Cylinder Liner For An Opposed-Piston Engine
First Claim
1. A cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, comprising:
- a cylindrical wall with an interior surface defining a bore centered on a longitudinal axis of the liner, the bore having a first diameter relative to the longitudinal axis;
intake and exhaust ports formed in the cylindrical wall near respective opposite ends of the liner;
an intermediate portion of the liner extending between the ends and including an annular liner portion containing piston top center (TC) locations;
the annular liner portion defined between first and second top ring reversal planes extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis, in which the first top ring reversal plane is at a first axial position where the topmost ring of a first piston is located when the piston is at its TC location, and the second top ring reversal plane is at a second axial position where the topmost ring of a second piston is located when the piston is at its TC location; and
,a liner ring seated in a portion of the bore in the annular liner portion, in which the liner ring has an interior annular surface with a second diameter relative to the longitudinal axis that is less than the first diameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, and corresponding methods of extending engine durability and thermal management therewith, has opposite ends and a bore with a longitudinal axis for supporting reciprocating movement of a pair of opposed pistons. An intermediate portion of the liner extends between the opposite ends and includes an annular liner portion within which the pistons reach respective TC locations. A liner ring is seated in a portion of the bore in the annular liner portion, between the TC locations, for scraping carbon from top lands of the pistons and/or increasing the thermal resistance of the annular liner portion.
13 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, comprising:
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a cylindrical wall with an interior surface defining a bore centered on a longitudinal axis of the liner, the bore having a first diameter relative to the longitudinal axis; intake and exhaust ports formed in the cylindrical wall near respective opposite ends of the liner; an intermediate portion of the liner extending between the ends and including an annular liner portion containing piston top center (TC) locations; the annular liner portion defined between first and second top ring reversal planes extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis, in which the first top ring reversal plane is at a first axial position where the topmost ring of a first piston is located when the piston is at its TC location, and the second top ring reversal plane is at a second axial position where the topmost ring of a second piston is located when the piston is at its TC location; and
,a liner ring seated in a portion of the bore in the annular liner portion, in which the liner ring has an interior annular surface with a second diameter relative to the longitudinal axis that is less than the first diameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for controlling piston carbon in an opposed-piston engine, comprising:
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moving a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore of a cylinder liner of the opposed-piston engine; in which the motion of a first piston of the pair of opposed pistons is in an axial direction of the cylinder liner between a first bottom center (BC) position and a first top center (TC) position; in which the motion of a second piston of the pair of opposed pistons is in an axial direction of the cylinder between a second bottom center (BC) position and a second top center (TC) position; wiping carbon from a top land of the first piston as the first piston moves through the first TC position; and
,wiping carbon from a top land of the second piston as the second piston moves through the second TC position.
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10. A method for thermal management in a cylinder liner of an opposed-piston engine, comprising:
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causing combustion of a mixture of fuel and air between the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in the cylinder liner of the opposed-piston engine when the pistons are near respective top center locations in an annular liner portion of the cylinder liner; and
,impeding flow of heat through the cylinder liner with a higher resistance in the annular liner portion than in the rest of the cylinder liner.
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11. A method of manufacturing a cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, comprising:
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providing a cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, in which the cylinder liner includes intake and exhaust ports near respective ends thereof; honing a bore having a first diameter D1 in the liner; forming an annular groove in the bore at an annular liner portion containing piston top center (TC) locations; providing an annular ring having an interior diameter D2, wherein D1>
D2;heating the cylinder liner to increase the diameter D1; heating the annular ring; placing the annular ring in the bore over the annular groove; swaging the annular ring into the annular groove; and
, cooling the cylinder liner and the annular ring. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification