Piston Arrangement With Dynamic Engagement Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing engine designs face inefficiencies in power transmission from pistons to rotating shafts, leading to suboptimal energy conversion and increased wear on engagement profiles.
Innovation Solution
A piston arrangement that couples the piston to a rotatable element via a track and engagement profiles, allowing for a greater portion of the drive stroke to transfer power, with customizable movement and reduced wear through multiple teeth and followers, and a rack and sector gear arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional crank shaft coupling is used to transfer power from piston to rotating shaft, then the structure is simple and well-established, but the power transfer efficiency is limited and only a portion of the drive stroke contributes to power transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic engagement profiles with multiple teeth that engage and disengage during the piston stroke, allowing the connection between piston and rotatable element to adapt continuously to force directions. This dynamic configuration enables power transfer over a greater portion of the drive stroke compared to fixed coupling mechanisms, directly improving power transfer efficiency while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through standardized geometric profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement profiles are segmented into multiple teeth rather than a single continuous contact surface. This segmentation allows for distributed power transfer across multiple engagement points during the piston stroke, increasing the proportion of the stroke contributing to power transmission. The segmented structure also facilitates smoother force transfer and reduces peak loads on individual teeth.
2Reliability
If engagement profiles with single contact surfaces are used, then the structure is simple, but wear on the engagement surfaces increases due to concentrated stress
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement profiles are divided into multiple discrete teeth instead of single continuous contact surfaces. This segmentation distributes the contact stress across multiple teeth during operation, significantly reducing wear on each individual tooth. The multiple teeth engage at different points in the piston stroke, ensuring that no single contact point bears the full load continuously, thereby improving wear resistance and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tooth on the engagement profiles is designed with specific geometric characteristics optimized for its local function. The teeth can have varying sizes and engagement angles tailored to the specific force vectors and power transfer requirements at different points in the piston stroke. This localized optimization ensures optimal stress distribution and wear characteristics for each engagement point.
3Productivity
If the piston is coupled to the rotatable element for the entire drive stroke, then power transfer efficiency increases, but the mechanism complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic engagement profiles with multiple teeth automatically engage and disengage at appropriate points during the piston stroke based on geometric constraints and force directions. This dynamic behavior achieves extended power transfer coverage without requiring complex control mechanisms or active actuation systems, maintaining ease of manufacture through passive mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement profiles utilize periodic engagement and disengagement of multiple teeth throughout the piston stroke cycle. This periodic action ensures continuous power transfer over an extended portion of the stroke while allowing natural disengagement during portions where force vectors are unfavorable, achieving high power transfer efficiency through rhythmically repeating engagement patterns that are simple to manufacture.
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
Enhances power transfer efficiency and reduces wear on engagement surfaces, enabling more reliable and efficient energy conversion.
Implementation Method 1
a first engagement profile (122) comprising a plurality of first teeth (122A) for engaging with a second engagement profile (124)
Implementation Method 2
the follower being arranged to run along a surface of the track
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A piston arrangement comprising: a piston; a rotatable element, rotatable about an axis, having a first engagement profile; and a mechanism comprising: a first connecting element connected to the piston; a second connecting element pivotable about a fixed point and pivotally connected to the first connecting element; and a second engagement profile coupled to the first and/or second connecting element, configured to mechanically engage and disengage with the first engagement profile of the rotatable element.