Internal combustion engine

Abstract

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising cylinders (2) arranged in a circle parallel and around a rotating output shaft (3) and provided with fuel injectors (5), spark plugs (6), gas outlets (7) and pistons attached to longitudinally movable piston arms (8). The piston arms (8) comprise a freewheel (9) on which a gear wheel (10) is mounted, which is provided with a series of freely rotating rollers (11) which are in contact with helical tracks (20) of a rotor (19) which is firmly connected to the output shaft (3) so as to rotate it. The output shaft (3) comprises helical ramp sections (21) which during operation of the internal combustion engine successively act on successive piston arms (8) so as to move them towards top dead center during a compression cycle or compression time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of reciprocating piston engines having a main rotating shaft that is different from the crankshaft, and more specifically, to an internal combustion engine. Background Technology

[0002] This type of internal combustion engine is well known in the prior art. Such an engine comprises multiple cylinders, each equipped with a valve for fuel intake, a corresponding spark plug for igniting the air-fuel mixture, and a piston that reciprocates between bottom dead center (BDC) and top dead center (TDC) positions in the respective cylinder during each of the engine's intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes.

[0003] In this type of internal combustion engine, it is well known that the longitudinal motion of the piston is converted into the rotational motion of the crankshaft using a connecting rod; this results in high mechanical stress, significant friction between the piston and cylinder, and wear on both the connecting rod and the cylinder.

[0004] Patent ES 2 900 427, filed by the same applicant as this invention, discloses an internal combustion engine that is the closest prior art to this invention and partially solves the disadvantages of the aforementioned type of internal combustion engine, particularly regarding friction between the piston and cylinder and stress applied to the connecting rod during engine operation. For this purpose, the engine uses an output shaft with a worm rotor containing helical teeth, a drive pinion connected to the worm rotor, the drive pinion also containing helical teeth and mounted on a rod that can be longitudinally displaced with the corresponding piston.

[0005] The applicant has discovered that the friction between the helical teeth of the rod and the rotor of the main shaft results in a significant loss of power.

[0006] In the prior art, rods fixed to pistons are arranged in relative positions on a rack connected to each other by an intermediate pinion, which converts movement toward the BDC of the piston corresponding to one of the rods into movement toward the TDC of the piston corresponding to the adjacent rod in the engine firing order.

[0007] The patent holder has found that these rack and pinion mechanisms used to synchronize the movement of various rods and pistons during engine operation are structurally complex and expensive.

[0008] Therefore, the technical problem that arises is to develop an internal combustion engine having a drive mechanism that replaces the drive mechanism of the cited prior art, which allows for overcoming the above-mentioned disadvantages, thereby significantly simplifying the means for converting the longitudinal movement of the piston into the rotational movement of the output shaft, and using the piston movement toward the BDC caused by fuel combustion to shift the piston toward the TDC during the compression stroke. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The internal combustion engine of the present invention is of the type described in the preamble of the main claim and comprises cylinders arranged in a parallel and circular configuration about a rotating output shaft. The engine includes a fuel injector, spark plugs, an exhaust port, and a piston fixed to a longitudinally movable piston arm, the output shaft being mechanically driven by the alternating and sequential movement of the piston between a TDC and a BDC.

[0010] The internal combustion engine includes technical features that allow for overcoming the shortcomings of the cited prior art, and provides an alternative drive unit that simplifies the cited prior art from a structural perspective and reduces the cost of the cited prior art.

[0011] According to the invention, the piston arm includes a freewheel in the intermediate region, a ring mounted on the freewheel, the ring containing a series of freely rotating rollers oriented in the radial direction, and during engine operation, the series of freely rotating rollers sequentially contact the helical track of a rotor that rotates in series with the output shaft, thereby converting the longitudinal movement of the piston generated by the combustion of fuel in the continuous cylinder into the rotation of the output shaft.

[0012] The freewheel mounted on the piston arm allows the ring to rotate freely in one direction without interfering with the rotational movement of the rotor during the upward movement of the corresponding piston arm, and prevents rotation in the opposite direction, such that during the downward movement of the corresponding piston arm, the roller acts on the helical track of the rotor via the free-rotating roller, thereby causing the rotor and the output shaft to rotate in the operating direction of the engine.

[0013] Each ring contains a plurality of freely rotating rollers distributed around its periphery, such that during rotation of the rotor, at least one helical track remains in contact with at least one roller of each ring.

[0014] The free-spinning rollers are mounted on a radial shaft fixed to the corresponding ring via bearings, which greatly reduces friction with the helical tracks of the rotor during operation, thereby allowing for optimal use of power when driving the output shaft.

[0015] According to the present invention, the helical ramp section is mounted on the output shaft via a freewheel. During engine operation, the helical ramp section acts sequentially on a series of piston arms and displaces the piston arms toward the TDC during the compression stroke.

[0016] The helical ramp section is positioned below the free end of the piston arm, such that when the helical ramp section rotates together with the output shaft, the helical ramp section acts sequentially on the lower ends of the successive piston arms, thereby causing the successive piston arms to shift toward the TDC and compress the fuel mixture in the corresponding cylinder.

[0017] According to the present invention, the piston arm includes a contactor that triggers fuel injection and generates a spark when the piston reaches the TDC in the corresponding cylinder.

[0018] The exhaust port is defined in the region of the cylinder near the corresponding piston of the BDC.

[0019] According to the invention, the internal combustion engine includes an electric starter motor for initiating rotation of the rotor, the electric starter motor operating for a few seconds to initiate rotation of the rotor and then stopping, the electric starter motor being connected to a pinion via a transmission element, the pinion being coupled to the output shaft via a freewheel; and a further electric starter motor for initiating rotation of the helical ramp section, the helical ramp section being responsible for displacing successive piston arms toward the TDC. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To supplement the ongoing description and facilitate understanding of the features of the invention, this specification is accompanied by a set of drawings, in which the following is illustrated by way of illustration rather than limitation: - Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an internal combustion engine according to the present invention is shown, wherein the front is open.

[0021] - Figure 2 A plan view of one of the toothed rings is shown, in which one of the freely rotating rollers has been removed.

[0022] - Figure 3 A plan view of an internal combustion engine cut along a horizontal plane located at the height of the rotor and above the ring supporting the freely rotating rollers is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] In the accompanying drawings, elements are identified by the reference numerals shown below: 1. Engine block 2. Cylinder 3. Output shaft 4. Cylinder head 5. Fuel injector 6. Spark plugs 7. Exhaust port 8. Piston arm 9. Freewheel 10. Ring 11. Free-spinning roller 12. Radial axis 13. Bearings 14. Retain the nut 15. Linear bearings 16. Linear anti-rotation guide 17. Ball bearing 18. Contactor 19. Rotor 20. Spiral track 21. Spiral inclined plane section 22. Wheel 23. Electric starter motor 24. Transmission device 25. Electric motor 26. Transmission components 27. Small gear exist Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the internal combustion engine includes an engine block (1), and a plurality of cylinders (2) are mounted in a circular configuration in parallel about a rotating output shaft (3) and disposed in the engine block.

[0024] The engine block (1) includes a cylinder head (4), and the fuel injector (5) and spark plug (6) of the cylinder (2) are installed in the cylinder head.

[0025] The cylinder (2) includes a corresponding piston (not specified in the figure) disposed therein and movable between the TDC and the BDC, and further includes an exhaust port (7) of the BDC disposed within the piston stroke and close to the path of the piston.

[0026] The piston arm (8) comprises an initial section with a circular cross-section mounted in a linear bearing (15) and a final section with a polygonal cross-section mounted in a linear anti-rotation guide (16), such that the piston arm can be longitudinally displaced without rotation.

[0027] The output shaft (3) is mechanically driven by the alternating longitudinal and sequential movement of the piston arm (8).

[0028] The piston arm (8) contains a freewheel (9) in the middle region, on which a ring (10) is mounted. The ring contains a series of radially oriented free-rotating rollers (11), which, during engine operation, sequentially contact the helical track (20) of the rotor (19), as... Figure 2 As shown in the cross section, the rotor rotates integrally with the output shaft (3), thereby converting the downward longitudinal movement of the piston arm (8) caused by fuel combustion in the continuous cylinder (2) into the rotation of the output shaft (3).

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, the ring (10) includes a radial shaft (12) and a retaining nut (14), on which a free-spinning roller (11) is mounted via a bearing (13), and the retaining nut holds the free-spinning roller in the appropriate position on the respective radial shaft.

[0030] The helical ramp section (21) is mounted on the output shaft (3) via a wheel (22) connected to the electric starter motor (23); during operation of the internal combustion engine, the helical ramp section (21) acts sequentially on the piston arms (8), thereby displacing the piston arms toward the TDC during the compression stroke.

[0031] To minimize friction with the helical ramp section (21), the piston arm (8) is provided with balls (17) at its free end that abut against the helical ramp section (21).

[0032] The piston arm (8) includes a contactor (18) that causes fuel injection and subsequently generates a spark for ignition when the piston arm (8) is displaced by the helical ramp section (21) and the corresponding piston reaches the TDC.

[0033] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, the wheel (22) carrying the helical ramp section (21) is connected to the electric starter motor (23) via a transmission (24); the internal combustion engine includes an electric starter motor (25) for starting the rotation of the rotor (19), which is connected to a pinion (27) via a transmission element (26), which is coupled to the output shaft (3) via a freewheel.

[0034] To start the internal combustion engine, the electric starter motor (25) is activated to rotate the rotor (19), and after a few seconds, the electric starter motor (23) is activated, which causes the helical ramp section (21) to rotate, which in turn displaces the piston arm (8) until the piston compresses. When the helical ramp section (21) and the contactor (18) interact, the contactor causes fuel injection and subsequently generates a spark for ignition.

[0035] During fuel combustion, the piston descends, and the free-rotating rollers (11) mounted on the rings (10) of the corresponding piston arms cause the rotor (19) and the output shaft (3) fixed to the rotor to rotate.

[0036] Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it should be understood that modifications may be made to the material, form, size, and arrangement of the described elements, as long as such modifications do not alter the essential features of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine comprising: an engine block (1); a plurality of cylinders (2) arranged in a circular, parallel arrangement about a rotary output shaft (3), the engine further comprising a fuel injector (5), a spark plug (6), an exhaust port (7), and a piston fixed to a piston arm (8), the piston arm being longitudinally displaceable without rotation; the output shaft (3) being mechanically driven by the piston arm (8) in alternating and sequential movement between a TDC and a BDC; characterized in that, The piston arm (8) includes a freewheel (9) in the middle region, and a ring (10) is mounted on the freewheel. The ring is provided with a series of free-rotating rollers (11) oriented in the radial direction. During engine operation, the series of free-rotating rollers sequentially contact the helical track (20) of the rotor (19) that rotates integrally with the output shaft (3), thereby converting the longitudinal movement of the piston arm (8) during combustion in the continuous cylinder (2) into the rotation of the output shaft (3). Furthermore, a helical ramp section (21) is mounted on the output shaft (3) via a wheel (22) connected to the electric starter motor (23). The helical ramp section acts sequentially on the continuous piston arms (8) to displace the piston arms toward the TDC during the compression stroke.

2. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the piston arm (8) includes a contactor (18) that causes fuel injection and subsequently generates an ignition spark when the piston arm (8) is displaced by the helical ramp section (21) and the corresponding piston reaches the TDC.

3. The internal combustion engine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the piston arm (8) is provided with a ball (17) at its free end, the ball abutting against the helical inclined section (21).

4. The internal combustion engine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring (10) comprises a radial shaft (12) and a retaining nut (14), the free-spinning roller (11) is mounted on the radial shaft by a bearing (13), and the retaining nut holds the free-spinning roller in the mounting position.

5. The internal combustion engine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the exhaust port (7) is defined in the region of the cylinder (2) near the corresponding piston of the BDC.

6. The internal combustion engine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the piston arm (8) comprises an initial section having a circular cross-section mounted in a linear bearing (15) and a final section having a polygonal cross-section mounted in a linear anti-rotation guide (16).

7. The internal combustion engine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wheel (22) carrying the helical inclined section (21) is connected to the electric starter motor (23) via a transmission device (24).

8. An internal combustion engine according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an electric starter motor (25) for initiating rotation of the rotor (19), the electric starter motor being connected to a pinion (27) via a transmission element (26), the pinion being coupled to the output shaft (3) via a freewheel.

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