1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a link mechanism of a reciprocating internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional link mechanism of an internal combustion engine has a piston making a reciprocating motion which is transmitted to a crank shaft via a plurality of link members, thus rotating the crank shaft.
As is seen in FIG. 8 and
A lower link 42 is rotatably supported to a crank pin 41 of a crank shaft 40. Lower link 42 has a first end (left in
Upper link 44 has an upper end connected to a piston 48 via a piston pin 47. Control link 46 has an upper end connected to a control shaft 49 supported with a body of the internal combustion engine.
In the above construction, lower link 42 is swingably controlled (restricted) with control link 46 via control pin 45.
A predetermined line E′ extends through a center C′ of a crank main shaft 50 substantially in parallel with a direction along a reciprocating motion of piston 48. Moreover, an axial line G′ (track G′) of a center F′ of piston pin 47 and a track I′ of a center H′ of upper pin 43 are tracked in accordance with the reciprocating motion of piston 48.
A swingable center A′ of control link 46 is disposed upper than center C′ of crank main shaft 50 in the direction along the reciprocating motion of piston 48.
There is provided a track K′ of a center J′ of control pin 45. Track K′ is movable in accordance with the reciprocating motion of piston 48. As is seen in
The link mechanism of the reciprocating internal combustion engine according to the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Heisei 9 (1997)-228858 (=JP9228858), however, cause a maximum acceleration of piston 48 to an upward stroke in a period after piston 48's bottom dead center, the period making great an inclination φ of upper link 44 relative to the direction along the reciprocating motion of piston 48, as is seen in FIG. 11.
The above increase in the thrust load may cause frictional increase attributable to increase in sliding resistance of piston 48. Moreover, the above increase in the thrust load may cause deteriorated durability of a piston skirt 51.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a link mechanism of a reciprocating internal combustion engine.
It is another object of the present invention to prevent increase in piston's thrust load (which may be applied in a direction perpendicular to an axial line of a reciprocating motion of the piston) even when the piston's inertial force in a direction along the axial line of the reciprocating motion of the piston is increased at high engine speed.
It is still another object of the present invention to prevent frictional increase attributable to increase in sliding resistance of the piston and prevent deteriorated durability of a piston skirt.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a link mechanism of a reciprocating internal combustion engine.
The link mechanism comprises:
The control link has a swingable center for allowing the control link to swing with respect to the control shaft. The swingable center is offset from the rotational center of the control shaft. The control link is connected to the lower link via a control pin having a center.
A motion of the center of the upper pin in an upward direction substantially along a reciprocating motion of the piston moves the center of the piston pin in the upward direction, while the motion of the center of the upper pin in a downward direction substantially along the reciprocating motion of the piston moves the center of the piston pin in the downward direction.
The reciprocating motion of the piston makes an axial line which is a first track of the center of the piston pin, and the center of the upper pin moving nearer to the axial line moves the center of the piston pin in the upward direction while the center of the upper pin moving away from the axial line moves the center of the piston pin in the downward direction.
In a process of the center of the upper pin moving nearer to the axial line of the piston pin, the center of the control pin moves in the upward direction, thus inclining the lower link and allowing the center of the upper pin and the center of the piston pin to move in the downward direction.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a link mechanism of a reciprocating internal combustion engine.
The link mechanism comprises:
1) an upper link having a first end connected to a piston pin of a piston, the piston pin having a center;
2) a lower link connected to the upper link via an upper pin having a center;
3) a crank shaft comprising:
4) a control shaft extending substantially in parallel with the crank shaft, with respect to the predetermined line the control shaft being disposed on a first side where the center of the crank pin moves downward, the control shaft having a rotational center; and
5) a control link comprising:
The control link has a swingable center for allowing the control link to swing with respect to the control shaft. The swingable center is offset from the rotational center of the control shaft. The control link is connected to the lower link via a control pin having a center.
The reciprocating motion of the piston makes an axial line which is a first track of the center of the piston pin while the center of the upper pin makes a second track. With respect to the predetermined line, the axial line and the second track are disposed on a second side where the center of the crank pin moves upward.
The swingable center of the control link is disposed lower than the center of the crank main journal in the direction along the reciprocating motion of the piston.
The center of the control pin makes a third track which is movable in accordance with the reciprocating motion of the piston. The third track is shaped substantially into an arc protruding substantially upward in the direction of the reciprocating motion of the piston.
The other objects and features of the present invention will become understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1.
2.
In the following, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
For ease of understanding, the following description will contain various directional terms, such as, left, right, upward, downward, and the like. However, such terms are to be understood with respect to only a drawing or drawings on which the corresponding part of element is illustrated.
As is seen in FIG. 1 and
Link mechanism 1 includes an upper link 4, a lower link 7, a control shaft 8 and a control link 9.
Upper link 4 has a first end (upper in
Upper link 4 and lower link 7 are connected to each other via an upper pin 10 in such a manner as to rotate relative to each other. Lower link 7 and control link 9 are connected to each other via a control pin 11 in such a manner as to rotate relative to each other.
Crank shaft 5 includes a crank main journal 12, crank pin 6 and a crank counter weight 13. Crank pin 6 has a center D which is offset from a center C of crank main journal 12.
Control shaft 8 includes a control main shaft 14 and an offset shaft 15. Control main shaft 14 is rotatably controlled with a driving device (not shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). Offset shaft 15 has a center (swingable center A) which is offset from control main shaft 14. Control link 9 has the first end (lower in
Link mechanism 1 having the above construction defines a predetermined line E extending through center C of crank main journal 12 substantially in parallel with direction along a reciprocating motion of piston 2.
On a first side (left in FIG. 1 and
On a second side (right in FIG. 1 and
In other words, described as below:
Predetermined line E extends through center C of crank main journal 12 substantially in parallel with the direction along the reciprocating motion of piston 2.
Moreover, swingable center A of control link 9 is disposed lower than center C of crank main journal 12 in the direction along the reciprocating motion of piston 2.
As is seen in
The driving device (not shown in FIG. 1 and
With piston 2 at its TDC, center H of upper pin 10 is disposed on a lagging side of a rotation of crank shaft 5, with respect to a line D-F (not depicted in FIG. 1 and
As is seen in
Link mechanism 1 having the above construction according to the first embodiment can cause a maximum acceleration of piston 2 (see
The above prevention from the increase in the thrust load can prevent frictional increase attributable to increase in sliding resistance of piston 2. Moreover, the above prevention from the increase in the thrust load can prevent deteriorated durability of piston skirt 16.
Moreover, link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment can prevent the deteriorated durability of piston skirt 16 in a second period before and after the TDC of piston 2, for the following cause:
Cause: The second period has upper link 4 that is sufficiently free from being in accordance with the direction along axial line G. of piston pin 3. In other words, the thrust load is likely to occur to piston 2 in the second period. An absolute value of piston 2's downward acceleration in
The above cause can be accounted for with the following point 1 and point 2:
Point 1 Motion of center H of upper pin 10 can determine motion of piston pin 3.
Point 2 The motion of piston 3 synthesizes two motion factors of center H of upper pin 10.
One of the two motion factors of center H of upper pin 10 is in the direction substantially along the reciprocating motion of center H of upper pin 10. More specifically, center H of upper pin 10 moving upward in the direction substantially along the reciprocating motion of piston 2 can move center F of piston pin 3 upward, while center H of upper pin 10 moving downward in the direction substantially along the reciprocating motion of piston 2 can move center F of piston pin 3 downward.
The other of the two motion factors of center H of upper pin 10 is substantially perpendicular to the direction along the reciprocating motion of center H of upper pin 10. More specifically, center H of upper pin 10 moving nearer to axial line G of piston 3 moves center F of piston pin 3 upward in the direction along the reciprocating motion of piston 2, while center H of upper pin 10 moving away from axial line G of piston 3 moves center F of piston pin 3 downward in the direction along the reciprocating motion of piston 2.
According to the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Heisei 9 (1997)-228858 (=JP9228858) with track K′ of center J′ of control pin 45 protruding downward as is seen in
In sum, an effect of moving piston pin 47 upward is thus encouraged, resulting in an increased acceleration of piston 48 in the vicinity of the TDC, as is seen in FIG. 10A. The thus increased acceleration may increase the inertia force of piston 48 at high engine speed, to thereby cause the excessive load to a bearing (not shown) of crank pin 41 and deteriorate the durability of the bearing (not shown) of crank pin 41.
On the other hand, according to the first embodiment of the present invention with third track K of center J of control pin 11 protruding upward as is seen in
Thereby, a behavior of center H of upper pin 10 moving nearer to axial line G so as to move piston pin 3 upward can be “counteracted” by the clockwise rotation of lower link 7, resulting in the controlled (restricted) acceleration of piston 2 at its TDC, as is seen in FIG. 3A. The thus controlled (restricted) acceleration can control the inertial force of piston 2 at high engine speed, to thereby control (restrict) the load applied to the bearing (not shown) of crank pin 6 and maintain the durability of the bearing (not shown) of crank pin 6.
Moreover according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the above “counteraction” by the clockwise rotation of lower link 7 can reduce, to a great extent, a secondary vibration of crank shaft 5. Hereinabove, the secondary vibration may uncomfortably be caused to the body of the reciprocating internal combustion engine of in-line four-cylinder type. In other words, making piston 2's stroke into substantially a simple harmonic oscillation for the rotation of crank shaft 5 can reduce, to a great extent, the secondary vibration of crank shaft 5 which may be caused to the body of the internal combustion engine.
FIG. 5 and
Link mechanism 1 according to the second embodiment is substantially similar to link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment. Link mechanism 1 according to the second embodiment is, however, different from link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment in the following point:
As described above, link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment has center H of upper pin 10 on line D-J, as is seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
Contrary to link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment, center H of upper pin 10 according to the second embodiment is deflected toward piston pin 3's side. In other words, center H of upper pin 10 according to the second embodiment is deflected toward piston 2, with respect to line D-J.
Thereby, center D of crank pin 6 in
With the longer shortest distance (to upper link 4) compared with the first embodiment, link mechanism 1 according to the second embodiment can have a greater diameter of crank pin 6 and a greater cross section of upper link 4, thus improving crank shaft 5 and upper link 4 in strength and rigidity.
Link mechanism 1 according to the third embodiment is substantially similar to link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment. Link mechanism 1 according to the third embodiment is, however, different from link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment in the following points:
As described above, link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment has center H of upper pin 10 on line D-J, as is seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
Contrary to link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment, center H of upper pin 10 according to the third embodiment is deflected toward piston pin 3's side. In other words, center H of upper pin 10 according to the third embodiment is deflected toward piston 2, with respect to line D-J.
Moreover, crank counter weight 13 of crank shaft 5 has an outer peripheral radius R extending from center C of crank main journal 12. Outer peripheral radius R is so formed as to become greater toward the lagging side of the rotation of crank shaft 5. In other words, being indicated for comparison by a longer arrow in
Piston skirt 16 on an advanced side of the rotation of crank shaft 5 is presumed to have substantially a shortest distance to crank counter weight 13. With the construction of link mechanism 1 according to the third embodiment, however, the interference (between crank counter weight 13 and piston skirt 16 when crank shaft 5 is on its advanced side of the rotation) can be prevented and crank shaft 5 can have a great moment of inertia (rotation).
In sum according to the third embodiment, crank shaft 5 can attain a balance with ease, and collision (resistance) between lubricant splash (spray, drop and the like) and crank counter weight 13 in a crank case can be reduced.
Although the present invention has been described above by reference to certain embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings.
More specifically, link mechanism 1 according to the first embodiment, the second embodiment and the third embodiment of the present invention is applicable to an internal combustion engine incorporating a super charger.
This application is based on a prior Japanese Patent Application No. P2002-133430 (filed on May 9, 2002 in Japan). The entire contents of the Japanese Patent Application No. P2002-133430 from which priority is claimed is incorporated herein by reference, in order to take some protection against mis-translation or omitted portions.
The scope of the present invention is defined with reference to the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2002-133430 | May 2002 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6390035 | Moteki et al. | May 2002 | B2 |
6491003 | Moteki | Dec 2002 | B2 |
6505582 | Moteki et al. | Jan 2003 | B2 |
6510821 | Fujimoto et al. | Jan 2003 | B2 |
6615773 | Moteki et al. | Sep 2003 | B2 |
6622670 | Hiyoshi et al. | Sep 2003 | B2 |
6684828 | Ushijima et al. | Feb 2004 | B2 |
20020002957 | Moteki et al. | Jan 2002 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
379169 | Aug 1932 | GB |
9-228858 | Sep 1997 | JP |
2002-21592 | Jan 2002 | JP |
2002-54468 | Feb 2002 | JP |
2002-70601 | Mar 2002 | JP |
2002-115570 | Apr 2002 | JP |
1 201 894 | May 2002 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20030209213 A1 | Nov 2003 | US |