Oil pan to engine block attachment for avoiding fretting of the oil pan rim
AssigneeInternational Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
InventorJames B. Nachtman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clamp (26) has a main body (30) that is attached to an engine block (28). A right-angled flange (32) extends from the main body to enter a downwardly open concave interior of an outturned flange (18) of an oil pan rim (16) and provides underlying support for an insert (46) on which the outturned flange of the oil pan rim rests. Fretting of the rim is avoided because the presence of the insert avoids any substantial contact between the flange (32) and the rim (16) that could lead to fretting.
Claims10
An internal combustion engine comprising:
- a block and an oil pan cooperating to form a bottom of an engine crankcase that includes an oil sump;
- the oil pan comprising an upper perimeter rim bounding an interior of the oil pan;
- the upper perimeter rim comprising an outturned flange that is exterior to the pan's interior and that has a downwardly open concave interior;
- and
- one or more clamps for clamping the upper perimeter rim of the oil pan to the block;
- each such clamp comprising a main body that is attached to the block and a flange that extends from the main body to enter the downwardly open concave interior of the outturned flange of the oil pan rim and provide underlying support for an insert on which the outturned flange of the oil pan rim rests.
A method for attaching an oil pan to an engine block to form a bottom of an engine crankcase that includes an oil sump, the method comprising:
- placing an insert within a downwardly open concave interior of an upper perimeter rim of the oil pan formed by an outturned flange on the pan's exterior;
- engaging a distal end of a flange that extends from a main body of a clamp with the insert;
- and attaching the main body of the clamp to the block.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.