← Back to Patent Explorer
US4470389A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Breather-lubricator system for engines

Assignee: Kawasaki Motors Ltd
•
Filing: 1983-02-04
•
Granted: 1984-09-11
•
Expires: 2003-02-04
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract This disclosure relates to a combined breather-lubricator system for an internal combustion engine having a horizontal cylinder, a crankcase, a vertical crankshaft journalled by an upper and a lower bearings in the crankcase, and a valve spring chamber in the crankcase. The system includes two breather passages. The first breather passage extends from the crankcase through a check valve and the spring chamber and opening into the atmosphere, the valve being adapted to pass fluid therethrough in the direction from the crankcase to the atmosphere. The second breather passage extends back from the atmosphere through an oil drain hole in the spring chamber into the crankcase. The system further includes a lubrication system connected to the first breather passage.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takashi Mitadera
  • 👤 Tetsuaki Shirai
  • 👤 Fumikazu Miyanaga

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 11:20
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01M; F01M13/00; F01M13/0011; F01M13/04; F02; F02B; F02B75/00; F02B75/02; F02B2075/022; F02B2075/027; F02B75/007

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 181 words
A combined breather-lubricator system for an internal combustion engine having a horizontal cylinder, a crankcase, a vertical crankshaft journalled by an upper bearing and a lower brearing in said crankcase, and a valve spring chamber in said crankcase, said valve spring chamber having a breather opening to the atmosphere, said system comprising an annular space formed around said crankshaft above said upper bearing and connected to said crankcase, a check valve, a first breather passage extending from said crankcase successively through said annular space, said check valve and said spring chamber and opening through said breather opening into the atmosphere, said valve being adapted to pass fluid therethrough in the direction from said crankcase to the atmosphere, a second breather passage extending back from the atmosphere through said breather opening, said spring chamber, an oil drain passage in said spring chamber into said crankcase, and a lubrication system connected to said first breather passage upstream from said check valve so as to direct fluid with an oil mist produced in said crankcase into said annular space and adjacent said upper bearing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 181 words
A combined breather-lubricator system for an internal combustion engine having a horizontal cylinder, a crankcase, a vertical crankshaft journalled by an upper bearing and a lower brearing in said crankcase, and a valve spring chamber in said crankcase, said valve spring chamber having a breather opening to the atmosphere, said system comprising an annular space formed around said crankshaft above said upper bearing and connected to said crankcase, a check valve, a first breather passage extending from said crankcase successively through said annular space, said check valve and said spring chamber and opening through said breather opening into the atmosphere, said valve being adapted to pass fluid therethrough in the direction from said crankcase to the atmosphere, a second breather passage extending back from the atmosphere through said breather opening, said spring chamber, an oil drain passage in said spring chamber into said crankcase, and a lubrication system connected to said first breather passage upstream from said check valve so as to direct fluid with an oil mist produced in said crankcase into said annular space and adjacent said upper bearing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A breather-lubricator system according to claim 1, wherein said oil drain passage opens into said crankcase under the oil level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A breather-lubricator system according to claim 1, wherein said oil drain passage has an inlet port of smaller diameter than the other portion of said drain passage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 108 words
A combined breather-lubricator system for an internal combustion engine having a horizontal cylinder, a crankcase, a vertical crankshaft journalled by an upper bearing and a lower bearing in said crankcase, said system comprising a space formed around said crankshaft above said upper bearing and connected to said crankcase, a check valve, said crankcase having a breather opening formed therein leading to the atmosphere, and a breather passage extending between said crankcase and through said space, then through said check valve, and then through said breather opening to the atmosphere, whereby a lubricant separated in said space from an air flow through said passage can lubricate said upper bearing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 108 words
A combined breather-lubricator system for an internal combustion engine having a horizontal cylinder, a crankcase, a vertical crankshaft journalled by an upper bearing and a lower bearing in said crankcase, said system comprising a space formed around said crankshaft above said upper bearing and connected to said crankcase, a check valve, said crankcase having a breather opening formed therein leading to the atmosphere, and a breather passage extending between said crankcase and through said space, then through said check valve, and then through said breather opening to the atmosphere, whereby a lubricant separated in said space from an air flow through said passage can lubricate said upper bearing.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1921175A Cited
US2539896A Cited
US2669322A Cited
US2693791A Cited
US3456759A Cited
US3523592A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-09-11 1988-03-12 1988-09-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-09-11 1992-03-12 1992-09-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-09-11 1996-03-12 1996-09-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag