuel injection pump arrangement, are normally lubricated during operations by means of a splash lubrication system. In this system, the clutch is immersed in oil sump for at least a part; whereby the discs along with the housing pick up and carry therewith limited quantities of lubricant as the clutch rotatably travel there through. Rotation of the disc and the clutch housing causes some of the lubricant to be thrown from the clutch where upon it is then supplied to other desired lubrication points, specifically FIP (fuel injection pump) parts. An important fault encountered with splash lubrication systems is that the lubricant thrown from clutch is not consistently directed to the desired regions or bearing points. For example, under low speed operating conditions, the slow rotational speeds of the discs in clutch housing will cause the lubricant to be thrown or transferred there from in a first direction, whereas when the discs are rotated at high speeds, the high centrifugal force will cause the lubricant to be thrown there from the discs in a direction different from the first direction. Moreover, the rotation may not be high enough for the lubrication oil to reach the desired FIP parts. Thus, many of the desired lubrication points in the FIP are not adequately supplied with lubricant under all operating conditions. This greatly increases the wear of the various components of the FIP and accordingly reduces the useful life thereof.

Hence, the objective of the present invention is to provide a FIP splash lubrication system that gets sufficient lubrication from the oil sump even when the Fl (fuel injection) system is at higher elevation.

Brief description of the invention

According to one of the aspects of the present invention, an additional arrangement known as an integrated accumulator cum carrier cum slinger plate is attached / fastened to the clutch system on the housing. This arrangement enables more oil to be accumulated and carried into it in the extended portion , and thus the splashing is fruitful to the FIP parts even when they are at higher elevation from the oil sump, since the momentum of oil is improved and it reaches the FIP parts providing optimum hydro-dynamic lubrication. This arrangement is done without increasing the oil level in the sump, which ensures the clutch drag remains unchanged. Also above-mentioned arrangement enables adequate splash lubrication at any engine speed. Before the application of above said arrangement, the amount of oil splashed was negligible. The above results are also accomplished by providing extra rib arrangement on the clutch housing or in the primary driven gear on the clutch housing instead of attaching separate accumulator cum carrier cum slinger arrangement.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates side view of a motorcycle

Figure 2 illustrates side view of a four stroke internal combustion engine

Figure 3 illustrates cross section of a four stroke internal combustion engine

Figure 4 illustrates the slinger plate attachment according to the present invention

Figure 5 illustrates the slinger plate arrangement on the clutch system according to the present invention

Figure 6 illustrates the extra rib arrangement as an alternative to slinger plate
according to the present invention

Detailed description of the invention

A selected illustrative embodiment of the present invention will be now described with respect to the accompanying figures 1,2,3,4,5 and 6. A motorcycle as illustrated in figure 1 comprises of a frame 101, front fork 102 attached to a pivot tube 103 of the vehicle frame 101, a front wheel 104 attached to these front forks 102, a handle bar 105 connected to the front forks 102, a fuel tank 106 attached so as to straddle an upper part of the vehicle frame 101, a seat 107 attached to the upper rear portion of the vehicle frame 101, an engine unit 200 attached to the lower front section of the vehicle frame 101, a swing arm 109 attached to a lower rear section of the vehicle frame 101, suspended by a rear shock absorber 110 from the vehicle frame 101 and a rear wheel 111 attached to a rear end of swing arm 109. The intake system of the engine (not shown in the figure) comprises of a carburettor, intake duct and an air cleaner. The exhaust system of the engine (not shown in the figure) comprises of exhaust pipe and a muffler.

The motorcycle is also provided with a side cover 112 for covering a side section of the vehicle frame 101, a seat cover (not shown in the figure) for covering a rear section of the vehicle frame 101 below the seat 107, a front fender 113 for covering an upper part of the front wheel 104, and a rear fender 114 for covering an upper part of the rear wheel 111.

The core part of the engine 200 as illustrated in figure 2 and 3 is the cylinder 201 with the piston 202 moving up and down inside the cylinder 201. Some of the key engine parts along with their functions are spark plug (nor shown in the figure) which supplies the spark which ignites the air/fuel mixture so that combustion could occur; valves 203 wherein the intake and exhaust valves open at the proper time to let in air and fuel to let out exhaust; a piston 202 which is a cylindrical piece of metal that moves up and down inside the cylinder 201; piston rings 204 that provide a sliding seal between the outer edge of the piston 202 and the inner edge of the cylinder 201; connecting rod 205 which connects the piston 202 to the crankshaft 206; crankshaft 206 which turns the piston's up and down motion into circular motion; a sump 207 which surrounds the crankshaft 206 and contains oil which collects in the bottom of the sump 207; etc. An air cleaner (not shown in the figure) connects to the upstream sides of the throttle bodies via intake pipes. An oil pan/sump 403 under the crankcase stores lubricating oil. In the rear of this crankcase, a transmission chamber houses the clutch mechanism (402, 405) that transfers the power from drive system to the driven system. The transmission mechanism includes the counter shaft, which is parallel to the crankshaft, and a driving shaft that outputs the driving force to the rear wheel connected by a clutch mechanism. The clutch apparatus are immersed to a portion in an oil sump 403 that lubricates the transmission system along with other parts. The blow by gases from the crankcase is passed through the air filter unit (not shown in figure) that filters it and adds to the intake gases going into for combustion. A fuel injection pump (not shown in figure) that is driven by crankshaft through gear mechanism transfers fuel into the cylinder as the compression stroke is about to begin.

It is well known that slinger would better the splash lubrication when attached to any rotary member. According to one of the aspects of the present invention, an additional arrangement known as an integrated accumulator cum carrier cum slinger plate 401 is attached / fastened to the clutch system 402 on the housing 405. This arrangement enables more oil to be accumulated and carried into it in the extended portion 406 , and thus the splashing is fruitful to the FIP parts even when they are at higher elevation from the oil sump 403, since the momentum of oil is improved and it reaches the FIP parts providing optimum hydro-dynamic lubrication. This arrangement is done without increasing the oil level in the sump, which ensures the

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clutch drag remains unchanged. Also above-mentioned arrangement enables

adequate splash lubrication at any engine speed. The following result was obtained after application of above said arrangement for splash lubrication.
Before the application of above said arrangement 401, the amount of oil splashed was negligible. The above results are also accomplished by providing extra rib arrangement 404 on the clutch housing 405 or in the primary driven gear on the clutch housing 405 instead of attaching separate accumulator cum carrier cum slinger arrangement' The above-explained lubrication improvement system is also applicable to other spark or compression ignition engines also including two and three wheelers.

Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. As such, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein

Claims

We claim:

1. A lubrication system for an internal combustion system comprising a clutch system 402 with clutch housing 405 and clutch plates, fuel injection pump rotating parts, and a slinger plate arrangement 401 wherein, the slinger plate arrangement 401 is fastened externally to said clutch housing 405.

2. A lubrication system for an internal combustion system as claimed in claim 1, "wherein said slinger plate arrangement 401 has an extended portion 406 having curvature of varying degrees for oil retention.
3. A lubrication system for an internal combustion system comprising a clutch system 402 with clutch housing 405 and clutch plates, fuel injection pump rotating parts, and a slinger rib arrangement 404 wherein, the slinger plate rib 404 is integrated externally to said clutch housing 405.

4. A lubrication system for an internal combustion system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said slinger rib arrangement 404 has a curvature of varying degrees for oil retention.

5. A two-wheeler or three-wheeler having a lubrication system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3.