Pressure sensor apparatus for measuring pressures including knock conditions in engine cylinders

• US 7,310,993 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dana Corporation (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Foster, Jeffery A., Popielas, Frank W., Mikos, James T., Robins, Howard M., Pietraski, James S., Peck, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman; John E.
• Application Number:
  US10/504,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20050126262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 73/350.7, 73/350.9, 73/351.2, 731/15, 737/05, 737/15
• US Class Current: 73/35.12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/023 by determining the cylinder pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/242 the material being an optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/06 Indicating or recording by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49986 Subsequent to metal working

Abstract

Sensor apparatus for a multiple layer steel (MLS) cylinder head gasket measures combustion pressures for detecting engine conditions. A membrane is positioned at one end of an elongated metal tube, and the membrane end of the tube engages a cylinder bore boundary. A fiber optical sensor apparatus is fixed within the tube, and communicates with cyclic combustion events via the membrane. In one disclosed embodiment, optical wires from sensor apparatus situated at each engine bore are bundled into a common groove machined into an extended spacer layer radially outwardly of the conventional boundary of the gasket. The tube protects the sensor apparatus from damage of sealing stress on the gasket, and particularly at the bore perimeter. Each tube lies in a separate groove in the spacer layer that terminates at the bore boundary. A converter changes optical signals received from the apparatus into electrical signals for transmittal to a controller.

Claims

1. A combustion pressure sensor in a cylinder head gasket adapted for use in an internal combustion engine, the gasket defining at least one combustion cylinder bore aperture, the sensor adapted for placement at a boundary of the bore aperture;

wherein the sensor is adapted to measure combustion pressure changes within a cylinder bore of the engine for determining engine conditions including predetonation, said sensor and said gasket, comprising;

a groove located within said gasket, said groove at least partially extending through said gasket at a first diameter, wherein said groove diameter increases to a second diameter adjacent said at least one combustion cylinder bore aperture to define a chamber; and

a diaphragm having a inner first portion connected to a tube within said first diameter portion of said groove, and an outer second portion that is connected to said inner first portion, wherein said outer second portion has a larger diameter than said first diameter of said groove, said outer second portion being entirely housed within said chamber.

2. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 1, wherein said diaphragm inner first portion has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of said tube.

3. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 1, wherein said diaphragm has a complementary shape to said chamber.

4. A combustion pressure sensor and gasket adapted for use in an internal combustion engine, the gasket defining at least one combustion cylinder bore aperture, the sensor adapted for placement at a boundary of the bore aperture;

wherein the sensor is adapted to measure combustion pressure changes within a cylinder bore of the engine for determining engine conditions including predetonation, said sensor and said gasket, comprising;

a groove located within said gasket and a tube located within said groove, said groove comprising a plurality of inwardly extending, circumferential teeth located within said groove adjacent said combustion cylinder bore aperture and in contact with said tube.

5. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 4, wherein said teeth are integrally formed and one-piece with said groove.

6. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 4, wherein said teeth are threads.

7. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 4, wherein said plurality of teeth create several pressure barriers about said tube.

8. A combustion pressure sensor and gasket adapted for use in an internal conbustion engine, the gasket defining at least one combustion cylinder bore bore aperture, the sensor adapted for placement at a boundry of the bore aperture;

wherein the sensor is adapted to measure combustion pressure changes within a cylinder bore of the engine for determinig engine conditions including predetonation, said sensor and said gasket, comprising;

a groove located within said gasket and tube located within said groove, wherein a portion of said tube located adjacent said combustion cylinder bore aperture has laterally opposed edges that extend away from one another.

9. The combustion pressures sensor and gasket of claim 8, wherein said portion of said tube is press-fit into said groove to seal said tube within said groove.

10. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 8, wherein said portion of said tube has a generally outwardly extending triangular shape.

11. A combustion pressure sensor in a cylinder head gasket adapted for use in an internal combustion engine, the gasket defining at least one combustion cylinder bore aperture, the sensor adapted for placement at a boundary of the bore aperture;

wherein the sensor is adapted to measure combustion pressure changes within a cylinder bore of the engine for determining engine conditions including predetonation, said sensor and said gasket comprising;

a groove extending through said gasket at a first diameter, said groove extending to an opening in said combustion cylinder bore aperture, said gasket defining a circumferential wall about said opening; and

a tube extending through said groove and at least partially into said combustion cylinder bore aperture, said tube having an integrally formed curvilinear distal end positioned about said circumferential wall.

12. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 11, wherein said distal end is a flared trumpet-type distal end.

13. The combustion pressure sensor and gasket of claim 12, wherein said wall about said opening is larger than the flared distal end of said tube.