BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
[0001] The present invention relates an engine and, more particularly, to a high-performance
engine, which uses an eccentric axle bush to impart an upward pressure to the piston
when the link coupled between the piston and the crank moved to a predetermined angle,
so as to increase the compression ratio of the engine during the explosive stroke
and to further enhance the output of the engine.
2. Description of the Related Art:
[0002] FIGS. 1 and 3 show the structure and operation of an engine according to the prior
art. As illustrated, the engine comprises a cylinder
11', a piston
12' reciprocating in the cylinder
11', a crank
16', and a link
15', which has one end pivoted to the piston
12' by a pivot pin
13' and the other end pivoted to the crank
16'. The engine is ignited to explode when the piston moved to the upper limited position,
i.e., the dead line position where the center of the piston and the center of the
link and the center of the crank are vertically aligned in a line). At this time,
the volume of the chamber of the cylinder is minimized, providing the best compression
ratio. Therefore, this time is the best time for explosion. When passed over the dead
line, the piston starts to move downwards, and the best compression ratio and the
best explosion time cannot be maintained. The maximum output of the engine is when
the crank moved from 0° toward 90° (the moving distance
"c" of the piston). After this angle, the output of the engine is gradually reduced.
The output power of the engine has a great concern with the variation of the volume
of the cylinder chamber. When the volume of the cylinder chamber relatively increased,
the explosion pressure is relatively reduced, resulting in a reduction of output power
of the engine. On the contrary, when the volume of the cylinder chamber is relatively
reduced during this stage and same explosion pressure is maintained, the fuel mixture
can be completely burned to relatively increase the output power of the engine.
[0003] Further, in order to obtain the optimum compression ratio, the engine igniting time
must be before the dead line. The engine provides no power output or a negative power
before the dead line after the explosion. This drawback results in low engine performance,
a waste of fuel energy, and a big amount of exhaust gas. Further, because the piston
is reciprocated at a high speed when the combustion chamber of the engine is ignited
to explode, fuel gas is not completely burned before a next cycle. This problem reduces
the efficiency of the engine and, causes the engine to produce much waste gas.
[0004] Therefore, it is desirable to have a high-performance engine that eliminates the
aforesaid drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is
the main object of the present invention to provide a high-performance engine, which
enhances the output, saves fuel gas, and reduces the production of waste gas. According
to the invention, the engine comprises a cylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate
in the cylinder, a crank, and a link coupled between the crank and the piston. The
link has a first end fixedly provided with an eccentric axle bush fastened pivotally
with a pivot pin at the piston, and a second end pivoted to the crank. When the piston
moved to an upper limit position, the link is at an eccentric position relative to
the piston, and the pivot point between the link and the crank is at an offset location
away from the axis passing through the center of the piston and the axis of rotation
of the crank. Therefore, the eccentric axle bush forces the piston upwards to reduce
the volume of the cylinder chamber when the crank moved to a particular angle, for
enabling the fuel mixture to be completely burned to increase the output power of
the engine. Further, the link has a curved portion turning in one direction and terminating
in the second end so that the direction of applied force of the link passes over the
axis of rotation of the crank at one side of the axis passing through the center of
the piston and the axis of rotation of the crank opposite to the longitudinal central
axis of the crank.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an engine according to the prior art.
FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing the crank moved to 90°.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an engine according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the engine shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the present invention showing the action of the eccentric
axle bush when the crank moved to 0°.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the present invention showing the action of the eccentric
axle bush when the crank moved to 90°.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the present invention showing the action of the eccentric
axle bush when the crank moved to 180°.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the present invention showing the action of the eccentric
axle bush when the crank moved to 270°.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved to
0° according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved
to 0° according to the prior art.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved
to 90° according to the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved
to 90° according to the prior art.
FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved
to 180° according to the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved
to 180° according to the prior art.
FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved
to 270° according to the present invention.
FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing the action of the engine when the crank moved
to 270° according to the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0007] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a high-performance engine in accordance with the' present
invention is shown comprising a cylinder
11 defining a cylinder chamber
111, a piston
12 axially movably mounted in the cylinder chamber
111, a crank
16, and a link
15 coupled between the piston
12 and the crank
16. An eccentric axle bush
14 is fixedly fastened to one end of the link
15, having an eccentric coupling hole
141 coupled to a pivot pin
13 at the piston
12. When the piston
12 moved to the upper limit position, the link
15 is at an eccentric position relative to the piston
12. The link
15 is pivoted to one end of the crank
16 at an offset location away from the axis
"a" passing through the center of the piston
12 and the axis of rotation of the crank
16. Therefore, the longitudinal central axis of the crank
16 is spaced from the axis
"a" at one side. Due to the effect of the coupling between the eccentric coupling hole
141 of the eccentric axle bush
14 and the pivot pin
13 at the piston
12, the link
15 forces the piston
12 upwards to reduce the cylinder chamber
111 when moved to a predetermined angle, and to further buffer downward displacement
of the piston
12 for a complete combustion of fuel gas, maintaining the engine pressure after explosion
stroke and, enhancing the output power of the engine. Further, the link
15 has a curved portion
152 turning in one direction near the crank
16 so that the direction
"b" of applied force of the link
15 passes over the axis of rotation
161 of the crank
16 at one side of the axis
"a" opposite to the longitudinal central axis of the crank
16.
[0008] FIGS. 5∼8 show four actions in one cycle of the high-performance engine. When the
crank
16 moved to the zero angle position as shown in FIG. 5, the piston
12 is moved to the upper limit position, the link
15 and the piston
12 are kept in an eccentric status, the connection area between the link
15 and the crank
16 is maintained at one side of the axis
"a" passing through the center of the piston
12 and the axis of rotation of the crank
16. When the crank
16 gradually rotating toward 90° angle as shown in FIG. 6, the eccentric axle bush
14 is rotated downwards with the link
15, keeping the relatively thicker part suspended below the pivot pin
13 and the relatively thinner part supported above the pivot pin
13. Because the piston
12 is coupled to the eccentric axle bush
14 by the pivot pin
13 and constrained to vertical movement in the cylinder chamber
111, the pivot pin
13 is forced upwards by the link
13 at this time, and the piston
12 is moved upwards with the pivot pin
13 through a distance. Therefore, the downward moving time of the piston
12 is relatively reduced. This action is produced during the explosion stroke when the
crank moved to a position within 0°∼90°. During this stage, the engine output power
reaches the maximum status. Because the volume of the cylinder chamber
111 is minimized when the engine output power reaches the maximum status, the moving
time of the piston
12 is relatively reduced during this stage, enabling fuel gas
2 to be completely burned. When the crank
16 moved over 90°, the link
15 is reversed toward its former angle, and at the same time the eccentric axle bush
14 is reversed (the relatively thicker part moved toward the top side and the relatively
thinner part moved toward the bottom side), and the aforesaid upward displacement
is gradually reduced, and one complete cycle is finished when the upward displacement
disappeared.
[0009] FIGS. 9∼16 show a comparison between the invention and the prior art design. With
reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, when fuel gas
2 mixed with air and injected into the cylinder chamber
111, the fuel mixture is compressed by the piston
12, and then ignited when the piston
12 moved to the upper limit position, at this time a force is produced and applied in
the direction
"b" to rotate the crank
16, thereby causing the link
15 to move rightwards, and the eccentric axle bush
14 to rotate counter-clockwise. At this time, the downward moving distance of the link
15 is relatively reduced by the upward displacement of the eccentric axle bush
14, and therefore the downward moving time of the piston
12 is relatively reduced. With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12 show the displacement of
the piston when the crank moved from 0° to 90°. As illustrated, the displacement
"d" of the piston
12 of the present invention is smaller than the displacement
"e" of the piston
12' of the prior art design, i.e., the volume of the cylinder chamber
111 of the present invention becomes relatively smaller to relatively increase the internal
air pressure and the output power. The area from 0° to 90° is the actual working stage.
During this working stage, the output power of the invention is apparently superior
to the prior art design. FIGS. 13∼16 show the status during the exhaust (or compression)
stroke. The upstroke of the piston
12 of the present invention is relatively postponed. This postponing action has an advantage.
As shown in FIG. 15, when the crank
16 moved to 270°, the other cylinder is at the 0° position of explosion stroke. At this
time, the push force of the other cylinder reaches the maximum status, however the
arm of force is at the shortest status, i.e., the piston 12 reaches the upper limited
position when the other cylinder moved to 90° position to provide the maximum output.
Therefore, the engine moves smoothly and efficiently.
[0010] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for
purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is
not to be limited except as by the appended claims.