Patent Publication Number: US-7591254-B2

Title: Supercharger control system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A supercharger is commonly installed on a vehicle internal combustion engine to provide air at high pressure into the engine&#39;s intake manifolds. The primary purpose of this added, high pressure air is to increase engine power output, i.e. engine horsepower. However, most superchargers are driven by the engine itself and, as a result, when the supercharger is operational, the engine must work harder. This causes a reduction in engine efficiency, more fuel is consumed, and there are more emissions. There is also increased wear and tear on engine components. These factors have kept superchargers off many vehicles and, for motorists who still have superchargers in use on their engines, caused them added expense for fuel and parts. 
   To address these problems, when an internal combustion engine is provided with a mechanical supercharging system, the supercharger blower is attached to the engine crankshaft by a supercharger clutch assembly. When the engine is operated under lower load or other conditions in which supercharging is not required, the clutch assembly is disconnected to cease operation of the supercharger. This reduces power loss resulting from supercharger operation and improves fuel economy. The supercharger stays cooler and there is less wear and tear on the engine, as well as the supercharger. When supercharging is required, the clutch assembly is engaged and the supercharger again becomes operational. 
   There have been prior attempts to control supercharger operation by means of mechanical and electromagnetic clutch systems. However, these prior attempts have been shown to be inefficient or problematic in actual operation. Many also involve complex mechanisms which must be integrally incorporated into the vehicle engine. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is thus the object of the present invention to overcome the limitations and disadvantages of prior supercharger control systems. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a supercharger control system which is easily installed on the existing crankshaft of a vehicle engine to control the operation of the vehicle&#39;s supercharger. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a supercharger control system which is easily installed on the existing crankshaft of a vehicle engine to control the operation of the vehicle&#39;s supercharger. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a supercharger control system which is used to easily switch a vehicle supercharger off and on. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a supercharger control system which is a compact, solid mount unit, providing the driver the option of obtaining high speed engine performance when desired, and also of disconnecting the supercharger when its operation is not necessary. 
   It is still another object of the present invention to provide a supercharger control system which permits the driver to simply and efficiently disconnect the supercharger from operation when it is not needed, thus, increasing fuel efficiency, limiting engine exhaust emissions, and reducing wear and tear on the engine, crankshaft and other engine compartments, including the supercharger itself. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a supercharger control system which will assist in keeping the supercharger cooler, as it will be disconnected when not being used. 
   These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention a compact, solid mount unit, supercharger control system configured to be installed at the bottom front end of the engine, directly onto the crankshaft of a vehicle. An accessory drive belt around the accessory belt pulley of the system rotates continuously to keep vehicle accessories (alternator, water pump, etc.) operating. A second belt around a larger pulley drives the supercharger blower. A switch mounted with the vehicle dashboard controls engine generated electrical current to the system. In order to activate the supercharger, the switch is turned on. Electric current flows to the system and energizes an electromagnet, creating a magnetic field which compels engagement of the rotating accessory pulley with the supercharger pulley by means of a slide plate. The belt around the supercharger pulley then rotates, operating the supercharger. When activated, the supercharger forces air into the engine cylinders for greater horsepower output with fuel/air explosions within the cylinders. This provides greater acceleration and top-end speed for the driver. If the driver does not require extra power and performance, the switch is turned off, stopping the flow of electric current. This shuts down the magnetic field, causing the pulleys to be disengaged and disconnecting the supercharger, while still allowing the crankshaft to operate the other accessories. In this mode, gasoline consumption is reduced and there is less exhaust being emitted. The control system of the present invention also reduces wear and tear on the crankshaft and other engine components for greater reliability and extended engine life. It also reduces stress and wear on the supercharger itself, while keeping it running cooler. 
   The present invention can be retrofitted into aftermarket vehicles with superchargers and also offered as standard or optional equipment with new production vehicles. It would be appealing not only to automotive performance enthusiasts, racers, and sports car owners, but also to drivers who occasionally want high performance operation from their vehicles. 
   The present invention can also be converted to a single pulley system which will serve to shut off power to vehicle accessories. This will create increased horsepower in the racing mode. 
   Novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a visual representation of the supercharger control system of the present invention installed on a vehicle. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the supercharger control system of the present invention, as it may be installed on the crankshaft of a vehicle. 
       FIG. 3  is an elevation view of the assembled supercharger control system of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a view of the supercharger control system of the present invention taken from  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a partial elevation view of the supercharger control system of the present invention, showing the operation of the slide plate and supercharger pulley connection. 
       FIG. 6  is another partial elevation view of the supercharger control system of the present invention, showing the operation of the slide plate and supercharger pulley connection. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Vehicle engine  1  comprises a standard crankshaft  2  connected at the bottom front of the engine to a common harmonic balancer unit  4  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The other end of harmonic balancer  4  in turn is connected to the supercharger control system  10  of the present invention. Control system  10  comprises accessory crank pulley  12  which is connected, by bolts  15 , to balancer  4 . Power from engine  1  is transmitted from crankshaft  2 , through balancer  4  to rotate accessory pulley  12 . Belt  13  around accessory pulley  12  in turn rotates to operate the vehicle accessories. Accessory pulley  2  and its belt  13  are configured to rotate continuously while the engine is running. 
   Shaft element  14 , which comprises connection plate  16  and shaft  18 , is connected to the outboard end of accessory pulley  12 . Shaft  18  is configured to be free spinning within accessory pulley  12 . Interconnection means in the form of slide plate  20  is aligned substantially parallel to accessory pulley  12  and shaft element  14 . Bolt/nut connectors  22 ,  23 , and  24 , threadably secured at their ends (see, for example, threaded end  32  of bolt  22  in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) to slide plate  20 , extend through shaft element  14 , where they are secured at their other ends by bolts to accessory pulley  12 . See  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Coil springs  25 ,  26  and  27  circumscribe bolts  22 ,  23 , and  24  respectively, and apply compressive forces, maintaining shaft element  14  adjacent to slide plate  20 . Bolt  31  secures all components. Tab elements  28 ,  29  and  30  extend from and are equidistantly spaced around the outboard surface of slide plate  20 . These tabs are welded into or are similarly permanently secured onto this surface of slide plate  20 . Slide plate  20  itself is made of iron or other magnetic metal. 
   Supercharger pulley  40  is aligned substantially parallel to accessory pulley  12  and slide plate  20 . Supercharger belt  44  around supercharger pulley  40  rotates to operate the vehicle supercharger blower, when the pulley itself rotates. Supercharger pulley  40  comprises internal slots  41 ,  42 , and  43 . Tab elements  28 ,  29  and  30  of slide plate  20  are sized to fit into these slots and rotate within the length of the slots. 
   Ring element  50  is an electromagnet and constitutes the activating means for the system. It is aligned parallel to supercharger pulley  40 , slide plate  20 , and accessory pulley  12 . Ring element  50  has electrical connection  52  for receiving electric current generated by vehicle engine  1 . Switch  54 , located in the vehicle, on its dashboard or other convenient location, is provided to control the electric current to ring element  50 . When switch  54  is turned on electricity generated by the vehicle engine, which constitutes the means for electrically energizing ring element  50 , flows to the ring element, creating an electromagnetic field around the ring element. When switch  54  turns the electricity off, ring element  50  is no longer magnetic. Appropriate washers  53  are provided for spacing and balancing the system. 
   Supercharger control system  10 , when fully assembled as seen in  FIG. 3 , is a compact unit mount assembly which can then easily be secured at one end to harmonic balancer  4  on engine  1  and, at its other end, to bracket  60  which supports the unit on the vehicle frame. 
   During engine operation, accessory pulley  12  will continually rotate, thereby rotating belt  13  to operate vehicle accessories. Slide plate  20  is attached to accessory pulley  12  such that it rotates with the pulley. During normal engine operation, springs  25 ,  26 , and  27  retain slide plate  20  adjacent to shaft element  14 , out of contact with supercharger pulley  40 . See  FIG. 5 . Accessory pulley  12 , with shaft element  14  and slide plate  20  all rotate. Supercharger pulley  40  is stationary. 
   In order to operate the vehicle&#39;s supercharger, supercharger pulley  40  must receive power from engine  1  and, to do this, it must be engaged with accessory pulley  12 . This is accomplished by turning switch  54  on, which allows electric current generated by engine  1  to flow to electromagnet ring element  50 . A magnetic field is thus created around ring element  50  and through supercharger pulley  40 . The magnetic field immediately attracts metal slide plate  20  and, acting against the compressive force of springs  25 ,  26 , and  27 , slide plate  20  is pulled transversely, as shown by the directional arrow in  FIG. 5 , towards supercharger pulley  40 . Tabs  28 ,  29 , and  30  of slide plate  20  enter slots  41 ,  42 , and  43  respectively of supercharged pulley  40 . See  FIG. 6 . The tabs continue to rotate a short distance within the slots until the tabs contact the end surfaces of the slots. At this point, slide plate  20  can no longer rotate independently. Slide plate  20  has become engaged with supercharger pulley  40  and, since the plate is connected to accessory pulley  12 , the rotation of that pulley is transmitted through the slide plate to supercharger pulley  40 . This causes supercharger pulley  40  and its belt  44  to rotate, as shown by the directional arrow in  FIG. 6 , hence driving the supercharger blower itself. 
   When supercharger operation is no longer required, switch  54  is turned off. This ceases the flow of electricity to ring element  50 , thereby canceling the magnetic field. Slide plate  20  is no longer attached to supercharger pulley  40 . The biased nature of springs  25 ,  26 , and  27  cause them to retract slide plate  20  from pulley  40 , causing tabs  28 ,  29 , and  30  to be withdrawn from pulley slots  41 ,  42 , and  43 . This action effectively disengages slide plate  20  and hence accessory pulley  12  from supercharger pulley  40 , which then ceases to rotate, in turn stopping supercharger operation. The vehicle accessories continue to operate, however, since accessory pulley  12  still continues its rotation. 
   Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.