Caterpillar Inc.

Avco Corporation

Michael H Haselkorn

Michael C Long

David Elliot Hackett

Peter William Anderton

Daniel L Mikrut

Virgil R Hester

Jerry A Metz

William A Holt

Kenneth R Watts

Harry M Yousefnia

William K Engel

Robert Lowell Miller

James C Goade

Donald H Sherman

Alan W Wells

Leslie C Morris

Ajayi O Oyelayo

The invention consists of a coated metallic component which exhibits improved wear and pitting resistance, and a method for making the invention. A metallic component is coated with a functionally gradient material utilizing both a non-oxide containing coating and boron oxide coating. This invention is useful for rolling and sliding contacts.

Modified boron containing coating for improved wear and pitting resistance

An improved apparatus for withstanding the high temperatures in the exhaust assembly of an internal combustion engine. A quilted insulating element is extended about a liner of a manifold or port liner. The liner in this invention is preferably ceramic. After assembling the insulating element about the liner, a metallic ring is installed for support during casting. A metallic housing, preferably cast iron, can then be cast around the liner, insulating element, and metallic ring.

Method for supporting a ceramic liner cast into metal

Ceramic valve guides capable of withstanding high temperature ranges are typically used in high efficiency internal combustion engines. In very large engines these ceramic valve guides can be quite long and forming the required through bore in the ceramic valve guide to accommodate a stem of a valve can be extremely time consuming. A ceramic valve guide assembly is disclosed that provides a simple and economical means for creating a ceramic valve guide assembly. In one embodiment, the valve guide assembly comprises a first valve guide sleeve that is identical to a second valve guide sleeve. Each valve guide sleeve includes a guide bore having a first diameter and a secondary bore having a second diameter. The second diameter is larger than the first diameter. The secondary bore of the first valve guide sleeve is placed adjacent the secondary bore of the second valve guide sleeve and the first valve guide sleeve is secured to the second valve guide sleeve, preferably by an outer sleeve. The first diameter of the guide bore is chosen to be in close fitting engagement with a stem of a valve while the second diameter is not in close fitting engagement. In a second embodiment, the valve guide sleeves are formed as a single unit to produce a one piece valve guide assembly.

Ceramic valve guide with two internal diameters

A track seal assembly (174) adapted to seal a track joint (172) includes a track link and a ceramic seal member (186). The track seal further includes an elastomeric member (176) positioned between the track link and the ceramic seal member (186). The track seal (174) further includes a bushing (184) having a ceramic end face (187). The end face (87) of the bushing defines a ceramic bushing face (187) that interfaces with the ceramic seal member (186) so as to form a seal interface.

Track joint sealing assembly for sealing a track joint in a track chain

An improvement in a thermally insulating component for an engine part, made by sintering from ceramic materials, comprises, the thermally insulating component having a composition, consisting of a mixture of zirconium oxide in the range of about 5% to about 25% by volume and mullite in the range of about 75% to about 95% by volume. Further, the mixture of zirconium oxide and mullite is obtained by chemically mixing the zirconium oxide and mullite in their molecular states, rather than mechanically mixing them. Another feature of this invention includes, forming said thermally insulating component by slip casting and pressureless sintering the mixture of zirconium oxide and mullite at a temperature no greater than 1700.degree. C. This improvement in a thermally insulating component for an engine part, made from a mullite-zirconia ceramic composite, embodying the present invention, is particularly useful in making flame decks for cylinder heads, and insulating coverings for pistons and exhaust ports.

Mullite-zirconia engine part

A track seal assembly adapted to seal a track joint includes a track link and a first ceramic seal member. The track seal further includes a first elastomeric member positioned between the track link and the first ceramic seal member. The track seal further includes a bushing having an end face. The track seal also includes a second ceramic seal member secured to the end face of the bushing, wherein (1) the first ceramic seal member contacts the second ceramic seal member so as to form a seal interface, (2) the end face of the bushing has a counter bore defined therein, and (3) the second ceramic seal member is positioned within the counter bore of the bushing.

Track joint sealing assembly for sealing a track joint having ceramic

Process for forming a mullite-zirconia engine part

The design and construction of past exhaust port liners with heat insulation capabilities have had to become more simple in order to reduce costs. However, less costly exhaust port liners may have inferior heat insulation capabilities. The present invention overcomes this and other problems with a means for encapsulating an insulating layer of material. The encapsulating means is composed of fiberglass cloth with the ability to withstand high temperatures. A blanket is formed when the fiberglass cloth encapsulates the insulating layer. The blanket is stitched in a quilted pattern to form a plurality of individual pockets. The blanket is wrapped around a ceramic body of a port liner. The quilted stitching pattern, due to separating the insulating layer into the plurality of individual pockets, protects the pockets individually. If damage should occur to one of the plurality of pockets, the insulating layer would remain intact within the remaining plurality of pockets. Therefore, the surrounding pockets retain their individual insulating layer increasing the durability of the blanket and prolonging the life of the insulating layer. The ability to protect the insulating layer from catastrophic damage increases efficiency and decreases the rate of heat loss. The ability to decrease the rate of heat loss increases engine efficiency.

Insulated port liner assembly

A composition and process are disclosed for constructing a diesel engine element, such as for example, a valve guide which will withstand the friction of various tribological locations in a diesel engine when operating the engine at elevated temperatures and/or on alternative fuels. The composition is one of a glass,glass-ceramic, and mixtures thereof matrix having graphite particles. In the process, a unitary element is formed from the mixture and thereafter is sintered for a time and temperature sufficient to obtain a preselected density.

Composition and process for forming diesel engine elements

The design and construction of past port liners with heat insulation capabilities have had to become more simple in order to reduce costs. However, less costly exhaust port liners may have inferior heat insulation capabilities. Additionally, port liners cast into a cylinder head of an internal combustion diesel engine must endure the stresses associated with the high casting temperatures of cast iron. The present invention overcomes these and other problems by utilizing a ceramic port liner containing a low temperature softening phase. The ceramic port liner is surrounded by a blanket formed when a fiberglass cloth encapsulates an insulating layer of material. The ceramic port liner and surrounding blanket are cast within a cylinder head. During the casting process, the ceramic port liner remains in a softened state. As the casting cools, the ceramic port liner returns to a regular solid state at a progressively sufficient thermal rate to protect it from damage. The ability to protect the ceramic port liner during casting enables it to be used in conjunction with the surrounding blanket, decreasing the rate of heat loss. The ability to decrease the rate of heat loss increases engine efficiency.

Insulated port linear assembly

In order to achieve great engine efficiency, heat, normally dissipated through the cooling system, is directed through the exhaust passage to increase the turbocharger speed. Ceramic valve guides capable of withstanding high temperature ranges are being used for increased engine efficiency. Unfortunately, the resultant interference fit achieved through conventional shrink fitting the ceramic valve guide into the cylinder head will be lost once the engine is at operating temperatures due to the differential thermal expansion between the ceramic and the cylinder head material. The present invention provides a simple means for ensuring that the ceramic valve guide will be mounted within a cylinder head in a way that ensures that the ceramic valve guide is held in place within the cylinder head throughout the operating cycles of the engine. This is accomplished by utilizing a securing assembly which circumferentially surrounds the ceramic valve guide. The securing assembly includes a lower and an upper securing element and a spring disposed between the lower and the upper securing element. When installed in the engine, a valve spring places an axial load on the securing element which compresses the spring and forces the lower and the upper securing element into radial engagement with the ceramic sleeve and the cylinder head. Thereby, forcibly connecting the ceramic valve guide and the cylinder head.

Method of mounting a ceramic valve guide assembly

A manifold of an engine has a liner, a housing and an insulating element covering and extending about the liner between the liner and the housing. The external surface of the housing is free of insulating elements. The insulating element is quilted and has ceramic fiber encased within fiberglass.

Internally insulated gas manifold

Piston assemblies for use in fluid translating devices normally are made of hardened metal alloy materials which require very smooth surface and are always subject to varying degrees of thermal expansion when being operated at high operating temperatures. In the subject arrangement, a piston assembly is provided and is constructed of most, if not all, ceramic components. The piston assembly includes a ceramic piston having a spherical head portion at one end thereof which rests in a spherical cavity of a ceramic slipper and held therein by a cylindrical ring. The cylindrical ring can be of a one-piece or a two-piece design which is in contact with the spherical head portion and bonded to the ceramic slipper, thus, retaining the spherical head portion. The cylindrical ring could also be made of a metallic material. The metallic ring is bonded to the ceramic slipper and subsequently swaged to hold the spherical head portion within the spherical cavity. The subject ceramic piston assembly provides a very smooth surface which reduces sliding friction and likewise the effects of thermal expansion and inertia are minimized by the use of a ceramic material. Consequently, the subject piston assembly is very efficient when operating at high temperatures and, likewise, is easy to manufacture and assemble.

Piston assembly for a fluid translating device

In order to achieve great engine efficiency, heat, normally dissipated through the cooling system, is directed through the exhaust passage to increase the turbocharger output. Conventional iron base valve guides cannot operate effectively within the high temperature ranges. Therefore, ceramic valve guides capable of withstanding high temperature ranges are being used for increased engine durability. Unfortunately, ceramic valve guides are difficult to install into a cylinder head using any currently available techniques. The present invention provides a simple means for mounting a ceramic valve guide assembly (52) within a cylinder head (18). A ceramic sleeve (70) is inserted into a metallic sleeve (80). The ceramic sleeve (70) and the metallic sleeve (80) are machined so that an interference fit is obtained when assembled to define the valve guide assembly (52). The valve guide assembly (52) is installed into the cylinder head (18) in a normal manner. Proper selection of the dimensions and materials for the ceramic sleeve (70) and the metallic sleeve (80) will result in a design wherein the stresses and contact pressures of the ceramic sleeve (70), the metallic sleeve (80), and the cylinder head (18) are each kept reasonable at all conditions encountered during manufacturing, assembly, and operation of the engine.

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

Michael H Haselkorn