EP1472435A1

EP1472435A1 - Swiveling piston engine

Info

Publication number: EP1472435A1
Application number: EP02716733A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Herbert Hüttlin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-06
Filing date: 2002-02-06
Publication date: 2004-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-06
Also published as: BR0205881A; JP4129923B2; JP2005526206A; DE50208560D1; ES2274016T3; US7563086B2; CN1617975A; DK1472435T3; US20050008515A1; CN1329627C; WO2003067033A1; CA2474449A1; EP1472435B1; CA2474449C

Abstract

Disclosed is a swiveling piston engine comprising a plurality of pistons (24 to 30) which are arranged in a housing (12) and jointly rotate around an axis of rotation (34) that runs essentially along the center of the housing and is stationary in relation to the housing(12). Each of said pistons (24 to 30) swivels back and forth around a swiveling axis (32) while rotating inside the housing (12), two adjacent pistons (24 to 30) swiveling in opposite directions. The inside of the housing (12) is globular. The swiveling axes (32) of pistons 24 to 30 is formed by a common swiveling axis (32) running essentially through the center (66) of the housing.

Description

Oscillating piston engine

The invention relates to a rotary piston machine, comprising a plurality of arranged in a housing and a substantially gehausemittige housing-fixed orbital axis in the housing together encircling pistons, which perform during rotation in the housing reciprocating pivoting movements about a respective pivot axis, each two adjacent Carry out the piston in opposite directions.

Such a reciprocating engine is known from WO 98/13583.

BESTATIGUNGSKOPIE Oscillating piston engines belong to a category of internal combustion engines in which the individual power strokes of the intake, compression, ignition, expansion and expulsion of the combustion mixture are mediated by reciprocating pivotal movements of the individual pistons between two end positions.

The oscillating pistons thereby run around in the housing about a common housing-fixed revolving axis, the circulating movement of the pistons being converted via corresponding intermediate links into a rotational movement of an output shaft. When rotating the pivot piston in the housing, the pivot piston perform the reciprocating pivoting movements.

In the aforementioned known oscillating piston engine, the housing has on the inside a cylinder geometry. The pistons of the known oscillating piston engine are designed as two-armed levers. Two adjacent pistons are in rolling engagement with each other. The pistons are each arranged pivotably about a piston axis parallel to a central housing axis, which lies on the cylinder axis. The piston axes extend in the immediate vicinity of the housing inner wall, each piston having its own piston axis. In order to control the pivoting movements of the individual pistons when circulating in the housing, a housing-fixed curved piece is provided, along which the individual pistons are guided.

The individual working chambers, which are each formed by two adjacent pistons, are formed between the sides of the pistons facing the housing inner wall and the housing inner wall. Although the known oscillating piston engine has proven to be favorable in terms of their running properties and their torque curve, can be regarded as a disadvantage of the known oscillating piston engine that the mass distribution of the piston is still optimized due to the housing geometry and the housing inner side storage of the individual pistons.

From the document US 6,241,493 Bl a device for controlling the fluid flow through a rotary pump, a compressor or a motor is known. In a spherical housing rotates a first blade, which causes at least a second blade to pivot back and forth between alternately open and closed positions, and indeed, the second blade moves away from the first blade and approaches it again in an oscillating Move on. The fluid is moved through an inlet in the housing as the second vane approaches the closed position as the fluid enters the housing when the second vane reaches the open position. The one blade performs a pure rotational movement and no pivoting movement, while the other blade is pivotable. This known device is therefore based on a completely different operating principle than the aforementioned known oscillating piston engine.

Furthermore, from DE 297 24 399 Ul a device with at least two rotating in an annular space rotary piston is known, which limit an expansion chamber in the annular space to the front and rear in its direction of rotation, wherein the rotary piston are connected via a gear arrangement so with a common torque transmission shaft that that is Volume of the expansion chamber in the circulation direction alternately reduced and enlarged. The gear arrangement has between the torque transmission shaft and at least one of the two expansion pistons defining a rotary piston at least one kinked and with respect to its cyclic rotational phase shift not compensated universal joint. In this known device, in each case two adjacent pistons approach or move away from one another in that the pistons have varying rotational speeds when circulating in the housing.

The invention has for its object to provide a rotary piston engine of the type mentioned, which is further improved in terms of the symmetry of the mass distribution.

According to the invention this object is achieved in terms of the aforementioned rotary piston engine, characterized in that the housing is formed on the inside spherical, and that the pivot axes of the pistons are formed by a common pivot axis, and extends substantially through the housing center.

In the case of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention, therefore, the individual pistons circulating in the housing can be pivoted about a common pivot axis, which essentially lies on a diameter of the spherical housing, whereby the pistons, in contrast to the known oscillating piston machine mentioned at the beginning, have a housing in the middle of the housing. While at the aforementioned known oscillating piston engine, the individual pistons when revolving in the housing due to the centrifugal force against their sitting on the housing inner wall Are pressed pivot axis bearing, the pistons of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention are supported due to their gehäuse- central storage against the forces acting on the piston centrifugal forces towards the housing center, whereby the piston can run with much less friction. In addition, the housing of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention, in contrast to the aforementioned known oscillating piston engine is spherical, which has the advantage that the overall arrangement of the piston can be formed in connection with their gehäusemit- term storage with a particularly homogeneous mass distribution. Furthermore, the spherical configuration of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention offers the advantage of the largest possible working volume with a substantially more compact overall dimension of the oscillating piston engine. The individual working chambers can thus be designed with large volumes at kleinstmöglic total dimensions of the oscillating piston engine. Yet another advantage of the spherical design is that with respect to the position of the common pivot axis relative to the axis of rotation a largely free choice exists.

In a preferred embodiment, the common pivot axis of the piston is inclined or perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

This measure has the advantage that the interaction between the reciprocating pivotal movements of the piston and the orbital motion of the piston can be realized structurally simple and kinematically low. While the oblique or vertical arrangement is preferred, it is also conceivable, the common pivot axis of the piston and the common axis of rotation are parallel, for example, to coincide. Allen configurations, however, have in common that the angle between the pivot axis and the axis of rotation during the course of the oscillating piston engine is fixed. The advantage of a vertical arrangement of the pivot axis to the axis of rotation is that the reciprocating pivotal movements of the piston do not affect the orbital motion about the axis of rotation as acceleration or deceleration, whereby a very smooth running of the oscillating piston engine is achieved.

In a further preferred embodiment, the pistons are pivotably mounted on a pivot pin forming the pivot axis, which is rotatably connected to the axis forming a rotary shaft about the axis of rotation.

Here, the structurally particularly simple embodiment of advantage. If the pivot axis of the piston intersects the axis of revolution substantially perpendicularly, as mentioned in a preferred embodiment, the pivot axis forming spindle is correspondingly arranged perpendicular to the axis forming the revolving axis and rotatably connected to this around the axis of rotation.

In a further preferred embodiment, the shaft is led out of the housing.

It is advantageous that the shaft forming the common axis of rotation can simultaneously serve as the input or output axis. The rotational movement of the pistons in the housing can thus be converted directly into a rotational movement of the shaft without intermediate links, wherein this rotational movement can then be tapped outside the housing as drive energy. In a further preferred embodiment, the shaft ends approximately on the housing center.

This embodiment has the advantage that only one bearing is needed for the shaft on the housing, whereby the design effort of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention is further reduced.

In a further preferred embodiment, in each case two with respect to the center of the housing substantially diametrically opposed pistons are firmly connected to a double piston.

In this embodiment, therefore, the two pistons of a double piston extending from the pivot axis substantially radially in the opposite direction to the respective opposite housing inner wall. The advantage of this measure is that only half the number of bearing rings is required for two pistons, whereby on the one hand the space required for mounting the piston is reduced about the pivot axis and also fewer parts for the storage of the piston are needed.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a total of four pistons are arranged in the housing, wherein in conjunction with the aforementioned preferred embodiment then two double pistons are arranged in the housing. These two double pistons intersect approximately in the form of an X at the common pivot axis. In a further preferred embodiment, the pistons are guided during rotation in the housing along at least one control cam formed on the housing for controlling the reciprocating pivoting movements.

The provision of the control cam has the advantage that the pivoting movements of the individual pistons are precisely controlled in a defined manner. The provision of the at least one control cam on the housing differs from the aforementioned known oscillating piston engine, in which a housing-fixed curved piece is arranged centrally in the housing. In the case of the oscillating-piston engine according to the invention, on the other hand, the pistons are mounted on the housing center around the common pivot axis, and the control cam is formed on the housing, whereby the pivoting movements of the pistons can take place with a large stroke.

It is preferred if the control cam is formed as at least one introduced into the housing groove, in each of which engages at least one piston member associated with the piston-fixed guide member.

The provision of a groove in the wall of the housing has the advantage that the respective engaging in the groove piston-fixed guide member is guided on two sides, namely on the two opposite side walls of the groove.

In a further preferred embodiment, the guide member has at least one roller, or the guide member is formed as a sliding bearing. If the guide member has at least one roller, the advantage is that the guidance of the individual pistons in the groove is carried out with very little friction, whereby energy losses are reduced when circulating the piston in the housing.

It is particularly preferred if the guide member has two rollers, one of which is in contact with one side surface of the groove and the other with the opposite side surface of the groove.

This measure has the advantage that the two individual rollers do not have to reverse their direction of rotation when running in the groove, depending on whether they come into contact with the one side surface or the other side surface of the groove. In the present embodiment, the one roller is always in contact with the one side surface of the groove, resulting in a same over a full rotation of the roller in the groove same direction of rotation of this roller results, while the other roller is always in contact with the opposite side surface, and this also during rotation in the groove thus undergoes no reversal of direction.

In connection with one of the aforementioned embodiments, according to which two pistons are combined to form a double piston, it is provided in a further preferred embodiment that each double piston has only one guide member.

This too is an advantage of the combination of two pistons to a double piston, because only one guide member per double piston and, as a result, only a total of one Control curve is required for two double piston, whereby the design effort is further reduced.

As an alternative to the design of the control cam as introduced into the housing groove, the control cam may also be preferably formed as at least one projecting from the housing inwardly projection on which the pistons are guided along.

The advantage of this measure is that the pistons can be guided directly with a piston own surface without the provision of a roller on the inwardly projecting projection, whereby a structurally particularly simple embodiment of the oscillating piston engine is achieved.

In a further preferred embodiment, each piston has a radially extending working side and a rear side facing away from this, wherein a respective Arbeitska mer between each two opposite working sides and the housing is formed, while between each two rear sides of adjacent pistons and the housing one is formed in opposite directions to the working chambers in the volume increasing or decreasing secondary chamber.

The advantage of this measure is that the secondary chambers formed between each two rear sides of adjacent two pistons, which behave in the reciprocating pivotal movements of the individual pistons in terms of their volume in opposite directions to the working chambers in which the working cycles of suction, compression, expansion and ejection can be used for various purposes, namely on the one hand for cooling the piston, or as a pressure chambers, as provided in further preferred and subsequently to be described embodiments.

In a further preferred embodiment, the pistons are formed such that the working chamber formed by two adjacent pistons is formed kugelkeilförmig, and that the width of the working chamber in the plane perpendicular to the pivot axis of the piston is variable.

This embodiment of the piston leads to an increased compared to the aforementioned known oscillating piston engine working volume, which can lead to an increased power output in the case of use of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention as an internal combustion engine.

In a further preferred embodiment, the aforementioned at least one secondary chamber can be flooded with a fluid, preferably air.

In the event that the oscillating piston engine according to the invention is used as an internal combustion engine can be introduced by this measure in an advantageous manner in the secondary chambers fresh air for cooling the piston rear sides, the housing inner wall and the central piston bearing. This advantageously results in an increase in the overall efficiency in comparison to other internal combustion engines of a known type. In the simplest case, the secondary chambers can also serve simply as an oil-oil or oil-air space for cooling and lubrication. In a further structurally simple embodiment of the aforementioned measure, at least one inlet valve for flooding the at least one secondary chamber is provided on the housing.

Due to the fact that the at least one secondary chamber can also be enlarged and reduced in volume as a simple non-return valve due to the reciprocal swiveling movement, this intake valve can be alternately formed as a result of the constant alternating volume change, a negative pressure and an overpressure , via which the inlet valve is controlled automatically. In this way, expensive valve controls, such as a camshaft or even expensive valves, such as solenoid valves, can be saved.

In a further preferred embodiment, the fluid in the secondary chamber is compressed by the pivotal movement of the associated piston.

This measure has the advantage that, in a structurally particularly simple manner, the at least one secondary chamber not only serves to cool the piston, the housing and the piston bearing, but at the same time as a pressure chamber, which in the case of using the oscillating piston engine according to the invention as an internal combustion engine for precompression of the combustion air , which was previously sucked into the at least one secondary chamber, can serve. In this sense, the aforementioned fluid is preferably fresh air.

It is particularly preferred in this context if the at least one secondary chamber with the at least one working chamber communicates via at least one inlet valve, which allows a passage of the compressed fluid from the at least one secondary chamber in the working chamber.

With this embodiment, the considerable advantage is now created that the oscillating piston engine according to the invention can be used as a self-boosting internal combustion engine. In other words, such a self-charging effect is integrated into the machine in the oscillating-piston engine according to the invention. This self-charging effect is made possible by the secondary chambers which increase or decrease in the opposite direction to the working chambers. The precompressed in the at least one secondary chamber fluid, for example, precompressed combustion air, then compressed into the at least one working chamber, for example, if this is just in the intake stroke or at the end thereof. In other words, the combustion air can already be charged with a form in the at least one working chamber, so that in this way compression pressures can be achieved, which may be sufficient for operation of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention as a diesel engine. The Selbstaufladeeffekt can be accomplished in the context of this preferred embodiment without the cultivation of a charge air compressor, whereby a self-charging of the oscillating piston engine according to the invention with minimal design effort is possible.

In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one secondary chamber communicates with the at least one working chamber via a line arranged on the outside of the housing, wherein the at least one inlet valve, through which fluid passes from the secondary chamber into the working chamber, is arranged on the housing. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the at least one secondary chamber communicates with the at least one working chamber through the intermediate piston, wherein the inlet valve, through which the fluid passes from the secondary chamber into the working chamber, is arranged on the piston.

While the first embodiment has the advantage that the pistons are structurally easier manufacturable, because no valves must be integrated into the piston, but only an additional inlet valve must be provided on the housing, the second embodiment has the advantage that as an intake valve again simple setback - or flutter valves can be used, and the function of these valves is independent of the ambient pressure of the housing. In the first embodiment, however, preferably a controlled valve in the form of a solenoid valve or, in the simple case, a valve controlled via a camshaft is used.

In the case of the oscillating-piston engine according to the invention, the pistons for achieving large-volume working chambers are preferably arranged such that two adjacent pistons alternately move towards and away from one another due to the pivoting movements.

Further advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained not only in the particular combination given, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail with reference to this. Show it:

1 is a partially broken perspective view of an inventive oscillating piston engine according to a first embodiment and in a first operating position of the piston.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the oscillating piston engine in Figure 1 without housing.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the oscillating piston engine shown in FIG. 2 in FIG. 1; FIG.

4 shows a further perspective exploded view of the components of the oscillating-piston engine in FIG. 3, with further omission of components;

FIGS. 5a) and 5b) show a double piston of the oscillating piston machine in FIG. 1 in a perspective view, wherein the illustration in FIG. 5b) is rotated by 90 ° with respect to the illustration in FIG. 5a); Figures 6a) and 6b) in perspective half-broken views of the housing of the oscillating piston engine in Figure 1 alone, with Fig. 6a) the housing on the outside and Fig. 6b) shows the housing inside;

7 shows a section through the oscillating piston machine in Figure 1 along a plane parallel to the axis of revolution of the piston and perpendicular to the pivot axis of the piston.

8 shows a section through the oscillating piston engine in FIG. 1 along a plane parallel to the pivot axis of the pistons and perpendicular to the axis of revolution;

Figures 9a) to 9d) are schematic representations of the operating principle of the oscillating piston engine in Figure 1 in a section along the axis of rotation and transversely to the pivot axis of the piston ..;

Figures 10a) to lOd) are schematic representations of the operating principle of the oscillating piston engine in Fig. 1 in a section parallel to the pivot axis and transverse to the axis of rotation of the piston, wherein the individual operating positions shown in Figures 10a) to lOd) shown in Figures 9a) to 9d) Correspond to operating positions; Figure 11 is a schematic representation of the characteristic of the control cam over which the pivoting movements of the pistons are controlled.

Figures 12 to 14 are perspective views of the oscillating piston engine in Figure 1 in Figures 9 and 10 corresponding different operating positions of the pistons.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view, corresponding to FIG. 7, of a swivel-piston machine according to an embodiment which is slightly modified with respect to the oscillating-piston engine in FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 shows the oscillating piston engine in FIG. 15 in a changed operating position of the pistons compared with FIG. 15; FIG.

17 shows the oscillating piston engine in FIGS. 15 and 16 in a further changed operating position of the pistons compared with FIGS. 15 and 16;

Fig. 18 is a representation corresponding to Fig. 7 of another embodiment of a comparison with the Schwenkkol- .benmaschine slightly modified in Figure 1 embodiment of a rotary piston engine. and

Fig. 19 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 8 of a still further embodiment of a rotary piston machine. With reference to Figures 1 to 8, the embodiment of a provided with the general reference numeral 10 oscillating piston engine will be described in more detail below. The oscillating piston engine 10 serves as an internal combustion engine, but can also be used in other applications, for example as a compressor.

The oscillating piston engine 10 has a housing provided with the general reference numeral 12, which is composed of a first housing half 14 and a second housing half 16.

The two housing halves 14 and 16 are connected via a respective annular flange 18 and 20 firmly together.

An inner wall 22 of the housing 12 is spherical. Also on the outside, the housing 12 of the oscillating piston engine 10 has a ball symmetry.

In Fig. 1, the housing 12 is shown partially broken away, so that in Fig. 1 further details of the oscillating piston engine 10 can be seen within the housing 12.

In the housing 12 is a plurality and four pistons 24, 26, 28 and 30 are arranged in the present embodiment, wherein the piston 30 is concealed in Fig. 1, and, for example. In the exploded perspective view in Fig. 4 and in Fig. 7 is recognizable. There are two pistons firmly connected together to form a double piston, namely the pistons 26 and 30 are firmly connected to a double piston, and also the pistons 24 and 28 form a one-piece rigid double piston.

The pistons 24 to 30 are pivotable about a common pivot axis 32, and at the same time the pistons 24 to 30 can rotate about a common axis of rotation 34 in the housing 12, wherein the reciprocating pivotal movements of the orbital motion superimpose, as will be described in more detail below ,

For pivotal mounting, the double piston formed from the pistons 24 and 28 has a bearing ring 36 fixedly connected to the two pistons 24 and 28 at one end of the pistons 24 and 28 and a second bearing ring 38 at the opposite end of the pistons 24 and 28. The double piston formed from the pistons 26 and 30 is identical to the double piston formed from the pistons 24 and 28, and correspondingly has a first bearing ring 40 and a second bearing ring 42.

The first double piston formed from the pistons 24 and 28 and the second double piston formed from the pistons 26 and 30 are pivotably mounted on a journal 44 via the bearing rings 36 and 38 or 40 and 42, which forms the pivot axis 32. The first double piston formed from the pistons 24 and 28 and the second double piston formed from the pistons 26 and 30 are arranged rotated on the journal 44 against each other by 180 °, wherein the first double piston formed from the pistons 24 and 28 and from the piston 26 and 30 formed second double piston on the axle journal 44 and the pivot axis 32 extend crosswise. As will be explained in more detail below, is the pivoting movement between the individual pistons 24 to 30 in pairs in opposite directions.

The arrangement of the pistons 24 to 30 and the journal 44 is sealed at the ends of the journal 44 by caps 46 and 48. For this purpose, the closure caps 46 and 48 each have an inwardly projecting annular flange 50, which engages in a respective groove 52 on the second bearing rings 38 and 42 in a sealing manner. The caps 46 and 48 form on the outside a kugelkalottenförmigen termination of the arrangement of the pistons 24 and 30 at the two ends of the journal 44, which is adapted to the radii of curvature of the inner wall 22 of the housing 12.

The stub axle 44 is connected to a shaft 54 by the axle pin 44 is inextricably pressed into a bore of a ring 56 at one end of the shaft 54 so that the axle pin 44 equally protrudes from the ring 56 to both sides at the same time. The pistons 24 to 30 are mounted with the bearing rings 36 to 42 on the both sides of the ring 56 projecting portions of the axle journal 44. The ring 56 is fixedly connected to the shaft 54. The axle pin 44 and thus the pivot axis 32 extends perpendicular to the revolving axis 34, which is formed by the shaft 54. Relative to the rotational axis 34 of the axle pin 44 is rotatably connected to the shaft 54, wherein the axle pin 44 but also with respect to the pivot axis 32 is held non-rotatably in the ring 56 of the shaft 54.

The shaft 54 is led out of the housing 12 as shown in FIG. 1 and serves as an output shaft for the oscillating piston engine 10. On the housing 12, a tubular extension 58 is correspondingly formed, through which the shaft 54 is led out of the housing 12. The shaft 54 is mounted according to Figures 2 and 3 in the extension 58 by means of bearings 60 and 62 with an intermediate sleeve 64.

As is apparent from Figures 1 to 8, in particular from Fig. 7, the shaft 54 terminates within the housing 54 on the housing center.

The axle pin 44 and thus the pivot axis 32 pass through the housing center, which is designated in FIG. 7 by the reference numeral 66. The pistons 24 to 30 are therefore mounted pivotably on a housing-centered pivot axis 32. The revolving axis 34 also passes through the middle of the housing and intersects there the pivot axis 32 perpendicular.

The first double piston already mentioned above becomes from the relative to the pivot axis 32 and the housing center 66 substantially diametrically opposed pistons 24 and 28, and the second double piston is from the relative to the pivot axis 32 and the housing center 66 substantially diametrically formed opposite piston 26 and 30.

The first double piston formed from the pistons 24 and 28 is further provided with a piston-fixed guide member 68, and also the double piston formed by the pistons 26 and 30 is provided with a guide member 70. The guide members 68 and 70 serve to control the reciprocating pivoting movements of the pistons 24 to 30 about the pivot axis 32 when the pistons 24 to 30 are rotated about the revolving axis 34. Connecting members 68 and 70 are formed in the manner of Achsstäben. On the guide member 68 of the piston 24 and 28, two rollers 72 and 74 are arranged end. The roller 72 has a larger outer diameter than the roller 74. Accordingly, on the guide member 70 end rollers 76 and 78 are arranged, wherein the roller 76 has a larger outer diameter than the roller 78th

Via the rollers 72, 74 and 76, 78 engage the guide members 68, 70 in a in the inner wall 22 of the housing 12 as a groove 80 introduced control cam for controlling the reciprocating pivotal movements of the pistons 24 to 30 a. The control cam formed as a groove 80 is centered on the housing about the revolving axis 34 in extension of the shaft 54, i. the ring 56 of the shaft 54 arranged opposite. The cam formed by the groove 80 is a closed curve without crossing points and has approximately the shape of a constricted on diametrically opposite sides of the circle.

Corresponding to the different outer diameter of the roller 72 and the roller 74 and corresponding to the difference between the outer diameter of the roller 76 and the roller 78, the groove 80 has a stepped shape in the radial direction, ie, the side surfaces 82 and 84 of the groove 80 have a step (See Figures 12 to 14). The arrangement is made such that the rollers 72 and 76 larger outer diameter when revolving in the groove 80 abut only one side surface 84, while the rollers 74 and 78 of smaller outer diameter abut the opposite side surface 82, so that the respective direction of rotation Casters 72 to 78 over a full revolution through the groove 80 is the same. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 1, the guide members 68 and 70 engage 180 ° offset from one another in the groove 80, this Umschlmgungswmkelverhältnis of 180 ° over a full circulation of the pistons 24 to 30 in the housing 12 around the revolving axis 34 is maintained , The shape of the groove 80 is particularly clear from the illustration in Figures 6a) and 6b) show that show a section through the housing 12 along a plane perpendicular to the axis 34 and parallel to the pivot axis 32, wherein Fig. 6a) the housing 12 on the outside and Fig. 6b) shows the housing 12 inside.

In FIGS. 5a) and 5b), the double piston formed from the pistons 24 and 28 is shown in isolation. Each of the pistons 24 to 30 has, as shown by the example of the pistons 24 and 28 in FIGS. 5a) and 5b), a working side and a rear side opposite thereto.

For the piston 24, a working side is designated by the reference numeral 86. The working side 86 is substantially smooth and flat and extends with its largest dimension parallel to the pivot axis 32. A corresponding identically designed working side of the piston 28 is provided with the reference numeral 88.

A rear side 90 of the piston 24 opposite the working side 86 of the piston 24 is provided with a plurality of cavities 92 which are open toward the rear side 90 but which are closed on the working side 86. In the same way, a rear side 94, which is opposite to the working side 88 of the piston 28, is formed on the piston 28. The previously described embodiment of the pistons 24 and 28 is also present in the identically formed pistons 26 and 30.

Between the working sides of each adjacent piston 24 to 30, a working chamber is formed. Due to the design of the oscillating piston engine 10 with four pistons 24 to 30 are therefore two working chambers 96 and 98, wherein the working chamber 96 between the working sides of the adjacent pistons 24 and 26 and the working chamber 98 is formed between the working sides of the adjacent pistons 28 and 30. The working ammers 96 and 98 change when circulating the pistons 24 to 30 in the housing 12 due to the reciprocating pivotal movements their volume between a shown in Fig. 7 almost closed position with low volume and a maximum volume, for example, in FIG. 17 is shown in an identical working oscillating piston engine 10 'in this respect. Due to the reciprocating pivotal movement, two adjacent pistons 24 to 30 move alternately toward or away from each other.

The working chambers 96 and 98 are approximately in the form of ball wedges whose width in the plane perpendicular to the pivot axis 32, i. in the plane of Fig. 7, according to the reciprocating pivotal movements of the piston 24 to 30 is variable. The working chambers 96 and 98 are bounded by the working sides of the pistons 24 to 30, the inner wall 22 of the housing 12 and the housing center 66 by the bearing rings 36 to 42, and the ring 56 of the shaft 54.

Further, the working chambers 96 and 98 by seals 99 to the inner wall 22 of the housing 12 and by seals 101 to the ring 56 of the shaft 54 sealed off. A sealing of the piston 24 to 30 against the bearing rings 36 to 42 is unnecessary due to the integral connection of the same with the piston 24 to 30th

Between the rear sides of respectively adjacent pistons 24 to 30, secondary chambers are formed. According to the embodiment of the oscillating piston engine 10 with a total of four pistons 24 to 30, two secondary chambers are present, namely an auxiliary chamber 100 between the piston 26 and the piston 28 and a secondary chamber 102 between the piston 30 and the piston 24. In U catching direction with respect to the pivot axis 32 seen both working chambers 96 and 98 of the auxiliary chamber 100 and 102 adjacent.

Due to the cavities 92 on the rear sides of the pistons 24 to 30, the largest possible volume is used for the secondary chambers 100 and 102. The secondary chambers 100 and 102 increase or decrease in volume in opposite directions to the working chambers 96 and 98. The volumes of the working chambers 96 and 98 increase and decrease during rotation of the pistons 24 to 30 in the housing 12 about the axis 34 in the same direction, and also the secondary chambers 100 and 102 enlarge and shrink in the same direction.

The secondary chambers 100 and 102 can be flooded with a fluid, preferably air.

For this purpose, on the housing 12 of the auxiliary chamber 100 associated inlet valve 104 in a housing 12 formed on the valve housing 106 is present. The inlet valve 104 is a flutter valve til, which is biased in the direction of an arrow 108. The intake valve 104 is controlled by the different pressure ratios between the sub-chamber 100 and the space outside the housing 12. Accordingly, the secondary chamber 102 is associated with a further inlet valve 110, which is also arranged on the housing 12 in a valve housing 112 formed therein. Also, the intake valve 110 is a flutter valve, and its operation is the same as that of the intake valve 104.

6, the inlet valve 104 is located in a housing portion within the groove 80th

The introduced through the intake valves 104 and 110 in the secondary chambers 100 and 102 fluid, preferably fresh air, initially serves to cool the piston 24 to 30, in particular their bearing rings 38 to 42 and the axle journal 44 and the inner wall 22 of the housing 12, further the cooling of the rollers 72 to 78 on the guide members 68 and 70 of the piston 24 to 30th

The sub-chambers 100 and 102 have not only the function of cooling in the illustrated embodiment, but also serve to compress the fluid introduced into the sub-chambers 100 and 102, i.e., to cool them. the fresh air.

This compression occurs starting from the position of the pistons 24 to 30 shown in FIG. 7 in that the pistons 24 and 26 pivot according to arrows 114 and 116 and the pistons 28 and 30 according to arrows 118 and 120, whereby the volume of the secondary chambers 100 and 102 is reduced. Due to the thereby continuously increasing pressure in the secondary chambers 100 and 102, the intake valves 104 and 110 in their closed position (arrow 108 in Fig. 7) is pressed so that the fluid can not escape from the secondary chambers 100 and 102 through the inlet valves 104 and 110, respectively.

The secondary chambers 100 and 102 also communicate with the working chambers 96 and 98 via a respective line outside the conduit 122 and 124, and via an inlet valve 126, which is a controlled valve, such as a solenoid valve.

The conduit 122 is connected at one end via an opening 128 in the housing 12 to the auxiliary chamber 102, while the conduit 124 is connected via an opening 130 in the housing 12 with the auxiliary chamber 100. In the region of the inlet valve 126, the lines 122 and 124 converge.

Depending on which of the Arbeitska numbers 96 or 98 just opposite the inlet valve 126, the compressed in the secondary chambers 100 and 102, the fluid can then be introduced into the corresponding working chamber 96 and 98, respectively. In this way combustion air can be pre-compressed, i. be injected with an overpressure in the working chamber 96 and 98, whereby a self-charging effect of the oscillating piston engine 10 occurs.

The oscillating piston engine 10 further includes a spark plug 132 fixed to the housing 12, an injector 134 immediately adjacent to the spark plug 132 for injecting fuel, and an exhaust 136 visible only in FIG. 8 for discharging the combusted fuel-air mixture during operation of the oscillating piston engine 10. Furthermore, according to Figures 7 and 8 in the shaft 54 holes 138 and 140 and in the journal 44 holes 142 to 150 are provided, these holes are used for oil lubrication of the moving parts.

With reference to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, the functional principle of the oscillating piston engine 10 will be described in more detail below, wherein the individual movements of the pistons 24 to 30 can also be understood on the basis of the perspective illustrations in FIGS. 1 and 12 to 14. The illustrations in FIG. 9 are highly schematic.

In FIGS. 9a), 10a) and in FIG. 1, the pistons 24 and 26 are in the so-called top dead center (TDC), and the pistons 28 and 30 are in bottom dead center (TDC). In this state, the working chamber 96 formed between the pistons 24 and 26 and the working chamber 98 formed between the pistons 28 and 30 have their minimum volume. The guide member 70 of the double piston formed from the pistons 26 and 30 is located in the groove 80 at one vertex (see Fig. 11a) in Fig. 11), while the guide member 68 of the piston formed from the piston 24 and 28 on the double opposite vertex of the groove 80 is located (position c) in Fig. 11).

In this condition, compressed air-air mixture is present in the working chamber 96 while the chamber 98 is empty.

If the fuel-air mixture present in the working chamber 96 is now ignited by means of the spark plug 132, the spontaneously occurring increase in pressure in the working chamber 96 attempts to cause the pressure to rise Pistons 24 and 26 about the pivot axis 32 to pivot apart. Due to the guidance of the piston 24 and the piston 26 in the groove 80, this simultaneously causes a positive guidance of the pistons 24 and 26 and thus also with the piston 24 and 26 fixedly connected pistons 28 and 30 along the cam 80 formed by the cam, whereby the pistons 24 to 30 are set in motion in the direction of an arrow 152 about the revolving axis 34, ie the pistons 24 to 30 move around the revolving axis 34 from the position shown in FIG. 10 a) to the position illustrated in FIG. 10 b), which is also shown in Fig. 12. Simultaneously with this orbital movement about the orbital axis 34, the pistons 24 and 26 pivot in opposite directions, as well as the pistons 28 and 30 in opposite directions about the pivot axis 32 apart, as can be seen from the transition from Fig. 9a) to Fig. 9b). The piston pair formed by the pistons 24 and 26 is now in the working cycle of the expander, while the piston pair formed by the pistons 28 and 30 is in the working stroke of the suction.

Simultaneously with the increase in volume of the working chambers 96 and 98 is accompanied by a reduction in volume of the secondary chambers 100 and 102. The air which has already entered the secondary chambers 100 and 102 through the inlet valves 104 and 110 is now compressed in the secondary chambers 100 and 102.

In Fig. 9c), the working chambers 96 and 98 are shown with their maximum volume, the pistons 24 and 26 completed in this state, the expansion stroke and the pistons 28 and 30 have completed the working cycle of the suction. Up to this working position, the pistons 24 to 30 according to FIG. 10c) have moved from the starting position by 90 ° about the circumference. Running axis 34 moves (see also Fig. 13). The guide members 68 and 70 are now opposite each other at the crests of the narrow side of the groove 80 (position b) and d) in Fig. 11). While in this state the working chambers 96 and 98 occupy their maximum volume, the secondary chambers 100 and 102 have their minimum volume, ie the air present in the secondary chambers 100 and 102 is now maximally compressed. Preferably, the inlet valve 126 is now opened by a corresponding control, whereby the entire existing in the secondary chambers 100 and 102 compressed air is introduced into the working chamber 98.

Starting from this working position shown in FIG. 9c) now move the piston 24 and 26 and also the pistons 28 and 30 about the pivot axis 32 back to each other, whereby the pistons 24 and 26 now the power stroke of the ejection and the pistons 28 and 30 the Perform working cycle of compressing the previously admitted already precompressed combustion air. This power stroke is shown in Fig. 9d) and in Fig. LOd) and in Fig. 14, from which it follows that the pistons 24 to 30 were moved by a further 45 ° about the axis of rotation 34.

While the working chambers 96 and 98 shrink in the state shown in FIG. 9d) during the transition from the state shown in FIG. 9c), the secondary chambers 100 and 102 enlarge correspondingly. The enlargement of the secondary chambers 100 and 102 now causes ^', that in the secondary chambers 100 and 102, a negative pressure relative to the environment is formed, so that fresh air is sucked into the secondary chambers 100 and 102 through the inlet valves 104 and 110, which thereby open automatically. Starting from the position shown in FIGS. 9d) and 10d) and 14, the positions of the pistons 24 to 30, which are rotated by 180.degree. About the revolving axis 34 and are optically indistinct, are then followed by the positions .alpha Pistons 24 and 26 are now at bottom dead center and pistons 28 and 30 are at top dead center. That is, then, fuel is now injected into the working chamber 98 into the working chamber 98 to the compressed combustion air via the injection nozzle 134, which is then ignited immediately with the compressed air. The working chamber 96 is, however, now empty after the expulsion of the combusted fuel-air mixture and for the intake of fresh precompressed combustion air from the secondary chambers 100 and 102 ready.

The pistons 24 to 30 have moved so far by 180 ° about the axis 34 in the housing 12. It follows that the oscillating piston engine 10 performs two full cycles of operation over a full revolution of the pistons 24 to 30 through 360 ° about the axis of rotation, i. the cycles of suction, compression, expansion and ejection occur twice over a full 360 ° cycle.

In Fig. 11, the characteristic of the working curve for the guide members 68 and 70 of the piston 24 to 30 is shown. This illustration shows that the stroke of the rotary piston piston is given by the difference of the radii R2 and R1, wherein the radius Rl is the distance of the center of the groove 80 from the center of the groove 80 on the short axis and the radius R2 of the distance Center of the groove 80 from the center of the groove 80 on the big axis. FIGS. 15 to 17 show an embodiment of an oscillating-piston engine 10 'which is slightly different from the oscillating-piston engine 10 and differs from the oscillating-piston engine 10 only by the structural design of the self-charging effect previously described with reference to the oscillating piston engine 10.

Identical or comparable features or elements of the oscillating-piston engine 10 'are provided with the same reference numerals as in the oscillating-piston engine 10 with a superscript.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 17, the working chambers 96 'and 98' communicate with the secondary chambers 100 'and 102' via a housing-external line as in the previous embodiment, but directly via the pistons 24 'to 30' themselves, in which in each case an inlet valve 154 to 160 is arranged. The intake valves 154 to 160 are formed as flutter valves. The intake valves 154 to 160 open and close automatically, depending on the pressure difference between the secondary chambers 100 ', 102' and the working chambers 96 ', 98', which occurs during reciprocating pivoting movements of the pistons 24 'to 30'. The intake valves 154 to 160 are biased toward the sub-chambers 100 'and 102'.

In Fig. 15, the working chamber 96 'between the pistons 24' and 26 'is shown in a position in which the pistons 24' and 26 'are at top dead center. If now ignited by the spark plug 132 'in the working chamber 96' existing fuel-air mixture, occur in the working chamber 96 'extremely high pressures on, so that the intake valves 154 and 156 remain closed against this pressure until the working chamber 96 'is ready for sucking again after the exhaust stroke.

In Fig. 15, all four intake valves 154 to 160 are shown in their closed position. In Fig. 16, the pistons 24 ', 26' and 28 ', 30' have moved apart about the pivot axis 32 'and thereby further moved by about 45 ° about the rotational axis 34' in the housing 12 '. The inlet valves 154 and 156 are still in their closed position, because the pressure in the working chamber 96 'is even higher than in the secondary chambers 100' and 102 '. In contrast, the inlet valves 158 and 160 are in their open position, since the empty in Fig. 15 and thus pressureless working chamber 98 'has a lower internal pressure than the secondary chambers 100' and 102 '.

From Fig. 17 shows that the inlet valves 154 and 156 remain closed until the working chamber 96 ', in which the previously ignited fuel-air mixture further expands, has reached its maximum volume as shown in FIG.

With regard to the pivoting movements of the individual pistons 24 'to 30', FIGS. 15 to 17 are also an illustrative representation of the pistons 24 to 30 in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 8, which move in the same way between the end positions according to FIGS. 15 and 17 Similarly, the sequence of Figures 15-17 further illustrates the control of the piston movements by means of the guide members 68 and 70 or 68 'and 70'. In Fig. 18, another embodiment of a provided with the general reference numeral 10 '' shown oscillating piston engine, which differs from the two previous embodiments by the type of control of the pivotal movements of the piston 24 '' to 30 ''.

In this embodiment, the control cam provided for controlling the pivotal movements of the pistons 24 "to 30" is formed as two protrusions 164 and 166 projecting inwardly from the housing 12 ". The projections 164 and 166 have a substantially elliptical shape unlike the only one groove 80. In further different from the previous embodiments, the pistons 24 "to 30" are each formed with bearing surfaces 168 via which the pistons 24 "to 30" on the projections 164 and 166 for controlling the pivotal movements of the pistons 24 "to 30 '' are guided in a sliding manner. In this case, the pistons 24 '' to 30 '' in contrast to the previous embodiments thus only guided on one side, so that it may be necessary under certain circumstances, in the TDC position of respective piston pairs 24 '' and 26 '' or 28 '' and inject 30 "of compressed air to initialize the opening pivotal movement of pistons 24" and 26 ".

Further, in Fig. 18, the shaft 54 "is supported on both sides of the housing 12", i. does not end as in the previous embodiments in the housing center 66 ''. The shaft 54 '' is thus still mounted on a second bearing 170.

In Fig. 19, finally, an embodiment of an oscillating piston engine 10 '''is still shown, which differs by the geometry of the piston, of which in Fig. 19 the Piston 26 '''and28' * 'are shown. Instead of the previous embodiments, the piston 26 '''and28''' no straight but curved piston head 172 and 174, and the bearing rings 36 '''to 42 *''and the ring 56' * 'on the shaft that forms the revolving axis 34 '''are chamfered accordingly.

Furthermore, a variant of the oscillating-piston engine 10 '"is shown in FIG. 19, in which no self-charging effect is provided, but which has a simple inlet channel 176. The auxiliary chambers also present in these variants can serve as oil-flooded oil chambers or as air-flooded air spaces for cooling the pistons 24 '' 'to 30' ''.

It goes without saying that the various exemplary embodiments described above can also be combined with one another at the discretion of the person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Swinging piston machine, with a plurality of pistons (24 - 30) arranged in a housing (12) and rotating around a substantially axis-fixed housing axis (34) in the housing (12), which when rotating in the housing (12) Execute reciprocating pivoting movements about a respective pivot axis (32), two adjacent pistons (24 - 30) each carrying out opposite pivoting movements, characterized in that the housing (12) is spherical on the inside and that the pivot axes (32) of the Piston (24-30) extends essentially through the center of the housing (66).

2. Swing piston machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the common pivot axis (32) of the pistons (24 - 30) extends obliquely or perpendicular to the axis of rotation (34).

3. Swing piston machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pistons (24 - 30) on a pivot axis (32) forming pivot pin (44) are pivotally mounted, which with a rotation axis (34) forming shaft (56) rotatably is connected to the axis of rotation (34). .

4. Swing piston machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the shaft (54) is led out of the housing (12).

5. Swing piston machine according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the shaft (54) ends approximately in the middle of the housing.

6. Swing piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in each case two with respect to the housing center (66) substantially diametrically opposite pistons (24-30) are firmly connected to one another to form a double piston.

7. Swinging piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pistons (24 - 30) are guided during rotation in the housing (12) along at least one on the housing (12) formed control cam for controlling the reciprocating swivel movements .

8. Swing piston machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the control cam is designed as at least one groove (80) introduced into the housing, in which at least one piston (24-30) associated with the piston-fixed guide member (68, 70) engages.

9. Swing piston machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the guide member (68, 70) has at least one roller ((72 - 78) or is designed as a plain bearing.

10. Swing piston machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the guide member (68, 70) has two rollers (72-78), one of which with one side surface (82) of the groove (80) and the other with the opposite overlying side surface (84) of the groove (80) is in contact.

11. Swing piston machine according to claim 6 and one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that each double piston has only one guide member (68, 70).

12. Swing piston machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the control cam is formed as at least one from the housing (12 '') inwardly projecting projection (164), along which the pistons (24 '' - 30 '') are guided.

13. Swing piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a total of four pistons (24 - 30) are arranged in the housing (12).

14. Swinging piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that each piston 24 - 30) has a working side (86, 88) and a rear side facing away from this (96, 98), the respective working chamber between two opposite one another Working sides (86, 88) of two adjacent pistons (24 - 30) and the housing (12) is formed, while between each two rear sides (90, 94) of adjacent two pistons (24 - 30) and the housing (12) are each one counter-chamber (100, 102) which increases or decreases in volume in the opposite direction to the working chambers (96, 98).

15. Swing piston machine according to claim 14, characterized in that the at least one secondary chamber (100, 102) with a fluid, preferably air, is floodable.

16. Swing piston machine according to claim 15, characterized in that at least one inlet valve (104, 110) for flooding the at least one secondary chamber (100, 102) is present on the housing (12).

17. Swing piston machine according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the fluid in the secondary chamber (100, 102) is compressed by the swiveling movement of the associated pistons (24 - 30).

18. Swing piston machine according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the at least one secondary chamber (100, 102) communicates with the at least one working chamber (96, 98) via at least one inlet valve (126), which transfers the compressed fluid from which enables at least one secondary chamber (100, 102) into the working chamber (96, 98).

19. Swing piston machine according to claim 18, characterized in that the at least one secondary chamber (100, 102) communicates with the at least one working chamber (96, 98) via a line (122, 124) arranged on the outside of the housing, the at least one inlet valve (126) , through which the fluid passes from the secondary chamber (100, 102) into the working chamber (96, 98), is arranged on the housing (12).

20. Swing piston machine according to claim 18, characterized in that the at least one secondary chamber (100 ', 102') communicates with the at least one working chamber (96 ', 98') through the intermediate piston (24 '- 30'), the The inlet valve (154-160) through which the fluid passes from the secondary chamber (100 ', 102') into the working chamber (96 ', 98') is arranged on the piston (24 '- 30').

21. Swinging piston machine according to one of claims 14 to 20, characterized in that the pistons (24 - 30) are designed such that the working chamber (96, 98) formed by two adjacent pistons (24 - 30) is formed in a spherical wedge shape, the Width in the plane perpendicular to the pivot axis (32) of the piston (24 - 30) is variable.

22. Swing piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the pistons (24 - 30) are arranged such that two adjacent pistons (24 - 30) move alternately towards and away from each other due to the pivoting movements.