Patents by Inventor Alan Carl HOLSAPPLE

Alan Carl HOLSAPPLE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10087883
    Abstract: A Stirling engine with internal regenerator and integral geometry for heat transfer and fluid flow has a displacer piston with a plurality of cavities traversing through the displacer piston and arranged in a specific cross sectional geometry. A heater head has heater fin protrusions that are arranged in the specific geometry, and a cooling bridge has cooler fin protrusions that are in the specific geometry. The displacer piston alternates between the heater head and the cooling bridge, with the cavities of the piston alternately enveloping the heater protrusions and the cooling protrusions, providing more efficient heat transfer to and from the working fluid. Each cavity in the displacer also contains a regenerator core, further improving heat transfer efficiency. The heater fin protrusions may also contain thermally conductive cores. A bellows assembly may also be used to seal the displacer piston from the heater head in order to reduce unswept volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Inventor: Alan Carl Holsapple
  • Publication number: 20160281638
    Abstract: A Stirling engine with internal regenerator and integral geometry for heat transfer and fluid flow has a displacer piston with a plurality of cavities traversing through the displacer piston and arranged in a specific cross sectional geometry. A heater head has heater fin protrusions that are arranged in the specific geometry, and a cooling bridge has cooler fin protrusions that are in the specific geometry. The displacer piston alternates between the heater head and the cooling bridge, with the cavities of the piston alternately enveloping the heater protrusions and the cooling protrusions, providing more efficient heat transfer to and from the working fluid. Each cavity in the displacer also contains a regenerator core, further improving heat transfer efficiency. The heater fin protrusions may also contain thermally conductive cores. A bellows assembly may also be used to seal the displacer piston from the heater head in order to reduce unswept volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventor: Alan Carl HOLSAPPLE
  • Patent number: 9382873
    Abstract: A Stirling engine with internal regenerator and integral geometry for heat transfer and fluid flow has a displacer piston with a plurality of cavities that traverse through the displacer piston and are arranged in a specific cross sectional geometry. A heater head has heater fin protrusions that are also arranged in the specific cross sectional geometry, and a cooling bridge has cooler fin protrusions that are also arranged in the specific cross sectional geometry. The displacer piston alternates between the heater head and the cooling bridge, with the cavities of the piston alternately enveloping the heater protrusions and the cooling protrusions, providing more efficient heat transfer to and from the working fluid. Each cavity in the displacer also contains a regenerator core, further improving heat transfer efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Inventor: Alan Carl Holsapple
  • Publication number: 20140026553
    Abstract: A Stirling engine with internal regenerator and integral geometry for heat transfer and fluid flow has a displacer piston with a plurality of cavities that traverse through the displacer piston and are arranged in a specific cross sectional geometry. A heater head has heater fin protrusions that are also arranged in the specific cross sectional geometry, and a cooling bridge has cooler fin protrusions that are also arranged in the specific cross sectional geometry. The displacer piston alternates between the heater head and the cooling bridge, with the cavities of the piston alternately enveloping the heater protrusions and the cooling protrusions, providing more efficient heat transfer to and from the working fluid. Each cavity in the displacer also contains a regenerator core, further improving heat transfer efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Alan Carl HOLSAPPLE