Electric vehicle and on-board battery charging apparatus therefor
An electric vehicle and a range extender engine are shown including the controls to operate the same.
1. A combustion engine, comprising:
a crankcase defining a journal area and an oil sump;
a cylinder communicating with the crankcase;
a cam chain chamber discrete from the crankcase;
a crankshaft journalled in the journal area of the crankcase, with a first end extending into the cam chain chamber and a second end extending through the crankcase;
a piston positioned in the cylinder;
a connecting rod coupling the piston to the crankshaft;
a head above the cylinder having at least one cam therein operating valves in the head;
a first gear positioned on the crankshaft first end and positioned in the cam chain chamber;
a second gear positioned on an end of the cam;
a chain entrained around the first and second gear;
a passageway defined between the oil sump and the crankshaft;
wherein, when the piston is moving from a bottom dead center position to a top dead center position, a vacuum is created, siphoning oil through the passageway to lubricate at least a portion of the crankshaft.
2. The combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein the passageway is at least partially defined within walls of the crankcase.
3. The combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein the passageway is at least partially extending through the first end of the crankshaft and feeds the connecting rod.
4. The combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein a port is defined between the crankcase and the cam chain chamber.
5. The combustion engine of claim 4 , wherein the port is the only communication between the crankcase and the cam chain chamber.
6. The combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising a valve allowing the flow of blow by gases and compressed gases into the cam chain chamber when the piston is moving from a top dead center position to a bottom dead center position.
7. The combustion engine of claim 6 , wherein the valve is a reed valve.
8. A combustion engine, comprising:
a crankcase defining a journal area and an oil sump;
a cylinder communicating with the crankcase;
a cam chain chamber discrete from the crankcase;
a crankshaft journalled in the journal area of the crankcase, with a first end extending into the cam chain chamber and a second end extending through the crankcase;
a piston positioned in the cylinder;
a connecting rod coupling the piston to the crankshaft;
a head above the cylinder having at least one cam therein operating valves in the head;
a first gear positioned on the crankshaft first end and positioned in the cam chain chamber;
a second gear positioned on an end of the cam;
a chain entrained around the first and second gear;
a port communicating between the crankcase and the cam chain chamber; and
a valve allowing the flow of blow by gases and compressed gases into the cam chain chamber when the piston is moving from a top dead center position to a bottom dead center position.
9. The combustion engine of claim 8 , wherein the valve is a reed valve.
10. The combustion engine of claim 8 , further comprising a passageway defined between the oil sump and the crankshaft wherein, when the piston is moving from a bottom dead center position to a top dead center position, the reed valve is closed and a vacuum is created in the crankcase, siphoning oil through the passageway to lubricate at least a portion of the crankshaft.
11. The combustion engine of claim 8 , wherein the port is the only communication between the crankcase and the cam chain chamber.