Abstract: A nylon chain tensioning arm and nylon chain guide having diamond-like carbon coatings are provided. The diamond-like carbon coating is formed on the substrate by methods including physical vapor deposition, for example, by sputtering or chemical vapor deposition of coating systems composed of various combinations of amorphous carbon. A preferred method for applying the diamond-like carbon coating to the nylon substrate is a hybrid process of plasma-based ion implantation and deposition. The chain tensioning arm or guide may be formed from any number of plastics appropriate to the purpose, although a synthetic polymer, such as the aliphatic polyamide nylon, is the preferred material. The substrate may be a conventional nylon or may be a composite reinforced with glass or carbon fibers. The diamond-like carbon coating may be applied to the nylon substrate by vapor deposition, either directly to the chain-contacting surface or upon a primed surface formed on the substrate prior to deposition.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for cooling a piston arranged within a cylinder of an engine. Oil received from a connecting rod bearing and crank journal interface may be transferred via an internal conduit in a connecting rod coupled to the piston wherein the internal conduit is formed within a hollow flange of the connecting rod. The oil may then be sprayed via an external nozzle to an underside of the piston enabling continuous piston cooling.

Abstract: A pendulum absorber fixed to the crankshaft of an engine comprises a pendulum and a pendulum carrier attached to the pendulum carrier attachment boss of the crankshaft. Each pendulum carrier has a pair of parallel ears extending therefrom. The carrier is tightly attached to the attachment boss such that the attachment boss is captured between the ears of the carrier. Attachment of the pendulum carrier to the sides of the attachment boss allows for feasibility in production, unlike known arrangements which require attachment of the pendulum carrier to the top of the crankshaft web. The fastener may be a pair of pressed-in pins, a single shrink-fit pin, shoulder bolts, Z-Form™ fastener assemblies, or rivets. Regardless of the type of fastener used, the side attachment arrangement of the disclosed inventive concept is sufficient to carry the load in sheer and prevent the pendulum assemblies from moving relative to the crankshaft.

Abstract: A pendulum assembly comprises a cold forged steel or cold formed steel pendulum attached to a cold forged steel or cold formed steel carrier. The carrier is attached to the crankshaft. The pendulum assembly includes a first outer steel plate, a second outer steel plate, and an intermediate steel plate. The stamped plates are formed from flat sheet steel to provide the pendulum shape and features. The outer steel plates are attached to the intermediate steel plate by any of a variety of methods. The pendulum carrier of the disclosed inventive concept is comprised of one or more steel plates that are also cold forged or cold formed from steel to provide the pendulum carrier shape and features. Alternatively, the pendulum carrier may include two cold forged or cold formed portions attached together or three cold forged or cold formed portions attached together.

Abstract: A surface of a piston and/or a cylinder head and/or a cylinder bore of an internal combustion cylinder with selectively applied plasma transferred wire arc coating which acts as a thermal barrier improving fuel efficiency and reducing fuel emissions and a method of producing the plasma transferred wire arc coating on a surface of a piston and/or cylinder head and/or a cylinder bore of a compression ignition and/or spark ignition engine.

Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block defining at least one main bearing bulkhead adjacent to a cylinder, and a crankshaft rotatably housed within the block by a main bearing. A bulkhead insert has a cap portion, and an insert portion provided within the bulkhead. The insert portion has having first and second end regions connected by first and second straps. Each strap having a flanged beam cross section. The first and second ends of the insert portion are configured to connect a main bearing cap column to a cylinder head column. Each of the first and second end regions define at least one protrusion having a surface substantially normal to engine combustion and reactive loads. The cap portion is configured to mate with the first end region at the main bearing cap column and support the main bearing.

Abstract: An engine is provided. The engine includes a thermo-molded composite cylinder block including a front engine cover attachment interface and a transmission attachment interface. The engine further includes a cylinder liner comprising a different material than a composite cylinder block and integrally molded with the composite cylinder block, the cylinder liner defining a portion of a boundary of a cylinder and including a top deck at least partially extending across a water jacket cavity surrounding the cylinder.

Abstract: An engine cylinder head comprising an internal metal structure formed from a metal material and an external polymer composite structure formed from a polymer composite material, wherein the external polymer composite structure at least partially surrounds the internal metal structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for forming an engine comprising a thermoset composite engine block. One example method includes reinforcing the engine block with a plurality of metal strips, wherein a first portion of the plurality of metal strips are positioned in a substantially transverse direction of the engine block and a second portion of the plurality of metal strips are positioned in a substantially longitudinal direction of the engine block. The plurality of metal reinforcing strips may provide additional reinforcement to the engine block.

Abstract: An engine is provided. The engine includes a thermal set composite cylinder block including a front engine cover attachment interface and a transmission attachment interface and a cylinder liner integrally molded with the composite cylinder block, the cylinder liner defining a portion of a boundary of a cylinder. The engine further includes a bulkhead insert extending through the thermal set composite cylinder block and is directly coupled to a cylinder head.

Abstract: Systems are provided to providing water to the bore bridges of a cylinder block that contains an oil cooling system. An oil-cooled cylinder block may be desirable to aid in rapidly increasing engine temperature during engine warm-up, but high local temperatures may exist in the bore bridges in between adjacent cylinders, thereby leading to adverse performance. To control the high local temperatures while maintaining rapid engine warm-up, systems are proposed to provide water coolant from the cylinder head into cross-drilled passages located in the bore bridges of the cylinder block while cooling the rest of the cylinder block with oil or a different coolant.

Abstract: A crankshaft for an internal combustion engine having a core formed from a first material and an outer layer formed from a second material, the second material being different from the first material, is disclosed. Both the first and second materials are preferably though not absolutely metals. The crankshaft core is preferably formed from forged steel, such as C1117 AISI or similar steel. The layer formed over the crankshaft core is preferably iron, such as nodular iron. The crankshaft core is preferably formed having an orienting keystone lock at each end. The iron layer formed over the crankshaft core may be of a variety of irons, though nodular iron is preferred. The disclosed crankshaft thus provides an alternative to the traditional forged steel crankshaft by utilizing a low cost, forged steel core and cast a nodular iron outer layer that includes the counterweights, cheeks, post, flange and journals.

Abstract: A system, comprising a vehicle engine with a crankshaft, a bracket structure coupled to the vehicle engine, a thermostat positioned in the bracket structure, an accessory device coupled to the bracket structure, a water pump mounted to the bracket structure, and a drive loop coupling the accessory device and water pump with the crankshaft.

Abstract: A pendulum crankshaft assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a pendulum carrier, a pendulum and rolling pins. The carrier and the pendulum have kidney-shaped rolling pin tracks. The rolling pin tracks are kidney-shaped and thus are defined by opposed curved side walls and opposed end walls. The pendulum carrier has an ear extending therefrom to which the pendulum is attached. The pendulum comprises a first half and a second half, each half being positioned on the sides of the ear. At any given time in operation, the gap between the rolling pin and the opposed walls of the rolling pin tracks is never greater than 0.5 mm. The pendulum carrier is attached to a cheek of the crankshaft by a pair of opposed fasteners.

Abstract: Systems are provided to providing water to the bore bridges of a cylinder block that contains an oil cooling system. An oil-cooled cylinder block may be desirable to aid in rapidly increasing engine temperature during engine warm-up, but high local temperatures may exist in the bore bridges in between adjacent cylinders, thereby leading to adverse performance. To control the high local temperatures while maintaining rapid engine warm-up, systems are proposed to provide water coolant from the cylinder head into cross-drilled passages located in the bore bridges of the cylinder block while cooling the rest of the cylinder block with oil or a different coolant.

Abstract: A pendulum absorber fixed to the crankshaft of an engine comprises a pendulum and a pendulum carrier attached to the pendulum carrier attachment boss of the crankshaft. Each pendulum carrier has a pair of parallel ears extending therefrom. The carrier is tightly attached to the attachment boss such that the attachment boss is captured between the ears of the carrier. Attachment of the pendulum carrier to the sides of the attachment boss allows for feasibility in production, unlike known arrangements which require attachment of the pendulum carrier to the top of the crankshaft web. The fastener may be a pair of pressed-in pins, a single shrink-fit pin, shoulder bolts, Z-Form™ fastener assemblies, or rivets. Regardless of the type of fastener used, the side attachment arrangement of the disclosed inventive concept are sufficient to carry the load in sheer and prevent the pendulum assemblies from moving relative to the crankshaft.

Abstract: An intake assembly in an engine is provided. The intake assembly includes a compressor and a plenum in fluidic communication with the compressor, the plenum having an integrated charge air cooler including a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet in fluidic communication with a coolant passage and cooling plates extending into a plenum enclosure and coupled to the coolant passage. The intake assembly further includes a throttle body coupled to the plenum.

Abstract: A nylon chain tensioning arm and nylon chain guide having diamond-like carbon coatings are provided. The diamond-like carbon coating is formed on the substrate by methods including physical vapor deposition, for example, by sputtering or chemical vapor deposition of coating systems composed of various combinations of amorphous carbon. A preferred method for applying the diamond-like carbon coating to the nylon substrate is a hybrid process of plasma-based ion implantation and deposition. The chain tensioning arm or guide may be formed from any number of plastics appropriate to the purpose, although a synthetic polymer, such as the aliphatic polyamide nylon, is the preferred material. The substrate may be a conventional nylon or may be a composite reinforced with glass or carbon fibers. The diamond-like carbon coating may be applied to the nylon substrate by vapor deposition, either directly to the chain-contacting surface or upon a primed surface formed on the substrate prior to deposition.

Abstract: A crankshaft comprising a cheek, a torsion-absorbing pendulum pivotally coupled to the cheek, and a rotational speed actuated brake to oppose motion of the pendulum relative to the cheek. The brake is configured to provide greater opposition to the motion at lower rotational speeds than at higher rotational speeds.

Abstract: A pendulum crankshaft for an internal combustion engine includes a pendulum crankshaft having pendulum crank cycloid inserts. The inserts may thus be formed from high graded hardened steel while the crankshaft may be formed from conventional iron. The pendulum crankshaft includes a crankshaft having pendulum-holding ears. A cycloid insert-receiving aperture is formed in each of said ears for receiving a cycloid insert. Each of the cycloid inserts has a cycloid path formed therethrough. The pendulum is movably attached to the ears by a rolling pin fitted through the cycloid paths of the ears and captured between the cycloid paths formed in each half of the pendulum. Each half of the pendulum includes recessed areas on which the cycloid paths are formed. A pin is provided between each cycloid insert and the ear into which it is inserted to restrict rotation of the cycloid insert with respect to the ear.