US 6,647,944 B2 · Cylinder block structure

Abstract

A cylinder block structure includes a plurality of mounting bolts extending through a plurality of bearing caps and through a crank case to fix a crank shaft in a cylinder block. During operation, the crank shaft transmits detrimental horizontal stress to the bearing caps, the mounting bolts, and the crank case. A bulge portion, a plurality of reinforcing ribs, boss portions, and reinforcing oil transport structures extend away from the cylinder block to resist the horizontal stresses and prevent deformation of the mounting bolts and the bearing caps. An engine mount bracket secures the cylinder block structure to an external position and provides additional rigidity. The bulge portion, reinforcing ribs, boss portions and other structures minimize vibration and allow close tolerances by providing rigidity to the cylinder block structure without increasing wall thickness.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A cylinder block structure, comprising:

a crank case;
said crank case being disposed on a first lower surface of a V-type cylinder block;
a first set of bearing caps mounted on said crank case;
said cylinder block and said first set of bearing caps operably supporting a crank shaft along a center axis of said cylinder block structure;
said crank shaft transmitting a distorting horizontal force to at least said first set and a one-side wall of said crank case during an engine operation;
means for preventing a distortion of said at least first set and said one-side wall during said engine operation;
at least a bulge portion in said means for preventing;
and
said bulge portion extending away from at least said one-side wall and reinforcing said first set and said one-side wall, whereby said means for preventing resists said distorting horizontal force and prevents said distortion.

6 more elements

A cylinder block structure, comprising:

a crank case;
an upper surface of said crank case on a lower surface of a V-shaped cylinder block;
a bearing construction member including said crank case and a plurality of bearing caps;
an oil pan on a lower surface of said crank case;
said plurality of bearing caps and said crank case rotatably supporting a crank shaft along a rotation axis in said bearing construction member;
a bulge portion on at least a first case side wall of said crank case extending away from said crank case;
said bulge portion having a shape and being at a position countering a distorting horizontal force from said crank shaft transmitted to said bearing caps and said crank case during an engine operation;
an oil pump on a lower surface of said bulge portion;
a first oil path on a bulge side surface of said bulge portion in fluid communication with a discharge path of said oil pump;
and
a second oil path on a block side wall of said cylinder block in fluid communication between said first oil path and a main oil path of said cylinder block, whereby said oil pump, said first oil path, and said second oil path support said bulge portion and resist said distorting horizontal load.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cylinder block structure

Life of this patent

Cylinder block structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9