Lubrication system for 4-cycle engine of small watercraft
AssigneeSanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsHitoshi Muramatsu, Noboru Suganuma, Toshiaki Kasahara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A watercraft includes a lubrication system having a lubricant pump assembly and a lubrication reservoir defined between a lower crankcase member and an oil cover. At least one oil passage connects a crankcase to the reservoir. The oil cover, or both the oil cover and the crankcase member may contain one or more baffles configured to impede a flow of oil away from the lubricant pump assembly. Additionally, the cover may include one or more projections securing one or more plugs within one or more countersink portions of the crankcase member.
Claims41
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity at a position toward a rear end of the engine, the oil cover including at least one baffle on a bottom surface of the oil cavity and being configured to impede a flow of oil in a forward direction away from the oil pump inlet, the baffle being skewed relative to a longitudinal axis of the watercraft.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity at a position toward a rear end of the engine, the oil cover including at least one baffle being configured to impede a flow of oil in a forward direction away from the oil pump inlet, additionally comprising a crankcase member defining the crankcase and supporting the crankshaft within the crankcase, the crankcase member including a lower surface defining a first oil passage and a second oil passage connecting the crankcase with the oil cavity, the first oil passage being located on one side of a plane extending parallel to the cylinder bore through an axis of the crankshaft and the second oil passage being located on the other side of the plane, the oil cover comprising a first oil cover and a second oil cover, the oil cavity comprising a first oil cavity and a second oil cavity, the first oil cover defining the first oil cavity and the second oil cover defining the second oil cavity, the first oil cavity being in fluid communication with the first oil passage and the second oil cavity being in fluid communication with the second oil passage.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity at a position toward a rear end of the engine, the oil cover including a plurality of baffles configured to impede a flow of oil in a forward direction away from the oil pump inlet, the oil cover comprising an inclined lower surface configure to guide oil to the oil pump inlet, and wherein a top surface of the each of the baffles lies substantially in a first plane and the inclined surface defines a second plane, the first plane being inclined with respect to the second plane.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity at a position toward a rear end of the engine , the oil cover including at least one baffle being configured to impede a flow of oil in a forward direction away from the oil pump inlet, wherein the at least one baffle of the engine body is disposed outside of a perimeter defined by the ramped surface.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity at a position toward a rear end of the engine, the oil cover including at least one baffle being configured to impede a flow of oil in a forward direction away from the oil pump inlet, wherein at least one baffle includes a cut out shaped complementary to a protrusion formed parallel to the crankshaft axis on a bottom side of the crankcase.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body comprising at least a first and second member, the first and second member being connected by at least one bolt, the bolt having a bolt head disposed within a countersink portion of the engine body, a plug substantially sealing the bolt head within the countersink portion, the oil cover comprising at least one projection at least partially covering the plug.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity at a position toward a rear end of the engine, the crankcase defining at least a pair of oil passages located in a lower surface of the crankcase and spaced along a longitudinal axis of the engine, means for defining oil traps for oil draining through the oil passages.
An internal combustion engine having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body further defining a crankcase, a crankshaft rotatably supported in the crankcase, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity, the oil cover including at least one baffle on a bottom surface of the oil cavity and being configured to impede a flow of oil away from the oil pump inlet, the baffle being skewed relative to a longitudinal axis of the watercraft.
An internal combustion engine having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body further defining a crankcase, a crankshaft rotatably supported in the crankcase, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity, the oil cover including a plurality of baffles configured to impede a flow of oil away from the oil pump, wherein the oil cover additionally comprises a sealing surface along a substantial perimeter of the oil cavity, a top edge of each of the baffles lying substantially in a plane defined by the sealing surface.
An internal combustion engine having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body further defining a crankcase, a crankshaft rotatably supported in the crankcase, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity, the oil cover including a plurality of baffles configured to impede a flow of oil away from the oil pump, the oil cover comprising an inclined lower surface configured to guide oil to the oil pump inlet, and wherein a top surface of the each of the baffles lies substantially in a first plane and the inclined surface defines a second plane, the first plane being inclined with respect to the second plane.
An internal combustion engine having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body further defining a crankcase, a crankshaft rotatably supported in the crankcase, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity, the oil cover including a plurality of baffles configured to impede a flow of oil away from the oil pump, the engine body additionally comprising a crankcase member defining the crankcase and supporting the crankshaft within the crankcase, the crankcase member including a lower surface defining a first oil passage and a second oil passage connecting the crankcase with the oil cavity, the first oil passage being located on one side of a plane extending parallel to the cylinder bore through an axis of the crankshaft and the second oil passage being located on the other side of the plane, the oil cover comprising a first oil cover and a second oil cover and the oil cavity comprising a first oil cavity and a second oil cavity, the first oil cover defining the first oil cavity and the second oil cover defining the second oil cavity, the first oil cavity being in fluid communication with the first oil passage and the second oil cavity being in fluid communication with the second oil passage.
An internal combustion engine having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body further defining a crankcase, a crankshaft rotatably supported in the crankcase, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity, the oil cover including a plurality of baffles configured to impede a flow of oil away from the oil pump, wherein the at least one baffle includes a cut out shaped complementary to a protrusion formed parallel to the crankshaft axis on a bottom side of the crankcase.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity, the oil cover including a plurality of baffles on a bottom surface of the oil cavity, the plurality of baffles being skewed relative to a longitudinal axis of the watercraft, and at least a portion of the baffles being generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment and having an engine body defining at least one cylinder bore therein, the engine body defining a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably supported therein, at least one oil cover connected to the engine body and defining an oil cavity therebetween, at least one oil gallery defined within the engine body, an oil pump configured to circulate oil between the oil cavity and the oil gallery, the oil pump having an inlet configured to draw oil from the oil cavity, the oil cover including a plurality of baffles on a bottom surface of the oil cavity, the baffles on one side of a longitudinal axis of the watercraft being skewed relative to the longitudinal axis and the baffles on the opposing side of the longitudinal axis being generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.