초록 ▼

A method for installing a heated piston into a cylinder sleeve that is initially smaller than the piston includes: receiving the engine block at a heating station, heating the engine cylinder sleeve with heated air for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature such that a temperature of th

A method for installing a heated piston into a cylinder sleeve that is initially smaller than the piston includes: receiving the engine block at a heating station, heating the engine cylinder sleeve with heated air for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature such that a temperature of the cylinder sleeve is equal to or greater than a temperature of the piston, and inserting the piston into the heated cylinder sleeve.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for assembling a piston into an engine cylinder sleeve on an engine block being manufactured, comprising: a piston heated to a predetermined heated piston temperature before assembly into the engine cylinder sleeve;an engine cylinder sleeve adapted to receive the piston; anda heating app

1. A system for assembling a piston into an engine cylinder sleeve on an engine block being manufactured, comprising: a piston heated to a predetermined heated piston temperature before assembly into the engine cylinder sleeve;an engine cylinder sleeve adapted to receive the piston; anda heating apparatus for heating the engine cylinder sleeve to a predetermined cylinder sleeve temperature before assembling the piston into the engine cylinder sleeve, wherein the predetermined cylinder sleeve temperature is equal to or greater than the predetermined heated piston temperature, the heating apparatus being independent from the engine block being manufactured,wherein the heating apparatus comprises:an air intake and regulation assembly, the air intake and regulation assembly comprising a main air supply in fluid communication with a main air valve and a main air regulator downstream of the main air valve, wherein the main air supply receives an airflow and directs the airflow to the main air valve which is selectively opened to transmit the airflow to the main air regulator, the main air regulator regulating the airflow;a heating and focusing assembly downstream of the main air regulator, which receives a regulated flow of air from the air intake and regulation assembly, the heating and focusing assembly comprising a forced air heater and a heating nozzle, the forced air heater comprising an electric resistance heating element and an air temperature sensor and the heating nozzle configured to releasably engage the engine cylinder sleeve and to direct a flow of heated air to the engine cylinder sleeve; anda controller comprising a heating control unit and a programmable logic controller, wherein the heating control unit is electrically connected to the temperature sensor and the electric resistance heating element, and the programmable logic controller is electrically connected to the main air supply valve, wherein the programmable logic controller selectively opens and closes the main air supply valve and said heating control unit supplies current to the electric resistance heating element such that the electric resistance heating element heats the regulated flow of air from the air intake and regulation assembly such that a temperature of air flow through the heating nozzle is equal to a predetermined exhaust air temperature. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the air intake and regulation assembly further comprises an idle state intake and regulation assembly, the idle state intake and regulation assembly comprising an idle state air valve that is selectively opened by the controller so as to communicate incoming air to an idle state regulator, wherein the idle state air valve and the idle state regulator are adapted to direct an airflow of a volume less than the airflow associated with the main air supply valve and the main air regulator, and the idle state air valve is electrically connected to the programmable logic controller, the programmable logic controller selectively opening the idle state air valve such that the idle state air valve is only open when the main air valve is closed, and the idle state air valve is closed when the main air valve is open. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the heating nozzle is configured to releasably engage the engine cylinder sleeve by being slidably inserted within the engine cylinder sleeve. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the heating nozzle is configured to releasably engage the engine cylinder sleeve by forming a seal over an opening of the engine cylinder sleeve. 5. A system for assembling a piston into an engine cylinder sleeve on an engine block being manufactured, comprising: a piston heated to a predetermined heated piston temperature before assembly into the engine cylinder sleeve;an engine cylinder sleeve adapted to receive the piston; anda heating apparatus for heating the engine cylinder sleeve to a predetermined cylinder sleeve temperature before assembling the piston into the engine cylinder sleeve, wherein the predetermined cylinder sleeve temperature is equal to or greater than the predetermined heated piston temperature, the heating apparatus being independent from the engine block being manufactured, and the heating apparatus comprising: a regulator assembly for receiving an incoming airflow and regulating the airflow;a heating device for receiving regulated airflow from the regulator assembly and heating the regulated airflow to a predetermined exhaust air temperature;a controller operatively connected to the heating device, the controller configured to operate the heating device to heat the regulated airflow for a predetermined period of time based upon a time required to heat the engine cylinder sleeve to the predetermined cylinder sleeve temperature;an inlet measuring device for measuring an inlet air temperature of the regulated airflow received by the heating device, the inlet measuring device operatively connected to the controller, and the controller configured to operate the heating device based on the inlet air temperature of the regulated airflow as measured by the inlet measuring device;an outlet measuring device for measuring an outlet air temperature of the heated airflow exhausted from the heating device, the outlet measuring device operatively connected to the controller, and the controller additionally configured to operate the heating device based on the outlet air temperature of the heated airflow as measured by the outlet measuring device; anda heating nozzle for receiving heated airflow from the heating device and directing the heated airflow to the engine cylinder sleeve, the heating nozzle configured to releasably engage the engine cylinder sleeve and to direct the heated airflow to the engine cylinder sleeve when engaged therewith. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the regulator assembly receives the incoming airflow from an associated pressurized airflow source, regulates the incoming airflow received from the associated pressurized airflow source and delivers the regulated airflow to the heating device. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the regulator assembly comprises: a main air supply valve fluidly connected to the associated pressurized airflow source;a main flow regulator for regulating airflow passed through the main air supply valve;an idle state valve fluidly connected to the associated pressurized airflow source; andan idle state flow regulator for regulating airflow passed through the idle state valve. 8. The system of claim 7 wherein the idle state flow regulator allows a restricted flow of air therethrough relative to the main flow regulator. 9. The system of claim 5 wherein the heating nozzle is configured to reshape the heated airflow to deliver the heated airflow to the engine cylinder sleeve. 10. The system of claim 5 wherein the heating nozzle is configured to releasably engage the engine cylinder sleeve by forming a seal over an opening of the engine cylinder sleeve during heating thereof. 11. The system of claim 5 wherein the heating nozzle is configured to releasably engage the engine cylinder sleeve by one of: fitting over an outer circumference of the engine cylinder sleeve; and sliding within the engine cylinder sleeve and heating the engine cylinder sleeve from within. 12. The system of claim 5 wherein the controller is operatively connected to the regulator assembly, the controller configured to operate the regulator assembly in an idle state after operating the heating device to heat the regulated airflow for the predetermined period of time, wherein in the idle state the regulator assembly is controlled to regulate the incoming airflow to supply the regulated airflow to the heating device at a reduced rate relative to a rate at which the regulated airflow is provided to the heating device while heating the engine cylinder sleeve during the predetermined period of time. 13. The system of claim 5 wherein the inlet measuring device is an inlet air thermistor and the outlet measuring device is an outlet air thermistor. 14. The system of claim 5, wherein the heating device is an electric resistance heating element. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to supply a current to the electric resistance heating element; wherein the controller is configured to compare the outlet air temperature measured by the outlet measuring device to the predetermined exhaust air temperature and to adjust the current supplied to the electric resistance heating element based on a difference between the outlet air temperature measured by the outlet measuring device and the predetermined exhaust air temperature,wherein the controller is configured to decrease the current supplied to the electric resistance heating element when the outlet air temperature measured by the outlet measuring device is greater than the predetermined exhaust air temperature, and to increase the current supplied to the electric resistance heating element when the outlet air temperature measured by the outlet measuring device is less than the predetermined exhaust air temperature, wherein a decrease in the current supplied to the electric resistance heating element decreases heating of the regulated airflow by the electric resistance heating element, and an increase in the current supplied to the electric resistance heating element increases heating of the regulated airflow by the electric resistance heating element. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the current supplied to the electric resistance heating element based on the inlet air temperature measured by the inlet measuring device.