초록 ▼

A variable compression connecting rod system (10) located in an internal combustion engine (12) and a method of assembly can include a connecting rod (28) mountable to a piston pin (26) having a first longitudinal axis at one end and 5 mountable to a crankpin (22) having a second longitudinal axis a

A variable compression connecting rod system (10) located in an internal combustion engine (12) and a method of assembly can include a connecting rod (28) mountable to a piston pin (26) having a first longitudinal axis at one end and 5 mountable to a crankpin (22) having a second longitudinal axis at a second end portion (36). A hydraulically actuated eccentric rotor (52) rotatable about one of the first and second longitudinal axis. The eccentric rotor (52) including first and second vanes (54a, 54b) for driving the rotor between first and second angular positions in response to fluid pressure acting on the first and second vanes. The eccentric rotor 10 (52) having an eccentric surface area with different radial distances (80, 82) movable into alignment with a longitudinal axis of the connecting rod (28) for varying a longitudinal length of the connecting rod (28) between the first and second longitudinal axis.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A variable compression connecting rod system having a piston pin defining a first longitudinal axis, a crankpin of a crankshaft defining a second longitudinal axis, and a source of pressurized fluid, the improvement comprising: a connecting rod having a first end to be associated with the piston

1. A variable compression connecting rod system having a piston pin defining a first longitudinal axis, a crankpin of a crankshaft defining a second longitudinal axis, and a source of pressurized fluid, the improvement comprising: a connecting rod having a first end to be associated with the piston pin and a second end located distally opposite the first end and to be associated with the crankpin;a hydraulically actuated eccentric rotor rotatable about at least one of the first and second longitudinal axes associated with at least one of the first and second ends, the eccentric rotor operable in response to fluid communication with at least one expandable chamber defined between the eccentric rotor and the connecting rod for rotating the eccentric rotor between first and second angular positions, the eccentric rotor having an eccentric surface area with different first and second radial distances and rotatable in response to fluid pressure acting on the eccentric rotor for varying a distance between the first and second longitudinal axes, the first radial distance corresponding to a minimum connecting rod length and the second radial distance corresponding to a maximum connecting rod length,wherein the eccentric rotor includes a first vane and a second vane disposed on an exterior surface of the eccentric rotor, each of the first and second vanes defining a first expandable chamber and a second expandable chamber, respectively, located on opposite sides of a corresponding vane, the eccentric rotor rotatable in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction in response to fluid pressure acting against the first and second vanes within the corresponding first and second expandable chambers and wherein the first vane and the second vane are approximately 180° apart; and at least one oil control valve (58) having a position to isolate the eccentric rotor from fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid or a vent to hold the eccentric rotor in a current position. 2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the connecting rod includes a first end portion located at the first end mountable for rotation with respect to the piston pin, and a second end portion located at the second end mountable for rotation with respect to the crankpin, each of the first and second end portions defining an aperture. 3. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: a torsional assist hydraulic control system for assisting rotary movement of the eccentric rotor in at least one direction of rotation. 4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein the eccentric rotor is associated with the first end and mountable for rotation with respect to the piston pin, the eccentric rotor independently rotatable with respect to the piston pin. 5. The improvement of claim 4, further comprising: at least one fluid conduit in fluid communication between at least one of the first expandable chamber and the second expandable chamber and at least one fluid passage defined by the crankshaft through fluid passages formed in the crankpin and annular grooves formed in the connecting rod. 6. The improvement of claim 3, wherein the eccentric rotor is associated with the second end and mountable for rotation with respect to the crankpin, the eccentric rotor independently rotatable with respect to the crankpin. 7. The improvement of claim 6, further comprising: at least one fluid conduit in fluid communication between at least one of the first expandable chamber and the second expandable chamber and at least one fluid passage defined by the crankshaft through the crankpin, the at least one fluid conduit in fluid communication with the at least one fluid passage through annular grooves formed in the eccentric rotor. 8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the at least one oil control valve selectively allows fluid communication between the at least one of the first expandable chamber and the second expandable chamber and the source of pressurized fluid, the at least one oil control valve operable in a first position and a second position for selectively driving the eccentric rotor in clockwise and counterclockwise rotation. 9. A variable compression connecting rod system having a piston pin defining a piston pin axis, a crankpin of a crankshaft defining a crankpin axis, and a source of pressurized fluid, the improvement comprising: a connecting rod having a first end associated with the piston pin and a second end located distally opposite the first end and associated with the crankpin;a hydraulically actuated eccentric rotor rotatable about at least one of the piston pin axis and the crankpin axis associated with at least one of the first and second ends between first and second angular positions, the eccentric rotor and the connecting rod defining a first expandable chamber and a second expandable chamber, the eccentric rotor having different first and second radial distances aligned with a longitudinal axis of the connecting rod when in the first and second angular positions for varying a longitudinal length of the connecting rod between the piston pin axis and the crankpin axis, the first radial distance corresponding to a minimum connecting rod length and the second radial distance corresponding to a maximum connecting rod length;at least one fluid conduit allowing fluid communication between the first and second expandable chamber and the source of pressurized fluid,wherein the eccentric rotor includes a first vane and a second vane disposed on an exterior surface of the eccentric rotor, each of the first and second vanes defining the first expandable chamber and the second expandable chamber, respectively, located on opposite sides of a corresponding vane, the eccentric rotor rotatable in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction in response to fluid pressure acting against the first and second vanes within the corresponding first and second expandable chambers and wherein the first vane and the second vane are approximately 180° apart; and at least one oil control valve having a position to isolate the eccentric rotor from fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid or a vent to hold the eccentric rotor in a current position. 10. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the eccentric rotor is associated with the first end and mountable with respect to the piston pin, the eccentric rotor independently rotatable with respect to the piston pin, the at least one fluid conduit defined within the connecting rod and extending between the first end and the second end. 11. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the eccentric rotor is associated with the second end and mountable with respect to the crankpin, the eccentric rotor independently rotatable with respect to the crankpin. 12. The improvement of claim 9 further comprising: a torsional assist hydraulic control system for assisting rotary movement of the rotor in at least one direction of rotation. 13. A method of assembling a variable compression connecting rod system comprising: forming a connecting rod to be mountable with respect to a piston pin and a crankpin, the connecting rod having a first end to be associated with the piston pin defining a piston pin axis and a second end located distally opposite the first end to be associated with the crankpin defining a crankpin axis, the connecting rod having an eccentric-rotor-receiving aperture formed therein;inserting at least one hydraulically actuated eccentric rotor to be rotatable about at least one of the piston pin and crankpin axes associated with at least one of the first and second ends, the eccentric rotor operable in response to fluid communication with at least one expandable chamber defined between the eccentric rotor and the connecting rod for rotating the eccentric rotor, the eccentric rotor having different first and second radial distances movable into alignment with a longitudinal axis of the connecting rod in response to fluid pressure action acting on the eccentric rotor for varying a longitudinal length of the connecting rod between the piston pin and crankpin axes, the first radial distance corresponding to a minimum connecting rod length and the second radial distance corresponding to a maximum connecting rod length;forming at least one fluid conduit allowing fluid communication between the at least one expandable chamber and a source of pressurized fluid,forming a first vane and a second vane on an exterior surface of the eccentric rotor, each of the first and second vanes defining the first expandable chamber and the second expandable chamber, respectively, located on opposite sides of a corresponding vane, wherein the eccentric rotor is rotatable in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction in response to fluid pressure acting against the first and second vanes within the corresponding first and second expandable chambers and wherein the first vane and the second vane are approximately 180° apart; and inserting at least one oil control valve having a position to isolate the eccentric rotor from fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid or a vent to hold the eccentric rotor in a current position. 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: positioning at least one oil control valve in fluid communication between the at least one pair of first and second expandable chambers and the source of pressurized fluid, the oil control valve allowing fluid communication with one of the first and second expandable chambers while venting an opposite one of the first and second expandable chambers in a first position, the oil control valve allowing fluid communication between the opposite one of the first and second expandable chambers while venting the one of the first and second expandable chambers in a second position.