US 12,188,401 B2
Internal combustion engine and lubrication system thereof
Roland Spatzenegger, Bad Hall (AT); Markus Kronegger, Wels (AT); Tomas Andor, Hepberg (DE); Markus Hochmayr, Krenglbach (AT); Johannes Wurm, Wallern an der Trattnach (AT); Alex Zauner, Lambach (AT); Robert Ragogna, Salzburg (AT); Christoph Lindauer, Seewalchen am Attersee (AT); Thomas Kritzinger, Seewalchen am Attersee (AT); and Michael Zunghammer, Gunskirchen (AT)
Assigned to BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KG, Gunskirchen (AT)
Filed by BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KG, Gunskirchen (AT)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/451,430.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/399,328, filed on Aug. 19, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0060445 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. F01M 13/04 (2006.01); B01D 45/12 (2006.01); F01M 1/12 (2006.01); F02B 33/04 (2006.01); F02B 75/00 (2006.01); F02B 75/20 (2006.01); F01L 1/047 (2006.01); F02B 75/18 (2006.01)
CPC F02B 33/04 (2013.01) [F01M 1/12 (2013.01); F02B 75/007 (2013.01); F02B 75/20 (2013.01); F01L 2001/054 (2013.01); F01M 2001/126 (2013.01); F02B 2075/1812 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An internal combustion engine for a vehicle, the engine comprising:
a crankcase;
a crankshaft disposed at least in part in the crankcase;
a cylinder block connected to the crankcase, the cylinder block defining at least one cylinder;
at least one piston operatively connected to the crankshaft and disposed in a corresponding one of the at least one cylinder;
an oil tank defining an oil reservoir configured to contain oil therein;
a pump configured to pump oil from the oil reservoir of the oil tank to lubricate parts of the engine; and
a cyclonic separator disposed within the oil tank and configured to separate gas from oil received therein, the cyclonic separator defining an internal separator chamber for circulation of oil therein,
the cyclonic separator comprising:
a vortex forming portion configured to cause oil flowing therethrough within the internal separator chamber to define a spiral path in order to separate at least part of a gas content therefrom,
the cyclonic separator having a peripheral wall defining the vortex forming portion;
an oil inlet for receiving oil into the internal separator chamber, the oil inlet being fluidly connected to the pump,
the oil inlet feeding into the vortex forming portion along a top portion of the peripheral wall;
an oil outlet for discharging oil from the internal separator chamber and into the oil reservoir of the oil tank, the oil outlet comprising at least one outlet opening defined by the peripheral wall along a bottom portion thereof;
a gas outlet for discharging gas from the internal separator chamber; and
an outer wall disposed outwardly from the peripheral wall such that, in use, oil discharged from the internal separator chamber through the at least one outlet opening accumulates in a space defined between the peripheral wall and the outer wall,
the outer wall defining at least one flow control opening spaced from a lower end of the outer wall, and
in use, oil accumulating between the peripheral wall and the outer wall flows into the oil reservoir of the oil tank via the at least one flow control opening.