Abstract: An engine system with a gear train to provide engine timing. A technique to minimize backlash and noise caused by the gear train is included. An anti-backlash gear assembly useful to reduce backlash in the gear train is also disclosed. One disclosed gear assembly has at least two gear wheels with the circular thickness of the teeth of one gear wheel being less than the circular thickness of the other gear wheel. A gear assembly is also disclosed that has a bias torque of at least about 100 foot-pounds. A device carried on an anti-lash gear assembly to generally align teeth of the assembly for installation is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved fuel injector rocker lever designed to maintain relatively high fuel injection pressures when the engine speed decreases from full-rated power to torque peak conditions. The fuel injector rocker lever is designed with a size and shape so as to make the rocker lever flexible, thereby allowing the rocker lever to store and release strain energy when actuating the fuel injector. Thus, as engine speed decreases, the fuel injection pressure decreases at a lower rate when compared to a stiff actuating train because the fuel injector train is storing more strain energy due to its flexible nature. Generally, the improved rocker lever is designed with a vertically thin and horizontally wide arm which increases its width from the fuel injector actuator to the pivot point of the rocker lever. By reducing the thickness of the rocker lever, the stiffness decreases significantly, thereby permitting more strain energy to be stored and released by the rocker lever.

Abstract: This invention relates to a high temperature-resistant piston head. The piston head includes a first portion formed of a first material of heat-resistant steel alloy and the second portion is formed of a second a material of steel alloy that may be the same or may or different from the first material. The first and second portions are joined by a friction weld to form the assembled piston head. The heat-resistant steel alloy includes about 0.1 to about 0.5 wt % carbon, up to about 0.6 wt % manganese, about 4.0 to about 6.0 wt % chromium, about 0.45 to about 0.65 wt % molybdenum, up to about 0.5 wt % nickel and the balance iron and incidental impurities. In one form the second material includes about 0.30 to about 0.55 wt % carbon, about 0.4 to about 1.10 wt % manganese, about 0.40 to about 1.25 wt % chromium, about 0.15 to about 0.45 wt % molybdenum, up to about 0.4 wt % silicon, up to about 2 wt % Ni and greater than about 90 wt % iron.

Abstract: An EGR system for an internal combustion engine has a separate, secondary high-temperature cooling loop, in addition to a primary cooling loop. In the secondary cooling loop, coolant flows through a secondary high-temperature exhaust gas cooler, which is located upstream of the primary exhaust gas cooler. A large amount of heat is transferred from the exhaust gases to the coolant in the secondary high-temperature cooling loop. The heat absorbed by the high-temperature coolant is rejected in a secondary high-temperature radiator. Heat absorbed by the primary coolant is rejected in a primary radiator. The two radiators occupy the same amount of frontal area as a single radiator used in a conventional single-stage EGR cooling system, but overall reject more heat to the ambient. In an alternate arrangement, the EGR system for a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine has a single exhaust gas cooler which is cooled by an EGR cooling loop that is independent of the engine cooling system.

Abstract: A system and method in which the exhaust manifold pressure is measured by a single gauge-type pressure sensor positioned in the exhaust manifold to detect misfires in all cylinders of an internal combustion engine. The pressure sensor detects the exhaust manifold pressure and feeds a signal to a microcomputer via an analog-to-digital converter. A data processing device monitors the pressure waveform created by the data from the sensor to determine if a full or partial misfire occurs. If a cylinder suffers from a partial or complete misfire, the strength of the pressure pulse for that cylinder will be reduced, thus, allowing the data processing device to identify the misfire. The data processing device may determine a misfire by computing an average peak pressure for each combustion cycle, a pressure threshold as a function of engine speed and fuel consumption rate, and a minimum pressure value based on the difference between the average peak pressure and the pressure threshold.

Abstract: An oil passage for supplying oil to a nozzle 10 is formed of two communicating bores which are misaligned with one another. The area of overlap between the bores at their intersection is smaller than the cross-section of each of the bores and serves as a flow regulating throttle along the oil passage.

Abstract: There is provided a method for encoding and decoding date-oriented information associated with dates spanning the end of a century. The method of the present invention may be used with currently-known databases and other storage means for electronic information, which commonly store the date values representing dates associated with date-oriented information with a two-digit year designation. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes dynamic windowing techniques. The encoding aspect of the method may be accomplished by altering the sequence of the digits in date values representing dates in the later century. The decoding aspect of the invention may be accomplished by placing the digits of the date value back in their pre-encoding sequence. Embodiments of the method providing for ordering date-oriented data in chronological order, either ascending or descending, are disclosed.

Abstract: An engine control system for optimizing a tradeoff between turbocharger lag and production of exhaust emissions including altitude and intake manifold air temperature compensation includes a turbocharger boost sensor, an engine speed sensor, an ambient pressure sensor and an intake manifold air temperature sensor, each providing appropriate sensor signals to a control computer. The control computer is operable to limit fueling signals supplied to the engine fuel system based on turbocharger boost, engine speed, ambient pressure and intake manifold air temperature to thereby optimize a tradeoff between turbocharger lag and production of black smoke and other exhaust emissions while compensating for changes in altitude and intake manifold air temperature.

Abstract: A premixed charge compression ignition engine, and a control system, is provided which effectively initiates combustion by compression ignition and maintains stable combustion while achieving extremely low nitrous oxide emissions, good overall efficiency and acceptable combustion noise and cylinder pressures. The present engine and control system effectively controls the combustion history, that is, the time at which combustion occurs, the rate of combustion, the duration of combustion and/or the completeness of combustion, by controlling the operation of certain control variables providing temperature control, pressure control, control of the mixture's autoignition properties and equivalence ratio control. The combustion control system provides active feedback control of the combustion event and includes a sensor, e.g. pressure sensor, for detecting an engine operating condition indicative of the combustion history, e.g.

Abstract: A system and method for the diagnosis and prognosis of cylinder power imbalance in an internal combustion engine utilizes cylinder firing times to determine a differential value indicative of the power imbalance. This differential value identifies a cylinder power imbalance condition and can be used in a one dimensional or a two dimensional analysis to predict future engine performance. In one embodiment, a trend parameter is calculated from the differential values over several test sequences at periodic mileage of the vehicle. The rate and magnitude of change or deterioration of the engine performance is indicated by the trend parameter. In another embodiment, a two dimensional trend array is evaluated using singular value decomposition to arrive at an eigenvalue transformation matrix used to obtain two trend variables related to the two principal eigenvalues at a particular engine operating hour/mileage.

Abstract: A method for accurately and economically shaping a zirconia workpiece with a relatively inexpensive silicon carbide grinding wheel is provided. The grinding wheel used in the method preferably utilizes 220 mesh silicon carbide particles bound in a low porosity vitreous matrix. The grinding wheel is then rotated at a sufficient speed to implement a grinding operation, and is engaged against the zirconia workpiece at a diametral feed rate of at least 0.04 mm/sec. The method advantageously removes material from the zirconia workpiece at a high rate of speed with minimal wheel wear, and results in accurate cuts and smooth surface finishes, and also eliminates the need for dressing the wheel prior to the grinding operation.

Abstract: A coating for a portion of the flowpath of a diffuser of a centrifugal compressor. The coating covers a portion of the diffuser against which flows high velocity air from the compressor blades. The coating is a smooth, tenacious, heat-resistant powder paint that reduces the aerodynamic drag of the diffuser walls on the high velocity air thus increasing the efficiency of the compressor.

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation and control system is provided for an internal combustion engine, wherein a portion of engine exhaust gas flow is recirculated through an EGR duct to engine intake air. The recirculated exhaust gas is pumped through the EGR duct by an EGR compressor driven by a dedicated EGR drive that is independently controllable. Because the EGR drive is independently powered and controlled, the EGR flow rate capacity of the system is not dictated by, or limited, by factors such as engine exhaust flow rate. A controller modulates power delivery to the drive means in response to at least one operating condition parameter in order to achieve a desired EGR flow rate. In order to further optimize efficiency, the EGR compressor is preferably a discrete displacement pump which is controllably drivable in a pulse-capture mode, wherein each intake of the EGR compressor is timed synchronously with exhaust pulses in the exhaust manifold.

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation and control system is provided for an internal combustion engine, wherein a portion of engine exhaust gas flow is recirculated through an EGR duct to engine intake air. The recirculated exhaust gas is pumped through the EGR duct by an EGR compressor driven by a dedicated EGR drive that is independently controllable. Because the EGR drive is independently powered and controlled, the EGR flow rate capacity of the system is not dictated by, or limited, by factors such as engine exhaust flow rate. A controller modulates power delivery to the drive means in response to at least one operating condition parameter in order to achieve a desired EGR flow rate. In order to further optimize efficiency, the EGR compressor is preferably a discrete displacement pump which is controllably drivable in a pulse-capture mode, wherein each intake of the EGR compressor is timed synchronously with exhaust pulses in the exhaust manifold.

Abstract: An integral cylinder block is provided having features which enhance structural stiffness, thereby reducing noise emissions. The block includes an upper portion with cylinder bores and a lower portion forming at least a part of a crankcase. At the upper and lower portions of the block, the casing has sculpted wall portions with a curved, undulate shape. At a side of the cylinder block, a closed oil cooler cavity is formed. A wall is provided to generally separate the oil cooler cavity from the water jacket defined within the block. An opening is provided in the wall, but the opening is distally located relative to a water pump outlet that provides a flow of coolant into the cavity, thereby improving the flow direction of coolant across the oil cooler. Also, an opposite side of the cylinder block includes a closed tappet cavity to accommodate pushrods.

Abstract: An improved method and system for automatically continuously removing an engine's used lubricating oil and injecting the used oil into the engine's fuel system throughout operation based on engine operating conditions is disclosed. The present system includes a lube oil replacement pump system for injecting small amounts of used lube oil into the engine's fuel system and recycling controlled quantities of removed used oil into the engine's lube oil system. The process periodically determines an engine operating severity value, i.e. fuel consumption value, for an interval of engine operation and calculates a base line quantity of oil for injection based on the current fuel consumption of the engine during the current interval. The lube oil pump system may be in the form of a compact, unitized lube oil replacement pump assembly integrating the various components of the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for diagnosing excessive resistance in an electrical harness of an internal combustion engine. Voltage is applied from a power source (24) through contacts (30a, 30b, 32a, 32b, 34a, 34b, 36a, 36b) and harness leads (26 and 28) to an electrical assembly (20). Electrical assembly (20) includes the load of a first electrical component (23), and by switching means (25) includes the electrical load of a second electrical component (21). An electronic control module (22 or 38) controls switching means (25) and compares the voltage drop across electrical assembly (20) when the second electrical component (21) is switched in or out. By comparing the voltage drops ECM (22 or 38) can determine if there is excessive resistance in the contacts (30a, 30b, 32a, 32b, 34a, 34b, 36a, 36b) or leads (26 and 28).

Abstract: A low friction, wear-resistant pin for a cam follower roller useful in the injector and valve trains of internal combustion engines, particularly diesel engines, to enhance cam durability and life is provided. The material selected for the pin, which is selected for its wear resistance, its corrosion resistance, its low friction, and its ability to embed hard debris and other oil contaminants without scuffing, has been demonstrated to improve cam life dramatically. A preferred roller pin material that achieves this objective is a copper-based alloy, most preferably a leaded manganese silicon bronze.

Abstract: The high efficiency gear pump includes a pump housing which defines an internal pump chamber. The pump chamber includes opposed first and second elongate gear receiving sections spaced on opposite sides of a central chamber section. The first and second gear receiving sections each have an arcuate peripheral wall which extends between a low pressure inlet port and a high pressure outlet port positioned on opposite sides of the central chamber section between the first and second gear receiving sections. Coaxially mounted on a drive shaft for rotation therewith are first and second pump drive gears having teeth which rotate in minimal spaced relationship with the arcuate peripheral wall of the first gear receiving section. The first and second pump drive gears are mounted for floating axial movement relative to each other and the drive shaft.

Abstract: A unit fuel injector adapted to receive fuel from a fuel supply at relatively low pressure and adapted to inject fuel at relatively high pressure into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is provided, comprising an injector body having a first internal bore and an injector orifice and a plunger mounted for reciprocating movement within the first internal bore to define a variable volume fuel pressurization chamber including a cam actuated upper plunger portion and a lower plunger portion mounted in the first internal bore between the variable volume fuel pressurization chamber and the upper plunger portion. While the upper plunger portion is in its retracted position, low pressure fuel from the fuel supply is supplied to the variable volume fuel pressurization chamber.