Dynamic Coupling System For Stop-start Vehicles

Votes: 1
Views: 1943

Increasingly environmental issues highlight the contribution of automotive vehicles in the emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In the automotive market, actions to curb this effect focus on more stringent emission limits and significant investments to support the development of alternative technologies to the internal combustion engine, as plug-in electric vehicles. Moreover, studies indicate that the internal combustion engine does not have a date to become obsolete, due to new technologies developed for increased efficiency, as for instance, engine downsizing. Another potential alternative is na increased adoption of Stop-Start Vehicles (SSV), which allows the functionality of automatic stops and starts of the internal combustion engine. The reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in heavy traffic of large cities is significant. Nevertheless, current mechanical interface adopted between the auxiliary electrical starter and the combustion engine cannot provide adequate performance and durability to allow wider spread of SSV.

Proposed design is a Dynamic Coupling System (DCS), and its ai mis to close the existing gap and contribute to more efficiency in vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines. Based on the above problem, the purpose of the work deals with the development of a DCS for starting systems of internal combustion engines. Proposed design is a novel idea, and there is no product available in the marketplace nowadays. This idea is intended to be applied to any type of vehicle having an internal combustion engine and built-in electronic Stop-Start technology. According to a report from Navigant Research (2015) a huge growing Market of SSV is expected in a near future. Total sales of SSV are expected to reach 59 milion by 2024. That figure would represent about 55% of the overall sales of automotive vehicles. The proposed DCS has a ring gear mounted concentrically in a flywheel by means of a bearing or bushing. A pinion gear is assembled at the armature shaft end of an electrical starter. Starter design can be simplified compared to current one: there is no need of overrunning drive, solenoid valve with a plunger, because the pinion remains continuously engaged to the ring gear. Torque to start the engine is transferred by the permanently engaged coupling and ring gear starts to rotate. Ring gear design has a ratchet profile which engages to a pawl mounted in the flywheel. Flywheel design has a pawl carrier that is supported by a shock absorbing system. This shock absorbing systems is what makes it a novel design. This feature helps in impact force reduction during starter cranking of the engine, avoiding excessive noise and vibration. Starting of the engine becomes quick and reliable, with huge increase in durability as required by SSV.

Proposed DCS can be manufactured by standard materials and processes. Conclusions of the research is that DCS idea has the potential to be further developed and contribute to vehicles that have low fuel consumption along with reduced gas emissions that causes the greenhouse effect. By adopting DCS viable Stop-Start Vehicles could be spread worldwide.

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Alvaro Michelotti
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Engineer/Designer
  • Alvaro is inspired by:
    Make it simple, make it work better.
  • Software used for this entry:
    Siemens LMS Imagine.Lab Amesim
  • Patent status:
    pending