Abstract:
The present invention provides a variable-coordination-timing type self-cooling engine capable of adjusting the initiation timings and the injected amount of each injection process according to the change in the combusting pressure with the variable-coordinate-timing system. 
     The variable-coordination-timing system will regulate the air flow between each coordinate-channel and its associated power-cylinder to optimize the cooling effects, and the hot-combusting-medium in each power-cylinder will be mixed with a flow of compressed air at a controlled flow-rate and pressure, which prevents the hot-combusting-medium from charging into the primary-coordinate-channel and the secondary-coordinate-channel, thereby effecting the cooling effects of the self-cooling-16-process.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a continuing application and a further developed configuration of the dual six-stroke self-cooling internal combustion engine; and more particularly the present invention relates to an advanced coordination control method and apparatus for enhancing the self-cooling internal combustion engine. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is a divisional application of the application Ser. No. 12/459,848, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,725. 
         [0003]    The dual-six-stroke self-cooling internal combustion engine is also abbreviated as the self-cooling engine in the present application. 
         [0004]    During the experiments of the original dual-six-stroke self-cooling internal combustion engine, it is found that the coordination control of the cooling cylinder to the primary-power-cylinder and the secondary-power-cylinder should be further improved to regulate the flows of the compressed-air and the hot-combusting-medium when each of their associated coordinate valve opens; improper coordination controls will cause the hot-combusting-medium to charge into each coordinating channel during each injection process, which hinders the cooling effect of the injection-process and reduces the overall combustion efficiency, and eventually damages the engine head structure. 
         [0005]    In order to prevent the turbulence from reducing the cooling effect of the self-cooling-16-process and increasing the durability of the primary-coordinate-channel and the secondary-coordinate-channel, the present invention provides an improved coordination control, which control the actuation timing of each coordinate valve according to the pressure difference between the hot-combusting-medium and the compressed-air computed with the engine ECU. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is the main objective of the present invention to provide a variable-coordination-timing type self-cooling engine with variable-profile-camshaft that can adjust the duration of each injection process to improve the durability and engine performance. 
         [0007]    It is the second objective of the present invention to provide a variable-coordination-timing type self-cooling engine with variable-profile-camshaft that can regulate the air flows and prevent the hot-combusting-medium from charging into each coordinate-channel during the first-injection-process and the second-injection-process, thereby ensuring an adequate amount of the compressed air is injected each power-cylinder during its associated injection-process. 
         [0008]    It is the third objective of the present invention to provide a variable-coordination-timing type self-cooling engine with variable-profile-camshaft that can improve the overall energy efficiency for a wide range of engine rpm and engine load. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 2L  shows the valve condition of the second embodiment at 390 degree of crankshaft reference angle in the low power output condition, wherein the first-coordinate-valve is starting to open to initiate the first-injection-process. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2M  shows the valve condition of the second embodiment at 405 degree of crankshaft reference angle in the medium power output condition, wherein the first-coordinate-valve is starting to open to initiate the first-injection-process. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2H  shows the valve condition of the second embodiment at 420 degree of crankshaft reference angle in the high power output condition, wherein the first-coordinate-valve is starting to open to initiate the first-injection-process. 
           [0012]    Sequence Table. 2L shows the self-cooling-16-process with variable-profile-camshaft in the low power output condition. 
           [0013]    Sequence Table. 2M shows the self-cooling-16-process with variable-profile-camshaft in the medium power output condition. 
           [0014]    Sequence Table. 2H shows the self-cooling-16-process with variable-profile-camshaft in the high power output condition. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    The variable-coordination-timing type self-cooling engine is a further improved internal combustion engine developed from the dual six-stroke self-cooling internal combustion engine; however, the operation of the self-cooling-engine will be more specifically defined with the 12-stroke-sequence and the self-cooling-16-process throughout the present invention; it should be noted that some of the components in the present invention are similar to the that of original dual six-stroke self-cooling internal combustion engine, but these components might be referred to with a more appropriate name suited for their functionalities. 
         [0016]    The actuation timing refers to the crankshaft reference angle at which the first-coordinate-valve/the second-coordinate-valve starts to open. The open-time refers to the opening duration of the first-coordinate-valve/the second-coordinate-valve; in the present invention, the actuation timing of the first-coordinate-valve is equivalent to the initiation timing of the first-injection-process, whereas the actuation timing of the second-coordinate-valve is equivalent to the initiation timing of the second-injection-process. 
         [0017]    The actuation timings of the first-coordinate-valve and the second-coordinate-valve will be controlled by said variable-coordinate-timing system and said engine ECU, and said variable-coordinate-timing system employs with a variable-profile-camshaft and a profile-shifter as in the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 2M . 
         [0018]    The actuation timing of the first-coordinate-valve (which is also equal to the initiation timing of the first-injection-process) can range from 15 degree after the TDC of the primary-piston to 10 degree before the TDC of the cooling-piston during the first-cooling-stroke. 
         [0019]    The actuation timing of the second-coordinate-valve (which is also equal to the initiation timing of the second-injection-process) can range from 15 degree after the TDC of the secondary-piston to 10 degree before the TDC of the cooling-piston during the second-cooling-stroke. 
         [0020]    The 12-stroke-sequence of the self-cooling engine contains an operation cycle of the self-cooling-16-process, and said 12-stroke-sequence can also be configured in the symmetrical 12-stroke-sequence (at the dual-phase-difference of 360 degree) and the asymmetrical 12-stroke-sequence (at a dual-phase-difference between 315 degree and 405 degree, excluding 360 degree). 
         [0021]    The dual-phase-difference will refer to the difference in the piston position between the primary-piston and the secondary-piston, and the dual-phase-difference, depending on the engine design, can range from 315 degree to 405 degree. 
         [0022]    The symmetrical 12-stroke-sequence has the dual-phase-difference of 360 degree, therefore, the primary-piston will be at the TDC of the primary-intake-stroke while the secondary-piston will be at the TDC of the secondary-power-stroke, and in other words, the primary-piston and the secondary-piston have a relative phase difference of 360 degree. 
         [0023]    The asymmetrical 12-stroke-sequence is an alternative structure for reducing the vibration resonance and is more preferable for vehicle use or other mobile transportation applications; the asymmetrical  12 -stroke-sequence can be constructed with a dual-phase-difference ranging from 315 degree to 405 degree, excluding 360 degree; for example of an asymmetrical 12-stroke-sequence with a dual-phase-difference of 390 degree, the primary-piston starts the primary-intake-stroke at 0 degree of crankshaft reference angle while the secondary-piston starts the secondary-intake-stroke at 390 degree of crankshaft reference angle. 
         [0024]    The cooling-phase will refer to the difference in the piston position between the primary-piston and the cooling-piston or the difference in the piston position between the secondary-piston and the cooling-piston; the cooling-phase can be constructed in the range from 45 degree to 150 degree. 
         [0025]    With the reference to any of the sequence tables in the present invention, the detailed concept of the 12-stroke-sequence is defined as follows: 
         [0026]    The four strokes associated with the primary-power-cylinder are the primary-intake-stroke, the primary-compression-stroke, the primary-power-stroke, the primary-exhaust-stroke; said associated four strokes of the primary-power-cylinder will repeat every 720 degree of crankshaft rotation; said primary-intake-stroke is the down-stroke of the primary-piston for supplying the air or the air-fuel mixture (depending on the ignition method) into the primary-power-cylinder; said primary-compression-stroke is the up-stroke of the primary-piston for compressing the air or the air-fuel mixture in the primary-power-cylinder, said primary-power-stroke is the down-stroke of the primary-piston for generating power to the crankshaft; said primary-exhaust-stroke is the up-stroke of the primary-piston for expelling the cold-expansion-medium out of the primary-power-cylinder. 
         [0027]    The four strokes associated with the secondary-power-cylinder are the secondary-intake-stroke, the secondary-compression-stroke, the secondary-power-stroke, the secondary-exhaust-stroke; said associated four strokes of the secondary-power-cylinder will repeat every 720 degree of crankshaft rotation; said secondary-intake-stroke is the down-stroke of the secondary-piston for supplying the air or the air-fuel mixture into the secondary-power-cylinder; said secondary-compression-stroke is the up-stroke of the secondary-piston for compressing the air or the air-fuel mixture in the secondary-power-cylinder (depending on the ignition method); said secondary-power-stroke is the down-stroke of the secondary-piston for generating power to the crankshaft; said secondary-exhaust-stroke is the up-stroke of the secondary-piston for expelling the cold-expansion-medium out of the secondary-power-cylinder. 
         [0028]    The four strokes associated with the cooling-cylinder are the first-recharge-stroke, the first-cooling-stroke, the second-recharge-stroke, the second-cooling-stroke; said four strokes of the cooling-cylinder will repeat every 720 degree of crankshaft rotation; said first-recharge-stroke is the down-stroke of the cooling-piston for recharging air into the cooling cylinder, said first-cooling-stroke is the up-stroke of the cooling-piston for compressing the air into the primary-coordinate-channel, said second-charging-stroke is another down-stroke of the cooling-piston for recharging air into the cooling-cylinder, said second-cooling-stroke is the up-stroke of the cooling-piston for compressing the air into the secondary-coordinate-channel. 
         [0029]    The first 8 processes of the self-cooling-16-process are performed with the primary-power-cylinder and the cooling-cylinder, and their definitions are provided as follow: 
         [0030]    The 1st process is the primary-intake-process, which is the process that the air-intake means supplies the air into the primary-power-cylinder. 
         [0031]    The 2nd process is the first-recharge-process, which is the process that the air-intake means supplies the air into the cooling-cylinder. 
         [0032]    The 3rd process is the primary-compression-process, which is the process that the primary-piston compresses the air or the air-fuel mixture in the primary-power-cylinder. 
         [0033]    The 4th process is the first-cold-compression-process, which is the process that the cooling-piston compresses the air into the primary-coordinate-channel through the first-input-port; during this process, the first-input-valve is open and the second-input-valve is shut. 
         [0034]    The 5th process is the primary-hot-expansion process, which is the process that the air-fuel mixture is combusting in the primary-power-cylinder as the hot-combusting-medium, and the first-coordinate-valve is still shut to build up the air-pressure in the primary-coordinate-channel. 
         [0035]    The 6th process is the first-injection-process, which is the process that the first-coordinate-valve is opened with the variable-coordination-timing system to inject the compressed-air of the primary-coordinate-channel into the primary-power-cylinder; at the initiation of this first-injection-process, the air-pressure of the primary-coordinate-channel requires to be at least 15 psi higher than the pressure of the hot-combusting-medium of the primary-power-cylinder; during this process, said hot-combusting-medium will be mixed with said compressed-air to form a cold-expansion-medium in the primary-power-cylinder. 
         [0036]    The 7th process is the primary-cold-expansion-process, which is the process that the cold-expansion-medium continues to expand inside the primary-power-cylinder after the first-coordinate-valve has shut the first-output-port. 
         [0037]    The 8th process is the primary-exhaust-process, which is the process that the primary-piston expels the cold-expansion-medium out of the primary-power-cylinder with its associated exhaust means. 
         [0038]    The next 8processes of the self-cooling-16-process are performed with the secondary-power-cylinder and the cooling-cylinder, and their definitions are provided as follow: 
         [0039]    The 9th process is the secondary-intake-process, which is the process that the air-intake means supplies the air into the secondary-power-cylinder. 
         [0040]    The 10th process is the second-recharge-process, which is the process that the air-intake means supplies the air into the cooling-cylinder. 
         [0041]    The 11th process is the secondary-compression-process, which is the process that the secondary-piston compresses the air or the air-fuel mixture in the secondary-power-cylinder. 
         [0042]    The 12th process is the second-cold-compression-process which is the process that the cooling-piston compresses the air into the secondary-coordinate-channel through the second-input-port; during this process, the first-input-valve is shut and the second-input-valve is open. 
         [0043]    The 13th process is the secondary-hot-expansion-process, which is the process that the air-fuel mixture is combusting in the secondary-power-cylinder and the second-coordinate-valve is still shut to build up the air-pressure in the secondary-coordinate-channel. 
         [0044]    The 14th process is the second-injection-process, which is the process that the second-coordinate-valve is opened with the variable-coordination-timing system to inject the compressed-air of the secondary-coordinate-channel into the secondary-power-cylinder; at the initiation of this second-injection-process, the air-pressure of the secondary-coordinate-channel requires to be at least 15 psi higher than the pressure of the hot-combusting-medium of the secondary-power-cylinder; during this process, said hot-combusting-medium will be mixed with said compressed-air to form a cold-expansion-medium in the secondary-power-cylinder. 
         [0045]    The 15th process is the secondary-cold-expansion-process, which is the process that the cold-expansion-medium continues to expand inside the secondary-power-cylinder after the second-coordinate-valve has shut the second-output-port. 
         [0046]    The 16th process is the secondary-exhaust-process, which is the process that the secondary-piston expels the cold-expansion-medium out of the secondary-power-cylinder with its associated exhaust means. 
         [0047]    The fuel supplying means and the ignition means are equipped in the primary-power-cylinder and the secondary-power-cylinder, and the fuel-supplying means can be a high-pressure fuel injector or direct injector or converter (generally for LPG) or carburetor or fuel-pump or any other currently known fuel-supplying means; the ignition means can be a spark plug or a direct-injection or a high pressure fuel injector depending on the fuel type. 
         [0048]    The primary-power-cylinder will be ignited between 35 degree before the TDC of the primary-piston and 40 degree after the TDC of the primary-piston during the first-cooling-stroke; the primary-power-cylinder will be ignited to commence the primary-hot-expansion-process for at least 10 degree of crankshaft rotation. 
         [0049]    The secondary-power-cylinder will be ignited between 35 degree before the TDC of the secondary-piston and 40 degree after the TDC of the secondary-piston during the second-cooling-stroke; the secondary-power-cylinder will be ignited to commence the secondary-hot-expansion-process for at least 10 degree of crankshaft rotation. 
         [0050]    The initiation timing of each injection-process can range from 15 degree after the TDC of the primary-piston/secondary-piston to 10 degree before the TDC of the cooling-piston during each associated cooling-stroke. 
         [0051]    Now referring to  FIG. 2M  for the second embodiment of the present invention, the second embodiment will actuate the first-coordinate-valve  265  and the second-coordinate-valve  285  with a variable-profile-camshaft  250  as shown in  FIG. 2M ; the variable-profile-camshaft  250  will be able to shift in the direction of its axle by a profile shifter  251  (controlling with hydraulic mechanisms or mechanical mechanisms), and the variable-profile-camshaft  250  will have different actuation timings and open-times as the contacting profile with each coordinate valve changes, therefore, the second embodiment can have a more ideal and flexible open-time according to changes in the power output, however the manufacturing cost may be relatively higher than the first embodiment. 
         [0052]    The operation cycle of the self-cooling-16 processes are the same as that of the first embodiment, while the second embodiment has a more flexible open-time; Sequence Table. 2M, Sequence Table. 2H, Sequence Table. 2L shows the possible shifts of the process durations utilizing the variable-profile-camshaft; the second embodiment use only three profiles for the ease of explanation, however in the actual construction, a continuous variable profile which has a continuously gradual change in the actuation timing and the open-time as the profile shifter moves along is preferable. For quick reference, the components of the second embodiment are labeled as follows: the primary-power-cylinder  210 , the secondary-power-cylinder  220 , the cooling-cylinder  230 , the primary-piston  211 , the secondary-piston  221 , the cooling-piston  231 , the primary-intake-valve  212 , the primary-exhaust-valve  218 , the secondary-intake-valve  222 , the secondary-exhaust-valve  228 , the cooling-intake-valve  232 , the primary-coordinate-channel  260 , the secondary-coordinate-channel  280 , the first-input-valve  261 , the first-coordinate-valve  265 , the second-input-valve  281 , the second-coordinate-valve  285 , the main-crankshaft  200 , the variable-profile-crankshaft  250 , the profile-shifter  251 , the first-high-power-profile  273 , the first-medium-power-profile  272 , the first-low-power-profile  271 , the second-high-power-profile  283 , the second-medium-power-profile  282 , the second-low-power-profile  281 , the primary-spark-plug  215 , the secondary-spark-plug  225 , the output shaft  299 . 
         [0053]    In the low power output condition as shown in Sequence Table. 2L and FIG. 2L, as the profile shifter  251  shifts the contacting profile of the first-coordinate-valve  165  to the first-low-power-profile  271 , and the contacting profile of the second-coordinate-valve  185  to the second-low-power-profile  281 ; the open-time of each coordinate-valve is adjusted to about 50 degree of crankshaft rotation, the actuation timing of each coordinate-valve is shifted to an early angle, 390 degree of crankshaft reference and 750 degree of crankshaft reference angle, according to the required pressure condition (where each coordinate-valve can attain a pressure at least 15 psi higher than its associated power-cylinder after ignition) determined by the engine ECU;  FIG. 2L  shows the valve condition at 390 degree of crankshaft reference angle, wherein the first-injection-process is initiating by opening the first-coordinate-valve  265  with the first-low-power-profile  271 . 
         [0054]    In the medium power output condition as shown in Sequence Table. 2M and FIG. 2M, as the profiler shifter  251  shifts the contacting profile of the first-coordinate-valve  165  to the first-medium-power-profile  272 , and the contacting profile of the second-coordinate-valve  185  to the second-medium-power-profile  282 ; the open-time of each coordinate-valve is shorten to about 40 degree of crankshaft rotation, the actuation timing of each coordinate-valve is shifted to an moderate angle, 405 degree of crankshaft reference and 765 degree of crankshaft reference angle, according to the required pressure condition (where each coordinate-valve can attain a pressure at least 15 psi higher than its associated power-cylinder after ignition) determined by the engine ECU;  FIG. 2M  shows the valve condition at 405 degree of crankshaft reference angle, wherein the first-injection-process is initiating by opening the first-coordinate-valve  265  with the first-medium-power-profile  272 . 
         [0055]    In the high power output condition as shown in Sequence Table. 2H and FIG. 2H, as the profile shifter  251  shifts the contacting profile of the first-coordinate-valve  265  to the first-high-power-profile  273 , and the contacting profile of the second-coordinate-valve  285  to the second-high-power-profile  283 ; the open-time of each coordinate-valve is shorten to about 30 degree of crankshaft rotation, the actuation timing of each coordinate-valve is shifted to the latest possible angle, 420 degree of crankshaft reference angle and 780 degree of crankshaft reference angle, according to the required pressure condition (where each coordinate-valve can attain at least 15 psi higher than its associated power-cylinder after ignition) determined by the engine ECU; FIG. 2M shows the valve condition at 405 degree of crankshaft reference angle, wherein the first-injection-process is initiating by opening the first-coordinate-valve  265  with the first-high-power-profile  273 . 
         [0056]    In short, the variable-coordination-timing system of the variable-profile-camshaft type will have a profile with later actuation timing and shorter open-time for each coordinate-valve in the high power output condition; as the engine load decreases, said actuation timings will be delayed according to the crankshaft reference angle at which the require pressure condition is met. 
         [0057]    Generally the contacting profile of the variable-profile-camshaft can gradually change its actuation timing and the open-time at a continuous and smooth rate; the contacting profiles (the high-power-profile, the medium-power-profile, the low-power-profile) as referred in the second embodiment are only classified for the ease of the comprehension, whereas the maximum range of the open-time can be adjusted between 5 degree and 90 degree with the variable-profile-camshaft, and the maximum range of the actuation timing of the first-coordinate-valve can be adjusted between 15 degree after the TDC of the primary-piston and 10 degree before the TDC of the cooling-piston during the first-cooling-stroke, the maximum range of the actuation timing of the second-coordinate-valve can be adjusted between 15 degree after the TDC of the secondary-piston and 10 degree before the TDC of the cooling-piston during the second-cooling-stroke. 
         [0058]    The variable-coordination-timing system of the variable-profile-camshaft type can also be employed with a movable rocker arm and a variable-profile-camshaft in the overhead-valve configuration, said movable rocket arm will be shift its contact surface with said variable-profile-camshaft, thereby providing an open-time according to the required pressure condition. 
         [0059]    The self-cooling engine can be constructed in the single crankshaft configurations and the double crankshaft configurations; in the single-crankshaft configurations, the primary-piston and the secondary-piston and the cooling-piston are all coupled with one crankshaft; in the double-crankshaft configurations, the primary-piston and the secondary-piston are coupled to one crankshaft, while the cooling-piston is coupled to another crankshaft, and the two crankshaft will be synchronized with gears or chains to rotate at the same speed. 
         [0060]    It may be necessary to state the purpose and effect of the self-cooling-16-process performed by the self-cooling engine (dual six-stroke self-cooling internal combustion engine); in most of the current internal combustion engines, the heat loss of combustion process is the heat current conducting through the cylinder wall and the engine head, and this heat current is proportional to the temperature difference between the cylinder and the expansion medium (combusting medium), therefore, increasing the amount of the expansion medium with the injection process of the self-cooling-16-process and lowering the overall temperature of the expansion medium will conserve relatively more energy of the expansion medium in the combustion process, as the heat current through the cylinder wall and the engine head is greatly reduced, in other words, a higher fraction of the thermal energy released in the combustion process will remain in the expansion medium, in stead of converting to heat loss, thus the self-cooling-16-process results in a cooler expansion with higher expansion pressure in comparison to that of the conventional engine, and the required cooling-capacity (of the engine radiator) will be reduced to about half of that of the conventional engine. 
         [0061]    Many other alternative embodiments may be developed based on the principle and the structure elements set by the claims of the present invention and should still be considered within the scope of the present invention.