초록 ▼

An opposed-piston engine assembly is disclosed including a first cylinder liner containing a pair of first pistons that move toward one another in one mode of operation and away from one another in another mode of operation. The pistons are coupled to first and second crankshafts. Multiple block seg

An opposed-piston engine assembly is disclosed including a first cylinder liner containing a pair of first pistons that move toward one another in one mode of operation and away from one another in another mode of operation. The pistons are coupled to first and second crankshafts. Multiple block segments arranged in a side-by-side abutting relationship form the engine block including a first outboard segment, a first inboard segment, a second inboard segment, and a second outboard segment. Tensile members extend through the block segments tying them together as one structural unit. The first and second inboard segments abut one another at a seam and include bores that cooperate to receive the first cylinder liner. The first cylinder liner includes a liner support collar that is received in counter-bores defined by the first and second inboard segments at the seam between the first and second inboard segments.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An engine assembly comprising: an engine block;a first cylinder liner disposed within said engine block, said first cylinder liner having a longitudinal extent equaling a predetermined length and said first cylinder having a first longitudinal axis that extends coaxially through said first cylind

1. An engine assembly comprising: an engine block;a first cylinder liner disposed within said engine block, said first cylinder liner having a longitudinal extent equaling a predetermined length and said first cylinder having a first longitudinal axis that extends coaxially through said first cylinder liner;said first cylinder liner having a cylinder wall presenting an inner surface that defines a first cylinder within said first cylinder liner and an outer surface that is opposite said inner surface;said engine block having multiple block segments disposed in a side-by-side abutting relationship including a first inboard segment, a second inboard segment, a first outboard segment, and a second outboard segment;said first inboard segment extending longitudinally between a first proximate end and a first distal end and defining a first bore that is open to said first proximate and distal ends;said second inboard segment extending longitudinally between a second proximate end and a second distal end and defining a second bore that is open to said second proximate and distal ends;said first proximate end of said first inboard segment and said second proximate end of said second inboard segment abutting one another where said first bore is aligned with said second bore such that said first and second bores jointly receive said first cylinder liner;said first outboard segment extending longitudinally between a third proximate end and a third distal end, said third proximate end abutting said first distal end of said first inboard segment such that said first inboard segment is disposed longitudinally between said second inboard segment and said first outboard segment;said second outboard segment extending longitudinally between a fourth proximate end and a fourth distal end, said fourth proximate end abutting said second distal end of said second inboard segment such that said second inboard segment is disposed longitudinally between said first inboard segment and said second outboard segment;a plurality of tensile members extending longitudinally through said first and second inboard segments and said first and second outboard segments of said engine block to tie said first and second inboard segments and said first and second outboard segments together as one unit;first and second crankshafts; anda plurality of crankshaft clamps securing the first and second crankshafts to the first and second outboard segments, said plurality of crankshaft clamps being removably coupled to said third proximate end of said first outboard segment and said fourth proximate end of said second outboard segment. 2. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first bore extends entirely through said first inboard segment from said first proximate end to said first distal end and said second bore extends entirely through said second inboard segment from said second proximate end to said second distal end. 3. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a pair of pistons disposed in said first cylinder liner that are movable along said first longitudinal axis toward one another in a first mode of operation and away from one another along said first longitudinal axis in a second mode of operation between a bottom dead-center position and a top dead-center position. 4. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first outboard segment at least partially defines a first crankcase that receives said first crankshaft and said second outboard segment at least partially defines a second crankcase that receives said second crankshaft. 5. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first outboard segment and said second outboard segment are made of a plurality of interconnected members. 6. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: a housing disposed about said engine block that at least partially encloses said first outboard segment, said first inboard segment, said second inboard segment, and said second outboard segment. 7. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of support passageways extending longitudinally through said first inboard segment and said second inboard segment that each receive one tensile member of said plurality of tensile members. 8. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a first exhaust port extending through said first cylinder liner; andan exhaust manifold at least partially disposed within said first inboard segment of said engine block that is arranged in fluid communication with said first exhaust port for transporting exhaust away from said first exhaust port. 9. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 8, further comprising: a group of seals disposed in said first bore of said first inboard segment adjacent to said first exhaust port and on opposite sides of said exhaust manifold that contact said exhaust manifold to prevent leaks between said exhaust manifold and said first exhaust port. 10. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 9, wherein said group of seals are directly applied to said first inboard segment by a liquid injection process. 11. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a first inlet port extending through said first cylinder liner; andan inlet manifold at least partially disposed within said second inboard segment of said engine block that is arranged in fluid communication with said first inlet port for transporting air to said first inlet port. 12. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 11, further comprising: a group of seals disposed in said second bore of said second inboard segment adjacent to said first inlet port and on opposite sides of said inlet manifold that contact said inlet manifold to prevent leaks between said inlet manifold and said first inlet port. 13. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein said group of seals are directly applied to said second inboard segment by a liquid injection process. 14. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a first fuel injector at least partially disposed within said first inboard segment of said engine block that extends through said first cylinder liner to supply fuel to said first cylinder. 15. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second bores of said first and second inboard segments of said engine block cooperate to entirely receive said first cylinder liner. 16. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first cylinder liner includes a liner support collar disposed intermediately along said longitudinal extent of said first cylinder liner that extends annularly about and radially from said outer surface of said first cylinder liner to form a stop, wherein said first proximate end of said first inboard segment includes a first counter-bore extending into said first inboard segment that is coaxially aligned with and arranged annularly about said first bore, wherein said second proximate end of said second inboard segment includes a second counter-bore extending into said second inboard segment that is coaxially aligned with and arranged annularly about said second bore, and wherein said first counter-bore and said second counter-bore cooperate to receive said liner support collar of said first cylinder liner. 17. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 16, further comprising: seals disposed in said first counter-bore of said first inboard segment and said second counter-bore of said second inboard segment on opposite sides of said liner support collar of said first cylinder liner that contact said liner support collar to prevent leaks between said first cylinder liner and said first and second inboard segments. 18. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 17, wherein said seals are directly applied to said first and second inboard segments by a liquid injection process. 19. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein said first proximate end of said first inboard segment and said second proximate end of said second inboard segment abut one another at a seam, said seam being disposed intermediately along said longitudinal extent of said first cylinder liner such that said seam is adjacent to said counter-bore. 20. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 16, further comprising: a first inlet port extending through said first cylinder liner; anda first exhaust port extending through said first cylinder liner, said first exhaust port being longitudinally spaced from said first inlet port. 21. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 20, wherein said liner support collar is positioned longitudinally between said first inlet port and said first exhaust port. 22. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 20, wherein said first exhaust port and said first inlet port each includes a plurality of windows that extend through said first cylinder liner and are circumferentially spaced from one another about said first cylinder liner. 23. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said third proximate end of said first outboard segment and said fourth proximate end of said second outboard segment include a plurality of crankshaft races that cooperate with said plurality of crankshaft clamps to hold said first and second crankshafts in place with respect to said first and second outboard segments. 24. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 23, wherein each crankshaft race in said plurality of crankshaft races and each crankshaft clamp in said plurality of crankshaft clamps has a semi-cylindrical shape that circumscribes a portion of one of said first and second crankshafts. 25. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 24, wherein said semi-cylindrical shape of each crankshaft race in said plurality of crankshaft races opens towards said first and second inboard segments of said engine block and wherein said semi-cylindrical shape of each crankshaft clamp in said plurality of crankshaft clamps opens away from said first and second inboard segments of said engine block. 26. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 24, wherein said semi-cylindrical shape of each crankshaft race in said plurality of crankshaft races faces inward towards said first and second inboard segments and wherein said semi-cylindrical shape of each crankshaft clamp in said plurality of crankshaft clamps faces outward away from said first and second inboard segments of said engine block. 27. An engine assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of crankshaft clamps includes a first set of crankshaft clamps positioned longitudinally between said first crankshaft and said first inboard segment of said engine block and a second set of crankshaft clamps positioned longitudinally between said second crankshaft and said second inboard segment of said engine block.