WO2000070188A1

WO2000070188A1 - Internal combustion engine

Info

Publication number: WO2000070188A1
Application number: PCT/SI2000/000014
Authority: WO
Inventors: Čedomir BOSIOKOVIČ
Original assignee: LONČARIČ, Josip
Priority date: 1999-05-19
Filing date: 2000-05-19
Publication date: 2000-11-23
Also published as: AU5438100A; SI20288A

Abstract

The invention involves the internal combustion engine with reciprocally rotating disks, mounted in a common housing, series connected with an identical toothed gear. In the proposed version referred to in this invention, the engine may contain in a single stable housing three or four disks (1, 2, 3) or (1', 2', 3', 4') and/or (1', 2', 3') or (1'', 2'', 3'', 4''), depending also on the fact whether the motor is foreseen in the version with electric ignition or in the version with compression ignition that only because of the reciprocal rotation and due to the corresponding channels in the stable engine housing generate all strokes of a traditional four-stroke internal combustion engine: suction, compression, expansion and exhaustion, including the possibility of cyclical repetition of all strokes.

Description

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

The invention involves the internal combustion engine with rotating disks, mounted in a common housing. The disks are series connected with identical toothed gears and they rotate reciprocally. Due to the rotation and due to the specially shaped teethe and the respective gaps on all disks, the engine provides suction, compression, ignition, expansion and exhaustion, which confers to the invention the character of an internal combustion engine. The invention is classified as class F01 C 01/22 and additionally also as class F01C 17/02 and F 02 B 53/00.

The technical problem successfully solved by the proposed solution involves such design and execution of the internal combustion machine that provides for rotation of the pistons, and/or disks, that only due to the reciprocal rotation and the corresponding channels in the stable engine housing generate all strokes of a traditional four-stroke internal combustion engine: suction, compression, expansion and exhaustion, including the possibility of cyclical repetition of all strokes.

There have been known several solutions of piston engines where the pistons move up and down along the axle; some piston engines are provided with built-in pistons rotating around their axles. The most known of them is the Wankl engine that in addition to the advantages of the engine described in this document also shows a few serious deficiencies.

The Wankl piston not only provides a circular movement, but also an additional eccentric movement, therefore it is very hard to provide for its sealing. Another deficiency of the Wankl engine is its high fuel consumption due to the unfavourable shape of the combustion tank in which the mixture of fuel vapours and air gets insufficiently whirled. Other similar patents, too, are concerned with a similar problem. For instance, the document EP 0 132469 describes the solution of an identical problem, although the respective power transmission mechanism is different. Other authors, again, state numerous solutions (EP 0 397 996) that are practically inoperative, and/or are unreasonable. The patent documents, such as US 3 297 006, DE 2 751347, DE 3 905 081 and FR 2 678 683, refer to the engines operating on similar principles, but the solution described in this patent is much better.

A common deficiency of all solutions of traditional internal combustion piston engines known hitherto lies in the fact that the conversion of the straight movement of the piston into the rotation of the handle shaft involves high energy loss, which is in turn reflected in the respective wear- and-tear problem.

With two-stroke internal combustion engines the problem lies in the emission of exhaust gases, because it is impossible to prevent the fresh mixture from at least minimum mixing with exhaust gases. With four- stroke internal combustion engines the characteristics of exhaust gas emission are more favourable, but the problem lies in the complicated opening and closing of suction and exhaust valves, which on one hand, due to the great number of additional parts (push-away shaft, pushers, oscillating elements, valves, etc.) make the construction much more expensive, and on the other hand, cause noise and impose the wear-and- tear problem and the related continuous air gap adjustment in the engine control system. With the known rotating internal combustion engine the main deficiency lies in the bad combustion and big sealing problems due to the fact that the pistons often provide an additional eccentric movement.

In the invention, the above problem is solved with the engine that contains in a single stable housing several, i.e. three or four reciprocally rotating disks that only because of the reciprocal rotation and due to the corresponding channels in the stable engine housing generate all strokes of a traditional four-stroke internal combustion engine: suction, compression, expansion and exhaustion, including the possibility of cyclical repetition of all strokes.

Due to the rotation of the disks, the loss incurred in modern engines with a piston, a piston rod and a handle shaft because of constant acceleration, dwindling and full stop of the pistons, is avoided. The rotating pistons and/or disks turn reciprocally. In view of a coordinated rotation of all disks, the axle of each of the rotating pistons and/or disks bears the toothed gears, providing for a 1 : 1 disk rotation speed ratio. The big disk-shaped piston is provided with convex tooth flanks and the small piston is provided with tooth gaps with concave flanks. The teeth on the big piston and the tooth gaps on the small piston are shaped in the way that at rotation of both pistons with the same rotation speed the pistons do not run one into another and/or that there remains a constant minimum gap between them. In the case of three or four disks, the two central disks are operative, while the disk at the input of the fuel & air mixture or of mere air, and in the case of four disks also the disk at the exist of exhaust gases, serve as auxiliary disks. The engine may be designed for electric ignition of a fuel & air mixture or as a compression ignition engine.

In the four-disk petrol ignition engine, the first two disks - one auxiliary and one operating - suck the petrol vapours, transport them along the rim and together with the operating disk make the compression movement. At the compression movement, the fuel & air mixture flows through two special boreholes in the stable housing of the engine. The compression is followed by the ignition and the subsequent expansion, first active on the small and subsequently on the big rotating disk. Follows the exhaustion, effected first by the small operating disk and subsequently by the big operating disk. This is followed by suction, and the procedure continues as before. The suction engages the two main operating disks and the auxiliary input disk. The disk on the exit side participates at the discharge. The strokes are cyclically repeated. All strokes are effected with continuos disk rotation, therefore the motor is silent, running smoothly and without vibrations. In addition to the above, the compression ignition engine is provided with an additional channel in the housing, such as to benefit from the suction effect of the auxiliary disk on the exit side, whereby increasing the compression ratio.

The invention will be described in detail on the concrete example and with reference to the corresponding figures, whereof:

Figure 1 shows the engine referred to in this invention, with electric ignition, provided with three disks, three shafts, two suction and two exhaust channels as well as with the ignition spark;

Figure 2 shows the engine referred to in this invention, with compression ignition, provided with three disks, three shafts, two suction and two exhaust channels as well as with the spraying nozzle;

Figure 3 shows the engine referred to in this invention, with electric ignition, provided with four disks, four shafts, two suction and two exhaust channels as well as with the ignition spark; Figure 4 shows the engine referred to in this invention, with compression ignition, provided with four disks, four shafts, two suction and two exhaust channels as well as with the spraying nozzle.

Figure 1 shows the rotating disks 1 , 2 and 3, mounted in the housing 5. The housing 5 limits the operating area of all these disks radially and in one lateral direction, at the same time providing for moistening of the disk shafts. The big disk 1 rotates around its axle to the left and the small disk 2 rotates around its axle to the right. The exhaust gases leave the engine through the exhaust channels 6 and 8, the spark 7 provides for ignition of the mixture and a fresh mixture of fuel and air flows in along the suction channel 9. The operating disks 1 and 2 and the auxiliary disk 3 are firmly connected with their shaft each, such as to bear the toothed gear, in grip with the opposite toothed gear on the adjacent shaft. The shafts in the housing 5 are provided with ball bearings or slide bearings. The housing 5 is fitted with a screw-fixed cover, laterally sealing all three rotating disks 1 , 2 and 3. Each of the shafts that bears the rotating disks may be the shaft that exits from the engine and in turn transmits the power produced in the engine to the operating machine.

The fresh fuel & air mixture enters the engine through the channel 9. First the disks 1 and 3 effect the suction of the mixture - the suction stroke of the internal combustion engine (MZNZ), whereafter the mixture is transported on the rim towards the disk 2. As all the disks are mounted on shafts that are provided with bearings in the housing 5 and since the shafts are provided with the toothed gears with a constant 1 : 1 shift ratio, the rotation of the disks is coordinated in the way that the space between the teeth of the small disk 2 always meets the tooth of the big disk 1 or of the small disk 3.

This suction and transportation phase is followed by the compression stroke of the internal combustion engine. This stroke is first effected in the area between the operating disks 1 and 2, whereafter upon a certain rotation angle of all disks a part of the mixture already compressed along the channel in the housing 11 and 12 is transferred into the space between the teeth of the small disk 2. This is the moment of a slight decompression, but immediately thereafter the compression stroke continues intensely. During the rotation the operating disks assume the position when the mixture not only flows along the channel 12, but the operating spaces of the disks simply merge together. Upon this phase the mixture flows directly between the two spaces between the teeth and gets progressively more compressed. During subsequent rotation of both disks in the phase of compression, the strongly compressed mixture must be driven from the lower half of the space between the teeth of the small disk 2 into the upper half of the space between the teeth of the small disk 2, so as to get ready for ignition. It can be done in two ways: either by letting the mixture flow all over the space created between the external cylinder of the big disk 1 and the internal cylinder of the small disk 2 - such as envisaged in our case, or by passing the mixture through the lateral blind holes in the housing 5 and in the cover. As soon as all the mixture is transferred upwards and the lower space between the teeth is practically reduced to zero, the ignition spark ignites the compressed mixture, which is followed by the advent of the expansion stroke. First the expanding gases drive the small disk 2 in the sense of rotation, whereafter the gas force starts acting simultaneously on both tooth flanks of the space between the teeth of the small disk 2, which means that the latter is no more driven; nevertheless, the expanding gases press only on one tooth flank of the disk 1 , which nevertheless provides for continuation of the expansion stroke. The expansion stroke lasts as long as the space between the teeth of the small disk 2 reaches the exhaust channel 8. This is the start of the exhaust phase. First comes the discharge of exhaust gases from the space between the teeth of the operating disk 2, but the housing prevents from immediate discharge from the space between the teeth of the big disk 1 , which happens only after a certain rotation angle. In the meantime the disks already get engaged in new suction, compression, expansion etc. strokes. The big disk shown in Figure 1 is provided with three teeth and three spaces between the teeth with specially shaped flanks. The shape of the teeth of the big disk 1 is such that the big and the small disks at identical, yet reciprocal rotational speeds make such grip that theoretically there is no air gap between two teeth and practically the air gap is minimum, actually measuring only a few 1/100 mm. The sealing between the disks can be established with sealing strips, grooves or rings, similar as with the Wankl engine. The two spaces between the teeth on the small disk 2, Figure 1 , are shaped in the way that they make a smooth grip with the big disk without any bigger air gap than a few 1/100 mm.

During the suction stroke, particularly stressed in Figure 1 (otherwise continuously present throughout the rotation in all strokes), the disks 1 and 3 suck and subsequently push the fuel & air mixture along the rim of the disks, the disk 2 sucks and pushes to the combustion spot only the air, while the disk 3 sucks the air and pushes it towards the exhaust opening.

The suction phase is followed by the compression phase, shown in Figure

1.

The compression stroke also involves the channel 12 in the housing. The operating mixture first flows along this channel from the space between the teeth of the disk 1 into the space between the teeth of the disk 2, where it mixes with additional quantity of air, whereafter the operating mixture flows from the lower part of the space between the teeth over the recess on the central circle in the middle of the space between the teeth of the disk 2 to the upper part of the space between the teeth and is as such ready for ignition, representing the ignition moment of the operating mixture. Follows the expansion that initially drives the disk 2, whereafter the burnt out gases drive the disk 1 , thus representing the moment of participation of the disk 3 that via the housing channel 11 transfers the operating mixture in the space between the teeth of disk 1 that pushes the operating mixture from the suction stroke to the compression stroke. The exhaust stroke starts discharging in the space between the teeth of the disk 1. Then all disks t urn for 360°. All strokes are in full operation and continuously follow each other.

The fuel mixture can be established in many different ways, accordingly through ignitors or fuel spraying. The engine cooling can be done with air in the way that the pistons are fixed to the shaft by a perforated disk, while the housing and the cover are also constructed in the way to allow for air circulation in the direction of the piston axles. The movement of air may be established with the ventilators on both shafts bearing the pistons and the toothed gears. Likewise it is, of course, possible to use the water cooling system and/or the oil cooling system. Figure 2 shows all strokes of the internal combustion machine with compression ignition. It is an additional advantage of this engine that in the compression stroke the disk 1' is slightly bigger and accordingly allows for more compressed air. The housing 5' also has a slightly chamfered rim 4' that provides for better participation in the expansion stroke than the disk 1', because due to this chamfering a greater quantity of burnt gases are transferred into the space between the teeth of this disk.

Figure 3 shows the rotational engine with four disks with electric ignition, operating in the following manner: the rotating disks 1", 2", 3" and 4" are mounted in the housing 5". The housing 5" limits the operating area of all these disks radially and in one lateral direction, at the same time providing for the bearings of the disk shafts. The big disk 1" rotates around its axle to the left and the small disk 2" rotates around its axle to the right. The exhaust gases leave the engine through the exhaust channels 6" and 8", the spark 7" provides for ignition of the mixture and a fresh mixture of fuel and air flows in along the suction channel 9". The suction channel 10" serves for air supply. The operating disks 1" and 2" and the auxiliary disks 3" and 4" are firmly connected with their shaft each, such as to bear the toothed gear, in grip with the opposite toothed gear on the adjacent shaft. The shafts in the housing 5" are provided with ball bearings or slide bearings. The housing 5" is fitted with a screw-fixed cover, laterally sealing all four rotating disks 1", 2", 3" and 4". Each of the shafts that bears the rotating disks may be the shaft that exits from the engine and in turn transmits the power produced in the engine to the operating machine.

The fresh fuel & air mixture enters the engine through the channel 9". First the disks 1" and 4" effect the suction of the mixture - the suction stroke of the internal combustion engine (MZNZ), whereafter the mixture is transported on the rim towards the disk 2". As all the disks are mounted on shafts that are provided with bearings in the housing 5" and since the shafts are provided with the toothed gears with a constant 1 : 1 shift ratio, the rotation of the disks is coordinated in the way that the space between the teeth of the small disk 2" or 4" always meets the tooth of the big disk T or 3".

This suction and transportation phase is followed by the compression stroke of the internal combustion engine. This stroke is first effected in the area between the operating disks 1" and 2", whereafter upon a certain rotation angle of all disks a part of the mixture already compressed along the channel in the housing 11" and 12" is transferred into the space between the teeth of the small disk 2". This is the moment of a slight decompression, but immediately thereafter the compression stroke continues intensely. During the rotation the operating disks assume the position when the mixture not only flows along the channel 12", but the operating spaces of the disks simply merge together. Upon this phase the mixture flows directly between the two spaces between the teeth and gets progressively more compressed. During subsequent rotation of both disks in the phase of compression, the strongly compressed mixture must be driven from the lower half of the space between the teeth of the small disk 2" into the upper half of the space between the teeth of the small disk 2", so as to get ready for ignition. It can be done in two ways: either by letting the mixture flow all over the space created between the external cylinder of the big disk 1" and the internal cylinder of the small disk 2" - such as envisaged in our case, or by passing the mixture through the lateral blind holes in the housing 5" and in the cover. As soon as all the mixture is transferred upwards and the lower space between the teeth is practically reduced to zero, the ignition spark ignites the compressed mixture, which is followed by the advent of the expansion stroke. First the expanding gases drive the small disk 2" in the sense of rotation, whereafter the gas force starts acting simultaneously on both tooth flanks of the space between the teeth of the small disk 2", which means that the latter is no more driven; nevertheless, the expanding gases press only on one tooth flank of the disk 1", which nevertheless provides for continuation of the expansion stroke. The expansion stroke lasts as long as the space between the teeth of the small disk 2" reaches the exhaust channel 8". This is the start of the exhaust phase.

First comes the discharge of exhaust gases from the space between the teeth of the operating disk 2", but the housing prevents from immediate discharge from the space between the teeth of the big disk 1", which happens only after a certain rotation angle. In the meantime the disks already get engaged in new suction, compression, expansion etc. strokes.

Figure 3 also shows the shapes of the rotating disks 1", 2", 3", 4". Both disks are equally thick. The big disk is provided with three teeth and three spaces between the teeth with specially shaped flanks. The shape of the teeth of the big disk 1 is such that the big and the small disks at identical, yet reciprocal rotational speeds make such grip that theoretically there is no air gap between two teeth and practically the air gap is minimum, actually measuring only a few 1/100 mm. The sealing between the disks can be established with sealing strips, grooves or rings, similar as with the Wankl engine. The two spaces between the teeth on the small disk 2 are shaped in the way that they make a smooth grip with the big disk without any bigger air gap than a few 1/100 mm. The flanks of the spaces between the teeth on the disk are made up of arcs and straight lines.

Figure 3 shows the internal combustion engine with electric ignition, such as referred to in the patent claim, in the suction stroke when each of the disks turned for 5°. During the suction stroke, continuously present throughout the rotation in all strokes, the disks 1" and 4" suck and subsequently push the fuel & air mixture along the rim of the disks, the disk 2" sucks and pushes to the combustion spot only the air, while the disk 3" sucks the air and pushes it towards the exhaust opening. The suction phase is followed by the compression phase. Considering the fact that initially all spaces between the teeth were empty, there first comes to the compression of additional air, sucked and transferred by the disk 2". The compression stroke also involves the channel 12" in the housing. The operating mixture first flows along this channel 12" from the space between the teeth of the disk 1" into the space between the teeth of the disk 2", where it mixes with additional quantity of air, whereafter the operating mixture flows from the lower part of the space between the teeth over the recess on the central circle in the middle of the space between the teeth of the disk 2" to the upper part of the space between the teeth and is as such ready for ignition. The ignition of the operating mixture is followed by expansion.

The expansion initially drives the disk 2", whereafter the burnt out gases drive the disk 1 ". At a specific moment, the compression stroke also involves the participation of the disk 4" because via the housing channel 1 1" it transfers the operating mixture in the space between the teeth of disk 1" that pushes the operating mixture from the suction stroke to the compression stroke. Follows the exhaust stroke that starts discharging the space between the teeth of the disk 2". The exhaust stroke continues till the discharge of the space between the teeth of the disk 1 " Thereafter all strokes continuously follow each other.

The fuel mixture can be established in many different ways, accordingly through ignitors or fuel spraying. The engine cooling can be done with air in the way that the pistons are fixed to the shaft by a perforated disk, while the housing and the cover are also constructed in the way to allow for air circulation in the direction of the piston axles. The movement of air may be established with the ventilators on both shafts bearing the pistons and the toothed gears. Likewise it is, of course, possible to use the water cooling system and/or the oil cooling system. The disks 1 "', 2'", 3"', 4'", referred to in Figure 4 are subject to the same procedure as applicable for the disks 1", 2", 3", 4", shown in Figure 3, except for the number of teeth and spaces between the teeth. An additional advantage of the version shown in Figure 4 lies in the participation of the disk 4'" in the compression stroke. It pushes the respective quantity of air through the housing channel 13"' into the space between the teeth of the operating disk 2'" that in turn continues in compression of the mixture while in grip with the disk 1". The housing 6'" also has a slightly chamfered rim 14"' that provides for better participation in the expansion stroke than the disk 1"', because due to this chamfering a greater quantity of burnt gases are transferred into the space between the teeth of this disk.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. The internal combustion engine with rotating disks mounted in a common housing, characterized in that it is provided with three or four reciprocally rotating disks (1,2,3), (V,2',3'), (1",2",3",4"), (1"\2"\3'",4"') that through specially shaped teeth and spaces between the teeth as well as with additional channels in the stable engine housing generate all strokes of a traditional four-stroke internal combustion engine.

2. The internal combustion engine with rotating disks mounted in a common housing according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the big disk (1 _I1M^,, _>3^,,,1^,",3^,M) has more teeth and the small disk

(2,3,2^,,3',2",4",2^,",4"^,) has more spaces between the teeth or vice-versa, that form a grip in the way that together with the channels in the stable engine housing generate all strokes of a traditional four-stroke internal combustion engine.