Pistons for internal combustion engines

Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine has the conventional skirt replaced by top and bottom bearing surfaces. The radial bearing surface is connected to the piston crown through the ring band whereas the surface or surfaces, which are longitudinally spaced apart from the upper surface or surfaces, are attached to piston bosses by struts.

Description: The invention relates to a piston for an internal combustion engine comprising a crown, a pair of gudgeon pin bores defined by respective gudgeon pin bosses, first and second bearing surfaces on each side of a plane including the piston axis and the gudgeon pin bore axis, each said first bearing surface being toward the crown end of the piston and extending only partially around the piston, and each said second bearing surface extending only partially around the piston. A piston of this general type is shown in US-A-2705 667 where the first and second bearing surfaces are formed on a skirt portion and connected by a recessed zone. The two skirt portions are connected to the gudgeon pin bosses by struts having substantial portions parallel to the gudgeon pin bore axis. US-E-17193 discloses a piston similar to that to which the invention relates but with a second bearing surface which is continuous around the piston and with connecting portions between the first and second bearing surfaces. The lower edge of the upper bearing surface and the upper and lower edges of the lower bearing surface extend in planes normal to the piston axis. While pistons of this construction can be lighter in weight than conventional pistons, where lateral loads are transmitted to an associated cylinder or liner by a continuous skirt extending all round the piston, they have in general not heretofore achieved any practical success. The reason for this is that the reduced area bearing surfaces of such constructions are not adequately lubricated having regard to the substantially increased pressures on such bearing surfaces. Thus, often, the surfaces have only mixed or boundary lubrication, which can lead to scoring and marking of the piston and greatly increased frictional forces. In addition, there are problems with the rigidity of such separate bearing surfaces; they tend to be free to flex and this can lead to metallurgical failure. According to the invention, there is provided a piston for an internal combustion engine comprising a crown, a pair of gudgeon pin bores defined by respective gudgeon pin bosses, first and second bearing surfaces on each side of a plane including the piston axis and the gudgeon pin bore axis, each said first bearing surface being toward the crown end of the piston and extending only partially around the piston and each said second bearing surface extending only partially around the piston, the first and second bearing surfaces being formed as segments of a cylinder with the lower edges of the first and the upper and lower edges of the second bearing surfaces lying in respective planes normal to the piston axis, reinforced flanged struts extending normal to the axis of the gudgeon pin bores from each gudgeon pin boss towards both sides of the plane including the piston axis and the gudgeon pin bore axis, said struts each having an end portion at one of said sides of the piston, each said second bearing surface extending between the ends of two of said struts to cantilever the second bearing surface from the gudgeon pin bosses, the lower edge of each first bearing surface being spaced from the upper edge of the associated second bearing surface by an axially and circumferentially extending window, and a chamfer being provided on at least one of the upper and lower edges of each second bearing surface to provide hydrodynamic lubrication over the associated second bearing surface. The following is a more detailed description of two embodiments of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a first form of piston, Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a schematic view from beneath of the piston of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a section on the lines VI-VI of Figure 1 Figure 5A and 5B are alternative sections on the line VII-VII of Figure 2. Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the first piston 1 comprises a crown 2 surrounded by a ring band 3 for receiving the piston rings (not shown). Two gudgeon pin bosses 6 are provided which define a gudgeon pin bore (see Fig.2) extending through the piston. On both sides of a plane containing the gudgeon pin bore axis and the piston axis, the piston is provided with two bearing surfaces 4, 5, spaced by an axially and circumferentially extending gap. The crown-end bearing surface 4 depends from the ring band (see Fig.2) while the remaining, lower, bearing surface 5 is connected to the gudgeon pin boss 6 by a pair of struts 7 (which may be formed as described below with reference to Figs. 5A and 5B). The lower bearing surface 5 is thus cantilevered by the struts 7 from the gudgeon pin boss 6 and is otherwise unsupported. The bearing sufaces 4, 5 are symmetrically disposed about a plane including the piston axis and normal to the gudgeon pin axis (i.e. the plane of the section of Fig. 2), and extend only partially around the circumference of the piston. For example, they may extend up to 45° on either side of this plane. In a modified arrangement (not shown) the struts 7 may carry the bearing surface 5 in addition to the bearing surface 4. The bearing surfaces 4, 5 are generally the shape of segments of a cylinder with the lower edge of the crown-end bearing surface 4 and the two circumferentially extending edges of the lower bearing surface 5 lying in respective planes normal to the piston axis. These edges are provided with chamfers 8. A preferred shape of the lower bearing surface 5 and the associated chamfers 8 is shown in Figure 6 in a very exaggerated manner. The surface 5 is curved in planes including the piston axis with a maximum radial depth (x in Fig. 4) of, for example, 0.02mm. The chamfers 8 are planar in planes including the piston axis, the length of the chamfers being 1mm with the chamfers being inclined at an angle of 15° to the vertical or the length of the chamfers being 1mm with a radial depth (y in Fig. 4) of 0.04mm. The chamfers 8 may, however, be curved and it will be appreciated that they, and the surface, may have any suitable shape. It will also be appreciated that the chamfer 8 on the lower edge of the crown-end bearing surface 4 may be of similar dimensions to the preferred shape described above. In use, the lateral thrust loads on the piston are transmitted to the associated cylinder or liner 20 (Fig. 4) by the bearing surfaces 4, 5. The presence of the chamfers 8 ensures a supply of lubricant over the bearing surfaces 4, 5 during reciprocation by forming a passage of decreasing dimensions leading to the associated surface. This forces lubricant under pressure over the surfaces and thus ensures full hydrodynamic lubrication. In the lower bearing surface 5, where this is curved as shown in Figure 6, this curvature also assists in ensuring adequate lubrication. The reduced size of the bearing surfaces 4, 5 and the windows thereby defined in the skirt reduces the weight of the piston so reducing the power requirement. In addition, the frictional losses in contact between the piston and the associated cylinder or liner are reduced as a result of the reduced area of the bearing surfaces in comparison with a conventional piston having a continuous skirt. Because the surfaces are adequately lubricated, their spacing can be kept at a constant maximum without the need for an increase in surface area at the centres of the surfaces. These measures together reduce the cost of the piston and improve the performance of an engine fitted with the piston.

Claims: A piston for an internal combustion engine comprising a crown (2), a pair of gudgeon pin bores defined by respective gudgeon pin bosses (6), first and second bearing surfaces (4,5) on each side of a plane including the piston axis and the gudgeon pin bore axis, each said first bearing surface (4) being toward the crown end of the piston (1) and extending only partially around the piston, and each said second bearing surface (5) extending only partially around the piston (1), the first and second bearing surfaces being formed as segments of a cylinder (4,5) with the lower edges of the first and the upper and lower edges of the second bearing surfaces lying in respective planes normal to the piston axis, reinforced flanged struts (7) extending normal to the axis of the gudgeon pin bores from each gudgeon pin boss (6) towards both sides of the plane including the piston axis and the gudgeon pin bore axis, said struts (7) each having an end portion at one of said sides of the piston, each said second bearing surface (5) extending between the ends of two of said struts to cantilever said second bearing surface (5) from the gudgeon pin bosses, the lower edge of each first bearing surface being spaced from the upper edge of the associated second bearing surface by an axially and circumferentially extending window, and a chamfer (8) being provided on at least one of the upper and lower edges of each second bearing surface (5) to provide hydrodynamic lubrication over the associated second bearing surface (5). A piston according to claim 1, characterised in that the or each chamfer (8) is planar or curved in planes including the piston axis. A piston according to claim 2, characterised in that each second surface (5,9) is barrelled so that said surface is curved in planes including the piston axis for directing lubricant over said surface during reciprocation. A piston according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that each strut (7) has a cross-section of T-shape or +-shape and is cast integrally with the remainder of the piston (1).

Inventors: BRUNI LUDOVICO, BRUNI, LUDOVICO
Applicants: AE PLC
Application year: 1982
Main classification: F02F3
IPC codes: F02F3, F16J1