Abstract: A chain tensioner having a pair of tensioner arms with wear faces positioned to contact two separate strands of chain in an engine timing system. The tensioner includes an anchoring structure generally located between two sprockets interconnected by strands of power transmission chain. The anchoring structure houses a pair of parallel rods and an actuator. Tensioner arms are secured to the ends of the rods. One of the arms has a face positioned to engage an inside portion of a first strand of chain and the other arm has a face positioned to engage an outside portion of a second strand chain. The actuator pushes the arm in the inside position against the inside portion of the chain and the rods pull the arm in the outside position against the outside portion of the chain.

Abstract: A valve assembly having a valve (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) that is caused to reciprocate between open and closed positions by engagement of a cam follower (16, 116, 216, 316,416) with a cam (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) that is carried by a rotatable camshaft (12, 112, 212, 312, 412). The valve is resiliently urged against the cam by a coil spring (18, 118, 218, 318, 418), but its return to its closed position is delayed by application of a non-mechanical force against the valve, in opposition to the force imposed by the coil spring, by hydraulic force imposed by hydraulic fluid in a housing (22, 122, 322, 422) that acts against an enlarged portion (10c, 110c, 310c, 410c) of the valve, or by an electromagnetic force imposed by an electromagnetic device (228) that acts on an enlarged portion (210c) of the valve (210).

Abstract: An engine tensioning system including a pair of pivoting arms used to simultaneously tension two separate strands of the same chain in an engine timing system. The tensioner system includes a lever. The lever has a pair of fixed pins attached to an end located between the two strands of chain. The arms extend outside separate strands of the chain and carry shoes positioned to contact an outside portion of the chain are pivotally mounted to the fixed pins. Rotation of the lever causes the fixed pins to move laterally with respect to the chain strands and cause the arms to draw inwardly. The inward movement of the arms draw the shoes into contact with the chain strands and impart tension to the separate strands of the chain simultaneously.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner having a piston slidably fitted in a bore in a housing forming a fluid chamber. The piston is biased in a protruding direction by a spring and fluid. A check valve permits flow of fluid into the fluid chamber and prevents flow of fluid in the reverse direction. A pressure relief valve is provided in the fluid chamber. The pressure relief valve works with a vent disc having two separate vent paths. The pressure relief valve and vent disc provide controlled venting of fluid from the fluid chamber during both conventional operation and during periods of excessive pressure and thus, prevent collapse of the tensioner.

Abstract: A multi-disk friction device includes a drive member having a plurality of drive disks supported for rotation with the drive member and a driven member having a plurality of driven disks supported for rotation with the driven member. The drive and driven disks are interleaved relative to each other such that each drive disk is adjacent to a driven disk and moveable toward and away from one another for providing selective frictional engagement therebetween and to transmit torque between the drive and driven members. Each of the drive and driven disks include a working face which is disposed for frictional engagement with the working face of an adjacent one of the disks. At least one of the working faces on an adjacent one of the disks includes a plurality of micro-pockets formed thereon. The micro-pockets act to store lubricating agents on the working faces.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner includes a piston that is pivotally mounted to a tensioner arm. The piston is slidably received within a hollow body that is pivotally mounted to a mounting block or engine. In different embodiments, the body is mounted to the tensioner arm while the piston is biased against the mounting block or pivotally connected to the mounting block or engine.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a camshaft (14) and variable camshaft timing system, where a rotor (22) is secured to the camshaft (14) and is rotatable but non-oscillatable with respect to the camshaft (14). A housing (68) circumscribes the rotor (22), is rotatable with both the rotor (22) and the camshaft (14), and is further oscillatable with respect to both the rotor (22) and the camshaft (14) between a fully retarded position and a fully advanced position. A locking configuration prevents relative motion between the rotor and the housing (68), and is mounted within either the rotor (22) or the housing (68), and is respectively and releasably engageable with the other of either the rotor (22) and the housing (68) in the fully retarded position, the fully advanced position, and in positions therebetween.

Abstract: A proportional variable bleed solenoid valve that includes magnetic force adjustments to provide magnetic calibration. The control valve includes a housing defining a chamber, where an electromagnetic coil is wound on a bobbin and is coaxially mounted within the housing. A movable armature is coaxially positioned within the bobbin in the chamber and has an armature poppet valve extending form a bottom end of the armature. An armature spring is in contact with an upper end of the armature and a top wall of the bobbin, where the spring positions the armature in an initial position when the coil is not energized and where the armature moves to a second position in conjunction with the bias of the armature spring when the coil is energized. A pole piece is mounted to the housing and is positioned adjacent to the lower end of the armature to define an air gap between the pole piece and the armature.

Abstract: A cooling fan assembly (10) includes a hubless polymer fan body molded around the perimetrical flange (20) of a metallic mounting hub (12). The fan body includes a circumferential ring (18) interlocked with the flange (20) and a plurality of fan blades (16) projecting outwardly from the ring (18). The fan body (14) is formed in an injection mold with molten polymer material being introduced into the mold at hot runner locations (25) disposed between the circumferential ring (18) and the root diameter (17) of the fan blades (16). At one face of the hubless fan (14), the circumferential ring (18) includes a plurality of uniformly spaced raised bosses (30). Each boss (30) defines a bore (31) configured to receive a balancing weight therein, preferably in the form of a balancing screw (35) threaded into the bore. The bosses (30) are interconnected by a stiffening ring (33) having a height substantially equal to the height (h) of the bosses (30).

Abstract: A guide or tensioner arm including a bracket made from a formed sheet metal stamping. The bracket is formed of a body portion with a series of tabs formed along a bottom edge. The tabs are bent perpendicular to the body portion of the bracket in an alternating fashion. This forms a bracket having a T-shape providing a flat base for mounting a plastic shoe. Since the body portion is centered with respect to the alternating tabs a strong bracket for holding the plastic shoe is provided to guide or tension an associated strand of chain in a power transmission system.

Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch assembly for transfer cases and other motor vehicle powertrain applications includes a friction disc clutch pack and an electromagnetic operator that applies compressive force to the clutch pack. The electromagnetic operator includes an electromagnetic coil, a rotor partially surrounding the coil, an armature and a ball ramp operator assembly that provides compressive force when the coil is energized. The rotor and armature include aligned paths or tracks of arcuate slots separated by webs or spokes which create a sinuous magnetic flux path and improve performance. The number of slots and thus the number of spokes in the rotor and armature paths are unequal. This inequality greatly reduces pulsations caused by small fluctuations in clutch engagement associated with the repeated, simultaneous alignment and non-alignment of the spokes in a rotor and armature having equal numbers of spokes. This results in improved smoothness of operation and reduces noise and vibration.

Abstract: A throttle control system including a throttle body, an air intake coupled to the throttle body providing air flow to the throttle body, a fuel supply apparatus coupled to the throttle body, where the air intake and the fuel supply apparatus, in conjunction, provide a combustible fuel-air mixture, a throttle plate coupled to the throttle body, an actuator coupled to the throttle plate to move the throttle plate within the throttle body to control at least the air flow to the throttle body, and a fuzzy logic controller controlling the actuator position and speed to provide for a desired air flow.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a torsionally compliant sprocket system which absorbs crankshaft torsional vibrations and minimizes their transfer to other components in the engine system. In particular, the present invention includes a sprocket formed with an elastomeric member located between hub and rim portions. The hub has splines which cooperatively engage with keyways formed in the rim portion through the elastomeric member. A method of forming the compliant sprocket includes forming the hub and rim portions and injection molding an elastomeric material into a gap between the hub and rim portions. While in the mold, heat is applied to the sprocket assembly. The elastomeric member is thus vulcanized in place, creating a one-piece compliant sprocket.

Abstract: A chain and sprocket system includes a plurality of chains and phased or offset sprockets. Problems related to equalizing or sharing the load between the driven sprockets in a multiple axis, phased system are eliminated by providing sprockets that rotate independently of one another and having only one of those sprockets transmit load or power to the driven shaft.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a camshaft (40) and hub (30) secured to the camshaft (40) for rotation therewith, where a housing (20) circumscribes the hub (30) and is rotatable with the hub (30) and the camshaft (40), and is further oscillatable with respect to the hub (30) and camshaft (40). Driving vanes (22) are radially inwardly disposed in the housing (20) and cooperate with the hub (30), while driven vanes (32) are radially outwardly disposed in the hub (30) to cooperate with the housing (20) and also circumferentially alternate with the driving vanes (22) to define circumferentially alternating advance and retard chambers (28A/28R). A configuration for controlling the oscillation of the housing (20)relative to the hub (30) includes an electronic engine control unit (70), and an advancing control valve (50) that is responsive to the electronic engine control unit (70)and that regulates engine oil pressure to and from the advance chambers(28A).

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine. The present invention includes a turbocharger, restrictor valve, and exhaust gas recirculation valve. The restrictor valve is upstream of the turbine of the turbocharger, and restricts the flow of exhaust gas into the turbine. This restriction results in an increase in pressure of the exhaust gas provided to the restrictor valve. The increased pressure exhaust gas is provided to the inlet of an exhaust gas recirculation valve which may be actuatable independently of the actuation of the restrictor valve. The restrictor valve may be modulated until exhaust pressure is greater than the pressure of the intake gas. The restrictor valve creates a pressure differential suitable for recirculating a portion of exhaust gas through the EGR valve and into the intake manifold of the engine.

Abstract: An on demand vehicle drive system monitors vehicle performance and operating conditions and controls torque delivery to the vehicle wheels. The system includes a plurality of speed and position sensors, a transfer case having primary and secondary output shafts driving primary and secondary axles and a microcontroller. The sensors include a vehicle speed sensor, a pair of primary and secondary drive shaft speed sensors, and brake and driveline status sensors. The transfer case includes a modulating electromagnetic clutch controlled by the microcontroller which is incrementally engaged to transfer torque from the primary output shaft to the secondary output shaft. When the speed of either the front or the rear drive shafts overruns, i.e., exceeds, the speed of the other drive shaft by a predetermined value related to the vehicle speed, indicating that wheel slip is present, clutch current is incrementally increased to increase clutch engagement and torque transfer to the secondary axle.

Abstract: A three plenum air distribution manifold for intake air to internal combustion engine with long, narrow runners leading from first and second spaced side plenums for delivery of air and recirculating exhaust gases into corresponding combustion chambers of the engine. One end of the spaced side plenums are connected by an acoustically balanced cross over passage selectively closed by a manifold tuning valve for improving engine output torque during low engine speed. A third plenum is positioned intermediate the two side plenums to communicate with the combustion chambers in bypass relation to the side plenums thereby directly supplying air to the combustion chambers through short runners which are selectively opened by valves to optimize engine torque over a higher range of engine speeds. The manifold tuning valve and short runner valves are controlled by an onboard electronic controller responsive to signals from the engine corresponding to parameters such as engine speed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a torsionally compliant sprocket assembly which reduces the transfer of the crankshaft torsional oscillations to other components in the engine such as the balance shaft drives. The assembly comprises a first sprocket, second sprocket and a planar torsion spring located between the two sprockets and the shaft.