Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
060525000 | Motor having plural working members | 25 |
20090107139 | VARIABLE COMPRESSION RATIO DUAL CRANKSHAFT ENGINE - A synchronized, dual crankshaft engine ( | 04-30-2009 |
20100132354 | LINEAR-ROTARY MOTION CONVERSION MECHANISM - An axial mechanism for converting between linear reciprocating motion and rotary motion comprises a z-crank shaft, a wobble member rotationally mounted to the angled crank pin of the z-crank shaft, and one or more pistons with a connecting rod between each piston and a pivot joint to the wobble member. In one embodiment the connecting rods have sufficient inherent flexibility to accommodate sideways motion in a 360° orbit at the wobble member end of the connecting rod. In another embodiment there is a lubrication communication passage from within the wobble member to each of said pivot joints. In another embodiment each such pivot joint is fitted to the wobble member an integral unit. In another embodiment the z-crank shaft is supported for rotation by bearings all positioned to one side of the z-crank shaft, spaced along the output drive end of the z-crank shaft. In another embodiment a torque restraint member is coupled between the wobble member and a non-moving reference point via a resilient mount or bearing which allows for limited oscillatory and longitudinal movement of the torque restraint member. | 06-03-2010 |
20100139262 | 4-Cycle Stirling Machine with Two Double-Piston Units - A 4-cycle Stirling engine is for carrying out thermal power processes or heat power and cold and heat pumping processes with two double piston units which move with a phase offset to each other. | 06-10-2010 |
20100199659 | Piston Assembly for a Stirling Engine - A piston assembly for a double-acting engine such as a double-acting Stirling engine. A pair of sealing rings located on opposite sides of a land ring are positioned between a base section and a dome section of a piston head. These sealing rings are alternatively urged into sealing engagement with the cylinder bore as the piston reciprocates. The ring assembly further features selected rings with radial gaps used with annular non-split rings. An expander ring is further provided to radially bias the sealing rings with radial gaps. The piston assembly further features assembly features and component configurations providing excellent piston gas sealing and durability performance. | 08-12-2010 |
20100199660 | Pressure Equalization System for a Stirling Engine - A working gas control system for a double acting type Stirling engine having two or more piston assemblies reciprocating within bores. Each of the piston assemblies separate isolated cycle volumes of a working gas which undergoes cyclical pressure variations. The pressure equalization system includes forming isolated first and second volumes with the first volume maintained at a low pressure through the use of a check valve. The second volume is maintained at a pressure intermediate of the minimum and maximum pressures of the cycle volumes. By providing controlled leakage paths between the volumes, the mass or volume of working gas in each of the cycle volumes can be maintained in a balanced condition despite minor leakages outside the engine of the working gas and leakage past the piston assemblies separating the cycle volumes. Additional features further include the provision of a control valve which acts to unload the engine for starting or shut down, and further can provide the functions of a check valve and a control leakage path within the engine. | 08-12-2010 |
20100199661 | Control Valve for a Stirling Engine - A control valve for a double acting type Stirling engine of the type having two or more piston assemblies reciprocating in bores with each of the piston assemblies separating isolated volumes of a working gas. The control valve provides the functions of a check valve which allows an internally defined volume within the engine to be held at a low pressure near the minimum pressure of the cycle volumes. The valve may further be actuated to unload the engine to provide low starting torque and to unload the engine in case of an engine or load malfunction. The control valve further provides a controlled leakage path for working fluid flowing between the cycle volumes and the minimum pressure volume which acts as part of a pressure balancing system for the Stirling engine which maintains the volume or mass of a working fluid in a balanced condition between the cycle volumes. | 08-12-2010 |
20100257858 | PISTON ENGINE AND STIRLING ENGINE - A high temperature side cylinder of a Stirling engine is composed of a sleeve and a cylinder block. A high temperature side piston makes a reciprocating motion in the sleeve. The sleeve is connected to a heater that heats a working fluid of the Stirling engine so that heat of the heater is transmitted. A cylinder block is disposed outside of the sleeve. A predetermined interval is formed between the sleeve and the cylinder block, and an air layer is formed in the predetermined interval. | 10-14-2010 |
20100281861 | LINEAR ROLLER BEARING ASSEMBLY AND SUB-ASSEMBLY AND RECIPROCATING MACHINERY INCORPORATING THE SAME - Linear roller bearing assemblies can include a hub, a collar around the hub and roller bearing sub-assemblies disposed in a radial pattern around the hub. The roller bearing sub-assemblies can guide linear movement of the hub relative to the collar along a selected direction. Each roller bearing sub-assembly can include a roller and straps wrapped partially around the roller. Each strap is connected to at least one of the hub and the collar. And at least one of the straps can be connected to the roller while at least one of the straps can be circumferentially free of the roller. The hub and collar are moveable relative to each other along the selected direction for a distance that is approximately half of a circumference of the roller. Methods of forming linear roller bearing assemblies are also disclosed, as are multi-cylinder Stirling engines and a thermal energy recovery system. | 11-11-2010 |
20110088386 | CONFIGURATIONS OF A STIRLING ENGINE AND HEAT PUMP - A configuration of heat engine, a stirling engine, is presented that utilizes an even number of axially opposed, axially aligned cylinders and that can be made using almost unlimited variations in the number of cylinder pairings, size, length, operating temperatures and pressures, materials, heating and cooling sources, etc. The axially opposed configuration of the cylinder pairs maximizes engine efficiency by minimizing dead space, maximizing thermal isolation of the hot and cold sides, maximizing regenerator efficiency, maximizing the free flow of the working fluid and allowing the engine speed (rpm) and power output to be rapidly and precisely altered and controlled. When driven, the engine acts as a heat pump, with all of the aforementioned improvements and advantages over previous kinematic heat pumps and wherein the piston timing can be varied for precise temperature control and to provide a method of defrosting that requires no additional parts or heat source. | 04-21-2011 |
20110203267 | Method and device for operating a stirling cycle process - In a method for operating a Stirling cycle process an operating medium is essentially compressed in an isothermal manner, subsequently heated in an isochoric manner subsequently expanded in an isothermal manner and subsequently cooled in an isochoric manner which completes the cycle process. In order to improve the energy efficiency of such processes for a clockwise power machine process and also for a counterclockwise refrigeration machine it is proposed that the isothermal compression be performed freely through a liquid piston compressor ( | 08-25-2011 |
20110252780 | HEAT ENGINE - A heat engine includes: a high-temperature space portion and a low-temperature space portion, each of which has a working gas with a different temperature range from each other; a regenerator provided between both of the space portions; a first piston configured to cause volumetric changes of the working gases in the space portions and transmit motive energy on receipt of pressure changes of the working gases; and a second piston and a third piston provided in the space portions, respectively, the second piston and the third piston configured to transfer the working gases between both of the space portions and move with a 180° phase difference from each other with respect to the regenerator. The second piston is slidably housed in a cylinder portion included in the first piston. The first piston, and the second piston and the third piston are configured to move with a phase difference smaller than 180°. Heat and motive energy are exchanged by using the volumetric changes in both of the space portions, as well as by using the transfer of the working gases. | 10-20-2011 |
20120042645 | CONTROL DEVICE FOR STIRLING ENGINE - A control device for a Stirling engine including: two cylinder units; and a decompression portion that brings about a decompression effect of reducing a degree of compression of a working fluid that flows back and forth between the two cylinder units, by letting out the working fluid that flow back and forth between the two cylinder units, when the Stirling engine is started; the control device including a control portion that controls the decompression portion so that the decompression effect is gradually weakened after the Stirling engine is started. | 02-23-2012 |
20120090314 | COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM UTILIZING TWO-PHASE FLOW TO FACILITATE HEAT EXCHANGE - A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control. | 04-19-2012 |
20120137671 | STIRLING ENGINE ARRANGEMENT - A Stirling engine arrangement is provided, with a base body to which a plurality of piston pairs are allocated, each with a working piston and a displacement piston; and with a gear device arranged on the base body for coupling the linearly mobile working pistons with a rotatably mounted output shaft, the rotation axis of which is aligned transverse to the movement direction of the piston pairs. The gear device is formed as a planetary gear in which a plurality of planet wheels are arranged rotatably on a sun wheel coupled to the output shaft and formed for rolling motion on a crown wheel surrounding the sun wheel, wherein the planet wheels are arranged on planet shafts aligned parallel to each other and parallel to the output shaft, which each carry a cam device formed to rest on the allocated working piston. | 06-07-2012 |
20120198834 | THERMODYNAMIC MACHINE WITH STIRLING CYCLE - A thermodynamic machine is made up of at least one assembly of two elementary Stirling cycle machines symmetrically formed in one or more cylindrical bodies with the same axis, each elementary machine including first and second compression/expansion chambers, a regenerator separating the first and second chambers and first and second outer walls intended for sealing the volume of the first and second chambers respectively, the regenerator and the first and second outer walls of one elementary machine being rigidly connected to the same elements of the other elementary machines. | 08-09-2012 |
20120260648 | HEAT ENGINE - A heat engine includes four groups of cylinder assemblies and a transmission output mechanism. The transmission output mechanism includes a rocker-arm shaft support, a crankshaft support, a first rocker-arm assembly, a second rocker-arm assembly, and a crankshaft rotatablely installed on the crankshaft support. A crankshaft long-arm connecting rod and a crankshaft short-arm connecting rod are hinged on the crankshaft. The first rocker-arm assembly includes a first straight shaft, a first long arm and a second long arm, and a first hinged part is arranged on the second long arm to hinge with the crankshaft long-arm connecting rod. The second rocket-arm assembly includes a second straight shaft, a third long arm and a fourth long arm and a short arm. A second hinged part is arranged on the short arm to hinge with the crankshaft short-arm connecting rod. The crankshaft long-arm connecting rod is parallel with the short arm and the crankshaft short-arm connecting rod is parallel with the second long arm. The heat engine is simple in structure, has low manufacturing cost and makes less noise. | 10-18-2012 |
20130061590 | STIRLING CYCLE ENERGY CONVERTER - The “Energy Converter using Stirling Cycle” refers to the present invention patent request for constructive systems in general, more specifically for an “Energy Converter using Stirling Cycle”, which provides mechanical energy by means of conversion carried out by means of the heat flow passage from a thermal energy source to a gas that circulates between sealed units. The system is composed of one or more pairs of chambers, called sealed units, which transfer heat to the gas in alternate way between themselves, by means of the controlled movement of a rotor in the shape of an escutcheon, which exposed the gas between the hot and cold plates alternately so that the gas between the chambers expands and contracts cyclically generating the driving force. | 03-14-2013 |
20130180239 | Two Piston, Concentric Cylinder, Alpha Free Piston Stirling Machine - A two piston, free piston, alpha Stirling cycle machine has a compression piston with a cylindrical bore that is coaxial with the cylinders in which the pistons reciprocate. An expansion piston sealingly extends into both an expansion cylinder and into the cylindrical bore in the compression piston. The expansion piston has the same diameter within both the expansion cylinder and the cylindrical bore. A spring, preferably a gas spring, drivingly connects the pistons. The reciprocation of the expansion piston varies only the volume of the expansion space and the reciprocation of the compression piston varies only the volume of the compression space. The spring that drivingly connects the pistons allows the two pistons to be properly phased without a mechanical linkage so that they can operate in a thermodynamically effective phase over a range of strokes. | 07-18-2013 |
20130269334 | POWER PLANT WITH CLOSED BRAYTON CYCLE - A power plant includes a heated fluid, a closed loop, super-critical carbon dioxide-based Brayton cycle, and a closed loop, steam-based Rankine cycle. At least one heat exchanger is arranged to receive the heated fluid and exchange heat between the heated fluid, the closed loop super-critical carbon dioxide-based Brayton cycle and the closed loop, steam-based Rankine cycle. | 10-17-2013 |
20130269335 | Motor Having Hot Working Fluid Operating Essentially According To A Three-Phase Cycle - A motor having hot working fluid having a continuously powered compression element; a constantly driving expansion element associated with at least two pairs of working chambers, each one of which comprises a cold chamber and a hot chamber connected to a hot source and isolated from the hot source by a delay system; and a linking and communication element that interacts with the compression element, the expansion element and the pairs of working chambers such that the motor continuously operates essentially according to a cycle comprising a powered compression phase, subdivided into an isothermal sub-phase and a sub-phase of raising the temperature, and a driving phase. | 10-17-2013 |
20150047336 | Stirling Cycle Machine - A Stirling cycle machine. The machine includes at least one rocking drive mechanism which includes: a rocking beam having a rocker pivot, at least one cylinder and at least one piston. The piston is housed within a respective cylinder and is capable of substantially linearly reciprocating within the respective cylinder. Also, the drive mechanism includes at least one coupling assembly having a proximal end and a distal end. The linear motion of the piston is converted to rotary motion of the rocking beam. Also, a crankcase housing the rocking beam and housing a first portion of the coupling assembly is included. The machine also includes a working space housing the at least one cylinder, the at least one piston and a second portion of the coupling assembly. An airlock is included between the workspace and the crankcase and a seal is included for sealing the workspace from the airlock and crankcase. A burner and burner control system is also included for heating the machine and controlling ignition and combustion in the burner. | 02-19-2015 |
20150101324 | Valved Stirling Engine with Improved Efficiency - A Stirling engine can take advantage of adiabatic compression (which heats working gas leaving the cold cylinder) and adiabatic expansion (which cools working gas leaving the hot cylinder) to increase efficiency. In some implementations, partially-heated gas leaving the cold cylinder and partially-cooled gas leaving the hot cylinder can be routed directly to a regenerator using bypass paths that are opened using one-way valves. The resultant relatively reduced temperature difference across the regenerator, e.g., as compared to a typical Stirling engine, can reduce thermal loss and improve efficiency. In some implementations, the compression ratios of the Stirling engine can be adjusted such that the temperature of the adiabatic heated gas is the same or higher than the temperature of the adiabatic cooled temperatures, thus eliminating the need for a regenerator. | 04-16-2015 |
20160377024 | Condensing Stirling Cycle Heat Engine - The inventor claims a heat engine that follows a modification of the Stirling thermodynamic heat engine cycle; the novel aspect is that the monatomic working fluid is a saturated gas at the beginning of the isothermal compression stage, and ends up a mixed-phase fluid at the end of the compression. This cycle takes advantage of the attractive intermolecular forces of the working fluid to assist in compressing the working fluid partially into a liquid, reducing the input compression work and increasing the overall heat engine efficiency. | 12-29-2016 |
20180023508 | Two Cylinder Double Acting Stirling Engine | 01-25-2018 |
20190145347 | STIRLING CYCLE AND LINEAR-TO-ROTARY MECHANISM SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS | 05-16-2019 |