Abstract: A combined internal combustion and hot gas engine employs a working space surrounding a cylinder in an engine block. A piston reciprocates within the cylinder between combustion and expansion ends. A working fluid fills the working space and is moved by a reciprocal displacer mounted within the working space between a hot end adjacent the combustion end of the cylinder to a cold end disposed in fluid flow communication with the expansion side of the piston. The working fluid when heated increases in pressure and acts on the piston to assist in driving the piston between expansion and compression ends of the cylinder. A drive cam reciprocates the displacer in a timed phase relationship with the piston. In one embodiment, the displacer is formed of a regenerative heat transfer material to absorb and give off heat from the working fluid as the working fluid moves between the ends of the working space.

Abstract: An electromagnetic coil operates a fuel injector valve and generates a high voltage pulse to ignite a spark plug in an internal combustion engine. The primary and secondary windings of a coil are disposed between inner and outer cores. Electric current flowing at a first level through the primary winding induces magnetic flux in a first flux path to move a fuel flow control member to open a fuel flow path between a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet in the fuel injector valve. Current flowing at a second higher level through the primary winding induces a higher level of magnetic flux in a second flux path to move the fuel flow control member to a position closing the fuel flow path. A controller generates the first and second primary winding currents at the proper time in the engine operating cycle in response to engine operating conditions.