JP2009254163A - Power generating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To supply power to a predetermined device within an internal-combustion engine without an external connection. <P>SOLUTION: A power generating apparatus 10a has a rotary power generator 64 provided in a connecting rod 22 of the internal-combustion engine 12, and an eccentric rotor 66 for applying a rotational force to the rotary power generator 64. The eccentric rotor 66 acts on the rotary power generator 64 and causes it to generate power by a movement of the connecting rod 22. A detector 60 includes a temperature measurement sensor 72 and a transmitter 78, and is provided in a position on the side of a small end 42 nearer than the middle C of the connecting rod 22. The power generating apparatus 10a supplies power, and is provided in a position on the side of a large end 46 nearer than the middle C. The eccentric rotor 66 is easily rotated by a circular movement. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a power generator that is provided in an internal combustion engine and can supply power to a predetermined device in the internal combustion engine without being connected to the outside.

  In research and development of internal combustion engines, it is important to experimentally confirm the state of each part by operating an actual internal combustion engine. In particular, since the piston becomes hot due to fuel combustion and is used under severe conditions of moving at high speed, it is desired to accurately measure temperature, strain, and the like.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, in order to measure the temperature of the top surface of the piston, a sensor having a heat radiation capturing means is attached to a hole formed in the cylinder head.

  In Patent Document 2, a lead wire derived from a temperature measurement point of a piston is wound along the axial direction of a piston rod corresponding to a connecting rod, and is drawn outside through a scavenging chamber. Patent Document 2 discloses that a signal measured by a sensor is transmitted wirelessly.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 3 proposes a power generation device having a coil, a magnet housed in the coil, and springs disposed on both sides of the magnet in the coil, and is attached to a vibration-type structure. As a result, the magnet vibrates and the coil generates power by electromagnetic induction.

JP 2004-325111 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-288556 JP 2000-69738 A

  In the measuring device described in Patent Document 1, a hole must be provided in the cylinder head in order to mount the sensor, and a part of the sensor protrudes into the combustion chamber, which is different from the original combustion. Can't make accurate measurements. That is, in order to measure the temperature of the piston and the like without affecting the combustion in the combustion chamber, it is desirable to provide the sensor below the piston.

  In the measuring device described in Patent Document 2, a temperature sensor is attached inside the piston wall, and measurement is possible without affecting the combustion chamber. In order to supply power to the temperature sensor and to extract a measurement signal, Lead wires are required. In this measuring device, the lead wire is wound around the connecting rod. However, the connecting rod of the internal combustion engine is complex with both reciprocating motion and swing motion, and operates at high speed. The external force such as friction is large and the durability of the lead wire is low. Further, it is not easy to dispose the lead wire from the piston to the outside through the connecting rod and the scavenging chamber.

  For taking out the measurement signal, it is possible to omit the signal line by using wireless transmission, but a power line is necessary to supply power to the temperature sensor, and the lead line is completely omitted. It is difficult.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power generation apparatus that can supply power to a predetermined device in an internal combustion engine without being connected to the outside.

  A power generation device according to the present invention includes a power generation unit provided on a connecting rod of an internal combustion engine, and a weight unit that applies a force to the power generation unit, and the weight unit is moved to the power generation unit by movement of the connecting rod. It is characterized by generating electricity by acting.

  Thereby, it is possible to efficiently generate power using the movement of the connecting rod, and to supply power to a predetermined device in the internal combustion engine without being connected to the outside.

  A detection device including a sensor and a transmitter may be provided on a smaller end side than the center of the piston or the connecting rod, and power may be supplied to the detection device. Thereby, wiring can be easily performed without greatly changing the relative distance between the detection device and the power generation device.

  The power generation unit may be a rotary generator, and the weight unit may be an eccentric rotor provided on a rotary shaft of the rotary generator, and may be provided on a larger end side than the center of the connecting rod.

  By using the rotary generator and the eccentric rotor, the power generation unit becomes compact. Further, the eccentric rotor can efficiently transmit the movement of the connecting rod to the power generation unit. Further, by providing the power generation device on the large end side with respect to the center of the connecting rod, it is separated from the piston, and temperature rise is suppressed and stable power generation becomes possible.

  In the power generation unit, a plurality of piezoelectric elements may be stacked along the longitudinal direction between the large end and the small end of the connecting rod. With such a laminated structure, the power generation unit can be made compact, and it is preferable to provide the power generation unit along the longitudinal direction. Further, a large electric power can be obtained by using a plurality of piezoelectric elements.

  The weight portion may be provided on a smaller end side than the power generation portion, and may include a biasing unit that biases the weight portion toward the power generation portion.

  In such a configuration, the weight portion presses the power generation portion according to the movement of the connecting rod, and efficient power generation can be performed. Moreover, by providing the weight part on the small end side, the reciprocating motion is substantially performed, and the power generation part can be pressed efficiently. Furthermore, by urging the weight part to the power generation part by the urging means, it is possible to eliminate or suppress the time for the weight part to be separated from the power generation part.

  According to the power generation device of the present invention, power can be generated efficiently using the movement of the connecting rod, and power can be supplied to a predetermined device in the internal combustion engine without being connected to the outside.

  Hereinafter, the first to fourth embodiments of the power generator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached FIGS. The power generators 10 a to 10 d according to the first to fourth embodiments are provided in the internal combustion engine 12. The internal combustion engine 12 is mainly used for experiments in development research, but may be used for general products.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the internal combustion engine 12 is a general reciprocating engine, and is composed of a cylinder head 14 a, a cylinder block 14 b, and an oil pan 14 c as a base. It has a crankshaft 20 that is a shaft, and a connecting rod (hereinafter simply referred to as a connecting rod) 22 that connects the piston 18 and the crankshaft 20. The internal combustion engine 12 further exhausts exhaust gas after combustion, an intake pipe 26 that supplies an air-fuel mixture to an upper combustion chamber of the cylinder 16 via an intake valve 24, an injector 28 that injects fuel into the combustion chamber, and the like. It has an exhaust pipe 32 that exhausts through the valve 30 and a spark plug 34 that ignites the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. The oil pan 14c is provided with an oil gauge hole 36.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the connecting rod 22 includes a small end portion 42 that is pivotally supported by the piston 18 by the piston pin 40 and a large end portion 46 that is pivotally supported by the crankpin 44 of the crankshaft 20. And a rod portion 48 that connects the small end portion 42 and the large end portion 46. The rod portion 48 is narrowed from the large end portion 46 side toward the small end portion 42 side, and the lightening portions 50 are provided on both side surfaces. The large end portion 46 is configured by attaching a cap portion 52 with a connecting rod bolt 54 to the main body portion. The crankshaft 20 is provided with a counterweight 56 on the opposite side of the crankpin 44.

  Thus, the connecting rod 22 is a general one used for the internal combustion engine 12. The power generation device 10a according to the first embodiment is provided on the large end 46 side of the connecting rod 22 from the center C, and the detection device 60 is provided on the small end 42 side of the center C. The center C is the midpoint between the axis of the crank pin 44 at the large end 46 and the axis of the piston pin 40 at the small end 42. The power generation device 10a and the detection device 60 can be simply fixed to the connecting rod 22 by means such as screws, pins, adhesion, or welding, and no special processing is required.

  The power generation device 10a and the detection device 60 are connected by a lead wire 62, are housed in the lightening portion 50 in a side view (see FIG. 2), are compact, and easy to assemble. Since the lead wire 62 is sufficiently short and is provided integrally with the connecting rod 22, even if the connecting rod 22 operates, it does not receive bending or friction and has a long life. The lead wire 62 is a power supply wire, and basically two pluses and minuses are sufficient. The minus line may be chassis ground using the connecting rod 22.

  The power generation device 10 a includes a rotary generator (power generation unit) 64 and an eccentric rotor (weight unit) 66 provided on a rotation shaft 64 a of the rotary generator 64. The rotary generator 64 uses a DC brush motor as a generator. The eccentric rotor 66 has a fan shape of approximately 180 °, and is substantially within the width range of the rod portion 48 in a side view (see FIG. 2), and is lightweight and compact. The power generation device 10a may use a vibration generating motor for incoming calls used for a mobile phone.

  By the way, in the operation of the internal combustion engine 12, the connecting rod 22 has a function of converting the reciprocating motion of the piston 18 into the rotational motion of the crankshaft 20. Therefore, the piston pin 40 at the small end 42 near the piston 18 in the connecting rod 22 is reciprocated, and the crank pin 44 at the large end 46 near the crankshaft 20 is circular. The connecting rod 22 as a whole has a combined reciprocating motion and swinging motion.

  Since the power generation device 10a is provided on the large end 46 side of the center C, the lateral movement amount is at least 0.5R or more with respect to the vertical movement amount R (see FIGS. 4B and 4C). Therefore, the eccentric rotor 66 rotates around the rotating shaft 64a in response to the centrifugal force around the crankshaft 20.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the piston 18 is at the top dead center, an upward centrifugal force is applied, and the eccentric rotor 66 also faces upward. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the crankpin 44 is rotated 90 ° to the rightmost side, a rightward centrifugal force is applied, and the eccentric rotor 66 is also directed rightward. As shown in FIG. 4C, when the piston 18 is at the bottom dead center after being rotated by 180 °, a downward centrifugal force is applied, and the eccentric rotor 66 is also directed downward. As shown in FIG. 4D, when the crank pin 44 comes to the leftmost side after being rotated by 270 °, a leftward centrifugal force is applied, and the eccentric rotor 66 is also turned leftward.

  As described above, in the power generation apparatus 10 a, the eccentric rotor 66 can efficiently generate power by applying a rotational force to the rotary generator 64 by the movement of the connecting rod 22. Further, although the crank chamber is sealed, power can be supplied to the detection device 60 in the internal combustion engine 12 without being connected to the outside.

  The power generation device 10a is provided on the large end 46 side of the center C, and is appropriately separated from the piston 18 so that temperature increase is suppressed and stable power generation is possible.

  The eccentric amount and weight of the eccentric rotor 66 may be set by considering and calculating the rotational speed of the crankshaft 20, the power generation device 10a, the mounting position, the power generation load, and the like. Basically, the eccentric rotor 66 is set to rotate once as the crankshaft 20 rotates once. However, depending on the design conditions, the crankshaft 20 may be set to rotate a plurality of times (for example, two times). Good.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the detection device 60 is a unit in which a power supply unit 70, a sensor 72, a processing unit 74, a storage unit 76, and a transmitter 78 are integrally configured.

  The power supply unit 70 stabilizes the electric power received from the power generation apparatus 10a, stores an appropriate amount, adjusts the voltage, and supplies the voltage to the sensor 72, the processing unit 74, the storage unit 76, and the transmitter 78. The power supply unit 70 can be simply composed of a capacitor, a Zener diode, and the like. By providing such a power supply unit 70, an appropriate voltage can be output without being affected by fluctuations in the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine 12. The power supply unit 70 may be built in the power generation device 10a. When the power generation device 10a is an AC power generation type, a rectifier circuit may be provided in the power supply unit 70.

  The sensor 72 is a temperature sensor and can contact the surface of the connecting rod 22 to measure the temperature at that location. The sensor 72 and the detection device 60 are provided closer to the small end portion 42 than the center C. The sensor 72 and the detection device 60 are close to the piston 18 and the relative position and orientation thereof hardly change. This state can be detected indirectly with high accuracy. The sensor 72 and the detection device 60 may be provided directly on the piston 18. A plurality of sensors 72 may be provided to measure temperature at a plurality of points.

  The processing unit 74 detects the temperature signal of the sensor 72 and supplies it to the storage unit 76 and the transmitter 78. The memory | storage part 76 memorize | stores the temperature signal of the sensor 72 temporarily as needed. The transmitter 78 wirelessly transmits the temperature signal supplied from the processing unit 74 to the receiver. The receiver has a receiving antenna 80 (see FIG. 1) inside the internal combustion engine 12 and receives a temperature signal transmitted from the transmitter 78. The received temperature signal is recorded in a predetermined recording device. A series of temperature measurement and transmission processing may be performed continuously every minute time, may be performed intermittently at appropriate time intervals, or a certain amount of data is accumulated in the storage unit 76 and collectively. Transmission may be performed.

  As described above, in the detection device 60, at least the sensor 72 and the transmitter 78 are integrally provided, and power can be supplied collectively, and the number of components is suppressed, so that the configuration is simple.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the receiving antenna 80 is provided in the oil gauge hole 36, and no special mounting process is required for the internal combustion engine 12. The receiving antenna 80 may be provided in an existing hole in the internal combustion engine 12, and may be provided in the drain plug 82, for example.

  As described above, the power generation apparatus 10a according to the first embodiment is provided on the connecting rod 22, and the eccentric rotor 66 rotates in conjunction with the movement of the connecting rod 22, so that the rotary generator 64 generates power. Therefore, it is possible to supply power to the detection device 60 in the internal combustion engine 12 without being connected to the outside. That is, part of the kinetic energy of the connecting rod 22 is transmitted to the eccentric rotor 66 serving as the weight portion, and the eccentric rotor 66 acts on the rotary generator 64 serving as the power generation unit to generate power.

  Since the power generation device 10a is provided on the large end 46 side of the center C, the power generation device 10a performs a substantially circular motion and can efficiently generate power. The power generation device 10a is small and lightweight, and does not affect the movement of the connecting rod 22 or the combustion in the combustion chamber.

  The power generation device 10a and the detection device 60 are each stably disposed in the lightening portion 50 of the connecting rod 22, and since the relative distance is short, the lead wire 62 is short and there is no portion between the other members. Assembling is easy. Since the relative position between the power generation device 10a and the detection device 60 does not change, the lead wire 62 does not receive bending or friction.

  Unlike the battery, the power generation apparatus 10a can continue to supply power while the internal combustion engine 12 is operating, and is suitable for a long-time test.

  Next, the power generation device 10b according to the second embodiment will be described. Hereinafter, in the description of the power generation devices 10b to 10d, the attached internal combustion engine 12 and the detection device 60 are the same as those in the case of the power generation device 10a. The power generation devices 10b to 10d supply power to the detection device 60 through the lead wires 62, similarly to the power generation device 10a.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the power generation device 10 b includes a power generation unit 100, a weight unit 102, a coil spring (biasing means) 104, a casing 106, and a lid 108. The power generation device 10b has a long shape, and is provided in the lightening portion 50 along the longitudinal direction between the large end portion 46 and the small end portion 42. In the power generation device 10 b, the power generation unit 100, the weight unit 102, and the coil spring 104 are housed in a lumen formed by the cylindrical casing 106 and the lid 108 from the large end 46 toward the small end 42. The lid 108 is screwed into the casing 106 and serves as a stopper for appropriately compressing the coil spring 104, and the coil spring 104 biases the weight portion 102 toward the power generation unit 100.

  The weight portion 102 is sandwiched between the power generation portion 100 and the coil spring 104 on the small end portion 42 side. The weight portion 102 does not need to be excessively heavy, and the power generation device 10b as a whole is lightweight and does not affect the movement of the connecting rod 22.

  When the spring constant of the coil spring 104 is set to be moderately small, the weight portion 102 and the power generation portion 100 are temporarily separated slightly and then repeatedly contacted again. Thereby, resonance as a single unit of the power generation unit 100 is excited and efficient power generation becomes possible.

  An elastic body (such as a coil spring) may be inserted between the power generation unit 100 and the weight unit 102. In this case, the elastic body, the coil spring 104, and the weight portion 102 appropriately set the resonance frequency of the power generation device 10b, thereby enabling more efficient power generation.

  The power generation unit 100 is configured by stacking a plurality of piezoelectric elements 110 along the longitudinal direction between the large end portion 46 and the small end portion 42, and occupies most of the power generation apparatus 10b. The power generation unit 100 can be made compact by such a laminated structure, and it is preferable to provide the power generation unit 100 along the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod 22.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the piezoelectric elements 110 of the power generation unit 100 are arranged so as to have opposite polarity, and each positive pole is connected to the positive line 62 a of the lead wire 62, and each negative pole is The lead wire 62 is connected to the minus wire 62b. That is, the plurality of piezoelectric elements 110 are connected in parallel, and sufficient power can be secured. Depending on design conditions, the piezoelectric elements 110 may be connected in series or in a complex connection in series and parallel. In the power generation unit 100, large power can be obtained by using the plurality of piezoelectric elements 110.

  In the power generation device 10b configured as described above, when the connecting rod 22 is operated in the operation of the internal combustion engine 12, the weight portion 102 is repeatedly moved up and down, and the load applied to the piezoelectric element 110 is changed by the inertial force of the weight portion 102. And can generate electricity. In particular, since the inertial force applied to the moving object is proportional to the twice differential value of the displacement, the inertial force also peaks when the displacement reaches the peak value, and the power generation amount increases. The connecting rod 22 as a whole has a combined reciprocating motion and swinging motion. However, the weight portion 102 is provided closer to the small end portion 42 than the center C, and thus substantially reciprocates. The part 100 can be pressed efficiently. Furthermore, by urging the weight portion 102 toward the power generation portion 100 by the coil spring 104, the time for the weight portion 102 to be separated from the power generation portion 100 can be eliminated or suppressed.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the power generation device 10 c according to the third embodiment is provided in a cylindrical casing 120, two lids 122 that close both ends of the casing 120, and concentrically within the casing 120. It has a cylindrical coil (power generation unit) 124, two coil springs 126 provided in the coil 124, and a columnar magnet (power generation unit, weight unit) 128 sandwiched between these coil springs 126. . The coil 124 is connected to the lead wire 62. The power generation device 10 c is provided on the small end portion 42 side of the center C in the lightening portion 50 of the connecting rod 22. As the power generation device 10c, one described in Patent Document 3 may be used.

  In the power generation device 10c configured as described above, when the connecting rod 22 operates in the operation of the internal combustion engine 12, the weight portion 102 repeatedly moves up and down while extending and contracting the coil springs 126 at both ends, and electromagnetically acts on the coil 124. Can be generated. The connecting rod 22 as a whole has a combined reciprocating motion and swinging motion. However, the power generation device 10c is provided on the small end 42 side of the center C and performs a substantially reciprocating motion, which makes the coil 124 more efficient. It can generate electricity well.

  The magnet 128 is combined with the coil 124 and functions as a power generation unit. However, since the magnet 128 has a certain weight, it can be interlocked with the operation of the connecting rod 22 and also functions as a weight unit.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the power generation device 10 d according to the fourth embodiment includes a metal plate (weight portion) 130 protruding in the lateral direction and two piezoelectric ceramics (power generation) pasted on both surfaces of the metal plate 130. Part) 132, and a fixture 134 that holds the metal plate 130 and the piezoelectric ceramics 132 by holding them at the ends. The power generation device 10d is a so-called piezoelectric bimorph. The power generation device 10 d is provided on the small end portion 42 side of the center C at the lightening portion 50 of the connecting rod 22.

  In the power generation device 10d, when the connecting rod 22 operates in the operation of the internal combustion engine 12, the metal plate 130 vibrates due to its own weight, and the piezoelectric ceramics 132 can be bent repeatedly to generate power. The connecting rod 22 as a whole has a combined reciprocating motion and swinging motion. However, the power generation device 10d is provided closer to the small end portion 42 than the center C, and performs a reciprocating motion substantially. It is easy to vibrate, and the piezoelectric ceramic 132 can be efficiently generated.

  The sensor 72 of the detection device 60 to be supplied with power by the power generation devices 10a to 10d is not limited to temperature measurement, and may be a strain sensor, an oil temperature sensor, a small camera, or the like. These detection elements and transmitter 78 may be separate.

  The internal combustion engine 12 provided with the power generation devices 10a to 10d is not limited to a gasoline engine, but may be a diesel engine, an LPG engine, or the like, and is not limited to a reciprocating type, but may be a V type, a horizontally opposed type, or the like. In the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine 12, the power generation devices 10 a to 10 d may be typically provided on one connecting rod 22 or may be provided on a plurality of connecting rods 22. When a plurality of antennas are provided, the receiving antenna 80 is preferably shared.

  The power generation device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 is a cross-sectional side view of an internal combustion engine. It is a side view of the connecting rod provided with the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the connecting rod provided with the power generator concerning a 1st embodiment. 4A is a side view showing the connecting rod and the power generator when the piston is at top dead center, FIG. 4B is a side view showing the connecting rod and the power generator when rotated 90 °, and FIG. FIG. 4D is a side view showing the connecting rod and the power generator when rotated by 270 °, and FIG. 4D is a side view showing the connecting rod and the power generator when rotated by 270 °. It is a block block diagram of an electric power generating apparatus and a detection apparatus. It is a partial cross section side view of the connecting rod provided with the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the connecting rod provided with the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a connection diagram of the electric power generation part in the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a partial cross section side view of the connecting rod provided with the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a side view of the connecting rod provided with the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10a-10d ... Power generation device 12 ... Internal combustion engine 18 ... Piston 20 ... Crankshaft 22 ... Connecting rod 42 ... Small end part 46 ... Large end part 48 ... Rod part 50 ... Meat removal part 60 ... Detection apparatus 62 ... Lead wire 64 ... Rotating generator (power generation unit)
64a ... Rotating shaft 66 ... Eccentric rotor (weight)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 70 ... Power supply part 72 ... Sensor 74 ... Processing part 76 ... Memory | storage part 78 ... Transmitter 80 ... Reception antenna 100 ... Power generation part 102 ... Weight part 104 ... Coil spring (biasing means) 110 ... Piezoelectric element 124 ... Coil (power generation part) 128 ... Magnet (power generation part, weight part)
130 ... Metal plate (weight part) 132 ... Piezoelectric ceramics (power generation part)
134 ... Fixing tool C ... Center

Claims (5)

A power generation unit provided on a connecting rod of the internal combustion engine;
A weight portion for applying a force to the power generation portion,
The power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the weight portion acts on the power generation portion by the movement of the connecting rod to generate power. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein
A detection device including a sensor and a transmitter is provided on the small end side of the center of the piston or the connecting rod,
A power generation device that feeds power to the detection device. The power generator according to claim 1 or 2,
The power generation unit is a rotary generator,
The weight portion is an eccentric rotor provided on a rotating shaft of the rotary generator,
A power generator provided on the larger end side than the center of the connecting rod. In the electric power generating apparatus of Claim 3,
The power generation unit, wherein a plurality of piezoelectric elements are stacked along a longitudinal direction between a large end and a small end of the connecting rod. The power generator according to claim 4,
The weight portion is provided on a smaller end side than the power generation portion,
A power generation apparatus comprising urging means for urging the weight portion toward the power generation portion.

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