Abstract:
A cylinder liner system comprising a cylinder liner having an elongated tube, an inside surface, an outside surface, and a notch on a top side; a block having a bore for concentrically accepting the cylinder liner and a locking pin that engages the cylinder liner and the block.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to cylinder liners. More specifically, the present invention relates to improved cylinder liners used in high-pressure compressors that use CO 2  as a refrigerant. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     The prior art does not teach the use of cylinder liners having a locking pin to prevent rotation within a high-pressure small diameter bore. In a large part, the prior art discloses the use of cylinder liners in internal combustion engines. 
     In high-pressure small diameter bores, there is excessive side loading. Conventional light-weight aluminum alloys cannot withstand these pressures. This requires the use of special material liners and a method or apparatus to lock these liners in place so that the expansion differential between the cylinder block and the cylinder liner does not cause movement of the liner within the bore. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention regards a cylinder liner system comprising a cylinder liner, a block and a locking pin. The cylinder liner is an elongated tube having an inside surface, an outside surface and a notch on the top. The block has a bore for concentrically accepting the cylinder liner. The locking pin engages the block and cylinder liner. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention regards a cylinder liner system comprising an annular flange having a cylinder liner member and a block. The cylinder liner member is comprised of an elongated tube extending in the axial direction from the bottom surface of the annular flange, an inside surface and a smooth outside surface. The block has a bore in it for concentrically accepting the annular flange and the cylinder liner member. The bore also has a seating surface for the annular flange. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention regards a method of producing a high-pressure compressor cylinder liner by providing a cylinder liner having an elongated tube, an inside surface and a cylinder liner notch on the top side, providing a cylinder block having a bore in it for concentrically accepting the cylinder liner, and providing a locking pin that engages the cylinder liner and the cylinder block. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention regards another method of producing a high-pressure compressor cylinder liner by providing an annular flange having a top surface, a bottom surface and a cylinder liner member extending in the axial direction from the bottom surface of the annular flange (the cylinder liner member is an elongated tube having an inside surface and a smooth outside surface), providing a cylinder block having a bore in it for concentrically accepting the annular flange and the cylinder liner member, and providing a seating surface for the annular flange in the cylinder bore. 
     In all of the above embodiments the cylinder liner can have a rough cast or grooved outside surface or have adhesive applied to the outside surface to prevent movement within the cylinder. 
     Additional embodiments and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims when considered with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the cylinder liner and locking pin in one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the cylinder liner with a rough outside surface and flange in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the cylinder liner with a grooved outside surface and flange in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the cylinder liner with a smooth outside surface and flange in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the flange, cylinder liner and cylinder block. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the cylinder liner, flange and locking pin in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, cylinder liner  100  has a locking pin  105  within the cylinder liner notch  110 . FIG. 2 shows a top view of FIG.  1 . Typically, the cylinder liner  100  is used as a cylindrical cylinder liner in a high-pressure air conditioning compressor and is inserted into the cylinder bore of a cylinder block (not shown). The cylinder block also has a block notch on its top side extending axially down the inside surface of the cylinder bore, such that, when the block notch and the cylinder liner notch  110  are aligned the locking pin  105  prevents the cylinder liner  100  from rotating within the cylinder block. The top of cylinder liner  100  is flush with the top cylinder block, when cylinder liner  100  is inserted into the bore. The cylinder liner is typically made of high wear resistance and low expansion cast iron. The cylinder block  100  is typically made of aluminum alloy. 
     The cylinder liner  100  has a diameter greater than the diameter of the cylinder bore resulting in an interference fit when the cylinder liner  100  is placed within the bore. However, an interference fit is not enough to prevent movement within the cylinder bore. Furthermore, excessive interference can distort the thin cylinder liner  100  at lower temperatures. Locking is required because there is a differential expansion between the cylinder liner  100  and the cylinder block. The block has a higher expansion as compared to the cylinder liner  100  and thus without locking, the cylinder liner  100  would be able to move within the cylinder during operation. 
     To prevent movement in a lateral direction upward, typically, the bore is covered by a valve plate, a gasket or in the case of a compressor, a rear compressor cover. 
     To prevent movement in a lateral direction downward, typically, the outside surface of cylinder liner  100  further comprises grooves, adhesive or is rough cast. The grooves extend axially along the outside surface of cylinder liner  100  and are typically 0.2 mm deep and equally spaced around the circumference of cylinder liner  100 . The use of grooves and rough cast on the outside surface of cylinder liner  100  form complimentary accommodating grooves or rough cast on inside surface of the cylinder bore, thereby preventing downward movement. The adhesive prevents any movement of cylinder liner  100 . 
     FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. An annular flange  300  has a cylinder liner  310  extending in an axial direction from the bottom of flange  300 . The cylinder liner  310  has a rough cast outside surface  320  to prevent rotation within the bore. Typically, the annular flange  300  and the cylinder liner  310  are manufactured as one unit. 
     In use, as shown in FIG. 6, a cylinder block  600  has a bore  610  for accepting the cylinder liner  620  and the flange  630 . The rough cast outside surface  320  forms a complimentary accommodating surface on the inside surface of bore  610  preventing rotation. To prevent movement in a lateral direction downward, the bore  610  is adapted to present a seating surface  640  for the flange  630 . The flange  630  is recessed into the bore  610 , such that, the top of the flange  630  is flush with the top of the cylinder block  600 . As previously discussed, to prevent movement in a lateral direction upward, typically, the bore is covered by a valve plate, a gasket or in the case of a compressor, a rear compressor cover. 
     FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. An annular flange  400  has a cylinder liner  410  extending in an axial direction from the bottom of flange  400 . The cylinder liner  410  has vertical grooves  420  on the outside surface of cylinder liner  410  to prevent rotation within the bore. Typically, the annular flange  400  and the cylinder liner  410  are manufactured as one unit. Typically, the grooves  420  are 0.2 mm deep and equally spaced around the cylinder liner  410 . 
     In use, as shown in FIG. 6, a cylinder block  600  has a bore  610  for accepting the cylinder liner  620  and the flange  630 . The vertical grooves  420  form a complimentary accommodating surface on the inside surface of bore  610  preventing rotation. To prevent movement in a lateral direction downward, the bore  610  is adapted to present a seating surface  640  for the flange  630 . The flange  630  is recessed into the bore  610 , such that, the top of the flange  630  is flush with the top of the cylinder block  600 . Again, to prevent movement in a lateral direction upward, typically, the bore is covered by a valve plate, a gasket or in the case of a compressor, a rear compressor cover. 
     FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. An annular flange  500  has a cylinder liner  510  extending in an axial direction from the bottom of flange  500 . The cylinder liner  510  has adhesive  520  on the outside surface of cylinder liner  510  to prevent rotation within the bore. Typically, the annular flange  500  and the cylinder liner  510  are manufactured as one unit. 
     In use, as shown in FIG. 6, a cylinder block  600  has a bore  610  for accepting the cylinder liner  620  and the flange  630 . The adhesive  520  is applied to the outside surface of the cylinder liner  510  and sticks to the inside surface of bore  610  preventing rotation. To prevent movement in a lateral direction downward, the bore  610  is adapted to present a seating surface  640  for the flange  630 . The flange  630  is recessed into the bore  610 , such that, the top of the flange  630  is flush with the top of the cylinder block  600 . Again, to prevent movement in a lateral direction upward, typically, the bore is covered by a valve plate, a gasket or in the case of a compressor, a rear compressor cover. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. An annular flange  700  has a cylinder liner  710  extending in an axial direction from the bottom of flange  700 . The flange  700  has a notch  720  extending in an axial direction from the top of the flange along the inside surface of the bore  730 . In use, a cylinder block  740  has a bore  730  for accepting the cylinder liner  710  and the flange  700 . The cylinder block  740  has a bore notch  750  extending in an axial direction from the top of the block along the inside surface of the bore  730 . The bore  730  is adapted to present a seating surface  760  for the flange  700 . The flange  700  is recessed into the bore  730 , such that, the top of the flange  700  is flush with the top of the cylinder block  740  and prevents movement in a lateral direction downward. To prevent rotation within the bore  730 , a locking pin  770  is provided, such that, when the bore notch  750  and the flange notch  720  are aligned an aperture is defined that will accept the locking pin  770 . The bore  730  and flange  700  are adapted to present a seating surface  789  so that the locking pin  770  is seated flush with tops of the block and flange. To prevent movement in a lateral direction upward, typically the bore and flange are covered by a valve plate, a gasket, or in the case of a compressor, a rear compressor cover. 
     The foregoing detailed description is merely illustrative of several physical embodiments of the invention. Physical variations of the invention, not fully described in the specification, may be encompassed within the purview of the claims. Accordingly, any narrower description of the elements in the specification should be used for general guidance, rather than to unduly restrict any broader descriptions of the elements in the following claims.