US3702057A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for control and regulation of double piston-driven engine with hydrostatic motion transducers
Assignee: Grundig EMV Elektromechanische Versuchsanstalt Max Grundig GmbH
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Filing: 1970-12-14
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Granted: 1972-11-07
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Expires: 1990-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A system for controlling the relative positions of the two pistons in double or opposed piston engines having hydrostatic motion transducers for transmitting the piston energy to a driveshaft. The control is effected by adding fluid to or withdrawing fluid from the transducers. The system includes means for comparing the positions of the two pistons and the angle of rotation of the driveshaft to generate two synchronous error signals, and means for comparing the actual dead points of said two pistons and the predetermined nominal dead points of each piston to generate first and second dead point error signals, and for relating the first dead point error signal to the second dead point error signal. Fluid is added to or withdrawn from the hydrostatic motion transducers in accordance with the synchronous error signals when the engine speed is below a selected engine speed, and in accordance with a dead point error signal when said engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed. In the system, control of both pistons is simultaneously switched from the synchronous error signal to the dead point error signal and vice versa.
Inventors
- 👤 Wolfgang Rabiger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 15:57
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H43/00; F01; F01B; F01B11/00; F01B11/08; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/30; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S60/00; Y10S60/91; Y10S60/911
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
In a system for controlling the relative positions of pistons in an opposed piston engine; wherein said engine includes at least one cylinder, first and second opposite pistons forming a combustion chamber therebetween within said cylinder, a driveshaft, and means including first and second hydrostatic motion transducers connected to said first and second pistons, respectively, for transmitting piston energy to said driveshaft; the combination comprising; a. means for comparing the positions of said first and said second pistons and the angle of rotation of said driveshaft to generate first and second synchronous error signals for said first and said second pistons, respectively; b. means for comparing the actual dead points of said first and said second pistons and predetermined nominal dead points of each piston to generate first and second dead point error signals; c. means for relating the first dead point error signal to the second dead point error signal; d. means responsive to the engine speed for controlling the amount of fluid in said first and said second hydrostatic motion transducers in accordance with said first and said second synchronous error signals when the engine speed is below a selected speed and with a dead point error signal when said engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed; and e. means for simultaneously switching the control of both pistons of a cylinder from the synchronous error signal to the dead point error signal and vice versa.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
236 words
In a system for controlling the relative positions of pistons in an opposed piston engine; wherein said engine includes at least one cylinder, first and second opposite pistons forming a combustion chamber therebetween within said cylinder, a driveshaft, and means including first and second hydrostatic motion transducers connected to said first and second pistons, respectively, for transmitting piston energy to said driveshaft; the combination comprising; a. means for comparing the positions of said first and said second pistons and the angle of rotation of said driveshaft to generate first and second synchronous error signals for said first and said second pistons, respectively; b. means for comparing the actual dead points of said first and said second pistons and predetermined nominal dead points of each piston to generate first and second dead point error signals; c. means for relating the first dead point error signal to the second dead point error signal; d. means responsive to the engine speed for controlling the amount of fluid in said first and said second hydrostatic motion transducers in accordance with said first and said second synchronous error signals when the engine speed is below a selected speed and with a dead point error signal when said engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed; and e. means for simultaneously switching the control of both pistons of a cylinder from the synchronous error signal to the dead point error signal and vice versa.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for relating includes means for combining said second dead point error signal and said first dead point error signal to generate a modified first dead point error signal, and wherein said dead point error signal controlling the amount of fluid in the hydrostatic motion transducers when the engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed, includes said modified first dead point error signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system according to claim 2, wherein said dead point error signal controlling the amount of fluid in the hydrostatic motion transducers when the engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed, includes said second dead point error signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said combining means comprises means for subtracting said second dead point error signal from said first dead point error signal to generate said modified first dead point error signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system according to claim 2 wherein the means responsive to the engine speed switches over from synchronous regulation to dead point regulation at a higher engine speed than at which it switches over from dead point regulation to synchronous regulation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said combining means comprises means for inverting said second dead point error signal, and means for adding an inverted second dead point error signal to said first dead point error signal to generate said modified first dead point error signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said first and said second pistons are vertically aligned as top and bottom pistons, respectively, at least substantially above said driveshaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
175 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said dead point error signal generating means comprises for each of said first and said second pistons; a transformer coil comprising a primary winding, a pair of first secondary windings, and a second secondary winding, an alternating current power supply connected to said primary winding, a weakly magnetic core operable in response to a respective one of said first and said second pistons approaching a predetermined nominal dead point position to move into said coil a distance representative of the actual point center position of said one of said first and said second pistons, said primary winding and said pair of secondary windings being arranged in a circuit such that the output voltage from said pair of first secondary windings has a uniformly rising and falling path in at least portions thereof and passes through zero voltage at the predetermined dead center position, and the second secondary winding being connected such that the voltage induced therein by insertion of the core into the coil uniformly increases and uniformly decreases.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system of claim 8 further comprising; circuit means for measuring the output voltage of said pair of first secondary windings when the voltage induced in said second secondary winding reaches a first predetermined threshold level and for so long as the voltage induced in said second secondary winding remains above a second predetermined threshold level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said coil and said core are arranged to generate said first predetermined threshold level when said one of the pistons is at a position closer to said predetermined dead center position than when said second predetermined threshold level is generated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said measuring circuit means comprises a peak voltage detector and storage means, and means responsive to said first predetermined threshold value for passing said voltage from said pair of first secondary windings to said peak detector, and in response to said second predetermined threshold value for passing the signal stored in said peak detector to said storage means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 8 further comprising means for superimposing a voltage on the output of said pair of first secondary windings of only the coil of said second piston to thereby change the compression value of said cylinder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said combining means comprises means for inverting a function of the voltage of said pair of secondary windings of the second piston, and means for combining the inverted voltage with the voltage of said pair of secondary windings of said first piston.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 8 further comprising means for generating a signal proportional to the voltage of said pair of first secondary windings, means for integrating said proportional signal, and means for adding said integrated signal and said proportional signal to generate a dead point error signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 14 in which the proportional signal of each piston is equal or proportional to the first secondary voltage of the corresponding piston.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 14 in which the proportional signal of each piston is equal or proportional to the first secondary voltage of the corresponding piston, augmented by an inverted first secondary voltage or portion thereof of the other piston.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 14 in which the proportional signal of each piston is equal or proportional to the first secondary voltage of the corresponding piston, augmented by a first secondary voltage or portion thereof of the other piston.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
104 words
The system of claim 14 further comprising means for generating a timing signal, comparator means for comparing the time interval betweEn generation of successive dead center point signals for one of the pistons and the output of said timing means to thereby obtain a representation of engine rotational speed, and means responsive to the output of the comparator means for simultaneously switching and selectively controlling the amount of fluid in said first and said second hydrostatic motion transducers in response to said first and said second synchronous error signals, and said modified first dead center error signal and said second dead center error signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said integrating means is responsive to the output of the comparator means indicative of an engine rotational speed for switch over to dead center error signal regulation to begin integration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 3 further comprising means for storing said modified first dead point error signal and said second dead point error signal, and means for retaining the last stored modified first dead point error signal and said second dead point error signal upon power failure of the system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 2 further comprising valve means for controlling the amount of fluid in said first and said second hydrostatic motion transducers, means for generating a signal representative of the position of each of said valves, and means for additively combining said position signals with said dead point error signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
219 words
In a method of controlling the relative positions of pistons in an opposed piston engine; wherein said engine includes at least one cylinder, first and second opposed pistons forming a combustion chamber therebetween within said cylinder, a driveshaft, and means including first and second hydrostatic motion transducers connected to said first and second pistons, respectively, for transmitting piston energy to said drive shaft; the steps comprising; a. comparing the positions of said first and said second pistons and the angle of rotation of said drive shaft to generate first and second synchronous error signals for said first and said second pistons, respectively; b. comparing the actual dead point positions of said first and said second pistons and predetermined first and second dead point positions, respectively, to generate first and second dead point error signals; c. relating said dead point error signals to each other; d. controlling the amount of fluid in said first and said second hydrostatic motion transducers in accordance with said first and said second synchronous error signals when said engine speed is below a predetermined speed, and with a dead point error signal, when said engine speed exceeds a selected speed; and e. simultaneously switching the control of both of the pistons from the synchronous error signal to the dead point error signal and visa versa.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
219 words
In a method of controlling the relative positions of pistons in an opposed piston engine; wherein said engine includes at least one cylinder, first and second opposed pistons forming a combustion chamber therebetween within said cylinder, a driveshaft, and means including first and second hydrostatic motion transducers connected to said first and second pistons, respectively, for transmitting piston energy to said drive shaft; the steps comprising; a. comparing the positions of said first and said second pistons and the angle of rotation of said drive shaft to generate first and second synchronous error signals for said first and said second pistons, respectively; b. comparing the actual dead point positions of said first and said second pistons and predetermined first and second dead point positions, respectively, to generate first and second dead point error signals; c. relating said dead point error signals to each other; d. controlling the amount of fluid in said first and said second hydrostatic motion transducers in accordance with said first and said second synchronous error signals when said engine speed is below a predetermined speed, and with a dead point error signal, when said engine speed exceeds a selected speed; and e. simultaneously switching the control of both of the pistons from the synchronous error signal to the dead point error signal and visa versa.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 22 wherein the engine speed at which transfer of control from the synchronous error signal to the dead point error signal occurs is higher than that at which transfer occurs from the dead point error signal to the synchronous error signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 22 wherein step (c) comprises subtracting said second dead point error signal from said first dead point error signal to generate a modified first dead point error signal which regulates the amount of fluid in the transducers.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said first and said second pistons are vertically aligned as top and bottom pistons, respectively, at least substantially above said driveshaft.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) comprises; inverting said second dead point error signal, and adding the inverted second dead point error signal to said first dead point error signal to produce said dead point error signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-07 | 1976-05-08 | 1976-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-07 | 1980-05-08 | 1980-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-07 | 1984-05-08 | 1984-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |