Aluminum foam core piston with coaxial laser bonded aerogel/ceramic head
AssigneesHyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
InventorsGregory Ardisana, Lang Sui, Steven Sherman, Edward Thai, Isaac Yeo, Michael Hollis, Scott Ziolek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An insulated composite piston head that includes three or more layers is formed and used in a combustion engine. The first layer is an aluminum or aluminum alloy foam core. The second layer is a metal layer that at least partially encapsulates the foam core; wherein the metal layer is selected to be aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The third layer is a layer of an insulating material located on at least one surface of the metal layer. The deposition of the insulating layer is accomplished via the use of a coaxial laser process.
Claims17
An insulated composite piston head for use in a combustion engine;
- the piston head comprising:
- an aluminum or aluminum alloy foam core;
- a metal layer that at least partially encapsulates the foam core;
- the metal layer comprising aluminum or an aluminum alloy;
- and
- a layer of an insulating material located on at least one surface of the metal layer.
A method of forming an insulated composite piston head, the method comprising:
- creating a preformed aluminum or aluminum alloy foam core;
- suspending the preformed foam core in a piston head mold;
- injecting or casting molten aluminum or an aluminum alloy into the mold through gates or traps to form a metallic layer that at least partially encapsulates the foam core, thereby, forming a molded piston head;
- removing the molded piston head from the mold;
- depositing an insulating material on at least one surface of the molded piston head;
- performing at least one machining operation on the molded piston head such that the molded piston head conforms to a predetermined specification for the insulated composite piston head;
- and
- optionally, applying a lubricious piston coating to at least a portion of the outer surface of the insulated composite piston head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.