Abstract: A variable compression ratio (VCR) internal combustion engine having a compression stroke and an expansion stroke includes an engine block defining a cylinder and a cylinder head mounted to the engine block and defining at least a part of a combustion chamber. The VCR engine also includes a reciprocating piston arranged inside the cylinder and configured to compress a mixture of air and fuel and receive a combustion force, wherein the compression stroke of the piston defines a compression ratio of the engine. The VCR engine additionally includes a six-bar linkage mechanism configured to operatively connect the piston to the engine block, articulate on seven distinct parallel axes, decouple the compression stroke from the expansion stroke, and continuously and selectively vary the compression stroke of the piston and the compression ratio of the engine.

Abstract: A cooling jacket for an engine has upper and lower bodies. The upper body includes a plurality of upper portions. Each upper portion has a top orifice and a bottom orifice. The lower body is located below the upper body and includes a plurality of lower portions. Each lower portion has a lower orifice aligned with a respective one of the bottom orifices so as to permit a coolant to flow through the lower orifice and into the bottom orifice. The coolant flows from that lower portion to the respective one of the upper portions. Each upper portion has at least one upper passageway extending through that upper portion from the bottom orifice to the top orifice so that the coolant entering the upper passageway of that upper portion flows through the upper portion to the top orifice.

Abstract: A variable compression ratio (VCR) internal combustion engine includes an engine block defining a cylinder and a cylinder head mounted to the engine block and defining at least a part of a combustion chamber. The engine also includes a reciprocating primary piston arranged inside the cylinder and configured to compress a mixture of air and fuel and a crankshaft arranged in the engine block and rotated by an application of a combustion force to the primary piston. The engine additionally includes a secondary piston mounted in the cylinder head, movably with respect to the combustion chamber and a mechanism configured to shift the secondary piston in the cylinder head and thereby vary a volume of the combustion chamber and a compression ratio of the engine. A vehicle employing such an engine is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cooling jacket for an engine has upper and lower bodies. The upper body includes a plurality of upper portions. Each upper portion has a top orifice and a bottom orifice. The lower body is located below the upper body and includes a plurality of lower portions. Each lower portion has a lower orifice aligned with a respective one of the bottom orifices so as to permit a coolant to flow through the lower orifice and into the bottom orifice. The coolant flows from that lower portion to the respective one of the upper portions. Each upper portion has at least one upper passageway extending through that upper portion from the bottom orifice to the top orifice so that the coolant entering the upper passageway of that upper portion flows through the upper portion to the top orifice.

Abstract: An auxiliary oil circuit for a heat-generating assembly having a main oil sump and a fluid pump for controlling oil flow from the sump includes a first fluid passage in communication with the pump. The circuit additionally includes a remote reservoir for receiving sump oil via the first passage and an orifice in the first passage for controlling an amount of sump oil transferred to the reservoir. The circuit additionally includes an active first valve in the first fluid passage for selectively opening and closing communication between the sump and the reservoir. The circuit also includes a second fluid passage in communication with the auxiliary reservoir for returning the oil from the reservoir to the sump. Furthermore, the circuit includes an active second valve arranged in the second passage for selectively opening and closing communication between the reservoir and the sump.

Abstract: A heat management system is provided for an automotive system having a plurality of heat manageable components. The heat management system includes a plurality of heat transferring path having a plurality of heat pipes, and a heat exchanger for each of the heat manageable component of the automotive system. The heat pipes are configured to transfer heat from at least one of the heat exchanger to another heat exchanger.

Abstract: An auxiliary oil circuit for a heat-generating assembly having a main oil sump and a fluid pump for controlling oil flow from the sump includes a first fluid passage in communication with the pump. The circuit additionally includes a remote reservoir for receiving sump oil via the first passage and an orifice in the first passage for controlling an amount of sump oil transferred to the reservoir. The circuit additionally includes an active first valve in the first fluid passage for selectively opening and closing communication between the sump and the reservoir. The circuit also includes a second fluid passage in communication with the auxiliary reservoir for returning the oil from the reservoir to the sump. Furthermore, the circuit includes an active second valve arranged in the second passage for selectively opening and closing communication between the reservoir and the sump.

Abstract: A variable compression ratio (VCR) internal combustion engine having a compression stroke and an expansion stroke includes an engine block defining a cylinder and a cylinder head mounted to the engine block and defining at least a part of a combustion chamber. The VCR engine also includes a reciprocating piston arranged inside the cylinder and configured to compress a mixture of air and fuel and receive a combustion force, wherein the compression stroke of the piston defines a compression ratio of the engine. The VCR engine additionally includes a six-bar linkage mechanism configured to operatively connect the piston to the engine block, articulate on seven distinct parallel axes, decouple the compression stroke from the expansion stroke, and continuously and selectively vary the compression stroke of the piston and the compression ratio of the engine.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft rotatably supported by an engine block, and rotatable about a crank axis. A control shaft is rotatably supported by the engine block, and rotatable about a control axis. A link rod is rotatably connected to the crankshaft. A lower connecting rod includes a first end rotatably connected to the link rod, and a second end rotatably connected to the control shaft. An upper connecting rod is rotatably connected to the link rod and a piston. The second end of the lower connecting rod and the control shaft are rotatably connected at a location offset from the control axis to define an eccentric connection relative to the control axis. Rotation of the control shaft about the control axis rotates the second end of the lower connecting rod about the control axis to adjust a compression stroke length of the piston.

Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle may be selectively controlled to supply heat from any one of a plurality of different heat sources, to any one of a plurality of different heat sinks. The heat sources may include: an internal combustion engine, a cylinder head, an exhaust gas heat recovery system, an exhaust gas recirculation system, or a turbocharging system. The heat sinks may include: the internal combustion engine, the cylinder heat, an engine oil cooler, a transmission oil cooler, and a heating core. Each of an engine oil cooler control valve, a transmission oil cooler control valve, a heating core control valve, an engine block control valve, a cylinder head control valve, a bypass control valve, and a heat transfer control valve are controlled to effectuate a desired operating mode for the thermal management system.

Abstract: An engine assembly includes a turbocharger and a fluid conduit. The fluid conduit is thermally coupled to the turbocharger such that the coolant flowing through the fluid conduit can extract heat from the turbocharger. The engine assembly includes a surge tank and an engine head defining a coolant gallery. Further, the engine assembly includes an exhaust manifold integrated with the engine head. The coolant gallery is thermally coupled to the exhaust manifold such that the coolant can extract heat from the exhaust manifold. The engine assembly further includes a coolant manifold in fluid communication with the fluid conduit and the coolant gallery. The coolant manifold defines a venting orifice in fluid communication with the surge tank. Further, the coolant manifold defines a joint passageway in fluid communication with the fluid conduit. Moreover, the coolant manifold defines an interconnection passageway fluidly interconnecting the joint passageway and the coolant gallery.

Abstract: An engine assembly includes a turbocharger and a fluid conduit thermally coupled to the turbocharger such that the coolant flowing through the fluid conduit can extract heat from the turbocharger. The engine assembly further includes an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system and a second fluid conduit thermally coupled to the EGR system such that the coolant flowing through the second fluid conduit can extract heat from the EGR system. The engine assembly also includes an engine head defining a coolant gallery extending therethrough. The coolant gallery is in fluid communication with the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit. Further, the engine assembly includes an exhaust manifold integrated with the engine head. The coolant gallery is thermally coupled to the exhaust manifold such that the coolant flowing through the coolant gallery can extract heat from the exhaust manifold.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft rotatably supported by an engine block, and rotatable about a crank axis. A control shaft is rotatably supported by the engine block, and rotatable about a control axis. A link rod is rotatably connected to the crankshaft. A lower connecting rod includes a first end rotatably connected to the link rod, and a second end rotatably connected to the control shaft. An upper connecting rod is rotatably connected to the link rod and a piston. The second end of the lower connecting rod and the control shaft are rotatably connected at a location offset from the control axis to define an eccentric connection relative to the control axis. Rotation of the control shaft about the control axis rotates the second end of the lower connecting rod about the control axis to adjust a compression stroke length of the piston.

Abstract: A variable compression ratio (VCR) internal combustion engine includes an engine block defining a cylinder and a cylinder head mounted to the engine block and defining at least a part of a combustion chamber. The engine also includes a reciprocating primary piston arranged inside the cylinder and configured to compress a mixture of air and fuel and a crankshaft arranged in the engine block and rotated by an application of a combustion force to the primary piston. The engine additionally includes a secondary piston mounted in the cylinder head, movably with respect to the combustion chamber and a mechanism configured to shift the secondary piston in the cylinder head and thereby vary a volume of the combustion chamber and a compression ratio of the engine. A vehicle employing such an engine is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle may be selectively controlled to supply heat from any one of a plurality of different heat sources, to any one of a plurality of different heat sinks. The heat sources may include: an internal combustion engine, a cylinder head, an exhaust gas heat recovery system, an exhaust gas recirculation system, or a turbocharging system. The heat sinks may include: the internal combustion engine, the cylinder heat, an engine oil cooler, a transmission oil cooler, and a heating core. Each of an engine oil cooler control valve, a transmission oil cooler control valve, a heating core control valve, an engine block control valve, a cylinder head control valve, a bypass control valve, and a heat transfer control valve are controlled to effectuate a desired operating mode for the thermal management system.

Abstract: An engine assembly includes an oil pan including an oil pan body defining a cavity. The oil pan body includes a dividing wall separating the cavity into a first compartment and a second compartment. The dividing wall defines a compartment opening extending therethrough, and the compartment opening fluidly interconnects the first compartment and the second compartment. The engine assembly also includes an oil pump at least partially disposed inside the first compartment of the oil pan. The oil pump includes a pump pickup conduit in fluid communication with the first compartment. The engine assembly additionally includes a temperature sensor disposed inside the pump pickup conduit of the oil pump. The temperature sensor can measure the temperature of oil flowing into the oil pump. In other words, the temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the oil pumped in the engine.

Abstract: An engine assembly includes an oil pan including an oil pan body defining a cavity. The oil pan body includes a dividing wall separating the cavity into a first compartment and a second compartment. The engine assembly further includes a drip tray coupled to the oil pan body. The drip tray is disposed over the second compartment and can direct oil to the first compartment where the oil is warmed up initially in order to minimize the time it takes to heat the oil when the internal combustion engine is warming up. The engine assembly further includes an oil scraper coupled to the oil pan body. The oil scraper is disposed over the drip tray and can scrape oil from a crankshaft.

Abstract: A heat management system is provided for an automotive system having a plurality of heat manageable components. The heat management system includes a plurality of heat transferring path having a plurality of heat pipes, and a heat exchanger for each of the heat manageable component of the automotive system. The heat pipes are configured to transfer heat from at least one of the heat exchanger to another heat exchanger.

Abstract: An engine assembly includes an oil pan having an oil pan body. The oil pan body includes an inner pan surface defining a cavity configured to collect oil and an outer pan surface opposite the inner pan surface. Further, the oil pan includes a dividing wall disposed within the cavity and coupled to the oil pan body. The dividing wall divides the cavity into a first compartment and a second compartment. The oil pan defines an opening extending through the dividing wall. A valve is disposed in the opening and can move between an open position and a closed position. When the valve is in the open position, the first compartment is in fluid communication with the second compartment. When the valve is in the closed position, the valve blocks fluid flow between the first compartment and the second compartment via the opening.

Abstract: A system and method of thermal management for an engine are provided. The system includes an engine, an electrical water pump, and a controller. The controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions. Executing the recorded instructions causes the processor to continuously monitor the temperature of the cylinder head and the temperature of the coolant. If the monitored temperatures of the cylinder head and the coolant are below predetermined thresholds, the processor executes a first control action, in which the pump remains off and the coolant remains stagnant. If either of the monitored temperatures of the cylinder head or coolant reaches the respective predetermined threshold, the controller initiates a second control action, which requires the controller to signal the pump to turn on and circulate coolant. The controller then determines the desired operating speed of the electrical water pump based on engine load.