Axial Engine Crankshaft Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internal combustion engines require numerous auxiliary parts and do not achieve a high enough specific power and power-to-weight ratio, limiting their efficiency and compactness.
Innovation Solution
A two-stroke axial internal combustion engine design that eliminates the need for a crankshaft by using a single power cam and cam followers, allowing for a compact, lightweight engine with improved mass balance and reduced vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a crankshaft is used to convert piston thrust into rotary motion, then the engine can complete the full cycle, but the device complexity increases and the power-to-weight ratio decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the crankshaft from the engine system entirely, extracting this complex auxiliary component and replacing it with a direct conversion mechanism where the piston rod is magnetically coupled to the rotor, eliminating the need for traditional crankshaft-based motion conversion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical crankshaft connection with a magnetic field-based coupling system, where magnetic attraction and repulsion forces between the piston rod and rotor replace the mechanical linkages of a crankshaft, reducing mechanical complexity and improving power transmission efficiency
2Volume of moving object
If a swashplate is used for motion conversion in axial engines, then compactness is achieved, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to poor access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the swashplate component from the axial engine design, eliminating the maintenance access problem entirely by replacing it with a linear reciprocating piston system that has straightforward component access
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a swashplate that converts linear motion to rotary motion through an angled surface, the patent inverts the approach by using direct magnetic coupling between the linearly moving piston rod and the rotor, achieving motion conversion without the intermediate swashplate mechanism
3Reliability
If traditional internal combustion engine designs are used, then reliability is maintained, but the device complexity increases with numerous auxiliary parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the piston rod and rotor into a single integrated magnetic coupling system, combining the functions of motion conversion and power transmission into one unified mechanism, thereby reducing the number of auxiliary parts while maintaining reliable operation
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic coupling system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it converts linear piston motion to rotary rotor motion, transmits power, and provides mechanical coupling without physical contact, replacing multiple traditional auxiliary components with a single multi-functional system
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The engine achieves a higher power-to-weight ratio and specific power with fewer auxiliary parts, resulting in lower costs and improved performance, particularly suitable for applications in cars and flying vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
A single power cam is provided. The cam follower provided at the second end of the piston rod is intended to bear directly, i.e. to roll, on a surface of said single power cam
Implementation Method 2
The combustion chamber is intended for compressing a fuel-air-oil mixture in one stroke of the piston assembly
Implementation Method 3
subsequent explosion of the compressed fuel-air-oil mixture
Implementation Method 4
subsequent explosion of the compressed fuel-air-oil mixture
Implementation Method 5
The cam follower may be, for example, a roller rotatably mounted in the piston body
Data Source
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AI summary
The axial internal combustion engine comprises at least one cylinder (100), a piston assembly (110) within the cylinder defining a combustion chamber (200) where a fuel-air-oil mixture is compressed in one stroke of the piston assembly (110), and a pump chamber (300) for the suction of air to be drawn into the combustion chamber (200) in said stroke of the piston assembly (110) for subsequent explosion of the fuel-air-oil mixture compressed in the combustion chamber (200). The piston assembly (110) comprises a piston head (111), a piston body (112), and a connecting rod (135) connected to the piston head (111) and with a cam follower (150) at one end (140) to bear on a surface (410) of a single power cam (400). Displacement of the piston assembly (110) within the cylinder (100) causes the cam follower (150) to roll onto surface (410) causing power cam (400) to be rotated.