Mahle International Gmbh

Dana Corporation

Jason Bieneman

Thomas J Smith

Thomas C Stong

Steven John Sytsma

Fabio Mendes De Araujo

Erich John Rabassa

Alexander Cooper

Nikhil Nachappa

Robert Piccard

Claudinei J De Oliveira

Victor H Tapia Ramirez

Terry Pecott

Ashfaque Ahamed

Timothy Andros

A piston assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder bore and a piston having exactly two ring grooves, a scraper ring positioned in the upper ring groove, and an oil control ring positioned in the lower ring groove. A constant twist occurs in the scraper ring about a rotational center of the cross-section, the constant twist occurring at each cross-sectional location of the scraper ring about the circumference of the ring and between adjacent free ends of the ring. The oil control ring can be of a multi-segmented U-flex design, with a coil spring mounted in a channel thereof. The combination of the two rings leads to improved sealing and oil control so that the piston can be manufactured with only two rings, thus reducing overall weight and cost.

Piston having two piston rings

A method of forming a piston ring includes providing a base portion formed of a metallic material, the base portion having a first surface, and a second surface that is opposite the first surface, the base portion configured to interface with a piston ring groove. The method includes grinding the first surface to form a reference surface, applying a chromium layer to the second surface, and grinding the chromium layer to reduce a surface roughness of the chromium layer.

Inlaid ring with plated lateral side

A piston having a piston crown with a combustion chamber, and a circumferential ring belt extending from the piston crown and having a plurality of ring grooves separated by piston lands. At least one of the piston lands, ring grooves or top surface of the crown is provided with a coating comprising hexagonal boron nitride. The coating can be made solely of hexagonal boron nitride, or can additionally include a resin. The coating can be a single layer coating or a multiple layer coating.

Piston with anti-carbon coating and method for applying an anti-carbon coating on a piston

A piston ring and a method of forming a piston ring. A masking agent is applied to a selective area on an exterior surface of a piston ring. The masking agent inhibits the subsequent application of additional coatings to the selective area on the exterior surface of the piston ring. In one form, the masking agent may inhibit the subsequent application of a nitride layer to the selective area on the exterior surface of the piston ring. A recess may be formed in an outer peripheral side of the piston ring, and a thermal spray coating may be formed within the recess in the outer peripheral side of the piston ring.

Nitride coated piston ring

Exemplary piston rings are disclosed, comprising a base portion formed of a metallic material, and an outer contact surface extending between opposing side faces of the piston ring. The piston ring may include a coating layer applied to the outer contact surface, with the coating layer including an inner layer and an outer layer. Exemplary methods of making a piston ring are also disclosed, comprising providing a base portion formed of a metallic material, applying an inner layer to an outer surface of the base portion, and applying an outer layer on top of the inner layer.

Piston ring with dual coating

Various methods including applying a coating material with an additive to an article are disclosed. The coating material may be in a powder form before a thermal spraying used to apply the coating material. The coating material may comprise a chromium nitride, a chromium carbide, a chromium silicide, or a tungsten carbide. Additional materials may be added, e.g., a molybdenum alloy such as molybdenum-chromium. In one aspect, thermal spraying includes melting the coating material, propelling the molten coating material toward the article to be coated, and coating the article with the molten coating material. In another aspect, the coated article is one or more piston rings.

Coating additive

A secondary seal is provided for an internal combustion engine having a piston, cylinder bore, ring seal, secondary seal, and leak path. Forces are applied from the combustion side of the piston through a cylinder gap and a leak path to the secondary seal. The secondary seal, seated on the piston and ring seal, transmits the forces generally axially to the piston and ring seal, thereby controllably limiting the radial force between the ring seal and cylinder bore.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Jason Bieneman