Cylinders Radiating Patents (Class 123/54.1)
  • Patent number: 11732641
    Abstract: Internal combustion engine with cylinders disposed radially around an axis (Z), in each of which slides a piston carrying out reciprocating rectilinear movements, reversibly transformed into a continuous rotation of an output shaft by: an active unit and passive unit each respectively having a planet gear, the axis of which is parallel to (Z), being capable of meshing with a ring gear, being maintained on its orbit via a planet carrier and having a pitch diameter identical to the pitch radius of the corresponding ring gear. The planet gear is driven in rotation by the planet gear and/or the planet carrier. Each planet gear is respectively rigidly connected to a connecting rod having crank pins, the axes of which are parallel to the axis (Z), pass through the pitch circle of the corresponding planet gear and being capable of cooperating by contact with rods rigidly connected to the pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventor: Nabil Mellasse
  • Patent number: 10458323
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder and a pair of opposed, reciprocating pistons within the cylinder forming a combustion chamber therebetween. The engine has at least one combustion igniter associated with the cylinder, a portion of the combustion igniter being exposed within the combustion chamber formed between the opposed pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: COX POWERTRAIN LIMITED
    Inventor: Christian Bucksey
  • Patent number: 8726856
    Abstract: An Otto cycle, Atkinson cycle or supercharged internal combustion engine (10) and a timing mechanism therefor. The engine comprising: a cylinder (14) and a piston (12) reciprocally mounted within the cylinder (14) in which reciprocating movement of the piston is converted into rotational movement of an output shaft (28) by way of rollers (20, 24) engaging primary (22) and secondary (26) cam means which are affixed to, and rotatable with, the output shaft (28). The timing mechanism comprising cam means (52, 53) mounted on, and rotatable in unison with, the output shaft (28), a cam follower (54, 55) arranged to engage the cam means (52) and a linkage connecting the cam follower to a pivoting rocker arm for actuating the engine's induction and exhaust valves, the rocker arm pivot being adapted to be moveable on an arcuate locus centered on the axis of the output shaft (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventor: Stephen Richard Terry
  • Patent number: 8627790
    Abstract: A W6 engine has two W3 engine units disposed juxtaposed on a common crankshaft. Exhaust pipes of the cylinders containing the pistons driving the common crankshaft are guided to an exhaust. Each cylinder has at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve. The intake valves for the individual cylinders are disposed in wall portions of the respective cylinders oriented in the same circumferential direction about the crankshaft or lateral portions of their cylinder head. The exhaust valves for the individual cylinders are disposed in opposite circumferential direction. Each exhaust valve closes an exhaust pipe, which is led from the valve seat of the exhaust valve to the outer surface of the W3 engine unit in which the cylinder with the exhaust valve is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle Koenig Kommanditgesellschaft GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz J. Laimboeck
  • Patent number: 8561581
    Abstract: A radial, two-stroke uniflow internal combustion (IC) cylinder and multiple cylinder engine, the cylinder having a cylinder wall and a cylinder head, the cylinder head having an exhaust port, a fuel injector, and a spark means disposed through the cylinder head, a piston reciprocally mounted in the cylinder for movement alternately through compression and power strokes, and an inlet swirl port disposed through the cylinder wall providing fluid communication into the cylinder chamber, and having an annular exhaust air manifold in exhaust gas communication with each exhaust ports, and an exhaust-driven radial in-flow turbine that drives the inlet air compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: Jack R. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8505501
    Abstract: A radial, two-stroke uniflow internal combustion (IC) cylinder and multiple cylinder engine, the cylinder having a cylinder wall and a cylinder head, the cylinder head having an exhaust port, a fuel injector, and a spark means disposed through the cylinder head, a piston reciprocally mounted in the cylinder for movement alternately through compression and power strokes, and an inlet swirl port disposed through the cylinder wall providing fluid communication into the cylinder chamber, and having an annular exhaust air manifold in exhaust gas communication with each exhaust ports, and an exhaust-driven radial in-flow turbine that drives the inlet air compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventor: Jack R. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20130152884
    Abstract: An exhaust valve control system of an engine includes a first bank including a plurality of cylinders and a second bank including a plurality of cylinder, in which the angle between the exhaust cam profiles of any two cylinders in the first bank is different by a predetermined angle or more from 180°, and the angle between the exhaust cam profiles of any two cylinders in the second bank is different by a predetermined angle or more from 180°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Byounghyouk MIN, Ho Chul Kwak
  • 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: 8464670
    Abstract: An improved configuration for internal combustion engine that reduces side forces on pistons during the engine cycle. The improvement is an intermediate and guided bridge element located between pull rods and pistons with articulated connections that allow side forces to be dissipated away from the pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: EcoMotors International
    Inventors: Peter Hofbauer, Adrian N. Tusinean, Chou Lee
  • Publication number: 20110303167
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine, having at least two cylinder banks, each cylinder bank having two outer high pressure cylinders and a central low pressure cylinder, reciprocating pistons of the cylinders being coupled via connecting rods to crankpin journals of a crankshaft, valves of the cylinders to be actuated via camshafts which can be driven from the crankshaft, crankpin journals on which the connecting rods of the high pressure cylinders act, lying in a common plane, crankpin journals on which the connecting rods of the low pressure cylinders act, being offset with respect to said plane, and the crankpin journal for the connecting rod of the low pressure cylinder of a first cylinder bank being offset with respect to the crankpin journal for the connecting rod of the low pressure cylinder of a second cylinder bank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Krämer, Wolfgang Zücker, Stefan Moser, Thomas Laudenbach
  • Publication number: 20090266316
    Abstract: The rotary reciprocating piston engine as a rotor rotatably journaled in a housing and a plurality of pistons movable in radial direction in the rotor between outer and inner dead points. Each piston has a piston rod mounted on a transverse shaft carrying at each end a sliding element which is displaceable in radial grooves formed in the rotor on both sides of the piston. The sliding elements are each provided on the outer side thereof facing away from the piston with a pin received in a housing-fixed star-shaped endless guide groove. The guide groove extends about the axis of rotation of the rotor and controls the movement of the pistons in radial direction between the inner and outer deadpoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Hans-Gerd Rücker, Rainer Guder, Ralf Georg Lipiensky, Manfred Thonnessen
  • 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: 7284513
    Abstract: The invention relates to the structure of internal combustion engine without a connecting rod and a method of its construction. The proposed method of construction describes the consecutive steps in creating the engine and allows the creation of internal combustion engine without a connecting rod with six and more even number of arc-like units (6) whereat the heating of the opposite arc-like units (6) in the center O.sub.1 of the engine is removed. The complex mounting and dismounting of the engine shaft is eliminated too, because according to the invention the engine shaft is not articulated of several details, but it is whole, uncut. Besides, the possibility is obtained for a change of the revolutions of the engine shaft (11) without reductor in one and the same stroke frequency of the pistons (3) movement by changing only the number of working cylinders of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Encho Mihaylov Enchev and Michaela Encheva Encheva
    Inventor: Encho Mihaylov Enchev
  • Patent number: 7270092
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine with improved efficiency provides continuous variable displacement and/or compression ratio tuning to one of a number of fuel types to be used by the engine. By varying displacement without changing the compression ratio, the engine can be tuned to operate on a given fuel more efficiently according to the load demands on the engine. By varying the compression ratio, the engine can be converted for use with the most economical fuel type available. The engine can be of a radial configuration with an offset crankshaft and a common cam throw-piece that can be positioned on the crankshaft to change the stroke and/or compression ratio affected by one or an array of pistons. An onboard electronic control can be used to detect engine efficiency, change engine displacement and/or compression ratio, change fuel supply, and compute fuel economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Carl D. Hefley
  • Patent number: 7240648
    Abstract: A four-stroke radial engine comprises cylinders arranged radially with respect to a driving shaft of said radial engine and pistons associated with said cylinders, said pistons being connected to said driving shaft by means of respective connecting rods which are rotatably supported on a same crank pivot of said driving shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Inventor: Paolo Alessandrini
  • 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: 7137365
    Abstract: A radial engine includes an engine block (2) having a central aperture (14). A drive shaft (7) extends through the aperture and a planar cam plate (5,6) is fixedly mounted on the shaft. A pair of spaced opposed walls (25) extend from the surface of the plate. A reciprocatable piston (37) is slidably mounted within a cylinder (9). A cam follower is engaged with at least one of the walls (25), such that reciprocation of the piston (37) rotates the plate (5,6) and the shaft (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Inventor: Desmond Jay Maslen
  • Patent number: 7086371
    Abstract: To reduce the number of parts, improve the mountability and maintainability, and allow for a reduction in the size and weight an engine is provided having a crankshaft, a crankcase having a plurality of bearing portions for rotatably supporting the crankshaft with each of the bearing portions being dividable along a divisional plane arranged on the axis of the crankshaft. Cylinder barrels are connected to the crankcase and include cylinder bores with cylinder heads connected to the cylinder barrels. The cylinder heads are integrated with portions of the cylinder barrels forming at least the cylinder bores to form cylinder blocks. The cylinder blocks and the crankcase are fastened together by a plurality of fastening bolts having axes parallel to the axes of the cylinder bores and extending through at least the cylinder blocks, with a compressive structure in the axial direction of the fastening bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Sanada, Shumpei Hasegawa, Minoru Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6941837
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide a true bilateral connecting rod apparatus having a crankshaft defining an axis of rotation and a rod journal eccentrically mounted for circular rotation about the axis, and a pair of connecting rods attached to the rod journal for reciprocating motion in a common plane extending perpendicularly through the rod journal. One or more retaining rings engage the pair of connecting rods and secure the pair of connecting rods to the journal. A common bearing insert is disposed between the pair of connecting rods and the rod journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Chad Rummel
  • Patent number: 6895921
    Abstract: An epicyclic cross piston engine having a four, six or more cylinders. It has individual pairs of pistons rigidly connected together by connecting rods. The pistons travel axially in their respective cylinders for a complete reciprocal cycle. The cylinders are oriented at ninety degrees to each other. Connecting the respective rods together are a pair of crankshafts and a drive link that is connected to an output shaft. A substantially 360 rotation of said output shaft is produced by the complete reciprocal travel of each of the pistons in their respective cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Peter Girard
  • Patent number: 6769384
    Abstract: A radial piston engine is disclosed wherein power is transferred such that the power take-off is truly balanced, where the piston runs truly parallel to the cylinder walls. This concept reduces wear of the cylinders and piston rings. The engine provides improved gas mileage due to the reduced piston drag. One unique feature is the power take-off from the piston to the flywheels. The design takes power from inside the cylinder compartment, through four transfer arms, to cams that in turn transfer the power to two flywheels. By firing complimentary cylinders 180 degrees at the same time, almost no vibration is noticed. Also, since the cylinders can fire many times per flywheel rotation, the torque which this engine produces is greater other designs. Any number of cylinders is possible. Single cylinders and two cylinder designs with chain power take-offs are also possible for lawnmowers and motorcycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Inventor: Thomas J. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 6571754
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine for propelling a vehicle. The internal combustion engine includes a block having a substantially X-shaped cross-section. Each of the legs constituting a bank of cylinders, with a manifold assembly coupled between adjacent banks for the purpose of introducing fuel and expelling exhaust as standard pistons cycle through the cylinders rotating about a crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventor: Ajejandro Cortes
  • Patent number: 6412454
    Abstract: A rotary power unit, comprising a housing having a circular opening and a plurality of bores extending along a radial axis from a center of the opening, a nodular rotor mounted within the opening of the housing and coaxially rotatable within the opening. The nodular rotor comprises a plurality of nodes equally distributed along the bounding circle thereof and the number of nodes is an odd integer less than the number of bores in the housing. A plurality of replaceable cylinder modules are fixedly receivable within a respective bore within the housing. Each cylinder module comprises a piston slidable within a cylinder, a piston actuating member associated with a each piston and a work unit associated with a cylinder head at a distal end the cylinder. Each piston is displaceable along the radial axis between a Top Dead Center (TDC) and a Bottom Dead Center (BDC), the pistons being biased into the BDC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Mapple Technology Limited
    Inventor: Edward Green
  • Publication number: 20010037777
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a balanced pendulum mechanism that is useful in devices such as vacuum pumps, compressors, engines and blowers. The mechanism includes a pair of toroidal shaped cylinders originating from the centerline of a central axis, with each cylinder structurally arranged to receive and cooperate with a plunger attached to a pendulum arm that is pivotally anchored to the central axis. The pendulum arms are linked to connecting rods mounted to the crankshaft to complete the pendulum mechanism which is operable with or without lubrication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventor: Eduardo Taurozzi
  • Patent number: 6257178
    Abstract: This invention relates to an internal combustion engine for a motorcycle, with two or more single cylinders arranged in a plane approximately normal to a crankshaft, each cylinder accommodating a reciprocating piston and the pistons acting via connecting rods on the same crank of the crankshaft supported in a crankcase. To reduce manufacturing expense, the engine is to be provided with modular components for universal use with at least two different cylinder arrangements (V-type, W-type).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Avl List GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Laimböck
  • Patent number: 6213064
    Abstract: An engine is described having pistons and cylinder arranged in mutually orthogonal pairs. Each pair is driven by a respective crank, with the pairs of cranks rotating about a primary crank which in turn rotates about an axis orthogonal to the axes of the pairs of pistons and cylinders. The throw of the respective cranks about the primary crank is the same as the throw of the primary crank about its axis. A counter-balancing weight is provided opposite to the primary crank. The resulting engine is balanced and lateral forces on the cylinder wall are reduced allowing the use of ceramic materials for the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventor: Wing Ping Geung
  • Patent number: 6193189
    Abstract: In a rotary engine having rotating cylinders which burns a fuel which is not mixed with oil there is a real problem of centrifugal force form the rotating engine causing oil to flow into the combustion chambers. The disclosed rotary engine has oil reservoirs which are positioned radially outwardly from the pistons so that centrifugal force resulting from engine rotation tends to keep oil out of the combustion chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Inventor: James R. Keever