WO2006122658A1

WO2006122658A1 - Rotary-piston engine

Info

Publication number: WO2006122658A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/004173
Authority: WO
Inventors: Herbert Hüttlin
Original assignee: Huettlin Herbert
Priority date: 2005-05-17
Filing date: 2006-05-04
Publication date: 2006-11-23
Also published as: CN1865664A; CN100480489C; DE102005023721B3; EP1882082A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotary-piston engine comprising a housing (12) provided with first and at least one second pistons (24, 26) which are placed and jointly rotatable therein about an axis of rotation (32) connected to the housing and can carry out pivoting back and forth movements in opposite direction when rotating about the axis (32) and a pivoting axis (36) which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation and passes through the housing center between first and second end positions, wherein the first and at least second pistons (24, 26) define a working chamber (48), the first piston (24) and/or at least one second piston (26) comprises at least one running member (50, 52) which is guided along at least one control cam (58) during the rotation of the first and/or second piston (24, 26) in such a way that a pivoting movement of the first and at least second pistons (24, 26) is produced. Said control cam (58) is positionally adjustable by means of an adjusting mechanism (74) in such a way that it makes it possible to displace at least one position of the first and at least second pistons (24, 26) between the first and second end positions.

Description

Oscillating piston engine

The invention relates to a rotary piston machine, comprising a housing, in which a first and at least a second piston are arranged, which can rotate together in the housing about a housing-fixed axis of rotation, and when revolving about the axis of rotation about a perpendicular to the axis of rotation and through the housing center running piston-fixed pivot axis to each other opposite reciprocating pivotal movements between a first end position and a second end position, wherein the first and at least second piston defining a working chamber, wherein the first piston and / or the at least second piston has at least one running member, which during rotation of the first and / or second piston is guided along at least one control cam in order to generate the pivoting movements of the first and / or at least second piston.

Such a reciprocating engine is known from the document WO 03/067033 Al.

Oscillating piston engines and in particular a rotary piston engine according to the present invention can be used as internal combustion engines (internal combustion engines), as pumps or as compressors. An oscillating piston engine according to the present invention is preferably used as an internal combustion engine and described as such in the present specification. In the case of the use of an oscillating piston engine as an internal combustion engine, the individual working cycles of the intake, compression, ignition of the combustion mixture and the expending and expelling of the combusted combustion mixture are mediated by reciprocating pivotal movements of the individual pistons between two end positions.

In the known from the document WO 03/067033 Al the same applicant oscillating piston engine four pistons are arranged in the housing, which rotate around a housing-fixed housing fixed axis of rotation and run around in the housing reciprocating pivotal movements about a piston fixed pivot axis, wherein two each pivot adjacent pistons in opposite directions.

"Enclosure solid" as used herein means, for an axis that is to be understood as a geometric axis, that the spatial location of the axis relative to the housing does not change Accordingly, "piston-solid" means a fixed spatial relationship of a geometric axis to a piston.

Between each two facing end faces of the piston of the piston pairs, a working chamber is formed in each case, so that the known oscillating piston engine has two working chambers. Both working chambers, which are arranged diametrically opposite each other with respect to the housing center, increase and decrease in the same direction in the reciprocating pivotal movement of the piston.

The pivotal movement of the pistons about the common pivot axis is due to the orbital motion of the pistons about the axis of rotation derives a control mechanism which surrounds two formed in the housing inner wall cams and corresponding running members on the housing inner wall facing sides of the piston. In this known oscillating piston engine, the stroke of the pivotal movement of the piston is fixed by the curve of the two cams invariable. The known oscillating piston engine thus has a constant displacement, wherein the displacement is the maximum volume or the sum of the maximum volumes of the working chambers.

In the so-called reciprocating engines whose pistons perform linear strokes, attempts were made to develop engines with a variable capacity, that is, the displacement of such reciprocating engines should be able to be adjusted during operation of the reciprocating engine. An attempt was made to design the cylinder heads displaced, but had the disadvantage that the cylinder heads were no longer available for receiving Zündkürzen or glow plugs due to the displaceability, but especially not for the inclusion of intake and exhaust valves. Piston engines with variable displacement therefore still do not exist as series engines.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a rotary piston engine of the type mentioned with variable displacement.

According to the invention, this object is achieved with respect to the initially mentioned oscillating piston engine in that the control cam is adjustable in position by means of an adjusting mechanism in order to adjust at least one of the first and second end positions of at least one of the first and second pistons. The oscillating piston engine according to the invention has a variable displacement, in which the control curve, which is already provided in the known oscillating piston engine, but there is stationary integrated into the housing inner wall, is now configured adjustable in position by means of an adjusting mechanism, whereby the first end position and / or the second end position at least one piston is adjustable.

In contrast to the conventional reciprocating engines results in the inventive oscillating piston engine does not have the problem of having to install spark plugs or glow plugs or intake and exhaust valves in favor of the variability of the displacement at other locations of the oscillating piston engine, since the control curve even in the known oscillating piston engine already in space Position other than these aforementioned components is arranged, that is, an adjustability of the control cam does not collide with these components.

By the invention now compared to the known oscillating piston engine constructive only little more expensive oscillating piston engine is provided, but compared to the known oscillating piston machine has the considerable advantage that their displacement is variable.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least one of the first end position and the second end position is continuously adjustable by means of the adjusting mechanism.

It is advantageous that the displacement is continuously variable, whereby a stepless change in the displacement of the oscillating piston engine is made possible. In a further preferred embodiment, the first and second end positions of the first and at least second pistons are adjustable by means of the adjusting mechanism.

In this case, it is advantageous that both the so-called top dead center position (TDC position) and the bottom dead center position (TDC position) are variable. In the TDC position, the working chamber volume is minimum (ignition), and in the UT position maximum (end of discharge / initial suction). Now, if the UT position is adjusted in the sense of reducing the working stroke or displacement, it is advantageous to adjust the TDC position to the effect that with reduced working chamber volume (displacement) as high as possible compression in the TDC position is achieved which is achieved by the above-mentioned embodiment, in that both the TDC position and the TDC position are adjustable.

In a further preferred embodiment, two portions of the cam are mounted in opposite directions to each other about a housing-fixed pivot axis pivotally mounted on the housing.

In this embodiment, the displacement or the maximum Arbeitskammervoiumen is adjusted by the control cam, which is formed from the two sections symmetrically to the housing-fixed pivot axis, is pivoted from a first position to a second position. Such an adjustment mechanism, in which the control cam is pivotable about a pivot axis, has the advantage of a structurally simple design to provide a variable displacement. In a further preferred embodiment, a third and a fourth piston are arranged in the housing, which can rotate with the first and the second piston in the housing together about the axis of rotation and thereby perform mutually opposite pivotal movements between a third end position and a fourth end position, and that at least one of the third and the fourth end position is adjustable by means of the adjusting mechanism.

In this embodiment, the oscillating piston engine according to the invention, like the known oscillating piston engine, has a total of four pistons and correspondingly two working chambers, wherein the maximum working chamber volume of both working chambers and thus the total stroke space of the oscillating piston engine is variable.

Also with respect to the third and fourth piston, it is preferred if the at least one of the third end position and the fourth end position is continuously adjustable by means of the adjusting mechanism.

It is likewise preferred if the third and fourth end positions of the third and fourth pistons are adjustable.

In a further preferred embodiment, the third piston is diametrically opposite the first piston with respect to the piston-fixed pivot axis, and the third end position is synchronous and adjustable in the same direction to the first end position.

In the same way it is when the fourth piston diametrically opposite the second piston with respect to the piston-fixed pivot axis lies over, preferably, when the fourth end position is synchronous and adjustable in the same direction to the second end position.

Both abovementioned measures ensure, both individually and in particular in combination with each other, that the adjustment of the end positions of the pistons and thus the adjustment of the maximum working chamber volumes of both working chambers takes place without increased control effort in the same way.

While it would be possible in principle that the control cam controls the pivotal movement of all four pistons by these are coupled together accordingly, it is preferred, although the third piston and / or the fourth piston has at least one running member, the circulation of the third and / or fourth piston is guided along a second control cam to produce the pivoting movements of the third and / or fourth piston, in which case the second control cam is adjustable by means of the adjusting mechanism to the at least one of the third and fourth end position of the at least one of the third and fourth piston to adjust.

The provision of two control cams for the four pistons has the advantage of higher or complete symmetry of the entire oscillating piston engine, which positively influences the running properties of the oscillating piston engine. Accordingly, the second control cam is also adjustable in position, as is also the case for the control cam for the first and second pistons.

Likewise, it is preferred if two sections of the second cam are mounted in opposite directions to each other about a housing-fixed pivot axis pivotally mounted in the housing. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the adjusting mechanism has a first cam element and a second cam element, wherein the first cam element and the second cam element are arranged like a scissor cross over one another in opposite directions to each other and have the first and the second control cam.

By this measure, the two control cams for the four pistons are realized by two cam elements, which are arranged like a scissor-like cross over each other in opposite directions to each other, this pivotability of the adjustment of the end positions of the pivoting movements of the piston is used. This design is structurally advantageous simple and also allows easy to implement adjustment of the cams, as will be described hereinafter.

It is preferred if a first cam portion of the first cam element with a second cam section of the second cam element, which together form the one of the control curves, is connected relative to this movable.

Since the individual cams do not point-symmetrically with respect to the housing-fixed pivot axis, but mirror-symmetrically with respect to a plane in which the housing-fixed pivot axis, run, and are thus arranged on both sides of this plane of symmetry, allows the movable connection of the two cam sections, the realization of a hand-connected control curve, on the other hand, an opposing pivoting of the first control cam portion and the second cam portion about the housing-fixed pivot axis of the adjustment of the end positions of the first and the second Piston in the sense of displacement adjustment or Arbeitskammervo- volume adjustment of the first working chamber is used.

Accordingly, it is preferable if a third cam section of the first cam element is movably connected to a fourth cam section of the second cam element, which together form the other of the cam tracks, relative to this.

Again, the relative mobility of the two mentioned cam sections permits mutually opposite pivoting of the two cam sections for adjusting the end positions of the third and fourth piston and at the same time ensures the formation of a contiguous second cam for the third and fourth piston.

The relatively movable connection of the first cam section and the second cam section or the third cam section and the fourth cam section is preferably realized by a meshing connection, such as a toothing, these cam sections.

By moving the toothing together, in particular the TDC position of the first and second piston or third and fourth piston can be adjusted as explained above, so that the minimum working chamber volume in the TDC position is reduced, in particular if the maximum working chamber volume (TDC position) is reduced. In a further preferred embodiment, the adjusting mechanism has at least one drive which is hydraulic, pneumatic and / or electrical.

It is particularly preferred if the at least one drive is hydraulic, and if a volume-variable chamber which can be acted on with hydraulic fluid is arranged on at least one side of the cam elements facing a housing inner wall of the housing.

The provision of a hydraulic drive has the advantage that hydraulic fluid is substantially incompressible and can be applied with a hydraulic drive and very high forces in order to adjust the cam elements and thus the displacement of the oscillating piston engine safely even at high speeds of rotation of the piston.

In this case, it is further preferred if, by increasing the hydraulic pressure in the chamber, the maximum stroke of the pistons is reduced and the maximum stroke of the pistons is increased by reducing the hydraulic pressure.

It is advantageous that the drive for adjusting the cam elements must be active only in a direction of action, in the effective direction of the reduction of the displacement, while in the effective direction of the increase in the displacement acting on the centrifugal force acting on the piston force acting on the cam is exploited, which can pivot the cam elements to each other when the hydraulic pressure is reduced accordingly. In this way, the drive can be kept structurally very simple. In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one running member and the at least one control cam are magnetically effective, such that a magnetic attraction acts between the at least one running member and the at least one control cam.

Although already due to the mass of piston and running member, which together form a functional unit, even at low speeds of the piston around the axis of rotation is to be expected with sufficient centrifugal force, and a stable contact between the respective running member and the cam is guaranteed, this measure the advantage that this contact between the running member and control cam is further improved.

"Magnetically effective" is to be understood in this case that the running member and the control cam consist of permanent magnetic active substance or have such, or running member and control cam or at least one of these is formed of a magnetizable material or has such of both, that is running member or cam, while doing so should be permanently magnetic, whereby advantageously an additional magnetic field generating element, that is, a magnetic field generator is not required.

Likewise, it is preferred if the at least one running member and the associated piston are magnetically effective, such that a magnetic attraction acts between the at least one running member and the associated piston. By this measure, a stable contact between the running member and the associated piston is effected, whereby, for example, a positive connection of the running member can be dispensed with the associated piston.

The magnetic attraction between the running member and the piston or between the running member and the associated control cam according to the aforementioned embodiment should be such that the free rotation of the running member, which is preferably designed as a ball is not canceled.

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

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described with reference to this hereafter. Show it:

Figure 1 is an illustration of a rotary piston engine according to the invention in a section along a plane parallel to the axis of rotation and perpendicular to the pivot axis of the piston, wherein the oscillating piston engine is shown in a first operating state of an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the control curves for the piston; Figure 2 is the same view as in Figure 1, but in a second operating position of the adjusting mechanism for adjusting the control cams for the piston.

Figure 3 shows the oscillating piston engine in the same representation as in Figure 1, but without piston and without piston cage.

Figure 4a) and b) two curve elements in a perspective view in isolation;

Figure 5 shows the curve elements in Figure 4 in a sectional view and in an assembled arrangement;

Figure 6 is an illustration of the oscillating piston engine in Figure 1 in a rotated by about 45 ° about the axis of rotation representation of the housing, and wherein the pistons are pivoted from its BDC position in Figure 1 by about half the stroke in the direction of its TDC position.

FIG. 7 shows the oscillating piston engine in FIG. 1 in a representation of the housing rotated by 90 ° with respect to FIG. 1, wherein the pistons are now pivoted into their TDC position; and

8 shows a further illustration of the oscillating piston engine in FIG. 1, with piston cage, but without piston.

In Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 6 to 8 is provided with the general reference numeral 10 oscillating piston engine in shown different representations. Further details of the oscillating piston engine 10 are shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The oscillating piston engine 10 is designed as an internal combustion engine in the present embodiment.

The oscillating piston engine 10 has a housing 12, which is composed of two housing halves 14 and 16. The housing halves 14 and 16 each have a flange, wherein in the drawing, only the flange 18 of the housing half 14 is shown. In the flanges, a plurality of holes 20a to 20h provided for performing screws to screw the two housing halves 14 and 16 together via the flanges.

The interior of the housing is constructed overall spherical or spherically symmetrical, wherein the ball center is shown in Figure 1 by the reference numeral 22.

Inside the housing 12, four pistons 24, 26, 28 and 30 are arranged. The pistons 24 to 30 can rotate in the housing 12 together about a housing-fixed axis of rotation 32 according to an arrow 34. During this circulating movement, the pistons 24 to 30 perform a pivoting movement about the rotational axis 32 superimposed on a pivot-fixed pivot axis 36 between two end positions, one end position in FIG. 1 (so-called UT position), and the other end position in FIG. so-called TDC position) is shown. In Figure 6, the pistons 24 to 30 are shown in an intermediate position between the UT position and the TDC position. Both the axis of rotation 32 and the pivot axis 36, which are to be understood as geometric axes, pass through the housing center 22 of the housing 12. The pivot axis 36 is always perpendicular to the axis of rotation 32, but runs around the latter, however, according to the orbital motion of the piston 24 to 30 also.

Of the pistons 24 to 30 are each two pistons with respect to the pivot axis 36 diametrically opposite, in each pivotal position of the piston 24 to 30, these being the pistons 24 and 30 on the one hand and the pistons 26 and 28 on the other.

The pistons 24 to 30 are individually mounted in the housing 12, that is not rigidly connected in pairs, although this may also be considered within the meaning of the present invention.

The piston 24 has an end face 38, the piston 26 has an end face 40, the piston 28 has an end face 42, and the piston 30 has an end face 44. The facing end surfaces 38 and 40 of the pistons 24 and 26 define a working chamber 46 and the facing end surfaces 42 and 44 of the pistons 28 and 30 define a working chamber 48. The working hammers 46 and 48 serve as combustion chambers for a Carnot cycle. The axis of rotation 32 passes through both working chambers 46 and 48, in each circulating and pivoting position of the pistons 24 and 40. The working chambers 46 and 48 are in particular arranged symmetrically to the axis of rotation 32, that is, the axis of rotation 32 passes through the working chambers 46 and 48 always in the middle. The piston-back chambers can serve as pre-compression chambers for pre-compression of fresh air, the precompressed air is then passed through suitable inlets into the respective working chamber 46 and 48, as described in WO 03/067033 Al. In this regard, reference is made to this document to explain the operation of the pre-compression chambers.

Since in each case adjacent pistons 24 to 30 when running around the rotation axis 32 execute mutually opposing pivoting movements, the working chambers 46 and 48 always increase and decrease in the same direction in relation to one another.

From the state of maximum volume of the working chambers 46 and 48 shown in Figure 1, the pistons 24 and 26 or 28 and 30 pivot towards each other, as shown in Figure 6, wherein the volumes of the working chambers 46 and 48 reduce up to the state shown in Figure 7, in which the working chambers 46 and 48 occupy their minimum volume.

The pistons 24 and 26 always remain to the left of a line A in FIG. 1 in their circulating and pivoting movement, and the pistons 28 and 30 always to the right of the line A.

The oscillating-piston engine 10 further has a control mechanism in order to divert the pivoting movements of the pistons 24 to 30 out of the rotational movement of the pistons 24 to 30 about the axis of rotation 32. For this purpose, each piston 24 to 30 on a running member, and indeed, the piston 24 has a running member 50, the piston 26, a running member 52, the piston 28, a running member 54 and the Piston 30, a running member 56. The running members 50 to 56 are balls which are each mounted in a ball socket formed on the rear face of each piston 24 to 30 facing away from the respective end face 38 to 44.

The running members 50 to 56 in the form of balls are freely rotatably mounted in the ball sockets and may be held in the ball sockets by adhesion by means of a lubricating film, or the running members 50 to 56 may be held in a form-fitting manner in the ball sockets, to which then the ball sockets on the Extend diameter of the balls 50 to 56 out. As already mentioned, however, the balls 50 to 56 are in any case freely rotatable about their center of the sphere in all directions.

The running members 50 to 56 are not limited to the embodiment as balls and may in particular be designed as rollers, which are mounted rotatably about an axis on the respective associated piston rear sides.

The running members 50 to 56, as best seen in Figure 3, associated with a total of two cams 58 and 60, in which the running members 50 to 56 run run. In Figure 3, the running members 50 to 56 and the pistons 24 to 30 are not shown for ease of understanding, so that the control cams 58 and 60 can be seen exposed. It is understood that only one half of the cams 58 and 60 can be seen in Figure 3 according to the sectional view. The cams 58 and 60 rather extend over a full circumference of 360 ° in the housing. The running members 50 and 52 run during rotation of the pistons 24 and 26 about the axis of rotation 32 in the control cam 58, and the Laufor- gane 54 and 56 of the pistons 28 and 30 along the control cam 60th

The contouring of the control cams 58 and 60 is selected such that, when the running members 50 to 56 travel along the control cams 58 and 60 during the orbital movement of the pistons 24 to 30 about the axis of rotation 32, the pivoting movements of the pistons 24 to 30 are diverted about the pivot axis 36 ,

According to this function, sections 62 and 64 of the cam 58 and sections 66 and 68 of the control cam 60 of the line A in Figure 3 and thus extending perpendicular to the plane of the plane containing the pivot axis 36 closest, and determine the UT position of the piston 24th to 30. In contrast, portions 70 and 72 (and correspondingly over a full circumference of the cams 58 and 60 seen over 30 ° corresponding in the sectional view not visible portions of the cams 58, 60) from the line A and thus from the aforementioned level on farthest apart and determine the TDC position of the pistons 24 to 30th

The position of the sections 62 and 64 thus define a first end position of the pistons 24 and 26 shown in Figure 1, and the position of the section 70 determines the second end position of the pistons 24 and 26 shown in Figure 7.

Accordingly, the position of the portions 66 and 68 determines the third end position of the pistons 28 and 30, which corresponds to the first end position of the pistons 24 and 26, and which is shown in Figure 1, and the position of the portion 72 determines the fourth end position of the pistons 28 and 30, which corresponds to the second end position of the pistons 24 and 26, and which is shown in Figure 7.

As will be described in detail hereinafter, the cams 50 and 60 are adjustable in position by means of an adjusting mechanism 74, so as to adjust the aforementioned first, second, third and fourth end positions of the piston, that is their TDC position and their UT position, and thus the maximum volumes of the working chambers 46 and 48 and thus to adjust the displacement of the oscillating piston engine 10.

According to Figures 4 and 5, the adjusting mechanism comprises two cam members 76 and 78, on which the control cams 58 and 60 are formed. The cam elements 76 and 78 are arranged with respect to a housing-fixed pivot axis 79 like a scissors crosswise, as also apparent from Figure 3. The cam element 76 has a first cam section 80 and a second cam section 82, and the cam element 78 has a first cam section 84 and a second cam section 86. The cam sections 80 and 86 together form the control cam 58 and the cam sections 84 and 82 together the cam 60. The cam elements 76 and 78 do not run around the axis of rotation 32, that is, the pivot axis 79 is fixed to the housing in contrast to the pivot axis 36. In each case two piston positions about the axis of rotation 32, the pivot axes 36 and 79 coincide, one of which is shown in Figure 1.

The cam members 76 and 78 are in the housing 12 of the oscillating piston engine 10 about the pivot axis 79 in opposite directions pivoted, as indicated by a double arrow 88 and a double arrow 90.

By pivoting the cam elements 76 and 78 about the pivot axis 79, the sections 62 to 68 of the cams 58 and 60 move away from the above, from the line A and thus from the pivot axis 79, and by pivoting the cams 76 and 78 together Conversely, approach the line A and thus this plane. By pivoting apart the cam members 76 and 78, the BDC position of the pistons 24 to 30 is thus displaced away from the pivot axis 36 thereby reducing the maximum volume of the working chambers 46 and 48, as shown in FIG. 2, and pivoting the cam members 76 together and 78, the maximum volume of the working chambers 46 and 48 is increased accordingly.

To permit relative pivotal movement of the cam members 76 and 78, the cam sections 80 and 86 and 84 and 82, respectively, are relatively movably connected by mating connections 92 and 94 in the sections 70 and 72 of the cams 58 and 60.

The intermeshing connection is realized in the illustrated embodiment in that the cam portion 84 has an extension 96 which engages in a recess or recess 98 in the cam portion 82 and is movable in the direction of the extension 96. The connection 92 is designed accordingly, wherein in FIG. 4 b) an extension 100 can be seen, which belongs to the connection 92. It can also be seen in FIGS. 4 a) and b) that the control cam 60 and also the control cam 58, although not visible in FIG. 4, extend in the assembled state of the cam elements 58 and 60 over a full circumference of 360 °.

The running members 50 to 56 run in the control cams 58 and 60, which are correspondingly formed in cross-section part-circular, with minimal friction.

The configuration of the connections 92 and 94, each with an extension and a recess or recess may also be configured differently, for example, other types of Kämm or teeth may be provided, as long as the relative mobility between the cam sections 80 and 86 and 84 and 82nd and a continuous control curve for the running members 50 to 56 is given.

When the cam elements 58 and 60 are pivoted about the pivot axis 79, the extensions of the cam sections 86 and 84 in the recesses in the cam sections 80 and 82 execute a corresponding movement directed in the direction of the extensions.

Among other things, this relative mobility also serves to adjust the second or fourth end position of the pistons 24 to 30, that is to say their TDC position. This adjustment of the TDC position occurs automatically when also the BDC position is changed, in the sense that the minimum volume of the working chambers 46 and 48 in the TDC position of the pistons 24 to 30 is also reduced when the UT position or the maximum volume of the working chambers 46 and 48 reduced becomes. As a result, when the displacement of the oscillating-piston engine 10 is reduced, a sufficient compression pressure is achieved when igniting the fuel-air mixture compressed in the working chambers 46 and 48.

Furthermore, the adjusting mechanism 74 has a drive 102 for adjusting the cam elements 76 and 78 about the pivot axis 79.

The drive 102 is a hydraulic drive. For this purpose, the cam elements 76 and 78 on a side of the cam elements 76 and 78 facing a housing inner wall 104 have a variable-volume chamber 106 and 108 that can be acted upon by hydraulic fluid.

In the chamber 106, a valve device 110 and in the chamber 108, a valve device 112 is arranged, which serves the inlet and outlet of a hydraulic fluid in the chambers 106, 108 and from the chambers 106, 108.

By acting on the chambers 106 and 108, the cam members 58 and 60 are pivoted apart about the pivot axis 36, and as the hydraulic pressure in the chambers 106 and 108 decreases, the cam members 58 and 60 pivot as the pistons 24 to 30 rotate thereover acting centrifugal forces, which are transmitted via the control cams 58 and 60 on the cam members 76, 78, toward each other. In this way, during operation of the oscillating piston engine 10, the drive 102 for adjusting the displacement (maximum volumes of the working chambers 46 and 48) can be operated. In this case, a corresponding control device, not shown, may be provided, which adjusts the cam elements 76 and 78 in dependence on the rotational speed of the pistons 24 to 30 about the axis of rotation 32. Preferably, with increasing speed of the pistons 24 to 30, the displacement of the oscillating piston engine 10 is reduced, and vice versa.

Hereinafter, further details of the oscillating piston engine 10 will be described.

The pistons 24 to 30 are mounted in the housing 12 in a piston cage 114 which revolves around the axis of rotation 32 together with the pistons 24 to 30. In Figure 8, the piston cage 114 is shown without the piston 24 to 30.

The piston cage 114 is in the embodiment shown, and preferably a one-piece component, but instead of a one-piece construction, however, a multi-piece construction is conceivable.

The piston cage 114 extends along the axis of rotation 32 over the entire length of the housing 12, wherein shaft extensions 116 and 118 of the piston cage 114 protrude from the housing 12.

The piston cage 114 in each case has a main bearing section 120 or 122 adjoining the shaft extensions 116 and 118, via which the piston cage 114 in the housing 12 is mounted rotatably about the axis of rotation 32. The bearing sections 120 and 122 are connected at the housing center via a middle section 124, which extends along the pivot axis 36 having peg-like portion 126. At the pin-like portion 126, the pistons 24 to 30 are mounted to the housing center 22 and to the pivot axis 36 out.

As shown in Fig. 8, the piston cage 114 has two bores 128 and 130 in which the pistons 24 to 30 are slidably mounted. More specifically, in the bore 128, the pistons 24 and 26 and in the bore 130, the pistons 28 and 30 slidably mounted. The holes 128 and 130 are circular in cross-section, and accordingly, the end surfaces 38 to 44 of the pistons 24 to 30 are also circular in shape. The pistons 24 to 30 are mounted in the bores 128 and 130 by means of piston rings for sealing the working chambers 46 and 48, as shown in Figure 1, in which, for example, for the piston 24 seals 132 and 134 is shown.

The bores 128 and 130 define, together with the end surfaces 38 to 44 of the pistons 24 to 30, the working chambers 46 and 48.

In the bores 128 and 130 of the piston cage 114, the pistons 24 to 30 with respect to the rotation axis 32 rotatably connected to the piston cage 114, so that the pistons 24 to 30 rotate together with the piston cage 114 about the rotation axis 32, while the piston 24 to 30 are slidably movable in the bores 128 and 130 according to their thereby carried out pivotal movements about the pivot axis 36 to perform the individual cycles of the intake, compression, expansion and ejection. The pistons 24 to 30 are formed substantially arcuate, and the working hammers 46 and 48 have approximately the shape of a curved or curved cylinder, wherein the curvature is concentric with the pivot axis 36.

The arrangement of piston cage 114, the piston 24 to 30 together with the running members 50 to 56 forms the "inner engine" of the oscillating piston engine 10, that is to say this arrangement comprises all moving parts of the oscillating piston engine 10.

According to another aspect, the race members 50-56 and the cams 58, 60 are magnetically effective such that a magnetic force of attraction acts between the race members 50-56 and the respective associated cam 58, 60.

Preferably, the cams 58 and 60, more precisely the cam members 76 and 78 of the adjusting mechanism 74, from a "positive" magnetizing or -magnetisierten high-strength metal alloy and the spherical Lauforgane 50 to 56 are preferably made of a "negative" -magnetizing or Magnetic ceramic or carbon fiber composite material manufactured.

The pistons 24 to 30 are preferably made of a "positive" magnetizing or magnetized aluminum or magnesium alloy, and in this way there is also a magnetic attraction between the race members 50 to 56 and the associated pistons 24 to 30.

In addition, in order to support the aforementioned attraction function between running organs 50 to 56 and the tax Bends 58, 60 on the one hand and the LaufOrganen 50 to 56 and the piston 24 to 30 on the other hand, the piston cage 114 and possibly also the housing 12 made of "positive" -magnetizing or -magneti- sierten materials.

The polarity of the magnetization or magnetic effect with respect to "positive" and "negative" can of course also be chosen inversely to the distribution described above.

In the bearing portions 120 and 122 of the piston cage 114, as shown in Fig. 8, for example, there are a plurality of passages 136 and 138 communicating with coolant / lubricant ports 140 to 146 (see Fig. 1) to pass a coolant / lubricant into the piston cage 114 for cooling and lubrication. In this case, the internal engine in the vicinity of the working chambers 46 and 48 is cooled. Also in the central portion 124 of the piston cage 114 extends an unillustrated coolant / lubricant channel.

Of course, the oscillating piston engine 10 also has inlet and outlet ports for admitting fuel-air mixture and for discharging the burnt mixture, which will not be described in more detail here. These inlet and outlet ports are assigned to the respective working chambers 46 and 48.

Furthermore, each working chamber 46 and 48 is associated with an ignition or glow plug 148 and 150, which are arranged on the rotation axis 32 and rotate together with the piston cage 114 about the rotation axis 32. The operation of the oscillating-piston engine 10 will be described below.

In Figure 1, the oscillating piston engine 10 is shown in an operating position in which the pistons 24 to 30 are in their UT position. In this case, an operating position of the oscillating piston engine 10 is shown in Figure 1, in which the cam members 76 and 78 are maximally pivoted toward each other. This means that the displacement of the oscillating piston engine 10, that is, the maximum volumes of Arbeitskaπunern 46 and 48, are at a maximum.

In contrast, FIG. 2 shows an operating state of the oscillating-piston engine 10 in which the pistons 24 to 30 are also in their BDC position, in which the working chambers 46 and 48 are maximally open, however, the cam elements 76 are in the operating position shown there and 78 pivoted apart by about 20 °, so that the maximum volumes of the working chambers 46 and 48 in the UT position of the pistons 24 to 30 are smaller than in Figure 1, that is, the displacement of the oscillating piston engine 10 is smaller in Figure 2 than in the operating state in Figure 1.

The pivoting position of the cam elements 76 and 78 shown in FIG. 2 is thereby also the maximum possible pivoting position of the cam elements 76 and 78 in which the cam elements 76 and 78 bear in the corresponding recess in the housing inner wall 104 at the end.

Referring back to FIG. 1, FIG. 6 shows an operating state of the oscillating piston engine 10 in which the pistons 24 to 30 have made approximately a 45 ° rotation about the axis of rotation 32. wherein the pistons 24 to 30 have pivoted toward each other by about half, wherein this pivoting movement, as explained above, from the orbital motion of the pistons 24 to 30 about the axis of rotation 32 by the leadership of the running members 50 and 56 on the correspondingly contoured cam 56th or 58 was derived.

In Figure 7, the pistons 24 to 30 are again circulated by 45 ° about the axis of rotation 32, and the pistons have now pivoted to the TDC position.

In a further 45 ° rotation about the axis of rotation 32, the pistons 24 to 30 pivot apart again, in a pivotal position comparable to FIG. 6, and the pistons 24 to 30 pivot about another 45 ° turn into their UT position , comparable to Figure 1, but in a rotated with respect to Figure 1 by 180 ° position, etc.

By means of the drive 102, the control cams 58 and 60 can be pivoted about the pivot axis 79 both in the idle state and during the running of the oscillating piston engine 10 in order to adjust the displacement of the oscillating piston engine 10, as already described above.

The adjustment of the displacement of the oscillating piston engine 10 can in particular be speed dependent, and that is rather reduced to higher rotational speeds of the displacement of the oscillating piston engine, and rather increased toward lower speeds, which is controlled or regulated by corresponding pressurization of the chambers 106 and 108 with hydraulic fluid can be.

Claims

claims

An oscillating-piston engine, comprising a housing (12) in which a first and at least a second piston (24, 26) are arranged, which can rotate together in the housing (12) about a rotational axis (32) fixed to the housing, and which circulates around the axis of rotation (32) about a perpendicular to the axis of rotation (32) and extending through the middle of the housing piston-fixed pivot axis (36) perform reciprocal reciprocating pivotal movements between a first end position and a second end position, wherein the first and at least second piston (24 26) define a working chamber (48), wherein the first piston (24) and / or the at least second piston (26) at least one running member (50, 52), which during rotation of the first and / or second piston (24, 26 ) is guided along at least one control cam (58) to produce the pivoting movements of the first and / or at least second piston (24, 26), characterized in that the control cam (58) by means of a Verstellmechanism us (74) is positionally adjustable to at least one of the first and second end positions of at least one of the first and second pistons (24, 26) to adjust.

2. oscillating piston engine according to claim 1, characterized in that by means of the adjusting mechanism (74), the at least one of the first end position and the second end position is continuously adjustable.

3. oscillating piston engine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that by means of the adjusting mechanism (74), the first and second end position of the first and the at least second piston (24, 26) are adjustable.

4. oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that two portions (62, 64) of the control cam in opposite directions to each other about a housing-fixed pivot axis (79) are pivotally mounted in the housing (12).

5. oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in the housing (12) has a third and a fourth piston (28, 30) are arranged, with the first and the second piston (24, 26) in the Housing (12) can rotate around the rotation axis (32) and thereby perform mutually opposite pivotal movements between a third end position and a fourth end position, wherein the third and fourth pistons defining a second working chamber (48), and that at least one of the third and fourth end position by means of the adjusting mechanism (74) is adjustable.

6. oscillating piston engine according to claim 5, characterized in that by means of the adjusting mechanism (74), the at least one of the third end position and the fourth end position is continuously adjustable.

7. oscillating piston engine according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that by means of the adjusting mechanism (74) the third and fourth end positions of the third and at least fourth pistons (28, 30) are adjustable.

8. oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the third piston (30) diametrically opposite the first piston (24) with respect to the piston fixed pivot axis (36) and the third end position is synchronously and in the same direction adjustable to the first end position.

9. oscillating piston engine according to claim 8, characterized in that the fourth piston (28) diametrically opposite the second piston (26) with respect to the piston fixed pivot axis (36) and the fourth end position is synchronously and in the same direction adjustable to the second end position.

10. oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the third piston (30) and / or the fourth piston (28) at least one running member (54, 56), which during rotation of the third and / or fourth piston (28, 30) along a second control cam (60) is guided in order to generate the pivoting movements of the third and / or fourth piston (28, 30), and that the second control cam (60) by means of the adjusting mechanism (74) is positionally adjustable, to adjust the at least one of the third and fourth end positions of the at least one of the third and fourth pistons (28, 30).

11. Oscillating piston machine according to claim 10, characterized in that two sections (66, 68) of the second control cam (60) in opposite directions to each other by a housing Swivel axis (79) pivotally mounted in the housing (12) are mounted.

12. oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 5 to 11, characterized in that the adjusting mechanism (74) has a first cam member (76) and a second cam member (78), wherein the first cam member (76) and the second cam member (78) scissor-like have cross-opposing to each other pivotally arranged and the first and the second control cam (58, 60).

13. oscillating piston engine according to claim 12, characterized in that a first cam portion (80) of the first cam member (76) with a second cam portion (86) of the second cam member (78) which together form one of the cams (58, 60), relative connected to this mobile.

14. Oscillating piston engine according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that a third control cam portion (82) of the first cam member (76) with a fourth cam portion (84) of the second cam member (78), which together the other of the cams (58, 60) form, relative to this is movably connected.

15. oscillating piston engine according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the first cam portion (80) with the second cam portion (86) and possibly the third cam portion (82) with the fourth cam portion (84) is connected in mesh.

16 oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the adjusting mechanism (74) has at least one drive (102) which is hydraulic, pneumatic and / or electric.

17 oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 12 to 15 and 16, characterized in that the at least one drive (102) is hydraulic, and that on at least one of a housing inner wall (104) of the housing (12) facing side of the cam elements (74, 78 ) is arranged to be acted upon with hydraulic fluid volume variable chamber (106, 108).

18, oscillating piston engine according to claim 17, characterized in that by increasing the hydraulic pressure in the chamber (106, 108), the maximum stroke of the piston (24 - 30) is reduced and by reducing the hydraulic pressure of the maximum stroke of the piston (34 - 30) is enlarged.

19. Oscillating piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the at least one running member (50, 52, 54, 56) and the at least one control cam (58, 60) are magnetically effective, such that between the at least one running member (50, 52, 54, 56) and the at least one control cam (58, 60) acts a magnetic attraction.

20. oscillating piston engine according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the at least one running member (50, 52, 54, 56) and the associated piston (24, 26, 28, 30) are magnetically effective, such that between the to- at least one running member (50, 52, 54, 56) and the associated piston (24, 26, 28, 30) has a magnetic attraction.