Abstract: A solenoid valve for use with a solenoid as park of an engine retarder braking system includes a valve body arranged with a plurality of apertures and which receives an upper check valve pin, a lower check valve pin, and a biasing spring which acts on both check valve pins. The solenoid includes a coil and moveable armature and the braking system includes a high pressure circuit with a master piston and cylinder and a slave piston and cylinder. The two cylinders are connected by a flow passageway. The housing has a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and an access port. The fluid inlet receives low pressure oil which acts upon one side of the lower check valve pin. The opposite side of the lower check valve pin is acted upon by the fluid in the high pressure circuit and by the biasing spring. When the pressure difference allows the lower check valve pin to move out of its sealed position against the fluid inlet, oil is introduced into the high pressure circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides for automatic relief of excess pressure within an engine lubrication system in such a way as to recover a significant portion of the energy that was used to create the excess oil pressure. A pressure regulator creates a directed flow of oil in order to relieve pressure within the lubrication system. This directed flow of oil is caused to impact an impulse/momentum wheel, thereby imparting momentum from the oil to the wheel, creating a torque therein. The impulse/momentum wheel is advantageously coupled to the engine gear train, thereby reducing the engine power required to run the gear train by recovering energy from the lubrication system.

Abstract: A pressure side integrated air filter assembly for a turbocharged engine includes an air filter carrier which is designed and arranged to receive an air filter element and which is adapted to mount to the intake manifold of the turbocharged engine. The air filter carrier which receives an air filtering element is disposed within the intake manifold and the intake manifold cover serves as the air filter cover. A peripheral flange on the air filter carrier is used to support the air filter assembly by being clamped between the intake manifold cover and the intake manifold. This peripheral flange substitutes for the intake manifold gasket. The air filter carrier and the air filter element each have a trapezoidal shape in cross section as a way to conserve space within the intake manifold.

Abstract: A turbulator for a liner cooling jacket includes a metal panel which is suitable to be coiled into a generally cylindrical shape so as to be placed in a relief area between an engine cylinder block and a cylinder liner. The relief area may be machined into either the block or the cylinder liner and the metal panel is formed with a pattern of protuberances shaped like corrugations. In one embodiment, the corrugations have a shape similar to a sine wave and are arranged in a plurality of generally parallel axial segments. The corrugation wave pattern of one segment may be the same as its adjacent segment or may be staggered by one corrugation which would mean one-half of a full wave cycle. The corrugation pattern in the turbulator panel may be created by any one of various stamping or forming operations and when placed between the cylinder liner and block, increases turbulence of the cooling liquid in order to enhance heat transfer.

Abstract: A solenoid valve is disclosed including a valve housing having a central bore and a valve seat, a valve element movable between an open position allowing fluid to pass through said valve seat and a closed position in sealing engagement with said valve seat, a valve operator for moving the valve element between the open and closed positions including a reciprocating armature plunger member extending through the bore and an armature secured to the armature plunger, and the valve seat when the valve element is in its open position without creating a path of leakage when the valve element is in its closed position. The armature plunger includes a threaded-end portion which extends from the valve seat for receiving a valve assembly which is provided with a top portion forming a sealing face and a bottom portion having a central opening adapted to receive the threaded end portion of the armature plunger.

Abstract: A pump-line-nozzle fuel injection system in which a low pressure supply pump is coupled to a high pressure in-line pump having a plurality of pumping cylinders, each of which has a cam-driven timing plunger and a floating metering plunger. During the retraction stroke, flow to a timing chamber formed between the pistons is controlled by a first solenoid valve while the fuel flow into a metering chamber is controlled by a second solenoid valve. During metering, the discharge side of the pump is closed relative to a high pressure delivery line by a delivery valve. During the compression stroke, return flow is precluded by check valves in the supply lines to the timing and metering cylinders.

Abstract: A piston-mounted power generator has a piston-mounted magnet unit (1) formed of a coil (2) with a permanent magnet core (3) that is fitted with pole extensions (5, 6). The unit (1) is mounted to the piston skirt (8) with the pole extensions having a small clearance from the inner wall (10) of the piston cylinder formed by cylinder wall liner (12). Shallow grooves (14) are machined into the cylinder wall (10). The grooves (14) have a crescent-shaped longitudinal cross section, that extends circumferentially in the cylinder wall (10) for a distance that is only slightly longer than the width of the pole extensions. The width of each groove (14) is equal to the spacing between the pole extensions (5, 6) and the axial spacing between the adjacent pairs of grooves (14) is equal to the thickness of the pole extensions (5, 6).

Abstract: A crankcase ventilation system for a vehicle includes an arrangement of flow conduits and control valves which cooperate with a two-chamber accumulator and with various vehicle components to route crankcase gases to the intake manifold. The primary vehicle components include a compressor, an aftercooler positioned downstream from the compressor, and an engine having an intake manifold and a crankcase. One chamber of the accumulator is coupled by one conduit to the inlet side of the compressor and by a second conduit to the outlet side of the compressor. These two conduits are controlled by a dual valve arrangement. The other chamber of the accumulator is connected by one conduit to the crankcase and by a separate conduit to the intake manifold. Each conduit includes a control valve. The system operates on pressure differences existing between these various components. The cycle begins by opening the conduit which is connected to the inlet side of the compressor.

Abstract: A vehicle oil pan assembly which is acoustically insulated for noise reduction includes an oil pan having a normal configuration with a base and enclosing sidewalls and further including a peripheral flange which is disposed adjacent an upper edge of the sidewall and which is used to attach the oil pan to the vehicle engine. In order to insulate the oil pan so as to reduce any noise which may otherwise be transmitted by the oil pan, a noise reducing/sound deadening enclosure is attached to the oil pan. In order to facilitate the attachment of the enclosure to the oil pan, a plurality of support brackets are welded to the oil pan and each bracket includes a plurality of support tabs. The noise-reducing enclosure is arranged with an outer skin and a foam isolation layer and the outer skin is molded so as to include a plurality of latching portions. The final component in the attachment system is a plurality of spring clips. There is one tab for each latching portion and one clip for each tab.

Abstract: An oil separator for reducing oil carryover from the vent port of the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine is provided. The separator includes a cylindrical housing filled with a filtration material and having both an inlet and an outlet in its upper portion and a downwardly disposed, frustro-conical wall that defines an annular chamber between its outer surface and the inner walls of the housing. The annular chamber defines a helical flow path through the filtration material in the housing for a stream of oil-laden air admitted through the inlet of the housing. Oil droplets are removed from the stream of air as it moves through the helical path both by impingement against the filtration material, and the by centrifugal impingement against the inner walls of the housing.

Abstract: An open nozzle unit fuel injector having an injector body for receiving a plunger assembly therein is disclosed including a fuel supply source for providing a metered quantity of fuel to a metering chamber formed in a central bore of the injector body to be injected into the cylinder of the internal combustion engine and a trapped volume spill port for a volume of fuel trapped in the metering chamber when the plunger has moved from its fully retracted position to its fully advanced position and injection has terminated. In accordance with the present invention, an open nozzle unit fuel injector is achieved which exhibits a sharp ending of injection, which prevents secondary injection and which significantly reduces the unburned hydrocarbon emissions of the engine incorporating such open nozzle unit fuel injectors including a trapped volume spill port.

Abstract: A computer controlled, spark-ignited, turbocharged internal combustion engine has stored in memory, turbocharger compressor outlet absolute pressure for desired engine performance throughout the engine speed range at sea level (760 mm. H.sub.g) ambient pressure engine operating conditions. A sensor responsive to absolute pressure at the turbocharger compressor outlet continuously monitors the absolute pressure and compares it with the stored pressure for the engine speed at which the engine is operating at any particular time. When there is a difference, the computer responds to hold or change the waste gate position such as to hold or change the boost to re-establish the same compressor outlet absolute pressure as was stored for that engine speed under sea level ambient conditions.

Abstract: A metering system is provided which controls the amount of fuel supplied to the combustion chambers of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising a fuel pump for supplying fuel at low pressure to a first and a second group of unit fuel injectors, a first solenoid-operated fuel control valve controlling the flow of fuel to the first set of injectors and a second solenoid-operated fuel control valve controlling the flow of fuel to the second set of injectors. The system may also include first and second solenoid-operated timing fluid control valves associated with the first and the second group of injectors, respectively. The injectors are capable of being in the fuel receiving mode, establishing a metering period, and the timing receiving mode, establishing a timing period, at the same time to increase the amount of time available for metering both timing fluid and fuel.

Abstract: A ceramic-metal composite structure which minimizes tensile ceramic loads and accommodates differences in thermal expansion characteristics between a metal member and a ceramic member without reliance on precise feature control for either member. The composite includes a mechanical retainer which allows a loose fitting relationship between the metal and ceramic members. The ceramic member is secured within a receiving bore in the metal member by the retainer in a manner which eliminates the need for precise machining of the ceramic and metal members. The metal member may be configured to accept either an internal or an external mechanical retainer element. The composite ceramic-metal structure of the present invention finds particular utility in forming a durable wear-resistant interface in internal combustion engine actuator or actuating components, such as compression brake master pistons.

Abstract: The swirl control system is provided for varying the swirl of intake air in an internal combustion engine comprising a primary intake air passage for delivering a primary flow of intake air having an initial angular momentum corresponding to a low swirl energy level and a secondary intake air passage connected to the primary passage for directing a secondary air flow at a predetermined flow rate into the primary air flow to form a combined air flow having a combined angular momentum greater than the initial angular momentum of the primary air flow. The secondary air flow enters the primary passage substantially tangential, to the primary air flow so as to substantially avoid destructive interference with the primary air flow thereby minimizing pressure losses in the primary passage. A secondary air flow control valve for controlling the flow of secondary air into the primary passage is operable to vary the combined angular momentum so as to vary the swirl of intake air in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A ball link assembly in which a link member has a semi-spherical cavity formed in each end for rotatably receiving a respective complementary spherical bearing ball formed, preferably, of a ceramic material. Each ball is freely retained by a ball retainer formed of spring steel, the ball retainer extending just over the equator of the ball and mounting to the link by a sideways snap-on action. In one form, the link is designed to accommodate an existing link retainer which is fixed internally of the injector assembly, while in a second form the link assembly is retained by a link retainer which is externally tethered.

Abstract: A pushrod-operated-valve-in-head six cylinder engine has two intake valves per cylinder. Five of the seven air intake runners in the cylinder head are arranged so that at least one intake valve port of each cylinder adjacent to another cylinder shares an intake runner with an intake valve port of the adjacent cylinder. Each of the shared runners feeds one valve port of each of two adjacent cylinders. The firing order of the engine is such that intake strokes for the adjacent cylinders are separated in time. Therefore, only one of the sharing cylinders at a time is supplied with air by the shared runner. In addition, because each runner is supplying only one valve per cylinder, there are two runners feeding each cylinder. For each cylinder, one port is the tangential type, and the other is the helical type. In one embodiment, the valve port connections to the shared runners are arranged for variable swirl production, by pairing the same style intake ports on each runner e.g.

Abstract: An infinitely variable hydromechanical timing valve, for a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, is provided with a housing having a valve seat therein, and a timing control plunger mounted for reciprocation within the housing toward and away from the valve seat. A first side of the timing control plunger is acted upon by a pressure which varies as a function of engine load while a second side of the timing control plunger is acted upon by a pressure which varies as a function of engine speed. Furthermore, the timing control plunger has an orificed flow passage therethrough, one end of which is in communication with a timing flow of fuel from the pump and an opposite end of which timing flow passage communicates with a timing fluid supply rail.

Abstract: A unit fuel injector is provided comprising an injector body containing a pumping chamber for receiving fuel at a low pressure level from a fuel supply passage for subsequent discharge at a high pressure level, a discharge orifice and a transfer passage communicating with the pumping chamber and the discharge orifice. A valve element is provided for movement between (i) an advanced position wherein the supply passage communicates with the pumping chamber through the transfer passage and (ii) a retracted position wherein communication between the supply passage and the pumping chamber is blocked to allow fuel to flow from the pumping chamber through the transfer passage and out the discharge orifice.

Abstract: A solenoid valve is disclosed including a valve housing having a central bore and a valve seat, a valve element movable between an open position allowing fluid to pass through said valve seat and a closed position in sealing engagement with said valve seat, a valve operator for moving the valve element between the open and closed positions including a reciprocating armature plunger member extending through the bore and an armature secured to the armature plunger, a valve adjustment for adjustably mounting the valve element relative to the valve operator for permitting adjustment to within an acceptable tolerance of a predetermined distance between the valve element and the valve seat when the valve element is in its open position without creating a path of leakage when the valve element is in its closed position.