Segmented Connecting Rod Mechanism for Engine Power Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transmission mechanisms for internal combustion engines fail to efficiently increase output power while maintaining the same input power, limiting their efficiency and fuel consumption reduction.
Innovation Solution
A transmission mechanism that divides the conventional connecting rod into a primary and secondary connecting rod connected by a pin joint, with an oscillating rocker, allowing the secondary connecting rod to slide and improve mechanical efficiency by altering the piston's motion profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a conventional single connecting rod is used to link the piston to the crankshaft, then the structure is simple, but the output power efficiency cannot be increased while maintaining the same input power
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional single connecting rod is divided into two separate connecting rods (first and second connecting rods) that are coupled together through a pin joint. This segmentation allows each rod to be optimized for specific functions - the first rod for structural support and the second rod for controlling piston motion profile - thereby increasing output power efficiency while managing complexity through functional specialization
Solution Approach 2:
The pin joint coupling between the first and second connecting rods introduces dynamic flexibility to the system. This dynamic connection allows the rods to rotate relative to each other, enabling optimization of the piston's motion profile and improving power transmission efficiency without requiring a completely complex rigid structure
2Productivity
If the piston motion profile is optimized to increase power efficiency, then output power increases, but the mechanical structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components - the first connecting rod for structural linkage, the second connecting rod for motion control, and the pin joint for dynamic coupling. This segmentation enables independent optimization of each component for its specific function, improving overall power efficiency while keeping the complexity manageable through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The pin joint acts as an intermediary element between the first and second connecting rods. It mediates the force and motion transmission between the two rods, allowing optimization of the piston motion profile through controlled relative rotation while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
3Speed
If a two-part connecting rod system with pin joint is used, then the piston motion profile can be optimized for faster motion near top dead center, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pin joint coupling enables the second connecting rod to rotate relative to the first rod, creating an optimized piston motion profile with faster acceleration near top dead center. This dynamic flexibility achieves higher piston speeds without requiring a completely complex mechanism, as the rotation is naturally constrained by the geometry and kinematics of the system
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanism for Internal Combustion (IC) engines, wherein such mechanism improves the efficiency and power output of IC engines through dividing the conventional connecting rod between the crank shaft and the piston into two parts; a first part and a second part, and connecting these parts together by a pin joint, wherein the second part slides through an oscillating rocker that is connected to an engine block by another pin joint, thus adding a degree of freedom to the conventional connecting rod. The mechanism may be retrofitted in an existing combustion engine without the need for any significant change in the design of the engine. The mechanism may replace the traditional connecting rod that connects the piston with the crank shaft of the engine and comprises essentially a primary connecting rod, a secondary connecting rod, and an oscillating rocker.