Cylinder Liner Fire Ring Structure for Fatigue Crack Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cylinder liners in combustion engines face issues with reduced stiffness and increased fatigue cracks due to large scraper rings, leading to pressure differences and material strength deterioration.

Innovation Solution

A cylinder liner design with a recess accommodating a ring-shaped element, where the inner diameter of the upper wall portion is larger than the bottom, minimizing pressure differences and enhancing stiffness by reducing the recess depth and optimizing the ring's dimensions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a large scraper ring is used to ensure proper piston functionality, then the scraping function is improved, but the material thickness of the cylinder liner is reduced, resulting in reduced stiffness and increased fatigue cracks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiston scraping functionVSAvoidcylinder liner stiffness and fatigue strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The scraper ring is divided into two separate functional elements: a fire ring for scraping carbon deposits and a separate compression ring for maintaining compression. This segmentation allows each ring to be optimized for its specific function while reducing the overall radial height required in the cylinder liner, thereby preserving material thickness and structural strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a single large-diameter scraper ring to multiple smaller-diameter rings stacked axially. By moving the scraping function to a smaller radial dimension and distributing it across multiple axial layers, the design maintains effective scraping while preserving cylinder liner stiffness and reducing fatigue stress concentrations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If a large scraper ring is used to improve piston functionality, then the scraping capability is enhanced, but pressure differences between the combustion chamber and piston upper part increase, deteriorating material strength

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiston scraping functionVSAvoidpressure difference between combustion chamber and piston
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The fire ring is separated from the compression ring, allowing the fire ring to be positioned at an optimal radial height for scraping while the compression ring maintains sealing. This separation enables pressure equalization between the combustion chamber and piston upper part, reducing harmful pressure differences that would otherwise deteriorate material strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the radial dimension parameter of the scraper ring, reducing its radial height from a large single ring to a smaller fire ring positioned at an optimized height. This parameter change reduces the volume of trapped pressure differences while maintaining effective scraping functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the recess depth is increased to accommodate the ring-shaped element, then the scraping function is improved, but the stiffness of the cylinder liner is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescraping functionVSAvoidcylinder liner stiffness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The scraping function is segmented into a smaller fire ring that requires less radial depth in the cylinder liner. By reducing the radial height of the fire ring and positioning it at an optimized height, the recess depth is minimized while maintaining effective scraping, thereby preserving cylinder liner stiffness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention optimizes the radial height parameter of the ring-shaped element, reducing it from a large scraper ring to a compact fire ring. This parameter optimization allows the recess to be shallower while maintaining scraping effectiveness, thus preserving the structural stiffness of the cylinder liner.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4209670B1Optimized fire ring
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 CATERPILLAR ENERGY SOLUTIONS
  • EP4209670B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4209670B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4209670B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention pertains to a cylinder liner for a cylinder of a combustion engine as well as a combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder with a corresponding cylinder liner, in particular to reduce pressure differences between a combustion chamber and an upper part of a piston and/or to improve stiffness and fatigue strength of the cylinder liner. Accordingly, a cylinder liner (10) for a cylinder of a combustion engine is suggested, which comprises a longitudinally extending wall, wherein an inner diameter of the wall defines a bore (12) configured for receiving a piston and wherein the wall comprises a recess (14) facing the bore (12) and accommodating a ring-shaped element (16) extending into the bore (12) and beyond the wall in a radially inward direction. An inner diameter (20) of an upper wall portion (18) extending from the recess (14) to a combustion region end portion of the cylinder liner (10) is larger than an inner diameter (24) of a bottom wall portion (22) extending from the recess (14) to an opposing end portion of the cylinder liner (10).