Crankshaft oil deflector fastening apparatus

Abstract

An oil deflector assembly includes an oil deflector plate for attachment between a crankshaft and an oil pan. The oil deflector plate assembly further includes a plurality of nuts and washers rotatably captured and retained by the plate for attaching the plate with respect to an engine block. The captured nuts and washers are preassembled to the plate, thereby improving engine assembly efficiency. In a preferred embodiment, the threaded hole of each nut is tapered to improve alignment with a corresponding threaded stud, and the washer includes a tapered hole to facilitate washer deformation thereby to lock the washer against the plate.

1 . An oil deflector assembly for an engine crankcase to which a plurality of threaded fasteners is operatively connected, the oil deflector assembly comprising: 
 a plate defining a plurality of apertures; and    a plurality of nuts each being rotatably secured to the plate in a respective one of the plurality of apertures prior to engagement with a respective one of the threaded fasteners.    
   
   
       2 . The oil deflector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of nuts includes a portion that extends through the corresponding aperture, and wherein the oil deflector assembly further includes a plurality of washers each being operatively connected to one of the nuts.  
   
   
       3 . The oil deflector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of nuts defines a threaded hole for engagement with a respective one of the threaded fasteners, and wherein the hole is tapered.  
   
   
       4 . The oil deflector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of washers defines a tapered hole.  
   
   
       5 . An engine comprising: 
 an engine block;    a crankshaft rotatably supported with respect to the engine block;    a plurality of bearing caps mounted with respect to the engine block;    a plurality of threaded studs mounted with respect to the bearing caps and arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another;    an oil deflector plate defining a plurality of apertures in the same predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another as the threaded studs;    a plurality of nuts, each including a main body portion on a first side of the plate and a neck extending through a respective one of the plurality of apertures;    a plurality of washers, each being positioned on a second side of the plate opposite from the first side;    wherein each of the nuts defines a threaded nut hole that is tapered at one end for receiving a respective one of the threaded studs; and    wherein each of the washers defines a tapered washer hole through which a portion of a respective nut extends to operatively connect the nut to the washer prior to attachment of said nuts to said threaded studs.    
   
   
       6 . A method of assembling an oil deflector assembly, the method comprising: 
 providing an oil deflector plate having a plurality of apertures; providing a plurality of nuts; providing a plurality of washers;    inserting a portion of each nut into a respective one of said plurality of apertures; and    attaching each washer to said portion of a respective nut to secure the respective nut and washer to the oil deflector plate while allowing each nut and washer to rotate with respect to the oil deflector plate.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said attaching each washer to said portion of a respective nut includes crimping the respective nut to the corresponding washer.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the nut defines a tapered nut hole having a wide end; 
 wherein the washer includes a tapered washer hole having a wide end; and    wherein the method further comprises attaching the oil deflector plate with respect to an engine block having a plurality of threaded studs mounted thereto, said attaching the oil deflector plate with respect to an engine block including 
 (1) positioning the oil deflector plate with respect to the engine block such that each of said plurality of threaded studs enters the wide end of a respective nut hole and the wide end of a respective washer hole, and  
 (2) turning each of the plurality of nuts to engage the respective threaded stud so that each nut exerts a first force on the corresponding washer and a reaction surface exerts a second, opposite, reaction force on the washer that is radially outward from the first force to create a bending moment that causes the periphery of the washer to engage a surface of the plate and thereby resist relative rotation of the washer with respect to the plate.