1. A method of manufacturing a monobloc, comprising the steps of:
providing a monobloc having a cylinder, the cylinder having an open end and a blind end remote from the open end,
providing a cylindrical liner for the cylinder,
machining, such as boring, part of an inside surface of the cylindrical liner to provide an undercut, and then
fitting the cylindrical liner in the cylinder.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises boring the undercut at an end of the cylindrical liner adapted to lie adjacent the blind end.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises boring the undercut in the form of an annular recess or annular groove.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises boring the undercut of the cylindrical liner to substantially the finished bore size of the cylindrical liner.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises boring for a depth of say less than 0.5 mm.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises boring to a depth of 0.25 mm.
7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises honing the cylindrical liner for a distance axially along the cylindrical liner of between, say 4 and 6 mm.
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises honing only the part between the undercut and the end of the liner adapted to lie adjacent the opening of the cylinder.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises honing substantially the remainder of the inside surface of the cylindrical liner when the cylindrical liner is in situ in the cylinder.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises honing the remainder of the inside surface in a plurality of passes which give increasing optimum surface characteristics to the inside surface of the cylindrical liner.
11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises providing one or more further cylinders, and one or more further cylindrical liners, boring the or each further cylindrical liners and fitting the or each further cylinder in the or each further cylindrical liners.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises providing the cylinder and the or each further cylinder with fluid coolant passages around them, characterised in that the passages are adapted to allow independent flow of fluid coolant around the cylinders and the or each further cylinder.
13. A method according to claim 11, the method comprises providing two cylinders and providing two respective cylindrical liners.
14. A method of manufacturing a cylinder of a monobloc, the method being characterised by introducing spark erosion apparatus into the cylinder towards a blind end thereof, and spark eroding the profile of the blind end of the cylinder.
15. A cylindrical liner for a cylinder of a monobloc, the cylindrical liner having an inside surface for receiving a piston, the inside surface comprising an undercut or region of additional machining only at one end thereof, which is adapted to locate adjacent a blind end of the cylinder.
16. A monobloc for an I.C. engine, comprising a cylindrical liner in accordance with claim 15.
17. A monobloc assembly for an internal combustion engine, the monobloc assembly comprising one or more cylinders and one or more respective pistons, each piston being arranged for reciprocating movement in its respective cylinder, characterised in that the monobloc has a cylinder borepiston stroke ratio of at least 1.25; 1.
18. A monobloc having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having a fluid coolant passage around it, characterised in that the passages are adapted to allow independent flow of fluid coolant around the cylinders.
19. A monobloc according to claim 18, wherein each fluid coolant passage has its own inlet to, and its own exit from, the monobloc to allow parallel independent flow of coolant through the monobloc and around the cylinders.
20. A monobloc according to claim 18, each cylinder having a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axes of the plurality of cylinders are substantially parallel.
21. A monobloc according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of cylinders are side by side.
22. A monobloc casting for an I.C. engine, the monobloc casting having one or more cylinders, wherein the monobloc casting has at least one degree of reflective symmetry.
23. A monobloc casting according to claim 22, wherein the reflective symmetry is in relation to a plane (PA) which passes through the longitudinal axes of the one or more cylinders.
24. A monobloc casting according to claim 22, wherein the reflective symmetry is in relation to a plane (PB) perpendicular to a plane (PA) through the longitudinal axes of the one or more cylinders.
25. An I.C. engine having a monobloc, made in accordance with the method of claim 1.
26. A vehicle having a monobloc, made in accordance with the method of claim 1.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member, said device comprising:
a first rail-like holding member and a second rail-like holding member, each including a conveying member for conveying the plate-like member so that the plate-like member can be carried in and out and held;
a ball screw shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member, and operable to move the second rail-like holding member or operable to move the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member in parallel;
a rotation drive unit for rotating the ball screw shaft;
a first nut rotatably attached to the first rail-like holding member and screw-threaded with the screw shaft;
a second nut fixedly attached to the second rail-like holding member and screw-threaded with the screw shaft; and
a selective lock mechanism operable to alternatively engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to stop rotation of the first nut and release the engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member,
wherein the selective lock mechanism, the first rail-like holding member, the second rail-like holding member, the first nut, the second nut, and the ball screw shaft are arranged such that, after the selective lock mechanism releases the engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member, only the second rail-like holding member is moved by rotating the screw shaft, and a position of the second rail-like holding member relative to the first rail-like holding member is changed, while, after the selective lock mechanism is engaged with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member, the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel by rotating the screw shaft.
2. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 1, wherein the rotation drive unit is one motor for rotating the screw shaft in forward and reverse directions.
3. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 2, further comprising a linear guide mechanism extending parallel to the screw shaft in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of each of the rail-like holding members, and for guiding parallel movement of the two rail-like holding members.
4. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 2, wherein the selective lock mechanism is operable to engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to rotate the screw shaft so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel and so that the first rail-like holding member is positioned at a reference position, and the selective lock mechanism is further operable to release engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates so that only the second rail-like holding member is moved and a position of the second rail-like holding member relative to the first rail-like holding member at the reference position is changed to adjust the gap between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member, and the selective lock mechanism is further operable to engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel while the adjusted gap is maintained.
5. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 2, further comprising a stopper which is brought into contact with the plate-like member to position and hold the plate-like member at the prescribed position when the plate-like member is conveyed between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member by the conveying member.
6. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member said device comprising:
a first rail-like holding member and a second rail-like holding member, each including a conveying member for conveying the plate-like member so that the plate-like member can be carried in and out and held;
a ball screw shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member, and operable to move the second rail-like holding member or operable to move the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member in parallel;
a rotation drive unit for rotating the ball screw shaft;
a first nut rotatably attached to the first rail-like holding member and screw-threaded with the screw shaft;
a second nut rotatably attached to the second rail-like holding member and screw-threaded with the screw shaft; and
a selective lock mechanism operable to alternatively engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to stop rotation of the first nut and release the engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member,
wherein the selective lock mechanism, the first rail-like holding member, the second rail-like holding member, the first nut, the second nut, and the ball screw shaft are arranged such that, after the selective lock mechanism releases the engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member, only the second rail-like holding member is moved by rotating the screw shaft, and a position of the second rail-like holding member relative to the first rail-like holding member is changed, while, after the selective lock mechanism is engaged with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member, the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel by rotating the screw shaft,
wherein the selective lock mechanism is further operable to alternatively engage the second nut of the second rail-like holding member to stop rotation of the second nut or to release engagement with the second nut of the second rail-like holding member to allow the second nut to rotate; and
the selective lock mechanism is further operable to release the engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates to move only the second rail-like holding member relatively to the first rail-like holding member, or the selective lock mechanism is operable to release the engagement with the second nut of the second rail-like holding member to allow the second nut to rotate relatively to the second rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates to move only the first rail-like holding member relatively to the second rail-like holding member so that a gap distance between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member is changed, and the selective lock mechanism is further operable to engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member and the second nut of the second rail-like holding member and then rotates the screw shaft so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel.
7. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 6, further comprising a linear guide mechanism extending in parallel to the screw shaft in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of each of the rail-like holding members, and for guiding parallel movement of the two rail-like holding members.
8. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 6, wherein the selective lock mechanism is operable to engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to rotate the screw shaft so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel and so that the first rail-like holding member is positioned at a reference position, and the selective lock mechanism is further operable to release engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates so that only the second rail-like holding member is moved and a position of the second rail-like holding member relative to the first rail-like holding member at the reference position is changed to adjust the gap between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member, and the selective lock mechanism is further operable to engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel while the adjusted gap is maintained.
9. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 6, further comprising a stopper which is brought into contact with the plate-like member to position and hold the plate-like member at the prescribed position when the plate-like member is conveyed between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member by the conveying member.
10. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 1, further comprising a linear guide mechanism extending in parallel to the screw shaft in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of each of the rail-like holding members, and for guiding parallel movement of the two rail-like holding members.
11. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 1, wherein the selective lock mechanism is operable to engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to rotate the screw shaft so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel and so that the first rail-like holding member is positioned at a reference position, and the selective lock mechanism is further operable to release engagement with the first nut of the first rail-like holding member to allow the first nut to rotate relatively to the first rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates so that only the second rail-like holding member is moved and a position of the second rail-like holding member relative to the first rail-like holding member at the reference position is changed to adjust the gap between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member, and the selective lock mechanism is further operable to engage the first nut of the first rail-like holding member, whereby the screw shaft rotates so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel while the adjusted gap is maintained.
12. A device for conveying and holding a plate-like member according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper which is brought into contact with the plate-like member to position and hold the plate-like member at the prescribed position when the plate-like member is conveyed between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member by the conveying member.
13. A method for conveying and holding a plate-like member, the method comprising:
when a ball screw shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of a first rail-like holding member and a second rail-like holding member rotates in a plate-like member conveyingholding device equipped with the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member, wherein the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are operable to carry in and out and hold a plate-like member, regulating rotation of a nut which is screw-threaded to the ball screw shaft and attached to each of the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member so that the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member are integrally moved in parallel to convey the plate-like member, and
releasing regulation of rotation of the nut of either one of the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member so that the nut is rotated together with the ball screw shaft upon rotation of the ball screw shaft, movement of the either one of the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member is regulated, and the other rail-like holding member of the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member, of which rotation of the nut is regulated, is moved during rotation of the ball screw shaft so that only the other rail-like holding member is moved in parallel with respect to the one rail-like holding member to adjust a gap between the first rail-like holding member and the second rail-like holding member.