Block And Cap Type Patents (Class 384/432)
  • Patent number: 11181070
    Abstract: A cylinder block of an engine is provided. The cylinder block includes a cast body defining one or more cylindrical bores. The cylinder block also includes a crankshaft bearing wall formed within the cast body. The crankshaft bearing wall is configured to be removably coupled with a bearing cap to define an opening for rotatably supporting a crankshaft of the engine. The cylinder block further includes a chamfered shoulder portion casted on the crankshaft bearing wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Grebien, Volker Abraham, Frank Witt, Marco Petersen, Paul Mlynarczyk
  • Patent number: 10598225
    Abstract: Systems are provided for an engine block assembly comprising a cylinder block, bearing caps and crankshaft main bearings. In one example, an engine block assembly may comprise a cylinder block, a bearing cap bolted to the cylinder block, the bearing cap comprising: a first recess included in a first surface, a second recess included in a second surface opposite the first surface, and a thrust surface interfacing with a crankshaft bearing, where a rigidity of the thrust surface may vary along an axial profile of the thrust surface due to the first and second recesses. When the bearings caps are bolted to the cylinder block, the thrust surface may bend due to its variable rigidity, and as such may induce a bend in an axial profile of the crankshaft bearing to a more convex shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mikhail Ejakov
  • Patent number: 9500225
    Abstract: This sliding bearing comprises a pair of semicircular half bearings formed into a cylindrical shape by bringing both circumferential ends thereof into contact with each other. The axial width of the half bearings is narrower in both circumferential ends and the circumferential center, and wider in the quarter parts located therebetween. During manufacturing of the half bearings, finishing by cutting processing is first performed on the parts of a flat-plate material which after formation are to become the two axial-direction end faces and the two circumferential-direction end faces of the half bearings, and thereafter, the flat-plate material is deformed into a semicircle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: TAIHO KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro Ohta, Yasuaki Goto, Kenji Touse
  • Patent number: 9011012
    Abstract: A bearing cap (11) fastened to a bulkhead (2) of a cylinder block (1) by bolts to support a crankshaft. A pair of protruding parts (25, 26) that enlarge a joint surface (12) between the bearing cap (11) and the bulkhead (2) in a transverse direction of the crankshaft are formed respectively in a pair of side surfaces (33, 34). A pair of reinforcing parts (35, 36) are positioned between a top surface (19) and the pair of protruding parts (25, 26), protrude from the pair of side surfaces (33, 34) in the transverse direction of the crankshaft, and have a protrusion length that is smaller than that of the pair of protruding parts (25, 26). The stress on the joint portion between the bearing cap (11) and the bulkhead (2) generated by the crankshaft during operation of the internal combustion engine is thereby reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Hoshikawa, Kazuki Arima
  • Patent number: 8833328
    Abstract: A structural frame is provided. The structural frame includes a bottom surface, first and second cylinder block sidewall engaging surfaces, the first and second cylinder block sidewall engaging surfaces positioned above the bottom surface at a height that is above a centerline of a crankshaft support included in a cylinder block when the structural frame is coupled to the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher K. Palazzolo, Darren Sipila, Steve Poe, Philip D. Cierpial, Changsheng Gan
  • Patent number: 8807839
    Abstract: A synthetic resin bearing for a photovoltaic tracking system includes first and second bearing members coupled with each other for forming a bearing assembly. Each of the first and second bearing members has a pair of side plate members facing each other. A friction member is positioned between outer peripheral portions of the pair of side plates has an arc-shaped section. A reinforcement member connects the pair of side plates and the friction member, and the first and second bearing members have a coupling protrusion and a concave portion for receiving the coupling protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: OSolar Limited
    Inventor: Yun-Kyu Jang
  • Publication number: 20140133791
    Abstract: A crankshaft bearing cap in a shape of a half-cylinder of axis X coinciding with the axis of the crankshaft and including diametrically opposed attachment pillars, each column-shaped pillar including a substantially oval upper surface incorporating a bearing surface surrounding a borehole through which a fixing screw can pass and a bearing surface for a screw head, the surface surrounding the borehole, and each attachment pillar further including at least two lateral and vertical grooves over a portion of the height of the pillar, the grooves being situated outside a vertical bearing cylinder having a base equal to the bearing surface and outside of a volume defined by the transverse plane passing through the axes of the attachment holes and extending symmetrically in the X-direction over a length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Franck Vincent, Didier Miazga
  • Patent number: 8690439
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing cover (3) for a split bearing arrangement (1) which, in addition to the bearing cover (3), comprises a bearing block (2), and the bearing cover (3) has a clamping surface (5) which lies against a co-operating clamping surface (6) of the bearing block (2) when the bearing arrangement (1) is in the assembled state, and at least one projection (7) is provided on the clamping surface (5) and protruding out from it which can be pushed into the co-operating clamping surface (6) of the bearing block (2). The at least one projection (7) has a cross-section (9) which varies across its extension on the clamping surface (5) and/or is of a conical or frustoconical or pyramid or truncated pyramid shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Miba Sinter Austria GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Dickinger, Herbert Schmid, Alexander Mueller
  • Patent number: 8690440
    Abstract: An iron-based metal bearing cap according to the present invention to be cast as a core into a light metal member includes an arcuate portion which forms a bearing surface, left and right flange portions which are arranged and connected to opposite ends of the arcuate portion, and boss portions which are arranged to stand on the rear surfaces of the left and right flange portions and through which mounting bolts are inserted. The bosses are formed with grooves or projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Mochida
  • Publication number: 20130209014
    Abstract: A split-type sliding bearing for a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine incorporated in a split-type bearing housing. The sliding bearing consists of a pair of semi-cylindrical bearing bodies combined with each other to form a cylindrical body. The bearing housing has a cylindrical bearing retaining bore and consists of a pair of housing halves. One of the housing halves has a relatively lower stiffness, and the other has a relatively higher stiffness. One of the bearing bodies is held by the housing half having a relatively lower stiffness. The other bearing body is held by the housing half having a relatively higher stiffness. The bearing bodies have an equal outer diameter to each other, and both of the circumferential end parts of one bearing body have a larger thickness than those of the other bearing body prior to incorporation into the housing halves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: DAIDO METAL COMPANY LTD.
    Inventor: DAIDO METAL COMPANY LTD.
  • Publication number: 20130163906
    Abstract: A bearing cap (11) fastened to a bulkhead (2) of a cylinder block (1) by bolts to support a crankshaft. A pair of protruding parts (25, 26) that enlarge a joint surface (12) between the bearing cap (11) and the bulkhead (2) in a transverse direction of the crankshaft are formed respectively in a pair of side surfaces (33, 34). A pair of reinforcing parts (35, 36) are positioned between a top surface (19) and the pair of protruding parts (25, 26), protrude from the pair of side surfaces (33, 34) in the transverse direction of the crankshaft, and have a protrusion length that is smaller than that of the pair of protruding parts (25, 26). The stress on the joint portion between the bearing cap (11) and the bulkhead (2) generated by the crankshaft during operation of the internal combustion engine is thereby reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroaki Hoshikawa, Kazuki Arima
  • Patent number: 8449193
    Abstract: Disclosed is a crankshaft bearing for an internal combustion engine. At the inner periphery of the semicircular thrust bearing, two impact load receiving projections are projected besides the two tabs. Each of at least the two impact load receiving projections is between each of the two tabs and each of the circumferential end surfaces of the semicircular thrust bearing. The two impact load receiving projections are at line-symmetrical positions with each other with respect to the center line of the semicircular thrust bearing. A height of the impact load receiving projection is set at a dimension such that a top portion of the impact load receiving projection is not in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing in a static state in which the pair of semi-cylindrical sliding bearings is assembled into the bearing housing of the crankshaft and restrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company
    Inventors: Aisuke Kuwabara, Takahiko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8393792
    Abstract: In a bearing device 1, annular recesses 3a and 6a that house a thrust bearing 7 are formed in side surfaces of a housing 3 and a cap 6, a rotation preventing protrusion 12b is provided in an outer periphery of a lower side half-split thrust bearing 12 in the thrust bearing 7, and a rotation preventing groove 6b into which the rotation preventing protrusion 12b fits is formed in the annular recess 6a formed in the cap 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukitaka Muramoto, Masaru Kondo, Yasuaki Goto, Masao Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8327817
    Abstract: A bearing for an automotive engine includes a base having a first bearing segment formed therein, and a bearing cap removably mounted to the base, with the bearing cap including fastener towers in contact with the base. A second bearing segment extends between the fastener towers. A number of non-contact stiffening ribs extend parallel to the fastener towers. The stiffening ribs are attached to outboard portions of the fastener towers. The stiffening ribs cause the bearing cap to avoid excessive flexing and distortion, while at the same time avoiding fretting corrosion which would occur were the clamp loads of the cap to the base be reduced by materially increasing the size of the fastener towers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventors: Christopher Kelly Palazzolo, Daryl Self
  • Patent number: 8297847
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement for a roller crusher having a pair of crushing rollers (R), each one including a shaft having end portions, mounted in respective bearing housings carried on a base structure (S) of the crusher, and a median hub portion. The bearing housings of each roller (R) are affixed to a structural frame disposed externally to each roller (R), along one side of the respective roller (R), the structural frame maintaining the bearing housings of each roller (R) rigidly connected to each other. Each bearing housing includes: a base portion affixed to the structural frame and a cover portion turned to the other roller (R) and removably affixed to the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Metso Brasil Industria E Comercio Ltda
    Inventors: Andrzej Niklewski, Paulo Barscevicius
  • Patent number: 8079762
    Abstract: Crankshaft bearing cap presenting on one of its faces a semi-cylindrical notch, formed by powder metallurgy with an iron powder blend molded by compaction and sintering, and partially infiltrated with Cu, being the area adjacent to the area around the notch, the one with highest Cu content. A method for manufacturing main bearing caps by infiltration of Cu including the steps of placing the molded cap so that the axis of the semi-cylindrical notch extends in a horizontal direction and the notch cavity is in the upwards position. Placing high Cu content tablets on the upper face of the cap and on the cylindrical arch and sintering of the cap and Cu tablets system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Inventors: Antonio Romero Fernandez, Brian Daniel Kaminski
  • Publication number: 20100180853
    Abstract: A bearing for an automotive engine includes a base having a first bearing segment formed therein, and a bearing cap removably mounted to the base, with the bearing cap including fastener towers in contact with the base. A second bearing segment extends between the fastener towers. A number of non-contact stiffening ribs extend parallel to the fastener towers. The stiffening ribs are attached to outboard portions of the fastener towers. The stiffening ribs cause the bearing cap to avoid excessive flexing and distortion, while at the same time avoiding fretting corrosion which would occur were the clamp loads of the cap to the base be reduced by materially increasing the size of the fastener towers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Kelly Palazzolo, Daryl Self
  • Patent number: 7753592
    Abstract: Bearing caps and methods for manufacturing bearing cap are disclosed. Bearing cap includes a body that comprises an abutment surface, a bearing surface, an exterior surface, and a recess portion. The abutment surface provides for the bearing cap to be coupled to an engine along a flat and even surface. The bearing surface provides for the bearing cap to at least partially capture the bearing shaft to secure the bearing shaft when the bearing cap is abutted to the engine. The recess portion extends into the body of the bearing cap from the exterior surface to reduce the weight of the bearing cap. The recess portion can be located anywhere along the exterior surface and be any shape and dimension that retains sufficient structural integrity of the bearing cap to secure the balance shaft to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Metaldyne Corporation
    Inventor: Jose Correa Neto
  • Publication number: 20100104229
    Abstract: The present invention provides a PM main bearing cap, and its precursor compact, with an undercut breathing window that is formed during a compaction process. By fabricating the undercut during the compaction process, the invention eliminates the need for a secondary machining operation to form the undercut feature in the bearing caps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: GKN SINTER MERALS, INC.
    Inventors: Joel H. Mandel, Donald J. Phillips, Rainer Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7464685
    Abstract: A Crankshaft bearing assembly for supporting a crankshaft for rotation about a crankshaft axis within an engine having an aluminum engine block, the crankshaft bearing assembly including at least one crankshaft bearing divided into a first half and a second half, the first half being integral with the engine block, and the second half being a bearing cap connectable to the engine block. The bearing cap is made of an aluminum alloy having a tensile strength higher than the tensile strength of the engine block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Hochmayr, Karl Glinsner
  • Patent number: 7328681
    Abstract: A bearing has an inner race that has separable inner sections. The inner race has an inner male protrusion and an inner female receptacle, and each inner male protrusion is mated with one of the inner female receptacles to form a unitary inner race. The bearing further has an outer race that has separable outer sections. The outer race has an outer male protrusion and an outer female receptacle, and each outer male protrusion is mated with one of the outer female receptacles to form a unitary outer race. Further, the bearing has a plurality of rollers situated within a channel formed by engaging the inner race and the outer race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: VRB, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Rodney Tidwell
  • Patent number: 7322750
    Abstract: A locking engine splay cap apparatus and method of use and manufacture comprising a splay cap and an engine block base having uniquely positioned and formed slots and protrusions which integrally mate. The mating provides optimum register of the internal combustion engine main bearing caps whereby cap chatter and inward deformation is minimized. The method of use allows smaller displacement and more efficient engines to produce higher powers without compromising reliability and durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: Ronnie Besselman
  • Patent number: 7287907
    Abstract: A high performance main bearing cap has particular surfaces densified for improved fatigue crack resistance. The surfaces densified are the bolted face inside of a perimetral margin and outside of bolt head interface areas around the main bolt holes, the surfaces of the main bolt holes and the side bolt hole threads. Preferred methods of densification are single needle programmable pattern peening of the bolted face peened area, over-burnishing of the bolt holes, and forming the threads rather than cutting them for the side bolt threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: GKN Sinter Metals, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan M. Cadle, legal representative, Joel H. Mandel, Donald J. Phillips, Terry M. Cadle, deceased
  • Patent number: 7168858
    Abstract: A high performance main bearing cap has particular surfaces densified for improved fatigue crack resistance. The surfaces densified are the bolted face (F) inside of a perimetral margin and outside of bold head interface areas around the main bolt holes (B), the surfaces of the main bolt holes and the side bolt hole threads (S). Preferred methods of densification are single needle programmable pattern peening of the bolted face peened area, over-burnishing of the bolt holes, and forming the threads rather than cutting them for the side bolt threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: GKN Sinter Metals, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan M. Cadle, legal representative, Joel H. Mandel, Donald J. Phillips, Terry M. Cadle, deceased
  • Patent number: 7051696
    Abstract: A bearing structure of a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine supports a crankshaft on a crankcase with rolling bearings includes a play absorbing device for absorbing the play in the radial direction generated between an outer race of the rolling bearing and a bearing hole of the crankcase. The play absorbing device includes a push plug which pushes an outer race of the ball bearing in the direction perpendicular to an axis of the crankshaft. The push plug is arranged in parallel to the crankshaft between the cylinder and the crankshaft. The outer race of the ball bearing is resiliently biased toward a side of the bearing hole of the crankcase which receives an explosion pressure. As a result, the generation of a hitting sound which is attributed to the above-mentioned “play” can be largely reduced even with respect to an internal combustion engine with a high explosion pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Kanbe, Hidemi Yokoyama, Yu Oba, Akira Takahashi, Teruo Kihara
  • Patent number: 6942391
    Abstract: A crankshaft supporter having a bearing holder molded in aluminum alloy and having a bearing for supporting a crankshaft. A preform member is cast inside of the aluminum alloy. A screw hole having one opened end is formed in an outer surface of the bearing holder. A concave recess section is formed in the preform member to accommodate a bottom of the screw hole. An introduction passage is provided in the recess section to introduce molten metal therein during casting to prevent blowholes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20040240762
    Abstract: A high performance main bearing cap has particular surfaces densified for improved fatigue crack resistance. The surfaces densified are the bolted face (F) inside of a perimetral margin and outside of bold head interface areas around the main bolt holes (B), the surfaces of the main bolt holes and the side bolt hole threads (S). Preferred methods of densification are single needle programmable pattern peening of the bolted face peened area, over-burnishing of the bolt holes, and forming the threads rather than cutting them for the side bolt threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Terry M Cadle, Susan M Cadle, Donald J Phillips
  • Publication number: 20030118260
    Abstract: A core member has a core member side journal portion and a core member bolt hole on both sides of the core member side journal portion and is provided in a separation state from a surface of a casting mold through a cast-off pin including a step portion in a vertical direction in the casting mold. A radius of curvature of the core member side journal portion of the core member is made greater than a radius of curvature of the cap side journal portion of the bearing cap in such a manner that a clearance between the cap side journal portion and the core member side journal portion is larger than a clearance between the core member bolt hole and the cast-off pin. A pouring gate is provided on a side surface of the casting mold to inject a base material along the bonding portion of the bearing cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6422755
    Abstract: A sintered powder metal (P/M) component has an integrally formed tapered boss surrounding its bolt hole which extends into counterbores in a component to which it is assembled and produces plastic conformance between the boss and the counterbore when the boss is seated in the counterbore. The P/M component can then be removed from the other component and reassembled to it, with the boss fitting perfectly back into the bore with the plastically deformed surfaces fitting back together precisely to determine the relative positioning of the two components. The boss is tapered, a moat may surround it, and the boss may be provided with axial splines and/or be oblong in the axial direction. Bosses such as these may be applied to two components in general, at least one of which is powder metal, such as a main bearing cap, a sensor ring for measuring the timing of an internal combustion engine and a connecting rod bearing cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: GKN Sinter Metals-Germantown, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry M. Cadle, Lawrence E. Eckstein
  • Patent number: 6263853
    Abstract: A reciprocating piston engine with a crankshaft received in bearings includes a second-order harmonic balancer (Lanchester balancer) with one or more shafts received in bearings located in a crankshaft housing of the bearings of crankshaft and/or the bearings of the Lanchester shafts are made of at least one upper bearing part and a lower bearing part. At least the flange surfaces of the upper bearing parts and lower bearing parts have a fracture surface formed by cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Erhard Rau
  • Patent number: 6231240
    Abstract: In a bearing for a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine having a crankcase including a bearing base portion with a bearing cover mounted thereon and both the bearing base portion and the bearing cover consisting of a light metal alloy, the bearing cover has removably mounted therein, adjacent the crankshaft, an insert consisting of a bearing material which has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the light metal alloy of which the base bearing portion and the bearing cover consist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Günter Brenker, Edgar Brütsch, Frank Müller, Robert Niklas, Willy Treyz
  • Patent number: 6203203
    Abstract: A slide bearing, which is to be used particularly as a crankshaft main bearing of an internal-combustion engine, has a bearing block and a bearing cap. The bearing cap is constructed of a different material than the bearing block. The slide bearing has a bearing layer which is firmly connected with it and consists of a material which is softer than that of the bearing cap and that of the bearing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Helmut Schaefer
  • Patent number: 6132095
    Abstract: An apparatus for reliably and efficiently propelling a printing substrate across a printing platen by use of the known roller/nip roller configuration wherein an improved, unitary slider bearing preferably formed of low friction material is coupled to an axial shaft at two points of contact to a upper crown of a slider bearing. The improved bearing is preferably constructed of teflon, or similar low friction material, impregnated resin and formed to create a friction fit in an aperture in a printing platen of a print engine. The improved bearing allows use of a lower cost, less-toleranced axial drive shaft members and eliminates use of typical ball-bearing style bearing assemblies as well as greatly reduces assembly time of the roller, nip roller, axial shaft combination during initial build of the print engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: MacDermid Incorporated
    Inventor: Kevin R. Crystal
  • Patent number: 5868110
    Abstract: In a crankcase for a piston machine having a bearing support structure for a crankshaft main bearing with a bearing base part integrally formed with the bearing support structure and a bearing cover mounted onto the bearing base part by bearing bolts extending into bolt mounting columns, the bearing support structure includes a transverse wall which extends between the crankcase walls, the bearing support base and the bearing base part and includes a rib structure of an increased wall thickness formed between the bearing base part and the bearing support base and having a recess in the area between the end of a mounting bolt bore in the bolt mounting column and the bearing support base providing for a force flux path which istributes the force flux evenly over the length of the threaded mounting bolt bore area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz A.G.
    Inventor: Jochen Betsch
  • Patent number: 5743230
    Abstract: An engine having a lower block made of an aluminum-based material and having a bearing cap mounted therein in a cast-in manner abutting against front and rear sidewalls of a cylinder block of the engine and coupled to the cylinder block by a bolt, and a pump body is coupled to a lower surface of the lower block by bolts. The pump body also serves as a balancer shaft supporting member, and a journal portion of a balancer shaft is supported on the balancer shaft supporting member. Thus, the rigidity of supporting of the balancer shaft on the balancer shaft supporting member can be enhanced without an increase in size of the balancer shaft supporting member of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Yamazaki, Kensuke Nakamura, Fuminori Kawashima, Nobuyoshi Takamatsu, Toru Kano, Tomoki Okita, Hideo Ueshima
  • Patent number: 5718466
    Abstract: A racking resistant door control mechanism for securing a pivoted door employs an elongate lock rod that extends the height of the door and is journaled for pivotal movement by bearing assemblies having steel covers that enclose plastic bearing liners. The lock rod has upper and lower cam-type latch members welded to its opposite ends for engaging keeper members carried by upper and lower parts of a door frame for holding the door closed. The lock rod extends through and is welded to a steel sleeve at a location spaced a short distance upwardly from the lower latch member. If the lock rod is formed from two elongate elements instead of one, the sleeve is welded to both to aid in forming a connection therebetween. Racking resistance is provided by locating the sleeve and the bearing assemblies such that the steel covers of the bearing assemblies are held in engagement with the latch members and with opposite ends of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, James L. Hollingsworth, Fredrick L. Putzier, Scott A. Arthurs, Robert D. Dinallo
  • Patent number: 5711614
    Abstract: The crankshaft bearing of a multicylinder internal combustion engine has an upper and a lower bearing part, as well as upper and lower bearing brackets with bearing bores connected therewith, in which brackets the main bearing pins of a crankshaft are mounted. The main bearing pins of the crankshaft are supplied with lubricant through oil grooves in the bearing bores. In order to guide the oil escaping from the bearing locations, which oil is flung-off by the rotating crankshaft cheeks, oil grooves are provided on the lateral surfaces of the bearing brackets. The groves are open on their radial interiors and drain downward in the installed position. This prevents severe foaming of the oil, since the oil flung-off the crankshaft can be captured directly and guided. The residence time of the oil in the crank chamber is reduced so that the oil flows more rapidly back into the oil pan and churning losses are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Johannes Wuest, Dieter Nowak, Herbert Ampferer, Michael Muddemann
  • Patent number: 5509387
    Abstract: A main bearing cap for an internal combustion engine has a longitudinally extending body defined in pan by parallel sides which terminate in first and second end portions. The bearing cap has a centrally located, semi-cylindrical bearing recess which cooperates with a corresponding recess in the engine crankcase to support journals of a crankshaft along a crankcase axis. The first and second end portions of the bearing cap include laterally outwardly extending flanged feet having end faces which mate with corresponding surfaces on the engine crankcase. The flanged feet operate against the engine crankcase to limit motion of the bearing cap body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Kaminski, Paul J. Gelazin, William L. Miller, Roger G. Van Vechten
  • Patent number: 5501529
    Abstract: A bearing insert for being cast into an aluminum alloy engine block is made by a ferrous powder metal sintering process to make a skeleton structure which is permeable to the molten aluminum alloy in the block casting process. The insert is made of a material having a similar composition as the bearing cap so as to equalize machining and thermal expansion properties of the cap and block so as to provide improved roundness of the bearing in the machining operations for forming the bearing support and in operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Zenith Sintered Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry M. Cadle, Carl J. Landgraf, Georgia M. Mayer
  • Patent number: 5299871
    Abstract: A bearing housing assembly comprising a generally U-shaped casing (12); a cap (13) which fits into and cooperates with the casing to define a bearing housing; and bolts (15) to hold the casing and the cap together. The cap (13) is a clearance fit in the casing (12); and a location and load transferring member (18) extends through a bore (22) whose cross-section extends partly into the casing and partly into the cap and which straddles the clearance (c), the location and load transferring member (18) being stressed to locate the cap within the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Vickers PLC
    Inventor: Roland J. Hancock
  • Patent number: 5119776
    Abstract: An improved bearing cap arrangement for attaching a camshaft to a cylinder head so that a cylinder head bolt or the like may be placed immediately adjacent the camshaft, the bearing cap characterized by a semi-cylindrical portion extending over the camshaft and a single laterally projecting portion on one side of the camshaft adapted to receive fasteners securing the bearing cap to the cylinder head whereby the cylinder head bolt is located adjacent the second side of the camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Emile A. M. Bakker
  • Patent number: 5009205
    Abstract: A crankshaft supporting device for a multi-cylinder engine including a plurality of bulkheads provided in a cylinder block of the engine to be arranged along an axis of the crankshaft, disposed in a lower part of the cylinder block. A bearing cap member has a plurality of bearing cap portions each coupled with a lower end of one of the bulkheads so as to constitute a bearing portion for supporting the crankshaft in conjunction with the bulkhead, and a pair of beam portions extending along the axis of the crankshaft to interconnect therethrough two adjacent bearing cap portions. A reinforcement member has a side wall portion which is coupled with a skirt portion of the cylinder block, and a plurality of bolt seats are located underneath the beam portion of the bearing cap member. A plurality of ribs interconnect at least one of the bolt seats and at least one of the side wall portions. A plurality of bolts fasten the beam portions with the bolt seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Abe, Junichi Okita, Katsunobu Miyagoshi, Kouichi Hashiyama
  • Patent number: 4958602
    Abstract: The invention relates to internal combustion engines and especially to two-stroke engines for portable handheld work tools such as motor-driven chain saws or the like. Material made of light metal alloys is used in two-stroke engines for portable handheld tools in order to save weight. Thus, the crankshaft bearing is made of steel while the bearing covers holding the bearing are made of a magnesium alloy. Heating causes the bearing cover to expand by an amount greater than the crankshaft bearing whereby the press fit of the crankshaft bearing can become endangered and, in an extreme case, a clearance can develop between the crankshaft bearing and the bearing cover. According to the invention, the press fit between the crankshaft bearing and the bearing cover is maintained by placing a plastic annular segment therebetween having a thermal expansion coefficient so selected that it compensates for the different thermal expansions of the bearing cover and the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl
    Inventors: Klaus Hoppner, Reinhard Friedrich, Hermann Weiss
  • Patent number: 4922870
    Abstract: In a multi-cylinder internal-combustion engine, bearing shell and bearing cap of the bearings for the crankshaft are decoupled from the side walls of the cylinder block which form the crankcase. The bearing shells communicate with the cylinder block directly through column elements. The resilience of the column elements relieves the cylinder block of any transverse flexure by crankshaft forces and reduces the generation of noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG
    Inventors: Albert Pietsch, Wolf Boll
  • Patent number: 4854746
    Abstract: An improved bearing assembly which may only be assembled when its principle components are properly fitted together is disclosed herein. Generally, the bearing assembly includes a saddle member and a bearing cap, each of which includes a main bearing receiving, semi-circular recess for journaling the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The recess of the saddle member is flanked on either side by first and second alignment slots, and the recess of the bearing cap is flanked by first and second mounting shoulders which are asymmetrical in shape with respect to the axis of rotation of the semi-cylindrical recess, and which are insertable within the first and second alignment slots of the saddle member, respectively. However, dissymmetry between the first and second shoulders prohibit the first shoulder from being inserted into the second alignment slot in a manner to cause proper alignment of the semi-cylindrical recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Baugh, Francis M. Hager
  • Patent number: 4838221
    Abstract: An engine construction which comprises a cylinder block having a series of bearing seats formed therein for the support of a crankshaft, a lower block having bearing caps formed integrally therewith and adapted to be secured from below to the cylinder block with the bearing caps aligned with the corresponding bearing seats for the support of the crankshaft, a balancer shaft, a drive transmitting unit for transmitting the drive of the crankshaft to the balancer shaft, and an oil pan adapted to be removably fitted from below to the lower block and positioned on one side of the lower block opposite to the cylinder block. A surface region of the cylinder block and a mating surface region of the lower block which is brought into contact with the surface region of the cylinder block when the cylinder block and the lower block are connected together are formed with respective pluralities of bearing recesses for the support of the balancer shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Tadao Suemori
  • Patent number: 4651691
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block formed of aluminum alloy and having main bearing bulkheads each of which is formed with a bearing surface. Main bearing caps are securely connected respectively with the bearing bulkheads and formed of aluminum alloy. Each bearing cap is formed with a bearing surface which is located in opposition to the bearing surface of the bearing bulkhead. Additionally, the main journal of a crankshaft formed of iron alloy is rotatably disposed between the bearing surfaces of the bearing bulkhead and bearing cap. The surfaces of the crankshaft main journal is in direct contact with the bearing surfaces of the bearing bulkhead and bearing cap without using conventional bearing metals, thereby cutting off engine noise due to the existence of the bearing metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4559910
    Abstract: The crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is supported in a split bearing assembly near one end of the crankshaft, with the lower half of the bearing assembly formed in a bearing holder secured to the engine block. An arcuate flange projects axially towards that end of the crankshaft. The flange underlies a crankshaft pulley which drives a timing belt. The arcuate surface of the flange is struck from a center offset from the crankshaft axis in order to provide clearance for the timing belt. The offset construction also improves the joint seal between the oil pan and the engine block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1985
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Tsuchiyama, Yoshiaki Hidaka
  • Patent number: 4534325
    Abstract: In a cam shaft holding system for an internal combustion engine, a cylinder head is secured to a cylinder block by cylinder head mounting bolts positioned between adjacent cylinders. An intake cam shaft and an exhaust cam shaft are extended at positions outside the cylinder head mounting bolts along the row of the cylinders. Cam shaft holding members are positioned between the cylinders for rotatably supporting the cam shafts on the cylinder head. Each cam shaft holding member intersects perpendicularly with each cam shaft and has bolting portions at its end portions such that at least the end portion on the cylinder head mounting bolt side is provided with two bolting portions. The bolting portions define an aperture therebetween for avoiding interference with each cylinder head mounting bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Fusatoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 4520770
    Abstract: An automotive internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block having a plurality of bearing sections, and a bearing beam structure secured to the bottom part of the cylinder block. The bearing beam structure includes a plurality of main bearing cap sections each of which associates with a respective cylinder block bearing section to rotatably support the journal of a crankshaft. First and second beam sections are formed at the upper corner portions of each bearing cap section to securely connect the bearing cap sections with each other. Additionally, first and second side wall sections are respectively formed along the opposite side portions of each bearing cap section to securely connect the bearing cap sections with each other. The first and second side wall sections are integral with the first and second beam sections, respectively. Therefore, vibration of the bearing beam structure and the cylinder block can be effectively suppressed, thereby achieving total engine noise reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Ogawa