JPH0511290Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) This invention relates to a lubrication device for a vertical-type internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft extends in an approximately vertical direction, and more specifically, to a lubrication device in which a dam capable of damming the lubricating oil on the bottom surface of an oil pan is integrally formed, and a specified placement area is defined by the dam, and a float-type oil level switch for detecting the oil level of the lubricating oil is disposed within the placement area.

(Prior Art) Vertical internal combustion engines generally have a bearing boss formed approximately in the center of an oil pan, and the boss supports the lower end of a crankshaft extending approximately vertically. The driven gear of the camshaft and the balancer mechanism are arranged around the crankshaft. A lubrication system for such a vertical internal combustion engine drives an oil pump installed on the back of the oil pan using a pump drive shaft installed coaxially with a rotating shaft such as a camshaft located around the crankshaft. The lubricating oil on the oil pan is guided to the sliding parts, but a float type oil level switch that detects the level of the lubricating oil is suitable for detecting the amount of lubricating oil on the oil pan. and,
This oil level switch should be placed in a suitable position near the oil pump suction port to avoid interference from the crankshaft, etc., where changes in the level of the lubricating oil level are small, and to eliminate the effects of tilting of the engine body, etc. is desired. Therefore, in order to meet such demands, the present applicant first proposed a lubricating device in which an oil level switch was placed in a suitable position (June 1986).
Patent application filed on May 24th).

(Problem to be solved by this invention) However, even in the lubricating device according to the above-mentioned earlier application, since the crankshaft is supported in the center of the oil pan where the change in the lubricating oil level is the smallest, The oil level switch must be placed around the crankshaft eccentric from the center of the lubricating oil level, and changes in the lubricating oil level caused by tilting of the engine body etc. will affect the oil level switch. There was a problem in that it was impossible to reduce the value to a negligible level. In particular, if the oil pan tilts due to the tilting of the engine body and the part of the oil pan where the oil level switch is located moves upward,
Since the level of lubricating oil around the oil level switch decreases relatively, there is a risk that the remaining lubricating oil alarm device connected to the oil level switch may be temporarily activated, and a solution is desired. was.

This invention was made in view of the above problems, and provides a lubricating device for an internal combustion engine in which the oil level switch is less affected by changes in oil level height such as when the internal combustion engine body is tilted. The purpose is to improve the reliability of lubricating oil level detection.

(Means for Solving the Problem) A lubricating device for an internal combustion engine according to this invention includes an oil pan in which a bearing portion is formed at least substantially in the center and projects upward from the bottom surface, and lubricating oil is stored on the bottom surface. a crankshaft whose lower end is rotatably supported by a bearing portion of the oil pan and extends substantially vertically;
In the internal combustion engine, an oil level switch is provided which detects the level of the lubricating oil by a float floating in the lubricating oil on the oil pan, and a weir surrounding the oil level switch is integrally formed. , the weir includes a first enclosure extending radially from a bearing portion on which the crankshaft is supported toward the peripheral wall of the oil pan, and a side opposite to the bearing portion on which the crankshaft is supported with respect to the oil level switch. a second enclosure following the first enclosure, and the second enclosure has a height O portion equal to the bottom surface of the oil pan on the opposite side of the first enclosure with respect to the oil level switch. and a portion on the first enclosure side with respect to the oil level switch that is equal to the height of an imaginary line connecting the first enclosure and the height O portion.

(Function) According to the lubricating device for an internal combustion engine according to this invention, the oil level switch for detecting the level of the lubricating oil is disposed within an area partitioned by a weir. Even if the oil pan is tilted, most of the lubricating oil is dammed up by the weir. Therefore, changes in the oil level around the oil level switch due to tilting of the engine body can be suppressed, and the reliability of oil level switch detection is improved. Furthermore, when the engine body is horizontally stable, the lubricating oil flows over the zero-height portion of the second enclosure, so the absolute amount of lubricating oil can be detected accurately.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of this invention will be described based on the drawings.

1 to 2 show a lubricating system for an internal combustion engine according to an embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 1 is a plan view;
FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway view taken along arrow A in FIG. 1.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 indicates an oil pan of an engine (internal combustion engine), and a boss portion 12 for a crankshaft is integrally provided on the oil pan 11 at approximately the center thereof, projecting upward. Around the portion 12, a boss portion 13 for the first balancer shaft of the balancer mechanism, a boss portion 14 for the second balancer shaft of the balancer mechanism, a boss portion 15 for the cam shaft, a boss portion 16 for the governor shaft, and A boss portion 17 in which a lubricating oil circulation path is formed is integrally provided to protrude upward. The lower end of a crankshaft (not shown) extending substantially vertically is rotatably supported by the crankshaft boss part 12, and each boss part 13, 1 of the balancer mechanism
First and second balancer shafts 18 (see Fig. 2) each having a balance weight at a predetermined phase with respect to the crankshaft are rotatably supported in parallel to the crankshaft, and similarly, a governor shaft A governor shaft (not shown) provided with a driven gear of the governor is rotatably supported in the boss portion 16 in parallel with the crankshaft. These first balancer shafts 1
8. As is well known, the second balancer shaft and the governor shaft are connected to the crankshaft by gears or the like and rotate together with the crankshaft.

The camshaft boss portion 15 rotatably supports a camshaft (not shown) that is connected to a valve mechanism (not shown) and extends parallel to the crankshaft. The camshaft has its lower end connected to the oil pump 20 provided on the back side of the oil pan 11, and also functions as a pump drive shaft, and rotates together with the crankshaft to drive the oil pump 20. oil pump 20
In this case, the suction port 20a is located on the boss portion 1 on the oil pan 11.
It is surrounded by a filter box 21 and opens in the vicinity of 5,
The lubricating oil stored on the oil pan 11 is sucked through the suction port 20a and supplied to the sliding parts. The filter box 21 is provided integrally with the oil pan 11 adjacent to the boss portions 12 and 15, and is equipped with a filter (not shown) that filters lubricating oil flowing into the suction port 20a. As is clear from FIG. 1, this filter box 21 has a boss portion 1 on one side wall at the upper left in the figure.
2 and 15, and dams the space between the boss portions 12 and 15.

Further, a boss portion 22 for mounting an oil level switch, which will be described later, is integrally provided on the oil pan 11, and is provided between this boss portion 22 and a boss portion 14 for the second balancer shaft of the balancer mechanism. A reinforcing rib 23 is provided between the second balancer shaft boss portion 14 and the crankshaft boss portion 12.
However, a reinforcing rib 25 is integrally provided between the camshaft boss portion 15 and the boss portion 17, and a reinforcing rib 25 is integrally provided between the boss portion 22 for mounting the oil level switch and the side wall of the oil pan 11. A weir portion 26 is integrally formed upward. The above-mentioned ribs 23,2
4 and 25 have a predetermined height dimension, and as shown in FIG. The other end located on the crankshaft side has a predetermined height, and its upper edge is inclined at a predetermined angle of inclination θ. These ribs 23, 24, 25 and the weir part 26
The above-mentioned boss parts 12, 14, 15, 17, 2
2 and the filter box 21, it defines an area where the oil level switch is installed. This weir part 26 corresponds to the second enclosure _E2 , and the rib 24 and the boss part 14 described above, the filter box 21, the boss part 15,
The rib 25 and the boss portion 17 each form a first enclosure.
These first enclosure E ₁ and the second enclosure constitute E ₁ .
E ₂ constitutes cough E as a whole. The angle of inclination θ is determined, for example, according to the maximum angle of inclination of the oil pan 11 that is expected when this engine is used as a power source for a lawn mower or the like.

Further, an oil level switch 27 is arranged on the oil pan 11 within the above-mentioned arrangement area. The oil level switch 27 has an integrally formed mounting piece 27a fastened to the mounting boss portion 22 with a bolt 28. This oil level switch 27 has a float floating in the lubricating oil and a reed switch connected to a lubricating oil remaining amount alarm device (not shown), and the reed switch is connected to a lubricating oil level alarm device (not shown), and the reed switch is reeded depending on the height of the float, that is, the level of the lubricating oil. The switch opens and closes.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

In this lubricating device, an oil pump 20 is driven by a camshaft that rotates together with the crankshaft, sucks in lubricating oil on an oil pan 11 from an inlet 20a, discharges it, and guides this lubricating oil to sliding parts. Lubricate. The oil level switch 27 detects the level of the lubricating oil near the suction port 20a of the oil pump 20, and activates the lubricating oil remaining amount alarm device when the oil level is below a predetermined value. to issue an alarm.

The oil level switch 27 also includes a weir portion 26, boss portions 12, 14, 15,
17, 22, ribs 23, 24, 25 and the filter box 21, that is, the weir E. However, even if the oil pan 11 is tilted, the lubricating oil in this arrangement region will not flow through the dam 26. etc., and will not flow out of the installation area.
Changes in the oil level of the well-known lubricating oil in the oil level switch 27 can be suppressed. That is,
As shown in FIG. 2, even if the oil pan 11 is tilted at an angle θ due to the tilting of the engine body, for example, the lubricating oil within the arrangement area will not flow out of the area, and the oil level switch 27 The level of the lubricating oil around the oil level switch 27 does not decrease significantly relative to the oil level switch 27. Therefore, the oil level switch 27 is less affected by the tilting of the engine body, and the reliability of detection by the oil level switch 27 can be improved.

On the other hand, when the oil pan 11 is located horizontally, the lubricating oil passes over the height O of the weir section 26 between the side wall of the oil pan 11 and the end of the side wall of the oil pan 11 of the weir section 26. Since the lubricating oil can flow inside and outside the placement area, the lubricating oil is not unevenly distributed inside and outside the placement area, and the absolute amount of lubricating oil can be accurately detected.

FIG. 3 shows a lubricating device according to another embodiment of this invention. Hereinafter, the same parts as in the embodiment described above will be given the same numbers and the explanation will be omitted.

In this lubricating device, a first dam part 29 is provided between the side wall of the oil pan 11 and the boss part 16 for the governor shaft.
The second weir part 3 is located between the boss part 16 for the governor shaft and the boss part 22 for mounting the oil level switch 27.
0 is integrally provided on the oil pan 11 in a protruding manner.
The first weir part 29 and the second weir part 30 are end portions of the first weir part 29 located at a predetermined distance from the side wall of the oil pan 11, similar to the weir part 26 in the above-described embodiment. has a height that substantially matches the bottom surface of the oil pan 11, and an end on the side of the boss portion 22 for attaching the second dam portion 30 has a predetermined height dimension,
The upper edges of the first dam part 29 and the second dam part 30 are continuously inclined at a predetermined inclination angle θ in the direction of arrow B. These first weir part 29 and second weir part 30 constitute a second enclosure _E2 , and the boss part 1
2, 14, 15, 17, 22, ribs 23, 24,
25 and the filter box 21, it defines an area where the oil level switch 27 is installed.

Even in this lubricating device, when the oil pan 11 is tilted, the lubricating oil in the arrangement area is dammed by the first and second dams 29, 30, etc., and does not flow out of the area. Therefore, the level of the lubricating oil near the oil level switch 27 does not vary greatly, and the oil level switch 27 is less affected by the inclination of the oil pan 11, improving its reliability. do. When the oil pan 11 is positioned horizontally, the lubricating oil flows between the first dam 29 and the side wall of the oil pan 11 in and out of the arrangement area, so that the lubricating oil is unevenly distributed inside and outside the arrangement area. The absolute amount of lubricating oil can be detected accurately.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, according to the lubricating device for an internal combustion engine according to this invention, the influence on the oil level switch when the oil pan is tilted can be reduced, and the amount of lubricating oil can be detected reliably. Improves sex.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show a lubricating system for an internal combustion engine according to an embodiment of this invention, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1. . FIG. 3 is a plan view of a lubricating device for an internal combustion engine according to another embodiment of the invention. 11...Oil pan, 12, 13, 14, 1
5, 16, 17, 22... Boss part, 20... Oil pump, 20a... Suction port, 21... Filter box,
23, 24, 25...rib, 26, 29, 30...
...Weir, 27...Oil level switch, E...
Cough, E ₁ ... first enclosure, E ₂ ... second enclosure.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] An oil pan in which a bearing protruding upward from the bottom is formed at least approximately in the center and lubricating oil is stored on the bottom, and the lower end is rotatably supported by the bearing of the oil pan. and a crankshaft extending in a substantially vertical direction, further comprising: an oil level switch that detects the level of the lubricating oil using a float floating in the lubricating oil on the oil pan; A weir surrounding the oil level switch is integrally formed, and the weir includes a first enclosure that extends radially from a bearing portion on which the crankshaft is supported toward a peripheral wall of the oil pan, and a first enclosure that is based on the oil level switch. a second enclosure following the first enclosure on the opposite side of the bearing portion on which the crankshaft is supported, the second enclosure being opposite to the first enclosure with respect to the oil level switch. has a height O portion on the side that is equal to the bottom surface of the oil pan, and has a height of an imaginary line connecting the first enclosure and the height O portion on the first enclosure side with the oil level switch as a reference. A lubricating device for an internal combustion engine, characterized in that it has a portion equal to .