Abstract: A vane pump has a housing defining a closed conduit fluidly coupling a discharge port and a planar surface, and an inner rotor eccentrically supported within a cam. The rotor has an outer perimeter defined by wall sections separated by axial slots. The rotor defines another closed conduit extending from one of the wall sections to a rotor end face that is configured to overlap with the closed conduit.

Abstract: Gears are known to have a whine that can be unpleasant to operators or occupants of vehicles. A gear set is disclosed in which the pressure angle of the teeth varies along the periphery of the gear. A mating gear also has teeth with varying pressure angle. The teeth that mate have an identical pressure angle so that present disclosure is applicable only to 1:1 or integer ratio gears: 2:1, 3:1, etc. Because the teeth meet differently as a function of the pressure angle, the fundamental vibration frequency is not reinforced as would be the case with all teeth having the same pressure angle.

Abstract: A mounting assembly and a method of forming the assembly is provided. The assembly has a first bracket and second bracket, and a bushing therebetween. The first bracket is formed by a member having a main portion defining a first face configured to mate with a vehicle component and a second face, and has a secondary portion extending outwardly from the main portion via a necked region. The second bracket is configured to mate with a vehicle chassis. An active side bracket for a vehicle component mount is provided by a member having a main portion defining a first mounting face with a tab extending outwardly from the main portion to define a second mounting face. A necked region extends outwardly from the tab to a secondary portion, and the tab, the necked region, and the secondary portion are co-planar in an unexcited state.

Abstract: An engine assembly has a damper rotationally coupled to a crankshaft. The damper has first and second spokes connecting a hub to an inertial weight, with the inertial weight circumferentially surrounding and spaced apart from the hub. Each of the spokes has an airfoil section. The first spoke is oriented with a positive angle of attack and the second spoke is oriented with one of a negative angle of attack and a zero angle of attack. A crankshaft damper is provided by a member having first and second spokes extending radially outwardly from a huh to an outer rim supporting an inertial weight. A chord associated with the first spoke is oriented at a first angle of attack relative to a rotational plane of the member. A chord associated with the second spoke is oriented at a second angle of attack relative to the rotational plane.

Abstract: An engine system has a crankshaft gear coupled to an engine crankshaft and a balance gear coupled to a balance shaft. The balance gear is formed by a disc having first and second opposite sides and a series of teeth. A first sector of the disc has at least one aperture therethrough, and a second opposite sector of the disc defines a recess intersecting the first side. The balance gear has a damper formed by a cover plate connected to the first side to enclose the recess and contain a plurality of particles therein. A gear and a method of forming a gear is also provided, with the gear having a first sector defining at least one aperture therethrough and a second sector defining a recess intersecting the first side. A plurality of particles are positioned in the recess, and a cover plate encloses the recess to form a damper.

Abstract: The disclosed inventive concept provides an intake manifold for an internal combustion engine that demonstrates reduced NVH. The disclosed inventive concept provides an intake manifold having intersecting ribs that extend along both the plenum and the intake runners. Impressions or recessed areas are selectively disposed at critical locations between certain ones of the intersecting ribs. Flat areas are formed between each impression and the adjacent ribs. The shapes of the impressions may be polygonal, round or oval or mixture thereof. The thickness of the intake manifold wall may be constant or variable. The location, shape and depth of each of the impressions are selected to thereby optimize both NVH and flow performances. These impressions provide additional localized stiffness that improves high frequency noise without increasing wall thickness, weight, design complexity, or overall cost of tooling, material or manufacture.

Abstract: A turbocharger and a method are disclosed. The turbocharger includes a casing having an inlet end and an outlet end. A flow passage within the casing may have a substantially continuous inner surface and may be configured to pass inlet air from the inlet end to the outlet end. A compressor wheel may be located in the casing and may have at least one main blade and may be configured to rotate within the casing to compress the inlet air. A flow disrupting feature on the casing may be configured to disrupt the continuity of the inner surface and may be located at a leading edge of the at least one main blade. The flow disrupting feature may be closed to upstream communication with the flow passage except via the flow passage.

Abstract: A vane pump has a housing defining a closed conduit fluidly coupling a discharge port and a planar surface, and an inner rotor eccentrically supported within a cam. The rotor has an outer perimeter defined by wall sections separated by axial slots.

Abstract: An engine assembly has a damper rotationally coupled to a crankshaft. The damper has first and second spokes connecting a hub to an inertial weight, with the inertial weight circumferentially surrounding and spaced apart from the hub. Each of the spokes has an airfoil section. The first spoke is oriented with a positive angle of attack and the second spoke is oriented with one of a negative angle of attack and a zero angle of attack. A crankshaft damper is provided by a member having first and second spokes extending radially outwardly from a huh to an outer rim supporting an inertial weight. A chord associated with the first spoke is oriented at a first angle of attack relative to a rotational plane of the member. A chord associated with the second spoke is oriented at a second angle of attack relative to the rotational plane.

Abstract: A vane fluid pump for a vehicle component has an inner rotor supported within a cam ring. A series of vanes is positioned within a series of slots in an inner rotor to define and separate a series of non-uniformly sized segmented pumping chambers to disrupt harmonics during operation to reduce pressure ripples and associated tonal noise. One chamber has a first sector angle being within a first predetermined range of a nominal value. A portion of the chambers each has a sector angle greater than the first sector angle, with an average sector angle greater than the nominal value by a second predetermined range. A remaining portion of the chambers each has a sector angle less than the first sector angle, with an average sector angle less than the nominal value by the second predetermined range.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fan. In one example, a fan may include a plurality of blades separated by spacings. The spacing is one of a small blade spacing, a medium blade spacing, and a large blade spacing. The size as well as the arrangement of the small, medium, and the large blade spacings are determined by minimizing an imbalance force and pressure generated by the fan at a plurality of frequencies.

Abstract: A mounting assembly and a method of forming the assembly is provided. The assembly has a first bracket and second bracket, and a bushing therebetween. The first bracket is formed by a member having a main portion defining a first face configured to mate with a vehicle component and a second face, and has a secondary portion extending outwardly from the main portion via a necked region. The second bracket is configured to mate with a vehicle chassis. An active side bracket for a vehicle component mount is provided by a member having a main portion defining a first mounting face with a tab extending outwardly from the main portion to define a second mounting face. A necked region extends outwardly from the tab to a secondary portion, and the tab, the necked region, and the secondary portion are co-planar in an unexcited state.

Abstract: An engine system has a crankshaft gear coupled to an engine crankshaft and a balance gear coupled to a balance shaft. The balance gear is formed by a disc having first and second opposite sides and a series of teeth. A first sector of the disc has at least one aperture therethrough, and a second opposite sector of the disc defines a recess intersecting the first side. The balance gear has a damper formed by a cover plate connected to the first side to enclose the recess and contain a plurality of particles therein. A gear and a method of forming a gear is also provided, with the gear having a first sector defining at least one aperture therethrough and a second sector defining a recess intersecting the first side. A plurality of particles are positioned in the recess, and a cover plate encloses the recess to form a damper.

Abstract: A noise-reduction mechanism is coupled to a portion of an oil-pump system and includes various tunable components that are configurable to affect specific frequency ranges of noise within the system. The mechanism includes a series of channels that are coupled to a portion of the oil-pump system (e.g., outlet tube) and are coupled to a reservoir.

Abstract: A vane fluid pump for a vehicle component has an inner rotor supported within a cam ring. A series of vanes is positioned within a series of slots in an inner rotor to define and separate a series of non-uniformly sized segmented pumping chambers to disrupt harmonics during operation to reduce pressure ripples and associated tonal noise. One chamber has a first sector angle being within a first predetermined range of a nominal value. A portion of the chambers each has a sector angle greater than the first sector angle, with an average sector angle greater than the nominal value by a second predetermined range. A remaining portion of the chambers each has a sector angle less than the first sector angle, with an average sector angle less than the nominal value by the second predetermined range.

Abstract: A turbocharger and a method are disclosed. The turbocharger includes a casing having an inlet end and an outlet end. A flow passage within the casing may have a substantially continuous inner surface and may be configured to pass inlet air from the inlet end to the outlet end. A compressor wheel may be located in the casing and may have at least one main blade and may be configured to rotate within the casing to compress the inlet air. A flow disrupting feature on the casing may be configured to disrupt the continuity of the inner surface and may be located at a leading edge of the at least one main blade. The flow disrupting feature may be closed to upstream communication with the flow passage except via the flow passage.

Abstract: A vane fluid pump for a vehicle component is provided with an inner rotor supported within a cam. The inner rotor has an outer wall extending between first and second end faces, the outer wall defining a series of slots spaced apart about the outer wall to provide a series of outer wall sections. One of the wall sections defines a groove. Another of the wall sections is independent of grooves or is ungrooved. The pump has vanes positioned within respective slots of the inner rotor and extending outwardly to contact the continuous inner wall of the cam. The groove on the inner rotor is configured fluidly couple with a notch on the housing to provide fluid flow to the discharge port from an upstream pumping chamber to disrupt harmonics during operation to reduce pressure ripples and associated tonal noise.

Abstract: The disclosed inventive concept provides an intake manifold for an internal combustion engine that demonstrates reduced NVH. The disclosed inventive concept provides an intake manifold having intersecting ribs that extend along both the plenum and the intake runners. Impressions or recessed areas are selectively disposed at critical locations between certain ones of the intersecting ribs. Flat areas are formed between each impression and the adjacent ribs. The shapes of the impressions may be polygonal, round or oval or mixture thereof. The thickness of the intake manifold wall may be constant or variable. The location, shape and depth of each of the impressions are selected to thereby optimize both NVH and flow performances. These impressions provide additional localized stiffness that improves high frequency noise without increasing wall thickness, weight, design complexity, or overall cost of tooling, material or manufacture.

Abstract: Gears are known to have a whine that can be unpleasant to operators or occupants of vehicles. A gear set is disclosed in which the pressure angle of the teeth varies along the periphery of the gear. A mating gear also has teeth with varying pressure angle. The teeth that mate have an identical pressure angle so that present disclosure is applicable only to 1:1 or integer ratio gears: 2:1, 3:1, etc. Because the teeth meet differently as a function of the pressure angle, the fundamental vibration frequency is not reinforced as would be the case with all teeth having the same pressure angle.

Abstract: A vane fluid pump for a vehicle component is provided with an inner rotor supported within a cam. The inner rotor has an outer wall extending between first and second end faces, the outer wall defining a series of slots spaced apart about the outer wall to provide a series of outer wall sections. One of the wall sections defines a groove. Another of the wall sections is independent of grooves or is ungrooved. The pump has vanes positioned within respective slots of the inner rotor and extending outwardly to contact the continuous inner wall of the cam. The groove on the inner rotor is configured fluidly couple with a notch on the housing to provide fluid flow to the discharge port from an upstream pumping chamber to disrupt harmonics during operation to reduce pressure ripples and associated tonal noise.