Internal combustion engine coupled turbocharger with an infinitely variable transmission

• US 9,644,530 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DANA Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DANA Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Versteyhe, Mark R. J., Duchene, Thibaut E., Byltiauw, Matthias W. J., Remboski, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, Nicholas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, Dapinder
• Application Number:
  US15/209,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20160319731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 60602, 606052
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/04 Engines with exhaust drive and other drive of pumps, e.g. with exhaust-driven pump and mechanically-driven second pump
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/105 exhaust drive and pump being both connected through gearing to engine-driven shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 39/04 Mechanical drives; Variable-gear-ratio drives non-mechanical pump drives having variable gear ratio F02B39/08
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 41/10 in exhaust turbines use of exhaust turbines for charging F02B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/113 with variable power transmission between rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/12 Turbochargers, i.e. plants for augmenting mechanical power output of internal-combustion piston engines by increase of charge pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/026 with a magnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/028 the driving means being a planetary gear
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/40 in turbochargers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/28 with external friction surface
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/40 in which two members co-operative by means of balls, or rollers of uniform effective diameter, not mounted on shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/08 comprising bevel gears
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/10 of the permanent-magnet type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/102 Magnetic gearings, i.e. assembly of gears, linear or rotary, by which motion is magnetically transferred without physical contact magnetized gearings with physical contact F16H13/12, F16H49/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A turbocharger for use with an internal combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger comprises a differential device having a carrier portion, a compressor portion, and a turbine portion. The compressor portion is in driving engagement with a first portion of the differential device. The turbine portion is in driving engagement with a second portion of the differential device. The carrier portion of the differential device is in driving engagement with an infinitely variable transmission. The infinitely variable transmission is in driving engagement with the internal combustion engine. The turbocharger is simply controlled, reduces turbo lag, decreases a boost threshold of the turbocharger, and increases an efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

Claims

1. A turbocharger for use with the internal combustion engine, the turbocharger comprising:

a compressor;

a turbine;

a differential device disposed within a housing between the compressor and the turbine, in driving engagement with the internal combustion engine, an infinitely variable transmission, the infinitely variable transmission in driving engagement with the internal combustion engine, and having;

a first drive ring and a second drive ring;

a ball carrier comprising a plurality of balls, each ball rotatingly disposed about an axis, the plurality of balls in driving engagement with the first drive ring and the second drive ring of the differential device,

wherein the first drive ring is disposed on and coupled to the compressor, and

the second drive ring is disposed on and coupled to the turbine.

2. The turbocharger of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the housing is filled with a shear thickening or elastohydrodynamic fluid to facilitate the driving engagement with the first drive ring and the plurality of balls and the second drive ring and plurality of balls.

3. The turbocharger of claim 2, wherein the plurality of balls facilitate a differential action between the first drive ring and the second drive ring when the balls rotate about their axes.

4. A method for operating a turbocharger with an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

providing a turbocharger comprising;

a compressor;

a turbine;

a differential device disposed within a housing between the compressor and the turbine, in driving engagement with the internal combustion engine, an infinitely variable transmission, the infinitely variable transmission in driving engagement with the internal combustion engine, and having;

a first drive ring and a second drive ring; and

a ball carrier comprising a plurality of balls, each ball rotatingly disposed about an axis, the plurality of balls in driving engagement with the first drive ring and the second drive ring of the differential device;

wherein the first drive ring is disposed on and coupled to the compressor, and

the second drive ring is disposed on and coupled to the turbine; and

adjusting a ratio of the infinitely variable transmission to thereby control the operating speed of the compressor.

5. A turbocharger for use with the internal combustion engine, the turbocharger comprising:

a compressor;

a turbine;

a differential device disposed within a housing between the compressor and the turbine, in driving engagement with the internal combustion engine, the differential device comprising;

a hollow differential housing;

a first side gear;

a second side gear;

a differential carrier; and

a plurality of spider gears;

a ring gear;

an output gear; and

an output shaft in driving engagement with the output gear;

wherein the turbine and the compressor are drivingly engaged to the output shaft through the differential and the output gear, and

wherein the ring gear is disposed on an outer surface of the hollow differential housing and is in driving engagement with the output gear.

6. The turbocharger of claim 5, wherein the plurality of spider gears are bevel gears.

7. The turbocharger of claim 6, wherein the output gear is rotatably disposed in the differential housing.

8. The turbocharger of claim 7, wherein the output shaft is drivingly engaged through a ratio adjusting device and an infinitely variable transmission to an internal combustion engine.