Opposed piston type engine
10837322 ยท 2020-11-17
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
F02F7/0021
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01L2250/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01L1/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01M1/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01M2001/0261
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01L2001/0537
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01L1/024
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01M11/0004
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01B7/14
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01L1/053
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F02B75/28
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01L1/026
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F01B7/14
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F02B75/40
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01L1/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01M1/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F02B75/28
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
Provided is an opposed-piston engine which attains high output, ensures combustion toughness, and includes a simplified configuration of a crankshaft counter-rotation synchronization mechanism which rotates crankshafts in engine units in opposite directions. An opposed-piston engine 10 of the present invention includes a first engine unit 11 and a second engine unit 21. The first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 respectively include a first cylinder 12 and a second cylinder 22 independent of each other. In addition, a first valve driving mechanism 19 and a second valve driving mechanism 20 which control valves also function as a crankshaft counter-rotation synchronization mechanism 29 which rotates a first crankshaft 14 of the first engine unit 11 and a second crankshaft 24 of the second engine unit 21 in the opposite directions.
Claims
1. An opposed-piston engine comprising: a first engine unit including a first cylinder, a first piston which reciprocates inside the first cylinder, a first crankshaft which converts reciprocating motion of the first piston into rotating motion, a first connecting rod which connects the first piston to the first crankshaft in a movable manner, and a first valve which is arranged in the first cylinder; a second engine unit including a second cylinder which is separate from and opposed to the first cylinder, a second piston which reciprocates inside the second cylinder, a second crankshaft which converts reciprocating motion of the second piston into rotating motion, a second connecting rod which connects the second piston to the second crankshaft in a movable manner, and a second valve which is arranged in the second cylinder; a cylinder head disposed between the first engine unit and the second engine unit; a valve driving mechanism which drives the first valve and the second valve; and a crankshaft counter-rotation synchronization mechanism by which a rotation direction of the first crankshaft and a rotation direction of the second crankshaft are set opposite to each other, wherein the valve driving mechanism functions as the crankshaft counter-rotation synchronization mechanism, and wherein the cylinder head defines a first combustion chamber within the first cylinder and further defines a second combustion chamber within the second cylinder such that the first combustion chamber is separate from the second combustion chamber.
2. The opposed-piston engine according to claim 1, wherein: the first valve includes a first intake valve and a first exhaust valve, the second valve includes a second intake valve, and a second exhaust valve, and the valve driving mechanism controls opening and closing of the first intake valve and the second intake valve via a driving force of the first crankshaft and controls opening and closing of the first exhaust valve and the second exhaust valve via a driving force of the second crankshaft.
3. The opposed-piston engine according to claim 1, wherein: the crankshaft counter-rotation synchronization mechanism includes a first counter-rotating gear meshing with a second counter-rotating gear, the first counter-rotating gear configured to be rotated by a driving force of the first crankshaft and is connected to a first camshaft including a first cam which operates one of the first valve or the second valve, the second counter-rotating gear configured to be rotated by a driving force of the second crankshaft and is connected to a second camshaft including a second cam which operates a remaining one of the first valve or the second valve.
4. The opposed-piston engine according to claim 1, further comprising an oil pan arranged in a center location between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, and stores oil that circulates through the first engine unit and the second engine unit.
5. The opposed-piston engine according to claim 1, further comprising an oil pump driven by the valve driving mechanism.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(4) Hereinafter, an opposed-piston engine 10 according to an embodiment is described in terms of a configuration and operations with reference to the drawings.
(5) In the following description, the front, rear, top, bottom, right, and left directions are used as needed. Here, the front indicates a direction of a side where reciprocation of a first piston 13 in a first engine unit 11 takes place, and the rear indicates a direction of a side where reciprocation of a second piston 23 in a second engine unit 21 takes place. Then, the top indicates a direction in which a crank pulley 34 and the like to be described later are arranged with respect to a first crankshaft 14 and the like, and the bottom indicates a direction opposite to the top. In addition, the right and the left indicate the right side and the left side of the opposed-piston engine 10 when viewed from the front side.
(6) With reference to
(7) With reference to
(8) The first engine unit 11 includes a first cylinder 12, a first piston 13 which reciprocates inside the first cylinder 12, a first crankshaft 14 which converts reciprocating motion of the first piston 13 into rotating motion, a first connecting rod 15 which connects the first piston 13 and the first crankshaft 14 to each other in a movable manner, and first valves 16 provided for a cylinder head 52 (see
(9) The second engine unit 21 includes a second cylinder 22, a second piston 23 which reciprocates inside the second cylinder 22, a second crankshaft 24 which converts reciprocating motion of the second piston 23 into rotating motion, a second connecting rod 25 which connects the second piston 23 and the second crankshaft 24 to each other in a movable manner, and second valves 26 provided for the cylinder head 52 (see
(10) Here, the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 described above may be housed in an engine block integrally formed by casting, or be housed individually in engine blocks. In the case where the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 are housed individually in the engine blocks, the engine blocks are joined together
(11) In the opposed-piston engine 10, the main components included in the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 are arranged on an imaginary line 53 defined along the front-rear direction. Specifically, the first cylinder 12, the first piston 13, the first crankshaft 14, and the first connecting rod 15 in the first engine unit 11 are arranged on the imaginary line 53. Then, the second cylinder 22, the second piston 23, the second crankshaft 24, and the second connecting rod 25 in the second engine unit 21 are also arranged on the imaginary line 53. When the components in the engine units are arranged on the imaginary line 53 as described above, vibrations generated along with the operations of the engine units cancel out each other and therefore the damping effect can be enhanced.
(12) Moreover, the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 are arranged in line symmetry with respect to an imaginary line 54 defined in the right-left direction. This configuration also enhances the damping effect by canceling out the vibrations generated along with the operations of the engine units.
(13) With reference to
(14) The first valve driving mechanism 19 includes the crank pulley 34, a cam pulley 42, and a timing belt 30 wrapped around the crank pulley 34 and the cam pulley 42. The crank pulley 34 is connected to a portion of the first crankshaft 14 leading to the outside. The cam pulley 42 is connected to a camshaft 44 together with a first intake cam 36 which controls advancing-and-retracting motion of the first intake valve 17 by coming into contact with the first intake valve 17 and a second intake cam 38 which controls advancing-and-retracting motion of the second intake valve 27 by coming into contact with the second intake valve 27. The first intake cam 36 and the second intake cam 38 are connected to the camshaft 44 with such a phase difference that the timing at which the first intake cam 36 presses the first intake valve 17 and the timing at which the second intake cam 38 presses the second intake valve 27 come concurrently. In addition, a tensioner 32 for applying tension to the timing belt 30 is arranged.
(15) A second valve driving mechanism 20 includes a crank pulley 35, a cam pulley 43, and a timing belt 31 wrapped around the crank pulley 34 and the cam pulley 42. The crank pulley 35 is connected to a portion of the second crankshaft 24 leading to the outside. The cam pulley 43 is connected to a camshaft 45 together with a first exhaust cam 37 which controls advancing-and-retracting motion of the first exhaust valve 18 by coming into contact with the first exhaust valve 18 and a second exhaust cam 39 which controls advancing-and-retracting motion of a second exhaust valve 28 by coming into contact with the second exhaust valve 28. The first exhaust cam 37 and the second exhaust cam 39 are connected to the camshaft 45 with such a phase difference that the timing at which the first exhaust cam 37 presses the first exhaust valve 18 and the timing at which the second exhaust cam 39 presses the second exhaust valve 28 come concurrently. In addition, a tensioner 33 for applying tension to the timing belt 31 is arranged.
(16) Here, the first intake valve 17 and the first exhaust valve 18 described above are biased in a direction away from the first cylinder 12 by biasing members such as springs not illustrated. Similarly, the second intake valve 27 and the second exhaust valve 28 are biased in a direction away from the second cylinder 22 by biasing members such as springs not illustrated.
(17) When the first intake cam 36 and the second intake cam 38 are connected to the camshaft 44 and the first exhaust cam 37 and the second exhaust cam 39 are connected to the camshaft 45 as described above, the number of camshafts is decreased to reduce the number of components in the opposed-piston engine 10, so that further reductions in the size and the weight can be achieved.
(18) As illustrated in
(19) With reference to
(20) As illustrated in
(21) In this embodiment, when the opposed-piston engine 10 is viewed from above, the crank pulley 34 connected to the first crankshaft 14 not illustrated rotates clockwise and the cam pulley 42 connected to the crank pulley 34 via the timing belt 30 also rotates clockwise. Moreover, the first intake cam 36 and the second intake cam 38 also rotate clockwise.
(22) On the other hand, the crank pulley 35 connected to the second crankshaft 24 not illustrated rotates counterclockwise and the cam pulley 43 connected to the crank pulley 35 via the timing belt 31 also rotates counterclockwise. Moreover, the first exhaust cam 37 and the second exhaust cam 39 also rotate counterclockwise.
(23) In other words, the members included in the first valve driving mechanism 19 rotate clockwise, whereas the members included in the second valve driving mechanism 20 rotate counterclockwise.
(24) With reference to
(25) With reference to
(26) Moreover, in the present embodiment, the first cylinder 12 in the first engine unit 11 and the second cylinder 22 in the second engine unit 21 individually include the intake valves and the exhaust valves. Specifically, the first intake valve 17 is arranged on a rear-end left side in the first cylinder 12 in the first engine unit 11 and the first exhaust valve 18 is arranged on a rear-end right side in the first cylinder 12. Thus, a flow path 55 for a mixture gas and an exhaust gas flowing through the first cylinder 12 during the operation of the engine is simplified, and the combustion toughness can be enhanced due to the simplification of the flow path 55 and the simplification of the combustion chamber shape. Similarly, the second intake valve 27 is arranged on a front-end left side in the second cylinder 22 in the second engine unit 21 and the second exhaust valve 28 is arranged on a front-end right side in the first cylinder 12. Thus, a flow path 56 for a mixture gas and an exhaust gas flowing through the second cylinder 22 during the operation of the engine is simplified, and the combustion toughness can be enhanced as is the case with the first cylinder 12.
(27) In addition, in the opposed-piston engine 10 in the present embodiment, the valve driving mechanisms also function as the crankshaft counter-rotation synchronization mechanism 29. Specifically, a counter-rotating mechanism to rotate the first crankshaft 14 and the second crankshaft 24 in the opposite directions is needed in order to reduce vibrations in the opposed-piston engine 10 during the operation. However, if a mechanism dedicated for rotations in the opposite directions is provided for the opposed-piston engine 10, the number of components included in the opposed-piston engine 10 increases, which leads to the complicated configuration of the opposed-piston engine 10 and also an increase in the cost. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the first valve driving mechanism 19 and the second valve driving mechanism 20 illustrated in
(28) Specifically, with reference to
(29) The first counter-rotating gear 46 and the second counter-rotating gear 47 which establish the aforementioned counter rotations just synchronize the phases of the first crankshaft 14 and the second crankshaft 24 and do not transmit large rotational torques generated from the first crankshaft 14 and the second crankshaft 24. For this reason, the first counter-rotating gear 46 and the second counter-rotating gear 47 do not require high strength. Accordingly, the widths of the first counter-rotating gear 46 and the second counter-rotating gear 47 may be thin, and an inexpensive material required to have only low strength may be employed as a material for the first counter-rotating gear 46 and the second counter-rotating gear 47. This makes it possible to prevent increases in the cost and the weight due to the employment of the first counter-rotating gear 46 and the second counter-rotating gear 47.
(30) Here, operations of the opposed-piston engine 10 are described with reference to the drawings described above. The first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 included in the opposed-piston engine 10 are four stroke engines, and therefore repeat an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion stroke, and an exhaust stroke. Here, the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 simultaneously perform the intake stroke, the compression stroke, the combustion stroke, and the exhaust stroke.
(31) With reference to
(32) The operations in the respective strokes of the second engine unit 21 are described below. First, in the intake stroke, the second piston 23 moves toward the rear in the second cylinder 22 in a state where the second intake valve 27 pressed by the second intake cam 38 is advanced and the second exhaust valve 28 not pressed by the second exhaust cam 39 is retracted. Thus, a mixture gas which is a mixture of fuel (for example, a gasoline) and air is introduced into the second cylinder 22. In the compression stroke, the second intake valve 27 not pressed by the second intake cam 38 is retracted and the second exhaust valve 28 not pressed by the second exhaust cam 39 is also retracted. In this state, the second piston 23 is pushed toward the front due to the inertia of the rotating second crankshaft 24, and the mixture gas is compressed in the second cylinder 22. Next, in the combustion stroke, an ignition plug not illustrated ignites in the second cylinder 22, so that the mixture gas burns in the second cylinder 22 and thereby the second piston 23 is pushed out to a rear end at the bottom dead center. After that, in the exhaust stroke, the second intake valve 27 not pressed by the second intake cam 38 is retracted, and the second exhaust valve 28 pressed by the second exhaust cam 39 is advanced. In this state, the second piston 23 is pushed to the front due to the inertia of the second crankshaft 24, and the burned gas present inside the second cylinder 22 is discharged to the outside.
(33) While the strokes are repeated as described above, the first counter-rotating gear 46 and the second counter-rotating gear 47 rotate in the opposite directions, since the first counter-rotating gear 46 connected to the camshaft 44 and the second counter-rotating gear 47 connected to the camshaft 45 mesh with each other as illustrated in
(34) Since the timing belt 30 is wrapped around the cam pulley 42 and the crank pulley 34, the crank pulley 34 rotates clockwise, whereby the first crankshaft 14 rotates clockwise when viewed from above. On the other hand, since the timing belt 31 is wrapped around the cam pulley 43 and the crank pulley 35, the crank pulley 35 rotates counterclockwise, whereby the second crankshaft 24 also rotates counterclockwise when viewed from above.
(35) In sum, the configuration where the first counter-rotating gear 46 and the second counter-rotating gear 47 are set to mesh with each other as described above is capable of rotating the first crankshaft 14 and the second crankshaft 24 in the opposite directions when the opposed-piston engine 10 is operated, so that the counter rotations can be achieved to reduce vibrations.
(36) With reference to
(37) In the present embodiment, since the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 are arranged opposed to each other, components which can be shared by the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 are placed concentratedly in an anteroposterior center area of the opposed-piston engine 10.
(38) Specifically, the cylinder head 52 arranged in the anteroposterior center area of the opposed-piston engine 10 can be shared by the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21. In the cylinder head 52, an exhaust port 50 and an intake port to be described later are formed, and they are shared by the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21. In addition, the arrangement of the cylinder head 52 as described above enables the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 to share the camshafts 44 and 45.
(39) In addition, the oil pan 48 is placed at a bottom portion in the anteroposterior center area of the opposed-piston engine 10. The oil pan 48 stores oil for lubrication and cooling to be supplied to the components in the opposed-piston engine 10. In addition, an oil pump 49 for causing the oil stored in the oil pan 48 to circulate through the components in the opposed-piston engine 10 is arranged in the anteroposterior center area of the opposed-piston engine 10. The oil pump 49 is driven by a driving force of the camshaft 45. Flow channels through which the oil circulates are formed in the opposed-piston engine 10. Thus, the oil sent out by the oil pump 49 is first supplied to the components included in the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 and then is returned to the oil pan 48 through the flow channels.
(40) Here, there is another application example in which a water pump for sending out cooling water for engine cooling is placed in addition to the oil pump 49. The water pump is a pump for circulating cooling water for cooling the opposed-piston engine 10.
(41) In addition, the exhaust port 50 through which the exhaust gas from the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 is discharged all together to the outside of the system is formed in the anteroposterior center area of the opposed-piston engine 10. Further, at a position opposed to the exhaust port 50, formed is the intake port, not illustrated, through which air to be introduced to the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21 is introduced all together from the outside of the system.
(42) When the functional components such as the oil pan 48 are placed concentratedly in the anteroposterior center area of the opposed-piston engine 10 as described above, the functional components can be shared by the first engine unit 11 and the second engine unit 21, so that the number of components included in the opposed-piston engine 10 can be reduced.
(43) Although the embodiments of the present invention are described above, the present invention should not be limited to the aforementioned embodiments.
(44) For example, chains or gear trains may be used in place of the timing belts 30 and 31 illustrated in
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
(45) 10 opposed-piston engine
(46) 11 first engine unit
(47) 12 first cylinder
(48) 13 first piston
(49) 14 first crankshaft
(50) 15 first connecting rod
(51) 16 first valve
(52) 17 first intake valve
(53) 18 first exhaust valve
(54) 19 first valve driving mechanism
(55) 20 second valve driving mechanism
(56) 21 second engine unit
(57) 22 second cylinder
(58) 23 second piston
(59) 24 second crankshaft
(60) 25 second connecting rod
(61) 26 second valve
(62) 27 second intake valve
(63) 28 second exhaust valve
(64) 29 crankshaft counter-rotation synchronization mechanism
(65) 30 timing belt
(66) 31 timing belt
(67) 32 tentioner
(68) 33 tentioner
(69) 34 crank pulley
(70) 35 crank pulley
(71) 36 first intake cam
(72) 37 first exhaust cam
(73) 38 second intake cam
(74) 39 second exhaust cam
(75) 40 first load
(76) 41 second load
(77) 42 cam pulley
(78) 43 cam pulley
(79) 44 camshaft
(80) 45 camshaft
(81) 46 first counter-rotating gear
(82) 47 second counter-rotating gear
(83) 48 oil pan
(84) 49 oil pump
(85) 50 exhaust port
(86) 52 cylinder head
(87) 53 imaginary line
(88) 54 imaginary line
(89) 55 flow path
(90) 56 flow path