Ricardo Awarded Patent That Will Improve Fuel Economy for Larger Engines

    BELLEVILLE, Mich., May 4 Ricardo, Inc., today announced it
has received a United States Patent, No. 6,220,212, for cylinder-deactivating
rocker arms for gasoline engine valvetrains.

    This rocker arm will give vehicles the ability to turn individual engine
cylinders off during light-load operating conditions, while still allowing
full-power output when required.  This ability to create variable effective
engine displacement while the engine is running will help larger engines mimic
the fuel economy of smaller engines.  It will particularly benefit the fuel
economy of large displacement engines, like those found in SUVs and light
trucks.  This segment of the vehicle market increasingly needs fuel-saving
technology in light of rising fuel costs and stringent fuel consumption
regulations.