Mahle International Gmbh

Steve Walker

Philip Vaden

Michael T Lapp

Dieter Gabriel

Wolfgang Rein

Volker Weisse

Juan Gildemeister

Michael Ulrich

Stan Sorin

Rein Wolfgang

An exemplary piston may include a piston body having radially inner and outer body mating surfaces. The piston may further include a cooling gallery ring cooperating with the piston body to form a continuous upper combustion bowl surface and a cooling gallery. The cooling gallery ring may have radially inner and outer ring mating surfaces abutted along their corresponding radially inner and outer body mating surfaces, such that the cooling gallery is substantially enclosed. The piston body and cooling gallery ring may be joined together along the radially inner and radially outer interface regions to form a generally one-piece piston assembly. The radially outer interface region may be elongated in a direction parallel to the piston axis, e.g., facilitating a laser welding joining process.

Laser welded piston assembly

A piston includes a crown portion generally defining an axis and having a skirt connecting portion. The skirt connecting portion is defined, at least in part, by a first crown mating portion, a second crown mating portion positioned radially from the first crown mating portion, and a crown chamber surface extending between the first crown mating portion and the second crown mating portion. The piston also includes a skirt having a crown connecting portion. The crown connecting portion is defined, at least in part, by a first skirt mating portion, a second skirt mating portion, and a skirt chamber surface extending between the first skirt mating portion and the second skirt mating portion. The first crown mating portion is selectively coupled to the first skirt mating portion. The second crown mating portion may be selectively coupled to the second skirt mating portion to define a piston chamber.

Method of assembling a two-piece twist lock piston

A piston includes a crown portion generally defining an axis and having a skirt connecting portion. The skirt connecting portion is defined, at least in part, by a first crown mating portion, a second crown mating portion positioned radially from the first crown mating portion, and a crown chamber surface extending between the first crown mating portion and the second crown mating portion. The piston also includes a skirt having a crown connecting portion. The crown connecting portion is defined, at least in part, by a first skirt mating portion, a second skirt mating portion, and a skirt chamber surface extending between the first skirt mating portion and the second skirt mating portion. The first crown mating portion is selectively coupled to the first skirt mating portion. The second crown mating portion is selectively coupled to the second skirt mating portion to define a piston chamber that is defined, at least in part, by the crown chamber surface and the skirt chamber surface.

Two-piece twist lock piston

A piston for an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston crown includes an interior surface that defines at least in part a cooling gallery and a cooling gallery surface within the piston. An annular surface may defines at least in part an annular passageway that allows fluid communication between an outer surface of the piston and the cooling gallery. Opposing annular surfaces may be abutted with a predetermined force, thereby limiting fluid flow from the cooling gallery to an outer surface of the piston. Further, an annular surface may extend into the cooling gallery to form a deflector along the cooling gallery surface, thereby limiting fluid flow from the cooling gallery to an outer surface of the piston.

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Talbott, TN, United States of America

Steve Walker