| CPC F02B 61/06 (2013.01) [F02B 75/222 (2013.01); F02F 7/0017 (2013.01); F16H 1/28 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |
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1. An internal combustion engine with an epicyclic gear train and reciprocating pistons including at least:
a cylinder block comprising:
a collar being configured to bring together a number of cylinders at least equal to one, disposed radially around an axis (Z) and rigidly connected to the collar, the axes of said cylinders called main axes of the engine being perpendicular to the axis (Z) at a point (O), the plane orthogonal to the axis (Z) and passing through the point (O) is called main plane (P);
a piston guided in coaxial translation in each of said cylinders and being intended to carry out reciprocating linear movements, the head of the piston and the bottom of the corresponding cylinder define a combustion chamber in which the four strokes of an engine cycle occur, the volume of said combustion chamber being variable between a minimum, reached at a moment of the cycle corresponding to a position of the piston called top dead center TDC and a maximum reached at a moment of the cycle corresponding to a position of the piston called bottom point BP, each combustion chamber being supplied by an intake system of an oxidizing gas and a fuel and being in communication with an exhaust system of the burnt gases;
a valvetrain system comprising a set of components arranged in such a way as to ensure the intake and exhaust of gases in said cylinders in synchronization with the four strokes of the engine cycle;
a device mounted between each of the pistons and the corresponding cylinder allowing to ensure the insulation and the sealing of the combustion chamber;
a rod integral with the piston and arranged to move in longitudinal translation along the axis of the corresponding piston;
at least one active unit comprising a set of members arranged in such a way as to form an epicyclic gear train including at least:
a ring gear mounted coaxially with respect to the axis (Z), being rigidly connected or derived from material of the collar and being located on a first side of the main plane (P);
a planet gear whose axis is parallel to the axis (Z) including at least one first toothing capable of meshing with the ring gear and being maintained on its orbit by a planet carrier guided in rotation about the axis (Z), the planet gear is connected at a first end of its axis to the planet carrier by a pivot connection, the pitch diameter of the first toothing of the planet gear being equal to the pitch radius of the ring gear;
the active unit further comprises a connecting rod mounted on the axis of the planet gear by a fixing means ensuring a rigid and complete connection and having a number of crank pins (I) equal to the number of the main axes of the engine, the axes of said crank pins (I) are parallel to the axis (Z), pass through the pitch circle of the first toothing of the planet gear and disposed in such a way that when the planet carrier rotates about the axis (Z), the projection of the axis of each of the crank pins (I) on the main plane (P) carries out a reciprocating rectilinear movement along a main axis of the engine by describing a segment, called path of the crank pin (I), the center of which is the point (O) and the length of which is equal to the pitch diameter of the ring gear, the active unit being intended to cooperate by contact via the crank pins (I) with the rods to carry out a reversible transformation of the reciprocating linear movements of the pistons of the cylinder block into a continuous rotational movement of the planet carrier;
at least one passive unit comprising a set of members arranged in such a way as to form an epicyclic gear train including at least:
a ring gear mounted coaxially with respect to the axis (Z), being rigidly connected or derived from material of the collar and being located on the opposite side to the first side of the main plane (P);
a planet gear whose axis is parallel to the axis (Z) including at least one toothing capable of meshing with the ring gear and being maintained on its orbit by a planet carrier guided in rotation about the axis (Z), the planet gear is connected at a first end of its axis to the planet carrier by a pivot connection, the pitch diameter of the toothing of the planet gear being equal to the pitch radius of the ring gear, the planet carrier is arranged to be driven in rotation by at least one of the rotating members of the active unit;
the passive unit further comprises a connecting rod mounted on the axis of the planet gear by a fixing means ensuring a rigid and complete connection and having a number of crank pins (I′) equal to the number of the main axes of the engine, the axes of said crank pins (I′) are parallel to the axis (Z), pass through the pitch circle of the toothing of the planet gear and disposed in such a way that when the planet carrier rotates about the axis (Z), the projection of the axis of each of the crank pins (I′) on the main plane (P) carries out a reciprocating rectilinear movement along a main axis of the engine by describing a segment, called path of the crank pin (I′), the center of which is the point (O) and the length of which is equal to the pitch diameter of the ring gear, the passive unit being intended to cooperate by contact via the crank pins (I′) with the rods to carry out a transformation of a continuous rotational movement of the planet carrier into reciprocating translational movements of the pistons of the cylinder block; and
an output shaft guided in rotation about the axis (Z) and arranged to be driven in rotation by at least one of the rotating members of the engine.
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