Internal-combustion engines – Rotating cylinder – Parallel to shaft
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-23
2001-06-26
Koczo, Michael (Department: 3746)
Internal-combustion engines
Rotating cylinder
Parallel to shaft
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250262
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to engines, pumps and other mechanism of similar nature, and in particular to such a mechanism having a crank shaft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various engines/pumps utilizing a crank shaft are currently known. Such engine/pumps are more commonly known as wobble engines/pumps or swash plate engines/pumps. Wobble engines/pumps have axial pistons disposed from a wobble plate which is fixed on an output/input shaft at an acute angle. In the case of an engine, power received from the pistons is transferred to the wobble plate during the power stroke, displacing the wobble plate axially, and as a result rotating the shaft The operation of a wobble pump is in reverse order, wherein power is applied to the input shaft to displace fluid inside the cylinders.
Modern developments in wobble engines/pumps have included changes in the configuration and operation of the pistons/cylinders and in inlet/outlet porting of the fluids. The drive mechanisms of such modern machines are nevertheless very complex, requiring many parts which are both difficult to assemble and also difficult to maintain. Such engines/pumps also have a lot of components operating under high frictional forces.
Previously published New Zealand Patent No.221366 discloses therein a means to transfer the wobbling motion of a disc to a rotary motion of the shaft and visa versa. Further disclosed therein is a suitable means of providing power to or from the disc by way of internal cylinder engine or hydraulic/pneumatic motors. There is however no detail on any means by which the cylinder engine is or can be coupled to either the disc or the shaft, such that the invention can operate as a compact simple unit.
New Zealand Patent No.150235 describes a continuous disc acting as pistons inside a chamber. The disc is non planar and rotation thereof inside the chamber forms pockets which are compressed and expanded at differing angles of rotation.
The complex nature of the disc, output and crank shafts, chamber and other dependent mechanisms make such an engine/pump expensive and difficult to make.
New Zealand Patent No.131852 describes a two stroke or four stroke engine also operable as a pump, in which pistons of circular cross-section which are bent in an arc are located inside curved cylinders disposed axially about a central axis. Power from the rotating cylinders is transferred to the output engine block, the spider in this invention remaining stationary.
Most modern wobble type engines/pumps require many complicated parts to ensure efficient operation. Difficulties exist in the sealing of cylinders to ensure that no fluid escapes undesirably, and in the assembly and maintenance. Such engines also have problems operating in balance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an engine/pump which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly the present invention may broadly be said to consist in an internal combustion engine having
a crank shaft having a shaft axis and having a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis but aligned to intersect therewith at X,
an array of piston and “cylinder” assemblies to rotate as assemblies relative to and about said shaft axis, each said assembly having a reciprocal axis between its top dead center (enforceable) (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC), each such reciprocal axis midway between TDC and BDC being normal to a line projected from X, each said “cylinder” being of any appropriate cross section (with respect to its reciprocal axis) and the cross section of each complementary piston being complementary to the cross section of its cylinder,
piston control means mounted to rotate about said crank axis,
connection means for each piston from said piston control means, the connection between each said connection means and said piston control means and/or between each said connection means and its piston having sufficient degrees of freedom to allow the requisite reciprocal movement of said pistons within each associated cylinder thereof as the array of assemblies rotates relative to and about the shaft axis,
cylinder head means which holds and/or defines the cylinders in said array, said head means including at least one port per cylinder, and
ported means relative to which said cylinder head means moves sealably to allow (timed to the reciprocal movement of each piston in its cylinder and to the rotational position of each cylinder) the induction compression, power and exhaust strokes of a four stroke combustion engine
AND WHEREIN
at least one said connection means is capable of conveying torque between said crank shaft and said cylinder head means via its said piston and cylinder and via said piston control means,
AND
means is provided whereby, directly or indirectly (eg; via said crank shaft), power can be taken off said cylinder head means or crank shaft or ported means as each rotates relative to the other.
Preferably each said connection connects said piston control means to a pair of piston and cylinder assemblies, each piston and cylinder assembly of such a pair having a different head means (each of which in turn has its own said ported means), and each said piston and cylinder assembly of such a pair having its said line projected from X the same angle on either side of a line projected normal from the crank shaft axis at X.
Preferably said crank shaft is indexed, directly or indirectly, with said at least one cylinder head means.
Preferably said indexing is by annular and planetary gearing.
Preferably the power take off is from said crankshaft and said gearing transmits the geared torque as well as serving a timing function.
Preferably said ported means, in sequence, can present an induction port or ports, optionally a spark plug and optionally a fuel injector, and an exhaust port or ports. the presentations being timed for a cylinder to the induction stroke, compression/power stroke and/or transition thereof. and exhaust stroke respectively.
Preferably the annular gear is carried by the cylinder head means, said planetary gears the indexing of said crank with said cylinder head providing means and having their rotatable axes fixed relative to said ported means.
Preferably the ratio of crank shaft rotation to piston and cylinder assemblies rotation is 3:1 in a counter-rotating direction.
Preferably there are three pairs of opposed pistons and cylinder assemblies, the associated ported means for each providing two inlet and two outlet ports.
Preferably said engine operates as or as if a diesel engine.
Preferably said engine operates as or as if a petrol engine
In another aspect the invention consists in an internal combustion engine having
a crank shaft having a shaft axis and having a crank axis oblique to the shaft axis but aligned to intersect therewith at X,
an array of piston and “cylinder” assemblies to rotate as assemblies relative to and about said shaft axis, each said assembly having a reciprocal axis between its top dead center (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC), each such reciprocal axis midway between TDC and BDC being normal to a line projected from X, each said “cylinder” being of any appropriate cross section (with respect to its reciprocal axis) and the cross section of each complementary piston being complementary to the cross section of its cylinder,
piston control means mounted to rotate about said crank axis,
connection means for each piston from said piston control means, the connection between each said connection means and said piston control means and/or between each said connection means and its piston having sufficient degrees of freedom to allow the requisite reciprocal movement of said pistons within each associated cylinder thereof as the array of assemblies rotates relative to and about the shaft axis,
cylinder head means which holds andior defines the cylinders in said array, and ported means relative to which said cylinder head means moves sealably to allow (in conjunction with any other port(s), if any)(timed to the reciprocal movement of each piston in its cy
Jacobson Price Holman & Stern PLLC
Koczo Michael
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