U.S. patent application number 14/354673 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-06 for functionally optimized design of a cylinder liner.
This patent application is currently assigned to KS KOLBENSCHMIDT GMBH. The applicant listed for this patent is Volker Gniesmer. Invention is credited to Volker Gniesmer.
Application Number | 20140326130 14/354673 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46845770 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140326130 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gniesmer; Volker |
November 6, 2014 |
FUNCTIONALLY OPTIMIZED DESIGN OF A CYLINDER LINER
Abstract
A cylinder of an internal combustion engine, in which cylinder
liner an oscillating piston is guided on a running surface wherein
the cylinder line is fixed vertically by means of a collar between
a cylinder housing and a cylinder head. The wet cylinder includes
an outer side which deviates from a circular shape and/or a
rotationally asymmetrical outer contour of the collar. The cylinder
liner is fitted in a positionally oriented manner in a
corresponding receptable of the cylinder housing.
Inventors: |
Gniesmer; Volker; (Alfeld,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gniesmer; Volker |
Alfeld |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
KS KOLBENSCHMIDT GMBH
Neckarsulm
DE
|
Family ID: |
46845770 |
Appl. No.: |
14/354673 |
Filed: |
September 14, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
September 14, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2012/068040 |
371 Date: |
June 26, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
92/171.1 ;
123/193.2; 29/888.061 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02F 1/16 20130101; Y10T
29/49272 20150115; F02F 1/004 20130101; B21D 53/84 20130101; F16J
10/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
92/171.1 ;
123/193.2; 29/888.061 |
International
Class: |
F02F 1/16 20060101
F02F001/16; F02F 1/00 20060101 F02F001/00; B21D 53/84 20060101
B21D053/84; F16J 10/04 20060101 F16J010/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 28, 2011 |
DE |
10 2011 085 476.2 |
Claims
1. The cylinder liner of a cylinder for an internal combustion
engine in which a reciprocating piston is guided on a running
surface, wherein the cylinder liner is attached vertically to a
collar between a cylinder housing and a cylinder head,
characterized in that an outer side and/or an outer contour of the
collar of the wet cylinder liner are executed rotationally
asymmetrically and the outer side and/or the outer contour is
fitted aligned in a matching seat of the cylinder housing.
2. The cylinder liner of a cylinder for an internal combustion
engine in which a reciprocating piston is guided on a running
surface, wherein the cylinder liner is fixed vertically in a
cylinder housing, characterized in that the cylinder liner includes
in the axial direction at least two sections formed of different
materials that are materially joined to form one unit and the
cylinder liner can be used both as a wet and a dry cylinder
liner.
3. The cylinder liner from claim 2, wherein the sections joined to
form the cylinder liner are produced from materials having
different strengths and/or different temperature resistance.
4. The cylinder liner from claim 1, wherein the outer side and/or
the outer contour of the collar of the cylinder liner has an oval,
elliptical, prismatic free form or a geometry deviating from a
circular shape.
5. The cylinder liner from claim 1, wherein identical or divergent
wall thicknesses (y.sub.1, y.sub.2) result towards a pressure side
or a counter-pressure side of the cylinder liner that exceed the
wall thicknesses (x.sub.1, x.sub.2) that are aligned along a
longitudinal axis.
6. The cylinder liner from claim 1, wherein the collar of the
cylinder liner forms identical or divergent collar widths (y.sub.3,
y.sub.4) towards the pressure side or the counter-pressure side
that exceed the collar widths aligned along the longitudinal
axis.
7. The cylinder liner from claim 1, wherein in an area that lies
below the BDC of the lowest piston ring of the piston towards a
crankshaft the cylinder liner has a running surface for the piston
on the inside only facing the pressure side and the
counter-pressure side.
8. The cylinder liner from claim 1, wherein the cylinder liner
includes partially oppositely located recesses in the direction of
the longitudinal axis of the cylinder housing.
9. The cylinder liner from claim 1 wherein the outer side of the
cylinder liner is coated at least locally.
10. A method for producing outer contours of a cylinder liner from
claim 1, characterized in that oval turning or off-round turning
can be used to create geometrically shaped topographies on the
outer side of the cylinder liner.
11. The method for producing a cylinder liner that includes removal
of material from local areas from claim 10, wherein the production
includes: production of the cylinder liner or of the sections of
the cylinder liner by a primary shaping process, specifically a
forging or casting process; joining the sections using a positive
material connection; finishing the outer side of the cylinder liner
by off-round or oval turning; final machining of the inner running
surface of the cylinder liner; and the cylinder liner of cooling
lubricant, lubricants and adhering chips.
12. The method from claim 11 further comprising: coating of the
outer side of the cylinder liner.
13. The cylinder liner from claim 2, wherein identical or divergent
wall thicknesses (y.sub.1, y.sub.2) result towards a pressure side
or a counter-pressure side of the cylinder liner that exceed the
wall thicknesses (x.sub.1, x.sub.2) that are aligned along a
longitudinal axis.
14. The cylinder liner from claim 2, wherein the cylinder liner
includes partially oppositely located recesses in the direction of
the longitudinal axis of the cylinder housing.
15. The cylinder liner from claim 2 wherein the outer side of the
cylinder liner is coated at least locally.
16. A method for producing outer contours of a cylinder liner from
claim 2, characterized in that oval turning or off-round turning
can be used to create geometrically shaped topographies on the
outer side of the cylinder liner.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a cylinder liner for a cylinder of
an internal combustion engine in accordance with the features of
the respective preambles of claims 1 and 2.
[0002] The task of the cylinder liner is to minimize wear in its
function as a frictional partner to the piston rings, to dissipate
the heat of combustion and to improve the mechanical stability of
the system during operation while minimizing operationally caused
distortion. A distinction is made between wet and dry cylinder
liners, depending on their function.
[0003] Wet cylinder liners have a collar via which the cylinder
liner is fixed in the vertical direction in the engine block, or
cylinder housing. The rotationally symmetrical outer contours of
the cylinder liner, including the collar, determine a minimum
cylinder spacing. Wet cylinder liners are pushed into the cylinder
housing into suitably machined seats. Seal rings are used to seal
against coolant and oil. Previous wet cylinder liners are normally
produced by centrifugal casting and then machined rotationally
symmetrically. In the case of wet cylinder liners that are cooled
from outside using a coolant, thermal and mechanical stresses can
cause cavitation or corrosion damage on the surfaces contacted by
the coolant, which can endanger the operation of the engine,
depending on its extent. In this cavitation effect, air bubbles
formed in the coolant by excitation implode and erode the outside
of the liner, where the vibration of the cylinder liner can magnify
the erosion.
[0004] Dry cylinder liners are pressed, shrunk or cast into the
cylinder housing. The water jacket, in contrast to wet cylinder
liners, is not located between the liner material and the cylinder
housing but is a component of the cylinder housing casting, as with
monometallic construction. Dry liners are produced from cast iron,
aluminum alloys or as sintered liners from powdered metal
materials.
[0005] For protection against cavitation, DE 10 2006 042 549 A1
reveals a rotationally symmetrically shaped wet cylinder liner that
is given a protective coating on the outside. For this purpose, at
least the outer surface areas of the iron-based alloy cylinder
liner contacted by the coolant are coated with a thermal sprayed
coating.
[0006] In order to minimize wear from cavitation it is further
known to include additives in the coolant that have a positive
effect on the steam pressure of the coolant. The disadvantage is
that this measure requires increased maintenance expense to
replenish the additives or to check the mixture ratio. A further
proposal relates to using cylinder liners of a material with a high
module of elasticity, for which a more cost-intensive vermicular
graphite cast iron or steel, for example, is proposed as an
alternative to cast iron as the material.
[0007] DE 196 05 946 C1 reveals a manufacturing process for
cylinder liners with which a liner with a thin wall thickness is
produced initially to achieve improved wear resistance. A mandrel
having an outside diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of
the cylinder liner to be produced is used as the mold, and a
sprayed material of the desired thickness is applied to the outer
peripheral surface of the rotating mandrel, using a known thermal
spraying process. Then the liner on the mandrel can be ground and
shaped if necessary. After being removed from the mandrel, the
liner is machined on its end faces if this is required.
[0008] The cylinder liner from DE 195 78 11 A1 consists of two
different materials. A liner insert of cast iron is surrounded on
the outside by a carrier cylinder made of steel. This known concept
using two components arranged concentrically to each other involves
high manufacturing costs and, therefore, for economic reasons is
not considered for use in series mass production.
[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a functionally
optimized cylinder liner that allows improved protection against
cavitation, increased strength and optimized installation space for
its environment. The object of the invention is further to provide
a method using which any external contour can be created for the
cylinder liner.
[0010] Starting from the prior art already cited, the present
invention provides measures to create a functionally optimized
cylinder liner in accordance with the features of claims 1 and 2.
The invention further includes a process for shaping the cylinder
liner outer contour in accordance with the features of claim
10.
[0011] The measures from claim 1 in accordance with the invention
to implement a functionally optimized wet cylinder liner relate to
the outer design of a cylinder liner and can be applied
individually or together. Instead of a rotationally symmetrical
design for the outside or lateral surface of the cylinder liner,
the invention provides for configuring areas that are subject to a
high risk of cavitation rotationally asymmetrically. A lateral
surface that deviates from a circular shape makes it advantageously
possible to reinforce vulnerable areas of the cylinder liner and
thereby to provide a cylinder liner that is protected permanently
and reliably against coolant-induced cavitation and corrosion
damage. In accordance with the invention, the outside of the
cylinder liner forms a rotationally asymmetrical geometry except
for the seat in the crankcase or cylinder housing and the sealing
element zones. Advantageously, in accordance with the invention,
the outer contour of the collar of the cylinder liner can
furthermore be off-round or free form. Since the width of the
collar essentially determines axial spacing between adjacent
cylinder liners in the assembled state, an off-round outer area of
the collar can selectively reduce the collar width along a
longitudinal axis of the internal combustion engine and therewith
also spacing between adjacent cylinder liners. The geometric
asymmetries of the measures in accordance with the invention permit
a shortened block length for the cylinder housing and consequently
realization of an advantageously design space-optimized internal
combustion engine. In the installed position the functionally
optimized cylinder liner is a positive fit: position-oriented and
aligned in a matched seat in the cylinder or cylinder housing that
forms a counter shape. The invention thus demonstrates solutions
whereby the susceptibility of or damage to the cylinder liner from
cavitation, corrosion or erosion is reduced and the service life of
the liners can be improved. Linked to this, the service life and
reliability of the internal combustion engine equipped with such
liners is increased.
[0012] The subject of the invention from claim 2 is a composite
cylinder liner consisting of at least two different materials. This
construction can be used to produce a wet cylinder liner as well as
a dry or cast-in cylinder liner. In the axial direction the liner
forms at least two sections that are materially joined,
specifically using friction welding. This design construction that
can be implemented cost effectively preserves freedom in the choice
of liner material for individual sections of the liner. For
example, a selective increase in strength can be achieved by using
a material of greater strength and/or temperature resistance for
the section of the collar that includes a flute. The adjoining
section of the liner containing the running surface of the cylinder
liner can be produced from a material that, for example, contains a
potential for self-lubrication in the solid-body contact area/mixed
friction area or allows a lubricating film to be formed by means of
oil pockets. This construction further permits provision of locally
reduced wall thicknesses in the liner to optimize cooling. The use
of materials with a lesser thickness is suitable as a measure to
reduce the weight of the cylinder liner. The design principle for
wet liners additionally offers the opportunity of using materials
with positive cavitation characteristics or a higher modulus of
elasticity for high-risk sections or zones of the liner to improve
deformation characteristics. A further measure to minimize wear can
be found in pairings of materials to reduce interparticle wear in
the contact area of the piston rings on the running surface,
particularly at the top and bottom dead centers of the piston, or
the ring reversal points. To this end, for example, the section of
the liner in which the piston is guided can be made of a
wear-resistant material. When using the liner concept consisting of
different materials for a cast-in, dry cylinder liner, it may be
appropriate to optimize the manufacturing process advantageously by
selecting liner materials that improve a bond to the material of
the cylinder block or cylinder housing. With an optimally matched
material combination, a cylinder liner may be optimally realized
that combines complex functions of a wet and dry cylinder liner
with respect to mechanics, tribology on the inside, for example
friction, lubrication and wear, and the cavitation of a wet liner
on the outside.
[0013] In the embodiment of the invention, provision is made for
the outside or lateral surface of the cylinder liner and/or the
outer contour of the collar to have a geometry deviating from a
circular form, elliptical or oval in shape. In particular for the
collar of the cylinder liner, an elliptical or oval shape is
appropriate, that may include additional double, triple or multiple
overlaid oval shapes. In addition, the collar may be carried out in
the shape of any kind of prism-shaped free form or as a splined
surface.
[0014] A preferred embodiment of the invention makes provision for
a directional installation position of the cylinder liner in which
the areas of the cylinder liner aligned towards a pressure side and
a counter-pressure side have wall thicknesses or collar widths that
exceed corresponding wall thicknesses and/or collar widths that are
aligned in the direction of the piston pin or the direction of a
longitudinal axis of the cylinder block. The resulting support
surface of the liner collar is designed in total to prevent
acceptable surface pressures during operation of the internal
combustion engine from being exceeded. The required surface profile
can be realized using the off-round, preferably oval, support or
contact surface. This design principle provides the opportunity to
offer different engine displacements with the same cylinder housing
by using appropriate cylinder liners with different cylinder
bores.
[0015] In a further development of the invention, in order to
optimize the cost of the cylinder liner, provision is made for a
contact/runningsurface for the piston in an area below bottom dead
center (BDC) of the piston to be restricted to zones that are
aligned in the direction of the pressure side and counter-pressure
side. This runningsurface geometry, in which there is no machining
towards the piston pin (for example because the liner is set back
there), is particularly suitable for internal combustion engines
with window pistons. Furthermore, to reduce weight the liner can,
for example, be left partially open by means of windows or
recesses. Mechanical or thermal means of separation can be used to
realize these open areas, or alternatively recesses can already be
present in the casting blank.
[0016] A further measure in accordance with the invention provides
for a coating on the outside of the cylinder liner. To create a
cavitation-resistant surface at least the area of the liner
consisting of a cast-iron alloy is coated completely all the way
round or partially in the area of the pressure side and the
counter-pressure side, specifically with a thermal spray coat.
[0017] An oval turning or off-round turning method is provided to
create almost any geometrically shaped topographies on the outer
contour of the cylinder liner. These methods, which can be employed
with short process times, are suitable for creating the rotational
asymmetrically shaped outside and/or the outside contour. Oval or
off-round turning advantageously allows great design freedom
regarding the alignment, the progression and the size of free-form
surfaces or contours. A particular advantage is that there is no
limit regarding the geometric shape. These methods can be used both
for lateral surfaces, the skirt, the outer surface and the collar
of the cylinder liner. A particular advantage is that good
reproducibility is achieved in one step at the same time as extreme
dimensional accuracy and high surface quality.
[0018] Production of the cylinder liner, which includes oval or
off-round turning to remove material from local areas on the
cylinder liner, comprises the following steps. First, through a
primary forming process, such as casting or forging, the production
of the single-piece blank or section blanks takes place. Then the
sections are joined using a material bonding connection. The next
step is performed using mechanical operations, oval or off-round
turning, the external machining of the outside and/or the outer
contour of the cylinder liner, to create any geometrically shaped
surfaces or contours. Then the inner running surface is created
before the cylinder liner is cleaned of cooling lubricants,
lubricants and any adhering chips. As an option, the outside of the
cylinder liner can be coated completely or partially.
[0019] Embodiments of the invention, to which said invention is not
restricted, are described in what follows and explained using the
Figures.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a wet cylinder liner in the installed position
in a sectioned view;
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a view onto a cylinder housing with two
cylinder liners;
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a cylinder liner in a sectioned view;
[0023] FIG. 4 shows cylinder liners with an off-round collar in the
installed position;
[0024] FIG. 5 shows the profile of the cylinder liner aligned to
the counter-pressure side;
[0025] FIG. 6 shows the profile of the cylinder liner aligned to
the pressure side;
[0026] FIG. 7 shows a dry cylinder liner in a sectioned view.
[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the design construction and installation
position of a known cylinder liner 2. In addition, FIG. 1 shows a
section of a cylinder housing 1, designated as a cylinder housing,
of an internal combustion engine which is not shown in more detail.
The wet cylinder liner 2, around which coolant flows directly and
in which a reciprocating piston 3 is guided on a running surface,
is inserted in the cylinder housing 1. The cylinder liner 2 is
fitted in a seat 7 or in a guide 8 of the cylinder housing 1 using
a collar 5 and, axially offset thereto, via an outer side 6. Seal
rings 10, 11 are provided for effective sealing of the coolant
chamber 9 offset to the collar 5 and in the area of the guide 8.
FIG. 2 shows two cylinder liners 2 located in the cylinder housing
1 along a longitudinal axis 13 of the cylinder housing 1, the
distance between centers of which S.sub.M is found by adding the
dimensions, diameter D and a distance S between the cylinder liners
2.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows the functionally optimized cylinder liner 12 in
cross-section with a rotationally asymmetrical outside 14 that
deviates from a circular shape and can also be designated as a
lateral surface. The oval shape of the outside can be executed in
such a way that in all peripheral areas x.sub.1, x.sub.2; y.sub.1,
y.sub.2 divergent wall thicknesses result that differ from the
cylinder's inner bore, as can be seen from the following
compilation x.sub.1.noteq.y.sub.1; x.sub.1.noteq.x.sub.2;
x.sub.1.noteq.y.sub.2; y.sub.1.noteq.x.sub.1;
y.sub.1.noteq.x.sub.2; y.sub.1.noteq.y.sub.2;
x.sub.2.noteq.y.sub.2. Towards the pressure side and the
counter-pressure side of the cylinder liner 12, which form an axis
18 running at a right angle to the longitudinal axis 13, wall
thicknesses y.sub.1, y.sub.2 result that exceed wall thicknesses
x.sub.1, x.sub.2 aligned to the longitudinal axis 13.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows two cylinder liners 12 in accordance with the
invention set in the cylinder housing 1, with the oval outer sides
14 indicated by a broken line. The similarly oval collar 15
overlapping the outside 14 of the cylinder liner 12 is fitted as a
press fit with an outer contour 16 into a matching seat 17 of the
cylinder housing 1. The resulting collar widths Y.sub.3+Y.sub.4 of
the collar 15 along the axis 18 exceed collar widths that result
along the longitudinal axis 13. The oval shape of the collar 15,
whose y-dimension clearly exceeds its x-dimension, makes possible
in comparison with FIG. 2 a reduced spacing dimension S between two
cylinder liners 12 that consequently determines the distance
between centers S.sub.M of cylinder liners 12 and simultaneously
influences a structural length of the cylinder housing 1.
[0030] FIGS. 5 and 6 show half a cross-section of the construction
of the cylinder liner 12 that differ depending on their alignment.
FIG. 5 shows the wall structure of the cylinder liner 12 aligned
with the axis 18 and in FIG. 6 aligned with the longitudinal axis
13. Specifically to reduce the risk of cavitation, the wall
thicknesses z.sub.1, z.sub.2 facing the pressure side and
counter-pressure side (FIG. 5) exceed the wall thicknesses z.sub.3,
z.sub.4 aligned to the longitudinal axis 13 (FIG. 6). As a
supplement, it is appropriate for the exterior 14 of the cylinder
liner 12 to have a partial coating that reduces the risk of
cavitation. Starting from the collar 15, the wall thickness between
zones z.sub.1, z.sub.2 in accordance with FIG. 5 and between zones
z.sub.3, z.sub.4 in accordance with FIG. 6 can vary (for example,
become thicker or thinner). The reduced wall thickness shown in
this example in the thermally highly stressed zones z.sub.1,
z.sub.2 promotes the cooling effect of the cylinder liner 12. As a
measure to optimize costs and weight, the cylinder liner 12, as
shown in FIG. 6, includes a recess 19 at the end facing away from
the collar and an optional partially unmachined area 20 of the
running surface 4 that extends from a zone corresponding to the BDC
position of the bottom piston ring of the piston 3 to the end of
the cylinder liner 12. Because the piston with the end of the skirt
at BDC extends beyond the end of the liner, an unmachined area can
only be located in the direction of the piston pin outside the
piston skirt contact area so that this piston skirt contact area
requires a machined, preferably honed liner surface.
[0031] FIG. 7 shows another functionally optimized cylinder liner
22 that, in the axial direction, includes two sections 23, 24
consisting of different materials which are materially joined into
one unit. The sections 23, 24 supported over one joint plane 21 are
preferably connected by friction welding. This design principle can
be applied to both the dry cylinder liner 22 cast into the cylinder
housing and to a wet cylinder liner.
[0032] Also conceivable is rotationally symmetrical centering in a
corresponding rotationally symmetrical seat and a rotationally
asymmetrical outer contour on the non-centering surfaces, e.g.
surfaces bounded by water-jackets. The corresponding seat is
necessary in the case of the asymmetrical collar, in all other
cases said seat is preferably symmetrical. This means, as a
supplement or alternative to the core idea of the invention for
example, that an outer side 6 and/or an outer contour 16 of the
collar 15 of the wet cylinder liner 12 is/are rotationally
symmetrical and inserted aligned. A further embodiment can be seen
in an aligned centering of the outside 6 and/or the outer contour
16 in a corresponding seat 7, 17 of the cylinder housing.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0033] 1 Cylinder housing [0034] 2 Cylinder liner [0035] 3 Piston
[0036] 4 Running surface [0037] 5 Collar [0038] 6 Outer side [0039]
7 Seat [0040] 8 Guide [0041] 9 Coolant chamber [0042] 10 Seal ring
[0043] 11 Seal ring [0044] 12 Cylinder liner [0045] 13 Longitudinal
axis [0046] 14 Outer side [0047] 15 Collar [0048] 16 Outer contour
[0049] 17 see 7 [0050] 18 Axis [0051] 19 Recess [0052] 20 Zone
[0053] 21 Joining plane [0054] 22 Cylinder liner [0055] 23 Section
[0056] 24 Section
* * * * *