Internal combustion engine
AssigneeEnhanced Energy Efficiency Enterprises Limited
InventorsJohn Hay-Heddle, Elliot Powick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compression ignition internal combustion engine (1), which includes a cylinder (2), a piston (3) reciprocably received within the cylinder (2), a pair of contra-rotating crankshafts (4, 5) rotatably mounted relative to the cylinder (2), a pair of connecting rods (6, 7) each having a first end (61, 71) connected to a crank journal (41, 51) of a respective one of the crankshafts (4, 5) and a second end (62, 72) connected to the piston (3). The engine (1) is configured such that the stroke of the piston (3) in a first direction toward the crankshafts (4, 5) causes each crankshaft (4, 5) to rotate by a first angle and the piston stroke in a second direction opposite the first direction causes each crankshaft (4,5) to rotate by a second angle different (β−α) from the first angle.
Claims20
A compression ignition internal combustion engine comprising:
- a cylinder;
- a piston reciprocably received within the cylinder;
- first and second contra-rotating crankshafts rotatably mounted relative to the cylinder;
- a first connecting rod having a first end connected to a crank journal of the first crankshaft and a second end connected to the piston;
- a second connecting rod having a first end connected to a crank journal of the second crankshaft and a second end connected to the piston;
- a piston stabilizer configured to inhibit rocking of the piston within the cylinder by balancing the asymmetrical forces exerted by the first and second connecting rods;
- wherein the piston stabilizer comprises a knuckle housing to which the second end of each of the first and second connecting rods is pivotally connected, the knuckle housing being pivotally mounted to and at least partially within the piston such that rotation thereof is at least partially independent of the piston rotation;
- wherein the connection between the connecting rods and knuckle housing and the axis of rotation of the knuckle housing relative to the piston forms a triangulated arrangement;
- wherein the engine is configured such that the piston stroke in a first direction toward the crankshafts causes each crankshaft to rotate by a first angle and the piston stroke in a second direction opposite the first direction causes each crankshaft to rotate by a second angle different from the first angle.
A compression ignition internal combustion engine comprising:
- a cylinder;
- a piston reciprocably received within the cylinder;
- first and second contra-rotating crankshafts rotatably mounted relative to the cylinder;
- a first connecting rod having a first end connected to a crank journal of the first crankshaft and a second end connected to the piston by a first piston connector;
- a second connecting rod having a first end connected to a crank journal of the second crankshaft and a second end connected to the piston by a second piston connector;
- wherein the engine is configured such that the piston stroke in a first direction toward the crankshafts causes each crankshaft to rotate by a first angle and the piston stroke in a second direction opposite the first direction causes each crankshaft to rotate by a second angle different from the first angle;
- wherein the first crankshaft and the first piston connector are both on a first side of the piston and the second crankshaft and the second piston connector are both on a second side of the piston;
- and
- wherein the first connecting rod comprises a first set of engaging teeth at or adjacent its second end and the second connecting rod comprises a second set of engaging teeth at or adjacent its second end which interengages with the first set of engaging teeth to inhibit rocking of the piston within the cylinder by balancing asymmetrical forces exerted by the connecting rods.
A compression ignition internal combustion engine comprising:
- a cylinder;
- a piston reciprocably received within the cylinder;
- a pair of contra-rotating crankshafts rotatably mounted relative to the cylinder;
- a pair of connecting rods each having a first end connected to a crank journal of a respective one of the crankshafts and a second end connected to the piston by a piston connector;
- and
- a gimbal or knuckle to which the second end of each connecting rod is pivotally connected, the gimbal or knuckle being pivotally mounted to the piston by a knuckle housing connector such that rotation of the gimbal or knuckle is at least partially independent of the piston rotation;
- wherein the piston connectors form a triangulated arrangement with the knuckle housing connector;
- wherein the engine is configured such that the piston stroke in a first direction toward the crankshafts causes each crankshaft to rotate by a first angle and the piston stroke in a second direction opposite the first direction causes each crankshaft to rotate by a second angle different from the first angle;
- and
- wherein the piston connectors are on a first side of the knuckle housing connector and the crankshafts are on a second side of the knuckle housing connector, opposite the first side, thereby to inhibit rocking of the piston within the cylinder by balancing asymmetrical forces exerted by the connecting rods.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.