Half-Gear Rack Converter for Low-Wear Reciprocating Motion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing reciprocating motion converters, such as the slider-crank mechanism, suffer from reduced reliability and efficiency due to mismatched vector directions between piston pressure force and crankshaft rotation force, leading to piston skewing and increased wear, resulting in lower power transmission efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The use of a gear wheel and gear rack system with half-gears, where half-gears have teeth on only half the circumference, allows for efficient conversion of reciprocating motion to rotary motion and vice versa, minimizing vector mismatch and enhancing reliability and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a slider-crank mechanism is used to convert reciprocating motion to rotary motion, then the conversion function is achieved, but the efficiency is reduced due to vector mismatch between piston pressure force and crankshaft rotation force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower transmission efficiencyVSAvoidconverter reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional slider-crank mechanism by making the piston rod the rotating element and the crankshaft the reciprocating element. This inversion changes the force transmission path so that the piston pressure force acts directly along the rotation axis, eliminating the vector mismatch problem and achieving complete power transmission with approximately 1.5 times higher efficiency than conventional converters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameters and configuration of the mechanism. By redesigning the converter with the piston rod connected to the crankshaft in an inverted arrangement, the force vectors are realigned to match the rotation direction, transforming the inefficient sinusoidal force transmission into direct axial force transmission

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a slider-crank mechanism is used, then motion conversion is achieved, but piston skewing and wear increase due to mismatched vector directions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepiston and cylinder durabilityVSAvoidpiston skewing and friction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the mechanism so that the piston rod rotates and the crankshaft reciprocates, the force application point and direction are fundamentally changed. The piston pressure force now acts along the rotation axis without creating lateral skewing forces, eliminating the harmful friction and wear between piston and cylinder

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

This solution achieves high efficiency, approaching 97-98%, and significantly reduces piston skewing and wear, resulting in improved reliability and increased power transmission efficiency, approximately 1.5 times higher than traditional converters.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGear mechanism: Gear

Data Source

PatentUS11598398B2Mechanical converter for converting rotary motion to reciprocating motion

Publication Date: 2023.03.07 KAUFMAN LEV

AI summary

A mechanical converter for converting rotary motion to reciprocating motion, and vice versa, featuring a gear rack, one or more half-gears alternately engaged with the gear rack, the gear rack configured to produce reciprocating motion in response to the alternate engagement with the one or more half-gears.