KR20100080558A - Seal for a rotary valve for an internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

A gas seal between a port of a rotary valve (7) and a port (8) in a combustion chamber (6) of a rotary valve engine, the seal comprising gas channel means (15) forming a turbo valve means (26) surrounding the port (8) in the combustion chamber and compression means for creating a pressure in the gas channel means greater than a pressure in the combustion chamber during a compression stroke and a power stroke of the engine.

Description

Rotary valve seal for internal combustion engine {SEAL FOR A ROTARY VALVE FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE}

The present invention relates to a rotary valve seal for an internal combustion engine.

Since the invention of the known internal combustion engine, which can be used conventionally, was invented in 1892, the principle has changed little by little. While there are various variations of the organs, they have all used similar principles.

Known four-stroke engines include a cylinder block including one or more cylinder bores through which the piston can reciprocate, a crankcase rotatably supporting a crankshaft connected to the piston by a connecting rod, and exhaust following the suction valve and the cylinder bore. A cylinder head comprising a valve mechanism including a valve. As the crankshaft rotates, the piston reciprocates in the cylinder bore. In addition, the camshaft may be rotated within the cylinder head by the rotation of the crankshaft, which uses one of several devices to open and close the intake and exhaust valves of the cylinder head.

In an induction or suction stroke, the piston moves along the cylinder bore in a direction away from the valve mechanism as the intake valve opens. A partial vacuum generated in the combustion chamber in the cylinder bore between the piston and the valve mechanism introduces a mixture of evaporative fuel and air, such as from a vaporizer into the cylinder bore.

In the return stroke, the piston moves along the cylinder bore back toward the valve mechanism with the intake valve closed, at which time the gas in the combustion chamber is compressed between the piston and the end of the bore where the intake and exhaust valves are located.

When the piston reaches the end of its reciprocating motion along the cylinder bore towards the intake valve and the exhaust valve, ignition occurs that ignites the mixture of compressed fuel and air. Thereby, an explosion stroke which pushes a piston in the direction away from a valve mechanism, and eventually rotates a crankshaft occurs.

The piston then moves back towards the valve mechanism, whereby the exhaust valve opens, as a result of which the hot exhaust gas exits the cylinder and the cylinder head and exits the engine through the exhaust gas path.

Four-stroke engines require many parts to operate the valve system within the cylinder head. These parts increase the cost of the engine. The engine can also emit high levels of toxic gases in the exhaust gases.

For many years, high performance engines with high speed and high reliability have been produced because more suitable materials could be used. However, few attempts have been made to produce other types of internal combustion engines, and the two most common engines settled commercially are two-stroke engines. Two-stroke engines differ from the more common four-stroke engines in that they perform the same four processes (suction, compression, explosion, exhaust) with two strokes of piston rather than four strokes. Two-stroke engines are performed by starting with a compression stroke and ending with an explosion stroke to perform the exhaust and suction functions respectively. This can cause the explosion stroke to occur every revolution of the crank, instead of every two revolutions as in a four-stroke engine. For this reason, it is estimated that two-stroke engines provide high specific power and can be used for portable and light weight applications.

However, proposals for replacing valves and connecting rods of conventional internal combustion engines with rotary valves for supplying and discharging gas to the cylinders of the internal combustion engine are also well known.

US 4,852,532 discloses a rotary valve for an internal combustion engine, which comprises a hollow cylindrical rotor with a bore integrated baffle along the bore, and when the hollow cylindrical rotor rotates, a window in the cylinder ( Ports are placed on both sides of the baffle to communicate with the window. The rotor is held in a groove formed in the surface of the rotor and is supported by a roller located on the inner surface of the bore of the cylinder head. A plurality of seals are provided around the window, which seals are arranged in a longitudinal groove formed in the bore of the cylinder head and a plurality of sealing strips arranged in the annular groove in the bore of the cylinder head. It consists of a circumferential ring. The longitudinal strip abuts each end of the surface of one of the plurality of circumferential rings upon surface contact. The cylinder head is provided with a path for cooling water and the rotor for a cooling oil. Cooling of the rotor is achieved by heat radiation from adjacent surfaces of the rotor bore cooled by the flow of water in the cooling water path and oil in the cooling oil path.

GB 2234300 discloses an air-cooled rotary valve, which is in a cylindrical rotary valve, a suction duct in communication with a suction port that opens into the cylinder when aligned with the cylinder, and a suction port that opens into the cylinder when aligned with the cylinder. An exhaust duct in communication with the exhaust port offset along the perimeter from the. Two circumferential grooves including a sealing ring are disposed on each side of each of the suction port and the exhaust port to separate the port from the outside. A longitudinal sealing bar is provided to separate the intake port from the exhaust port. The rotary valve is cooled by passing air through the bore of the rotary valve.

US 5,941,206 discloses a rotary valve for an internal combustion engine, which comprises a cylindrical valve rotor having a suction port and an exhaust port on a circumferential surface. A plurality of sealing elements provided on the valve rotor divides the circumferential surface of the rotor body to form a plurality of separate circumferential surface regions. One of these areas is arranged such that when the rotary valve is received in the valve bore of the cylinder head, the sealing element abuts the valve bore surface so that the port is periodically sealed completely.

WO 02/27165 discloses a rotary valve engine with an engine housing, which comprises an annular timing ring, a rotary cylinder having a closed end and an open end and a piston in the cylinder. The cylinder is mechanically driven by a piston through the transmission assembly, the transmission assembly including a connecting rod, which drives the gear that engages the bevel gear formed at the open end of the cylinder. The rotary valve is cooled by oil supplied on the rotary cylinder.

US 2004/0144361 discloses a rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising a crankshaft, a throttle, a throttle actuator, a cylinder head, a combustion chamber and one or more rotary valves. The rotary valve includes two or more ports that terminate with an opening around the valve, and the cylinder head has a bore in which the rotary valve rotates. A window in the bore communicates with the combustion chamber and, due to rotation, the opening continues to align with the window. A drive mechanism with phase change means drives the rotary valve. The port includes an intake port and an exhaust port, and the phase change means applies a phase change in response to changes in engine operating conditions during one or more engine cycles. Particular concern in rotary valve engines has been to find a means to seal the valve port of the rotary valve to prevent leakage under pressure.

US 5,526,780 discloses a rotary valve assembly for an internal combustion engine, the valve comprising a plurality of axial sealing elements, a first seal pressurizing cavity extending circumferentially between the plurality of axial sealing elements, and a plurality of A combination of a plurality of inner circumferential sealing elements arranged between the inner circumference and the adjacent outer circumferential sealing elements to form two second seal pressing cavities respectively located on both sides of the window opening in the rotating cylinder head. Since this arrangement allows the high pressure combustion gas to move from the first seal pressurization cavity to the two second seal pressurization cavities, during combustion, the outer circumferential sealing element is opposed to the axially outermost side of the circumferentially extending grooves in which they are located. The second seal pressurized cavity while being sealed to prevent gas from moving outwardly. The inner circumferential sealing element is loaded in the axial direction, sealing the axially innermost side of the circumferentially extending groove in which the inner circumferential sealing element is located, and applying the load to the four circumferential sealing elements in the radial direction so that the valve is accommodated. And seal the bore surface on which the inner circumferential sealing element is pre-mounted.

WO 03/100232 discloses a valve seal mechanism for a rotary valve assembly in which a seal is provided between a rotary valve element and a fixed valve element for use in a rotary cylinder valve engine. According to one embodiment, the seal mechanism comprises a substantially rigid sealing frame that encloses and seals around the valve port of one of the plurality of cylindrical valve elements and also seals the surface of the other cylindrical valve element. According to yet another embodiment, the seal mechanism comprises a tubular element of variable diameter that can be elastically bent, the tubular element having a hole in the tubular element radially aligned with the valve port of the first valve element. Is installed around the first valve element while deflecting radially outwardly of the first valve element. Cooling of the valve and sealing mechanism is achieved by pumping coolant through the coolant channel in the valve's housing and then on the bottom of the rotary valve element.

WO 2005/119018 discloses a sealing device for a rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder comprising a valve port in communication with the combustion chamber. The cylinder can be rotated about its longitudinal axis within the cylindrical bore of the valve housing and the valve housing can be continuously aligned with the valve port during rotation of the cylinder in the housing so that fluid can flow into and out of the combustion chamber. A suction port and an exhaust port. A seal is provided around the valve port between the cylinder and the concentric surface, the seal comprising a seal element located in a recess in the cylinder, the fluid pressure in the valve port acting on the seal element, such that Is in contact with the concentric surface and in contact with the periphery of the recess outwardly from the center of the port.

WO 2006/024081 discloses a sealing system for an axial rotary valve internal combustion engine comprising an arrangement of a flowing gas seal and any oil sealing system. The arrangement of the flowing gas seal surrounds a window in the bore of the cylinder head through which the valve port communicates with the combustion chamber. The arrangement of the flowing gas seal includes an axial seal and a circumferential seal received in the slot of the bore of the cylinder head, wherein the circumferential seal is disposed axially between the ends of the axial seal. The valve may be cooled by oil pumped through the valve.

WO 2006/024086 discloses an axial rotary valve for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder head with a bore in which the axial rotary valve rotates. The valve includes a cylindrical center and an inlet port and an exhaust port ending with an opening in the center. The opening communicates periodically with the combustion chamber through a window in the bore. The gap between the center and the bore is sealed by an arrangement of flow seals comprising two or more axial seals positioned spaced opposite the window. The assembly further comprises at least one axially extending flow masking seal disposed on an outer surface of the window and spaced circumferentially from the axial seal. In some examples, the valve is cooled by oil pumped through the valve.

Therefore, it is clear that only complex mechanisms are known for the sealing port of the rotary valve which prevents leakage in the axial direction under pressure.

It is an object of the present invention to at least ameliorate the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art.

According to the present invention, there is provided a gas seal system between a port of a rotary valve and a port in a combustion chamber of a rotary valve engine, the seal comprising gas channel means forming a turbo valve means surrounding the combustion chamber port, and a compression stroke and an explosion stroke of the engine. Compression means capable of generating a pressure in the gas channel means that is greater than the pressure in the combustion chamber.

Preferably, the clearance between the turbo valve means and the outer surface of the rotary valve is about 0.0254 mm (1 mil).

Conveniently, the compression means comprise turbo valve injector means for injecting gas into the turbo valve means substantially tangentially.

Conveniently, the gas seal system also includes position sensor means for sensing the rotational position of the rotor of the rotary valve to signal to the compression means.

Conveniently, the gas seal system further comprises valve means capable of controlling the admission of compressed gas from the compression means to the turbo valve injector means upon receipt of a signal from the position sensor means.

Preferably, the compression means comprises a compression chamber means.

Conveniently, the compression means comprise compressor means driven by the crankshaft of the rotary valve engine.

The compression means also includes a crankcase of the engine which is pressurized by the suction stroke and the explosion stroke of the engine.

Conveniently, the crankcase comprises unidirectional valve means for introducing air into the crankcase during the compression and exhaust strokes of the engine.

Conveniently, the gas seal system further comprises non-return valve means for moving the compressed air from the crankcase to the compression chamber means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotary valve engine comprising the gas seal as described above.

Conveniently, the rotor of the rotary valve is arranged to cool by passing water through the bore of the rotor.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a method of providing a seal between a port of a rotary valve and a port of a combustion chamber of an engine in a rotary valve engine, the method comprising: gas channel means for forming a turbo valve means surrounding the combustion chamber port And generating, by the gas compression means, a pressure in the gas channel means that is greater than the pressure in the combustion chamber during the compression and explosion strokes of the engine.

Conveniently, the method further comprises injecting gas into the turbo valve means in a substantially tangential direction using the turbo valve injector means.

Conveniently, the method further comprises sensing the rotational position of the rotor of the rotary valve using sensor means for sending a signal to the compression means.

Conveniently, the method further comprises controlling the admission of compressed gas from the compression means to the turbo valve injector means upon receipt of a signal from the sensor means.

Preferably, generating pressure in the gas channel means comprises generating pressure in the compression chamber means.

Conveniently, generating pressure in the gas channel means comprises generating pressure with a compressor means driven by the crankshaft of the rotary valve engine.

The step of generating pressure in the gas channel means also includes pressurizing the air by the intake stroke and the explosion stroke of the engine in the crankcase of the engine.

Conveniently, pressurizing the air in the crankcase includes introducing air into the crankcase through the unidirectional valve means in the compression and exhaust strokes of the engine.

Conveniently, generating pressure in the gas channel means comprises sending compressed air from the crank chamber to the compression chamber via pneumatic tube means and check valve means.

1 is a cutaway view of a rotary valve internal combustion engine according to the present invention.
2 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view of the engine of FIG. 1.
3 is a side view of the engine of FIG. 1.
4 is a front view of the engine of FIG. 1.
5 is a rear view of the engine of FIG. 1.
6 is a front view of the engine of FIG. 1 including a gas compression system.
7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the engine of FIG. 6.
8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the gas seal of the engine of FIG. 6.
9 is a top view of the gas seal of FIG. 8.

Next, the present invention will be described as an example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, reference numerals denote configurations.

1 to 3 and 7, a rotary valve engine is required for connecting the separate cylinder block and the cylinder head in a typical internal combustion engine, and can cause water leakage in a water cooled engine. And an integral cylinder block 1 and cylinder head 2 with the head bolt and cylinder head gasket removed. In addition, the unitary structure provides a more rigid structure than that of a typical internal combustion engine. The cylinder block 1 comprises a typical crankshaft 3, a connecting rod 4, and a piston 5. Referring to the orientation of the engine in the figure, the combustion chamber 6 in the cylinder head 2 and via the port 8 at the upper end of the combustion chamber 6, respectively, directly above the combustion chamber 6 above the piston 5. There is a rotary valve 7 which regulates the incoming and outgoing gases into and out of the furnace.

The rotary valve 7 is driven by the crankshaft 3, the crankshaft having a port 8 with the same degree of accuracy as provided by the cam and mechanical mechanism in the opening and closing valve of a general internal combustion engine. The toothed belt 9 is used at the front of the engine to accurately align the suction port 10 and the exhaust port 12 within the perimeter. When the piston 5 moves the cylinder block 1 downward in the cylinder 11 bore, the port 10 in the rotary valve 7 rotates to a position above the cylinder head port 8 to inlet gas. To flow into the combustion chamber (6).

When the piston 5 raises the cylinder 11 in the cylinder bore in the compression stroke, the rotor 7 continues to rotate to cover the port 8 in the cylinder head 2. Then, for example, with a spark plug, the compressed mixture is ignited and the rotor 7 continues to rotate, resulting in a power stroke.

In the exhaust stroke, the piston 5 raises the cylinder again to exhaust the exhaust gas, and the exhaust port 12 in the rotor 7 reaches the port 8 in the cylinder head 2 so that the exhaust gas is a rotary valve. To be removed from the trachea. This process takes place in the engine and each cylinder has its own set of intake and exhaust ports in the rotary valve 7.

The rotor of the rotary valve 7 is water cooled, which is a more efficient way than the normal cylinder head cooling method. In addition, the rotor surface 16 of the rotor 7 passing over the cylinder head port 8 absorbs heat in a relatively large area compared to the heat exchange surface in a conventional engine. Water enters the rotor 7 at the front end 13 of the cylinder block and is discharged at the rear end 14 of the cylinder block 1. This ensures that the maximum desired cooling is done to the rotor 7. The rotor 7 is a one-piece structure that can be configured to fit the length for any number of cylinders in one-piece configuration, so that some previous rotary valves with inlet and exhaust gas have to use one end for transfer, Unlike fitting to only a single cylinder engine without cooling, water can be drawn in at one end and discharged at the other end.

An advantage of the rotary valve according to the invention is that the inlet and exhaust valves are configured to act as typical ports of a general engine which allows for the inlet and outlet of gas through one side of the rotor. This means that the inlet gas for the cylinder or the plurality of cylinders can be introduced into the rotor across the center of the rotor and then directed downward into the cylinder.

After combustion occurs, the exhaust port of the rotor is opened to allow exhaust gas to enter the exhaust port and to be exhausted through the side of the rotor and through the cylinder head port to the exhaust pipe across the center of the rotor.

This causes the water to enter the front of the rotor and have passages around each port installed across the rotor from side to side.

Control of thermal expansion of the rotor is easily achieved by maintaining the working clearance with the cylinder head.

Referring to FIG. 4, the exhaust port 12 includes an angled leading edge 17, and as best shown in FIG. 6, the angular leading edge cuts carbon to provide a minimum seal of combustion pressure. And the cylinder head face 18 to minimize the pneumatic pressure required for the recess groove 15 to ensure a complete seal over the life of the engine, as described below.

1 and 7 to 9, in order to maintain the compression of the inlet gas in the cylinder head 2, a recess groove 15 is provided to surround the port 8 on the outer surface of the upper end of the cylinder, and air Connected to the channel, as shown best in FIG. 8, it forms a turbo valve 26. The air is compressed and supplied to the turbo valve 26. The air can be supplied by a small compressor driven by the crankshaft 3, not shown, or as shown in FIG. 6, the required pressure is generated internally by the piston 5 of the engine.

As the piston 5 rises, a valve, not shown on the side of the crank chamber 19, automatically opens to the atmosphere to allow air to flow into the crank chamber. As the piston 5 descends on the engine's power stroke, the crankcase valve closes, and the piston compresses air in the crankcase 19 to produce a pneumatic tubing system and a non-return vlave 20. Air is transferred into the air storage chamber 21 through In a multi-cylinder engine, the crankcase includes a split wall, not shown, which is separately installed to provide a separate compartment that is cast as part of the crankcase or installed as an oil seal in the crankshaft main bearing. This allows each compartment to operate separately within each compartment and each air valve system operated by the down and up stroke of the piston.

This filling of the air reservoir occurs twice per power stroke of the engine to provide a large amount of compressed air to the air reservoir 21. When the piston 5 of the engine rises under compression during a power stroke, the solenoid valve 22 is operated by a sensor 23 which is operated by the rotor 7 of the cylinder head 2 so that the air is stored in an air reservoir ( 21, through a pneumatic tubing system 24 and an electronic solenoid valve 22, a turbo injector valve that allows compressed air to move into a circular groove 15 in a substantially tangential direction, as best seen in FIG. Guided to 25 to circulate around the recess groove 15 of the turbo valve 26 at high speed. The turbo valve 26 is located at the upper end of the combustion chamber 6 and the spacing of the circumference 16 of the rotor 7 is only 0.0254 mm (1 / 1,000 of 1 inch).

The upper part of the wall of the turbo valve 26 having a contour corresponding to the outer circumference of the rotor 7 radius has a chamfer 27. This concentrates air pressure on a gap 28 of 0.0254 mm (1 / 1,000 inch) between the upper edge of the turbo valve and the rotor surface of the rotor 7.

The pressure of the air circulating in the gap 28 between the turbo valve and the rotor surface is configured to be greater than the gas pressure inside the combustion chamber 6 so that all fuel and explosive combustion gases are produced during each compression stroke and power stroke. 6) to be maintained within.

This external pressure is fixed at the turbo valve 26 during the combustion stroke and the exhaust stroke of the engine. When the exhaust port 12 in the rotor 7 moves to a position above the port 8 so that the exhaust gas is discharged, the sensor 23 receives a pulse from the rotor 7 so that the electronic solenoid valve 22 Send a signal to close. At the same time, the compressed air around the turbo valve 26 exits through the exhaust port 12 which cools the exhaust gas on the way to the atmosphere.

Normal organs will release high levels of toxic gases into the atmosphere. This is because the exhaust valve is in a red state and the superheated gas moves through the exhaust valve. The engine of the present invention does not have this problem by passing through a number of coolers, and the exhaust gas of the engine emits a smaller amount of pollutants compared to a typical internal combustion engine.

It is clear that the electronic solenoid valve 22 can be replaced by, for example, a mechanical cam drive valve.

1 cylinder block
2 cylinder head
3 crankshaft
4 connecting rod
5 piston
6 combustion chamber
7 rotor
8 combustion chamber ports
9 toothed belt
10 suction port
11 cylinder
12 exhaust port
13 shear
14 rear end
15 recessed home
16 rotor surface
17 angular trailing edge
19 crankcase
20 check valve
21 storerooms
22 solenoid valve
23 sensor
24 Pneumatic Tube Systems
25 turbo injector valve
26 turbo valve
27 chamfer
28 Gap between the upper edge of the turbo valve and the rotor

Claims (21)

In a gas seal system between a port of a rotary valve and a port of a combustion chamber of a rotary valve engine,
Gas channel means for forming a turbo valve means surrounding the port of the combustion chamber, and compression means for generating a pressure greater than the pressure in the combustion chamber during the compression stroke and the explosion stroke of the rotary valve engine in the gas channel means;
Including,
Gas seal system. The method of claim 1,
And a clearance between the turbo valve means and the outer surface of the rotary valve is about 0.0254 mm (1 mil). The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Said compression means comprising turbo valve injector means for injecting gas into said turbo valve means in a substantially tangential direction. The method of claim 3,
And a position sensor means for sensing a rotational position of the rotor of the rotary valve and sending a signal to the compression means. The method of claim 4, wherein
A valve means capable of controlling the admission of compressed air from the compression means to the turbo valve injector means upon receiving a signal from the position sensor means. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Said compression means comprising a compression chamber means. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Said compression means comprising compressor means driven by a crankshaft of said rotary valve engine. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Said compression means comprising a crankcase of said engine pressurized by an intake stroke and an explosion stroke of said engine. The method of claim 8,
The crankcase comprises a unidirectional valve means for introducing air into the crankcase during the compression stroke and the exhaust stroke of the engine. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 9,
And a check valve means for sending compressed air from the crank chamber to the compression chamber means. Including a gas seal system according to claim 1,
Rotary valve engine. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the rotor of the rotary valve is arranged to cool when water passes through the bore of the rotor. A method of providing a seal between a port of a rotary valve and a port of a combustion chamber of the rotary valve engine in a rotary valve engine, the method comprising:
Forming gas channel means constituting a turbo valve means surrounding the port of the combustion chamber, and
Using gas compression means to generate a pressure in the gas channel means that is greater than the pressure in the combustion chamber during the compression stroke and the explosion stroke of the engine
Including,
Seal delivery method. The method of claim 13,
Injecting gas into said turbo valve means in a substantially tangential direction using turbo valve injector means. The method according to claim 13 or 14,
Detecting the rotational position of the rotor of the rotary valve using sensor means for sending a signal to the gas compression means. The method of claim 14,
Upon receiving a signal from the sensor means, controlling the admission of compressed air from the compression means to the turbo valve injector means. 17. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 16,
And generating pressure in the gas channel means comprises generating pressure in the compression chamber means. 18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17,
Generating pressure in the gas channel means comprises generating pressure with compressor means driven by a crankshaft of the rotary valve engine. 18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17,
Generating pressure in the gas channel means comprises pressurizing air in a crankcase of the engine by an intake stroke and an explosion stroke of the engine. The method of claim 19,
Pressurizing air in the crankcase includes introducing air into the crankcase through unidirectional valve means during compression and exhaust strokes of the engine. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 20,
Generating pressure in the gas channel means comprises sending compressed air from the crank chamber to the compression chamber means via pneumatic tube means and check valve means.

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