Cylinders Opposite And Aligned Patents (Class 123/55.7)
  • Patent number: 10968906
    Abstract: In a compressor for discharging a medium, in particular tire sealant that is to be discharged from a container into a tire, wherein a motor (1) of the compressor (P) drives a step-up transmission wheel (3, 3.1) for moving at least one piston (6-6.6) in a compression chamber (7), the step-up transmission wheel (3, 3.1) is intended to be provided only partially on its circumference with a toothing (20) and/or to consist of two toothed wheels (11, 12) lying on each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Martin Patrick Spindler
  • Patent number: 10316744
    Abstract: A high efficiency reciprocating engine, nominally of the internal combustion type but alternatively of the external combustion type is disclosed. The new engine uses Hypocycloidal and alternatively Epicycloidal gear mechanisms to create differentiated compression and expansion ratios which then promote significant improvements in efficiency through lower compression losses and higher extraction of available energy. Through suitable augmentation, the engines can be made to provide higher power when needed over higher efficiency. Additionally, other parameter modifications enable realization of low side wall loads and true zero exhaust volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Inventor: Herbert U Fluhler
  • Patent number: 9964030
    Abstract: A system including a combustion engine is disclosed. The combustion engine includes a first cylinder orientated along a first axis. The combustion engine also includes a first piston, fitted within the first cylinder, to move in reciprocating motion by alternately moving in a first linear direction along the first axis responsive to a first power stroke or a second linear direction along the first axis responsive to a second power stroke. The combustion engine includes a tensile band affixed to a first end and a second end of the first piston. The first piston is to exert a first tensile force on the tensile band in the first linear direction in response to the first power stroke. The first piston is to exert a second tensile force on the tensile band in the second linear direction in response to the second power stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Inventor: Nolton C. Johnson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9909492
    Abstract: An opposed-piston engine that forms an inviscid layer between pistons and the respective cylinder walls. In an aspect, the opposed-piston engine utilizes a Scotch yoke assembly that includes rigidly connected opposed combustion pistons. In an aspect, the Scotch yoke assembly is configured to transfer power from the combustion pistons to a crankshaft assembly. In an aspect, the crankshaft assembly can be configured to have dual flywheels that are internal to the engine, and can be configured to assist with an exhaust system, a detonation system, and/or a lubrication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: PRIME GROUP ALLIANCE, LLC
    Inventor: William Jeswine
  • Patent number: 9316249
    Abstract: An XY separate crank mechanism provided between a movable body reciprocating in a first direction and a rotatable crankshaft to mutually convert reciprocating motion of the movable body and rotational motion of the crankshaft, includes a support member provided freely reciprocatingly in the first direction, a crank connecting member mounted on the support member freely reciprocatingly in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and with which a crank of the crankshaft is rotatably engaged, and a connecting member configured to connect the piston and the support member and reciprocate in the first direction together with the piston and the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: TAC Research Inc., NAKASHIN REISHOKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshizawa, Takumi Yoshizawa, Yutaka Yoshizawa, Satoshi Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 9032917
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward implementations of internal combustion engines. The disclosure describes various embodiments of internal combustion engines where most of the internal elements rotate. Such engines allow for more efficient transfer of the energy created by combustion to the motive components of a vehicle such as wheels or propellers. One specific embodiment includes a rotating cylinder with a single piston which both reciprocates and rotates. The rotating motion of the piston is transferred to the cylinder, which in turn is connected to a driveshaft. Various embodiments of the invention employ differing numbers and configurations of pistons. All embodiments have the advantage of decreasing engine volume and increasing efficiency over traditional internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Inventor: Mark McNitt
  • Patent number: 8839760
    Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a crankshaft is described. The crankshaft includes a main shaft and an axially offset crank pin connected to the main shaft. The apparatus includes a first piston that alternately drives an attached connecting frame in reciprocating motion. A hub is rotatably mounted within the connecting frame with the hub defining a channel and the crank pin disposed therein. The apparatus includes a locking mechanism with a locked state in which the hub is prevented from rotating and an unlocked state in which the hub freely rotates. The reciprocating motion of the first piston and the connecting frame imparts reciprocating travel of the crank pin between ends of the channel and consequent rotation of the main shaft in the locked state; while the crankshaft and the hub rotate freely in the unlocked state, with the first piston and the connecting frame in a stationary position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventor: Achim H. Hedrich
  • Patent number: 8776761
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine that is structurally similar to a four-stroke engine. The engine comprises at least one cylinder unit, in turn, comprising a cylinder, a piston head that reciprocates within the cylinder, a combustion chamber defined between the cylinder and the front of the piston head, a fuel injector, an oxygen injector, and an exhaust port. The IC engine further comprises a piston rod, one end of which is connected to the piston head and the other end to the crankshaft. The combustion within the combustion chamber is initiated upon the injection of the fuel and the oxygen into the combustion chamber when the piston is at the top dead center. The spent gases are expelled through the exhaust port as the piston returns to the top dead center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: Seyed Meisam Aledavood
  • Patent number: 8763583
    Abstract: An opposed-piston, opposed-cylinder OPOC engine is disclosed in which the central axis of the two cylinders is collinear. In four-stroke engines, this is possible with a built up crankshaft. Disclosed are connecting rod configurations that are suitable for a two-stroke engine that can be assembled to a unitary crankshaft, including both pullrods in tension and pushrods in compression. The configuration includes pistons arranged symmetrically, but with offset timing of the intake and exhaust pistons. The offset timing leads to a slight imbalance which can be partially overcome by having the center of gravity of the crankshaft offset from the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: EcoMotors, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Hofbauer, Adrian Tusinean
  • Patent number: 8555828
    Abstract: The invention provides a piston which allows pressure generated downstream from the piston to be used to ventilate a combustion chamber of a cylinder in which the piston is slidingly mounted. The crank assembly to which the piston is connected is operable outside of the cylinder which is sealed at both ends. The crank assembly uses eccentric motion to allow a connecting rod which extends between the piston and the crank assembly to move linearly into and out of the cylinder in sealed manner. The piston includes a valve which allows pressurized gas to flow through the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Inventor: Leslie Malcolm Jones
  • Patent number: 8485161
    Abstract: In an opposed piston, compression ignition engine two crankshafts are single-side mounted with respect to a row of cylinders, which is to say that the crankshafts are mounted so that their axes of rotation lie in a plane that is spaced apart from and parallel to a plane in which the axes of the cylinders lie. Each piston of the engine is coupled to one of the crankshafts by a single linkage guided by a crosshead. The piston has a piston rod affixed at one end to the piston. The other end of the piston rod is affixed to the crosshead pin. One end of a connecting rod swings on the pin and the other end is coupled to a throw on a crankshaft. Each crosshead is constrained to reciprocate between fixed guides, in alignment with the piston rod to which it is coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventor: James U. Lemke
  • Patent number: 8474435
    Abstract: In an opposed piston, compression ignition engine two crankshafts are single-side mounted with respect to a row of cylinders, which is to say that the crankshafts are mounted so that their axes of rotation lie in a plane that is spaced apart from and parallel to a plane in which the axes of the cylinders lie. Each piston of the engine is coupled to one of the crankshafts by a single linkage guided by a crosshead. The piston has a piston rod affixed at one end to the piston. The other end of the piston rod is affixed to the crosshead pin. One end of a connecting rod swings on the pin and the other end is coupled to a throw on a crankshaft. Each crosshead is constrained to reciprocate between fixed guides, in alignment with the piston rod to which it is coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventor: James U. Lemke
  • Patent number: 8464671
    Abstract: The horizontally opposed center fired engine improves on the traditional design of the horizontally opposed engines and center fired engines with a better engine geometry. The present invention utilizes four pairs of opposing pistons to compress a larger volume of air-fuel mixture within four different cylinders. The four different cylinders are radially positioned around a center axle in order to achieve a perfectly symmetric engine geometry. The center axle consists of two different shafts spinning in two different directions, which could drastically reduce engine vibrations in the present invention. Engine vibrations are caused by a change in engine speed and result in a loss of energy. Due to the design, the present invention will only experience energy loss in the form of entropy and friction. Thus, the present invention can convert a higher percentage of chemical energy into mechanical energy than any other internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Inventor: Bo Zhou
  • Patent number: 8127544
    Abstract: This invention provides a compact, fuel-efficient internal combustion engine that can be used to provide rotating shaft output power to a wide variety of mobile and stationary applications. It is based on a two-stroke free-piston gas generator that implements the homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion principle for essentially constant-volume combustion, and it employs a variable piston stroke to maintain a high level of efficiency across a wide range of loads and speeds. A rotary device, which may be of either an aerodynamic or positive displacement type, converts the energetic gas stream to power at a rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventors: Paul Albert Schwiesow, Ronald Lee Schwiesow, Dino Tomassetti, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7614369
    Abstract: An engine is disclosed having cylinders slidably disposed in an engine block. The cylinders reciprocate, engaging movable pistons at each end. A piston and cylinder end define a combustion chamber. A centrally located crankshaft extracts work, and converts the reciprocating motion into rotary motion. Precompression plates fixed to the cylinder reciprocate in precompression chambers to pre-compress and inject an air/fuel mixture. An exhaust gas recovery system, including a catalytic converter in the precompression chamber, extracts work from energy in the exhaust gas stream to improve the engine efficiency. In one embodiment, a central piston assembly is slidable within the cylinder, and reciprocates relative to the cylinder, substantially in synchrony with the motion of the cylinder, thereby producing an effective stroke length that is greater than the stroke length of the cylinder alone. Offset piston journals engage a gliding block to couple the central piston assembly to the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: MotorPat, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Walter Schmied
  • Patent number: 7578267
    Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine is disclosed having opposed cylinders, each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons, with all the pistons connected to a common central crankshaft. The inboard pistons of each cylinder are connected to the crankshaft with pushrods and the outboard pistons are connected to the crankshaft with pullrods. Each opposed cylinder further comprises an integrated scavenge pump for providing positive intake pressure. This configuration results in a compact engine with a very low profile, in which the free mass forces can be substantially balanced. The engine configuration also allows for asymmetrical timing of the intake and exhaust ports through angular positioning of the journals on the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Hofbauer, Adrian Tusinean
  • Patent number: 7469664
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is disclosed having opposed cylinders, each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons. All the pistons may be connected to a common central crankshaft. The inboard pistons of each cylinder may be connected to a common joint on the crankshaft with pushrods and the outboard pistons may be connected to a common joint on the crankshaft with pullrods. Each opposed cylinder may include an integrated scavenge pump for providing positive intake pressure. The engine configuration also allows for asymmetrical timing of the intake and exhaust ports through angular positioning of the journals on the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Hofbauer, Adrian Tusinean
  • Patent number: 7455038
    Abstract: An engine is provided comprising a cylinder, a piston, a connecting rod, and a crank. A cylinder combustion occurs in the cylinder to induce movement of the piston in a lateral direction. The cylinder combustion comprises a first stage during which a first portion of a fuel and air mixture is burned over a substantially constant volume, and a second stage during which a second portion of the fuel and air mixture is burned over a substantially constant pressure. The piston comprises a piston head and a rigid piston rod mounted to the piston head. The connecting rod is pivotally mounted to the rigid piston rod and capable of receiving a pulling force applied by the piston. The crank is pivotally mounted to the connecting rod such that the connecting rod applies a torque capable of rotating the crank about a fixed axis as the piston moves within the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Inventors: Tihomir Sic, Miladin Vidakovic
  • Patent number: 7434550
    Abstract: An improved configuration for an opposing piston-opposing cylinder (“OPOC”) internal combustion engine with a single camshaft to reduce friction between the pistons and the cylinder walls during the combustion phase of the engine cycle. The improvements are presented in two embodiments that provide offsets between the bore axes of the cylinders and the crankshaft axis of rotation to cause the connecting rods to achieve an orientation substantially parallel to the cylinder bore at TDC and shortly thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Hofbauer
  • Patent number: 7334558
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a slide body having a plurality of rigidly mounted pistons on opposite ends of the slide body. The slide body reciprocates and is connected to a flywheel by shaft and bearing which extends through an angled track in the slide body. As the pistons impart linear movement to the slide body, the flywheel and a drive shaft rotate. Both the slide body and the flywheel are mounted on the interior of the engine. Magnets on the flywheel rotate relative to stationary coil conductors to induce a current. The housing includes four panels, which can be easily assembled and disassembled, which form a housing compartment in which the linearly movable slide piston subassembly and the rotating flywheel are positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventor: Darrell Grayson Higgins
  • Patent number: 7219631
    Abstract: An Internal Combustion Engine including a plurality of reciprocating pistons disposed about the periphery of a central housing, and a pair of drive cams responsive to the displacement of the pistons for driving one or more output drive shafts. A piston rod cross member engages cam raceways of a pair of drive cams. Each raceway comprises a plurality of lobes defining power and compression stroke surfaces. Axial displacement of the cross member within the raceway effects rotation of the drive cams and output drive shafts which are rotational coupled to each drive cam. The drive cams and output drive shafts may rotate in the same or opposite directions, delivering high torque at low rotational speeds and, in one embodiment providing a torque-balanced output. Furthermore, the drive cams may include peripheral teeth for driving a timing gear which is timed relative to the output drive shafts for driving auxiliary equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventor: James Leo O'Neill
  • Patent number: 7104227
    Abstract: A two stroke cycle internal combustion engine machine that does not require lubricating oil to be mixed with its fuel, producing greater efficiency, higher power to weight ratio, cooler operating temperatures, a wider speed range, greater simplicity, and lower toxic emissions, many of the improvements also transferable to four stroke engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Inventor: Freddie Ray Roberts
  • Publication number: 20040255880
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a linear motion engine, wherein four cylinders are arranged in two laterally opposing rows with each of their respective piston rods sharing common linkage to a slider located in midway between the two-cylinder rows and connected to the eccentric crank shafts of a flywheel; and whereby each cylinder piston goes through an alternate linear motion comprising four steps of strokes of intake, compression, combustion and exhaust, constituting an engine unit capable of delivering power output through linear motion of the slider itself, subsequently contributing to an elimination of power loss from circular motion changeover and enabling to produce a compact engine suitable for work machines operated by linear motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Young Hwan Kim, Joo Hoe Kim
  • Patent number: 6766781
    Abstract: The invention relates to a crankcase for an internal-combustion engine, particularly for a horizontally opposed engine, having two crankcase halves (10, 12) in which bearing sections (18) with bearing bores (24) for the crank pins of a crankshaft are arranged, the two crankcase halves (10, 12) being screwed to one another in the area of the bearing bores (24), as well as having cylinder bores (14, 16) for receiving the pistons. It is suggested that the plane of division (30) of the two crankcase halves (10, 12) extend at an angle &agr;, and that the longitudinal axis (36) of the bearing bolts (26, 28) extend essentially at a right angle with respect to the plane of division (30). This results in a screwing-together of the two crankcase halves (10, 12) which is free of transverse force and is arranged close to the bearing bore (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Matthias Penzel, Christian Schwarzl
  • Publication number: 20040099228
    Abstract: A two stroke cycle internal combustion engine machine that does not require lubricating oil to be mixed with its fuel, producing greater efficiency, higher power to weight ratio, cooler operating temperatures, a wider speed range, greater simplicity, and lower toxic emissions, many of the improvements also transferable to four stroke engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: Freddie Ray Roberts
  • Publication number: 20030089321
    Abstract: The invention relates to a crankcase for an internal-combustion engine, particularly for a horizontally opposed engine, having two crankcase halves (10, 12) in which bearing sections (18) with bearing bores (24) for the crank pins of a crankshaft are arranged, the two crankcase halves (10, 12) being screwed to one another in the area of the bearing bores (24), as well as having cylinder bores (14, 16) for receiving the pistons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Matthias Penzel, Christian Schwarzl
  • Publication number: 20020139323
    Abstract: A piston/cylinder internal combustion unit has opposed pistons connected to a common rod and driven in an oscillatory and reciprocating movement. The pistons operate out of phase with each other, such that the power stroke of one drives the compression stroke of the other, and a spring acts on the rod storing energy or exerting a restorative force as the rod is displaced with piston movement. Preferably, the moving rod carries a coil assembly near a stationary magnet (or a magnet near a stationary coil assembly) to produce electricity at the oscillatory frequency. The engine may employ a mechanical spring, an electromagnetic or a magnetic spring, or combinations thereof to stabilize or establish oscillation of the piston and rod assembly. The coil itself may fill this function and act to exert restoring force by coupling to an external control system that applies a control a signal to the coil in accordance with piston position to create an electromagnetic restoring force of appropriate level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventor: Jack L. Kerrebrock
  • Patent number: 6332435
    Abstract: The invention minimizes the problem of deterioration in engine strength by concentration of stress due to the combustion load in a hole portion provided on a crank journal support wall in a crank case and reduces pumping loss. Further, the invention discharges blow-by gas smoothly, while reducing the engine weight. There is provided a crank journal support portion structure disposed in a crank case of a horizontal opposed type engine, wherein a hole portion communicating with an adjacent cylinder is opened at rotation angular positions of a crank journal yielding small stress generated at a crank journal support wall portion by transmitting combustion load to the crank journal via a piston connecting rod, in the vicinity of the crank journal support hole of the crank journal support wall portion disposed between respective cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiji Kaita
  • Patent number: 6209495
    Abstract: A two stroke compound engine has a pair of horizontally opposed piston cylinder assemblies extending along a common axis therein. Each piston cylinder assembly includes a piston, a combustion chamber and respective inlet and exhaust valves. A pair of connecting rods extending along the common axis connect the respective pistons to a crank extending from a rotary housing. The rotary housing is rotatably mounted within the engine and includes an output shaft extending co-axially therefrom. A fixed ring gear is mounted co-axially about the rotary housing along an axis extending perpendicularly to the common axis. A planetary gear mounted on the crank meshes with the ring gear for rotating the rotatable housing in response to reciprocation of the pistons. A pair of combustors are mounted on exhaust ports of the respective piston assemblies for further combusting exhaust from the combustion chambers by mixing exhaust with cooling air and additional fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Inventor: Walter Warren