Patent US6415759B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6415759B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Four stroke engine having flexible arrangement
Assignee: BRP Rotax GmbH and Co KG
•
Filing: 2001-02-28
•
Granted: 2002-07-09
•
Expires: 2021-02-28
Abstract
Abstract A four stroke internal combustion engine having a flexible arrangement is disclosed such that the engine can be easily configured for supercharged or normally aspirated operation. The engine includes a cooling system that includes both closed loop and open loop cooling systems for improved cooling efficiency. A power take off housing located on one end of the crankcase. Various engine components are operatively coupled to the crankshaft within the power take off housing including a cam shaft for a valve actuation assembly, a generator, an engine starting mechanism, a balance shaft, and a supercharger. The engine contemplated in accordance with the present invention also includes a dry sump lubrication system having lubricant separator for separating lubricant from blow-by gas within the engine.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerd Ohrnberger
- 👤 Norbert Korenjak
- 👤 Alois Wolfsgruber
- 👤 Rudolf Tscherne
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 23:25
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01N; F01N13/00; F01N13/004; F01B; F01B1/00; F01B1/12; F01L; F01L1/00; F01L1/02; F01L1/022; F01L1/024; F01L1/04; F01L1/047; F01L1/053; F01L1/12; F01L1/18; F01L1/181; F01L1/20; F01L1/22; F01L1/24; F01L1/2411; F01L1/245; F01L1/26; F01M; F01M1/00; F01M1/08; F01M11/00; F01M11/02; F01M13/00; F01M13/04; F01N13/02; F01N3/00; F01N3/02; F01N3/04; F01N3/043; F01N3/046; F01P; F01P3/00; F01P3/02; F01P9/00; F02; F02B; F02B33/00; F02B33/02; F02B33/26; F02B33/32; F02B33/34; F02B33/40; F02B33/44; F02B39/00; F02B39/02; F02B39/04; F02B39/14; F02B61/00; F02B61/02; F02B61/04; F02B61/045; F02B67/00; F02B67/04; F02B67/06; F02B67/10; F02B75/00; F02B75/16; F02B75/18; F02B75/20; F02B75/22; F02B75/224; F02B77/00; F02B77/08; F02B77/085; F02F; F02F1/00; F02F1/24; F02F1/242; F02F1/243; F02F1/42; F02F1/4214; F02F7/00; F02F7/0021; F02F7/0031; F02M; F02M35/00; F02M35/10; F02M35/10006; F02M35/10026; F02M35/10032; F02M35/10039; F02M35/10072; F02M35/10091; F02M35/10111; F02M35/10144; F02M35/1015; F02M35/10157; F02M35/10163; F02M35/10209; F02M35/10216; F02M35/10222; F02M35/10242; F02M35/10268; F02M35/10275; F02M35/104; F02M35/112; F02M35/116; F02M35/16; F02M35/165; F02M35/167; F02M69/00; F02M69/46; F02M69/462; F02M69/465; F16; F16H; F16H55/00; F16H55/32; F16H55/52; F16H55/56; F16H55/563; F16H7/00; F16H7/08; F16H7/0848; F16H9/00; F16H9/02; F16H9/04; F16H9/12; F01L2001/0535; F01L2301/00; F01L2305/00; F01M1/12; F01M2001/126; F01M11/0004; F01M2011/002; F01M2011/0033; F01M2011/0066; F01M2013/0422; F01M2013/0427; F01N2590/00; F01N2590/02; F01N2590/022; F01P2050/00; F01P2050/02; F01P2050/04; F01P2050/06; F01P2060/00; F01P2060/04; F01P2060/16; F01P3/20; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04; F02B75/02; F02B2075/022; F02B2075/027; F02B2075/1804; F02B2075/1808; F02B2075/1812; F02B2275/00; F02B2275/08; F02B2275/18; F02B2275/20; F02B63/00; F02B63/04; F02F2001/244; F02F2001/245; F05; F05C; F05C2201/00; F05C2201/02; F05C2201/021; F16H2007/0802; F16H2007/0806; F16H2007/0812; F16H2007/0859; F16H61/00; F16H61/66; F16H61/662; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
A four stroke internal combustion engine, comprising: a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably mounted therein, wherein the crankshaft extends from one end of the crankcase; a cylinder head connected to the crankcase, wherein the crankcase and the cylinder head form at least one cylinder; at least one intake valve for the at least one cylinder; at least one exhaust valve for the of the at least one cylinder; a valve actuation assembly located in the cylinder head for operating the at least one intake valve and the at least one exhaust valve; at least one intake passageway operatively connected to the at least one cylinder; an air intake manifold having a central air passageway extending between a first end and a second end and at least one passageway extending from the central air passageway to a free end, wherein the free end of the at least one passageway is adapted to be connected to the at least one air intake passageway; a cam shaft located in the cylinder head and operatively connected to the valve actuation assembly; and a power take off housing located on the one end of the crankcase, wherein the crankshaft is operatively connected to the cam shaft within the power take off housing, and wherein the crankshaft is operatively coupled within the power take off housing to a drive shaft, and at least one of a generator, an engine starting mechanism, a balance shaft, and a supercharger.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
A four stroke internal combustion engine, comprising: a crankcase having a crankshaft rotatably mounted therein, wherein the crankshaft extends from one end of the crankcase; a cylinder head connected to the crankcase, wherein the crankcase and the cylinder head form at least one cylinder; at least one intake valve for the at least one cylinder; at least one exhaust valve for the of the at least one cylinder; a valve actuation assembly located in the cylinder head for operating the at least one intake valve and the at least one exhaust valve; at least one intake passageway operatively connected to the at least one cylinder; an air intake manifold having a central air passageway extending between a first end and a second end and at least one passageway extending from the central air passageway to a free end, wherein the free end of the at least one passageway is adapted to be connected to the at least one air intake passageway; a cam shaft located in the cylinder head and operatively connected to the valve actuation assembly; and a power take off housing located on the one end of the crankcase, wherein the crankshaft is operatively connected to the cam shaft within the power take off housing, and wherein the crankshaft is operatively coupled within the power take off housing to a drive shaft, and at least one of a generator, an engine starting mechanism, a balance shaft, and a supercharger.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein the crankcase and cylinder head are inclined at an angle with respect to a vertical axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein the engine is one of a supercharged engine and a normally aspirated engine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 3 , wherein the engine is a normally aspirated engine, wherein an air inlet is located at the first end of the air intake manifold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 3 , wherein the engine includes a supercharger operatively connected to the air intake manifold, wherein the supercharger is operatively connected to the second end of the air intake manifold.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 5 , wherein the supercharger is attached to the power take off housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , further comprising: a engine cooling system, wherein the engine cooling system comprises a closed loop cooling system for cooling at least the crankcase and the cylinder head, and an open loop cooling system for cooling at least an exhaust manifold secured to the cylinder head.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , further comprising: a dry sump lubrication system for the engine, wherein the dry sump lubrication system includes a lubricant separator for separating lubricant from blow-by gas within the engine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 8 , wherein the lubricant separator is located on an end of the engine opposite the power take off housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 8 , wherein the dry sump lubrication system includes a lubricant tank, wherein the lubricant tank is integrally formed on a lower portion of the crankcase.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The four stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 10 , wherein the lubricant tank extends upwardly along a side portion of the crankcase.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
278 words
A personal watercraft for use by at least one passenger, comprising: a hull; a seating assembly for the at least one passenger; and a four stroke internal combustion engine located within the hull, wherein the engine comprises a crankcase secured to the hull, wherein the crankcase has a crankshaft rotatably mounted therein, wherein the crankshaft extends from one end of the crankcase; a cylinder head connected to the crankcase, wherein the crankcase and the cylinder head form at least one cylinder; at least one intake valve for the at least one cylinder; at least one exhaust valve for the of the at least one cylinder; a valve actuation assembly located in the cylinder head for operating the at least one intake valve and the at least one exhaust valve; at least one intake passageway operatively connected to the at least one cylinder; an air intake manifold having a central air passageway extending between a first end and a second end and at least one passageway extending from the central air passageway to a free end, wherein the free end of the at least one passageway is adapted to be connected to the at least one air intake passageway; a cam shaft located in the cylinder head and operatively connected to the valve actuation assembly; and a power take off housing located on the one end of the crankcase, wherein the crankshaft is operatively connected to the cam shaft within the power take off housing, and wherein the crankshaft is operatively coupled within the power take off housing to a drive shaft, and at least one of a generator, an engine starting mechanism, a balance shaft, and a supercharger.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
278 words
A personal watercraft for use by at least one passenger, comprising: a hull; a seating assembly for the at least one passenger; and a four stroke internal combustion engine located within the hull, wherein the engine comprises a crankcase secured to the hull, wherein the crankcase has a crankshaft rotatably mounted therein, wherein the crankshaft extends from one end of the crankcase; a cylinder head connected to the crankcase, wherein the crankcase and the cylinder head form at least one cylinder; at least one intake valve for the at least one cylinder; at least one exhaust valve for the of the at least one cylinder; a valve actuation assembly located in the cylinder head for operating the at least one intake valve and the at least one exhaust valve; at least one intake passageway operatively connected to the at least one cylinder; an air intake manifold having a central air passageway extending between a first end and a second end and at least one passageway extending from the central air passageway to a free end, wherein the free end of the at least one passageway is adapted to be connected to the at least one air intake passageway; a cam shaft located in the cylinder head and operatively connected to the valve actuation assembly; and a power take off housing located on the one end of the crankcase, wherein the crankshaft is operatively connected to the cam shaft within the power take off housing, and wherein the crankshaft is operatively coupled within the power take off housing to a drive shaft, and at least one of a generator, an engine starting mechanism, a balance shaft, and a supercharger.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 11 , wherein the crankcase and cylinder head are inclined at an angle with respect to a vertical axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 11 , wherein the engine is one of a supercharged engine and a normally aspirated engine.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 13 , wherein the engine is a normally aspirated engine, wherein an air inlet is located at the first end of the air intake manifold.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 13 , wherein the engine includes a supercharger operatively connected to the air intake manifold, wherein the supercharger is operatively connected to the second end of the air intake manifold.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The Personal watercraft according to claim 16 , wherein the supercharger is attached to the power take off housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 12 , further comprising: a engine cooling system, wherein the engine cooling system comprises a closed loop cooling system for cooling at least the crankcase and the cylinder head, and an open loop cooling system for cooling at least an exhaust manifold secured to the cylinder head.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 12 , further comprising: a dry sump lubrication system for the engine, wherein the dry sump lubrication system includes a lubricant separator for separating lubricant from blow-by gas within the engine.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 19 , wherein the lubricant separator is located on an end of the engine opposite the power take off housing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 19 , wherein the dry sump lubrication system includes a lubricant tank, wherein the lubricant tank is integrally formed on a lower portion of the crankcase.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The personal watercraft according to claim 21 , wherein the lubricant tank extends upwardly along a side portion of the crankcase.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-08 | 2006-01-07 | 2006-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-08 | 2010-01-07 | 2010-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-08 | 2014-01-07 | 2014-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |