US 5,699,758 AGranted

Method and apparatus for multiple cycle internal combustion engine operation

AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.

InventorJohn M. Clarke

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Abstract

A method for operating a reciprocating piston-type internal combustion engine selectively in two-stroke, four-stroke, and six-stroke mode includes: providing transfer valves, transfer passage means between piston cylinders, selectively controlling the actuation and timing of the intake, exhaust and transfer valves, and alternatively operating the intake and exhaust valves for each piston cylinder in overlapping sequence during each crankshaft revolution to provide two-stroke operation, operating the intake and exhaust valves in sequence during each second crankshaft revolution to provide four-stroke operation, operating the intake, exhaust, and transfer valves sequentially to cause a secondary expansion stroke in an adjacent piston cylinder to provide six-stroke operation of the engine.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method of selectively operating in two-stroke, four-stroke, or six-stroke operation of an internal combustion, reciprocating piston engine having a first cylinder in which a first piston reciprocally operates, the first cylinder further including a first intake valve, a first exhaust valve, and a first transfer valve;

and a second cylinder in which a second piston reciprocally operates, the second cylinder further including a second intake valve, a second exhaust valve, and a second transfer valve, said method comprised of the steps of:
a) opening the first transfer valve as the first piston is substantially near Top Dead Center of a combustion stroke, wherein combustion gases are generated:
b) opening the second transfer valve at substantially the same time as the first transfer valve is opened;
c) permitting a portion of the combustion gases generated in the combustion stroke of the first piston to flow through said transfer passage means to said second piston;
d) permitting said portion of the combustion gases in said second piston to expand in said second cylinder to generate work energy;
e) closing said first transfer valve to prevent flow from said first cylinder at the completion of expansion in said first cylinder;
f) opening said first exhaust valve to permit exhaust of combustion gases from said first cylinder;
g) closing said second transfer valve at the completion of the expansion in said second cylinder;
h) opening said second exhaust valve at the completion of the expansion in said second cylinder to permit the exhaust of the combustion gases therefrom, and alternatively comprising the further steps of:
i) opening the second transfer valve as the second piston is substantially near Top Dead Center of a combustion stroke, wherein combustion gases are generated:
j) opening the first transfer valve at substantially the same time as the second transfer valve is opened;
k) permitting a portion of the combustion gases generated in the combustion stroke of the second piston to flow through said transfer passage means to said first piston;
l) permitting said portion of the combustion gases in said first piston to expand in said first cylinder to generate work energy;
m) closing said second transfer valve to prevent flow from said second cylinder at the completion of expansion in said first cylinder;
n) opening said second exhaust valve to permit exhaust of combustion gases from said second cylinder;
o) closing said first transfer valve at the completion of the expansion in said first cylinder;
and
p) opening said first exhaust valve at the completion of the expansion in said first cylinder to permit the exhaust of the combustion gases therefrom.

15 more elements

An internal combustion, reciprocating piston engine selectively capable of two-stroke, four-stroke, or six-stroke operation, said engine comprised of:

a first cylinder in which a first piston is reciprocally operable, said first cylinder further including a first intake valve, a first exhaust valve and a first transfer valve;
a second cylinder in which a second piston is reciprocally operable, said second cylinder further including a second intake valve, a second exhaust valve and a second transfer valve;
a third cylinder in which a third piston is reciprocally operable, said third cylinder further including a third intake valve, a third exhaust valve and a third transfer valve;
a fourth cylinder in which a fourth piston is reciprocally operable, said fourth cylinder further including a fourth intake valve, a fourth exhaust valve and a fourth transfer valve;
a first transfer passage means defined in said engine, said first transfer passage means connecting said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve for flow therebetween;
a second transfer passage means defined in said engine, said first transfer passage means connecting said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve for flow therebetween;
a third transfer passage means defined in said engine, said third transfer passage means connecting said third transfer valve and said fourth transfer valve for flow therebetween;
a fourth transfer passage means defined in said engine, said fourth transfer passage means connecting said fourth transfer valve and said first transfer valve for flow therebetween.

5 more elements

An internal combustion, reciprocating piston engine selectively capable of two-stroke, four-stroke, or six-stroke operation, said engine comprised of:

a first cylinder in which a first piston is reciprocally operable, said first cylinder further including a first intake valve, a first exhaust valve and a first transfer valve;
a second cylinder in which a second piston is reciprocally operable, said second cylinder further including a second intake valve, a second exhaust valve and a second transfer valve;
a third cylinder in which a third piston is reciprocally operable, said third cylinder further including a third intake valve, a third exhaust valve and a third transfer valve;
a fourth cylinder in which a fourth piston is reciprocally operable, said fourth cylinder further including a fourth intake valve, a fourth exhaust valve and a fourth transfer valve;
a first transfer passage means defined in said engine, said first transfer passage means connecting said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve for flow therebetween, said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve being selectively operable;
a second transfer passage means defined in said engine, said first transfer passage means connecting said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve for flow therebetween, said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve being selectively operable;
a third transfer passage means defined in said engine, said third transfer passage means connecting said third transfer valve and said fourth transfer valve for flow therebetween, said third transfer valve and said fourth transfer valve being selectively operable;
a fourth transfer passage means defined in said engine, said fourth transfer passage means connecting said fourth transfer valve and said first transfer valve for flow therebetween, said fourth transfer valve and said first transfer valve being selectively operable.

5 more elements

A method of operating an internal combustion, reciprocating piston engine having

a first cylinder in which a first piston is reciprocally operable, said first cylinder further including a selectively operable first intake valve, a first selectively operable exhaust valve and a first transfer valve;
a second cylinder in which a second piston is reciprocally operable, said second cylinder further including a selectively operable second intake valve, a selectively operable second exhaust valve and a second transfer valve;
a third cylinder in which a third piston is reciprocally operable, said third cylinder further including a selectively operable third intake valve, a selectively operable third exhaust valve and a third transfer valve;
a fourth cylinder in which a fourth piston is reciprocally operable, said fourth cylinder further including a selectively operable fourth intake valve, a selectively operable fourth exhaust valve and a fourth transfer valve;
a first transfer passage means defined in said engine, said first transfer passage means connecting said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve for flow therebetween, said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve being selectively operable;
a second transfer passage means defined in said engine, said first transfer passage means connecting said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve for flow therebetween, said first transfer valve and said second transfer valve being selectively operable;
a third transfer passage means defined in said engine, said third transfer passage means connecting said third transfer valve and said fourth transfer valve for flow therebetween, said third transfer valve and said fourth transfer valve being selectively operable;
a fourth transfer passage means defined in said engine, said fourth transfer passage means connecting said fourth transfer valve and said first transfer valve for flow therebetween, said fourth transfer valve and said first transfer valve being selectively operable, said method comprising the steps of:
a) opening the first transfer valve as the first piston is substantially near Top Dead Center of a combustion stroke, wherein combustion gases are generated:
b) opening the second transfer valve at substantially the same time as the first transfer valve is opened;
c) permitting a portion of the combustion gases generated in the combustion stroke of the first piston to flow through said transfer passage means to said second piston;
d) permitting said portion of the combustion gases in said second piston to expand in said second cylinder to generate work energy;
e) closing said first transfer valve to prevent flow from said first cylinder at the completion of expansion in said first cylinder;
f) opening said first exhaust valve to permit exhaust of combustion gases from said first cylinder;
g) closing said second transfer valve at the completion of the expansion in said second cylinder;
and
h) opening said second exhaust valve at the completion of the expansion in said second cylinder to permit the exhaust of the combustion gases therefrom.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/601,897Filed 15 Feb 1996
Granted: 23 Dec 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

F02B 69/06
Internal-combustion engines convertible into other combustion-engine type, not provided for in F02B11/00; Internal-combustion engines of…
F02B 75/02
Other engines: engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke
F02B 75/021
Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke: having six or more strokes per cycle
F02B 2075/025
Having less than six strokes per cycle: two

Family

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