Caterpillar Inc.

Brandyn A Stack

Rodney Allen Lawrence

Eric Ferguson

Joseph John Stabnik

Joshua Amiel Lehe

Yegor Litvinov

Keith Thomas Igoe

Bradley Joseph Shaffer

Lucas Smith

Nicholas Edwin Wainscott

William Jenkins

Joseph G Chambers

Evan Ramey

Derek M Heinis

Robert S Caplinger

Jarrett T Corcoran

Anthony Kramer

Eric John Forthofer

Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed including internal combustion engine optionally including: a crankcase having a blow-by gas passing therethrough; a source of a boost air; a jacket containing a water; an oil separating apparatus in fluid communication with the boost air and the blow-by gas and having a coalescing filter to separate oil from the blow-by gas; and a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the boost air, wherein the heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the jacket to receive the water, wherein the water is passed in a heat transfer relationship with the boost air in the heat exchanger to achieve a desired temperature range for the boost air passing to the oil separating apparatus.

Internal combustion engine with ventilation system for a crankcase

Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed for separating oil from a blow-by gas of an engine. An example includes a method that includes passing the blow-by gas to a first oil separating apparatus and a second oil separating apparatus, wherein the first oil separating apparatus and the second oil separating apparatus are physically coupled together along interfacing surfaces and in fluid communication with one another as an array, separating the blow-by gas by passing the blow-by gas through respective filters of the first oil separating apparatus and the second oil separating apparatus, removing the oil from the blow-by gas with the respective filters and recombining the blow-by gas after passing from the respective filters; passing the blow-by gas as a single flow stream from the first oil separating apparatus and the second oil separating apparatus.

Modular assemblies for crankcase oil separators

Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed including a breather remote from an engine housing. The breather can be configured to be in fluid communication with a blow-by gas of the engine, and an oil separating apparatus. The breather can be configured to separate oil from the blow-by gas with a first filter media. The oil separating apparatus can be configured to be in fluid communication with the blow-by gas and can be configured to further separate oil from the blow-by gas with a second filter media. The breather and the oil separating apparatus can be configured to be coupled directly together such that an outlet of the breather communicates directly with an inlet of the oil separating apparatus with no intermediate component therebetween facilitating communication.

Breather for crankcase ventilation system

Air valves, such as wastegates, utilize a shaft that rotates within a bushing system. Conventional deposition processes limit the thickness of the wear material between the shaft and bushing system. Accordingly, embodiments disclosed herein utilize one or more coating sleeves that are press-fit onto the shaft. This enables a thicker layer of wear material to be applied to the shaft, thereby improving the longevity and durability of the air valve, while also simplifying the manufacturing process. Embodiments may also utilize one or more anti-rotation features, such as a dowel or axial protrusion, and/or may utilize snap ring(s) to prevent axial sliding of the coating sleeve(s).

Wear surface sleeve press fit onto a shaft in a high temperature air valve application

An engine system optionally including: a crankcase of an engine having a blow-by gas passing therethrough; a liquid source containing a liquid; and an oil separating apparatus in fluid communication with the blow-by gas. The oil separating apparatus having a coalescing filter to separate oil from the blow-by gas. Separate from the blow-by gas and the coalescing filter, the oil separating apparatus is in fluid communication with the liquid source to receive the liquid. The liquid is passed through the oil separating apparatus in a heat exchange relationship with the blow-by gas to maintain a desired temperature range for the blow-by gas.

Pre-heated crankcase ventilation system architecture

Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed for separating oil from a blow-by gas of an engine. An example includes engine system includes a crankcase having a blow-by gas passing therethrough, a compressor configured to receive air and compress the air, an aftercooler, an oil separating apparatus and a jet pump. The aftercooler communicates with the compressor and is configured to cool at least a portion of the air compressed by the compressor. The oil separating apparatus communicates with the blow-by gas. The oil separating apparatus communicates with a boost air that is a mixture of the compressed air from the compressor and cooled air from the aftercooler. The jet pump communicates with both the blow-by gas after leaving the oil separating apparatus and the boost air after leaving the oil separating apparatus and is configured to combine the blow-by gas and the boost air.

Crankcase ventilation system architecture

A fluid supply system for a machine such as an internal combustion engine includes a shutoff valve having an electrical actuator that includes a solenoid subassembly, and a stabilizer for the electrical valve actuator. The stabilizer includes a fitting structured to couple the shutoff valve to adjacent hardware in the fluid supply system, and a strongarm extending between the fitting and the solenoid assembly and clamped to the solenoid subassembly. A vibration-damping reinforced grommet may be clamped between the solenoid subassembly and the clamp.

Fluid supply system having shutoff valve with stabilized electrical valve actuator

A valve system may include a valve having a housing with a bore and a valve member positioned within the bore. The valve member may include a valve shaft with a recess. The valve system may also include an actuator having an actuator shaft with an end portion. An adapter may couple the valve shaft and the actuator shaft. The adapter may include a body having a shape corresponding to a shape of the recess of the valve shaft for fitting the adapter within the recess and an aperture extending into the body. The aperture may have a shape corresponding to a shape of the end portion of the actuator shaft for press fitting the adapter onto the actuator shaft. The adapter may fit within the recess and press fit coupled to the actuator shaft.

Adapter for a valve system

The present disclosure relates to a fluid supply system for a machine. The fluid supply system includes a throttle assembly having a first shaft attached to a valve member and a fluid shutoff assembly. The fluid shutoff assembly includes a second shaft, a locking member having an axis parallel to an axis of the second shaft and comprising a locking arm extending toward the second shaft, a biasing member fixedly attached to the second shaft, a releasing mechanism adjacent to the locking member that rotates the locking member about the longitudinal axis of the locking member, and a coupler comprising a first coupling hub attached to the first shaft and a second coupling hub attached to the second shaft and interfaced with the first coupling hub.

Throttle with integrated fluid shutoff trigger mechanism

A shutoff valve assembly for a fluid supply system includes a shutoff valve, with a valve member movable therein to shutoff fluid flow through a fluid conduit. The shutoff valve assembly includes a sensor target assembly with a sensor target located outside of the valve housing, and a rotator structured to transmit a rotation of the valve member within the valve housing to the sensor target. A proximity sensor is located outside of the valve housing and structured to produce a valve closing signal based on rotation of the sensor target that is indicative of initiating closing the shutoff valve. The design is adapted for relatively high temperature and high vibration environments.

Shutoff valve assembly and sensing subsystem for detecting state of same

An air shutoff valve for use on an internal combustion engine includes a gate that is moveable between armed and triggered positions by springs when a release pin is retracted and allows a spring loaded retention pin to retract and release the gate, which is also spring loaded, to drop. The release pin is operated by an actuator.

Air shutoff valve

An air shutoff valve for use on an internal combustion engine includes a gate that is moveable between armed and triggered positions by springs when a retention pin is retracted and allows a spring loaded retention pin to retract and release the gate, which is also spring loaded, to drop. The retention pin is operated by an actuator through a cam mechanism.

An internal combustion engine includes a crankcase having first and second pluralities of openings. A oil separation module has at least one inlet housing that communicates with a oil separation filter and is connectable to at least one opening from the first plurality of openings or from the second plurality of openings to define a crankcase vent.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Brandyn A Stack