Overlapping Piston Ring Taper Profile for Leakage Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Piston rings in large engines face wear and leakage issues due to extreme conditions, with long tapers providing pressure relief but increasing the risk of leakage at the overlapping region.

Innovation Solution

A piston ring design with a longer axial taper along most of the circumference and a shorter taper adjacent to the overlapping region, featuring a varying outer peripheral profile to maintain pressure cancellation while reducing leakage risk, incorporating a non-tapered or shorter taper at the overlapping region and a larger taper angle to compensate for the shorter extension.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If a long axial taper is provided on the outer peripheral surface, then pressure cancellation function is improved, but the risk of leakage at the overlapping region increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure cancellationVSAvoidleakage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different taper configurations in different circumferential regions of the piston ring. The first circumferential region (opposite the overlapping region) has a long axial taper for pressure cancellation, while the second circumferential region (at the overlapping region) has a shorter taper to prevent leakage. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction between pressure relief and sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The outer peripheral surface is segmented into distinct circumferential regions with different taper characteristics. The first region provides long taper for pressure distribution, while the second region provides short taper for sealing. This segmentation allows each region to optimize its function independently, resolving the contradiction between pressure cancellation and leakage prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Duration of action of stationary object

If a tapered running profile is provided to relieve high pressure, then the service life of the piston ring is extended, but the sealing effect at the overlapping region is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice lifeVSAvoidsealing effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by varying the taper length across different circumferential regions. The long taper in the first region extends service life through pressure relief, while the short taper in the second region maintains sealing effect. This localized approach allows both contradictory requirements to be satisfied in their respective regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the taper start is varied in the vicinity of the overlapping region, then leakage risk is reduced, but the pressure relief function may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleakage preventionVSAvoidpressure cancellation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning the taper start at different axial locations in different circumferential regions. In the second region (overlapping area), the taper start is positioned to reduce leakage risk. In the first region (opposite overlapping area), the taper start is positioned to optimize pressure cancellation. This localized positioning resolves the contradiction between leakage prevention and pressure relief.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3775630B1A piston ring
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 FEDERAL MOGUL GOTEBORG AB
  • EP3775630B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3775630B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c
  • EP3775630B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A piston ring is provided. The piston ring comprises a main section extending along a circumferential direction around a geometrical axis, a first tongue section and a second tongue section, wherein, in use, the first tongue section is configured to overlap the second tongue section to form a contacting interface. At the main section, said outer peripheral suface comprises a tapering first surface portion extending in the circumferential direction, wherein said tapering first surface portion has a taper start. Adjacent to said first tongue section, said taper start is located proximally relative to the location of said taper start at the rest of the main section.