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US 7,055,470 B2Granted
Internal combustion engines having double cylinder units
AssigneeMeta Motoren-und Energie-Technik GmbH
InventorsPeter Kreuter, Mathias von Essen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An internal combustion engine may comprise at least one double cylinder (17). A piston (10, 12) is reciprocally movably disposed in each individual cylinder (14, 16) of the double cylinder and each piston is connected to a crankshaft (4). The pistons preferably reciprocate in the same direction within the individual cylinders. A cylinder space (19, 20) is defined within the cylinders above each piston head. Preferably, the cylinder spaces are formed such that the cylinder spaces communicate during at least a portion of the reciprocal movement of the pistons.
Claims20
An internal combustion engine comprising:
- a crank drive rotatably disposed within an engine housing,
- at least one double cylinder unit defined within the engine housing, the double cylinder unit comprising at least two individual cylinders, wherein the two individual cylinders share a common cylinder wall that separates the two individual cylinders within the double cylinder unit,
- a piston reciprocally movable within each individual cylinder, wherein each piston includes a piston head and the pistons are connected to the crank drive such the pistons reciprocate in the same direction within the individual cylinders,
- a cylinder space defined within each individual cylinder on the side of the piston head that is opposite of the crank drive, wherein common combustion chamber is arranged in the double cylinder unit so as to continuously communicate with the cylinder spaces, and
- at least one slot defined in the common cylinder wall, the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to permit communication between the cylinder spaces through the at least one slot at least when the pistons are located in their bottom dead center position, and the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to be blocked, such that the cylinder spaces do not communicate with each other through the at least one slot, at least when the pistons are located in their upper dead center position;
- and;
- three inlet valves and three outlet valves disposed such that at least one inlet valve and at least one outlet valve opens into the common combustion chamber.
4 more elements
An internal combustion engine comprising:
- a crank drive rotatably disposed within an engine housing,
- at least one double cylinder unit defined within the engine housing, the double cylinder unit comprising at least two individual cylinders, wherein the two individual cylinders share a common cylinder wall that separates the two individual cylinders within the double cylinder unit,
- a piston reciprocally movable within each individual cylinder, wherein each piston includes a piston head and the pistons are connected to the crank drive such the pistons reciprocate in the same direction within the individual cylinders,
- a cylinder space defined within each individual cylinder on the side of the piston head that is opposite of the crank drive, wherein a common combustion chamber is arranged in the double cylinder unit so as to continuously communicate with the cylinder spaces,
- at least one slot defined in the common cylinder wall, the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to permit communication between the cylinder spaces through the at least one slot at least when the pistons are located in their bottom dead center position, and the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to be blocked, such that the cylinder spaces do not communicate with each other through the at least one slot, at least when the pistons are located in their upper dead center position;
- and
- at least two piston rings disposed around each piston, wherein the distance between the piston rings is greater than the height of the at least one slot in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder.
4 more elements
An internal combustion engine according to claim 10, wherein the piston ring that is disposed closest to the crank drive provides a gas-tight and oil-permeable seal.
A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprising:
- a crank drive rotatably disposed within an engine housing,
- at least one double cylinder unit defined within the engine housing, the double cylinder unit comprising at least two individual cylinders, wherein the two individual cylinders share a common cylinder wall that separates the two individual cylinders within the double cylinder unit.
- a piston reciprocally movable within each individual cylinder, wherein each piston includes a piston head and the pistons are connected to the crank drive such the pistons reciprocate in the same direction within the individual cylinders,
- a cylinder space defined within each individual cylinder on the side of the piston head that is opposite of the crank drive, wherein a common combustion chamber is arranged in the double cylinder unit so as to continuously conmumicate with the cylinder spaces,
- at least one slot defined in the conimon cylinder wall, the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to pernlit communication between the cylinder spaces through the at least one slot at least when the pistons are located in their bottom dead center position, and the at least one slot being arranged and constructed to be blocked, such that the cylinder spaces do not communicate with each other through the at least one slot, at least when the pistons are located in their upper dead. center position,
- at least one inlet valve disposed above a first piston reciprocally disposed within a first individual cylinder of the at least one double cylinder unit, the at least one inlet valve being arranged and constructed to open and close an intake channel upstream of the at least one intake valve and wherein an inlet-side cylinder space is defined above the first piston,
- at least one outlet valve disposed above a second piston reciprocally disposed in a second individual cylinder of the at least one double cylinder unit, the at least one outlet valve being arranged and constructed to open and close an exhaust channel downstream of the at least one outlet valve and wherein an outlet-side cylinder space is defined above the second piston and
- a charging device arranged and constructed to supply a high pressure charge to the intake channel, the method comprising:
- actuating the inlet and outlet valves such that the reciprocating internal combustion engine operates at least in one load and/or speed range according to a two-stroke operation with longitudinal scavenging from the inlet-side cylinder space to the outlet-side cylinder space.
6 more elements
An apparatus for adjusting a valve stroke function of at least one valve of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a camshaft having a first cam and a second cam,
- a valve lever pivotally mounted on a mechanically fixed component and being supported on the stem of a valve, wherein the valve lever comprises an interlocking mechanism,
- a first follower lever pivotally attached to the valve lever and being arranged and constructed to follow the first cam,
- a second follower lever pivotally attached to the valve lever and being arranged and constructed to follow the second cam, and
- the interlocking mechanism is arranged and constructed to selectively rigidly connect only one of the first follower lever and the second follower lever to the valve lever at a time, wherein when the first follower lever is interlocked with the valve lever, the valve is actuated in accordance with the first cam and, when the second follower lever is interlocked with the valve lever, the valve is actuated in accordance with the second cam.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.