Abstract: A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder head at least partially defining a flow path through the engine, including an intake port, an exhaust port, and a combustion chamber disposed between the intake port and the exhaust port. A valve is coupled to the cylinder head and movable relative to the cylinder head to selectively open the combustion chamber to one of the intake port and the exhaust port. A valve spring is positioned between the valve and the cylinder head and biases the valve to a closed position. A thermally insulating washer is positioned between the cylinder head and the valve spring.

Abstract: A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder head at least partially defining a flow path through the engine, including an intake port, an exhaust port, and a combustion chamber disposed between the intake post and the exhaust port. A valve is coupled to the cylinder head and movable relative to the cylinder head to selectively open the combustion chamber to one of the intake port and the exhaust port. A valve spring is positioned between the valve and the cylinder head and biases the valve to a closed position. A thermally insulating washer is positioned between the cylinder head and the valve spring.

Abstract: A damper is shown for damping the movements of a spring. The spring is housed within the damper. The side walls of the damper can have cutouts or hinge members resulting in flexure of the side walls when the spring is compressed or released. A steel band can be housed on the outside surface of the side walls providing biasing of the inside of the side walls against the outside of the spring.

Abstract: A damper is shown for damping the movements of a valve spring in an engine. The valve spring can be housed within the damper or the damper may be located inside of the valve spring. The damper is made from a suitable polymer and has one or more slots located radially to a central axis and one or more rings or bands. The slots can be parallel to the central axis or cut at an angle or curve in the wall of the damper. The rings or bands are located on the outer surface of the damper where the valve spring is located within the damper. The purpose of the slots cut into the polymer damper is to enable the polymer to deflect and conform to the shape of the spring under a radial force provided by a separate circular spring element such as a band, ring, garter spring and others. The rings or bands are located on the inner surface of the damper where the valve spring surrounds the damper.