Aluminum cylinder block and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10690087-B2
Application number	US-201816136705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2018
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A cast cylinder block for an internal combustion engine includes a first and a second cylinder bore and a shared bore wall. The first cylinder bore includes a first bore wall and the second cylinder bore includes a second bore wall. The shared cylinder bore wall includes a first portion and a second portion. A portion of the first bore wall combines with a portion of the second bore wall to form the shared cylinder bore wall. The first portion of the shared bore wall is an as-cast portion. The second portion of the shared bore wall is a metal matrix composite.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A cast cylinder block for an internal combustion engine, the cylinder block comprising: a first cylinder bore and a second cylinder bore, and wherein the first cylinder bore includes a first bore wall, the second cylinder bore includes a second bore wall, the first bore wall includes a first portion that is adjacent to the second cylinder bore, and the second bore wall includes a second portion that is adjacent to the first cylinder bore, a shared cylinder bore wall comprising the first portion of the first bore wall and the second portion of the second bore wall, and wherein the shared cylinder bore wall further includes a third portion and a fourth portion, wherein the third portion of the shared cylinder bore wall is an as-cast parent metal portion and the second portion of the shared cylinder bore wall is a metal matrix composite portion, wherein the metal matrix composite portion includes at least one of an intermetallic powder, an oxide, a carbide, and a nitride, wherein the metal matrix composite portion further comprises at least one retainer and the at least one retainer is partially disposed in the metal matrix composite portion, partially disposed in the first bore wall, and partially disposed in the second bore wall, and wherein the at least one retainer comprises an elongated wire and a first disc portion and a second disc portion, the first disc portion is fixed to a first end of the elongated wire, and the second disc portion is fixed to a second end of the elongated wire.

2. The cast cylinder block of claim 1 wherein the cylinder block and the as-cast parent metal portion are a cast aluminum alloy.

3. The cast cylinder block of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the shared cylinder bore wall is disposed within the first portion.

4. The cast cylinder block of claim 1 wherein a first top surface of the third portion of the shared cylinder bore wall combines with a second top surface of the fourth portion of the shared cylinder bore wall to form a portion of a head deck sealing surface.

5. A cast cylinder block for an internal combustion engine, the cylinder block comprising: a first cylinder bore wall and a second cylinder bore wall, and wherein a portion of the first cylinder bore wall combines with a portion of the second cylinder bore wall to form a shared cylinder bore wall, and a metal matrix composite preform disposed in the shared cylinder wall, wherein the metal matrix composite preform includes at least one of an intermetallic powder, an oxide, a carbide, and a nitride, wherein the metal matrix composite preform further comprises at least one retainer and the at least one retainer is partially disposed in the metal matrix composite preform, partially disposed in the first cylinder bore wall, and partially disposed in the second cylinder bore wall, and wherein the at least one retainer comprises an elongated wire and the at least one retainer is partially disposed in the metal matrix composite preform, partially disposed in the first cylinder bore wall, and partially disposed in the second cylinder bore wall.

6. The cast cylinder block of claim 5 wherein the metal matrix composite preform further comprises at least one retainer comprising an elongated wire and a first disc portion and a second disc portion, the first disc portion is fixed to a first end of the elongated wire, and the second disc portion is fixed to a second end of the elongated wire.

7. The cast cylinder block of claim 6 where in the at least one retainer is disposed partially in the metal matrix composite preform and the first disc portion and the second disc portion are disposed in the shared cylinder wall.

8. The cast cylinder block of claim 5 further comprising a head deck sealing surface and wherein the metal matrix composite preform includes a top surface that is coplanar with the head deck surface.

9. The cast cylinder block of claim 8 wherein the metal matrix composite preform further comprises a first concave surface and a second concave surface, the first concave surface is perpendicular to the top surface, and the second concave surface is perpendicular to the top surface opposite the first concave surface.

10. A cast cylinder block for an internal combustion engine, the cylinder block comprising:
a first cylinder bore wall and a second cylinder bore wall, and wherein a first portion of the first cylinder bore wall combines with a second portion of the second cylinder bore wall to form a shared cylinder bore wall;
a metal matrix composite preform comprising at least one retainer, a top surface, and at least one of an intermetallic powder, an oxide, a carbide, and a nitride, and wherein the metal matrix composite preform is disposed in the shared cylinder wall, the at least one retainer is partially disposed in the metal matrix composite preform, partially disposed in the first cylinder bore wall, and partially disposed in the second cylinder bore wall, and
a head deck sealing surface, and wherein top surface of the metal matrix composite preform is coplanar with the head deck sealing surface.

11. The cast cylinder block of claim 10 wherein the at least one retainer comprises an elongated wire and the at least one retainer is partially disposed in the metal matrix composite preform, partially disposed in the first cylinder bore wall, and partially disposed in the second cylinder bore wall.

12. The cast cylinder block of claim 10 wherein the at least one retainer comprises an elongated wire and a first and second disc portion, the first disc portion is fixed to a first end of the elongated wire, the second disc portion is fixed to a second end of the elongated wire.

13. The cast cylinder block of claim 10 where in the at least one retainer is disposed partially in the metal matrix composite preform and the first disc portion and the second disc portion are disposed in the shared cylinder wall.

14. The cast cylinder block of claim 13 wherein the metal matrix composite preform further comprises a first concave surface and a second concave surface, the first concave surface is perpendicular to the top surface, and the second concave surface is perpendicular to the top surface opposite the first concave surface.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Wang Qigui

Classifications

• B22C9/02 Primary

  Sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings · CPC title

• B23K20/122

  using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding · CPC title

• B22C9/10

  Cores; Manufacture or installation of cores {(breaker cores B22C9/084)} · CPC title

• F02F2200/06

  Casting · CPC title

• B23K20/1215

  for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding · CPC title