IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,546,240
Granted Patent B2
US 12,546,240 · App. 17/775,765 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Lubricant pan and internal combustion engine for a vehicle

Inventors: Markus Dix (Landshut, DE); Oleg Konrad (Hohenthann Weihenstephan, DE)
Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
F01M11/0004F01M5/001F01M5/002F28D15/00F28F13/00F01M2005/023F01M2011/0025F01M2011/0066
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,546,240
App. No.
17/775,765
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lubricant pan for a vehicle includes a receiving region in which a lubricant is at least temporarily receivable, a first wall element, and a second wall element. A temperature-control channel is disposed between the first wall element and the second wall element and a temperature-control medium is flowable through the temperature-control channel. A core that is porous and permeable to the temperature-control medium is disposed in the temperature-control channel between the first wall element and the second wall element. The temperature-control medium is introducible into the temperature-control channel via a first connector and the temperature-control medium is dischargable from the temperature-control channel via a second connector.

Claims (22)

1 . A lubricant pan of a vehicle, comprising:

a receiving region in which a lubricant is at least temporarily receivable;

a first wall element, wherein a first side of the first wall element at least partially delimits the receiving region, wherein a second side of the first wall element delimits a temperature-control channel, wherein the temperature-control channel is disposed on the second side of the first wall element, and wherein the second side of the first wall element is averted from the receiving region;

a second wall element, wherein the second wall element is at least partially spaced apart from the first wall element and delimits the temperature-control channel and wherein the temperature-control channel is disposed on a side of the second wall element that faces toward the first wall element and the receiving region;

wherein the temperature-control channel is disposed between the first wall element and the second wall element and wherein a temperature-control medium is flowable through the temperature-control channel;

a first connector, wherein the temperature-control medium is introducible into the temperature-control channel via the first connector;

a second connector, wherein the temperature-control medium is dischargeable from the temperature-control channel via the second connector;

a core, wherein the core is formed as a single piece, wherein the core is disposed in the temperature-control channel, and wherein the core has pores through which the temperature-control medium is flowable;

wherein the core has a first subregion which has the pores through which the temperature-control medium is flowable, wherein the first subregion is a porous and intrinsically rigid body, and wherein the core has a second subregion, wherein the second subregion is formed from a solid material, has no pores, and is impermeable to the temperature-control medium;

wherein the first wall element and the second wall element form a first horizontal portion of the lubricant pan, wherein the first horizontal portion of the lubricant pan is disposed parallel to, and adjacent to, a first horizontal portion of a housing element of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, wherein the temperature-control channel with the core is disposed within the first horizontal portion of the lubricant pan, wherein the first connector is disposed on the first horizontal portion of the lubricant pan, and wherein the temperature-control medium is flowable from the first connector into and through the temperature-control channel disposed within the first horizontal portion of the lubricant pan;

wherein the first wall element and the second wall element form a second horizontal portion of the lubricant pan, wherein the second horizontal portion of the lubricant pan is disposed parallel to, and adjacent to, a second horizontal portion of the housing element of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle, wherein the temperature-control channel with the core is disposed within the second horizontal portion of the lubricant pan, wherein the second connector is disposed on the second horizontal portion of the lubricant pan, and wherein the temperature-control medium is flowable through the temperature-control channel disposed within the second horizontal portion of the lubricant pan and into the second connector from the second horizontal portion of the lubricant pan.

2 . The lubricant pan according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall element and the second wall element are each formed from a metallic material or from a plastic.

3 . The lubricant pan according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall element and the second wall element are formed as a single piece with one another.

4 . The lubricant pan according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first wall element and the second wall element is formed as a single piece with the core.

5 . The lubricant pan according to claim 1 , wherein the core is formed from a metallic material or from a plastic.

6 . The lubricant pan according to claim 1 , wherein the core and at least one of the first wall element and the second wall element are formed from different materials.

7 . The lubricant pan according to claim 1 , further comprising cooling fins disposed on the second wall element on an outer side of the second wall element which is averted from the first wall element and from the receiving region.

8 . The lubricant pan according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant pan has at least one first material zone which is formed from a first material and at least one second material zone which is formed from a second material that differs from the first material.

9 . An internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a lubricating point that is to be lubricated and/or temperature-controlled by a lubricant; and

the lubricant pan according to claim 1 .

10 . The internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , further comprising a temperature-control medium circuit, wherein the temperature-control medium is flowable through the temperature-control medium circuit and wherein the temperature-control channel of the lubricant pan is disposed in the temperature-control medium circuit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2022
From: DIX, MARKUS; KONRAD, OLEG
To: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 059884/0693 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 130 291.9 · Nov 11, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220381167A1 · Dec 1, 2022
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