PRE-LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
The present invention is related to the automotive industry in general and specifically to the industry that manufactures internal combustion engines. It has to do with a new apparatus which, when added to internal combustion engines, pre-lubricates the movable parts of the engine before the normal system does. The advantages of the present invention in relation to those of the state of the art consist of the fact that its operation does not alter the normal lubrication process and assures pre-lubrication. It may be installed in any engine which requires pre-lubrication before starting up. With modifications in size and mechanical characteristics in one or two parts, it may be adapted to the conditions and characteristics of distinct engines and does not require an additional pump means in order to function. Structurally the system is characterized by consisting of a tank with a deformable means inside it which deforms when the lubricant flows in and which stores potential energy which is freed and propels the lubricant from the deposit to the parts of the engine to be lubricated when a remote control valve is energized and opens.
The present invention is related to the automotive industry in general and specifically to the industry that manufactures internal combustion engines. It is related to a new mechanism which when added to an internal combustion engine pre-lubricates the moving parts of the engine before the normal system would perform that function.
HISTORY OF THE INVENTIONAfter performing a series of serious studies and experiments, it can be proven that the biggest wear on internal combustion engines is produced at the time these engines are started up, before the system of normal lubrication, driven by the internal combustion engine itself, sends oil to the moving parts of the engine.
When the engine has not been used for at least three hours, all of the lubricating oil has flowed from the moving parts and is concentrated in the crankcase. If the vehicle is started up again after this period of time, for a small, but important time, the moving parts are going to scrape against other moving and non-moving parts, without necessary lubrication.
This contact upon starting up the vehicle is when the most wear takes place on the motor, shortening the life of the motor to less than it should be.
In very large internal combustion engines there are complete systems which have means that send oil, independent of the motor, and which are in charge of lubricating not only on starting up, but also during the entire period the motor is going.
In the case of internal combustion engines in relatively small vehicles, there is not enough space or the conditions necessary for carrying out lubrication, even before the engine is started up.
Large engines as well as steam and gas turbines have independent lubrication systems, since due to their high cost they should be lubricated at all times even when the equipment is not producing energy. The same applies to gas turbines which should be kept lubricated even when the drive shaft is spinning at a low speed before it comes to a complete halt. It is important to point out that it is not necessarily the same as the subject developed and presented in the present description, since the development which we will present does not need any external source of energy in order to assure pre-lubrication of the equipment in which it is installed.
The fundamentals of the usefulness of this device stem from the fact that generally motors which require lubrication start up without proper lubrication, this being especially critical when said equipment is new or has been out of use for a prolonged period, which would mean that the lubricant has drained into the deposit designed for this purpose, the crankcase.
This condition would cause materials which have direct friction between them to wear excessively between the moving parts. This wear would be notably reduced is we could insure initial pre-lubrication before the equipment is set in motion.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTIONThe main objective of the present invention is to make a device possible, without altering in any way the normal operation of lubrication of engines in which it is installed, which assures that said engine is always lubricated when it starts up.
Another objective is to give it features which make it installable in any kind of machinery which requires pre-lubrication before starting up.
Still another objective of the present invention is to achieve a device that with modifications in dimensions and mechanical characteristics of one or two parts can be adapted to conditions and characteristics of different engines.
Still another objective of the present invention is to make a device which does not need any additional pump for its functioning.
All of the preceding objectives and advantages will become apparent through the description of the invention, accompanied by the drawings which form an integral part of the description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONBasically, the present invention consists of a tank permanently connected to one of the tubes, which in the original design of the automotive vehicle, takes the oil from the oil pump to the parts of the engine which will be lubricated. The parts which will be lubricated are the camshaft, the system of the connecting rods to the crankshaft and the cylinders in the combustion chamber.
Inside this tank is a means for storing potential energy due to the effect of the lubricant entering it and taking up a volume which deforms said means. The entrance into the tank, besides having a check valve which prevents the oil from returning, has a means to control the amount of oil which will be allowed to pass into the tank. This control is necessary in order to not substantially alter the normal flow of oil through normal tubes.
The outlet is located on one side of the tank, connected by a tube which consists of a valve remotely activated by some means which sends a signal designating the moment when the valve should open so the lubricant, driven by means of the deformation in the interior of the tank, can circulate towards the points to be lubricated.
The inlet tube connected to one side of the inlet of the tank by a check valve and the means to control the amount of oil which should be let through is connected to the circuit of the tube which normally sends the oil from the oil pump to the parts that need lubricating.
Thus, the oil pump fills the tank, forcing the lubricant into the tank and deforming the energy storage means, causing the pressure to increase in the tank, which is freed when the remotely controlled valve is activated and allows the outflow of the lubricant to the parts that need pre-lubricating.
Energizing of this valve takes place before the engine is started up. One of the ways of doing this is for it to take place when the key is placed in the ignition. However, it could also take place when the doors of the vehicle where the motor is are opened for boarding the vehicle, or there could be a button which could be pressed when the engine is going to start up.
In the phase when the tank is filled, the lubricant would stop flowing in when said tank is full, and since it is hydraulically connected in a circuit, there would not be any danger of overloading the pump.
In one of the modalities of the present invention, this consists of an assembly whose basic structure consists of a cylindrical tank with a piston and pressure spring, placed on the opposite face of the piston from the face which faces the lubricant inlet. The other end of the spring rests on the inside face of the rear cover of the cylinder.
Said cylindrical tank, on its front end, consists of a top with a central opening with capillary diameter, connected to a tube of the same internal diameter which is connected in a circuit with a tube which takes the lubricating oil from the oil pump towards the parts of the engine which are to be lubricated.
Also, in the body of the cylinder, placed laterally, there is the outlet for oil connected to a tube with a solenoid valve with permits the outflow of the lubricant. Due to the design of this assembly, the solenoid valve is normally closed.
Following is a description of the figures, presented as illustrative, but not limiting, as an integral part of the present description.
The device in question could be installed in any equipment which requires pre-lubrication and in which, due to its design, real lubrication takes place only when the equipment provides the conditions for flow and pressure which assure said lubrication, which does not occur in the proposed development as is indicated below.
The device can have any outward appearance that is needed although due to questions of space a cylindrical shape inside the piston is convenient. The design may be with square, rectangular or any other geometric shape in transversal areas, so that it can be practically incorporated into any engine where pre-lubrication is desirable (in reality this is the main advantage since it avoids wear on the equipment which is produced on starting up said equipment without lubrication since most lubricating systems kick in once the engine is started up and the oil pump can provide a flow of lubricant).
The same symbols are used in all of the illustrations to designate the same parts of the assembly which is the subject of the present invention.
Generally lubrication pumps have a pressure regulating valve which sends any excess of lubricant back to the crankcase of the motor in order to avoid over-pressurizing the lubrication system. The mechanism which we present in this application would be connected to the outlet tube as near as possible to this regulating valve so that pressure generated by it will go on to the inlet tube (1) which is a capillary tube 5% the area of the outlet tube of the lubricating pump, passing through a unidirectional valve (2) generating pressure on the piston (4) which has a sealing ring (5). Said piston compresses the pressure spring (6) which will compress until the stop of the piston touches the rear wall of the system, the lubricant will be stored under pressure since the unidirectional valve (2) prevents it from returning to the main line.
In one of the modalities of the present invention, on the functional side, the solenoid valve (7) is energized by a manual starting mechanism upon preparing the engine for start up, thus allowing the discharge through the tube similar to the outlet tube of the lubrication pump at a point near the outlet of said pump, with which the lubricant which has been kept under pressure will be injected under pressure to the lubrication system of the engine in question which will assure pre-lubrication, before the engine is set in motion, so that once said engine is set in motion we will have assured previous lubrication which will avoid wear produced during start ups or beginnings of operation of these machines since they will be operating with previous lubrication.
After a period of 3 or 4 seconds the solenoid valve (7) deenergizes and the system is ready to begin recharging for the next cycle. A unidirectional valve (10) installed after the solenoid valve (7) will not permit the lubricant to return through the outlet tube (8) and it will only charge through the capillary tube (1).}
In one of the modalities of the present invention in so far as functioning is concerned, once the key or starting up mechanism is placed in the ignition switch, the solenoid valve will be activated and will allow the discharge of pressure which has been stored up from this device by means of the piston and pressure spring. At this moment, the resistance of the flow of lubricant through a tube of similar dimension as the tube of the lubricating system at a point near the outlet of the lubrication pump is less since the equipment is not in motion. This assures complete pre-lubrication of said engine before it is put in motion. Returning of the lubricant to the crankcase is prevented by non-return valves which are generally placed in the pump in the suction tube and since the lubricant is an incompressible liquid this possibility is eliminated. If this were not so, it is recommended that said valve be installed. Where the installation of non-return valve is indispensible is in the outlet of this mechanism in order to insure that through the tube which should only be for the output of the lubricant no lubricant returns when the engine is in operation. This valve in combination with the solenoid will avoid such return.
Once the equipment is put into movement, the engine will be lubricated through the normal lubricating system; the solenoid deenergizes and the mechanism begins its slow, gradual charging of the pressure until, in a period of 5 or 10 minutes, it is completely charged and ready for a new cycle of starting up.
There will be a drain (11) installed at the bottom of the sleeve (9) of the system with a return to the crankcase to expel air and small amounts of lubricant which may circulate through the sealing ring or which remain on the walls of the system sleeve, since, if they are not drained, they would make recharging the mechanism difficult or impossible.
A shunt is taken from the outlet of filter 13, as close to the regulating valve (not shown) as possible, to be connected to the entrance of tank 19, in this modality, through a capillary or reduced diameter tube 1. The outlet of the deposit, by means of a solenoid valve 7 and a unidirectional valve 10, is connected to the tube which takes the lubricant to the parts which are to be lubricated.
In order to prevent the accumulation of the lubricant which may drain into to bottom of the tank, the tank has a drain 11 whose position allows the oil to pass through it and into the crankcase.
The regulating valve consists of a spring which, depending on the pressure of the lubricant, either contracts or relaxes, allowing for a shunt of lubricant to enter through inlet 22 and normally exit through access 25. When there is too much pressure, the shunt opens and the lubricant returns to the crankcase through outlet 21. The other elements which are illustrated have already been indicated in
Tank 9 consists of an outlet 11 to drain the lubricant which has managed to pass through the interstices between piston 4 and the wall of tank 9.
In the top 3 of the tank, on the outer surface, in the center of the circular face, is tube 1 which has a unidirectional valve 2. This top has internal threads to affix the top to the lubricant tank.
A piston 4 activated by a spring 6 is located on the inside of the tank so that the lubricant which enters through tube 1, pushes piston 4 against spring 6. As the lubricant enters the tank, the spring is compressed until it can be compressed no more or until the pressure on the inside of the tank is equal to the pressure with which the lubricant is propelled by the pump, the lubricant will stop flowing, but thanks to the unidirectional valve 2, the lubricant cannot return.
Upon activating solenoid valve 7, prior to starting up the motor, the spring propels the piston and the latter the lubricant, sending it to the parts of the engine which are to be pre-lubricated. When the tank is emptied or when the engine is started up the solenoid valve closes, thus de-energizing it and repeating the cycle.
The idea of the invention can be understood by way of this modality, but it is obvious that there may be other modalities with respect to the spring, which could function under tension instead of pressure: instead of a spring, a diaphragm could be used, among other options.
Also, instead of a capillary tube used to control the volumetric flow of the lubricant, a control valve could be provided.
The basics of the invention consist of a tank which may be filled by the oil pump of the normal lubricating system itself, without significantly altering the function for which this system was designed and later by way of the mechanism provided in the tank, the latter impulses the lubricant to the parts to be lubricated before the engine is started up.
The configuration of the tank may also vary; it being possible for the tank to be in the form of a prism, square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, etc.
While certain novel features of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines, comprising:
- a tank with a deformable means inside it to accumulate potential energy so that when lubricant flows into the tank, the deformable means deforms and stores the potential energy, where the tank has a front face and a rear face,
- an inlet into the tank near the front face, with a means which allows for the entrance with a volumetric flow which does not jeopardize the normal functioning of the standard lubrication system and
- an outlet near the front face, which allows for, on a given signal, propelling the lubricant stored in the tank, due to the effect of the recovery of the deformable element to its original shape,
- where the inlet is hydraulically connected in shunt, through the means which controls the volumetric flow and a unidirectional valve, to a tube which takes the lubricant from a pump to the parts of the engine to be lubricated and the outlet of the tank is hydraulically connected by way of a remote controlled valve and a unidirectional valve, to the same tube which is connected to the inlet of the tank, but upstream.
2. The pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines of claim 1, characterized by said deformable means being chosen from the elements of the set made up of a pressure spring, a tension spring and a diaphragm.
3. The pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines of claim 2, characterized by the fact that when the deformable means is a tension of pressure spring, said spring consists of a piston so that the entrance of oil can perform the deforming action on said spring.
4. The pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines of claim 2, characterized by the fact that when the deformable means is a pressure spring, said piston is placed between the inlet for the lubricant and the front part of the spring.
5. The pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines of claim 2, characterized by the fact that when the deformable means is a tension spring, the piston is placed between the front top and the rear part of the spring.
6. The pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines of claim 1, characterized by the fact that said remote control valve consists of a solenoid valve activated when the key is placed in the ignition, or by another mechanism controlled directly or indirectly from the dashboard.
7. The pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines of claim 1, characterized by the fact that said means of control of the volumetric flow is chosen from the elements which make up the set of capillary tube and volumetric valves.
8. The pre-lubrication system for internal combustion engines of claim 1, characterized by the fact that said tank consists of a bleeding outlet for draining the oil that may have drained into the bottom of said tank.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 8, 2011
Publication Date: Dec 15, 2011
Inventor: Jose Granados Copca (Tecamac)
Application Number: 13/083,075
International Classification: F01M 1/02 (20060101);
