초록 ▼

A plastic oil pan (16) for an internal combustion engine (14) has an upper lip (18) for mating with the engine in sealing relation, sidewalls (21-24) depending downwardly below the lip, a bottom (26) extending between the sidewalls below the lip to provide a closed-bottom receptacle for holding engi

A plastic oil pan (16) for an internal combustion engine (14) has an upper lip (18) for mating with the engine in sealing relation, sidewalls (21-24) depending downwardly below the lip, a bottom (26) extending between the sidewalls below the lip to provide a closed-bottom receptacle for holding engine oil, and a plurality of reinforcing walls (28, 30, 36, 38, 40) integrally formed along the sidewalls and increasing the mechanical strength of same to enable the plastic oil pan to support the engine when the latter rests on the oil pan during installation or repair procedures. A conduit (54) extends through the oil pan and passes engine coolant therethrough to cool the engine oil. Particular oil pan and conduit structure is disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

An oil pan for an internal combustion engine, said oil pan comprising a plastic member having an upper lip for mating with said engine in sealing relation, sidewalls depending downwardly below said lip, a bottom extending between said sidewalls below said lip to provide a closed-bottom receptacle fo

An oil pan for an internal combustion engine, said oil pan comprising a plastic member having an upper lip for mating with said engine in sealing relation, sidewalls depending downwardly below said lip, a bottom extending between said sidewalls below said lip to provide a closed-bottom receptacle for holding engine oil, a plurality of reinforcing walls integrally formed along said sidewalls and increasing the mechanical strength of same to enable said plastic oil pan to support said engine when the latter rests on said oil pan during installation or repair procedures, wherein said reinforcing walls are external to said oil pan and formed along the exterior surface of respective said sidewalls and comprise a plurality of struts extending laterally outwardly from respective said sidewalls and extending from said upper lip downwardly along said sidewalls, wherein said sidewalls extend downwardly below said bottom of said oil pan such that when said oil pan and engine rest on a given surface, said sidewalls support and space said bottom of said oil pan above said surface such that the weight of said engine is supported by said sidewalls of said oil pan, and wherein said struts extend along the exterior of said sidewalls to the bottom of said sidewalls and are tapered to have their narrowest width at the bottom of said sidewalls and their widest width at the top of said sidewalls at said upper lip.