Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Aladar O Simko

Michael M Schechter

Michael A Choma

James R Clarke

Robert A Stein

Michael Benjamin Levin

Robert Albert Stein

Wallace R Wade

Joseph Richard Asik

Matthew Byrne Diggs

Roy E Diehl

Richard Walter Anderson

Philip W Husak

Peter H Havstad

Joseph A Harrington

Richard C Ronzi

Michale M Schechter

A reciprocating four-stroke internal combustion engine includes a variable exhaust valve operating system for changing the duration of an exhaust valve opening event and also a camshaft drive for rotating a valve operating camshaft and adjusting the rotational timing of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft.

Internal combustion engine with variable camshaft timing and variable

A very compact arrangement of a catalyst bed and exhaust gas bypass passage for a catalytic converter assembly having an essentially overall oval shape with the catalyst bed and bypass passage essentially parallel and side-by-side, and a multi-wing butterfly valve alternately seatable to close one of the passages while opening the other, and vice-versa.

Catalytic converter assembly with bypass

Several embodiments of an automotive engine camshaft deactivator that smoothly disconnect and reconnect a camshaft from the engine driveshaft with a low level impact force between the parts, the connection being made through a slippage friction clutch type mechanism that engages the two members in a manner providing slippage therebetween while the camshaft is being brought up to speed, whereby the camshaft lags behind the drive sprocket allowing the drive sprocket to cam a locking pin into a positive engagement relationship between the camshaft and crankshaft.

Engine camshaft deactivation mechanism

A variable camshaft drive system for an internal combustion engine includes a primary camshaft phaser interposed between the engine crankshaft and a first camshaft. A secondary camshaft phaser determines the phase relationship between the first camshaft and a second camshaft driven by the first camshaft and which is located on the same bank of cylinders as the first camshaft. The operation of each phaser is controlled by an electronic controller which samples one or more engine operating parameters.

Variable camshaft drive system for internal combustion engine

A variable compression ratio device for an internal combustion engine includes a connecting rod having passages formed therein for communicating a hydraulic signal to the piston attached to the connecting rod, means for generating a hydraulic signal having a signal characteristic which is indicative of a desired compression ratio, and a variable compression height piston which is positionable in a plurality of compression heights, including fully retracted, fully extended, and at least one position therebetween, with the piston having an outer section slidably mounted on an inner section, and with the inner section being attached to the connecting rod, with the piston having means responsive to inertia and gas pressure forces and to the generated hydraulic signal for controlling the compression height.

Variable compression ratio piston

A method of operating an automotive-type engine by independently phase shifting the intake and exhaust valves to provide at part loads late closing of the intake valve during the compression stroke to reduce pumping losses, with a delayed overlap between the opening of the intake valve and closing of the exhaust valve controlled to reduce HC and control NO.sub.x by providing a desired level internal EGR by the backflow of gases into the cylinder and intake port, and late opening of the exhaust valve during the expansion stroke to increase expansion work; also a low overlap at idle for improved stability, and optimizing valve timings at wide open throttle for increased torque and power output.

Variable valve timing operated engine

The present invention contemplates a mechanically simply constructed mechanism located internally of a piston engine for adjustably changing the stroke of a piston over a predetermined range in response to a variety of operating control parameters. The adjustable stroke changing mechanism provides an optimum compression ratio at each change in piston stroke and over the entire range of piston stroke provided which may be varied from one piston engine to another of different performance characteristics without requiring a major change in design of the stroke changing mechanism. The stroke changing mechanism includes a swing plate pivotally fixed to the engine block at one end and placed intermediate the piston connection rod and respective crankshaft pin at its other end, each of which are affixed to and translate within the swing plate as the piston is driven to reciprocate within a piston cylinder. An adjustment link is pivotally connected to the engine block at one end and to the connecting rod at its other end and at the swing plate. The adjustment link is hydraulically controlled and actuable to vary in length and thereby change the stroke, and concurrently the compression ratio of the piston.

Variable displacement and compression ratio piston engine

A modular control mechanism for shifting the phase of a camshaft relative to a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine, accomplished by shifting the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft. The mechanism comprising two hydraulic cylindrical housings attached to either the camshaft flange or the camshaft driving sprocket, and plungers within the cylindrical housings attached to the other flange to form a rotational hydraulic coupling. The hydraulic cylinders providing a pair of cavities which vary in displacement as the two flanges are rotated relative to one another. A control apparatus regulating the flow of fluid between the hydraulic cylindrical housings, thus controlling the phase shift between the crankshaft and camshaft. The control device using the energy produced by the reaction torque pulses on the camshaft, and resultant pressure pulses in the cavities, thus creating a self-actuating system. The control apparatus consisting of one of three alternate means for precisely controlling the flow of fluid, thus allowing for a modulated self-actuating mechanism.

Internal combustion engine camshaft phase shift control system

A modular control mechanism for shifting the phase or angular position of a camshaft or camshafts relative to a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine, and utilizing the energy produced by the reaction torque pulses on the camshaft, and resultant pressure pulses in the cavities, to provide a self-actuating system. In one embodiment, e.g. for controlling a single camshaft, the mechanism comprises two hydraulic cylindrical housings attached to either the camshaft flange or the camshaft driving sprocket, and a respective piston within each cylindrical housing and attached to the other flange to form a rotational hydraulic coupling. The hydraulic cylinders provide a pair of fluid chambers varying in displacement as the two flanges are rotated relative to one another. A hydraulic control apparatus regulates the flow of fluid between the hydraulic cylinders, thus controlling the phase shift between the crankshaft and camshaft. In another embodiment, the two hydraulic cylindrical housings are replaced with a single housing including a double acting piston. The control mechanism of the foregoing embodiments being limited to controlling a single camshaft and utilizing a dual planetary gear set for controlling the degree of phase shift.

Internal combustion engine camshaft phaseshift control system

An automotive type fuel injection engine has for each cylinder a single intake manifold runner or log connected by siamesed flow passages to multiple side-by-side intake ports in the cylinder head. A fuel injector is installed in the runner upstream of the dividing portion of the runner. A single constant diameter bore is provided through the cylinder head close to the intake ports intersecting the siamesed flow passages at right angles. The bore contains a one-piece rotatable paddle-like valve with a thin plate in a flow passage, the valve being variable rotatable to close off the passage for fuel economy and power control. The valve is self-contained with sealing and guidance disks.

Charge intake system for a multi-intake valve per cylinder engine

A rocker arm construction suitable for high-speed operation with low-friction consisting of a one-piece essentially U-shaped rocker arm having a bottom portion continuous in material from end to end with an upraised cylindrical surface portion constituting a fulcrum engaged with a stationary lash adjuster mounted in a housing secured to the rocker arm cover, the housing also including a rib portion straddling a roller cam follower rotatably mounted on one end of the rocker arm, the rib portion having a recess, the surface of which defines an epicyclic curve generated by a point on the roller cam follower as it rolls about a cam lobe on the chamshaft, the latter curve providing a pure rolling motion of the cam follower on the cam lobe and assuring a pure rolling motion of the rocker arm on the fulcrum line contact with the lash adjuster, the opposite end of the rocker arm engaging the end of a valve stem for reciprocation thereof.

Low friction high speed rocker arm

A spark plug for an ignition system has a ring gap between two electrodes. A first electrode has a ring shape defining a central opening. A second electrode is positioned within the central opening of the first electrode. An insulating material is positioned between the first and second electrodes so as to provide a surface for a spark path between the first and second electrodes. The insulating material is spaced from the electrode so as to provide therebetween an air gap for increased sparking.

Blast gap ignition system

A fuel injection pump includes a number of plungers of the fill/spill port control type, the plungers being hydraulically connected in pairs and through a single shuttle valve to a single fuel spill port controlled by a single solenoid controlled spill valve, the plungers being operable in sequence and in succession to condition one plunger at a time for fuel pressurization while the remaining plungers are in various other phases of operation refilling their fuel chambers with fuel or preparing the air fuel chamber for pressurization.

Diesel fuel injection system

A compact four valve per cylinder overhead camshaft valve train arrangement for use with small cylinder bore engines is made possible by the mounting of a single overhead camshaft at a position high over the cylinder head and laterally offset from the cylinder bore centerline and adjacent a rocker arm shaft that is mounted on the cylinder bore centerline diagonally beneath the camshaft and in turn mounts a single forked lever type rocker arm for the simultaneous actuation of two exhaust valves, and a pair of individual axially spaced rocker arms directed to the opposite side of the rocker arm shaft for actuating a pair of intake valves, roller type cam followers being used to reduce friction, the arrangement providing access to the center of the cylinder bore for the mounting of a spark plug below and beneath the rocker arm shaft and between the intake valve rocker arms and the intake valves.

Four valve for cylinder engine with single overhead camshaft

A fuel injection pump of the radial plunger, spill port type includes electromagnetic means for opening and closing the spill port to control the pressurization of fuel for injection of fuel to the individual engine cylinders; a single solenoid assembly controlling the flow of fuel to and from a pair of pumping plungers in response to the movement of a shuttle valve mechanism; in one embodiment, a single retraction type delivery valve is used in connection with each pumping plunger and, in a separate embodiment, a single retraction type delivery valve is integrated with the shuttle valve mechanism which controls the individual delivery of fuel to a pair of engine cylinders.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn Heights, MI, United States of America

Aladar O Simko