Engine Supercharger and Fuel Pump Drive Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

In engines with mechanical superchargers, the driving performance of the fuel pump and mechanical supercharger interfere with each other, leading to uneven load distribution on the engine output shaft, which compromises the responsiveness of the variable valve mechanism and reliability of the engine.

Innovation Solution

The fuel pump and mechanical supercharger are driven by separate drive mechanisms, dispersing the driving load and preventing interference between them, ensuring responsiveness and reliability by distributing the load across different systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the fuel pump and mechanical supercharger share the same drive mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the driving performance of the fuel pump and mechanical supercharger interferes with each other and the load is concentrated on a predetermined portion of the engine output shaft

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive mechanismVSAvoidengine output shaft
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the drive mechanism into two separate systems: a first drive mechanism (chain drive) connecting the engine output shaft to the fuel pump, and a second drive mechanism (belt drive) connecting the engine output shaft to the mechanical supercharger. This segmentation prevents load concentration and performance interference while maintaining overall system integration through the common engine output shaft.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the fuel pump is directly attached to the camshaft, then the device complexity is reduced, but the driving load required for operating the fuel pump increases the resistance upon changing the rotational phase of the camshaft

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive mechanismVSAvoidresponsiveness of variable valve mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent separates the fuel pump drive from the camshaft drive by introducing a dedicated first drive mechanism (chain drive) between the engine output shaft and fuel pump. This isolation prevents the high driving load of the fuel pump from affecting the camshaft's rotational phase changing resistance, thereby maintaining variable valve mechanism responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the fuel pump is driven by a separate drive mechanism from the mechanical supercharger, then the responsiveness of the variable valve mechanism is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponsiveness of variable valve mechanismVSAvoiddrive mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The engine output shaft serves as a universal power source for multiple drive mechanisms. It simultaneously drives the fuel pump via the first chain drive mechanism and the mechanical supercharger via the second belt drive mechanism, eliminating the need for separate power sources while maintaining independent drive paths for each component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3656996B1Engine with mechanical supercharger
Publication Date: 2022.06.08 MAZDA MOTOR CORP
  • EP3656996B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3656996B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3656996B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An engine (1) includes an intake electric S-VT (23) configured to change a rotational phase of an intake camshaft (22), an exhaust electric S-VT (28) configured to change a rotational phase of an exhaust camshaft (27), a fuel pump (65), and a supercharger (44) driven by the engine. Both the fuel pump and the supercharger are driven by power transmitted from a crankshaft (15). The power is transmitted to the fuel pump via a first drive mechanism (70), and the power is transmitted to the supercharger via a second drive mechanism (80) whose system is different from a system of the first drive mechanism.