Internal-combustion engines – Accessories – Covers – trays – vibrators – corrosion inhibitors – air filters
Patent
1982-07-29
1985-04-23
Lazarus, Ira S.
Internal-combustion engines
Accessories
Covers, trays, vibrators, corrosion inhibitors, air filters
123DIG8, 60718, F02D 2504, F02D 1702
Patent
active
045123012
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine provided with a plurality of independent engine units in which one or more engine units are selectively used in accordance with driving conditions of a vehicle driven by the engine.
BACKGROUND ART
It is preferable to design an engine for a constant load so that a desired torque can be generated at a low specific fuel consumption. However, it is difficult to design an engine for driving vehicles so as to have a low specific fuel consumption within the entire range of the engine operation, since load on the engine varies in a wide range.
FIG. 1 shows a fuel consumption characteristic of an engine for a vehicle at various specific fuel consumptions (g/ps.hr), in which the abscissa is engine speed (r.p.m.), and the ordinate is engine torque. Curve A shows the running load (resistance) of a vehicle on a flat road. The curve A is determined by the drag of the body of the vehicle and the gear ratio of the transmission of the engine and the specific fuel consumption is determined by the performance of the engine. It is desirable to design the engine so that the curve A passes through low fuel consumption zones.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an engine assembly for a vehicle, which comprises a plurality of independent engine units, one or more of the engine units being selectively operated in accordance with conditions of the engine operation, whereby the engine assembly is operated in low fuel consumption zones within a wide range of the engine operation.
The engine assembly of the present invention comprises at least two engine units, one of which is a primary engine unit and the other is an auxiliary engine unit. In a low torque range, the primary engine unit is operated, and in a high torque range, the primary and auxiliary units are operated together to drive the vehicle in accordance with the driving conditions of the vehicle.
FIG. 2 shows a fuel consumption characteristic of an engine assembly according to the present invention comprising two engine units. A first zone C is characteristic of the primary engine unit and a second zone E is characteristic of the engine assembly in which the primary engine unit and auxiliary engine unit are combined. The fuel consumption characteristic of the second zone is the same as that of the conventional engine shown in FIG. 1 and the running load curve B is the same as the curve A. Since the curve B passes through a minimum fuel consumption zone D at a low torque operation as shown in FIG. 2, the fuel consumption is improved. The auxiliary engine unit is adapted to be started and connected to the output system of the primary engine unit, when the combined power is necessary to drive the vehicle. However, if the starting system for the auxiliary engine unit is so arranged that the engine is started at a time when the primary engine reaches the maximum torque operation, a difficulty arises in rapid acceleration of the vehicle. Namely, the engine torque must rapidly increase in order to accomplish a necessary rapid acceleration. However, the auxiliary engine inevitably delays starting and does not quickly reach a high torque operation sufficient for rapid acceleration. In order to eliminate such a drawback, if the starting timing is advanced so as to start the auxiliary engine at an earlier stage, the auxiliary engine is unnecessarily operated before a necessary common operation stage in a gradual acceleration. This will cause an increase of fuel consumption.
Therefore, the engine assembly of the present invention is provided with an acceleration detecting means and a control means for controlling the starting timing of the auxiliary engine unit in accordance with the detected acceleration condition in order to prevent the starting delay of the auxiliary engine unit, thereby to enable the engine assembly to operate reliably in co-operation.
With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the present invention will become more clearly u
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Farber Martin A.
Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Lazarus Ira S.
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