Adjustable Seal Head Pitch for Multi-Engine Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional engine testing devices are limited to testing engines with specific design specifications, failing to accommodate variations in intake and exhaust port positions, pitches, orientations, and cylinder numbers, requiring separate devices for different types of engines.

Innovation Solution

An engine testing device equipped with movable seal head units, a pitch-varying unit, tilt unit, and elevator unit, allowing for adjustable seal head positioning and orientation to fit various engine configurations, including multiple cylinder counts and orientations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional engine testing devices are designed for specific engine specifications, then testing precision for that engine type is improved, but adaptability to multiple engine types deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetesting precisionVSAvoidadaptability to multiple engine types

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The seal head units are made movable along the engine axis with adjustable positions, allowing the testing device to adapt to different engine types while maintaining precise sealing and measurement capabilities for each configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The testing device is designed with universal seal head units that can be positioned and oriented to accommodate various engine configurations (different cylinder numbers, port positions, and orientations), enabling one device to test multiple engine types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If seal head units are made movable and adjustable, then adaptability to different engine configurations is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different engine configurationsVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is divided into multiple independent seal head units, each capable of individual adjustment along the engine axis, allowing flexible configuration for different engines while keeping each unit relatively simple in structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal head units are positioned not only along the engine axis but also at different radial distances from the engine axis, creating a two-dimensional adjustment space that increases adaptability without requiring complex mechanisms in each unit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11105713B2Engine testing device

Publication Date: 2021.08.31 HIRATA CORPORATION

AI summary

An engine testing device including a plurality of seal head units movable forward and backward relative to the intake ports and the exhaust ports. Each of the seal head units includes a plurality of seal heads disposed side by side and are connectable to respective ports of the intake ports and the exhaust ports. A pitch-varying unit changes interval pitches between the seal heads of at least one of the seal head units. The pitch-varying unit includes a plurality of first movement mechanisms connected with the seal heads and movable in a direction across the seal heads disposed side by side, and a plurality of drivers to drive the first movement mechanisms.