Device for compensating free inertia forces of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsBernd Steiner, Klaus P. Kuepper, Jonathan Gregory
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Abstract
Systems and methods for reducing inertial forces of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine are described. The systems and methods may provide for counterweights in a form of pistons in cylinders that are moved via electromagnets. The counterweights may be moved at a frequency that corresponds to engine speed via an alternating current.
Claims20
A reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a device for compensating free inertial forces of the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with at least two pistons, the device comprising at least two counterweights, each of which can be displaced between two end positions and with each of which an electromagnet for displacing the corresponding counterweight is associated, wherein the counterweights are associated with the pistons adjacent thereto in the axial direction of a crankshaft of the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a control unit is provided that displaces the counterweight by means of the associated electromagnet in antiphase to the respective associated piston and wherein a revolution rate detector detects a revolution rate of the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine, a comparator compares the detected revolution rate with a threshold value and the control unit supplies the at least two electromagnets with electric current if the detected revolution rate is less than the threshold value.
A vehicle system, comprising:
- an engine including two or more pistons;
- first and second electrically driven counterweights coupled to the engine, the first and second electrically driven counterweights including electromagnets;
- and
- a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to move the first and second electrically driven counterweights at a speed that is a function of engine speed via the electromagnets.
A method for operating an engine, comprising:
- supplying current to reciprocate counterweights in cylinders via electromagnets via a controller;
- and
- adjusting the current responsive to engine load via the controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.