Lubrication fluid filter bypass system
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorsStephen D. Cofer, Jr., Ella Michelle Morris, Nickolas A. Springmeyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An internal combustion engine includes an engine lubrication fluid system with a main rifle for distribution of filtered lubrication fluid to a plurality of engine components through a plurality of secondary rifles connected to the main rifle. The system also includes a bypass for bypassing the filter in response to certain engine operating conditions. The bypass is connected to at least one of the secondary rifles so that unfiltered lubrication fluid is not provided to certain engine components under filter bypass conditions, and provided directly to certain other engine components for which unfiltered lubrication fluid is less problematic.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- an internal combustion engine including a block, a plurality of components supported by the block, and a lubrication fluid for lubricating the plurality of components;
- a lubrication fluid circuit for circulating a supply of the lubrication fluid to lubricate the plurality of components, the lubrication fluid circuit including:
- a sump for storing lubrication fluid to be filtered;
- a filter connected to the sump for filtering lubrication fluid upstream of the plurality of components;
- a main rifle in the block connected to the filter for receiving filtered lubrication fluid for distribution to the plurality of components through a plurality of secondary rifles in the block that are connected to the main rifle;
- and
- a bypass connected to receive unfiltered lubrication fluid that bypasses the filter, wherein the bypass is directly connected to at least one of the plurality of secondary rifles downstream of the main rifle.
A lubrication system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a sump for storing lubrication fluid;
- a filter device for filtering lubrication fluid from the sump;
- a main rifle in the engine connected to the filter device to receive filtered lubrication fluid from the filter device;
- a plurality of secondary rifles connecting the main rifle to a plurality of engine components to provide filtered lubrication fluid to the plurality of engine components;
- and
- a bypass connected to one of the secondary rifles downstream of the main rifle to bypass the filter and the main rifle an circulate unfiltered lubrication fluid directly to the connected one of the secondary rifles.
A method for circulating lubrication fluid in a lubrication fluid system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- circulating filtered lubrication fluid from a filter device through a main rifle of the internal combustion engine to a plurality of components of the internal combustion engine;
- and
- in response to a filter bypass condition, bypassing the filter device and the main rifle to circulate unfiltered lubrication fluid to a first subset of the plurality of components that are downstream of a second subset of the plurality of components, wherein the first subset of the plurality of components are connected to at least one secondary rifle that receives the bypassed unfiltered lubrication fluid downstream of the main rifle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.