Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an engine having axially opposed cylinders.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various engine designs are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,384 discloses a radial piston engine wherein power is transferred such that the power take-off is truly balanced in that the piston runs truly parallel to the cylinder walls. This radial engine reduces wear of the cylinders and piston rings, provides improved gas mileage due to the reduced piston drag, and produces greater torque than other engine designs.
However, there is still a need for an inline piston engine: (i) where power take-off is truly balanced such that the piston runs truly parallel to the cylinder walls, (ii) that provides improved gas mileage by reducing piston drag, and (iii) that produces greater torque.
The foregoing needs are met by an engine according to the present invention. The engine includes an engine block having at least two axially opposed combustion chambers. Each combustion chamber is defined by a cylinder, a reciprocating piston contained within the cylinder, and a cylinder head. An exhaust port may be associated with and in fluid communication with each combustion chamber. An intake port may be associated with and in fluid communication with each combustion chamber. A fuel injector or carburetor may be associated with each intake port and its associated combustion chamber. Each fuel injector or carburetor is positioned for directing fuel and/or intake air in its associated intake port. A spark device is associated with each combustion chamber for igniting the air-fuel mixture in its associated combustion chamber. The engine includes a power output shafts or chain power take-offs.
The engine of the present invention can be made in any size diameter and can be paralleled with more of the same units. The engine can be made with any even number of cylinders. Typically, when manufactured with two cylinders, the engine of the present invention uses a chain drive.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide an engine that dramatically reduces cylinder friction and wear thereby improving gas mileage and lowering emissions.
It is another advantage of the present invention to provide an engine that has increased torque.
It is still another advantage of the present invention to provide an engine that allows for a low mass piston, which provides for higher speeds and greater horsepower.
It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide an engine that can be used for standard internal combustion engines, diesel and 2 cycle designs. It can also be used as a pump if the power is reversed.
It is still another advantage of the present invention to provide an engine that requires a smaller block and can be mounted sideways.
It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide an engine that is suitable for off road vehicles such as ATVs and military equipment.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood upon consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims.
Like reference numerals are used to depict like parts from Figure to Figure throughout the drawings.
The present invention is directed to a piston engine wherein the power take-off is truly balanced and the piston runs truly parallel to the cylinder walls. Looking at
Each cylinder (not shown in
The engine 5 also includes a front lower left crankshaft 50, a front upper left crankshaft 52, a front upper right crankshaft 55, a front lower right crankshaft 57, a rear lower left crankshaft 60, a rear upper left crankshaft 62, a rear upper right crankshaft 65, and a rear lower right crankshaft 67. The engine 5 also includes a front left end tie bar 70, a front left center tie bar 71, a front right center tie bar 72, a front right end tie bar 73, a rear left end tie bar 75, a rear left center tie bar 76, a rear right center tie bar (not shown), and a rear right end tie bar 78.
When the top left piston 10 and the bottom left piston 30 are assembled together, the front lower left crankshaft 50 passes through bores in the front take-off flange 14 of the piston 10 and the front take-off flange 34 of the piston 30, and the rear lower left crankshaft 60 passes through bores in the back take-off flange 12 of piston 10 and the back take-off flange 32 of piston 30. When the top right piston 20 and the bottom right piston 40 are assembled together, the front lower right crankshaft 57 passes through bores in the front take-off flange 24 of the piston 20 and the front take-off flange 44 of the piston 40, and the rear lower right crankshaft 67 passes through bores in the back take-off flange of piston 20 and the back take-off flange of piston 40.
The engine 5 includes drive gears. Specifically, the engine 5 includes a front left end gear 81, a front left center gear 82, a front right center gear 83, a front right end gear 84, a rear left end gear 85, a rear left center gear 86, a rear right center gear 87, and a rear right end gear 88. The front left end gear 81 and the front left center gear 82 are mounted on the front upper left crankshaft 52. The front right center gear 83 and the front right end gear 84 are mounted on the front upper right crankshaft 55. The rear left end gear 85 and the rear left center gear 86 are mounted on the rear upper left crankshaft 62. The rear right center gear 87 and the rear right end gear 88 are mounted on the rear upper right crankshaft 65.
A front left end gear pin 90 is mounted to the front left end gear 81, a front left center gear pin 91 is mounted to the front left center gear 82, a front right center gear pin 92 is mounted to the front right center gear 83, a front right end gear pin 93 is mounted to the front right end gear 84, a rear left end gear pin 95 is mounted to the rear left end gear 85, a rear left center gear pin 96 is mounted to the rear left center gear 86, a rear right center gear pin 97 is mounted to the rear right center gear 87, and a rear right end gear pin 98 is mounted to the a rear right end gear 88.
When the engine 5 is assembled, the front left end tie bar 70 and the front left center tie bar 71 link the front lower left crankshaft 50 and the front left end gear pin 90 and the front left center gear pin 91. Likewise, the front right center tie bar 72 and the front right end tie bar 73 link the front lower right crankshaft 57 and the front right center gear pin 92 and the front right end gear pin 93. Likewise, the rear left end tie bar 75 and the rear left center tie bar 76 link the rear lower left crankshaft 60 and the rear left end tie gear pin 95 and the rear left center gear pin 96. The rear right center tie bar 77 and the rear right end tie bar 78 link the rear lower right crankshaft 57 and the rear right center tie gear pin 97 and the rear right end gear pin 98.
Looking at
Looking at
The engine 105 further includes a top right piston 150 having a back left take-off flange 151, a front left take-off flange 152, a front right take-off flange 153, a back right take-off flange (not shown), and O-rings 156. The top right piston 150 reciprocates in a cylinder (not shown) of the engine 105 in a conventional manner by way of, for example, combustion within the cylinder. The engine 105 includes a top center right piston 160 having a back left take-off flange 161, a front left take-off flange 162, a front right take-off flange 163, a back right take-off flange (not shown), and O-rings 166. The top center right piston 160 reciprocates in a cylinder (not shown) of the engine 105 in a conventional manner by way of, for example, combustion within the cylinder. The engine 105 includes a bottom center right piston 170 having a back left take-off flange 171, a front left take-off flange 172, a front right take-off flange 173, a back right take-off flange (not shown), and O-rings 176. The bottom center right piston 170 reciprocates in a cylinder (not shown) of the engine 105 in a conventional manner by way of, for example, combustion within the cylinder. The engine 105 includes a bottom right piston 180 having a back left take-off flange 181, a front left take-off flange 182, a front right take-off flange 183, a back right take-off flange (not shown), and O-rings 186. The bottom left piston 180 reciprocates in a cylinder (not shown) of the engine 105 in a conventional manner by way of, for example, combustion within the cylinder.
It should be understood that the terms “bottom”, “top”, “left”, “right” and “center” are used for ease and clarity of description, and in no way do these terms limit the orientation of the engine 105 in operation.
The engine 105 includes eight cylinders (of which two are shown in phantom in
The engine 105 also includes a front lower left crankshaft 251, a front lower center left crankshaft 252, a front lower center right crankshaft 253, a front lower right crankshaft 254, a front upper left crankshaft 255, a front upper center left crankshaft 256, a front upper center right crankshaft 257, a front upper right crankshaft 258, a rear lower left crankshaft 260, a rear lower center left crankshaft (not shown), a rear lower center right crankshaft (not shown), a rear lower right crankshaft (not shown), a rear upper left crankshaft 262, a rear upper center left crankshaft 263, a rear upper center right crankshaft 264, and a rear upper right crankshaft 265.
The engine 105 also includes a front left lower tie bar 271, a front left upper tie bar 272, a front right lower tie bar 273, a front right upper tie bar 274, a rear left lower tie bar 275, a rear left upper tie bar 276, a rear right upper tie bar 277, and a rear right lower tie bar 278.
The top left piston 110 and the top center left piston 120 are assembled to the front left upper tie bar 272 and the rear left upper tie bar 276 in axially opposed relationship by way of throughholes in flanges 111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123 and rear right piston flanges (not shown) of pistons 110, 120 and throughholes in the front left upper tie bar 272 and the rear left upper tie bar 276 and nuts and bolts as shown in
The tie bar 271 is connected to the crankshaft 252 as follows. One end of an elongated connecting bar 311 is pivotably mounted at one end of the tie bar 271, and one end of another elongated connecting bar 312 is pivotably mounted at the opposite end of the tie bar 271. The opposite end of connecting bar 311 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 313 that is secured to an oval link 314 that is secured to one end of the crankshaft 252. The opposite end of connecting bar 312 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 315 that is secured to an oval link 316 that is secured to an opposite end of the crankshaft 252.
The tie bar 273 is connected to the crankshaft 253 as follows. One end of an elongated connecting bar 321 is pivotably mounted at one end of the tie bar 272, and one end of another elongated connecting bar 322 is pivotably mounted at the opposite end of the tie bar 273. The opposite end of connecting bar 321 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 323 that is secured to an oval link 324 that is secured to one end of the crankshaft 253. The opposite end of connecting bar 322 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 325 that is secured to an oval link 326 that is secured to an opposite end of the crankshaft 253.
The tie bar 272 is connected to the crankshaft 256 as follows. One end of an elongated connecting bar 331 is pivotably mounted at one end of the tie bar 272, and one end of another elongated connecting bar 332 is pivotably mounted at the opposite end of the tie bar 272. The opposite end of connecting bar 331 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 333 that is secured to an oval link 334 that is secured to one end of the crankshaft 256. The opposite end of connecting bar 332 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 335 that is secured to an oval link 336 that is secured to an opposite end of the crankshaft 256.
The tie bar 274 is connected to the crankshaft 257 as follows. One end of an elongated connecting bar 341 is pivotably mounted at one end of the tie bar 274, and one end of another elongated connecting bar 342 is pivotably mounted at the opposite end of the tie bar 274. The opposite end of connecting bar 341 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 343 that is secured to an oval link 344 that is secured to one end of the crankshaft 257. The opposite end of connecting bar 342 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 345 that is secured to an oval link 346 that is secured to an opposite end of the crankshaft 257.
The tie bar 276 is connected to the crankshaft 263 as follows. One end of an elongated connecting bar 351 is pivotably mounted at one end of the tie bar 276, and one end of another elongated connecting bar (not shown, but identical to 351) is pivotably mounted at the opposite end of the tie bar 276. The opposite end of connecting bar 351 is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin 353 that is secured to an oval link 354 that is secured to one end of the crankshaft 263. The opposite end of the other connecting bar (not shown, but identical to 351) is pivotably mounted to a connecting pin (not shown, but identical to 353) that is secured to an oval link (not shown, but identical to 354) that is secured to an opposite end of the crankshaft 263.
The tie bar 275 is connected to a rear lower center left crankshaft (not shown) in the same manner that the tie bar 271 is connected to the crankshaft 252. Likewise, the tie bar 278 is connected to a rear lower center right crankshaft (not shown) in the same manner that the tie bar 273 is connected to the crankshaft 253.
An intermediate link 361 couples the connecting pin 315 and the connecting pin 323 between the connecting bar 312 and connecting bar 321. Likewise, an intermediate link 363 couples the connecting pin 335 and the connecting pin 343 between the connecting bar 332 and connecting bar 341. Similar intermediate links (not shown) are provided at the rear of the engine 105.
The engine 105 includes drive gears. Specifically, the engine 105 further includes a top front left end gear 381, a bottom front left end gear 382, a top rear left end gear 383, and a bottom rear left end gear 384 at the left side of the engine 105. The teeth of the gears 381, 382, 383, 384 mesh as shown in
The top front end gear 381 is connected to the front upper left crankshaft 255 which has an oval link 454 secured at its inner end. The oval link 454 is connected to the connecting pin 333 described above. The bottom front end gear 382 is connected to the front lower left crankshaft 251 which has an oval link 456 secured at its inner end. The oval link 456 is connected to the connecting pin 313 described above. The top rear end gear 383 is connected to the rear upper left crankshaft 262, which has an oval link 458 secured at its inner end. The oval link 458 is connected to the connecting pin 353 described above. The bottom rear end gear 384 is connected to the rear lower left crankshaft 260 which has an oval link 459 secured at its inner end. The oval link 459 is connected to a connecting pin as described above. The top front right end gear (not shown) may be connected to the front upper right crankshaft 258 in a similar manner, the bottom front right end gear (not shown) may be connected to the front lower right crankshaft 254 in a similar manner, a top rear right end gear (not shown) may be connected to the rear upper right crankshaft 265 in a similar manner, and a bottom rear right end gear (not shown) may be connected to a rear lower right crankshaft (not shown) in a similar manner.
Looking at
As pistons 130 and 140 reciprocate in a pair of axially opposed cylinders (C2 and another cylinder not shown), axial motion of the pistons 130, 140 leads to axial motion of the tie bar 271 and rotation of the front lower left crankshaft 251, the oval link 456, the connecting pin 313, the oval link 314, the front lower center left crankshaft 252, the oval link 316, and the connecting pin 315. As a result, the gear 382 rotates in the direction of the arrow on gear 382. In
Looking at
The engine 5A includes two cylinders (not shown in
The engine 5A also includes a front lower left crankshaft 55A having an oval link 76A that is secured to its inner end, and a front lower right crankshaft 56A having an oval link 76B that is secured to its inner end. The front lower left crankshaft 55A is also connected to right gear 82A. The engine 5A also includes a rear lower left crankshaft 65A having an oval link 77A that is secured to its inner end, and a rear lower right crankshaft 66A having an oval link 77A that is secured to its inner end. The rear lower left crankshaft 65A is also connected to left gear 84A. The engine 5A also includes a front tie bar 31A having a left end flange 33A and a right end flange 32A, and a rear tie bar 41A having a left end flange 43A and a right end flange (not shown).
When the engine 5A is assembled, the front tie bar 31A is connected to the links 76A and 76B by pin 79A, and the front tie bar 31A is connected to the flanges 14A, 24A, 25A, 32A, 33A by pin 34A. Likewise, the rear tie bar 41A is connected to the links 77A and 77B by pin 79B, and the rear tie bar 31A is connected to the rear flanges of the top piston 10A, bottom piston 20A and rear tie bar 41A by pin 44A.
The top piston 10A and the bottom piston 20A reciprocate in one pair of axially opposed cylinders (not shown). Motion of the pistons 10A, 20A leads to rotation of the gears 82A, 84A in the direction of the arrow on each gear. Power take off from the engine 5A can be by way of a chain that engages any number of the gears 82A, 84A, or by way of a take off gear and associated power take off shaft wherein the take off gear meshes with any number of the gears 82A, 84A.
Other variations of the engines 5 and 105 and 5A are possible. For example, it can be appreciated that an engine having any even number of cylinders can be constructed similar to engines 5 or 105 or 5A by deleting or adding an even number of cylinders, pistons and their associated parts. Preferably, each cylinder pair has two drive shafts that can be put in series to more cylinder pairs. The cylinder pairs can be connected so that the links can be connected like a drive shaft where as many cylinder pairs can be connected as necessary to get the preferred capacity out of the engine. Two drive shafts that balance the cylinders can have four connections to a cylinder housing. The paired cylinders can fire opposite of each other to balance the loads. Looking at
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which have been presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/726,302 filed Oct. 13, 2005.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2006/040191 | 10/13/2006 | WO | 00 | 8/2/2007 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2007/047494 | 4/26/2007 | WO | A |
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1419693 | Schultz | Jun 1922 | A |
3319416 | Renshaw | May 1967 | A |
4683847 | Fujikawa et al. | Aug 1987 | A |
5331926 | Vaux et al. | Jul 1994 | A |
20020062804 | Sanada et al. | May 2002 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20080149052 A1 | Jun 2008 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60726302 | Oct 2005 | US |