Variable compression height piston for internal combustion engine
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsDavid l. Boggs, Michael M. Schechter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable compression height piston for reciprocating internal combustion engine includes a lower piston coupled to a connecting rod and an upper piston slidably carried upon the lower piston. A hydraulically actuated mechanical latching system interposed between the lower and upper pistons allows a system controller to selectably maintain the upper piston in a plurality of predetermined compression heights.
Claims13
A variable compression height piston for a reciprocating internal combustion engine having at least one piston coupled to a crankshaft by means of a connecting rod, with said piston comprising:
- a lower piston coupled to said connecting rod;
- an upper piston slidably carried upon said lower piston;
- and
- a hydraulically actuated mechanical latching system, interposed between the lower and upper pistons, for selectably maintaining said upper piston in a plurality of predetermined compression heights, wherein said latching system comprises a low compression latch for maintaining the upper piston at a lower compression height, and a high compression latch for maintaining the upper piston at a higher compression height.
A variable compression height piston for a reciprocating internal combustion engine having at least one piston coupled to a crankshaft by means of a connecting rod, with said piston comprising:
- a lower piston coupled to said connecting rod;
- an upper piston slidably carried upon said lower piston;
- and
- a hydraulically actuated latching system, interposed between the lower and upper pistons, for selectably maintaining said upper piston in a plurality of predetermined compression heights, with said latching system comprising a low compression latch for maintaining the upper piston at a lower compression height, and a high compression latch for maintaining the upper piston at a higher compression height.
A variable compression height piston and control system for a reciprocating internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a lower piston coupled to a connecting rod;
- an upper piston slidably carried upon said lower piston;
- a hydraulically actuated latching system, interposed between the lower and upper pistons, for selectably maintaining said upper piston in a plurality of predetermined compression heights, with said latching system comprising a low compression latch for maintaining the upper piston at a lower compression height, and a high compression latch for maintaining the upper piston at a higher compression height, with said latches being responsive to oil pressure signals communicated to the piston by means of an oil passage contained in said connecting rod;
- an oil supply system for furnishing oil under pressure to said oil passage in the connecting rod;
- and
- a controller for operating the oil system so as to govern the pressure of oil applied through the connecting rod passage to the latching system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.