With Enclosed Insulating Space In Piston Part Patents (Class 92/176)
  • Patent number: 10634091
    Abstract: A piston crown for a piston of a pair of pistons in a two-stroke, opposed-piston, compression ignition combustion engine has a barrier layer and a conductive layer. The barrier layer at least partially surrounds a combustion chamber formed by the piston crown and an end surface of an opposing piston. The conductive layer connects the crown to the rest of the piston body. The barrier layer and the conductive layer are joined either through welding or through the fabrication process. Optionally, the piston crown includes an insulating layer between the barrier and conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Bryant A. Wagner, Ryan G. MacKenzie
  • Patent number: 10294887
    Abstract: A steel piston achieving increased thermal brake efficiency in an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston includes a crown presenting a combustion surface, an outer side wall depending from the combustion surface, an outer cooling gallery, and an undercrown cooling gallery. The outer cooling gallery extends circumferentially along the outer side wall beneath the combustion surface. According to one embodiment, the outer cooling gallery is sealed and filled with air, argon, helium, xenon, or carbon dioxide as a cooling media. In this embodiment, the undercrown cooling gallery is filled with air as a cooling media and includes an open inlet hole having a diameter being from 2% to 4% of an outer diameter of the piston. Alternatively, the undercrown cooling gallery is filled with air, argon, helium, xenon, or carbon dioxide as a cooling media, and the inlet hole is sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Tenneco Inc.
    Inventor: Eduardo Matsuo
  • Patent number: 10119493
    Abstract: A piston crown for a piston of a pair of pistons in a two-stroke, opposed-piston, compression ignition combustion engine has a barrier layer and a conductive layer. The barrier layer at least partially surrounds a combustion chamber formed by the piston crown and an end surface of an opposing piston. The conductive layer connects the crown to the rest of the piston body. The barrier layer and the conductive layer are joined either through welding or through the fabrication process. Optionally, the piston crown includes an insulating layer between the barrier and conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Bryant A. Wagner, Ryan G. Mackenzie
  • Patent number: 9702317
    Abstract: A three section steel piston for two-stroke engines is provided. The piston is provided with an upper section, a middle section and a lower section. Piston ring grooves are formed into the upper and lower sections, and pin bosses with openings and skirts are formed into the middle section. The middle section has relatively thinner walls as compared to the portions of the upper and lower sections at the piston ring grooves to reduce the mass of the piston. A closed cooling gallery may be formed adjacent an upper combustion surface of the piston with the cooling gallery being defined at least partially by the upper section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Weinenger
  • Patent number: 9328823
    Abstract: The present invention provides a steel piston having cooling channel without flash, including an upper piston part having a circle shape outer wall and an inner wall formed inward from the outer wall with a desired distance, and a lower piston part having a circle shape outer wall and an inner wall formed inward from the outer wall with a desired distance on the place corresponding each other when they are coupled, in which one or more concave grooves are formed on the outer wall of the upper piston part, and two concave grooves are formed on the inner wall of the upper piston part, and the inner circumference surface of the upper end of the outer wall of the lower piston part is carved as much as a desired depth, and therefore, a stepped portion is formed between the inner and the outer circumference surfaces, and the inner and outer circumference surfaces of the upper end of the inner wall of the lower piston part are carved as much as a desired depth, and a protrusion is formed at the middle of the upper e
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Dong Yang Piston Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-Kui Yang, Kwan-Ho Ryu, Jeong-Keun Lee, Sang-Bean Park, In-Cheol Yoo
  • Patent number: 9200559
    Abstract: Provided is a combustion chamber applied in a gas engine including: a main combustion chamber including, at a central portion of its ceiling, an auxiliary combustion chamber; and a piston. A peripheral portion of a top surface of the piston is a flat surface. A raised portion, which has a curved surface and which is a solid of revolution, is formed at a central portion of the top surface, the raised portion being joined to the flat surface of the peripheral portion via a curved surface. When the piston is positioned at a top dead center, nozzle holes of the auxiliary combustion chamber jet out flame jets to a portion at which the raised portion of the top surface of the piston and the flat surface of the peripheral portion of the top surface of the piston are joined together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Ishii, Tetsuo Tokuoka
  • Patent number: 8584626
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a piston (10, 110, 210) for an internal combustion engine, comprising a piston crown (13), a circumferential ring part (16), a circumferential cooling channel (27) arranged in the vicinity of the ring part (16), boss supports (21) connected below the piston crown (13), piston bosses (18) connected thereto, and a piston skirt (17). According to the invention, a cavity (28) closed on all sides and having a closure element (29, 129, 229) arranged in the direction of the piston skirt (17) is provided below the piston crown (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventor: Detlef Jacobi
  • Patent number: 8434400
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine has a lower piston part and an upper piston part that are connected with one another by friction welding and form an outer circumferential cooling channel. The upper piston part has a circumferential ring belt provided with ring grooves, the inner wall of which delimits the circumferential outer cooling channel. An outer circumferential friction-weld seam is provided below the ring belt, the width of which seam is less than or equal to the wall thickness between the groove root of the ring grooves and the inner wall of the ring belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Kemnitz, Carmen Klusch, Rainer Scharp
  • Publication number: 20130000483
    Abstract: An exemplary piston assembly and method of making the same are disclosed. An exemplary piston assembly may include a piston crown and skirt. The crown may include radially inner and outer crown mating surfaces, and the crown may define at least in part a cooling gallery extending about a periphery of the crown. The skirt may further include an inner collar wall disposed radially inwardly of a radially inner interface region and extending upwards to a free end. The collar wall may generally enclose the radially inner interface region from the central region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventor: Rainer Scharp
  • Patent number: 7650829
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hollow piston (1) for a piston engine, said hollow piston comprising a peripheral wall (3a), a central rod (11), a front wall (3b) on the front end thereof, and an articulated part 4a) on the rear end thereof. The inventive hollow piston (1) has an annular cavity (14) formed against the rod (11), between the peripheral wall (3a) and the articulated part (4a). A rear section of the cavity (14) forms a front section of the articulated part (4a). The aim of the invention is to stabilize the hollow piston while ensuring an efficient guidance of the piston. To this end, the rod (11) ends the region of the cavity (14), the articulated part (4a) is a cap-shaped articulation recess (4c), and the rear section of the cavity (14) forms at least part of the articulated surface (4g) of the articulation recess (4c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Brueninghaus Hydromatik GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Beck
  • Publication number: 20090158925
    Abstract: A method for attaching a ring element to a piston for an internal combustion engine, in which the ring element is screwed onto the piston body by a thread applied to the radially outer surface of a part of the piston crown, a circumferential groove that is open towards the top is formed into the piston crown in the region of the thread, the groove is filled with solder material, the piston is heated until the solder material liquefies and flows between the thread channels of the thread and subsequently, the piston is cooled. As a result, a secure screw connection between the basic piston body and the ring element is obtained. Furthermore, the cooling channel is sealed with regard to the combustion gases, which stand under high pressure and act on the piston crown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventor: Rainer Scharp
  • Patent number: 7458313
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tubular piston for a piston engine, comprising a tubular section, a collar shaped region and a ball pivot formed thereon, and an inner tube arranged in an outer tube. A cavity is at least partially formed between the outer tube and the inner tube. Said cavity is sealed from the area surrounding the hollow piston in a pressure-tight manner, by a material, especially a solder material, which is arranged in the cavity in a positively locking manner by means of heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Brueninghaus Hydromatik, GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Beck
  • Patent number: 7427190
    Abstract: A hydraulic device for pumping molten metal and/or controlling its flow, comprising an enclosure that forms internally a cylindrical chamber, for the connection of at least one first duct and one second duct for the passage of molten metal, within which a piston can slide hermetically in order to pump and/or control flow, an insulating cushion of inert gas being interposed between the piston and the molten metal, the piston being associated with an actuator for moving it with a reciprocating rectilinear motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: BBS-Riva S.p.A.
    Inventor: Heinrich Georg Baumgartner
  • Patent number: 7003878
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a ring support (1) with a sheet metal cooling channel welded thereon (5), which is transfused later with an aluminium melt for producing a piston. The aim of the invention is to improve the production of openings (4) for supplying and removing oil. Said openings are produced even before the transfusion of the cooled ring support. When the alfin pretreament of the cooling ring supports occurs, said cooling channel is filled with melt and emptied again during removal front the alfin bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: MAHLE GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Ullrich
  • Patent number: 6994014
    Abstract: Disclosed is a closed cavity piston made from a metal injection molding process. The piston has an elongated cylindrical body with a first end that is adapted to receive a slipper. The piston also has at least one hollow compartment and a hollow stem that transports hydraulic fluid. After the metal injection molding process an end cap having a central opening is sinterbonded to the second end of the body. The central opening aligns with the hollow stem to provide a fluid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventors: Daryl I. Rober, Michael A. Betz, Robert J. Klinkel
  • Patent number: 6904876
    Abstract: A free piston engine is configured with a pair of opposed engine cylinders located on opposite sides of a fluid pumping assembly. An inner piston assembly includes a pair of inner pistons, one each operatively located in a respective one of the engine cylinders, with a push rod connected between the inner pistons. The push rod extends through an inner pumping chamber in the fluid pumping assembly and forms a fluid plunger within this chamber. An outer piston assembly includes a pair of outer pistons, one each operatively located in a respective one of the engine cylinders, with at least one pull rod connected between the outer pistons. The pull rod extends through an outer pumping chamber in the fluid pumping assembly and forms a fluid plunger within this chamber. The movement of the inner and outer piston assemblies during engine operation will cause the fluid plungers to pump fluid from a low pressure container into a high pressure chamber as a means of storing the energy output from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Hofbauer, Adrain Tusinean
  • Publication number: 20040045515
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to obtain, with constant or increasing output, a reduction in the compression height of a cooling duct piston (1) for a direct-injection diesel engine. To this end, the piston (1) is composed of at least two parts (23) that are soldered together. One of the parts is a piston base body (2), which is forged of steel and which is provided with a shaft (8), hubs (6) and with an annular part (9). The other part, which is made of steel or of a nickel-based material, contains a combustion recess (4) and at least a portion of the piston head (5). The piston base body (2) and the second part (3), together, form a cooling duct (11) that can be filled with oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Ulrich Bischofberger, Joachim Schulz
  • Patent number: 6662709
    Abstract: A hollow piston (1) piston engine including a closed annular cavity (9). Said hollow piston constituted of a first piston part (1a) with a base section (3) from which a joint part (4) extends in one axial direction, and from which a peripheral wall (6) that delimits the annular cavity (9) on the outside, and a mandrel (7) that delimits the annular cavity (9) on the inside extend, each as one piece, in the other axial direction. The hollow piston is also constituted of a second piston part (1b) having a cover (8) which is connected to the ends of the peripheral wall (6) and of the mandrel (7), said ends facing away from the base section (3). In order to achieve an economical and simple production while ensuring the provision of a stabile construction, the peripheral wall (6) and the mandrel (7) are formed on the base section (3) without machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Brueninghaus Hydromatik GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Beutler
  • Patent number: 6532655
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hollow piston for variable displacement swash plate compressors of air conditioning systems is disclosed. This method produces a desired hollow piston by separately forming a body and a cap and by simply machining the body and the cap prior to simply welding the body and the cap together into a single structure through a frictional welding process. This method thus remarkably simplifies the pre-welding machining process. In the frictional welding process, the body and the cap are welded together into a single structure by simply and relatively rotating the body and the cap while forcing them toward each other under atmospheric air at room temperature. The frictional welding process is thus accomplished using a simple welding machine, thereby reducing the equipment cost while producing the hollow pistons. The frictional welding process is also free from oxidizing the welded portions of a resulting hollow piston, and so the resulting piston does not have micro pores in its structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corp.
    Inventors: Hew Nam Ahn, Young Seop Yoon
  • Patent number: 6526869
    Abstract: A hollow piston has an end wall that receives the pressure of a cylinder bore of a compressor. Several reinforcing ribs are formed on the inner end face of the end wall. The ribs extend radially from the axis of the piston. Therefore, the piston is light and strong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takayuki Kato, Takahiro Hoshida, Seiji Katayama
  • Publication number: 20010047720
    Abstract: A hollow piston has an end wall that receives pressure in a cylinder bore of a compressor. A reinforcing protrusion is formed on the inner end face of the end wall. The contour of the protrusion, from the radially outside portion toward the radially inside portion, first approaches the outer end face and then departs from the outer end face. Therefore, the piston is light and strong.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventors: Takahiro Hoshida, Fuminobu Enokijima, Takayuki Kato, Masato Takamatsu, Seiji Katayama, Shigeo Fukushima, Masahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6293185
    Abstract: A piston for use in the cylinder block of a hydraulic power unit. The piston has an elongated cylindrical body and one end terminating in a spherical surface. The piston is composed of a body and insert which are made from different materials, preferably metallic materials, and joined together. The piston body takes the form of a solid cylinder or a hollow cylindrical tube. The spherical surface takes the form of an internal spherical socket or an external spherical ball. The insert takes an elongated or abbreviated form providing for both open cavity and closed cavity piston configurations. The piston includes a conduit which traverses the body and insert, providing a path for pressurized fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Stoppek, Mark A. Landwehr
  • Patent number: 5988044
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piston having a cylindrical body made from a thermosetting molding compound. The body has a central well and a molded-on metal cap having sides that extend downward over the exterior of the body and into the well. There is insulation under and in contact with the metal cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Occidental Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Leon G. Meyer
  • Patent number: 5461966
    Abstract: A measuring gas pump (1) has a pump chamber (3) closed by means of a working diaphragm (6). The strokes (double-headed arrow 26) are imparted to the working diaphragm (6) by way of a connecting rod or like lifting mechanism (9) from a crank mechanism (10). A heat source (16) is provided in the pump head (15). Provided between the connecting rod head (8) and the crank mechanism (10), there is a heat dissipation barrier (19 and/or 27) with respect to the measuring gas. By means of the measuring gas pump (1), the gas to be delivered thereby can be kept better to the temperature of the gas sampling condition and unwanted condensation of constituents of the gas to be analyzed and falsifications of the measurement result can be avoided or at least significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: KNF Neuberger GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Becker, Heinz Riedlinger
  • Patent number: 5394788
    Abstract: A cooled piston head and method of manufacture, the piston head having a closed cooling chamber. In one embodiment, the piston head is formed of a top member, an intermediate member and a pin boss member joined to each other preferably by welding; the top and intermediate members are provided with circumferential grooves which defines the closed cooling chamber. In an alternate embodiment, the head is formed of a top member and a pin boss member joined together preferably by welding; the closed cooling chamber is defined by circumferential grooves provided on both members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Metal Leve S/A Industria e Comercio
    Inventors: Jose A. C. Mendes, Jose M. M. Leites, Andre Lippai
  • Patent number: 5309818
    Abstract: A cooled piston head and method of manufacture, the piston head having a closed cooling chamber. In one embodiment, the piston head is formed of a top member, an intermediate member and a pin boss member joined to each other preferably by welding; the top and intermediate members are provided with circumferential grooves which defines the closed cooling chamber. In an alternate embodiment, the head is formed of a top member and a pin boss member joined together preferably by welding; the closed cooling chamber is defined by circumferential grooves provided on both members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Metal Leve S/A Industria E. Comercio
    Inventors: Jose A. C. Mendes, Jose M. M. Leites, Andre Lippai
  • Patent number: 5282411
    Abstract: This heat-insulating piston has a piston head comprising a piston head base portion consisting of a ceramic material, a heat-insulating member jointed to the piston head base portion and consisting of a whisker fired member of the same ceramic material as that of the piston head base portion, and a laminate jointed to the surface of the heat-insulating member that faces the combustion chamber, as well as to the surface that slides and consisting of the same ceramic material as that of the heat-insulating member. The heat-insulating member is stably jointed to the piston head base portion and laminate by utilizing the same ceramic material for the heat-insulating member, piston head base portion and laminate, whereby the strength of the piston head can be improved. Furthermore, the heat-insulating capability of the piston can be improved, while the thermal capacity of the laminate is made small, whereby the suction efficiency can also be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Katsunori Hirai, Hiroshi Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 5207147
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a piston head having a cooling chamber is disclosed. The two portions composing the piston head are made separately; the underside of the upper portion is provided with a circumferential peripheral groove; notches are provided on both sides of the open end of the circumferential peripheral groove; a circumferential annular plate is placed on the notches thereby closing the circumferential peripheral groove; the two portions making up the head are joined to each other by welding and cause the inner edge of the annular plate to be retained in the piston head and become an integral part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Metal Leve S/A Industria E Comercio
    Inventors: Jose M. M. Leites, Jose A. C. Mendes, Andre Lippai
  • Patent number: 5147094
    Abstract: This invention relates to a fluid sealing mechanism for the inside diameter and/or the outside diameter of a piston-cylinder arrangement. This device results in substantially zero seal leakage path with low differential seal pressure required using only one piston ring, one ring groove, and very loose dimensional tolerances required on both the ring and related groove. This yields an inexpensive more positive seal for fluid piston-cylinder configuration used in industrial, commercial, and personal use. This device may utilize an insulator on the side walls and bottom of the groove openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Leber Corporation
    Inventor: Frederick L. J. Rehfeld
  • Patent number: 5085185
    Abstract: A powder-lubricated piston is disclosed for diesel engines, particularly adiabatic diesel engines and coal-water slurry fueled diesel engines. Rings are provided for the piston which flex in response to combustion within the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Mechanical Technology, Incorporated
    Inventor: Hooshang Heshmat
  • Patent number: 5031511
    Abstract: A piston for an hydraulic brake is of the kind comprising an insulating core member and a cup member, joined together by fastening means arranged between the core and cup members.This fastening means is constituted as follows. The base portion of the cup member has a central projection, while the core member has a central cavity which is open at the level of the outer projecting surface of the cup member and which is closed by an end wall forming the base of the cavity, with the projection from the cup member base portion extending through a hole in this base wall. An axially acting resilient means is engaged on the free end of the projection within the cavity and engages against that face of the wall which is directed away from the base portion of the cup member. The invention is particularly applicable to the control of hydraulic brakes, in particular for automotive vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Gino Villata
  • Patent number: 4939984
    Abstract: Pistons for internal combustion engines, particularly compression ignition engines. The pistons have insulating crowns and include a crown having a cap thereon, extending over the crown surface area, the crown cap being composed of an iron-based or a nickel-based alloy and having on the underside thereof ribs which are encast into an aluminium alloy which forms the piston body. The crown cap further includes a ceramic insert encapsulated therein. The ceramic insert may also be leached out by chemical means to leave a void in the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: AE PLC
    Inventor: David F. Fletcher-Jones
  • Patent number: 4891875
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piston of an internal combustion engine includes holding a soluble core to a plurality of first projection portions and a plurality of second projection portions and a plurality of third projection portions formed in a pair of straight portions of a strut member for preventing thermal expansion of the piston. The first projections have a bent portion bent outwardly so as to be along an inner face of the soluble core and the second projection portions have a curved holding portion bent inwardly so as to be along a lower surface and inner surface of the soluble core. By holding the strut member and the soluble core in the piston, the soluble core is melted away and an oil-cooling gallery is formed by pouring water into the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hara Soichi, Hiroshi Kageyama
  • Patent number: 4831917
    Abstract: A multiple piece piston is provided for a diesel internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber depression in the crown of the piston. In order to achieve a low rate of heat flow into the piston ring area and thus into the cylinder liner which surrounds the piston, a separate piston base or crown surrounding the combustion chamber depression is formed by a ring element made of a material having poor thermal conductivity, and the main body of the piston is made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The heat of combustion is thus conducted mainly axially through the piston main body and absorbed by sprayed cooling oil. The cooling oil, thus heated, can be utilized for heating purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Kloeckner-Humboldt Deutz AG
    Inventors: Hans Houben, Eckhard Haas
  • Patent number: 4742759
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ceramic insert cast piston for an internal combustion engine which includes a head made of ceramic, a metal ring fitted around the peripheral portion of the ceramic head, and a piston body made of a metal by casting a metal around the ceramic head with the metal ring thereon, wherein an air insulating layer in the form of an annular groove is formed at the inner periphery of the metal ring and a buffer member is interposed between the ceramic head and the casting metal piston body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Issei Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 4736676
    Abstract: A composite piston structure is disclosed which provides a simple and reliable means for joining a carbon-carbon or ceramic piston cap 11 with a metallic piston body 13. Attachment is achieved by means of a special geometry which compensates for differences in thermal expansion without complicated mechanical fastening devices. The shape employs a flange created by opposed frustoconical shapes 12 and 19 with coincident vertices 15 intersecting on the radial centerline of the piston in order to retain the piston cap. The use of carbon-carbon for the piston cap material allows a close fit between the piston and a cylinder wall, eliminating the need for piston rings. The elimination of extra mechanical parts of previous composite pistons provides a lightweight composite piston capable of extended high temperature operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Allan H. Taylor
  • Patent number: 4651629
    Abstract: A piston (2) is of refractory materials, particularly for a compression-ignition engine of the type having a head (4), a skirt (6) and their mutual fastening means. According to the invention, this skirt (6) is formed entirely of a refractory material and has two semicylindrical parts (18, 20) each of which has ribs (22) and a semispherical cavity (36, 38). After assembly, the cavities form a ball joint seat for the small end of a piston rod along a plane containing the longitudinal axis (14) of the piston (2). Application is to compression-ignition engines with high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Regie Nationale des Usines Renault
    Inventor: Armand Castarede
  • Patent number: 4604945
    Abstract: This invention discloses a thermally insulated piston having a cap portion and a body portion. The cap can be made of metal or ceramic. The cap and body portion are joined together by a brazing alloy. The cap portion can have a groove for receiving the brazing alloy. The ceramic cap can have a retaining band portion in a retaining band groove the band being bonded to the body portion by a brazing alloy. The piston with the ceramic cap can have an interlayer between the cap and body portion, the interlayer being bonded to the cap portion and body portion by a brazing alloy. The interlayer can have an outer knife edge. The body portion has a machined groove adjacent to the cap portion comprised of cells filled with thermal insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventor: Howard Mizuhara
  • Patent number: 4599772
    Abstract: The reinforcement of the crown of a piston of aluminum or aluminum alloy for an internal combustion engine comprises the preparation of a reinforcement member (10, 13) which is provided with apertures (11, 14), or reentrants. The reinforcement member is placed in a crown-forming part (18) of a piston die in a squeeze casting apparatus and the piston is squeeze cast. The molten metal penetrates the apertures, or enters the reentrants, and these are so shaped that when the molten metal has solidified, keys are formed which connect securely the reinforcement member to the aluminum or aluminum alloy. Further reinforcement members can then be readily brazed or welded to the first reinforcement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Assignee: AE PLC
    Inventor: Neil A. Graham
  • Patent number: 4593608
    Abstract: In a reciprocating machine, there is provided a hollow piston including a dome portion on one end and a base portion on the opposite end. The base portion includes a central bore into which a rod is hermetically fixed in radial and angular alignment. The extending end of the rod has a reduced diameter portion adapted to fit into the central bore of a second member such as a cross-head assembly, and to be secured thereto in radial and axial alignment with the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1986
    Assignee: Mechanical Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: John A. Corey, Michael M. Walsh
  • Patent number: 4553472
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine is provided with a crown portion heat insulated from the remainder of the piston over all or substantially all of the area of the crown, to reduce the transfer of heat from the crown to the remainder of the piston. The insulation may be by a chamber extending across the piston and the chamber may contain a vacuum. Such a piston can be manufactured by a process involving roll-bonding aluminum or an aluminum alloy to a ferrous material in order to secure a crown of ferrous material to the remainder of the piston made from aluminum or aluminum alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Inventors: Robert Munro, David A. Parker, Neil A. Graham
  • Patent number: 4552057
    Abstract: This invention discloses a thermally insulated piston having a cap portion and a body portion. The cap can be made of metal or ceramic. The cap and body portion are joined together by a brazing alloy. The cap portion can have a groove for receiving the brazing alloy. The ceramic cap can have a retaining band portion in a retaining band groove the band being bonded to the body portion by a brazing alloy. The piston with the ceramic cap can have an interlayer between the cap and body portion, the interlayer being bonded to the cap portion and body portion by a brazing alloy. The interlayer can have an outer knife edge. The body portion has a machined groove adjacent to the cap portion comprised of cells filled with thermal insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventor: Howard Mizuhara
  • Patent number: 4531502
    Abstract: A thermally insulated piston for an internal combustion engine comprises a cast piston with a top wall having an annular recess, a cast iron annular cap in the recess, and a low thermal conductivity honeycomb structure between the cap and the bottom of the recess. The honeycomb structure has a plurality of cells, each formed of (stainless steel) foil filled with insulating material and brazed to the cap and to the bottom of the recess. This structure is a thermal barrier to the flow of heat from the cap to the main body of the piston, has high strength in compression and facilitates the adibatic expansion of gasses in the cylinder of the engine, particularly a diesel engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventor: Howard Mizuhara
  • Patent number: 4493292
    Abstract: A piston having an evaporation-condensation heat pipe to transfer heat between piston crown and piston skirts. The evaporation-condensation heat pipe is formed as a structure separate from the piston itself, and the two are joined together by a high conductivity adhesive-elastomer bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1985
    Assignee: Automotive Engine Associates
    Inventor: Merle R. Showalter
  • Patent number: 4450610
    Abstract: A piston composed at least in part of fiber-reinforced synthetic resin material, is provided with a piston base or bottom, a piston shaft or shank, and eyes for engagement with a member to be driven by or for driving the piston. According to the method of this invention, the piston bottom and piston shaft are fabricated separately and are form-fittingly interconnected while the eyes are enclosed in a body which is fixed to the piston shaft and abuts at opposite end this shaft and the piston bottom. At least this body and the shaft are formed by a winding of fiber roving impregnated with hardenable synthetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: Audi Nsu Auto Union Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Siegfried Schaper
  • Patent number: 4375782
    Abstract: A composite piston for internal combustion engines having a lower part and an upper part composed of ferrous material and joined together by a centering screw-threaded ring, is provided with the screw-threaded ring which comprises internal screw threads adjacent the lower rim thereof and an internal annular rib adjacent the upper rim thereof, the lower part of the piston has a corresponding annular recess adjacent its upper rim configured to enable the screw-threaded ring to be screwed onto the upper rim of the lower part of the piston and the upper part has an annular recess in the upper rim thereof configured to receive the internal annular rib, when the screw threaded ring is screwed onto the lower part, with the axially extending and radially extending boundary surfaces of the internal rib forced against the confronting boundary surfaces of the annular recess of the upper part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1983
    Assignee: Karl Schmidt GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schieber
  • Patent number: 4372194
    Abstract: Internal combustion engine piston of the composite type, having a steel upper portion surmounting an aluminum lower portion in which the piston ring grooves are provided.The lower portion (2) comprises a concentric circular cavity (3), open at the top and recessed from the ring grooves (5), said cavity being covered by an annular groove (7) in the lower surface of the steel upper portion (1) to form a dead space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: Regie Nationale Des Usines Renault
    Inventor: Jean P. Vallaude
  • Patent number: 4270494
    Abstract: An oil cooled diesel engine piston is designed to restrict heat loss from the combustion chamber through provision of a combustion chamber insert defining a central non-oil-cooled chamber and a surrounding annular insulating air gap. The air gap controls heat flow primarily between the combustion gas exposed wall of the insert and an adjacent coolant exposed wall of the main piston volume.The insert is press fitted into a recess in the main piston body and is positively locked therein by a retaining ring. A seal ring closes expansion clearance provided at the upper edge of the insert against significant gas flow into the insulating air gap. Insulating efficiency of the air gap is maximized by forming the gap with a thickness throughout a major portion of its extent of between about 0.040 and 0.060 inches.Numerous additional features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1981
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Garter, Nshan Hamparian, Litton T. Lee
  • Patent number: 4256022
    Abstract: A piston for reciprocating internal combustion engines, especially Diesel engines, is provided having a crown exposed to the heat of combustion gases, a guide member spaced from said crown, a shell connecting said crown and guide member, a ring carrier connected to the crown of said piston, sealing and oil control rings in said ring carrier, said ring carrier being connected to said crown by a constriction situated adjacent a straight line extending through the crown of the piston, said shell being formed at its end away from the crown with a base formed by two bifurcated legs, said legs being arranged symmetrically to a plane extending through the center of the piston and formed with eyes, a wrist pin in said eyes connecting said shell with said guide member, said shell being in the form of a truncated cone provided in its interior with a cavity constructed at least in one direction of the longitudinal axis of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1981
    Inventors: Ludwig Elsbett, Gunter Elsbett
  • Patent number: 4253430
    Abstract: An oil cooled diesel engine piston is designed to restrict heat loss from the combustion chamber through provision of a combustion chamber insert defining a central non-oil-cooled chamber and a surrounding annular insulating air gap. The air gap controls heat flow primarily between the combustion gas exposed wall of the insert and an adjacent coolant exposed wall of the main piston volume.The insert is press fitted into a recess in the main piston body and is positively locked therein by a retaining ring. A seal ring closes expansion clearance provided at the upper edge of the insert against significant gas flow into the insulating air gap. Insulating efficiency of the air gap is maximized by forming the gap with a thickness throughout a major portion of its extent of between about 0.040 and 0.060 inches.Numerous additional features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Garter, Nshan Hamparian