Bloomfield, CT, USA – Jacobs Vehicle Systems™, the world’s leading supplier of heavy-duty engine retarding and valve actuation solutions, announced today that it has developed a new integrated engine braking technology. This technology integrates the functionality of a standard Compression Release Brake into the ultra-small footprint of a valve bridge.


In response to the global engine suppliers’ drive to minimize weight and space impact on the vehicle, Jacobs’ engineers continue to focus on new ways of integrating the braking function into the valve train. The Bridge Brake represents the most recent extension of this effort. This new lightweight design provides excellent retarding performance with zero valve train height increase. The Bridge Brake is especially suited for small-displacement engines and other applications where packaging space is at a premium.


This braking system, which was first launched on the Hyundai 10L engine, replaces the standard exhaust valve bridge with a braking valve bridge. Based on Jacobs’ extensive Lost Motion know-how, the traditional valve train componentry is maintained, while allowing new complex valve motions to be achieved.


The US patent office recently granted comprehensive patent 7,905,208. This patent, along with other Jacobs Intellectual Property, covers this technology and its derivatives, allowing adaptation to various engine configurations.

 


About Jacobs Vehicle Systems:
Jacobs Vehicle Systems is headquartered in Bloomfield, Conn., where it has a 260,000 square foot design, testing and manufacturing facility, with support sites in Europe, Japan and China. Jake Brake® products are used by North American heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers as well as Hino, Hyundai and Mitsubishi in Asia and DAF in Europe. Registered to the ISO 14001 and TS16949 standards, Jacobs Vehicle Systems is the world’s leading producer of vehicle retarding and valve actuation technologies and can be found on the Internet at http://www.jacobsvehiclesystems.com