Motion control mechanism for a piston engine

• US 7,373,915 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alexander F. Joniec
• Original Assignee: Alexander F. Joniec
• Inventors: Joniec, Alexander F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen; Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US11/527,433
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 123/197.1, 123/197.4, 74/40, 74/44
• US Class Current: 123/197.1
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2275/36 Modified dwell of piston in TDC
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/048 by means of a variable crank stroke length
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/32 Engines characterised by connections between pistons and main shafts and not specific to preceding main groups
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18176 Crank, pitman, lever, and slide

Abstract

An improved piston engine includes a rocker arm and a connecting link between the piston rod and the crankshaft to allow its motion to be altered from that of the classic piston engine in order to overcome inherent limitations of the latter and realize greater efficiency. By inserting these two components between the end of a rigidly attached piston rod and a conventional crankshaft, the motion of the piston with respect to the crankshaft can be altered in important ways. For example, the dwell at top dead center can be increased relative to dwell at bottom dead center to the point where they are equal or in fact where dwell at top dead center is greater. Furthermore, because the piston rod is not directly connected to the crankshaft, ignition of the fuel can be timed to occur before top dead center so that pressure is maximized at top dead center in order to improve efficiency. Furthermore, the piston stroke can be shortened and slowed by the geometry of the rocker arm, thus increasing engine life.

Claims

1. An engine, comprising:

an engine block having a hole formed therein;

a piston carried within said engine block and dimensioned for reciprocal motion within said hole of said engine block, said piston having a piston head and a rod extending therefrom, said rod having a first end attached to said piston head and an opposing second end;

a rocker arm having a fulcrum defining a first portion and an opposing second portion, said first and said second portions being pivotable about said fulcrum, said rocker arm having a pivot hole formed at said fulcrum, said first portion having a first end, said second portion having a second end, said first end of said first portion having a hole formed therein;

a pivot pin carried in said pivot hole in said rocker arm and attached to said engine block so that said rocker arm can pivot with respect to said engine block about said pivot pin;

an eccentric dimensioned to fit in said hole of said first end of said first portion of said rocker arm, said eccentric rotating about an axis, said second end of said piston rod being attached to said eccentric at a location spaced apart from said axis of said eccentric so that, as said piston rod reciprocates, said second end of said piston rod rotates about said axis of said eccentric and causes said rocker arm to pivot about said pivot pin;

a connecting link having a first end and an opposing second end, said first end being connected to said second portion of said rocker arm, said connecting link reciprocating when said rocker arm pivots about said pivot pin in response to reciprocal motion of said piston rod; and

a crankshaft having a counterweight and a crank arm, said crank arm being attached to said second end of said connecting link so that when said connecting link reciprocates, said connecting link rotates said crankshaft.

2. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said first portion and said second portion have different lengths with respect to said fulcrum.

3. The engine as recited in claim 2, wherein said length of said first portion is shorter than said length of said second portion.

4. The engine as recited in claim 3, wherein said piston has a stroke and said crank arm travels an arcuate distance, and wherein said arcuate distance is greater than 1.57 times said stroke.

5. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said piston has a down stroke at the first part of a cycle, and wherein said fulcrum and said connecting arm are arranged so that said piston pushes said connecting arm on said down stroke.

6. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said first portion and said second portion are arranged at an angle of less than 180°

with respect to each other.

7. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said major axis of said piston rod is at an angle other than 180°

with respect to said connecting link.

8. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said location at which said piston rod is attached to said eccentric is dimensioned so that said piston dwell at top dead center is longer than at bottom dead center.

9. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said rocker arm is dimensioned so that said piston dwell at top dead center is longer than at bottom dead center.

10. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said piston lies in a plane with respect to said eccentric and wherein said plane is selected so that said piston dwell at top dead center is longer than at bottom dead center.

11. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said rocker arm is dimensioned so that said piston dwell at top dead center is the same as at bottom dead center.

12. An engine, comprising:

a engine block having at least one hole formed therein;

at least one piston carried within said engine block, each piston of said at least one piston being dimensioned for reciprocal motion within a hole of said at least one hole in said engine block, each piston of said at least one piston having a piston head and a rod extending therefrom, said rod having a first end attached to said piston head and an opposing second end;

at least one rocker arm, each rocker arm of said at least one rocker arm having a fulcrum defining a first portion and an opposing second portion, said first and said second portions being pivotable about said fulcrum, said each rocker arm having a pivot hole formed at said fulcrum, said first portion having a first end, said second portion having a second end, said first end of said first portion having a hole formed therein, and said each rocker arm having a pivot pin carried in said pivot hole in said each rocker arm, said pivot pin being attached to said engine block so that said each rocker arm can pivot with respect to said engine block about said pivot pin, said each rocker arm having an eccentric rotatably mounted in said hole of said first end of said first portion, said eccentric rotating about an axis, said second end of said piston rod being attached to said eccentric at a location spaced apart from said axis of said eccentric so that, as said piston rod reciprocates, said second end of said piston rod rotates about said axis of said eccentric and causes said each rocker arm to pivot about said pivot pin;

at least one connecting link, each connecting link of said at least one connecting link having a first end and an opposing second end, said first end of said each connecting link being connected to said second portion of said each rocker arm, said each connecting link reciprocating when said each rocker arm pivots about said pivot pin in response to reciprocal motion of said piston rod; and

a crankshaft having a counterweight and at least one crank arm, each crank arm of said at least one crank arm being attached to said second end of said each connecting link of said at least one connecting link so that when said each connecting link reciprocates, said each crank arm rotates said crankshaft.

13. The engine as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one piston further comprises two pistons.

14. The engine as recited in claim 13, wherein said two pistons are asymmetrically arranged.

15. The engine as recited in claim 13, wherein said pistons are in line.

16. The engine as recited in claim 13, wherein said at least one rocker arm is one rocker arm.

17. The engine as recited in claim 13, wherein said at least one piston further comprises four pistons.

18. The engine as recited in claim 17, wherein said four pistons are asymmetrically arranged.

19. The engine as recited in claim 17, further comprising a source of expanding fluid for reciprocating said at least one piston.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, further comprising means for rotating said crankshaft, and wherein said at least one piston is adapted to pump a fluid.