Patents by Inventor Jeffrey L. Riffe

Jeffrey L. Riffe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10584659
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine and method of construction is provided. The piston has a robust, lightweight monolithic piston body including an upper wall forming a combustion bowl depending radially inwardly from an annular, uppermost combustion surface. An undercrown surface is formed on an underside of the combustion bowl, with at least a portion of the undercrown surface being bounded by diametrically opposite skirt portions, pin bosses and strut portions connecting the skirt portions to the pin bosses. The bounded undercrown surface has an openly exposed surface area, as viewed looking along a central longitudinal axis along which the piston reciprocates, providing an expansive area against which oil being splashed or sprayed can come into direct contact with to enhance cooling the piston while in use. Through channels extending over upper regions of the pin bosses can be provided to further reduce weight and facilitate cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Tenneco Inc
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe, Miguel Azevedo
  • Patent number: 10428761
    Abstract: A galleryless piston having a reduced temperature during operation in an engine is provided. The piston includes an upper wall with an exposed undercrown surface. A ring belt and pin bosses depend from the upper wall, and a pair of skirt panels depend from the ring belt and are coupled to the pin bosses by struts. The piston includes an inner undercrown region and outer pockets extending along the undercrown surface. The inner undercrown region is surrounded by the skirt panels, the struts, and the pin bosses. Each outer pocket is surrounded by one of the pin bosses, a portion of the ring belt, and the struts adjacent the one pin boss. A plurality of holes extend through the pin bosses and/or the struts from the inner undercrown region to one of the outer pockets to convey cooling oil from the inner undercrown region to the outer pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Tenneco Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Scherbaum, Sven Ungermann, Harald Mergler, Josef Harrer, Michael Seiffert, Georg Hopp, Arnd Baberg, Hanno Necker, Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Patent number: 10422299
    Abstract: A galleryless piston and method of construction provide a piston body forged from a single piece of material having an upper combustion surface extending around a longitudinal center axis along which the piston reciprocates for exposure to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The upper combustion surface has an asymmetric geometry relative to a center plane extending along the central longitudinal axis in generally perpendicular relation to a pin bore axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Tenneco Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe, Timothy Vezina
  • Patent number: 10352270
    Abstract: A piston galleryless piston capable achieving improved thermal efficiency, fuel consumption, and engine performance is provided. The piston includes an undercrown surface exposed from an underside of the piston, a ring belt, pin bosses, and a pair of skirt panels coupled to the pin bosses by struts. The piston includes an inner undercrown region extending along the undercrown surface and surrounded by the skirt panels, struts, and pin bosses. The piston also includes a pair of outer pockets extending along the undercrown surface and each being surrounded by a portion of the ring belt, one of the pin bosses, and the struts coupling the one pin boss to the skirt panels. Each pin boss includes an opening extending from the inner undercrown region to one of the outer pockets for conveying cooling oil. The opening is located between a pin bore of the associated pin boss and the undercrown surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Tenneco Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Patent number: 10344706
    Abstract: A galleryless piston having a reduced weight and a reduced operating temperature is provided. The piston includes an undercrown surface exposed from an underside of the piston, a ring belt, pin bosses each presenting a pin bore, and skirt panels depending from the ring belt and coupled to the pin bosses by strut. The piston further includes an inner undercrown region extending along the undercrown surface and surrounded by the skirt panels, the struts, and the pin bosses. The piston also includes outer pockets each extending along the undercrown surface and each surrounded by a portion of the ring belt, one of the pin bosses, and the struts coupling the one pin boss to the skirt panels. Cutouts are located in the pin bosses above the pin bores to increase the area of the undercrown surface and thus allow cooling oil to remove more heat from the undercrown surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TENNECO INC.
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Patent number: 9909528
    Abstract: A piston including an abradable coating applied to a round surface of the piston is provided. The shape of the round surface is not greater than 0.1 mm from a circular shape, and thus is relatively inexpensive to machine. As the piston reciprocates in an internal combustion engine, the abradable coating rubs against another component, such as a cylinder liner or wrist pin, to achieve suitable contact geometry, such as an oval, asymmetric, or other non-round shape. Thus, a costly machining process is not required to achieve the desired contact geometry. The abradable coating can also be applied to ring lands, skirt sections, or along pin bores of the piston. The abradable coating can also be applied to a wrist pin or an opening of a connecting rod which receives the wrist pin. The abradable coating can be formed from a polymer-based material or an aluminum-silicon alloy-based material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Inwood, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Publication number: 20170306882
    Abstract: A galleryless piston and method of construction provide a piston body forged from a single piece of material having an upper combustion surface extending around a longitudinal center axis along which the piston reciprocates for exposure to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The upper combustion surface has an asymmetric geometry relative to a center plane extending along the central longitudinal axis in generally perpendicular relation to a pin bore axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe, Timothy Vezina
  • Publication number: 20170260927
    Abstract: A galleryless piston having a reduced weight and a reduced operating temperature is provided. The piston includes an undercrown surface exposed from an underside of the piston, a ring belt, pin bosses each presenting a pin bore, and skirt panels depending from the ring belt and coupled to the pin bosses by strut. The piston further includes an inner undercrown region extending along the undercrown surface and surrounded by the skirt panels, the struts, and the pin bosses. The piston also includes outer pockets each extending along the undercrown surface and each surrounded by a portion of the ring belt, one of the pin bosses, and the struts coupling the one pin boss to the skirt panels. Cutouts are located in the pin bosses above the pin bores to increase the area of the undercrown surface and thus allow cooling oil to remove more heat from the undercrown surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Publication number: 20170254291
    Abstract: A galleryless piston including a ring belt with three ring grooves is provided. Each ring groove is formed by an uppermost wall and a lower wall spaced from one another by a back wall. A pair of pin bosses depend from the upper wall, and pair of skirt panels depend from the ring belt and are coupled to the pin bosses by struts. An inner undercrown region is surrounded by the skirt panels and the struts and the pin bosses. A pair of outer pockets extend along the undercrown surface, and each outer pocket is surrounded by a portion of the ring belt and one of the pin bosses and the struts coupling the one pin boss to the skirt panels. The third ring groove includes an oil drain slot extending through the back wall to the outer pockets of the piston for conveying cooling oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: MICHAEL WEINENGER, JEFFREY L. RIFFE
  • Publication number: 20170254289
    Abstract: A galleryless steel piston for an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston comprises an exposed undercrown surface, a ring belt with ring grooves, pin bosses, skirt panels, and struts. The piston further includes an inner undercrown region and outer pockets extending along the undercrown surface. The inner undercrown region is surrounded by the skirt panels, the struts, and the pin bosses, and each outer pocket is surrounded by a portion of the ring belt, one of the pin bosses, and two of the struts. The piston includes a plurality of oil slots extending through the back wall of one of the ring grooves, typically the third ring groove, to the inner undercrown region and/or the outer pockets to allow drainage of cooling oil. Each oil slot typically has a diameter ranging from 30% to 100% of an axial width of the ring groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Publication number: 20170254292
    Abstract: A galleryless steel piston for an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston comprises an exposed undercrown surface, a ring belt with ring grooves, pin bosses, skirt panels, and struts. The piston further includes an inner undercrown region and outer pockets extending along the undercrown surface. The inner undercrown region is surrounded by the skirt panels, the struts, and the pin bosses, and each outer pocket is surrounded by a portion of the ring belt, one of the pin bosses, and two of the struts. The piston includes a plurality of oil slots extending through the back wall of one of the ring grooves, typically the third ring groove, to the inner undercrown region and/or the outer pockets to allow drainage of cooling oil. Each oil slot typically has a diameter ranging from 30% to 100% of an axial width of the ring groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Publication number: 20170254290
    Abstract: A piston galleryless piston capable achieving improved thermal efficiency, fuel consumption, and engine performance is provided. The piston includes an undercrown surface exposed from an underside of the piston, a ring belt, pin bosses, and a pair of skirt panels coupled to the pin bosses by struts. The piston includes an inner undercrown region extending along the undercrown surface and surrounded by the skirt panels, struts, and pin bosses. The piston also includes a pair of outer pockets extending along the undercrown surface and each being surrounded by a portion of the ring belt, one of the pin bosses, and the struts coupling the one pin boss to the skirt panels. Each pin boss includes an opening extending from the inner undercrown region to one of the outer pockets for conveying cooling oil. The opening is located between a pin bore of the associated pin boss and the undercrown surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Publication number: 20170241374
    Abstract: A galleryless piston having a reduced temperature during operation in an engine is provided. The piston includes an upper wall with an exposed undercrown surface. A ring belt and pin bosses depend from the upper wall, and a pair of skirt panels depend from the ring belt and are coupled to the pin bosses by struts. The piston includes an inner undercrown region and outer pockets extending along the undercrown surface. The inner undercrown region is surrounded by the skirt panels, the struts, and the pin bosses. Each outer pocket is surrounded by one of the pin bosses, a portion of the ring belt, and the struts adjacent the one pin boss. A plurality of holes extend through the pin bosses and/or the struts from the inner undercrown region to one of the outer pockets to convey cooling oil from the inner undercrown region to the outer pockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Scherbaum, Sven Ungermann, Harald Mergler, Josef Harrer, Michael Seiffert, Georg Hopp, Arnd Baberg, Hanno Necker, Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Publication number: 20160305365
    Abstract: A piston and method of construction thereof is provided. The piston has a lower member with diametrically opposite skirt portions and axially aligned pin bores and an upper member joined to the lower member. The upper member has a substantially planar upper combustion surface and a combustion bowl depending from the upper combustion surface. An undercrown surface is formed directly opposite the combustion bowl and a combustion bowl rim transitions the combustion bowl with the upper combustion surface. At least one of the combustion bowl, the undercrown surface and the upper combustion surface has a machined surface and an “as forged” surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Norbert G. Schneider, Jeffrey L. Riffe
  • Publication number: 20160281635
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine and method of construction is provided. The piston has a robust, lightweight monolithic piston body including an upper wall forming a combustion bowl depending radially inwardly from an annular, uppermost combustion surface. An undercrown surface is formed on an underside of the combustion bowl, with at least a portion of the undercrown surface being bounded by diametrically opposite skirt portions, pin bosses and strut portions connecting the skirt portions to the pin bosses. The bounded undercrown surface has an openly exposed surface area, as viewed looking along a central longitudinal axis along which the piston reciprocates, providing an expansive area against which oil being splashed or sprayed can come into direct contact with to enhance cooling the piston while in use. Through channels extending over upper regions of the pin bosses can be provided to further reduce weight and facilitate cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Weinenger, Jeffrey L. Riffe, Miguel Azevedo
  • Publication number: 20150219042
    Abstract: A piston including an abradable coating applied to a round surface of the piston is provided. The shape of the round surface is not greater than 0.1 mm from a circular shape, and thus is relatively inexpensive to machine. As the piston reciprocates in an internal combustion engine, the abradable coating rubs against another component, such as a cylinder liner or wrist pin, to achieve suitable contact geometry, such as an oval, asymmetric, or other non-round shape. Thus, a costly machining process is not required to achieve the desired contact geometry. The abradable coating can also be applied to ring lands, skirt sections, or along pin bores of the piston. The abradable coating can also be applied to a wrist pin or an opening of a connecting rod which receives the wrist pin. The abradable coating can be formed from a polymer-based material or an aluminum-silicon alloy-based material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Bruce Inwood, Jeffrey L. Riffe