The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 23, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 10, 2006
Robert J. Natkin, Canton, MI (US);
Bret Oltmans, Stacy, MN (US);
John E. Allison, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Thomas J. Heater, Milford, MI (US);
Joy Adair Hines, Plymouth, MI (US);
Grant K. Tappen, Washington, MI (US);
Dietmar Peiskammer, Rochester, MI (US);
Robert J. Natkin, Canton, MI (US);
Bret Oltmans, Stacy, MN (US);
John E. Allison, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Thomas J. Heater, Milford, MI (US);
Joy Adair Hines, Plymouth, MI (US);
Grant K. Tappen, Washington, MI (US);
Dietmar Peiskammer, Rochester, MI (US);
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A crank shaft support assembly for increasing stiffness and reducing thermal mismatch distortion in a crank shaft bore of an engine comprising different materials. A cylinder block comprises a first material and at least two crank journal inserts are insert-molded into respective crank journal regions of the cylinder block and comprise a second material having greater stiffness and a lower thermal coefficient of expansion that the first material. At least two bearing caps are bolted to the respective crank journal inserts and define, along with the crank journal inserts, at least two crank shaft support rings defining a crank shaft bore coaxially aligned with a crank shaft axis. The bearing caps comprise a material having higher stiffness and a lower thermal coefficient of expansion than the first material and are supported on the respective crank journal inserts independently of any direct connection to the cylinder block.