Counterbalanced Patents (Class 74/603)
  • Patent number: 8312855
    Abstract: A mass balancing device (1a, 1b) for a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine is provided, having a first balancing shaft (2a, 2b) and a second balancing shaft (3a, 3b) disposed in the first balancing shaft coaxially thereto. The first balancing shaft (2a, 2b) has at least one bearing point (6a, 7a, 6b, 7b) for a first rolling bearing (16) and the second balancing shaft (3a, 3b) has at least one bearing point (8a, 9a, 8b, 9b) for a second rolling bearing (17). The rolling bearings radially support the balancing shafts in the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine. At least one of the bearing locations is designed as a hollow cylinder having an outer shell surface serving as the bearing seat for the first rolling bearing and an inner shell surface serving as the bearing seat for the second rolling bearing, such that the first rolling bearing and the second rolling bearing overlap one another axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Tobias Mederer
  • Patent number: 8307802
    Abstract: A mass balance unit having a mass balance housing in which a mass balance shaft is rotatably journaled and a unit housing in which a drive shaft of a secondary unit is rotatably journaled. The mass balance housing is made in one piece and has a bearing section which completely surrounds a bearing opening in which the mass balance shaft is rotatably journaled. The unit housing is also made in one piece with a base section, a wall section and a bearing section. The bearing section of the unit housing completely surrounds a bearing opening in which the drive shaft is rotatably journaled. The drive shaft is operably connected to the balance shaft drivewise. The base section of the unit housing is releasably fastened to a lower side of the mass balance housing while its wall section is adjacent an end face of the mass balance housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: MAGNA Powertrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Roland Marzy, Andreas Hölzl
  • Patent number: 8215280
    Abstract: A four-stroke, piston-powered internal explosion (“IE”) engine for providing power output through a rotating crankshaft. The IE engine includes an engine block having power cylinders formed therein for receiving working pistons, bearing means for supporting the crankshaft, and a crankshaft supported within the bearing means having an output end extending outside of the engine block and a plurality of offset power cranks. The IE engine further includes connecting rods operably coupled to the power cranks and configured to transfer power from the working pistons to rotate the crankshaft, and working pistons that are received into the power cylinders and operably coupled to the power cranks. Each working piston has a head end positioned adjacent to a cylinder head to form a compression chamber and is configured to receive power from an explosion of a compressed volume of air/fuel mixture located within the compression chamber, and to transfer the received power to the connecting rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: DF Reserve, LC
    Inventor: Douglas K. Furr
  • Patent number: 8210148
    Abstract: The present application relates to a drive and balance mass. In one example, an engine includes, a camshaft, a balance shaft disposed within an interior of the camshaft, and a first gear, intermediate the balance shaft and the camshaft and driving the balance shaft to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to a crankshaft of the engine in a direction opposite of the crankshaft. In another example, a balance mass and drive for an engine includes, a planetary gear set including a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of pinions mounted on a carrier, an input coupled to an input gear of the planetary gear set, a balance mass coupled to an output gear of the planetary gear set, the output gear configured to drive the balance mass to rotate about a first axis substantially parallel to the crankshaft in a direction opposite of the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick B. Morgan, Kenneth L. Nowaczyk
  • Publication number: 20120137827
    Abstract: A filler member to be installed in a crankshaft including a crank web includes: an arm member, extending in a diametrical direction of a crank journal, and a weight member extending in a radial direction of the crank journal. The filler member includes: a fitting member, a connecting member mounted on the bodies. The fitting member is fixed to an outer side face of the crank web. The connecting member is mounted on the bodies to stride the arm member on inner side face of the crank web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: YAMABIKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisato OSAWA, Takahiro YAMAZAKI, Ken SHIRAI, Yuji NUMAKUNAI
  • Patent number: 8191527
    Abstract: A compensation shaft for a multi-cylinder engine at least two bearing pegs and at least four unbalanced weight sections, two of the at least four unbalanced weight sections being arranged respectively, around each of the at least two bearing pegs, so that at least two units are formed, these at least two units being connected to each other by a connecting part, wherein two of the unbalanced weight sections are arranged asymmetrically around each of the two bearing pegs, and the connecting part is configured as a flexurally rigid and torsion-proof component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Solfrank, Patrick Ullmann
  • Patent number: 8156914
    Abstract: A balancer of an engine includes a rod and a balancer piston. A first end portion of the rod includes a joining portion which is arranged to be joined to a crankshaft of the engine at a position that is eccentric relative to a rotation axis of the crankshaft. A second end portion of the rod is arranged to reciprocate inside a cylinder according to a rotation of the crankshaft. The balancer piston is fixed to the second end portion of the rod. The balancer piston is arranged to reciprocate inside the cylinder, while rocking between a contact state in which the balancer piston is in contact with an inner wall surface of the cylinder and a non-contact state in which the balancer piston is separated from the inner wall surface. The balancer piston includes a cylindrical outer peripheral portion that is curved so as to swell toward the inner wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Karaki, Junichi Mitani
  • Patent number: 8151756
    Abstract: A balance shaft housing is provided that includes a first housing portion, a second housing portion operatively connected to the first housing portion, with the first housing and the second housing configured to cooperatively define first and second balance shaft chambers. A cover member is secured to the second housing portion and cooperates with the first and second housing portions to define an air flow path outside of the chambers for circulating air to the balance shaft chambers. A method of assembling a balance shaft housing is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Timothy L. Neal
  • Patent number: 8141444
    Abstract: A reciprocating shaft assembly in a reciprocating saw moves in a reciprocal motion and drives a saw blade via a blade holder. At least one bore is formed in an end of the reciprocating shaft assembly opposite the blade holder. A pin fixed to the saw passes through the bore and acts as a bearing to support the reciprocating shaft assembly in its reciprocating motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Lagaly, Thomas Amold Mooty, James Pierce Nichols, Jr., Earl Roger Clowers, Matthew George Popik
  • Patent number: 8136498
    Abstract: An engine 20 includes a two-plane type crankshaft 30 and a balancer shaft 50 for reducing a primary couple of the balancer shaft 50. The crankshaft 30 includes a crankshaft body 30a and a first gear 38. The first gear 38 is disposed at one axial end side of a first crank web pair 31a disposed at the outermost one axial end side of the crankshaft 30. In the engine 20 including the two-plane type crankshaft, the weight of the engine can be reduced while securing high reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8127736
    Abstract: A balancing assembly of an engine may include a crankshaft in which crank pins each connected to a connecting rod, are disposed at both ends thereof, and that is equipped with a counterweight opposite to and corresponding to each crank pin, a balance shaft that is disposed at a distance from the crankshaft and that rotates by the crankshaft, and a balance weight that is eccentrically formed with a balance shaft and that absorbs vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Byung Chul Lee, Soo Hong Lee, Jeyong Yun
  • Patent number: 8100105
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a balance shaft unit for mass balancing for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle including at least one balance shaft having at least one balance weight and a housing part in which the balance shaft is journaled. A first gear is associated with the balance shaft and meshes with a second gear. An introduction passage is formed in the housing part through which, starting from an assembly opening, at least one of the two gears can be introduced into the interior of the housing part, with the introduction passage extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the balance shaft. The first gear and the second gear are arranged sequentially with respect to the direction of extent of the introduction passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: MAGNA Powertrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Michael Schober, Andreas Hoelzl, Roland Marzy
  • Patent number: 8051824
    Abstract: A shaft (1a-d) is provided that is rotatably mounted by a journal (2) in a housing (4) in which lubricant mist is provided. One or several outward-extending ribs (6) extend between the journal and shaft sections (5a, 5b) adjacent to the journal. The shaft is mounted by the journal in the housing using a rolling bearing (3) that is lubricated exclusively by the lubricant mist. At least one of the ribs associated with the journal extends at a certain angle of attack (11, 12) to the axis of rotation of the shaft and is used as a blade for conveying the lubricant mist into the rolling bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Arndt Ihlemann, Peter Solfrank, Lisa Dombos
  • Patent number: 8047175
    Abstract: A two-plane type crankshaft is provided. The weight of crank webs for the respective cylinders is divided between left and right half webs and balance ratios kL and kR of the half webs for the respective cylinders are set so as to be (kL?0.25)·(0.25?kR)?DR/DL to form a track of a vector of a primary inertial couple into a substantial circle. A primary balancer offsets the primary inertia couple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kengo Nishi, Masao Furusawa
  • Patent number: 8020528
    Abstract: An engine structure is provided with a bedplate and an oil pan. The bedplate is configured to have an integrally formed balance shaft bearing support. A bearing cap is either a separate component or a component that is formed as an integral part of the oil pan. The bearing cap and the balance shaft bearing support structures are attachable to each other to capture the bearing portions of the balance shafts therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: George E. Phillips, Wayne M. Jaszewski
  • Patent number: 7967581
    Abstract: A counterweight mounted to a drive shaft in a scroll compressor is provided. The drive shaft has a central annular segment generally concentric about the central axis and an eccentric annular segment offset from the central axis that can be used for driving the movable scroll compressor body. A counterweight engages the eccentric and also engages the annular segment for location and mounting of the counterweight to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Bitzer Kuhlmaschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Wayne P. Beagle, James W. Bush, Jason K. Torrisi
  • Publication number: 20100176591
    Abstract: A machine includes at least one piston (1) reciprocally movable in a cylinder (2), at least two balancing rotors (3c, 3d) mounted for oscillating rotational movement about an axis or axes (4) transverse to the axis of motion of the piston, one balancing rotor having a centre of mass on one side of and another balancing rotor having a centre of mass on an opposite side of the axis or axes of motion of the rotors, and at least one connecting member or mechanism between the piston and rotors so that the rotors move in opposition to the reciprocal movement of the piston. The machine may be an electrical machine such as an electric motor or generator. An electronic control system may control piston motion or output waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Donald Murray Clucas
  • Patent number: 7748292
    Abstract: A bearing system can reduce the relative velocity between a bearing member and a rotation shaft and a rotating member to decrease a load on the bearing member although the rotation shaft and the rotating member rotate in opposite directions with the bearing member therebetween. The bearing system includes a case and a rotation shaft supported by the case. A rotating member is disposed coaxially outside the rotation shaft and rotates in the direction opposite to that of the rotation shaft. A housing is interposed between the rotation shaft and the rotating member and is fixed to the case. A bearing member that rotatably supports the rotating member is interposed between the housing and the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7703429
    Abstract: A balancing shaft unit for balancing inertia or torque in an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The balancing shaft unit includes a housing part and at least one balancing shaft having at least one counterweight. The housing part is made in one piece and has at least two integrated bearing sections with a respective bearing opening. A respective cut-out is formed at longitudinal ends of the balancing shaft in which a respective bearing pin is arranged that is rigidly connected to the balancing shaft and which has a cylindrical bearing section that is supported in a respective one of the bearing openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Magna Powertrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Roland Marzy, Michael Messing, Andreas Hölzl, Ewald Sieberer
  • Patent number: 7669575
    Abstract: A counterbalancing shaft accommodating structure includes: a pair of counterbalancing shafts, provided in an oil pan attached to a lower end portion of an engine; and a housing, adapted to accommodate the counterbalancing shafts in the oil pan. An upper end portion of the housing is provided further upwards than the lower end portion of the engine. An opening is formed continuously to expand over both rotational axes of the pair of counterbalancing shafts in an upper surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Nabetani
  • Publication number: 20100043739
    Abstract: A balance weight system of a crankshaft includes a first balance weight in which a mass center thereof ranges from approximately +78 to approximately +82 degrees based on the horizontal line, a ninth balance weight in which a mass center thereof ranges from approximately ?82 to approximately ?78 degrees, a second balance weight in which a mass center thereof ranges from approximately +86.5 to approximately +89 degrees, a eighth balance weight in which a mass center thereof ranges from approximately ?89 to approximately ?86.5 degrees, and at least one balance weight group of which size of rotational inertia moment thereof ranges from approximately 13 to approximately 17% compared with the first or ninth balance weight, wherein rotational inertia moment size of the second and eighth balance weights ranges from approximately 15 to approximately 25% compared with the first and ninth balance weights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Pil Sung Jang
  • Patent number: 7647910
    Abstract: A compensating shaft (1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) for compensating mass forces and/or mass moments of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine (13) is provided, with at least one bearing journal (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), on whose outer casing surface (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) the compensating shaft is supported in the radial direction in a housing support (10) of the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine, and with at least one unbalanced section (4) bordering the bearing journal in the axial direction. The outer casing surface of the bearing journal is formed on the side of the unbalanced section facing away from the unbalanced direction by a cylindrical section (5) of the bearing journal and by one or more axial projections (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d), wherein these axial projections extend like a collar from the cylindrical section while forming a radial undercut (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Peter Solfrank
  • Patent number: 7637240
    Abstract: An engine balancer including a rotatable drive balance shaft having a first balance weight and a first portion formed at a position offset from the first balance weight in an axial direction of the drive balance shaft, a drive gear disposed on the drive balance shaft, a driven gear meshed with the drive gear, a driven balance shaft parallel to the drive balance shaft and rotatable with the driven gear, the driven balance shaft including a second balance weight and a second portion formed at a position offset from the second balance weight in an axial direction of the driven balance shaft. The second portion of the driven balance shaft is constructed to produce a moment of inertia less than a moment of inertia that is produced in the first portion of the drive balance shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryoji Onigata
  • Publication number: 20090314131
    Abstract: A counterbalance mechanism counterbalances an eccentric mass on a rotating shaft supported by a frame. A first pulley is coupled to and concentric with the shaft. An arm is coupled to the shaft to rotatably support a second at a first distance from the first pulley. A third pulley is fixedly coupled to the frame at a second distance from the first pulley. A fourth pulley is rotatably coupled to and concentric with the third pulley. A spring is fixed at a first end to the frame and has a second end that is coupled to the fourth pulley such that the spring provides a restoring force as the fourth pulley is rotated. A first cable has a first end that is coupled to the fourth pulley and a second end that is coupled to the frame through the third pulley after passing over the first and second pulleys.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
    Inventor: David W. Bailey
  • Patent number: 7631629
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine in which pistons provided in a plurality of cylinders are coupled to a crankshaft by connecting rods, an oil pan for storing oil is mounted below a crankcase, and a balancer device which has a balancer shaft driven to rotate in accordance with rotation of the crankshaft and a balancer housing for accommodating the balancer shaft is housed between the crankcase and the oil pan, the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a heat transfer member that is provided between the balancer housing and the oil pan and below the balancer shaft, and comes into contact with the balancer housing and the crankcase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuhiro Terada
  • Patent number: 7617810
    Abstract: A casing is provided to be disposed around at least a portion of a counterweight of a balance shaft in order to define a circumferential surface surrounding the counterweight which has a generally constant radius relative to the axis of rotation. The function of the casing is to reduce or eliminate aeration of oil in which the balance shaft is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: George E. Phillips, Wayne M. Jaszewski, Gregory L. Fugar
  • Patent number: 7571703
    Abstract: The invention relates to a balancing shaft, whose balancing weight is located between two cylindrical bearing surfaces and which is configured as one piece with said weight. The end cross-sections of the balancing weight are circular segments that are delimited by an arc and a secant. The aim of the invention is to configure the balancing shaft in such a way that the mass effect and rigidity are optimal. To achieve this, the contours of the balancing weight on the plane that is fixed by the secants of the two end cross-sections taper from the two end cross-sections towards the longitudinal centre and the contours on the normal plane form a straight line in relation to said plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Andreas Reichweger, Roland Marzy, Ewald Sieberer
  • Patent number: 7556012
    Abstract: A counterweight arrangement for an internal combustion engine with three cylinders. The internal combustion engine having a crankshaft rotating about an axis of rotation, with three cranks which succeed one another in the axial direction with respect to the axis of rotation and are distributed at angular intervals of 120° and each crank corresponding to a respective cylinder, the counterweight arrangement including at least two counterweights for at least partial compensation of inertia forces caused by rotating masses on the crankshaft, wherein exactly two counterweights are provided for the two outer cranks, at least one of the two counterweights being arranged in a position which is rotated about the crankshaft axis with respect to an assigned crank through angle (?counter), the amount of which differs from 30°+N*180°, N being equal to a natural number or equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Quiring, Harald Stoffels, Klaus P Kuepper
  • Patent number: 7461624
    Abstract: A compensating drive for driving a compensating shaft of an internal combustion engine, comprising a toothed belt or a chain, which connects a crankshaft driven wheel of the internal combustion engine to a drive wheel on the compensating shaft or shafts, in which case the crankshaft driven wheel (2, 2?) and/or the drive wheel or wheels (5) of the compensating shafts (4) are shaped to be non-circular in such a way that they transmit to the drive a variability, which at least partially compensates the vibrations produced during the rotation of the crankshaft (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Thomas Ullein, Reinhard Koch
  • Patent number: 7434560
    Abstract: With a view to reducing the load imposed by a cantilevered balancer weight on a balancer shaft bearing while balancing the inertia force generated by the balancer weights with the center of gravity of a piston and connecting road system, a balancing device for an engine is provided, the device having a second balancer weight which is cantilevered at a position opposing a first balancer weight, wherein the balancer shaft bearing between the first and the second balancer weights is displaced toward the second balancer weight according to the axial direction of the balancer shaft for a certain distance from an intersection Y of the axis of the balancer shaft with a plane passing through the center of gravity Gp of the piston-connecting rod system so that the distance L2 between the intersection Y and the center of gravity G2 of the second balancer weight is longer than the distance L1 between the intersection Y and the center of gravity G1 of the first balancer weight and so that the moment created at the inters
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 7373905
    Abstract: The present invention is an engine, including two banks of cylinders in a flat, opposed cylinder arrangement and a crankshaft having a plurality of paired throws, the two throws of each respective pair of throws being disposed adjacent to each other and coplanar with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Schrick, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Fuchs, Steven M. Weinzierl
  • Patent number: 7367303
    Abstract: In a crankshaft of an in-line four-cylinder engine, an arm that is closest to a flywheel has a greater average thickness in a direction of the rotation axis of the crankshaft than those of other arms. Two of the arms that are coupled to both sides of the third journal from the flywheel each have a center of gravity closer to its own counterweight compared to the centers of gravity of the arms that face the two arms with corresponding crankpins in between. Accordingly, the rigidity against torsional deformation and the thickness of oil films on the journals are reliably maintained while suppressing increase in the weight of the entire crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamamoto, Takayuki Aoyama, Mizuho Inagaki, Nobuyuki Mori, Hirotoshi Yoshizaki
  • Patent number: 7343893
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a connecting rod that connects a crankpin and a piston. The connecting rod has first and second connecting rods, and a guide piston is disposed at a connecting portion between the first and second connecting rods. Deformed portions are formed on a lower end portion of a guide piston and on a balancer weight portion of a crankshaft in order to reduce the whole length of the connecting rod, whereby a bottom dead center of the guide piston is set to a lower position. The engine has improved thermal efficiency by reducing the distance between the crank portion and the piston, increasing the speed of behavior of the piston at a position near a top dead center to reduce thermal energy loss, and preventing generation of knocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Suzuki, Hayato Maehara, Satoshi Iijima
  • Patent number: 7334553
    Abstract: A balancer driven gear of an engine, for the transfer of rotation of the crankshaft to a balancer shaft, is made up of a gear member, a bush member and elastic members and interposed therebetween. The bush member has a boss portion fixed to the balancer shaft, and a plurality of outward dowels projecting radially outward from the outer periphery of the boss portion. The gear member is disposed coaxially with the bush member. The gear member has an annular portion with gear teeth on the outer periphery thereof and a plurality of inward dowels projecting radially inward from the inner periphery of the annular portion. Elastic members are disposed between the outward dowels on the bush member 20 and the inward dowels on the gear member. The shapes and/or dimensions of the dowels positioned on opposite sides with respect to the axis of the balancer driven gear are made asymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Satoh, Akira Takahashi, Teruo Kihara
  • Publication number: 20080022961
    Abstract: A piston engine has a crank assembly, a piston assembly, a crank case assembly and a cylinder head assembly. The crank assembly has a central axle, two counterweight blocks and a crank axle. The central axle has two connecting segments and two flanges. The flanges are respectively coaxial and eccentric mounted with the connecting segments and each flange has an eccentricity h relative to a corresponding connecting segment. Accordingly, the eccentricity h can make the crank case assembly and the cylinder head assembly vibrate. The vibration directions of the cylinder head assembly and the crank case assembly opposite to the vibration directions of the piston assembly and the crank assembly. Then, the shaking and the vibration of the piston engine can be effectively reducing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventor: Hsin-Ping Chu
  • Patent number: 7318404
    Abstract: A piston engine has a crank assembly, a piston assembly, a crank case assembly and a cylinder head assembly. The crank assembly has a central axle, two counterweight blocks and a crank axle. The central axle has two connecting segments and two flanges. The flanges are respectively coaxial and eccentric mounted with the connecting segments and each flange has an eccentricity h relative to a corresponding connecting segment. Accordingly, the eccentricity h can make the crank case assembly and the cylinder head assembly vibrate. The vibration directions of the cylinder head assembly and the crank case assembly opposite to the vibration directions of the piston assembly and the crank assembly. Then, the shaking and the vibration of the piston engine can be effectively reducing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Inventor: Hsin-Ping Chu
  • Patent number: 7296553
    Abstract: A balancer apparatus including a first balancer and a second balancer. The first balancer includes a first balance weight and the second balancer includes a second balance weight and wherein the first and second balance weights are asymmetrical. The first and second balancers include first and second center of gravities that are longitudinally aligned when the first and second balancers are assembled in a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Petroliam Nasional Berhad
    Inventor: Azmi B. Osman
  • Patent number: 7246533
    Abstract: A counterweight in a reciprocating saw counterbalances a reciprocating shaft assembly adapted to hold a saw blade. The counterweight is supported for reciprocating motion by slides which ride within slots formed in a housing adapted to hold the reciprocating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Lagaly, Thomas Arnold Mooty, James Pierce Nichols, Jr., Earl Roger Clowers, Matthew George Popik
  • Patent number: 7210373
    Abstract: A crankshaft (1) includes a first to a sixth crank pin (41–46), a first to a fourth main journal (21–24) and a first to a ninth crank arm (61–69). At least the first, the second, the eighth and the ninth crank arms (61, 62, 68, 69) have respective integral counterweights (61?, 62?, 68?, 69?) for balancing the crankshaft (1). In order to reduce bending stress on the areas where the second and the eighth crank arms (62, 68) are connected to the respective pairs of adjacent crank pins (41–42, 45–46), the axial dimensions of the first and the ninth crank arms (61, 69) are reduced, being substantially the same as those of the adjacent crank arms (62, 68) in order that the axial length of the two end spans of the crankshaft is the same as that of the intermediate span. In order to balance the crankshaft (1), two additional counterweights (71, 72) are arranged outwardly of the end journals (21, 24) and their axial dimensions are comparable to those of the end crank arms (61, 69).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Fiat Auto S.p.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Ferrazzi
  • Patent number: 7191742
    Abstract: The present invention is an engine, including two banks of cylinders in a flat, opposed cylinder arrangement and a crankshaft having a plurality of paired throws, the two throws of each respective pair of throws being disposed adjacent to each other and coplanar with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Schrick, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Fuchs, Steven M. Weinzierl
  • Patent number: 7162797
    Abstract: A compressor has a compression unit for compressing gas to a desired pressure, a drive shaft and a balancer. The drive shaft is connected to the compression unit for driving the compression unit. Imbalance on the drive shaft is generated due to movement of the compression unit. The balancer is mounted on the drive shaft and includes a main portion and adjustable portion for correcting the imbalance on the drive shaft. Preferably, at least one of the weight and the shape of the adjustable portion is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Masato Sowa, Yoshiyuki Nakane, Toshiro Fujii, Tatsuyuki Hoshino, Ryuta Kawaguchi, Takahiro Moroi, Tsutomu Nasuda
  • Patent number: 7137897
    Abstract: A shaft (1) with a co-rotating element (2) which is secured to it and has a surface located perpendicular to the axis (3) of the shaft, the welding taking place in the fillet formed between the seating surface (4) of the shaft (1) and axially normal surface (6, 8) of the element. To achieve a durable join without adversely affecting true running, a welding bead (20) starts at a starting point (21) on the surface (6; 8) located perpendicular to the axis (3) of the shaft (1), leads to the fillet and then leads back to an end point (21?) on the surface (6; 8) located transversely with respect to the axis of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Magna Steyr Powertrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Oskar Kehrer
  • Patent number: 7117781
    Abstract: A piston pump or compressor has a dynamically balanced drive assembly in which nearly all of the rotational, oscillatory and axial forces on the rotating drive shaft are canceled. The piston is primarily balanced by adding an oscillating counter weight mounted to the connecting rod to convert oscillatory forces into rotational forces at the axis of an eccentric element mounting the piston to the drive shaft. The remaining unbalanced rotational forces are centered along the drive shaft by a rotating counter weight. A further counter weight is mounted to the drive shaft spaced along the drive shaft from the rotating counter weight to impart a counter moment on the drive shaft and essentially cancel the moment about a moment axis perpendicular to the drive shaft resulting from the axial spacing of the piston and the other two counter weights. A method of reducing vibration on a piston drive shaft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: William Harry Lynn
  • Patent number: 7040273
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a crankcase, a cylinder, a piston, a crankshaft, and a piston connecting rod. A counterweight connects to the crankshaft through a counterweight connecting rod. The counterweight pivotally connects to the crankcase. The engine is constructed such that the crankshaft drives the counterweight less than 180 degrees out of phase with the motion of the piston. A center of gravity of the crankshaft is offset from the crankshaft's axis and moves out of phase with the piston by less than 180 degrees. The offset counterweight and crankshaft balance out inertial forces in the engine to reduce engine vibrations and improve engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Karl Glinsner
  • Patent number: 6990898
    Abstract: A mechanical pressing machine includes a slider mounted on an input shaft at a location below a cam, and a sliding block and a balance weight mounted at locations above the cam. A first cam follower rotatably carried on the slider abuts against a lower surface of the cam and is biased by a spring member toward the lower surface. A second cam follower rotatably carried on a sliding block abuts against an upper surface of the cam and is biased by spring members toward the upper surface. When the cam is rotated together with the input shaft, the slider effects vertical sliding movement through the first cam follower, and the sliding block and the balance weight effect vertical sliding movement in a direction opposite from the direction of movement of the slider through the second cam follower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sankyo Seisakusho Co.
    Inventor: Heizaburo Kato
  • Patent number: 6959683
    Abstract: A crankshaft has a helical drive gear formed as one of the crank webs at an end portion thereof. Another crank web outside of the drive gear is made in two parts, an integral balance weight mounting portion and a removable balance weight. In one embodiment, a crankshaft 12 features a crankshaft body 33 including a gear 24 for outputting rotation formed on one side of a crankpin 17d. The crankshaft also includes a first balance weight mounting portion 30g formed on the other side of the crankpin 17d and a first balance weight 31g to be mounted to the first balance weight mounting portion 30g. The crankshaft body 33 may be formed with a second balance weight mounting portion 30a separately from the first balance weight mounting portion 30g, and a second balance weight 31a mounted to the second balance weight mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitsuga Gokan
  • Patent number: 6912929
    Abstract: A multi-piece crankshaft having a shaft with two ends and in which the shaft is adapted to rotate about its shaft axis and a crankpin with at least one indentation. The shaft and crankpin are placed within a mold having a first mold cavity corresponding in shape to the desired counterweight and the other end of the shaft is positioned within a second mold cavity corresponding in shape to a flywheel taper support for the crankshaft. The counterweight and flywheel taper support are then both formed by simultaneously casting a liquid material, such as zinc, into both the first and second mold cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Panther Machine, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald G. Leith
  • Patent number: 6874458
    Abstract: A balance system and method for balancing piston forces within a single cylinder internal combustion engine are disclosed. The balance system includes a crankshaft, a counterbalance assembly and a groove. The crankshaft includes a crankshaft portion, a crank arm, a crank pin, and a eccentric flange adjacent to the crank arm. The counterbalance assembly has a counterbalancing mass portion and a coupling arm that are fixed with respect to one another, and a pin that protrudes from a side of the counterbalancing mass portion. The coupling arm is supported by the eccentric flange. The groove is capable of receiving the pin, where the pin is capable of sliding along the groove and also rotating within the groove, so that the counterbalance assembly is capable of rotating while moving toward and away from the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Terrence M. Rotter, William D. Koenigs
  • Patent number: 6860729
    Abstract: A compressor has a compression unit for compressing gas to a desired pressure, a drive shaft and a balancer. The drive shaft is connected to the compression unit for driving the compression unit. Imbalance on the drive shaft is generated due to movement of the compression unit. The balancer is mounted on the drive shaft and includes a main portion and adjustable portion for correcting the imbalance on the drive shaft. Preferably, at least one of the weight and the shape of the adjustable portion is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Masato Sowa, Yoshiyuki Nakane, Toshiro Fujii, Tatsuyuki Hoshino, Ryuta Kawaguchi, Takahiro Moroi, Tsutomu Nasuda
  • Patent number: 6854358
    Abstract: A balance shaft unit for internal combustion engines consists of at least one balance shaft (6, 7) supported in a balance casing (5) and counterweights (8) connected onto it. In order to achieve maximum precision, reliable fastening and minimum external dimensions at minimum manufacturing costs, the counterweight (8) is essentially a cylindrical ring with two end surfaces (61) normal to the axis and with a cutout (55) in the longitudinally central region, so that the counterweight consists of two ring parts (60, 61) abutting the two end surfaces (61) and an intermediate segmental part (62). One of the end surfaces (61) of the counterweight (8) forms, jointly with a machined surface (33) of the balance casing (5), a thrust bearing (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Steyr Powertrain AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Johann Stuckler