Engine oil feeding device

Abstract

An engine oil feeding device is provided, which includes a variable-displacement oil pump having an operating chamber and a control oil-pressure chamber, and for changing a capacity of the operating chamber according to a pressure of the control oil-pressure chamber to change its discharging amount, an oil supply channel communicating with the operating chamber and coupled to an oil fed part, and an oil filter. The oil supply channel includes a pump downstream oil channel connecting the operating chamber with the filter and a control oil channel branched from the pump downstream oil channel and coupled to the control oil-pressure chamber. The device also includes a control valve provided in the control oil channel. A starting control is performed in which the valve opening is set larger than a predetermined rate before the pump starts driving and set smaller than the predetermined rate after the pump starts driving.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An engine oil feeding device, comprising:
 a variable-displacement oil pump having an operating chamber and a control oil-pressure chamber, for changing a capacity of the operating chamber according to a pressure of the control oil-pressure chamber to change a discharging amount thereof;   an oil supply channel communicating with the operating chamber of the oil pump, and coupled to an oil fed part provided downstream of the oil pump;   an oil filter disposed in the oil supply channel, the oil supply channel including:
 a pump downstream oil channel connecting the operating chamber of the oil pump with the oil filter; and 
 a control oil channel branched from the pump downstream oil channel and coupled to the control oil-pressure chamber of the oil pump; and 
   a control valve provided in the control oil channel, for changing an oil flow rate of the control oil channel by changing a valve opening thereof,   wherein a starting control is performed in which the valve opening of the control valve is set larger than a predetermined rate before the oil pump starts driving and set smaller than the predetermined rate after the oil pump starts driving.   
     
     
         2 . The engine oil feeding device of  claim 1 , wherein the valve opening of the control valve is set to the maximum rate in the starting control. 
     
     
         3 . The engine oil feeding device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the oil pump is provided with a pump housing accommodating the operating chamber and having a discharge port for discharging the oil from the operating chamber,   the pump downstream oil channel is provided in the pump housing and having a discharge passage connecting the operating chamber with the discharge port,   the control oil channel is branched from the discharge passage, and   the control oil channel and the control valve are integrally formed with the pump housing.   
     
     
         4 . The engine oil feeding device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the oil supply channel has a hydraulic path communicating with a downstream side of the oil filter, and connected with the oil fed part,   the engine oil feeding device further comprises an oil-pressure detector for detecting an oil pressure of the hydraulic path, and   in a case where a detection value of the oil-pressure detector becomes above a predetermined value during the starting control, the control of the control valve is switched to a feedback control in which the valve opening of the control valve is adjusted so that the oil pressure of the hydraulic path becomes a target oil pressure that is determined according to an operating state of the engine.   
     
     
         5 . The engine oil feeding device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the oil supply channel has a hydraulic path communicating with a downstream side of the oil filter, and connected with the oil fed part,   the engine oil feeding device further comprises an engine speed detector for detecting an engine speed of the engine, and   in a case where an engine speed detection value detected by the engine speed detector becomes greater than a predetermined engine speed during the starting control, the control of the control valve is switched to a feedback control in which the valve opening of the control valve is adjusted so that an oil pressure of the hydraulic path becomes a target oil pressure.   
     
     
         6 . An engine oil feeding device, comprising:
 a variable-displacement oil pump having an operating chamber and a control oil-pressure chamber, for changing a capacity of the operating chamber according to a pressure of the control oil-pressure chamber to change a discharging amount thereof;   an oil supply channel communicating with the operating chamber of the oil pump, and coupled to an oil fed part provided downstream of the oil pump;   an oil filter disposed downstream of the operating chamber of the oil pump in the oil supply channel, the oil supply channel including:
 a pump downstream oil channel connecting the operating chamber of the oil pump with the oil filter; and 
 a control oil channel branched from the pump downstream oil channel and coupled to the control oil-pressure chamber of the oil pump; 
   a control valve provided in the control oil channel, for changing an oil flow rate of the control oil channel by a valve opening thereof being changed; and   a fluid temperature detector mounted to one of the engine and a component of a vehicle to which the engine is mounted, and for detecting temperature of fluid that contacts one of the engine and the component,   wherein a starting control is performed in which the valve opening of the control valve is set larger than a predetermined rate when a fluid temperature detection value detected by the fluid temperature detector is below a predetermined value before the oil pump starts driving and the valve opening is set smaller than the predetermined rate after the oil pump starts driving.   
     
     
         7 . The engine oil feeding device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the fluid is an oil flowing through the pump downstream oil channel, and   the fluid temperature detector detects an oil temperature.   
     
     
         8 . The engine oil feeding device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the fluid is a coolant that flows in a water-cooled part of the engine, and   the fluid temperature detector detects a coolant temperature of the coolant in the water-cooled part.   
     
     
         9 . The engine oil feeding device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the fluid is air outside of the vehicle, and   the fluid temperature detector detects an ambient temperature outside the vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . An engine oil feeding device, comprising:
 a variable-displacement oil pump having an operating chamber and a control oil-pressure chamber, and for changing a capacity of the operating chamber according to a pressure of the control oil-pressure chamber to change a discharging amount thereof;   an oil supply channel communicating with the operating chamber of the oil pump, and coupled to an oil fed part provided downstream of the oil pump;   an oil filter disposed downstream of the operating chamber of the oil pump in the oil supply channel, the oil supply channel including:
 a pump downstream oil channel connecting the operating chamber of the oil pump with the oil filter; and 
 a control oil channel branched from the pump downstream oil channel and coupled to the control oil-pressure chamber of the oil pump; 
   a control valve provided in the control oil channel, for changing an oil flow rate of the control oil channel by a valve opening thereof being changed; and   a fluid temperature detector mounted to one of the engine and a component of a vehicle to which the engine is mounted, for detecting temperature of fluid that contacts one of the engine and the component,   wherein a starting control is performed in which the valve opening of the control valve is set larger than a predetermined rate when an estimated viscosity value estimated based on a fluid temperature detection value detected by the fluid temperature detector is above a predetermined value before the oil pump starts driving, and the valve opening is set smaller than the predetermined rate after the oil pump starts driving.