The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for continuously providing an oxygen-enriched gas/air using a relative motion of selected surface(s) of an apparatus (such as fossil-fueled combustion device/vehicle) relative to an atmospheric air with a speed exceeding a threshold value for, e.g., improving combustion, exhaust and related properties of the apparatus. An oxygen-enriched gas/air layer can be formed along/near each aforementioned surface from the atmospheric air due to pushing the atmospheric air along the surface(s) during that relative motion and collected by corresponding collector gate(s) located inside the apparatus near/adjacent to the corresponding surface. The apparatus can be an object (e.g., a vehicle) moving through the atmospheric air with a relative speed exceeding the threshold value. Alternatively, the apparatus can be a stationary object (e.g., a power generator) while the atmospheric air, having a desired speed exceeding the threshold value, is moved/blown toward the stationary object.

An automated system for managing temperature and reducing crankcase oil dilution in an internal combustion engine. The system includes a rotatable shutter plate having an open portion, a closed portion and a peripheral rim, the peripheral rim having a frictional surface thereon; a motor having a rotatable shaft having a pinion affixed at one end thereof for engagement with the frictional surface of the peripheral rim of the rotatable shutter plate; and a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature indicative of engine warm-up and sending a signal to a controller; wherein the rotatable shutter plate is structured and arranged to at least partially occlude an air inlet to or outlet from the internal combustion engine when rotated in response to a signal received from the controller. A method of reducing crankcase oil dilution and managing temperature in a spark-ignited engine operating on middle-distillate fuel and a portable engine or engine-generator combination having multi-fuel capability are also provided.

A cooling module assembly is provided for a motor vehicle. That cooling module assembly includes a radiator module and a charge air cooler module. The radiator module includes a radiator and a radiator shroud having a chamfered margin. The charge air cooler module includes a charge air cooler and a charge air cooler shroud with an integral seal. An interference fit and seal are provided between the integral seal and the radiator shroud adjacent the chamfered margin when the cooling module assembly is fully assembled. A related method of sealing the cooling module assembly is also disclosed.

A single-cylinder internal combustion engine includes a knock sensor mounted thereto to suppress a temperature increase of the knock sensor and at the same time detect knocking with high accuracy. The engine includes a cylinder block having a cylinder provided therein, and a cylinder head connected to the cylinder block. On a surface of the cylinder block and the cylinder head, one or more fins protruding from the surface are provided. On the surface of the cylinder block, a sensor mounting boss protruding from the surface and being continuous with a portion of the one or more fins is provided. A knock sensor arranged to detect knocking is mounted to the sensor mounting boss.

A single-cylinder internal combustion engine includes a knock sensor mounted thereto to suppress a temperature increase of the knock sensor and at the same time detect knocking with high accuracy. The engine includes a cylinder block having a cylinder provided therein, and a cylinder head connected to the cylinder block. On a surface of the cylinder block and the cylinder head, one or more fins protruding from the surface are provided. On the surface of the cylinder block, a sensor mounting boss protruding from the surface and being continuous with a portion of the one or more fins is provided. A knock sensor arranged to detect knocking is mounted to the sensor mounting boss.

A waste heat accumulator/distributor system for use in a vehicle. The system includes an engine coolant loop directing engine coolant through a power plant, a powertrain electronics coolant loop directing electronics coolant through a powertrain electronics system; and a transmission fluid loop directing transmission fluid through a transmission. The system includes a multi-fluid heat exchanger including an engine coolant inlet receiving the engine coolant from the engine coolant loop, an electronics coolant inlet receiving the electronics coolant from the powertrain electronic coolant loop, and a transmission fluid inlet receiving the transmission fluid from the transmission fluid loop; a first valve controllable to cause engine coolant to flow into the engine coolant inlet or to bypass the engine coolant inlet; and a second valve controllable to cause electronics coolant to flow into the electronics coolant inlet or to bypass the electronics coolant inlet.

A waste heat accumulator/distributor system for use in a vehicle. The system includes an engine coolant loop directing engine coolant through a power plant, a powertrain electronics coolant loop directing electronics coolant through a powertrain electronics system; and a transmission fluid loop directing transmission fluid through a transmission. The system includes a multi-fluid heat exchanger including an engine coolant inlet receiving the engine coolant from the engine coolant loop, an electronics coolant inlet receiving the electronics coolant from the powertrain electronic coolant loop, and a transmission fluid inlet receiving the transmission fluid from the transmission fluid loop; a first valve controllable to cause engine coolant to flow into the engine coolant inlet or to bypass the engine coolant inlet; and a second valve controllable to cause electronics coolant to flow into the electronics coolant inlet or to bypass the electronics coolant inlet.

There is provided an engine water-cooling device that can increase warming-up efficiency of an engine. The engine water-cooling device includes a thermostat housing that houses a thermostat. The thermostat housing is mounted to a front wall of a cylinder head in one side portion in a width direction of the cylinder head. A cooling water pump is mounted to a front wall of a cylinder block in a central portion in a width direction of the cylinder block. A bypass passage includes an intra-head bypass passage in the cylinder head, and the intra-head bypass passage includes a width-direction passage portion extending from a position behind the thermostat housing to a position behind and above the cooling water pump.

There is provided an engine water-cooling device that can increase warming-up efficiency of an engine. The engine water-cooling device includes a thermostat housing that houses a thermostat. The thermostat housing is mounted to a front wall of a cylinder head in one side portion in a width direction of the cylinder head. A cooling water pump is mounted to a front wall of a cylinder block in a central portion in a width direction of the cylinder block. A bypass passage includes an intra-head bypass passage in the cylinder head, and the intra-head bypass passage includes a width-direction passage portion extending from a position behind the thermostat housing to a position behind and above the cooling water pump.

An engine-driven working machine capable of reducing an opening of an outer case to be small, and decreasing the number of components is provided. An engine-driven working machine 10 is a generator in which an inverter 27 is provided at a suction side of a cooling fan 17, and a fuel tank 25 is provided over the inverter 27. The generator 10 includes an intake port 36 that is formed in an outer case 12, and a first air guide passage 61 that is formed by a tank bottom portion 38 of the fuel tank 25. The intake port 36 is formed in a lower side part 12b of a tank front wall 37, in the outer case 12. The first air guide passage 61 is formed by the tank bottom portion 38that is inclined with a falling gradient toward the inverter 27 from the intake port 36.