Abstract: An oil separation baffle is mounted in an oil gallery of an internal combustion engine. A lower section includes a bottom wall and side window openings. Crankcase gasses flow into the side window openings, through the lower section, and through the top opening. An upper section includes a plurality of ribs extending horizontally between a front side wall of the upper section and a rear side wall of the upper section. The plurality of ribs are vertically spaced apart from each other and extend from a first wall of the oil gallery toward a second wall of the oil gallery to an opening defined between a distal end of the rib and the other of the first and second walls of the oil gallery. The bottom planar wall separates larger oil droplets and the ribs separate smaller oil particles from the crankcase gasses and return the oil to the crankcase.

Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices tor the head bolts directly through the bearings.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an EGR system including an EGR cooler module directly mounted to a cylinder head. In one example, the EGR cooler module includes an EGR inlet port, an EGR outlet port, a coolant inlet port, and a coolant outlet port all arranged parallel with each other and directly mounted to a first side of a cylinder head to interface with passages internal to the cylinder head. In another example, the EGR cool module includes an EGR inlet port and a coolant inlet port parallel to each other and directly mounted to a first side of a cylinder head to interface with passages internal to the cylinder head, while also including an EGR outlet port and a coolant outlet port to interface with passages external to the cylinder head.

Abstract: An engine cylinder head is provided. The engine cylinder head includes a portion of a first combustion chamber, an upper coolant core and a lower coolant core directing heat from the first combustion chamber and including a first coolant passage and a second coolant passage, the first coolant passage and the second coolant passage laying along a lateral axis, at least a portion of the first coolant passage separated from the second coolant passage via first and second walls.

Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices for the head bolts directly through the bearings.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for deactivating a valve actuation mechanism. In one example, a system may include a hydraulic gallery that may deliver a restricted flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic flow restrictor to a pressure relief valve within a valve deactivation oil control valve, and during a second condition may deliver an unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid from the valve deactivation oil control valve to the hydraulic flow restrictor. The hydraulic flow restrictor may comprise two vertical bores within the camshaft carrier that are fluidically coupled via a restrictive groove on the bottom surface of the camshaft carrier.

Abstract: An engine cylinder head is provided. The engine cylinder head includes a portion of a first combustion chamber, an upper coolant jacket portion, and a lower coolant jacket portion directing heat from the first combustion chamber and including a first coolant passage and a second coolant passage, the first coolant passage and the second coolant passage laying along a lateral axis, at least a portion of the first coolant passage separated from the second coolant passage via first and second walls.

Abstract: An introducer sheath device and method of use and removal for removing the introducer sheath device without having to remove a placed medical or surgical device are disclosed herein. The introducer sheath device includes an inner shaft, an outer shaft, a hub comprising a first hub portion, a second hub portion, a first thumb tab, a second thumb tab, a valve, and a tip portion.

Abstract: An engine is provided with a cylinder head having a bridge region surrounded by an exhaust face, an exhaust passage intersecting the exhaust face, and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage fluidly coupled to the exhaust passage and intersecting the exhaust face. The head defines an upper cooling jacket having a cavity or fluid passage extending from the jacket towards a head deck face and to a closed end wall within the bridge region. The cylinder head is cooled by directing coolant from a lower jacket to an upper jacket via a drill passage adjacent to an exhaust face of the head, diverting the coolant exiting the drill passage into the fluid passage or cavity along a rib. Coolant is then directed from the fluid passage into an EGR cooling passage formed by the upper jacket adjacent to the exhaust face and about the EGR passage.

Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block with first and second saw cuts intersecting a block face on opposed sides of a block bore bridge. A cylinder head has third and fourth saw cuts intersecting a head face on opposed sides of a head bore bridge. A gasket is placed between the block and the head. The gasket defines a cooling passage adapted to fluidly connect the first, second, third and fourth saw cuts and cool the interbore region of the engine. The cooling passage has an inlet and a pair of outlets.

Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices tor the head bolts directly through the bearings.

Abstract: An engine assembly is provided herein. The engine assembly includes a head gasket interposing a cylinder block and a cylinder head, the head gasket comprising a first layer in face sharing contact with a portion of a cylinder head attachment surface included in the cylinder block and having a first-layer coolant opening adjacent to two neighboring cylinders and a second layer having a second-layer coolant opening having a smaller cross-sectional area than the first-layer coolant opening.

Abstract: Some gasoline engines have a high-pressure fuel pump that is driven by a rotating component of the engine such as the camshaft or crankshaft. In the event of a crash, the fuel lines coupled to the engine should remain intact to avoid fuel spillage. It is known in the prior art to provide a separate bracket to provide the protection. However, such bracket is a separate piece that must be separately assembled, coupled to components of the engine requiring mounting holes, and adds to the part count of the engine. By integrating a deflector with a fuel pump component, the bracket is obviated.

Abstract: A vascular access catheter is disclosed that has a catheter shaft with a distal end portion with a distal tip having a sloped face that is positioned at an acute angle from the distal tip relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft. A first, second, and third lumen extend longitudinally through the catheter shaft. The third lumen is configured for receiving a guidewire and may extend a partial length of the catheter or substantially the entire length of the catheter. The first lumen has an aperture located in the angled edge distal end portion of the catheter next to the distal tip and communicates with the first lumen. The second lumen has an aperture that is positioned in the outer surface of the catheter shaft that is in communication with the second lumen, and is spaced proximally from the first lumen aperture. The catheter includes a fluoropolymer additive with specific compositions and/or purity levels.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for deactivating a valve actuation mechanism. In one example, a system may include a hydraulic gallery that may deliver a restricted flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic flow restrictor to a pressure relief valve within a valve deactivation oil control valve, and during a second condition may deliver an unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid from the valve deactivation oil control valve to the hydraulic flow restrictor. The hydraulic flow restrictor may comprise two vertical bores within the camshaft carrier that are fluidically coupled via a restrictive groove on the bottom surface of the camshaft carrier.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for regulating oil flow to advance and retard chambers of a variable cam timing (VCT) system and to a thrust bearing of a camshaft via an oil control valve. In one example, an oil control valve may be housed within a cam journal cap the cam journal cap comprising a thrust bearing for receiving and retaining a camshaft. The cam journal cap may include a vertical bore configured to house the control valve, where the vertical bore may include a first port for receiving oil from an oil pump, a second port for flowing oil to an advance chamber of a VCT system, a third port for flowing oil to a retard chamber of the VCT system, a fourth port, coupled to the thrust bearing for flowing oil thereto, and a drain port for flowing oil to an oil sump.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an EGR system including an EGR cooler module directly mounted to a cylinder head. In one example, the EGR cooler module includes an EGR inlet port, an EGR outlet port, a coolant inlet port, and a coolant outlet port all arranged parallel with each other and directly mounted to a first side of a cylinder head to interface with passages internal to the cylinder head. In another example, the EGR cool module includes an EGR inlet port and a coolant inlet port parallel to each other and directly mounted to a first side of a cylinder head to interface with passages internal to the cylinder head, while also including an EGR outlet port and a coolant outlet port to interface with passages external to the cylinder head.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for deactivating a valve actuation mechanism. In one example, a system may include a hydraulic gallery that may deliver a restricted flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic flow restrictor to a pressure relief valve within a valve deactivation oil control valve, and during a second condition may deliver an unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid from the valve deactivation oil control valve to the hydraulic flow restrictor. The hydraulic flow restrictor may comprise two vertical bores within the camshaft carrier that are fluidically coupled via a restrictive groove on the bottom surface of the camshaft carrier.

Abstract: An engine is provided with a cylinder head having a bridge region surrounded by an exhaust face, an exhaust passage intersecting the exhaust face, and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage fluidly coupled to the exhaust passage and intersecting the exhaust face. The head defines an upper cooling jacket having a cavity or fluid passage extending from the jacket towards a head deck face and to a closed end wall within the bridge region. The cylinder head is cooled by directing coolant from a lower jacket to an upper jacket via a drill passage adjacent to an exhaust face of the head, diverting the coolant exiting the drill passage into the fluid passage or cavity along a rib. Coolant is then directed from the fluid passage into an EGR cooling passage formed by the upper jacket adjacent to the exhaust face and about the EGR passage.

Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block with first and second saw cuts intersecting a block face on opposed sides of a block bore bridge. A cylinder head has third and fourth saw cuts intersecting a head face on opposed sides of a head bore bridge. A gasket is placed between the block and the head. The gasket defines a cooling passage adapted to fluidly connect the first, second, third and fourth saw cuts and cool the interbore region of the engine. The cooling passage has an inlet and a pair of outlets.