According to one embodiment, an expander includes a piston provided reciprocatively in a first direction in a cylinder, a crankshaft, an XY-separation crank mechanism provided between the piston and the crankshaft, which converts a reciprocating motion of the piston and a rotary motion of the crankshaft into one another, a cylinder head including an intake port and an outlet port, a suction valve which opens/closes the intake port, a discharge valve which opens/closes the outlet port, an intake-side valve mechanism which opens/closes the suction valve and an outlet-side valve mechanism which opens/closes the discharge valve. At least one of the intake-side and outlet-side valve mechanisms includes an XY separation drive mechanism.

An agricultural machine or implement has a main frame section and at least one wing section, each having lift cylinders. A main shank frame may be pivotally attached to the main frame section and may have hydraulically adjustable gauge wheels. Wing shank frames may be pivotally attached to the wing sections and may also have hydraulically adjustable gauge wheels. Bypass circuits may be used to individually adjust the lift cylinders and gauge wheel cylinders. A controller or controllers is used to purge air from the lift cylinders, gauge wheel cylinders, cylinders used to raise the shank frames for transport, and from the bypass circuits. The purge routine may be selectable as individual steps, hydraulic subsystem purges, or as one automatic purge routine.

An agricultural machine or implement has a main frame section and at least one wing section, each having lift cylinders. A main shank frame may be pivotally attached to the main frame section and may have hydraulically adjustable gauge wheels. Wing shank frames may be pivotally attached to the wing sections and may also have hydraulically adjustable gauge wheels. Bypass circuits may be used to individually adjust the lift cylinders and gauge wheel cylinders. A controller or controllers is used to purge air from the lift cylinders, gauge wheel cylinders, cylinders used to raise the shank frames for transport, and from the bypass circuits. The purge routine may be selectable as individual steps, hydraulic subsystem purges, or as one automatic purge routine.

An internal combustion engine includes an engine block including a cylinder, a piston positioned within the cylinder, a crankshaft configured to be driven by the piston, a fuel supply system for supplying an air-fuel mixture to the cylinder, an ignition system, an electric starting system including a starter motor, and an ultracapacitor mounted on the engine, the ultracapacitor configured to power the starter motor to start the engine. A related garden tool is also disclosed.

An internal combustion engine includes an engine block including a cylinder, a piston positioned within the cylinder, a crankshaft configured to be driven by the piston, a fuel supply system for supplying an air-fuel mixture to the cylinder, an ignition system, an electric starting system including a starter motor, and an ultracapacitor mounted on the engine, the ultracapacitor configured to power the starter motor to start the engine. A related garden tool is also disclosed.

A modular motor is disclosed that includes a piston/harmonic drive assembly that is axially cycled. The piston/harmonic drive assembly is coupled to a ball transfer arrangement that converts the axial motion into rotary motion to rotate a rotor that can be used to rotate a drill bit.

A cam chain tensioner device of an internal combustion engine includes a cam chain tensioner, and a tensioner lifter pressing the cam chain tensioner to a cam chain. The tensioner lifter is mounted on an inclined upper surface of the cylinder head. The cylinder head has therein a valve train oil supply passage supplying oil from an oil pump to the valve train camshafts, and a tensioner lifter oil supply passage supplying oil to the tensioner lifter. The valve gear oil supply passage has a branching portion where the tensioner lifter oil supply passage branches. The branching portion is at a position higher than the tensioner lifter, and communicates with the tensioner lifter disposed at a position lower than the branching portion. It is thus possible to prevent fluttering of the cam chain and to reduce noise generated by the cam chain at the time of restart of the engine after it is stopped.

A fluid energy harvester, including a housing having at least one port and an outlet, and the housing defining at least one fluid passageway therein. The fluid energy harvester also includes a converter disposed within the housing and configured to convert at least a portion of potential energy in an exhaust fluid, a generator operably coupled to the converter and configured to generate an electrical current from the converter, a charging controller electrically coupled to the generator, and a storage medium electrically coupled to the generator and configured to store the electrical current generated by the generator. The fluid energy harvester further includes a nozzle configured to control a flow of the exhaust fluid.

A fluid energy harvester, including a housing having at least one port and an outlet, and the housing defining at least one fluid passageway therein. The fluid energy harvester also includes a converter disposed within the housing and configured to convert at least a portion of potential energy in an exhaust fluid, a generator operably coupled to the converter and configured to generate an electrical current from the converter, a charging controller electrically coupled to the generator, and a storage medium electrically coupled to the generator and configured to store the electrical current generated by the generator. The fluid energy harvester further includes a nozzle configured to control a flow of the exhaust fluid.

An attitude-supporting apparatus of a wearable robot includes an actuator for generating a hydraulic pressure by a worker's direct manipulation, and a driving unit including, the driving unit including: an inner component and an outer component capable of relatively rotating, and control components for controlling the relative rotations of the inner component and the outer component, wherein a motion of the control components is controlled by receiving the hydraulic pressure generated from the actuator.