Crankcase breather

Abstract

A crankcase ventilation system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder block that at least partially defines at least one cylinder includes a valve cover configured to be mounted on an individual cylinder head corresponding to an individual cylinder and form a cavity therein. Further a crankcase ventilation opening associated with the valve cover. A crankcase breather incorporated into the valve cover. The crankcase breather includes a breather body, an inlet portion in fluid communication with the cavity of the valve cover, and an outlet portion aligning with the crankcase ventilation opening of the valve cover.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A crankcase breather incorporated into an individual valve cover for an individual cylinder, the valve cover forming a cavity and having an crankcase ventilation opening associated with the valve cover, the crankcase breather comprising:
 a breather body;   an inlet portion configured to be in fluid communication with the cavity of the valve cover; and   an outlet portion configured to be aligned with the crankcase ventilation opening of the valve cover.   
     
     
         2 . The crankcase breather of  claim 1 , wherein the breather body includes:
 a breather top wall;   a first pair of breather side walls extending from the breather top wall, the first pair of breather side walls are spaced apart by a first distance;   a second pair of breather side walls extending from the breather top wall, the second pair of breather side walls are spaced apart by a second distance lesser than the first distance; and   a breather peripheral ledge extending from the first and second pair of breather side walls.   
     
     
         3 . The crankcase breather of  claim 2 , wherein the crankcase breather further includes a bottom plate coupled to the breather peripheral ledge, and the first pair of breather side walls and the bottom plate define a first filtration chamber and the second pair of breather side walls and the bottom plate define a second filtration chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The crankcase breather of  claim 3 , wherein the first filtration chamber and the second filtration chamber house a first filter element and a second filter element, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The crankcase breather of  claim 4 , wherein the bottom plate includes one or more troughs disposed upstream of the first filter element and one or more drain holes are provided in the troughs. 
     
     
         6 . The crankcase breather of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom plate includes one or more ear portions extending beyond the inlet portion of the crankcase breather and configured to define an inlet zone within the cavity of the valve cover. 
     
     
         7 . A crankcase ventilation system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder block that at least partially defines at least one cylinder, the crankcase ventilation system comprising:
 a valve cover configured to be mounted on an individual cylinder head corresponding to an individual cylinder, the valve cover forming a cavity therein;   a crankcase ventilation opening associated with the valve cover; and   a crankcase breather incorporated into the valve cover, the crankcase breather including:
 a breather body; 
 an inlet portion in fluid communication with the cavity of the valve cover; and 
 an outlet portion aligned with the crankcase ventilation opening of the valve cover. 
   
     
     
         8 . The crankcase ventilation system of  claim 7 , wherein the breather body includes:
 a breather top wall;   a first pair of breather side walls extending from the breather top wall, the first pair of breather side walls being spaced apart by a first distance;   a second pair of breather side walls extending from the breather top wall, the second pair of breather side walls are spaced apart by a second distance lesser than the first distance; and   a breather peripheral ledge extending from the first and second pair of breather side walls.   
     
     
         9 . The crankcase ventilation system of  claim 8 , wherein the crankcase breather further includes a bottom plate coupled to the breather peripheral ledge, and the first pair of breather side walls and the bottom plate define a first filtration chamber and the second pair of breather side walls and the bottom plate define a second filtration chamber having a second volume less than the first volume. 
     
     
         10 . The crankcase ventilation system of  claim 9 , wherein the first filtration chamber and the second filtration chamber house a first filter element and a second filter element, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The crankcase ventilation system of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom plate includes one or more troughs disposed upstream of the first filter element and one or more drain holes are provided in the troughs. 
     
     
         12 . The crankcase ventilation system of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom plate includes one or more ear portions extending beyond the inlet portion of the crankcase breather to define an inlet zone within the cavity of the valve cover. 
     
     
         13 . The crankcase ventilation system of  claim 7 , wherein the valve cover includes:
 a body with a top wall;   a pair of side walls and end walls extending from the top wall, wherein the pair of side walls and end walls are joined to form the cavity;   a peripheral ledge extending from each of the side walls; and   one or more through holes provided on the peripheral ledge and configured to receive fastening members to mount the valve cover on the individual cylinder head.   
     
     
         14 . An internal combustion engine comprising:
 a cylinder block that at least partially defines at least one cylinder; and   crankcase ventilation system for the internal combustion engine, the crankcase ventilation system including:
 a valve cover configured to be mounted on an individual cylinder head corresponding to an individual cylinder, the valve cover forming a cavity therein; 
 an crankcase ventilation opening associated with the valve cover; and 
 a crankcase breather incorporated into the valve cover, the crankcase breather including:
 a breather body; 
 an inlet portion in fluid communication with the cavity of the valve cover; and 
 an outlet portion aligning with the crankcase ventilation opening of the valve cover. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 14 , wherein the breather body includes:
 a breather top wall;   a first pair of breather side walls extending from the breather top wall, the first pair of breather side walls are spaced apart by a first distance;   a second pair of breather side walls extending from the breather top wall, the second pair of breather side walls are spaced apart by a second distance lesser than the first distance; and   a breather peripheral ledge extending from the first and second pair of breather side walls.   
     
     
         16 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 15 , wherein the crankcase breather further includes a bottom plate coupled to the breather peripheral ledge, and the first pair of breather side walls and the bottom plate define a first filtration chamber and the second pair of breather side walls and the bottom plate define a second filtration chamber having a second volume less than the first volume. 
     
     
         17 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 16 , wherein the first filtration chamber and the second filtration chamber house a first filter element and a second filter element, respectively. 
     
     
         18 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 17 , wherein the bottom plate includes one or more troughs disposed upstream of the first filter element and one or more drain holes are provided in the troughs. 
     
     
         19 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 14 , wherein the valve cover includes:
 a body with a top wall;   a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls extending from the top wall, wherein the pair of side walls and end walls are joined to form the cavity;   a peripheral ledge extending from each of the side walls; and
 one or more through holes provided on the peripheral ledge and configured to receive fastening members to mount the valve cover on the individual cylinder head. 
   
     
     
         20 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 14 , wherein the crankcase ventilation system further comprises an oil separator.