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Patent: Aluminum cylinder block and method of manufacture
Time:2020-12-09   Hits:1050
The present disclosure relates to metal casting and more specifically to aluminum cylinder block castings and methods of manufacture. 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. The metal matrix composite preform, which includes at least one of an intermetallic powder, an oxide, a carbide, and a nitride, is disposed in the shared cylinder wall. The metal matrix composite preform further comprises at least one retainer such as 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. Or 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. 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. The cast cylinder block further comprises a head deck sealing surface and the metal matrix composite preform includes a top surface that is coplanar with the head deck surface. 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. The present invention can improve the initial reliability and long term robustness of the cast aluminum cylinder block while maintaining design and weight improvements.