Piston assembly for a reciprocating engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9334830-B2
Application number	US-201414298869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2014
Priority date	Jun 6, 2014
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine includes a piston configured to be disposed within a cylinder and to move in a reciprocating manner within the cylinder. The piston also includes a top-most groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston and a ring disposed within the top-most groove. A single channel is formed in the top land or the ring, and the single channel extends from an outer perimeter of the piston to a space between an inner surface of the top-most groove and an inner face of the ring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine, comprising:
a piston configured to be disposed within a cylinder and to move in a reciprocating manner within the cylinder;
a top-most groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston;
a ring disposed within the top-most groove; and
a single channel formed in the top land or the ring, wherein the single channel extends from an outer perimeter of the piston to a space between an inner surface of the top-most groove and an inner face of the ring, the single channel is positioned at a discrete location about a circumference of the piston, the single channel extends about less than the circumference of the piston, and the single channel is positioned at a low-temperature region of the top-most groove that demonstrates an average temperature that is at least five percent cooler than an average overall temperature of the top-most groove during operation of the reciprocating engine at rated temperatures.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single channel extends into an axially upper surface of the top-most groove.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single channel extends radially along an axially upper surface of the top-most groove.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single channel extends axially through the top land of the piston to the space.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single channel is positioned at a central region of a V-type engine.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the piston has a diameter and the single channel has a width that is at least approximately two percent of the diameter.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ring comprises a radially outer face disposed opposite a radially inner face, and the radially outer face comprises an asymmetrical profile.

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising the cylinder.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single radial channel is formed in the ring.

10. A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine system, comprising:
a piston configured to be disposed within a cylinder and to move in a reciprocating manner within the cylinder;
a top-most groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston;
a ring positioned in the top-most groove; and
a channel formed in the top land or the ring and configured to enable combustion gases to flow from a combustion chamber to a space between an inner surface of the top-most groove and an inner face of the ring, wherein the channel is positioned at a discrete location about a circumference of the piston, the channel extends about less than the circumference of the piston, and the channel has a width that is between approximately one percent and three percent of a diameter of the piston.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein only a single channel is formed in the top land or the ring.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the channel extends into a perimeter of the top-most groove.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the channel extends in a radial direction.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the channel is positioned at a central region of a V-type engine.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the channel is positioned at a low temperature region of the top-most groove that demonstrates an average temperature that is at least five percent cooler than an average overall temperature of the top-most groove during operation of the reciprocating engine at rated temperatures.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the channel extends axially through the top land of the piston to the space.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the channel is formed in the top land or the ring at a low deposit region of the top-most groove that supports at least five percent less oil than an average volume of oil supported by other portions of the top-most groove.

18. A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine, comprising:
a cylinder having an inner wall and defining a cavity;
a piston disposed within the cylinder and configured to move in a reciprocating manner within the cylinder;
a top-most groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston;
a ring positioned within the top-most groove; and
a radial channel formed in the top land at a low deposit region of the top-most groove that supports at least five percent less oil than an average volume of oil supported by other portions of the top-most groove, wherein the radial channel extends from an outer perimeter of the piston toward a space formed between an inner surface of the top-most groove and an inner face of the ring, the radial channel is positioned at a discrete location about a circumference of the piston, the radial channel extends about less than the circumference of the piston, and only a single radial channel is formed in the top land.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the radial channel is formed in the top land at a low-temperature region of the top-most groove that demonstrates an average temperature that is at least five percent cooler than an average overall temperature of the top-most groove during operation of the reciprocating engine at rated temperatures.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Donahue Richard John

Classifications

• F16J9/12

  Details · CPC title

• F16J9/00

  Piston-rings {, e.g. non-metallic piston-rings}, seats therefor; Ring sealings of similar construction (other sealings between pistons and cylinders F16J3/06, F16J15/16 {; manufacture of piston-rings B23P15/06, B23P15/08}; tools for mounting or removing piston-rings or the like B25B; piston sealing arrangements on brake master cylinders B60T11/236 {; sealing provided on pump pistons F04B53/143}) · CPC title

• F02F1/20

  characterised by constructional features providing for lubrication · CPC title

• F16J9/08 Primary

  with expansion obtained by pressure of the medium · CPC title

• F02F3/00 Primary

  Pistons · CPC title