Back to results
US 9,810,134 B2Granted
Internal combustion engine cooling system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsClifford E. Maki, Sunil Katragadda, Ravi Gopal, Jody Michael Slike
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine has a cylinder block defining a cooling circuit with an inlet passage adjacent to a first end of the block and fluidly connected to a continuous open channel positioned between a side wall of the block and a plurality of in-line cylinders. The channel intersects a block deck face and extends alongside each cylinder of the plurality of cylinders. The channel is configured to direct coolant to a cylinder head.
Claims19
An engine comprising:
- a cylinder block having a block deck face, an intake side wall, an exhaust side wall, and first and second opposed end walls, the block defining a plurality of cylinders arranged in-line with a first end cylinder adjacent to the first end wall and a second end cylinder adjacent to the second end wall, the block defining a block cooling circuit having an inlet passage extending along the first end wall and fluidly connected to a feed channel, the feed channel intersecting the block deck face and having a continuous perimeter extending lengthwise from a first end adjacent to the first end wall to a second end adjacent to the second end wall, the channel positioned between the exhaust side wall and the plurality of cylinders, wherein the inlet passage of the block extends through the block from the intake side to the exhaust side, the inlet passage having an inlet port on the intake side of the engine, the block having a cap configured to connect to the exhaust side of the engine and enclose an intersection fluidly connecting the inlet passage and the feed channel;
- and
- a cylinder head having a head deck face and defining a head cooling circuit with at least one inlet port intersecting the head deck face and aligned with the feed channel to receive coolant therefrom.
An engine comprising:
- a cylinder block defining a cooling circuit having an inlet passage adjacent to a first block end and fluidly connected to (i) a fluid jacket circumferentially surrounding a plurality of cylinders and (ii) a continuous open channel positioned between a side block wall and the jacket and configured to direct coolant to a cylinder head, the channel intersecting a block deck face and extending alongside each cylinder of the plurality of cylinders.
A method of cooling an engine comprising:
- providing coolant from a pump to an inlet passage of a cooling system formed within an engine block, the cooling system having an inlet passage fluidly connected to (i) a fluid jacket circumferentially surrounding a plurality of cylinders and (ii) an open feed channel intersecting a block deck face and having a first end fluidly connected to the inlet passage adjacent to a first end of the block and a second end adjacent to a second opposed end of the block, the feed channel positioned between the fluid jacket and a first side of the block;
- splitting a first portion of the coolant in the inlet passage to the fluid jacket;
- directing a second portion of the coolant in the inlet passage to the open feed channel;
- metering the second portion of the coolant from the feed channel through a series of apertures in a head gasket and to at least one inlet port in a cylinder head deck face;
- flowing the second portion of the coolant from the at least one inlet port in the cylinder head across the plurality of cylinders in the head to at least one outlet port in the cylinder head deck face, the second portion of the coolant in a parallel flow circuit with the first portion of the coolant in the fluid jacket of the block;
- directing the second portion of the coolant from the at least one outlet port in the head to a return channel formed in the block, the return channel intersecting the block deck face and generally opposed to the feed channel, the return channel positioned between the fluid jacket and a second side of the block;
- and
- mixing and providing the first and second portions of coolant to the pump.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.