Abstract: A piston for a diesel engine includes a piston body having a skirt and crown. The piston body has portions defining an outer combustion bowl and an inner combustion bowl within the piston body through the crown. The outer combustion bowl has a curved annular side wall extending from the crown surface and an annular flat shelf extending from the curved annular side wall. The new stepped bowl design integrates a bottom profile with smoothly varying curvature and a sharp step at the top. The annular flat shelf is recessed a distance in the range of 2.5-4.5 millimeters from a line coplanar with the crown surface. The piston body defines an outer convex curved surface connecting the curved annular side wall to the crown surface. The outer convex curved surface has a radius of curvature in the range of 0.25-0.75 millimeter.

Abstract: A piston for a diesel engine includes a piston body having a skirt and crown. The piston body has portions defining an outer combustion bowl and an inner combustion bowl within the piston body through the crown. The outer combustion bowl has a curved annular side wall extending from the crown surface and an annular flat shelf extending from the curved annular side wall. The new stepped bowl design integrates a bottom profile with smoothly varying curvature and a sharp step at the top. The annular flat shelf is recessed a distance in the range of 2.5-4.5 millimeters from a line coplanar with the crown surface. The piston body defines an outer convex curved surface connecting the curved annular side wall to the crown surface. The outer convex curved surface has a radius of curvature in the range of 0.25-0.75 millimeter.

Abstract: Disclosed are multi-pulse fuel injection systems, control logic for operating such systems, and direct-injection engines having multi-pulse fuel delivery capabilities. A method is disclosed for operating the fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine (ICE) assembly. The method includes a vehicle controller transmitting command signals to the fuel injectors to inject a first pilot quantity of fuel (QP1) and, subsequently, inject a second pilot quantity of fuel (QP2), distinct from QP1, after a first dwell time between QP1 and QP2 during a single combustion cycle of the ICE assembly. The vehicle controller also transmits command signals to the fuel injectors to inject a third pilot quantity of fuel (QP3), greater than QP1 and QP2, after a second dwell time between QP2 and QP3, and then inject a fourth pilot quantity of fuel (QP4), less than QP3, after a third dwell time between QP3 and QP4 during the combustion cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus for mitigating fouling within a heat exchanger device includes an internal combustion engine and an external exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit. The internal combustion engine is fluidly coupled to an intake gas manifold upstream of the engine and an exhaust gas manifold downstream of the engine. The EGR circuit is fluidly coupled to the exhaust gas manifold at a first end and is configured to selectively route back exhaust gas flow as EGR flow into the intake gas manifold at a second end. The EGR circuit includes the heat exchanger device for cooling the EGR flow prior to entering the intake manifold and a surface deposit removing device configured to remove surface deposit build-up from within the heat exchanger device when the surface deposit removing device is activated.

Abstract: An apparatus for mitigating fouling within a heat exchanger device includes an internal combustion engine and an external exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit. The internal combustion engine is fluidly coupled to an intake gas manifold upstream of the engine and an exhaust gas manifold downstream of the engine. The EGR circuit is fluidly coupled to the exhaust gas manifold at a first end and is configured to selectively route back exhaust gas flow as EGR flow into the intake gas manifold at a second end. The EGR circuit includes the heat exchanger device for cooling the EGR flow prior to entering the intake manifold and a surface deposit removing device configured to remove surface deposit build-up from within the heat exchanger device when the surface deposit removing device is activated.

Abstract: A propulsion system designed for hybrid vehicles utilizing a first torque path from a coupled motor generator system and internal combustion engine through and automatically shifted manual transmission having a secondary torque path from a secondary torque source to the wheels. The system incorporates the high-efficiency of a manual transmission with the smoothness of the most advanced automatic transmissions by utilizing a second torque path to maintain driver requested torque during shifts and braking requests.

Abstract: A pin plate used to print a high density array printing of materials such as biological inks and a method for manufacturing the pin plate are described herein. The pin plate can be manufactured by coating a top surface of a silica wafer with a substantially thick layer of photoresist material. Next, a photolithography process is used to remove selected areas of the photoresist material from the silica wafer. Thereafter, a reactive ion etching process is used to form the pins in the silica wafer by etching away a predetermined amount of the top surface from the silica wafer that is not covered by the photoresist material. Afterwards, the remaining photoresist material is removed from the silica wafer which now resembles the pin plate.

Abstract: A hybrid powertrain has a suitable heat engine having rotational output, a multi-speed transmission and a motor/generator (MG). The transmission input or cluster shaft is continuously connected with the MG. One set of ratio gears in the transmission is continuously drivingly connected to an accessory drive. The cluster shaft and a main shaft are selectively interconnected through a plurality of sets of ratio gears that are activated through the selective engagement of synchronizers associated with the ratio gears on the main shaft. The engine is selectively drivingly connected with the cluster shaft through a launch device such as a friction clutch. The output of the transmission, a differential, can be driven by the engine only, by the MG only or by a combination of the engine and the MG.

Abstract: A game apparatus for the playing of mini-volleyball by two players disposed in a sitting or kneeling position, the apparatus including corner weights having a flexible cord extending therebetween and defining a rectangular playing court, the court divided in half by a net extending transversely of the court and supported by weighted end posts, the net being readily attached to and detached from the end posts in a manner automatically setting the net to the desired height for play.

Abstract: A radiation locator apparatus includes a tuned or tunable radio receiver having an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit that provides a d.c. signal having an amplitude that is a function of the strength of the received radiation. A free running voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is connected to earphones and produces a sound pitch that varies as a function of the magnitude of the d.c. (AGC) signal. An increase in the sound pitch may indicate an increase in the strength of the radiation received. When the locator is transported in a direction toward the source of radiation, the pitch increases thus guiding the operator to the source. The range of audible pitch may be extended by employing a pulse generator type of VCO since pulse repetition rates less than ten pulses per second are audible as spaced clicks that are equivalent to an extra low range of pitch.