EP2929147B1 - Assembly, in particular internal combustion engine or compressor - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an assembly, in particular a compressor or internal combustion engine, having a housing in which four pistons are arranged, of which a first piston, a first end surface, a second piston, a second end surface, a third piston, a third end surface facing the first end surface and a fourth piston has a fourth end surface facing the second end surface, the limited stroke pistons reciprocating about a pivot axis, with a piston cage disposed in the housing in which the four pistons are disposed, further including a control mechanism in the housing comprising a cam member on which the pistons are guided to produce their pivotal movements, the pistons being rotatable together with the piston cage or the cam member about a pivot axis perpendicular to the pivot axis in the housing, the cam member being annular radially outwardly of the pistons arranged around the axis of rotation is, and with working chambers in the housing for a working medium, which are formed between the mutually facing end surfaces of the piston.

Such an aggregate is out WO 2011/147492 A2 known.

The unit according to the present invention may be designed in basic construction as a compressor or internal combustion engine. In further embodiments of the unit according to the invention this can be formed by supplementing with an electromotive part as a power generator or hybrid engine. In the case of the embodiment of the unit according to the invention as a compressor, the aggregate can work without external drive by supplementing with an electromotive part by the electromotive part supplies the drive energy for the compressor. However, the present invention is not limited to the above examples.

This from the document mentioned above WO 2011/147492 A2 known unit has a piston motor part, which has four arranged in a spherical housing piston. The pistons are housed in a piston cage. Due to the spherical housing, the known unit and the unit according to the invention is also referred to as a spherical motor or generally spherical aggregate. In the known unit two pistons are rigidly connected to a pair of pistons, so that a total of two pairs of pistons with a total of four pistons are present. The known unit has a total of two working chambers for each working medium. Here, a first working chamber is formed between the first end surface of the first piston and the third end surface of the third piston facing thereto, and the second working chamber is formed between the second end surface of the second piston and the fourth end surface of the piston facing thereto.

The first pair of pistons and the second pair of pistons of the known unit perform reciprocating pivotal movements about a common pivot axis, the pivotal movements of the first pair of pistons extending in opposite directions to the pivotal movements of the second pair of pistons. In this way, the first working chamber decreases in volume by moving the first end surface of the first piston and the third end surface of the third piston toward each other, while at the same time the volume of the second working chamber increases move the second end surface of the second piston and the fourth end surface of the fourth piston away from each other.

In the case of the embodiment of the unit as an internal combustion engine, in each case a fuel-air mixture is sucked in as a working medium in the two working chambers, compressed, ignited, expanded and expelled again.

In the case of the embodiment of the known unit as a compressor, in each case a gas, in particular air, is sucked in as a working medium in the two working chambers, compressed and expelled again in the compressed state.

Other units in the form of spherical motors are made WO 2006/089576 A1 or off WO 2007/014752 A1 known that stick to the previous concept that these units have four pistons and two working chambers.

The known ball motors have to generate the reciprocating pivotal movements of the four pistons on a cam member on which the four pistons are guided. It is envisaged that either the cam member is rotatable about a pivot axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation in the housing, while the four pistons do not participate in the rotational movement, or the four pistons together with the piston cage are rotatable together about the axis of rotation, while the cam member is not around the rotation axis rotates. In both cases mentioned above, the cam member of the known aggregates on two control cams, which are both formed approximately sinusoidal. This results in a 360 ° rotation of the cam member or a 360 ° rotation of the piston in the case of the configuration of the unit as an internal combustion engine in both working chambers as in a four-cylinder gasoline engine four complete power clock change. Despite the functional agreement with a four-cylinder gasoline engine, however, it is a certain disadvantage that the functional agreement is made possible only in that the control curves of the cam member are formed approximately sinusoidal. The sinusoidal design of the cams is, at least at higher speeds, disadvantageous insofar as the leadership of the piston on the cams when rotating the piston about the axis of rotation or when revolving the cam member about the axis of rotation is subjected to permanent changes in direction according to the sinusoidal shape, which at least at higher speeds lead to a "ski jump effect" and thus can affect the smoothness of the unit.

Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a unit of the type mentioned, which is still based on the principle of the ball aggregate, a new design concept with which the smoothness of the unit can be further improved.

According to the invention this object is achieved with respect to the aforementioned aggregate in that between the first end surface of the first piston and the third end surface of the third piston, a first and a second working chamber are formed, which are separated by a first partition tightly separated, and that between second end surface of the second piston and the fourth end surface of the fourth piston, a third and a fourth working chamber are formed, which are closely separated by a second partition wall.

With the present design concept according to the invention an aggregate is now created on the basis of a ball assembly, which no longer has only two working chambers, but four working chambers, and this without increasing the number of pistons, which is still four. This is made possible by the two partitions according to the invention, which subdivide the existing in the known units two working chambers each in two working chambers. The unit according to the invention is therefore also in its design a four-cylinder unit.

Due to the subdivision of the previously provided two working chambers in two working chambers, the advantage is achieved that the two facing end surfaces of the first and third pistons and the second and fourth piston no longer have to perform opposing pivotal movements to the Boxer principle to each other, because the end faces of the piston now work against the not participating in the pivoting partitions. The first and the third piston work against the first partition, and the second and fourth pistons work against the second partition. As a result, in turn, the advantage is achieved that the first piston and the third piston do not have to work simultaneously against the first partition, but can work alternately, that is with a phase difference, against the first partition. The same applies to the second and fourth pistons. This leads, as will be described below, to a simplified kinematics, which no longer requires sinusoidal control curves on the cam member.

Thus, it is provided in a preferred embodiment that the control mechanism is designed so that all pistons are pivotable in the same direction, such that the first working chamber and the fourth working chamber occupy their maximum volume when the second and third working chamber occupy their minimum volume, and vice versa.

Especially the inventive design of the unit with a total of four working chambers allows this particularly simple control mechanism, which moreover has the advantage that cams of the cam member can obtain a particularly simple shape.

In a further preferred embodiment, the cam member has two control cams which extend in a circle around the axis of rotation, with circular planes of the cams running obliquely with respect to an axis perpendicular to the pivot axis and to the axis of rotation.

Of the two cams one serves to guide the first and third pistons on the cam member, while the other cam serves to guide the second and fourth pistons on the cam member. The particularly easy to manufacture embodiment of the cam member with two circular with respect to the axis of rotation formed cams has the particular advantage that the smoothness of the unit, that is, when the pistons are guided during operation of the unit along the two cams, is particularly high. Because of the circular configuration of the two cams, the pistons experience no change of direction in their guidance on the two control cams, as in the case of sinusoidal control cams which is particularly noticeable at high speeds, the tendency that the pistons jump in the direction changes of the leadership as on a ski jump.

In the aforementioned embodiment of the two cams as circular cams the pivoting movements are thus generated only by the inclination of the cam crevices. For the full stroke between bottom dead center and top dead center in this case a rotation of the piston or rotation of the cam member is required by 180 °. This also contributes to the smoother running.

The two control cams preferably extend substantially parallel to each other in the sense of a synchronous pivotal movement of all the pistons.

In contrast to the curve members with sinusoidal control cams of the known units, the cam member of the unit according to the invention can be produced particularly simply and therefore cost-effectively.

The essentially existing parallelism of the two cams can also be realized very easily and leads to an exact synchronization of the pivoting movements of the four pistons.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first and the second piston are rigidly connected to each other to a first pair of pistons, and the third and the fourth piston are rigidly connected together to form a second pair of pistons.

This measure has the advantage that only two bearings are required for the bearing of the four pistons on the pivot axis, namely only one bearing for each pair of pistons. As a result, the number of parts is advantageously reduced.

In a further preferred refinement, at least one first end section of the first piston adjoining the first end face and at least one third end section of the third piston adjoining the third end face are guided in a gas-tight sliding manner in a first piston guide sleeve, and at least one A second end section of the second piston adjoining the second end surface and at least one fourth end section of the fourth piston adjoining the fourth end surface are slidably guided in a gas-tight manner in a second piston guide sleeve.

In this embodiment, the first and third pistons and the second and fourth pistons are no longer received directly in a piston guide incorporated in the piston cage in the inner wall piston guide, but arranged in a piston cage in the first and second piston guide sleeve, which are fixedly connected to the piston cage of However, this are preferably separable. The inner wall of the respective piston guide sleeve forms the peripheral wall of the respective working chamber. The separate embodiment of the piston guide in the form of piston guide sleeves has the advantage that the piston guide sleeves can be made of a different material than the piston cage. Thus, the piston guide sleeves can be made of a particularly abrasion-resistant material, the piston guide sleeves may be provided on the inside if necessary with a coating. For example, the piston cage may be made of high quality steel, titanium or cast aluminum, while the piston guide sleeves may be made of an aluminum alloy with a Nikasil coating, titanium sintered metal, magnesium or ceramic sinter. The piston guide sleeves can be made particularly thin-walled, which significantly improves the heat dissipation of the piston in the working chambers. In addition, the piston cage, since he no longer has to ensure the gas-tightness in the working chambers in this embodiment, be provided with large openings at least in the area of the piston guide sleeves, whereby the piston guide sleeves are outside very well accessible for a lubricant / coolant. In the event that the piston guide sleeves are separably connected to the piston cage, the piston guide sleeves can advantageously be replaced when worn, without having to replace the entire piston cage.

Preferably, the first end portion of the first piston and the third end portion of the third piston and the second end portion of the second piston and the fourth end portion of the fourth piston on the respective inner wall of the respective piston guide sleeve sealingly abut only by means of at least one arranged on the piston seal. The outer walls of the aforementioned end portions the pistons, on the other hand, are preferably not in direct contact with the inner walls of the piston guide sleeves in order to significantly reduce friction losses.

In connection with the above-mentioned embodiment, it is furthermore preferred if the first dividing wall is arranged in the first piston guide sleeve and the second dividing wall is arranged in the second piston guide sleeve.

While it is understood that in the event that the pistons are not accommodated in piston guide sleeves, the two partitions are correspondingly to be arranged directly in the piston cage, the above measure has the advantage that the piston cage can be made particularly simple and especially airy, as already has been described above in connection with the provision of piston guide sleeves.

In this case, preferably the first piston guide sleeve including the first partition is formed monolithic, and / or the second piston guide sleeve is formed monolithically including the second partition.

An advantage here is that due to the monolithic design of the piston guide sleeves in addition to integration of the two partitions in the two piston guide sleeves any leaks in the first and second working chamber or the third and fourth working chamber, in particular in the region of the partitions are avoided.

In connection with the embodiment given above, in which two pistons are rigidly connected to a pair of pistons, it is further preferred if the first piston pair has a first piston pair body, the first end portion and the second end portion being detachably connected to the first piston pair body , and / or when the second piston pair has a second piston pair body, wherein the third end portion and the fourth end portion are detachably connected to the second piston pair body.

This embodiment is particularly advantageous in connection with a monolithic design of the two piston guide sleeves, since the detachable connection of the respective end sections of the respective piston pair substantially simplifies installation of the pistons into the respective piston guide sleeve despite their indivisibility. During assembly, in this embodiment, the end portions can be inserted on both sides of the respective partition in the respective piston guide sleeve, and then the respective piston pair body is attached to the end sections already used in the piston guide sleeves and then, for example by means of screws, which from the side facing away from the respective end portion are used in the respective piston pair body to be screwed to the respective end portion. The end sections have thereby the actual piston function and thus represent the actual piston, while the piston body, which connects the end portions, has the function of a connecting rod.

Another advantage of the separate embodiment (without connecting means such as screws) of the piston end portions is that the piston pair bodies may be made of a lightweight, tough carbon fiber composite, titanium, aluminum alloy, or other lightweight and tough material while the piston end portions can be made of typical piston aluminum or other light metal, such as magnesium. However, the end portions may also be made of a carbon fiber composite or ceramic.

Yet another advantage of the separate embodiment of Kolbenendabschnitte is that the Kolbenendabschnitte, which represent the actual piston with sealing tasks, are interchangeable, or adapted to any particular application of the unit and executed.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first piston guide sleeve and the second piston guide sleeve are fixed in the piston cage by positive locking.

It is advantageous that for fixing the position of the piston guide sleeve in the piston cage no additional fixing, such as fittings or the like, are required to keep the piston guide sleeve positionally stable. In addition, this reduces the assembly effort when installing the piston guide sleeves in the piston cage, and the piston guide sleeves can be very easily and quickly removed for replacement against another piston guide sleeve. The positive connection is preferably realized by a positive play-free enclosure of the piston guide sleeves through the piston cage.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first partition and / or the second partition are formed chambered with at least one cavity.

It is advantageous that the provided with at least one cavity partitions can be internally cooled, which is equivalent to a cylinder head cooling. It can be integrated into the partitions cooling coils.

Another advantage of the chambered design of the partitions is that they can be formed as an integral hollow profile with web walls transverse to the dividing wall surface, so that the partitions are highly pressure-stable and can withstand the resulting pressure in the working chambers well.

In a further preferred embodiment, the cam member is rotatable about the axis of rotation, and the cam member is rotatably connected to a rotor of an electromotive part, which is arranged in the housing.

Alternatively to this embodiment, the piston cage can be rotatable together with the four pistons about the axis of rotation, and the piston cage is rotatably connected to a rotor of an electromotive part, which is arranged in the housing.

In both cases mentioned above, the unit according to the invention is thus equipped with a piston engine and with an electromotive part. The aggregate according to the invention can thus be used, for example, as a compressor work, wherein the drive electric motor is integrated into the unit, or the unit can operate as a current generator by the piston motor part drives the electromotive part, so that it generates electrical energy.

In a further preferred embodiment, each of the four working chambers is assigned in each case an inlet and an outlet for a respective working medium.

As already mentioned, the four working chambers of the unit according to the invention are in each case capable of running the same working process as the other three working chambers, whereby correspondingly each working chamber must have a gas inlet and a gas outlet.

In the event that the unit according to the invention is designed as an internal combustion engine, furthermore, each working chamber is assigned an inlet for a combustion medium and, if appropriate, an ignition means, for example a spark plug.

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 can be used not only in the particular combination given, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Figur 1

ein Aggregat gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel in einem Längsschnitt senkrecht zu einer Schwenkachse und parallel zu einer Drehachse;

Figur 2

einen inneren Teil des Aggregats in Fig. 1, wobei gegenüber Fig. 1 das Gehäuse weggelassen ist, und wobei die Kolben in Fig. 2 in einer gegenüber Fig. 1 veränderten Betriebsstellung gezeigt sind;

Figur 3

den inneren Teil des Aggregats gemäß Fig. 2 in perspektivischer Darstellung;

Figur 4

den inneren Teil des Aggregats in einer Darstellung wie in Fig. 2, wobei die Kolben in einer gegenüber Fig. 2 veränderten Betriebsstellung gezeigt sind;

Figur 5

den inneren Teil des Aggregats in einer Darstellung wie in Fig. 2, wobei die Kolben in einer noch weiteren Betriebsstellung gezeigt sind;

Figuren 6a) und b)

ein durch zwei Kolben des Aggregats in Fig. 1 bis 6 gebildetes Kolbenpaar, wobei Fig. 7a) das Kolbenpaar im zusammengesetzten Zustand und Fig. 7b) das Kolbenpaar in zerlegtem Zustand zeigt;

Figur 7

eine Hälfte eines Kurvengliedes des Aggregats in Fig. 1 in einer ebenen Ansicht;

Figur 8

die Hälfte des Kurvengliedes in Fig. 8 in perspektivischer Darstellung;

Figur 9

einen Kolbenkäfig des Aggregats in Fig. 1 mit darin eingesetzten Kolbenführungshülsen, wobei eine der Kolbenführungshülsen aufgebrochen dargestellt ist, und wobei zwei Hälften des Kolbenkäfigs auseinandergezogen gezeigt sind; und

Figur 10

ein Aggregat gemäß einem weiteren, gegenüber dem Aggregat in Fig. 1 abgewandelten Ausführungsbeispiel in einer Darstellung wie in Fig. 1.

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

FIG. 1

an aggregate according to a first embodiment in a longitudinal section perpendicular to a pivot axis and parallel to a rotation axis;

FIG. 2

an inner part of the unit in Fig. 1 , being opposite Fig. 1 the housing is omitted, and wherein the pistons in Fig. 2 in one opposite Fig. 1 changed operating position are shown;

FIG. 3

the inner part of the unit according to Fig. 2 in perspective view;

FIG. 4

the inner part of the aggregate in a representation like in Fig. 2 , with the pistons in one opposite Fig. 2 changed operating position are shown;

FIG. 5

the inner part of the aggregate in a representation like in Fig. 2 wherein the pistons are shown in yet another operative position;

FIGS. 6a) and b)

a through two pistons of the unit in Fig. 1 to 6 formed piston pair, wherein Fig. 7a) the piston pair in the assembled state and Fig. 7b) shows the piston pair in disassembled state;

FIG. 7

one half of a curve member of the unit in Fig. 1 in a level view;

FIG. 8

half of the curve element in Fig. 8 in perspective view;

FIG. 9

a piston cage of the unit in Fig. 1 with piston guide sleeves inserted therein, wherein one of the piston guide sleeves is shown broken, and wherein two halves of the piston cage are shown exploded; and

FIG. 10

an aggregate according to another, compared to the unit in Fig. 1 modified embodiment in a representation as in Fig. 1 ,

In Fig. 1 an aggregate provided with the general reference numeral 10 is shown. The unit 10 is configured in the embodiment shown as a compressor with an integrated electromotive part. However, with minor modifications, the engine 10 may also be used as an internal combustion engine with an integrated electromotive part. However, use as a compressor is a preferred use.

Further details of the unit 10 are in Fig. 2 to 9 shown. Fig. 10 shows a slightly modified embodiment of the unit 10th

Regarding Fig. 1 For example, the unit 10 has a housing 12, which is essentially formed by two housing halves 14 and 16. The two housing halves 14 and 16 are fastened to each other via a plurality of screws, not shown.

In the housing 12, a piston motor part 18 and an electromotive part 20 are arranged. First, the piston engine part 18, also with respect to Fig. 2 to 9 , described in more detail.

The piston engine part 18 has a first piston 22, a second piston 24, a third piston 26 and a fourth piston 28. The first piston 22 and the second piston 24 are rigidly connected to a first pair of pistons 29. The third piston 26 and the fourth piston 28 are rigidly connected to a second pair of pistons 30.

Fig. 6a ) and b) show the first pair of pistons 29 in isolation. The first pair of pistons 29 has a total of three parts (the same applies to the second pair of pistons 30). The piston pair 28 has a piston pair body 32, to both sides of a first end portion 34 of the first piston 22 and a second end portion 36 of the second piston 24 is releasably connected. The detachable connection of the end portions 34 and 36 with the piston pair body 32 is realized by means of screws 38, 40 and 42, 44. The end portions 34 and 36 form the actual pistons 22 and 24. The Piston pair body 32, which has the function of a connecting rod, furthermore has a bearing eye 46. The second pair of pistons 30 has corresponding end portions 35 and 37 and a piston pair body 33 (see Fig. 2 ).

Again with respect to Fig. 1 to 9 the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 are pivotably mounted on an axis 48, wherein the axis 48 defines a pivot axis 50. The bearing of the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 on the axis 48 takes place here via the bearing eyes of the piston pair body, as described above for the bearing eye 46 of the piston pair body 32 of the piston pair 29. By combining the pistons 22 and 24 to the first pair of pistons 29 and the piston 26 and 28 to the second pair of pistons 30, the storage of the piston 22, 24, 26, 28 on the axis 48 is easy to accomplish, as for the four pistons 22nd , 24, 26, 28 only two bearing eyes are required.

The pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 perform reciprocating pivotal movements about the pivot axis 50 which are limited in stroke between a TDC position (top dead center) and a BDC (bottom dead center) position.

The first piston 22 has a first end surface 52, the second piston 24 has a second end surface 54, the third piston 26 has a third end surface 56, and the fourth piston 28 has a fourth end surface 58.

The end surfaces 52, 54, 56, 58 are as in FIG Fig. 3 seen, designed as circular areas.

Each of the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 is assigned its own working chamber. According to Fig. 2 the first piston 22 is a first working chamber 60, the second piston 24, a second working chamber 62, the third piston 26, a third working chamber 64 and the fourth piston 28, a fourth working chamber 66 assigned.

The working chambers 60, 62, 64, 66 are used in the case of the embodiment of the unit 10 as a compressor for sucking a working medium, in particular air, and compressing and expelling thereof under pressure.

The first working chamber 60 is separated from the third working chamber 64 by a first partition, and the second working chamber 62 is separated from the fourth working chamber 66 by a second partition 70. The separation of the working chambers 60, 64 and 62, 66 from each other through the partition walls 68, 70 is gas-tight, so that a transfer of working fluid between the working chambers 60, 64, 62, 66 is avoided.

The partitions 68, 70 are chambered with at least one cavity, in each case three cavities 68a, 68b, 68c or 70a, 70b, 70c (see FIG Fig. 2 ).

The first working chamber 60 is thus seen in the pivoting direction of the piston 22 through the first end surface 52 and a first wall surface 72 of the partition 68, the second working chamber 62 through the second end surface 54 and a second wall surface 74 of the partition 70, the third working chamber 64 through the third end surface 56 and a third wall surface 76 of the partition wall 68 and the fourth working chamber 66 bounded by the fourth end surface 58 and a fourth wall surface 78 of the partition wall 70.

To generate the reciprocating pivotal movements of the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 and the piston pairs 28, 30 about the pivot axis 50, the unit 10 further comprises a control mechanism 80. The control mechanism 80 has a cam 82 which, in Fig. 7 and 8th each half in isolation is shown.

The cam member 82 has two cams 84 and 86, which with respect to a rotation axis 88 (see also Fig. 1 ), which like the pivot axis 50 is to be understood as a geometric axis, extend in a circle through 360 °. The axis of rotation 88 extends perpendicular to the pivot axis 50. The control curves 84 and 86 define circuit levels, with respect to a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis 50 and the axis of rotation 88 symmetry axis 89 (see Fig. 7 ) obliquely. How out Fig. 7 can be seen, the two cams 84 and 86 are substantially parallel to each other.

According to Fig. 2 For example, the first piston 22 has a first running member 91, the second piston 24 is a running member 93, the third piston 26 is a running member 95, and the fourth piston 28 is a running member 97. The running members 91, 93, 95, 97 are in the form of balls, which are formed in ball mounts or ball sockets on a respective rear side of the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 in the respective piston pair body 32, 33. Although the four pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 are combined to form the pairs of pistons 29, 30, so that it would be possible in principle to associate only one of the pistons 22, 24 and 26, 28, a running member, the embodiment chosen here has the Advantage of a more uniform mass distribution.

About the running members 91, 93, 95, 97 in the form of balls which are freely rotatable in the respective ball seats in all spatial axes, the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 are guided on the cam member 82. The running members 91, 95 are guided along the control cam 84 and the running members 93, 97 along the control cam 86.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 1 the cam member 82 is rotatable about the rotation axis 88. The pistons 22, 24, 26, 28, however, are fixed with respect to the axis of rotation 88. Upon rotation of the cam member 82 about the axis of rotation 88, the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 perform reciprocating pivotal movements. The pivoting movements of all the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 are in the same direction, that is, the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 alternately pivot together in a clockwise direction and together in the counterclockwise direction about the pivot axis 50. This means that the first working chamber 60 and the fourth working chamber 66 in the same direction zoom in and out, and also increase and decrease the second working chamber 62 and the third working chamber 64 in the same direction. On the other hand, the reduction or increase in the volume of the working chambers 60 and 66 is in the opposite direction to the enlargement and reduction of the volume of the working chambers 62 and 64.

Fig. 1 shows an operating position of the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28, in which the working chambers 62 and 64 occupy their maximum volume, while the working chambers 60 and 66 occupy their minimum volume. Fig. 2 shows starting from Fig. 1 an operating position of the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28, in which all the working chambers 60, 62, 64 and 66 occupy the same volume, that is, starting from Fig. 1 the volume of the working chambers 60 and 66 has increased, the volume of the working chambers 62, 64, however, reduced. Fig. 3 shows the operating position of the piston 22, 24, 26, 28 in Fig. 2 perspective. Fig. 4 shows an operating position of the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28, in which the working chambers 60 and 66 occupy their maximum volume, while the working chambers 62 and 64 now occupy their minimum volume. For the transition of the operating position of the piston 22, 24, 26, 28 in Fig. 1 into the operating position in Fig. 4 the cam member 82 has rotated through 180 ° about the axis of rotation 88. Upon further rotation of the cam member 82 about the axis of rotation 88 by 180 °, the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 return to their operative position as in FIG Fig. 1 one who is also in Fig. 5 is shown.

The piston engine part 18 of the unit 10 further has a piston cage 90, in which the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 are arranged. In the present embodiment, in which the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 are fixed in position relative to the axis of rotation 88, the piston cage 90 is also fixed in position relative to the axis of rotation 88.

The piston cage 90 is without the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 in Fig. 9 shown in isolation.

According to Fig. 9 the piston cage 90 is divided into two halves 92 and 94. The piston cage 90 has at each end an end flange 96 and 98, via which the piston cage 90 is held fixed in the housing 12 (see also Fig. 1 ). In the piston cage, a first piston guide sleeve 100 and a second piston guide sleeve 102 are arranged. In addition, with respect to Fig. 2 The first piston guide sleeve 100 serves for gas-tight sliding guidance of the first end portion 34 of the first piston 22 and the third end portion 35 of the third piston 26. The second piston guide sleeve 102 is used in accordance with the gas-tight sliding guide of the second end portion 36 of the second piston 24 and the fourth end portion 37th of the fourth piston 28. The piston guide sleeves 100 and 102 have for receiving the end portions 34, 35, 36, 37 corresponding recordings, as in Fig. 9 for a receptacle 104 of the second piston guide sleeve 102 for the fourth end portion 37 is shown. The piston guide sleeves 100 and 102 are like the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 curved cylindrical, wherein the curvature of the piston guide sleeves 100 and 102 is concentric with the pivot axis 50.

The receptacles for the end portions 34, 35, 36, 37 in the piston guide sleeves 100 and 102, as for the receptacle 104 of the end portion 37 in Fig. 9 is shown, thus forming the respective perimeter boundary of the working chambers 60, 62, 64,66.

The partition wall 68 is disposed in the piston guide sleeve 100, and the partition wall 70 in the piston guide sleeve 102. The piston guide sleeve 100 and the piston guide sleeve 102 are each formed monolithically, including the partition wall 68 and the partition 70. The monolithic, that is the undivided Embodiment of the piston guide sleeves 100 and 102 is made possible by the multi-part design of the piston pairs 29 and 30, as already described above. For the assembly of the piston pairs 29, 30 with the piston guide sleeves 100, 102 namely the end portions 34, 35, 36, 37 are initially used without the piston pair body 32, 33 in the respective receptacle of the piston guide sleeves 100, 102, and then the piston pair body 32nd , 33 bolted to the end portions 34, 35, 36, 37. How out Fig. 1 to 5 and 9 it can be seen, the piston guide sleeves 100 and 102 extend only about a partial circumference about the pivot axis 50 around.

Again with respect to Fig. 1 For example, the unit 10 has an inlet and an outlet for a working medium for each of the working chambers 60, 62, 64, 66. The working chamber 60 is associated with an inlet 106 and an outlet 108, the working chamber 62 an inlet 110 and an outlet 112, the working chamber 64 an inlet 114 and an outlet 116, and the working chamber 66 an inlet 118 and an outlet 120th

In the piston cage 90 are, as in Fig. 4 is shown, according to gas exchange openings 122 (working chamber 60), 124 (working chamber 62), 126 (working chamber 64) and 128 (working chamber 66). The gas exchange openings 122, 124, 126, 128 pass through the piston guide sleeves 100 and 102.

According to Fig. 1 in the gas exchange openings 122, 124, 126, 128 valves, in particular flutter valves, arranged, as shown for a flutter valve 130, which sits in the gas exchange opening 122.

In the case that the unit 10 is designed as an internal combustion engine, corresponding injectors for a fuel and possibly spark plugs are still provided so that in each of the working chambers 60, 62, 64, 66, a combustion process can take place.

The electromotive part 20 of the unit 10 has a rotor 132, which in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 is formed by the rotating cam member 82 itself. The cam member 82, which externally surrounds the pistons 22, 24, 26, 28 with respect to the axis of rotation 88, carries on its outside magnets 134 (see also FIG Fig. 8 ). The cam member 82, which thus forms the rotor 132 of the electromotive part 20, is rotatably mounted in the housing 12 via ring bearings 136 and 138 about the axis of rotation 88.

A stator 140 of the electromotive part 20 is arranged in the housing 12 and here has a core 142, for example. An iron core, which is surrounded by windings 144.

The electromotive part 20 is used in the case of the embodiment of the unit 10 as a compressor as an electric drive to put the cam member 82 in rotation about the axis of rotation 88 while driving the piston motor part 18 of the unit 10, that is, the reciprocating pivotal movements of the piston 22, 24, 26, 28 to produce.

In Fig. 10 is a relation to the unit 10 slightly modified embodiment of an aggregate 10 ', wherein for the unit 10' the the same reference numerals have been used as for the unit 10, supplemented by a '. The entire preceding description of the unit 10 applies with the following exceptions to the unit 10 ', so that reference is otherwise made to the description of the unit 10.

The difference of the unit 10 'to the unit 10 is that the cam member 82' is fixed to the housing in the housing 12 'is arranged. This meant that the cam member 82 'could not rotate about the axis of rotation 88'. In contrast, in the assembly 10 'of the piston cage 90' together with the piston guide sleeves 100, 102 and the piston 22 ', 24', 26 ', 28' rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation 88 'in the housing 12', including the piston cage 90 ' via ring bearing 146 ', 148' rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation 88 'is mounted.

Accordingly, now forms the piston cage 90 'itself the rotor 132' of the electromotive part 20 'of the unit 10' and carries on an annular flange 150 ', the magnets 134'.

Furthermore, the unit 10 'in the gas exchange openings 122', 124 ', 126' and 128 'requires no valves, since due to the rotation of the piston cage 90' and the circumferentially limited gas exchange openings 122 ', 124' lying on the rotation axis 88 ', 126 ', 128' of the piston cage 90 ', the inlets 106', 110 ', 114', 118 'and the outlets 108', 112 ', 116' and 120 'in the manner of a rotary valve opens and closes.

Claims (14)

1. An aggregate, in particular compressor or combustion engine, comprising a housing (12; 12') in which are arranged four pistons (22, 24, 26, 28; 22', 24', 26', 28') of which a first piston (22; 22') has a first end face (52), a second piston (24; 24') a second end face (54), a third piston (26; 26') a third end face (56) facing the first end face (52), and a fourth piston (28; 28') a fourth end face (58) facing the second end face (54), wherein the pistons (22, 24, 26, 28; 22', 24', 26', 28') are pivotably moveable about a pivot axis (50) in reciprocating motion with limited stroke, further comprising a piston cage (90; 90') which is arranged in the housing (12; 12') and in which the four pistons (22, 24, 26, 28; 22', 24', 26', 28') are arranged, furthermore comprising a control mechanism (80) in the housing (12; 12'), which mechanism has a curve element (82; 82') on which the pistons (22, 24, 26, 28; 22', 24', 26', 28') are guided to generate their pivot movements, wherein the pistons (22', 24', 26', 28') together with the piston cage (90') are rotatable or the curve element (82) is rotatable in the housing (12; 12') about a rotational axis (88; 88') perpendicular to the pivot axis (50), wherein the curve element (82; 82') is arranged radially outside the pistons (22, 24, 26, 28; 22', 24', 26', 28') in the manner of a ring about the rotational axis (88; 88'), and further comprising working chambers (60; 62; 64; 66) in the housing (12) each for a working medium, which chambers are arranged between the facing end faces (52, 56 and 54, 58) of the pistons (22, 24, 26, 28; 22', 24', 26', 28'), characterized in that between the first end face (52) of the first piston (22; 22') and the third end face (56) of the third piston (26; 26') are arranged a first and a second working chamber (60, 62) which are separated tightly from each other by a first partition wall (68), and that between the second end face (54) of the second piston (24; 24') and the fourth end face (58) of the fourth piston (28; 28') are arranged a third and a fourth working chamber (64, 66) which are separated tightly from each other by a second partition wall (70).
2. The aggregate of Claim 1, characterized in that the control mechanism (80) is configured such that all pistons (22, 24, 26, 28; 22', 24', 26', 28') are pivotably moveable in the same direction such that the first working chamber (60) and the fourth working chamber (66) assume their maximum volume when the second and third working chambers (62, 64) assume their minimum volume, and vice versa.
3. The aggregate of Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the curve element (82; 82') has two control curves (84, 86) which extend in a circular fashion around the rotational axis (88; 88'), wherein circle planes of the control curves (84, 86) are oriented obliquely in relation to an axis (89) perpendicular to the pivot axis (50) and to the rotational axis (88; 88').
4. The aggregate of Claim 3, characterized in that the two control curves (84, 86) are arranged substantially parallel to each other.
5. The aggregate of any of Claims 1 through 4, characterized in that the first and second pistons (22, 24; 22', 24') are rigidly connected together into a first piston pair (29) and that the third and fourth pistons (26, 28; 26', 28') are rigidly connected together into a second piston pair (30).
6. The aggregate of any of Claims 1 through 5, characterized in that at least one first end portion (34) of the first piston (22; 22') adjacent to the first end face (52) and at least one third end portion (35) of the third piston (26; 26') adjacent to the third end face (56) are guided sliding gas-tightly in a first piston guide sleeve (100), and that at least one second end portion (36) of the second piston (24; 24') adjacent to the second end face (54) and at least one fourth end portion (37) of the fourth piston (28; 28') adjacent to the fourth end face (58) are guided sliding gas-tightly in a second piston guide sleeve (102).
7. The aggregate of Claim 6, characterized in that the first partition wall (68) is arranged in the first piston guide sleeve (100) and the second partition wall (70) in the second piston guide sleeve (102).
8. The aggregate of Claim 7, characterized in that the first piston guide sleeve (100) including the first partition wall (68) is formed monolithic and/or that the second piston guide sleeve (102) including the second partition wall (70) is formed monolithic.
9. The aggregate of Claim 5 and any of Claims 6 through 8, characterized in that the first piston pair (29) has a first piston pair body (32), wherein the first end portion (34) and the second end portion (36) are detachably connected with the first piston pair body (32), and/or that the second piston pair (30) has a second piston pair body (33), wherein the third end portion (35) and the fourth end portion (37) are detachably connected with the second piston body (33).
10. The aggregate of any of Claims 6 through 9, characterized in that the first piston guide sleeve (100) and the second piston guide sleeve (102) are fixed in the piston cage (90; 90') by form fit.
11. The aggregate of any of Claims 1 through 10, characterized in that the first partition wall (68) and/or the second partition wall (70) are configured chambered with at least one cavity (68a, 68b, 68c, 70a, 70b, 70c).
12. The aggregate of any of Claims 1 through 11, characterized in that the curve element (82) is rotatable about the rotational axis (88), and that the curve element (88) is connected rotationally fixed with a rotor (132) of an electric motor part (20) which is arranged in the housing (12).
13. The aggregate of any of Claims 1 through 11, characterized in that the piston cage (90') together with the four pistons (22', 24', 26', 28') is rotatable about the rotational axis (88'), and that the piston cage (90') is connected rotationally fixed with a rotor (132') of an electric motor part (20') which is arranged in the housing.
14. The aggregate of any of Claims 1 through 13, characterized in that an inlet (106, 110, 114, 118) and an outlet (108, 112, 116, 120) for a working medium are allocated to each of the four working chambers (60, 62, 64, 66).

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