A valve component includes a first disk-shaped joining part and a second disk-shaped joining part. The first disk-shaped joining part has a first opening and has an elevation in a first region of the first disk-shaped joining part which runs at least partially peripherally around the first opening. The second disk-shaped joining part is joined to the first disk-shaped joining part and has a second opening which together with the first opening defines a channel for flow of a fluid medium therethrough. The second disk-shaped joining part further has a depression in a second region of the second disk-shaped joining part which runs at least partially peripherally around the second opening and which opposes the first region of the first disk-shaped joining part. The elevation interacts with the depression in sealing fashion.

A modular piston assembly is associated with an air spring assembly that has a bellows rolling over a surface of the piston assembly. The modular piston assembly includes a first piston portion adapted to fasten to an associated air spring bellows. A second piston portion separate from the first portion, is adapted to fasten to an associated mounting component. Interlocking members are provided to secure the first and second piston portions together, and/or any desired intermediate piston portions. Discrete air reservoirs may also be included in the modular piston assembly to increase the volume of the air spring.

A method for producing a piston for an internal combustion engine, which piston has at least one cooling channel and is produced from at least one upper part and one lower part. The cooling channel of the piston is formed of the upper part and the lower part where the upper part and the lower part of the piston are each produced by means of a forging process At least one rib-like element, in particular, at least one rib, is additionally forged during the forging of the upper part in an area of the cooling channel and/or at least one rib-like element, in particular, at least one rib, is additionally forged during the forging of the lower part in an area of the cooling channel. Two alternative production methods and to a piston for an internal combustion engine are disclosed.

A one-piece piston including a combustion bowl which is cast to its final form and includes at least one irregularity spaced from a central axis. The piston is initially fabricated of an upper crown member and a lower crown member, which are joined together. The piston is then chucked into a machine tool, such as a CNC lathe, which locates either the piston's top surface or a portion of the combustion bowl and establishes its location as a datum plane. It is this datum plane which serves as a reference location for subsequent machining operations of the piston.

A device for moving a piston inside a cartridge having a cartridge body and the piston displaceable along a longitudinal axis of the cartridge body is presented. The device comprises a first portion having first coupler for coupling the cartridge body to the first portion such that in both directions of the longitudinal axis, a connection exists between the cartridge body and the first portion; and a second portion having second coupler for coupling the piston to the second portion such that in both directions of the longitudinal axis, a connection exists between the piston and the second portion. The first and second portions move relative to each other to effect at least a forward displacement of the piston coupled to the second portion inside the cartridge body coupled to the first portion along the longitudinal axis. The second coupler establishes and releases the connection with the piston.

The invention relates to a method for producing a piston (1) for an internal combustion engine, characterized by the following method steps: producing an upper piston part (2) and a lower piston part (3) having one or more recesses (4, 4) for forming a closed cavity (5); introducing a heat transfer medium (6), in particular one or more alkali metals, that is solid or paste-like at ambient temperature and liquid at the intended operating temperature of the piston, into the recesses (4, 4) of the lower piston part (3) and/or of the upper piston part (2), wherein the heat transfer medium (6) is provided in order, during the operative state of the piston (1), to effect heat transport within the piston (1) by convection; closing the recesses to form the closed cavity (5) which encloses the heat transfer medium (6); and connecting the upper piston part (2) to the lower piston part (3). This enables the piston (1) to be produced in a simplified manner.

A one-piece piston including a combustion bowl which is cast to its final form and includes at least one irregularity spaced from a central axis. The piston is initially fabricated of an upper crown member and a lower crown member, which are joined together. The piston is then chucked into a machine tool, such as a CNC lathe, which locates either the piston's top surface or a portion of the combustion bowl and establishes its location as a datum plane. It is this datum plane which serves as a reference location for subsequent machining operations of the piston.