Oil system with clog resistant oil filter

Abstract

Systems are provided for an oil system including a filter with a large surface area. In one example, a system may include an oil filter with a prismatic shape. This shape may include a filter surface area greater than an inlet area of an oil port and the filter surface area may also be located a distance away from the oil port.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A variable displacement oil pump for a motor vehicle, the oil pump comprising:
 a mechanism for adjusting displacement of the pump, the mechanism including an oil port formed in an internal wall of the pump; 
 a filter supported by a wall such that a filter surface area is a distance from an inlet of the oil port and wherein the filter is substantially prism shaped and includes a longitudinal slot provided within an outer surface of the prism shaped filter; and 
 the filter is compressible by reducing a width of a longitudinal slot; and 
 wherein the filter surface area is larger than an area of the inlet of the oil port, and wherein the filter surface area forms the outer surface of the prism shaped filter. 
 
     
     
       2. The oil pump of  claim 1 , wherein the filter is arranged such that oil passes through the filter surface area prior to the longitudinal slot. 
     
     
       3. The oil pump of  claim 2 , wherein the filter is configured to expand due to a material resilience in order to engage one or more walls of the pump such that the filter is supported within the pump. 
     
     
       4. The oil pump of  claim 3 , wherein a housing of the pump defines a filter chamber portion configured to receive the filter. 
     
     
       5. The oil pump of  claim 4 , wherein the filter chamber portion defines a shoulder configured to abut the filter in order to retain the filter within the filter chamber portion. 
     
     
       6. The oil pump of  claim 5 , wherein the filter is configured to filter oil passing into a pressure chamber and displacement of the pump varies according to a pressure of oil within the pressure chamber. 
     
     
       7. The oil pump of  claim 6 , wherein the filter is located within the pressure chamber. 
     
     
       8. The oil pump of  claim 5 , wherein the filter is arranged such that the longitudinal slot of the filter is substantially aligned with the oil port. 
     
     
       9. The oil pump of  claim 8 , wherein the filter is arranged such that a central axis of the filter is approximately perpendicular to a flow path defined by the oil port. 
     
     
       10. An engine with an oil pumping system including a cavity:
 an oil filter being insertable into the cavity and being arranged such that oil passes through a filter surface area prior to a port; 
 the filter surface area being greater than an inlet area of the port; 
 the oil filter including a rear surface; and 
 the oil filter having a side wall portion extending between the filter surface area and the rear surface creating a hollow space without filter media between the filter surface area and the rear surface. 
 
     
     
       11. The engine of  claim 10 , wherein the filter surface area is at least twice the inlet area. 
     
     
       12. The engine of  claim 11 , where the oil filter has a cylindrical or rectangular prism shape surrounding the hollow space. 
     
     
       13. The engine of  claim 12 , wherein oil flows through the hollow space defined by a length of the side wall portion after flowing through the filter surface area and before entering the port. 
     
     
       14. An engine with an oil pumping system including a cavity:
 an oil filter within the cavity arranged such that oil passes through a filter surface area prior to a port and a second surface contacts a wall forming the port; 
 the filter surface area being greater than an inlet area of the port; and 
 the filter surface area being supported such that a hollow space without filter media is maintained between the filter surface area and the second surface. 
 
     
     
       15. The engine of  claim 14 , wherein the hollow space is created by an outward pressure of a material comprising the filter against one or more walls of the cavity. 
     
     
       16. The engine of  claim 14 , wherein the hollow space is created by a side wall portion and the side wall portion has a length which is greater than the inlet area. 
     
     
       17. The engine of  claim 16 , wherein a volume defined by the length of the side wall portion and the filter surface area is greater than a volume of the port. 
     
     
       18. The engine of  claim 15 , wherein the oil filter has an oil filter cavity in an outer surface that is positioned over the port. 
     
     
       19. The engine of  claim 15 , wherein a cylindrical or prismatic shape of the oil filter forms the hollow space with the cylindrical or prismatic shape. 
     
     
       20. The engine of  claim 15 , wherein the second surface includes a longitudinal slot.