Internal combustion engine with variable compression ratio
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorMichael M. Schechter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combination hydraulic and mechanical mechanism for varying the stoke/clearance volume of an engine in response to the alternating torsional impulses of the engine that are applied through the piston and connecting rod mechanism. An eccentric on which the connecting rod is journaled is rotated relative to the crankshaft to vary the crank radius, which will vary the compression ratio and make other changes in the thermodynamic cycle. A fluid pressure control system includes a pressure movable shaft controlling the flow of fluid past one-way check valves to oil filled hydraulic cylinders that contain pistons/plungers operably connected to the eccentric and crankshaft, to control the movement of the eccentric in response to the torsional impulses.
Claims17
An automotive type internal combustion engine having a piston reciprocably movable within the engine cylinder in a manner defining a normally fixed clearance volume between the piston and the engine cylinder head and a normally fixed stroke of the piston, an engine crankshaft member, a rod operably connecting the piston to the crankshaft member, and an eccentric member between the rod and crankshaft member to vary the clearance volume and the stroke of the piston, including a pair of closed hydraulic cylinders fixed to one of the members and filled with fluid, a plunger within each of the cylinders operably connected to the other of the members and defining pressure chambers between opposite ends of each plunger and its cylinder, and fluid passage means hydraulically interconnecting the opposite end chambers of each cylinder to each other whereby relative movement between the plunger and chamber effects a transfer of fluid from one end chamber to the opposite end chamber, and vice versa, thereby effecting angular relative movement between the eccentric member and the crankshaft member, the eccentric member being movable in response to the reciprocating motions of the piston and connecting rod imparting torsional forces on the eccentric member and cylinders alternately pressurizing opposite ends of each chamber and moving the eccentric member relative to the crankshaft member upon relative movement between the plungers and the cylinders, and hydraulic control means operable to control the flow of fluid from one cylinder end chamber to its opposite end chamber to permit or prevent said latter relative movement.
An automotive type internal combustion engine having a piston reciprocably movable within the engine cylinder in a manner defining a normally fixed clearance volume between the piston and the engine cylinder head and a normally fixed stroke of the piston, an engine crankshaft member, a rod operably connecting the piston through the crank journal to the crankshaft member having a crank journal, and an eccentric member between the rod and crank journal to vary the clearance volume and the stroke of the piston, a closed hydraulic cylinder connected to one of the members and filled with fluid and a plunger receivable therein connected to the other member, with end fluid chambers between the plunger and cylinder, passage means interconnecting the end chambers, and fluid pressure control means operable to control the exchange of fluid between the respective chambers to prevent or effect relative ,movement between the eccentric and crankshaft members via said plunger to maintain or vary, respectively, the clearance volume, the eccentric member being acted upon by and movable in an arcuate direction when permitted to do so in response to torque impulses of the engine applied through the piston and connecting rod to the eccentric member to change the stroke of the piston and the clearance volume, and other means to render the fluid pressure control means operable to prevent or permit the movement of the eccentric member relative to the crankshaft member.
An automotive type internal combustion engine having a piston reciprocably movable within the engine cylinder in a manner defining a normally fixed clearance volume between the piston and the engine cylinder head and a normally fixed stroke of the piston, an engine crankshaft member, a rod operably connecting the piston to the crankshaft member, and an eccentric member between the rod and crankshaft member to vary the clearance volume and the stroke of the piston, including a pair of closed hydraulic cylinders fixed to the eccentric member and filled with fluid, each cylinder having a plunger therein operably connected to the crankshaft member for a relative movement between the cylinder and plunger, the opposite ends of each cylinder being fluid interconnected whereby the exchange of fluid from one end to the other end effects a relative movement between the plunger and its cylinder, the connecting rod and eccentric member being subjected to the application of reversing engine torque impulses that generate alternating pressure impulses in the end chambers of the cylinder effecting the exchange of fluid and relative movement between the plunger and cylinder, selectively operable fluid pressure control means operable to control the interflow of fluid between the end chambers to prevent or effect relative movement between the eccentric and crankshaft members to maintain or vary, respectively, the clearance volume, and other means to render the fluid pressure control means operable to prevent or permit the movement of the eccentric member relative to the crankshaft member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.