A system for selectively activating and deactivating cylinders includes a first cylinder positioned in a cylinder block. A first intake or exhaust valve is coupled to the first cylinder and is actuated by a first coupling mechanism. A first oil control solenoid is coupled to the first coupling mechanism, the first oil control solenoid deactivates the first coupling mechanism to maintain the first intake or exhaust valve in a closed position. A second cylinder is positioned in the cylinder block, and a second intake or exhaust valve is coupled to the second cylinder. The second intake or exhaust valve is actuated by a second coupling mechanism. A second oil control solenoid is coupled to the second coupling mechanism, the second oil control solenoid deactivates the second coupling mechanism to maintain the second intake or exhaust valve in a closed position. The first oil control solenoid and the second oil control solenoid have different operating parameters.

An apparatus is provided to test valves. The apparatus includes a support structure and a plurality of engagement members coupled to the support structure. Each member of the plurality of engagement members is coupled with a valve of a valve train associated with an engine head. The apparatus further includes a camshaft, which includes a plurality of lobes coupled to the support structure. Each lobe of the plurality of lobes are equally spaced from each other and coupled to a member of the plurality of engagement members. The apparatus further includes a driving mechanism coupled to the camshaft, which is configured to rotate the camshaft and control each member of the plurality of engagement members to further control an activation of each valve of the valve train associated with the engine head.

An apparatus is provided to test valves. The apparatus includes a sensor and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is configured to control an external camshaft that is coupled to a valve train of an engine head. The apparatus controls the driving mechanism to control a rotation of the external camshaft that further controls an activation of each valve of the valve train associated with the engine head. The apparatus further controls the sensor to acquire information associated with the activation of each valve of the valve train based on the rotation of the external camshaft. The apparatus further compares the acquired information with pre-stored information, to determine an abnormality in each valve of the valve train, and generates a notification based on the comparison.

A nickel-niobium intermetallic alloy contains, in weight percent, silicon from about 1.5 to about 3.5 percent; chromium from 5 to about 15 percent; nickel from about 45 to about 75 percent; niobium from about 14 to about 30 percent; cobalt up to about 7 percent; and iron up to about 10 percent; wherein the nickel plus niobium content is about 70 to about 90 percent and the total silicon, chromium, cobalt and iron content is about 10 to about 30 percent. The alloy can have a cast microstructure of at least 95 volume percent intermetallic phases and no more than about 5 volume percent solid solution phases. The intermetallic phases can include rod-like intermetallic phases of Ni.sub.3Nb and Ni.sub.8Nb.sub.7. The microstructure can be a lamellar microstructure and/or the microstructure can have less than 5 volume percent Ni—Fe and Ni—Co rich intermetallic phases.

A method for controlling a valve arrangement for an internal combustion engine, the valve arrangement including a piston arrangement comprising a piston having a piston end portion facing an inlet valve of the valve arrangement. The method includes receiving a signal indicative of a temperature level of an exhaust gas after treatment system and when the signal indicates a temperature level below a predetermined threshold level: advancing an exhaust event of the internal combustion engine; and controlling the piston arrangement for reducing the distance between the piston end portion and the inlet valve before the internal combustion engine assumes an air intake event.

An electromagnetic actuating device (10) has an energizable stationary spool element (1) having a stationary core area (2), an anchor unit (3) moveable relative to the spool elements (1) and the core area (2) and has permanent magnet elements (4) and a pestle (5) disposed on one end and having a free end section (5a) for engaging in an actuating partner, the anchor unit (3) being moveable along a longitudinal movement axis (L) in at least two actuating positions (A, B), and the actuator (10) having retaining elements (7) which are spaced apart from the core area, are permanent-magnetically flux-conductive and are formed in such a manner in a third actuating position (C) between the first and second actuating positions (A, B) for interacting with the permanent magnet elements (4) of the anchor unit (3) that the anchor unit is retained in a third actuating position (C) between the first and second actuating positions (A, B) and/or exerts a predefined force potential towards the actuating partner.

An internal combustion engine system includes an engine with a plurality of pistons housed in respective ones of a plurality of cylinders, an air intake system to provide air to the plurality of cylinders through respective ones of a plurality of intake valves, an exhaust system to release exhaust gas from the plurality of cylinders through respective one of a plurality of exhaust valves. A valve train is provided for cylinder deactivation of a first part of the plurality of cylinders and compression release braking on a second part of the plurality of cylinders.

A valve system/method suitable for an internal combustion engine (ICE), compressor pump, vacuum pump, and/or reciprocating mechanical device is disclosed. The system/method is optimized for construction of a four-stroke ICE. The rudimentary system incorporates an intake engine block cover (IEC) and exhaust engine block cover (EEC) that enclose an intake rotary valve disc (IVD) and exhaust rotary valve disc (EVD) that control intake/exhaust flow through a respective intake rotary valve port (IVP) and an exhaust rotary valve port (EVP) into and out of a combustion cylinder that provides power to a piston and crankshaft. An intake multi-staged valve (IMV) and exhaust multi-staged valve (EMV) provide intake and exhaust flow control for the IVD/IVP and EVD/EVP. An enhanced system may include a variety of intake/exhaust port seals (IPS/EPS), forced induction/discharge (FIN), centrifugal advance (CAD), and/or cooling channel spool (ICS/ECS).

An apparatus is provided to test valves. The apparatus includes a sensor and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is configured to control an external camshaft that is coupled to a valve train of an engine head. The apparatus controls the driving mechanism to control a rotation of the external camshaft that further controls an activation of each valve of the valve train associated with the engine head. The apparatus further controls the sensor to acquire information associated with the activation of each valve of the valve train based on the rotation of the external camshaft. The apparatus further compares the acquired information with pre-stored information, to determine an abnormality in each valve of the valve train, and generates a notification based on the comparison.

A method of manufacturing a bearing pin with an external lubrication channel and the bearing pin formed thereby are disclosed. The method includes fixing a rotational orientation of the bearing pin along a pin axis, cutting an outer surface of the bearing pin in a first straight line across a first convex portion thereof to create a first open external groove of the lubrication channel; and cutting an outer surface of the bearing pin in a second straight line across a second convex portion thereof to create a second open external groove of the lubrication channel. The grooves have a concave sectional profile and circumferential open ends disposed intermediate and not intersecting the ends of the bearing pin.