PORT BELT ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A port belt arrangement for use in a two-stroke internal combustion engine containing a pair of adjacent cylinders. The arrangement including a first hollow annulus defining a first annular channel, the first annular channel tapering in a radial direction, with increasing circumferential distance from a first port, an inner wall of the first annular channel having a second port, and a second hollow annulus defining a second annular channel, the second annular channel tapering in a radial direction, with increasing circumferential distance from a third port, an inner wall of the second annular channel having a fourth port, wherein the first hollow annulus and the second hollow annulus are joined together at a joining point located on each of their circumferences. The cross-sectional area of the first annular channel at the joining point is less than the cross-sectional area of the first annular channel at the point on the circumference of the first hollow annulus which is furthest from the joining point.

Claims

1. A port belt arrangement for use in a two-stroke internal combustion engine containing a pair of adjacent cylinders, the arrangement including: a first hollow annulus defining a first annular channel, the first annular channel tapering in a radial direction, with increasing circumferential distance from a first port, an inner wall of the first annular channel having a second port; and a second hollow annulus defining a second annular channel, the second annular channel tapering in a radial direction, with increasing circumferential distance from a third port, an inner wall of the second annular channel having a fourth port; wherein: the first hollow annulus and the second hollow annulus are joined together at a joining point located on each of their circumferences; and the cross-sectional area of the first annular channel at the joining point is less than the cross-sectional area of the first annular channel at the point on the circumference of the first hollow annulus which is furthest from the joining point.

2. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the second annular channel at the joining point is less than the cross-sectional area of the second annular channel at the point on the circumference of the second hollow annulus which is furthest from the joining point.

3. A port belt arrangement according to claim 2, wherein: a median plane is defined as the plane including the joining point, the first hollow annulus located on one side of the median plane, and the second hollow annulus located on the opposite side of the median plane; and the port belt arrangement is symmetrical or substantially symmetrical about the median plane.

4. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first hollow annulus and second hollow annulus are coplanar or substantially coplanar.

5. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, further including: a first cylinder passing through the first hollow annulus; a second cylinder passing through the second hollow annulus; wherein: the first annular channel is defined by an inner surface of an outer wall of the first hollow annulus, and an outer wall of the first cylinder; and the second annular channel is defined by an inner surface of an outer wall of the second hollow annulus, and an outer wall of the second cylinder.

6. A port belt arrangement according to claim 5, wherein: the second port is located in a portion of the outer wall of the first cylinder which defines the first annular channel; and the fourth port is located in a portion of the outer wall of the second cylinder which defines the second annular channel.

7. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein: the second port is located in an inner wall of the first hollow annulus; and the fourth port is located in an inner wall of the second hollow annulus.

8. A port belt arrangement according to claim 7, wherein: the second port is arranged to provide fluid communication between the first annular channel and the first cylinder via a hole in an outer wall of the first cylinder; and the fourth port is arranged to provide fluid communication between the second annular channel and the second cylinder via a hole in an outer wall of the second cylinder.

9. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first hollow annulus and the second hollow annulus share a common outer wall.

10. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein: the first port and the third port are inlet ports for the annular channels; the second port and the fourth port are cylinder inlet ports through which gas can flow from the annular channels into the cylinders; a first gas flowpath is defined, in the first annular channel, between the first port and the second port; a second gas flowpath is defined, in the second annular channel, between the third port and the fourth port.

11. A port belt arrangement according to claim 10, wherein: the first port is arranged to deliver charge air to the first annular channel, and the third port is arranged to deliver gas from a supercharger to the second annular channel.

12. A port belt arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the first port and the third port are in fluid communication with a single main inlet, which is arranged to deliver gas from a gas source.

13. A port belt arrangement, according to claim 12, further including a septum or separating wall arranged to separate gas flowing from the main inlet into a first stream directed towards the first annular channel, and a second stream directed towards the second annular channel.

14. A port belt arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the septum or separating wall increases in width with increasing distance from the main inlet.

15. A port belt arrangement according to claim 10, wherein: the first hollow annulus includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed cylinder inlet ports, each providing fluid communication between the first annular channel and the first cylinder; and the second hollow annulus includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed cylinder inlet ports, each providing fluid communication between the second annular channel and the second cylinder.

16. A port belt arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the side walls of a cylinder inlet port are oriented obliquely relative to the surface of either: the inner wall of the first hollow annulus or second hollow annulus surrounding that cylinder inlet port, or the direction of the gas flowpath at that point.

17. A port belt arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the first hollow annulus further includes a supplementary inlet port arranged to direct gas from the main inlet to or near to the region of the first annular channel having the smallest cross-sectional area.

18. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein: the first port and the third port are outlet ports from the annular channels; and the second port and the fourth port are cylinder exhaust ports; a first gas flowpath is defined, in the first annular channel, between the second port and the first port; a second gas flowpath is defined, in the second annular channel, between the fourth port and the third port.

19. A port belt arrangement according to claim 18, further including an exhaust outlet in fluid communication with the first port and the third port.

20. A port belt arrangement according claim 18, wherein: the first hollow annulus includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed cylinder exhaust ports, each providing fluid communication between the first annular channel and the first cylinder; and the second hollow annulus includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed cylinder exhaust ports, each providing fluid communication between the second annular channel and the second cylinder.

21. A port belt arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the side walls of a cylinder exhaust port are oriented obliquely relative to the surface of either: the inner wall of the first hollow annulus or second hollow annulus surrounding that cylinder exhaust port, or the direction of the gas flowpath at that point.

22. A port belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first annular channel and the second annular channel taper in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first hollow annulus and the second hollow annulus respectively, with increasing circumferential distance respectively from the first and third ports.

23. A port belt for use in a two-stroke internal combustion engine, the port belt having a hollow annulus defining an annular channel, the annular channel tapering in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the hollow annulus, with increasing circumferential distance from a first port, an inner wall of the hollow annulus having a second port.

24. A port belt arrangement including a first port belt according to claim 23, and a second port belt according to claim 23, the first port belt and the second port belt joined together at a joining point located on each of their circumferences, so that the cross-sectional area of the annular channel of the first port belt at the joining point is less than the cross-sectional area of the annular channel of the first port belt at the point on the circumference of the hollow annulus of the first port belt which is furthest from the joining point.

25. A port belt for use in a two-stroke internal combustion engine, the port belt having a hollow annulus defining an annular channel having an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port and the outlet port defining a gas flowpath circumferentially around most of the annular channel, and wherein a wall of the first hollow annulus further includes a supplementary inlet arranged to direct gas into the annular channel at a point in its circumference which is closer to the outlet port than the inlet port.

26. A port belt arrangement including a first port belt according to claim 25 and a second port belt according to claim 25, the first port belt and the second port belt joined together at a joining point located at each of their circumferences.

27. A port belt arrangement for use in a two-stroke internal combustion engine containing a pair of adjacent cylinders, the arrangement including: a first hollow annulus defining a first annular channel, the first annular channel tapering in a radial direction, with increasing circumferential distance from a first port, an inner wall of the first annular channel having a second port; and a second hollow annulus defining a second annular channel, the second annular channel tapering in a radial direction, with increasing circumferential distance from a third port, an inner wall of the second annular channel having a fourth port, wherein: the first hollow annulus and the second hollow annulus are joined together at a joining point located on each of their circumferences.

28. A two-stroke internal combustion engine including a first cylinder and a second cylinder, and a dual port belt arrangement of claim 1.

29. A vehicle containing a two-stroke internal combustion engine according to claim 28.

30. A port belt arrangement, substantially as described herein, with reference to and as shown in FIGS. 1B, 1C, 2A and 2B.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0050] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a known dual port belt arrangement.

[0051] FIGS. 1B and 1C are schematic diagrams showing a plan view of a dual port belt arrangement according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1B shows an intake port belt arrangement, and FIG. 1C shows an exhaust port belt arrangement.

[0052] FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing the enclosed volume of a dual port belt arrangement according to embodiments of the present invention, in which the dual port belt arrangement is used as an intake dual port belt arrangement.

[0053] FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing an exterior view of a dual port belt arrangement according to embodiments of the present invention, in which the dual port belt arrangement is used as an exhaust dual port belt arrangement.

[0054] Further optional features of the invention are set out in the description below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] FIGS. 1B and 1C are cross sections through a port belt arrangement 20 according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention. These two arrangements differ in that FIG. 1B shows an intake port belt arrangement, and FIG. 1C shows an exhaust port belt arrangement. Structurally, these are the same, the only difference between the two being the direction of gas flow through the annuli 22A, 22B is reversed. Description of the structural features of the arrangements is not repeated here, and identical reference numerals in FIGS. 1B and 1C refer to the same features.

[0056] The arrangement 20 includes two substantially identical (i.e. mirror-image) hollow annuli 22A, 22B each having a central opening 24A, 24B defined by an inner wall 25A, 25B. The two hollow annuli 22A, 22B are joined at a joining point J, which in the present embodiments is a line along which the annuli abut one another. A septum 26 separates the annular channels. The port belt arrangement 20 is symmetrical about median plane M. Both of the hollow annuli 22A, 22B define an annular channel, which are separated by a septum 26, each having an inlet 28A, 28B, which is fed from main inlet 29, which is in the form of a channel having sufficient width to cover both the inlets 28A, 28B. In embodiments used as an intake port belt, supercharged air flows around the annular channel from the main inlet 29, as shown by flowpath F.sub.in for annulus 22A (FIG. 1B only). The flow path in annulus 22B would be the mirror image (about median line M) of that shown for annulus 22A. In embodiments used an as exhaust port belt arrangement i.e. in FIG. 1C, exhaust gases flow from the cylinder into the annular channels, via cylinder ports (not shown) in the inner wall 25A, 25B, out via the outlet 28A, 28B (which acted as an inlet in FIG. 1B). In FIG. 1C, the flowpath is denoted F.sub.out.

[0057] The annular channel tapers along the flowpath F.sub.in. For example, in the right-hand hollow annulus 22B, W.sub.A>W.sub.B>W.sub.C. As a result, the cross-sectional area of the annular channel also decreases. Thus, it can be seen that the two hollow annuli 22A, 22B are joined near the region 30A, 30B at which they are narrowest. By doing so, in use, the separation of the centres of the two cylinders, is less than the separation in the prior art port belt arrangement 1 shown in FIG. 1A. The separation 2R.sub.1 is less than half the total width W of the port belt arrangement 20.

[0058] FIGS. 2A and 2B show perspective views of a port belt arrangement 20, according to the present invention. As will be noted, the port belt arrangement 20 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is an example of the shell embodiment as described above, the hollow annuli 22A, 22B having no inner wall. Specifically, 2A shows the internal enclosed volume of a port belt arrangement 20, i.e. the shape of the annular channel which is defined by the hollow annuli 22A, 22B. FIG. 2B shows an exterior view of the port belt arrangement 20. Features described with reference to FIG. 1B will not be described again here, for conciseness, but the perspective views do highlight some additional features. Firstly, there are supplementary inlets 32A-D connecting the main inlet 29 to the narrowest region 30A, 30B of the annular channel, in order to provide supercharged air to this region 30 without it first having to flow all the way around flowpath F.sub.in, to ensure that the supercharged air enters the cylinder in a circumferentially evenly distributed manner. FIG. 2A also shows that the annular channel tapers in the height direction H, as well as the radial direction. It can also be seen that the widest point of the annular channel is in fluid communication with the narrowest point 30A, 30B, at step 31A, 31B, however, the inlets 28A, 28B are shaped so as to ensure that gas flows along flowpath F.sub.in, rather than diverging and flowing both ways round the channel (except for the gas which enters through the supplementary inlets 32A-D).

[0059] While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.