Two-Piece Engine Cover Segmentation for Fuel Leakage Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing internal combustion engine designs face challenges in containing fuel leakages within the engine assembly, leading to potential safety risks and maintenance complexities, especially when the common rail is located outside the sealed volume.

Innovation Solution

A two-piece cover design that separates the common rail and injectors into distinct sub-volumes, with fuel connections passing through a separation wall, allowing for containment of leakages and simplified maintenance without disassembling the valve cover.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the common rail is located inside the sealed volume defined by the valve cover, then fuel leakages are contained inside the engine, but fuel may be diluted in the oil included in the sealed volume

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel leakage containmentVSAvoidoil dilution

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The valve cover is divided into two separate parts: a first valve cover portion that forms a first sealed volume with the cylinder head, and a second valve cover portion that forms a second sealed volume with the cylinder head. The common rail is positioned in the second sealed volume, while the first sealed volume contains the injectors. This segmentation prevents fuel leakage from the common rail from contaminating the engine oil while maintaining containment within the engine assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the common rail is located outside the sealed volume, then fuel leakages do not go in engine oil, but fuel leakages may flow down on the road and spray in the engine compartment, involving a safety risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoil dilution preventionVSAvoidfuel leakage containment

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The valve cover is segmented into two separate portions that create distinct sealed volumes. The second sealed volume contains the common rail and is designed to contain fuel leakages within the engine assembly boundaries, preventing them from escaping to the road or engine compartment while avoiding oil contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second sealed volume acts as an intermediary containment space between the common rail and the external environment. This intermediate volume captures and contains fuel leakages, preventing direct contact with the external environment and avoiding both oil dilution and safety risks from fuel spray.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If the common rail is integrated in a lateral wall of the valve cover, then the design allows fuel connections to pass outside the valve cover, but maintenance of the common rail requires disassembling the valve cover which is time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel connection installationVSAvoidcommon rail maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The valve cover is divided into a first valve cover portion and a second valve cover portion that can be separated from each other. The common rail is integrated into the second valve cover portion, which can be removed independently from the first valve cover portion. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access and service the common rail by simply removing the second valve cover portion, eliminating the need to disassemble the entire valve cover assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Device complexity

If a single-piece valve cover is used, then the structure is simpler, but maintenance requires disassembling and resealing the entire valve cover which is time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve cover structureVSAvoidmaintenance time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The valve cover is segmented into multiple separable portions (first valve cover portion and second valve cover portion) that can be independently removed and reattached. This segmentation maintains relatively simple overall structure while enabling quick maintenance by allowing personnel to remove only the necessary portion without disassembling the entire valve cover or performing complex resealing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3080432B1Cover of an internal combustion engine assembly having a common rail, engine assembly and automotive vehicle including such a cover

Publication Date: 2018.11.07 VOLVO TRUCK CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a cover for an internal combustion engine assembly (1) comprising a pressurized fuel accumulator (6) feeding fuel to at least one injector (7), the cover (3) defining, with a cylinder head (2), a volume (V) designed to receive the common rail (6) and the injector (7), the cover (3) bordering a first sub-volume (V1), designed to receive the injector (7), and a second sub-volume (V2) separated from the first sub- volume (V1) by a separation wall (35A) of the cover (3) and designed to receive the common rail (6), characterized in that the cover (3) includes a frame (3A) to be fitted on the cylinder head and a cap (3B) removably fitted on the frame (3A),and in that the separation wall (35A) is designed for the passage of a fuel connection (8) connecting the injector (7) to the common rail (6).