Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

University of Michigan

Russell P Durrett

Paul M Najt

Peter P Andruskiewicz, Iv

Michael A Potter

Hamid Ghavami Kia

Anthony M Coppola

Venkatesh Gopalakrishnan

Tobias A Schaedler

Xin He

Peter Andruskiewicz

Gary P Hill

Mark William Verbrugge

John Hunter Martin

Michael J Walker

Sloan Patrick Smith

Jason R Traub

David J Brooks

Alexander Knafl

Christopher J Ro

Hung-Yih Isaac Du

Christine M Lihn

Elliott Ortiz-Soto

Steve Miller

Ian Whiteside

Steve Anstey

Scott M Biesboer

Gerald P Malta

Jun Zhou

An insulated exhaust port liner of a cylinder head assembly for fluidly connecting to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle includes a sealing layer. The sealing layer has a first surface defining a passage for fluidly connecting to the internal combustion engine and receiving exhaust gas. The sealing layer further includes a second surface opposite to the first surface. The liner further includes a thermal barrier layer coated onto the second surface of the sealing layer. The thermal barrier layer is a porous non-woven material for supporting the sealing layer on the cylinder head and reducing a transfer of heat from the sealing layer to the cylinder head.

Insulated exhaust port liner for a cylinder head assembly of a motor vehicle

A temperature-following layer may be applied to a surface of components within an internal combustion engine. The temperature-following layer follows the temperature swing of adjacent gases (for example, in a combustion chamber). The temperature-following layer may be applied directly to a substrate, or the temperature-following layer may be an outer layer of a multi-layer thermal barrier coating. The multi-layer thermal barrier coating may include, for example, an insulating layer, a sealing layer bonded to the insulating layer, and a porous temperature-following layer disposed on the sealing layer. The sealing layer is substantially non-permeable and configured to seal against the insulating layer.

Thermal barrier coating with temperature-following layer

A single-shaft dual expansion internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a cylinder head and a crankshaft. First and second power pistons are moveable in first and second power cylinders and are connected to first and second crankpins of the crankshaft. An expander piston is moveable in an expander cylinder and is connected via a multi-link connecting rod assembly to a third crankpin of the crankshaft. A first balance shaft is arranged in a first longitudinal opening in the engine block, and a second balance shaft is arranged in a second longitudinal opening in the engine block. The first and second balance shafts have first and second counterweight portions, respectively, and the crankshaft has a third counterweight portion causing an imbalance in the crankshaft.

Single shaft dual expansion internal combustion engine

A composite thermal barrier coating (TBC) may be applied to a surface of components within an internal combustion engine. The composite TBC provides low thermal conductivity and low heat capacity insulation that is sealed against combustion gasses. The composite TBC includes three layers, bonded to one another, i.e., a first (bonding) layer, a second (insulating) layer, and a third (sealing) layer. The insulating layer is disposed between the bonding layer and the sealing layer. The bonding layer is bonded to the component and to the insulating layer. The insulating layer includes hollow microspheres that are sintered together to form insulation that provides a low effective thermal conductivity and low effective heat capacity. The sealing layer is a thin film that is configured to resist the high temperatures, present within the engine. The sealing layer is impermeable to gasses and presents a smooth surface.

Composite thermal barrier coating

An engine block assembly includes a head structure assembly, and a cylinder structure assembly. A plurality of fasteners interconnect the head structure assembly and the cylinder structure assembly. An outer shell encapsulates and supports both the head structure assembly and the cylinder structure assembly. The outer shell is a unitary polymer structure that is simultaneously over-molded onto the head structure assembly and the cylinder structure assembly. The head structure assembly and the cylinder structure assembly are constructed of components that are designed to carry the operational loads of the engine with minimal weight. The outer shell provides additional structural integrity, and provides fluid passages for lubrication and cooling, as well as support for other engine components.

Composite engine architecture, and method of manufacturing the same

A cylinder liner assembly includes an inner wear cylinder, a shell disposed radially outside of an outer surface of the inner wear cylinder, and a central layer disposed between the inner wear cylinder and the shell. The inner wear cylinder is a metal or ceramic, the central layer is a porous material, and the shell is a fiber reinforced polymer. The cylinder liner assembly may include a coolant passage disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the inner wear cylinder, between the inner wear cylinder and the shell. The coolant passage is operable to circulate a coolant therethrough for cooling the inner wear cylinder.

Cylinder liner assembly and method of making the same

Methods of manufacturing vehicle assemblies, such as engine assemblies, are provided. The method includes arranging at least a first component in a mold, arranging a second component or a second component precursor adjacent to the first component in the mold, introducing a sacrificial material into the mold, introducing at least one polymeric fluid into the mold, solidifying the polymeric fluid, and removing the sacrificial material from the mold to form a void space so that the first component, the polymeric composite material, and the void space define the vehicle assembly.

Methods of manufacturing vehicle assemblies

Engine assemblies and methods of heating and/or cooling the engine assemblies are provided. The engine assembly has a metal liner defining a cylindrical region for receiving a piston, a polymeric composite housing disposed around at least a portion of the exterior surface of the metal liner, and a metal cylinder head. The polymeric composite housing comprises a polymer and a plurality of reinforcing fibers and at least one of: a plurality of microchannels for receiving a heat transfer fluid for heating and/or cooling the engine assembly; and at least one wire for heating the engine assembly.

Polymeric composite engine assembly and methods of heating and cooling said assembly

Methods of joining components to form vehicle assemblies, such as engine assemblies, are provided. The methods include arranging a first component having a first channel defined therein in a mold, arranging a second component having a second channel defined therein in the mold, and aligning the first and second channel to define a pin-receiving channel. At least one polymeric composite pin is inserted into the pin-receiving channel thereby joining the first and second components, wherein an adhesive is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the polymeric composite pin.

Methods of joining components in vehicle assemblies

An internal combustion engine includes a component configured to be subjected to combustion gasses, the component includes a substrate presenting a surface and a coating applied to the surface of the substrate. The coating includes an insulating layer applied to the surface having a plurality of microspheres and a sealing layer bonded to the insulating layer and seals against the insulating layer.

Internal combustion engine and method for coating internal combustion engine components

Vehicle assemblies, such as engine assemblies, including an integrated cylinder head and plurality of liners as well as a polymeric composite housing are provided. Methods of making such vehicle assemblies are also provided.

Engine assemblies and methods of manufacturing the same

Crankshaft assemblies for vehicle assemblies, such as engine assemblies, and methods of manufacturing crankshaft assemblies are provided. The crankshaft assembly includes a first crankpin disposed between a first pair of webs and at least a first main bearing journal connected to the first pair of webs, wherein at least one of the first crankpin, the first pair of webs or the first main bearing journal is a polymeric composite including a polymer and a plurality of reinforcing fibers.

Crankshaft assemblies and methods of manufacturing the same

A thermal barrier coating for a component includes an insulating layer applied to a surface of a substrate. The insulating layer comprises a plurality of ceramic microspheres. A sealing layer is bonded to the insulating layer. The sealing layer is non-permeable such that the sealing layer seals against the insulating layer. A method for applying a thermal barrier coating to a surface of a substrate of a component includes providing a plurality of ceramic microspheres and applying the plurality of ceramic microspheres to the surface of the substrate. At least one heat treatment is applied to the plurality of ceramic microspheres on the surface of the component to create an insulating layer on the surface of the substrate.

Ceramic microsphere thermal barrier coating

A piston compound internal combustion engine is disclosed with an expander piston deactivation feature. A piston internal combustion engine is compounded with a secondary expander piston, where the expander piston extracts energy from the exhaust gases being expelled from the primary power pistons. The secondary expander piston can be deactivated and immobilized, or its stroke can be reduced, under low load conditions in order to reduce parasitic losses and over-expansion. Two mechanizations are disclosed for the secondary expander piston's coupling with the power pistons and crankshaft. Control strategies for activation and deactivation of the secondary expander piston are also disclosed. In addition, six-cylinder engine configurations are defined by replicating groups of two power pistons and one expander piston.

Exhaust compound internal combustion engine with controlled expansion

A single-shaft dual expansion internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a cylinder head, a single crankshaft, a control shaft and first, second and third multi-link connecting rod assemblies. First and second power cylinders and an expander cylinder are formed in the engine block. First and second power pistons are moveable in the first and second power cylinders and are connected to respective first and second crankpins of the crankshaft. An expander piston is moveable in the expander cylinder and is connected to a third crankpin of the crankshaft. First and second multi-link connecting rod assemblies are coupled to first and second swing arms of the control shaft. A third multi-link connecting rod assembly is coupled to a third swing arm of the control shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Bloomfield Hills, MI, United States of America

Russell P Durrett