Vehicle drive system featuring split engine and accessory back drive

• US 5,971,092 A
• Filed: 08/15/1996
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank H. Walker
• Original Assignee: Frank H. Walker
• Inventors: Walker, Frank H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/698,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 180/69.6, 180/165, 180/305, 180/306, 180/307, 180/308, 60/709, 60/714, 60/716, 123/193.6, 123/71 R, 123/71 V, 123/46 R
• US Class Current: 180/308
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/06 from the transmission power take-off transmissions having power-take-off B60K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/08 comprising more than one engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/4096 with pressure accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A drive train for a vehicle having a pair of mechanically driven wheels, a pair of hydraulically driven wheels, and a mechanically driven accessory is disclosed. The drive train includes a transmission system connected to the pair of mechanically driven wheels and to the accessory. A first drive source including an internal combustion engine is connected to the transmission system. A second drive source, operating through a source of stored mechanical energy, is also connected to the transmission system. At least one of the first and second drive sources is capable of driving the pair of mechanically driven wheels by driving the transmission system. One or both of the first and second drive sources can be disengaged from the transmission system so that the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy is transmitted through the transmission system to drive the accessory. The internal combustion engine of the first drive source has a main piston with an inertia piston slidable received therein to increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine.

Claims

1. A drive train for a vehicle having a pair of mechanically driven wheels, a pair of hydraulically driven wheels, and an engine mechanically driven accessory, the drive train comprising:

a first internal combustion engine;

a second internal combustion engine; and

a transmission system interconnecting the first and second internal combustion engines, the pair of mechanically driven wheels, and the accessory, wherein the transmission system has an accessory shaft connected to the accessory, wherein the transmission system is capable of connecting the pair of mechanically driven wheels to at least one of the first and second internal combustion engines to drive the vehicle, --wherein one or both of the first and second internal combustion engines can be disengaged from the transmission system so that the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy is transmitted through the transmission system to backdrive the accessory via the accessory shaft while the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed;

wherein the first internal combustion engine is a two stroke per cycle engine including;

an engine block having a cylinder, the cylinder having an intake port and an exhaust port;

a main piston moving between an upward compression stroke position and a downward power stroke position within the cylinder, the main piston having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion and the cylinder defining a combustion chamber therebetween for fuel combustion, the combustion chamber being in communication with the intake port and the exhaust port, the main piston sealing off the combustion chamber from the intake port and the exhaust port when it is in the compression stroke position the bottom portion and the engine block defining a scavenge area therebetween, the scavenge area being in communication with the intake port, the bottom portion of the main piston having at least one bore extending within the main piston;

an intake manifold providing air through he intake port to the combustion chamber when the main piston moves away from the compression stroke position to facilitate fuel combustion in the combustion chamber, the intake manifold further providing air to the scavenge area; and

at least one inertia piston slidably received within the at least one bore of the main piston, the at least one inertia piston moves up within the at least one bore when the main piston moves up to the compression stroke position thereby increasing the volume of the scavenge area available for receiving air from the intake manifold the at least one inertia piston moves down within the at least one bore when the main piston moves down to the power stroke position after fuel combustion thereby decreasing the volume of the scavenge area forcing air within the scavenge area through the intake port to carry the burned fuel in the combustion chamber out the exhaust port.

2. The drive train of claim 1 wherein the first and second internal combustion engines are transversely mounted in the vehicle.

3. The drive train of claim 1 wherein the first and second internal combustion engines are connected in parallel to the transmission system.

4. The drive train of claim 1 wherein a further drive source is a fluid accumulator.

5. The drive train of claim 1 further comprising a hydraulic drive operatively associated with a further drive source and connected to the pair of mechanically driven wheels, wherein the hydraulic drive provides said further drive source with mechanical energy by converting the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy to mechanical energy during braking of the vehicle and transmits mechanical energy from said further drive source through the transmission system to drive the pair of mechanically driven wheels during acceleration of the vehicle.

6. The drive train of claim 1 further comprising a pair of hydraulic units operatively associated with a further drive source and connected to a respective one of the pair of hydraulically driven wheels, wherein the hydraulic units provide said further drive source with mechanical energy by converting the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy to mechanical energy during braking of the vehicle and transmit mechanical energy from said further drive source through the transmission system to drive the pair of hydraulically driven wheels during acceleration of the vehicle.

7. A drive train for a vehicle having a pair of mechanically driven wheels, a pair of hydraulically driven wheels, and an engine mechanically driven accessory, the drive train comprising:

a first internal combustion engine;

a second internal combustion engine;

a transmission system interconnecting the first internal combustion engine, the second internal combustion engine, the pair of mechanically driven wheels, and the accessory, wherein the transmission shaft has an accessory shaft connected to the accessory, wherein the transmission system is capable of connecting the pair of mechanically driven wheels to at least one of the first and second internal combustion engines to drive the vehicle, wherein one or both of the first and second internal combustion engines can be disengaged from the transmission system so that the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy is transmitted through the transmission system to backdrive the accessory via the accessory shaft while the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed, wherein the transmission system has a transmission shaft connected to the pair of mechanically driven wheels, wherein the first and second internal combustion engines are connected to a first end of the transmission shaft and the hydraulic drive is connected to a second end of the transmission shaft;

a fluid accumulator for storing and providing mechanical energy;

a hydraulic drive operatively associated with the fluid accumulator and connected to the transmission system to the pair of mechanically driven wheels, wherein the hydraulic drive provides the fluid accumulator with mechanical energy by converting the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy to mechanical energy during braking of the vehicle and transmits mechanical energy from the fluid accumulator through the transmission system to drive the pair of mechanically driven wheels during acceleration of the vehicle;

a pair of hydraulic units operatively associated with the fluid accumulator and connected to a respective one of the pair of hydraulically driven wheels, wherein the hydraulic units provide the fluid accumulator with mechanical energy by converting, the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy to mechanical energy during braking of the vehicle and transmit mechanical energy from the fluid accumulator through the transmission system to drive the pair of hydraulically driven wheels during acceleration of the vehicle;

a clutch connecting the first internal combustion engine to the first end of the transmission shaft; and

a gear set connecting the clutch to the first internal combustion engine, wherein the gear set rotates only when the first internal combustion engine is operational to minimize parasitic losses associated with rotating gear sets.

8. The drive train of claim 7 wherein the first and second internal combustion engines are connected in parallel to the first end of the transmission shaft.

9. The drive train of claim 7 wherein the first and second internal combustion engines are transversely mounted in the vehicle.

10. The drive train of claim 7 wherein the gear set is a spiral bevel gear set.

11. The drive train of claim 7 wherein the hydraulic drive is a hydrostatic driven variable displacement pump/motor.

12. The drive train of claim 7 further comprising a cooling water circuit circulating through the engines to keep the temperature of the engines at their operating temperature when they are disengaged from the transmission system.

13. The drive train of claim 7 further comprising a control module, the control module connects the hydraulic units and the hydraulic drive with the fluid accumulator.

14. A two stroke per cycle engine comprising:

an engine block having a cylinder, the cylinder having an intake port and an exhaust port;

a main piston moving between an upward compression stroke position and a downward power stroke position within the cylinder, the main piston having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion and the cylinder defining a combustion chamber therebetween for fuel combustion, the combustion chamber being in communication with the intake port and the exhaust port, the main piston sealing off the combustion chamber from the intake port and the exhaust port when it is in the compression stroke position, the bottom portion and the engine block defining a scavenge area therebetween, the scavenge area being in communication with the intake port, the bottom portion of the main piston having at least one bore extending within the main piston;

an intake manifold providing air through the intake port to the combustion chamber when the main piston moves away from the compression stroke position to facilitate fuel combustion in the combustion chamber, the intake manifold further providing air to the scavenge area; and

at least one inertia piston slidably received within the at least one bore of the main piston, the at least one inertia piston moves up within the at least one bore when the main piston moves up to the compression stroke position thereby increasing the volume of the scavenge area available for receiving air from the intake manifold, the at least one inertia piston moves down within the at least one bore when the main piston moves down to the power stroke position after fuel combustion thereby decreasing the volume of the scavenge area forcing air within the scavenge area through the intake port to carry the burned fuel in the combustion chamber out the exhaust port.

15. The two stroke per cycle engine of claim 14 wherein the at least one bore includes eight circumferentially spaced apart bores.

16. The two stroke per cycle engine of claim 15 wherein the at least one inertia piston includes eight inertia pistons.

17. The two stroke per cycle engine of claim 14 further comprising a series of one way reed valves within the intake manifold.

18. A drive train for a vehicle having a pair of mechanically driven wheels, a pair of hydraulically driven wheels, and an engine mechanically driven accessory, the drive train comprising:

a first internal combustion engine;

a second internal combustion engine;

a transmission system interconnecting the first internal combustion engine, the second internal combustion engine, the pair of mechanically driven wheels, and the accessory, wherein the transmission shaft has an accessory shaft connected to the accessory, wherein the transmission system is capable of connecting the pair of mechanically driven wheels to at least one of the first and second internal combustion engines to drive the vehicle, wherein one or both of the first and second internal combustion engines can be disengaged from the transmission system so that the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy is transmitted through the transmission system to backdrive the accessory via the accessory shaft while the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed;

a fluid accumulator for storing and providing mechanical energy;

a hydraulic drive operatively associated with the fluid accumulator and connected to the transmission system to the pair of mechanically driven wheels, wherein the hydraulic drive provides the fluid accumulator with mechanical energy by converting the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy to mechanical energy during braking of the vehicle and transmits mechanical energy from the fluid accumulator through the transmission system to drive the pair of mechanically driven wheels during acceleration of the vehicle and

a pair of hydraulic units operatively associated with the fluid accumulator and connected to a respective one of the pair of hydraulically driven wheels wherein the hydraulic units provide the fluid accumulator with mechanical energy by converting the vehicle'"'"'s kinetic energy to mechanical energy during braking of the vehicle and transmit mechanical energy from the fluid accumulator through the transmission system to drive the pair of hydraulically driven wheels during acceleration of the vehicle;

wherein the first internal combustion engine is a two stroke per cycle engine including;

an engine block having a cylinder, the cylinder having an intake port and an exhaust port;

a main piston moving between an upward compression stroke position and a downward power stroke position within the cylinder, the main piston having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion and the cylinder defining a combustion chamber therebetween for fuel combustion, the combustion chamber being in communication with the intake port and the exhaust port, the main piston sealing off the combustion chamber from the intake port and the exhaust port when it is in the compression stroke position, the bottom portion and the engine block defining a scavenge area therebetween, the scavenge area being in communication with the intake port, the bottom portion of the main piston having at least one bore extending within the main piston;

an intake manifold providing air through the intake port to the combustion chamber when the main piston moves away from the compression stroke position to facilitate fuel combustion in the combustion chamber, the intake manifold further providing air to the scavenge area; and

at least one inertia piston slidably received within the at least one bore of the main piston, the at least one inertia piston moves up within the at least one bore when the main piston moves up to the compression stroke position thereby increasing the volume of the scavenge area available for receiving air from the intake manifold, the at least one inertia piston moves down within the at least one bore when the main piston moves down to the power stroke position after fuel combustion thereby decreasing the volume of the scavenge area forcing air within the scavenge area through the intake port to carry the burned fuel in the combustion chamber out the exhaust port.