Engine crankcase breather with mesh filter

An engine, comprising:

• a cylinder block defining a cylinder and including a crankcase;
• and
• an engine crankcase breather positioned over an opening to the crankcase, wherein the engine crankcase breather includes:
• a housing having a lower end including an inlet opening and an upper end including an outlet opening, wherein the inlet opening lies in a horizontal plane and the outlet opening lies in a vertical plane;
• a mesh filter positioned within the housing and including opposing inlet and outlet faces defining a mesh filter thickness, wherein the inlet and outlet faces are parallel to the inlet opening and are positioned below a central axis through the outlet opening;
• a bottom wall of the housing defining the lower end and including a downward slope toward a lip defining the inlet opening, wherein the mesh filter is spaced above the bottom wall;
• a plurality of oil return openings through the lip;
• a support mechanism supported above and vertically aligned with the inlet opening, wherein the support mechanism contacts a central region of the inlet face of the mesh filter;
• and
• a plurality of support legs extending from the lip to the support mechanism.

A method for removing bulk oil from an exhaust of a crankcase using an engine crankcase breather, the engine crankcase breather including:

• a housing having a lower end including an inlet opening and an upper end including an outlet opening, wherein the inlet opening lies in a horizontal plane and the outlet opening lies in a vertical plane;
• a mesh filter positioned within the housing and including opposing inlet and outlet faces defining a mesh filter thickness, wherein the inlet and outlet faces are parallel to the inlet opening and are positioned below a central axis through the outlet opening;
• a bottom wall of the housing defining the lower end and including a downward slope toward a lip defining the inlet opening, wherein the mesh filter is spaced above the bottom wall;
• a plurality of oil return openings through the lip, the method comprising:
• advancing the exhaust along a common path defined sequentially by the inlet opening of the housing, the inlet face of the mesh filter, the outlet face of the mesh filter, and the outlet opening of the housing;
• blocking the exhaust from entering the mesh filter through a central region of the inlet face of the mesh filter using a support mechanism supported above and vertically aligned with the inlet opening, wherein the support mechanism contacts the central region of the inlet face of the mesh filter and is supported by a plurality of support legs extending from the lip to the support mechanism;
• capturing the bulk oil in the mesh filter;
• and
• passing the bulk oil returned from the mesh filter using gravity along the downward slope and through one of the oil return openings.