Means for suppressing engine output torque fluctuations

Patent · Tue Oct 13 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5977774

Tanaka, H; Tokushima, T; Higashi, H; Hamada, S

In an internal combustion engine having an output shaft in which cyclical output torque fluctuations including a high output torque period and a low output torque period are produced as a result of operation of the engine, the patent describes means for suppressing the output torque fluctuations including electric power generating means adapted to be driven by the engine to supply the output shaft with a negative torque directed opposite to a direction of rotation of the output shaft. There are electric motor means for applying to the output shaft a positive torque which is in the direction of rotation of the output shaft, engine operating condition detecting means for producing an engine condition signal representing an engine operating condition, control means to operate the generating means in the high output torque period and to operate the motor means in the low output torque period, and engine output shaft phase detecting means for producing an output shaft phase signal representing the rotational phase of the engine output shaft, engine speed detecting means for producing an engine speed signal. The control means includes means for controlling operating timings of the power generating means and the motor means in accordance with the phase signal and the engine speed signal. Timing control means as for receiving a signal from the control means and producing first and second motor starting timings and first and second generator starting timings. The operating timings of each of the generating means and the motor means are switched as an engine speed above changes to an engine speed below an engine speed at which torque fluctuations by combustion in the engine is substantially equal to those by inertia of the engine moving parts and vice versa.

• Assignee: Mazda Motor Corp., Hiroshima
• Patent Number(s): US 4699097
• OSTI ID: 5977774
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
CONTROL
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ELECTRIC GENERATORS
ELECTRIC MOTORS
ENGINES
HEAT ENGINES
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MACHINE PARTS
MOTORS
OPERATION
SHAFTS
TIMING PROPERTIES
TORQUE