Instrumented Piston for an Internal Combustion Engine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorJay L. Richerson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A piston assembly for an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston assembly includes a piston crown including an upper surface defining a bowl region, a side portion and a lower surface, a piston skirt depending from the side portion of the piston crown, a sensor, at least partially coated by a visualization material, disposed within the piston crown at a location proximate to the bowl region, and a sensor data telemetry system coupled to the sensor. Methods for manufacturing a piston assembly for an internal combustion engine are also provided.
Claims25
A piston assembly for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a piston crown including an upper surface defining a bowl region, a side portion and a lower surface;
- a piston skirt depending from the side portion of the piston crown;
- a sensor, at least partially coated by a visualization material, disposed within the piston crown at a location proximate to the bowl region;
- and
- a sensor data telemetry system coupled to the sensor,
- wherein the piston crown is structured and configured such that the piston crown comprises at least one of:
- a passage formed during a piston casting process and the sensor is arranged in the passage, the passage extending toward the lower surface of the piston crown;
- and the sensor arranged and structurally embedded within material of the piston crown during the piston casting process.
The piston assembly according to claim 24, wherein the piston crown is structured and configured such that the sensor is disposed within a passage, formed during a piston casting process, that extends from the sensor location to the lower surface of the piston crown.
The piston assembly according to claim 24, wherein a cooling gallery is defined by an inner surface of the side portion of the piston crown, a portion of the lower surface of the piston crown and a cooling gallery ring, and the piston crown is structured and configured such that the sensor is disposed within a passage, formed during a piston casting process, that extends from the sensor location to the cooling gallery ring.
The piston assembly according to claim 24, wherein the piston crown is structured and configured such that the sensor is embedded within the piston crown during a piston casting process.
The piston assembly according to claim 24, wherein the piston crown is structured and configured such that the sensor is disposed within a passage, formed by a machining process applied to the piston crown, that extends from the lower surface of the piston crown to the sensor location.
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A piston assembly for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a piston crown including an upper surface defining a bowl region, a side portion and a lower surface;
- a piston skirt depending from the side portion of the piston crown;
- a sensor, at least partially coated by a visualization material, disposed within the piston crown at a location proximate to the bowl region;
- and
- a sensor data telemetry system coupled to the sensor,
- wherein the sensor data telemetry system comprises a wireless sensor data telemetry system, a wireless power module arranged in the piston, and a power source arranged in a cylinder wall that inductively couples power to the wireless power module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.