Abstract: An evacuator for supplying vacuum to a device in a boosted engine air system is disclosed. The evacuator defines a body comprising a converging motive section, a diverging discharge section, at least one suction port, and a Venturi gap located between an outlet end of the converging motive section and an inlet end of the diverging discharge section. A lineal distance is measured between the outlet end and the inlet end. The lineal distance is decreased in length if higher suction vacuum at a specific set of operating conditions is required and the lineal distances is increased in length if higher suction flow rate at the specific set of operating conditions is required.

Abstract: Check valves are disclosed and include a housing defining an internal cavity having a first seat and a second seat, and a seal member within the internal cavity translatable between a closed position against the first seat and an open position against the second seat. The second seat has a middle axis transverse to a plane of a longitudinal cross-section of the housing and has a shortest finger positioned to either the left or to the right of the middle axis. The seal member is seatable against the second seat at an angle or in a deflected position against the plurality of fingers, thereby defining a longer distance of travel to reach the closed position for a portion of the check valve disc that is associated with the position of the shortest finger relative to other portions of the check valve disc.

Abstract: A two-position gate valve has a gate defining a full-flow passageway therethrough and defining a restricted-flow passageway therethrough, without defining a closed position. The full-flow passageway has an entrance with a first area and an exit with a second area, the second area being smaller than the first area, and the full-flow passageway continuously tapers from the entrance to the exit thereof. The restricted-flow passageway has an entrance with a third area and has an exit with a fourth area, the fourth area being smaller than the first area, the second area, and the third area, and the restricted-flow passageway continuously tapers from the entrance to the exit thereof. Flow through the full-flow passageway is in a first direction and flow through the restricted-flow passageway is also in the first direction and the ratio of the fourth area to the second area is in a range of 5 to 15.

Abstract: A tensioning system including a base and an arm pivotally coupled to the base, the arm having an engagement surface and being configured to pivot relative to the base about a pivot axis. The system further includes a biasing mechanism operatively coupled to the arm to bias the arm relative to the base, and a seal assembly sealingly positioned between the arm and the base. The seal assembly is coaxial with the pivot axis and configured to accommodate relative axial movement between the base and the arm and relative radial movement between the base and the arm while still maintaining a seal therebetween.

Abstract: Check valve inserts define a valve seat for an open position of a check valve and have an outer support seatable in an internal chamber of the check valve and have an inner annular ring spaced radially inward from the outer support by a rib that angles axially toward a central longitudinal axis to position an upper surface of the inner annular ring a distance axially beyond an upper surface of the outer support. Check valves have a housing defining an inlet port, an outlet port, and a chamber in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports, have the check valve insert seated with the chamber, and have a seal disc moveable within the chamber between the open position defined by the inner annular ring of the check valve insert and a closed position. The seal disc is translatable in response to a pressure difference across the seal disc.

Abstract: Torsional vibration dampers (TVDs) having a plurality of spokes designed to withstand both torsional and bending forces and vibrations are disclosed. The spokes, which connect a central member to a peripheral rim, include a first end coupled to an outer radial surface of the central member; a second end coupled to an inner radial surface of the rim; and four concave surfaces extending between the first end and the second end. The concave surfaces may be concave from the first end to the second end and may also be concave laterally from front to back or side to side. A TVD having a hub with spokes having one or more concave surfaces is also disclosed herein. A method of designing the spokes for the hub is also disclosed.

Abstract: Venturi devices that create vacuum have a housing defining a motive passageway converging toward a suction chamber, a discharge passageway diverging away from the suction chamber, and a suction passageway in fluid communication with the suction chamber. Within the suction chamber, a motive exit of the motive passageway is generally aligned with and spaced apart from a discharge entrance of the discharge passageway to define a Venturi gap, and the suction passageway enters the suction chamber at a position that generates about a 180 degree change in the direction of suction flow from the suction passageway to the discharge passageway. The motive passageway may terminate in a spout protruding into the suction chamber disposed spaced apart from all one or more sidewalls of the suction chamber and may subdivide downstream of the single entrance into two or more subpassageways each leading to one of two or more motive exits.

Abstract: Devices for producing vacuum using the Venturi effect are disclosed that have a motive passageway converging toward a suction chamber, a discharge passageway diverging away from the suction chamber, and a suction passageway, all of which are in fluid communication with the suction chamber. The motive passageway has a single entrance, and subdivides downstream thereof into a plurality of subpassageways, one each leading to one of the plurality of motive exits, which are spaced apart from a discharge entrance of the discharge passageway to define a Venturi gap. The fletch having a plurality of ribs extending between an exterior surface of the generally conically-shaped main body thereof and an interior surface of the motive passageway is disposed in the motive passageway. The ribs divide the motive passageway into the plurality of sub-passageways, each converging fluid flow over the exterior surface thereof toward one of the plurality of motive exits.

Abstract: Radial vibration dampers have an inertia member defining an annular channel having (i) a radially facing, open face; (ii) a bottom surface; and (iii) interior, opposing surfaces. The interior, opposing surfaces are each angled outward away from a central transverse plane through the inertia member at an angle in a range from zero degrees to at most 45 degrees. A spring damper member is seated in the annular channel to a selected depth that defines a damper gap between a radial inner surface of the spring damper member and the bottom surface of the annular channel and defines a clearance gap between the shaft and the inertia member. A tuning ratio of the clearance gap to the selected depth is in a range of about 1:1.5 to about 1:0.5.

Abstract: Torsional vibration dampers are disclosed that have a hub defining a plurality of fastener-receiving openings and an inertia member concentric about and spaced a radial distance apart from a shaft-receiving member of the hub and having a plurality of receptacles defining a bore oriented axially. Each receptacle aligns with one of the plurality of fastener-receiving openings, and receives one of a plurality of elastomeric rings with a fastener seated therein and received in the fastener-receiving openings to operatively connect the inertia member to the hub through compression of the elastomeric rings. The height of each elastomeric ring is greater than the axial width of the receptacles, and compression of the elastomeric rings deforms each radially into a first gap between the hub and the inertia member and a second gap between the inertia member and the fastener, thereby axially locking the inertia member to the hub for rotation together.

Abstract: A Venturi device for producing vacuum from fluids in an engine system has a body defining a Venturi gap separating apart an outlet end of a converging motive section and an inlet end of a diverging discharge section by a lineal distance, and a suction port in fluid communication with the Venturi gap. The converging motive section and the diverging discharge section both gradually, continuously taper toward the Venturi gap, the converging motive section defines a circular-shaped motive inlet and an elliptical- or polygonal-shaped motive outlet, the diverging discharge section defines an elliptical- or polygonal-shaped discharge inlet, and an inner passageway of the converging motive section transitions as a hyperbolic function from the motive inlet to the elliptical- or polygonal-shaped motive outlet.

Abstract: Valves having a sprung gate of various constructions are disclosed. In one embodiment, the sprung gate includes a first endless elastic band having an inner perimeter defining an open space sandwiched between a first gate member and a second gate member that each define an opening therethrough in an open position portion thereof. The first endless elastic band is sandwiched therebetween with its open space oriented for alignment with the opening in both of the first and second gate members, which are aligned with one another to form a passage through the sprung gate. In one aspect, the first endless elastic band in positioned inward a distance from the outer sides of the first and second gate members and spaces the first gate member a distance apart from the second gate member thereby defining a channel having a bottom defined by the first endless elastic band.

Abstract: An evacuator for supplying vacuum to a device in a boosted engine air system is disclosed. The evacuator defines a body comprising a converging motive section, a diverging discharge section, at least one suction port, and a Venturi gap located between an outlet end of the converging motive section and an inlet end of the diverging discharge section. A lineal distance is measured between the outlet end and the inlet end. The lineal distance is decreased in length if higher suction vacuum at a specific set of operating conditions is required and the lineal distances is increased in length if higher suction flow rate at the specific set of operating conditions is required.

Abstract: A Venturi device for producing vacuum from fluids in an engine system has a body defining a Venturi gap separating apart an outlet end of a converging motive section and an inlet end of a diverging discharge section by a lineal distance, and a suction port in fluid communication with the Venturi gap. The converging motive section and the diverging discharge section both gradually, continuously taper toward the Venturi gap, the converging motive section defines a circular-shaped motive inlet and an elliptical- or polygonal-shaped motive outlet, the diverging discharge section defines an elliptical- or polygonal-shaped discharge inlet, and an inner passageway of the converging motive section transitions as a hyperbolic function from the motive inlet to the elliptical- or polygonal-shaped motive outlet.

Abstract: Valves having a sprung gate of various constructions are disclosed. In one embodiment, the sprung gate includes a first endless elastic band having an inner perimeter defining an open space sandwiched between a first gate member and a second gate member that each define an opening therethrough in an open position portion thereof. The first endless elastic band is sandwiched therebetween with its open space oriented for alignment with the opening in both of the first and second gate members, which are aligned with one another to form a passage through the sprung gate. In one aspect, the first endless elastic band in positioned inward a distance from the outer sides of the first and second gate members and spaces the first gate member a distance apart from the second gate member thereby defining a channel having a bottom defined by the first endless elastic band.

Abstract: Devices for producing vacuum using the Venturi effect have a housing defining a suction chamber, a motive passageway converging toward the suction chamber, a discharge passageway diverging away from the suction chamber, and a suction passageway in fluid communication with the suction chamber. A solenoid valve is positioned in the suction passageway and has an elongate sealing member received inside a coil, a first seal seat at a first end of the coil, and a second seal seat at the second end of the coil. The elongate sealing member is translatable within the coil between the first seal seat and the second seal seat, which define an open position and a closed position. Within the suction chamber, a motive exit of the motive passageway is generally aligned with and spaced apart from a discharge entrance of the discharge passageway to define a Venturi gap.

Abstract: Torsional vibration dampers are disclosed that include a monolithic body having an axis of rotation, an innermost annular wall defining a bore therethrough for receiving a shaft, and an outer annular wall concentric about the axis of rotation and spaced radially outward relative to the innermost annular wall, an inertia member concentric about the axis of rotation and positioned radially inward relative to the outer annual wall, the inertia member having an inner surface facing the axis of rotation and an outer surface facing the outermost annular wall, a first elastomer member seated against the inner surface of the inertia member, and a second elastomer member seated against the outer surface of the inertia member and in between the inertia member and the outer annular wall. The first and second elastomer members operably couple the inertia member to the monolithic body for rotation therewith.

Abstract: An evacuator for supplying vacuum to a device in a boosted engine air system is disclosed. The evacuator defines a body comprising a converging motive section, a diverging discharge section, at least one suction port, and a Venturi gap located between an outlet end of the converging motive section and an inlet end of the diverging discharge section. A lineal distance is measured between the outlet end and the inlet end. The lineal distance is decreased in length if higher suction vacuum at a specific set of operating conditions is required and the lineal distances is increased in length if higher suction flow rate at the specific set of operating conditions is required.

Abstract: Methods for post-mold processing a Venturi device for generating vacuum are disclosed that improve the evacuation time thereof. The methods include providing a molded Venturi device having a body defining a Venturi gap between an outlet end of a converging motive passageway and an inlet end of a diverging discharge passageway, where the outlet end defines a motive exit having flash extending radially inward and the inlet end defines a discharge inlet having flash extending radially inward. Then, the method includes positioning the molded Venturi device with an inlet end of the converging motive passageway facing a blasting nozzle or with an outlet end of a diverging discharge passageway facing a blasting nozzle, and propelling blasting media into the motive inlet or the discharge exit of the Venturi device to remove the flash in the motive exit and in the discharge inlet, or vice versa.