Linear Actuator for Variable-Stroke Engine Piston Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face inefficiencies in optimizing engine strokes for fuel efficiency, power, and emission control, particularly in variable-stroke reciprocating engines, where existing technologies struggle to manage piston motion effectively for continuous optimization during engine operations.
Innovation Solution
A robotic arm assembly or actuator system is integrated into the engine to control the motion of the piston stem, utilizing a four-bar-linkage or pantographic mechanism to ensure linear movement along the cylinder axis, allowing for real-time optimization of piston strokes and reducing lateral motion, which is coupled with an electronic control unit for synchronized operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional crankshaft mechanism is used to convert reciprocating motion to rotary motion, then the engine can operate continuously, but the piston experiences lateral motion and variable stroke length that reduces efficiency and increases wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a linear actuator as an intermediary device between the piston and the traditional crankshaft mechanism. This actuator directly controls the piston's linear motion, eliminating the lateral movement and variable stroke length caused by conventional crankshaft mechanisms while maintaining continuous operation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the traditional mechanical crankshaft mechanism with a linear actuator system. This substitution eliminates the inherent lateral motion and stroke variation of crankshaft mechanisms, providing purely linear piston movement for improved efficiency and reduced wear
2Device complexity
If the piston stroke is fixed, then the engine structure is simple, but the engine cannot optimize fuel efficiency, power, and emissions dynamically during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a variable-stroke mechanism where the piston stroke can be dynamically adjusted during engine operation. The linear actuator system allows real-time modification of stroke length to optimize fuel efficiency, power output, and emissions based on operating conditions, transforming the previously fixed stroke design into a dynamic system
3Force
If lateral motion of the piston is allowed, then the engine components can accommodate larger forces, but friction and wear increase reducing fuel efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The linear actuator serves as an intermediary that directly pushes or pulls the piston along a guided linear path. This eliminates lateral motion between the piston and cylinder wall, dramatically reducing friction and wear while maintaining the ability to accommodate combustion forces through the actuator's direct force application
Data Source
AI summary
A variable-stroke reciprocating internal combustion engine, the engine having an engine shaft and a piston configured to reciprocate within a cylinder chamber having an axis, each piston having a first piston part operable to move in unison with or separately from a second piston part to define piston strokes for different thermal functions of the engine, includes an assembly pivotally coupled to the first piston part at a copy point and an actuator coupled to the assembly, wherein the actuator is operable to control motion of the assembly to thereby define substantially linear movement of the copy point along the cylinder chamber axis.