Internal Combustion Engine Balancer Shaft Support Casing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face challenges in reducing weight while maintaining weight balance due to the thickness requirements of balancer shafts, which affect the engine's overall weight distribution when shortened.
Innovation Solution
The engine design incorporates a casing that supports the balancer shaft apart from the wall body, allowing for a thinner wall body without disrupting the weight balance, with additional features like a through-hole for adjustability and a retainer to prevent dust entry, enabling the balancer shaft to be positioned close to the center of mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the balancer shaft is shortened to reduce weight, then the weight of the internal combustion engine is reduced, but the balancer shaft becomes disproportionately disposed toward the generator which upsets the weight balance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a new spatial dimension by adding a casing that extends in the axial direction of the crankshaft, perpendicular to the plane containing the generator and wall body. This allows the balancer shaft to be supported at multiple locations (one end on the wall body, other end on the casing) creating a three-dimensional support structure that distributes the balancer shaft's position more evenly throughout the engine, maintaining weight balance even when the shaft is shortened
2Stability of the object's composition
If the wall body is increased in thickness to position the balancer shaft at a distance from the accommodation space, then the balancer shaft can be properly positioned, but the weight of the internal combustion engine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the support function into two separate components: the wall body supports one end of the balancer shaft, while the newly added casing supports the other end. This segmentation eliminates the need to increase wall body thickness, as the positioning function is distributed between two separate structural elements, reducing overall material usage and engine weight
3Length of stationary object
If the balancer shaft is disproportionately disposed toward the generator, then the wall body thickness can be reduced, but the weight balance of the internal combustion engine is upset
Solution Approach 1:
By extending the casing in the axial direction of the crankshaft, the invention creates a new dimensional space that allows the balancer shaft to be positioned optimally without being constrained to a single plane. The balancer shaft can now be disposed at an appropriate distance from the generator while maintaining proper weight balance, as the casing provides support and positioning in the axial dimension
Data Source
AI summary
An internal combustion engine includes: a wall body that is formed on a crankcase to accommodate a generator by sandwiching the generator between the wall body and a generator cover coupled to the crankcase from outside; a casing that includes a casing wall, the casing wall being formed on the crankcase and, at a position apart from the wall body in an axial direction of the crankshaft, facing the wall body with a space contiguous to an outer surface of the crankcase sandwiched between the casing wall and the wall body; and a balancer shaft that has an axis thereof parallel to the rotation axis of the crankshaft, and is rotatably supported by the casing while one end of the balancer shaft protrudes from the casing wall into the space. Accordingly, the engine can reduce its weight by shortening the balancer shaft as much as possible without upsetting weight balance.