A crank and connecting rod mechanism, comprising at least one piston, which reciprocates within at least one cylinder, comprising: at least one connecting rod, comprising: a piston end pivotally connected to the at least one piston, a crank end; at least one gear set, comprising: a crankpin, the crank end pivotally connected to the crankpin; a crank gear; a crank gear shaft, the crank gear rotatably mounted on the crank gear shaft, the crankpin located between centerline of the crank gear shaft and radius of the pitch circle of the crank gear; a stationary gear, the crank gear meshing with the stationary gear, the crank end driving the crankpin, which drives the crank gear and the crank gear shaft about the stationary gear; the crank pin and the crank end rotating about the stationary gear and following the path of a roulette of a centered trochoid about the stationary gear.

A crank and connecting rod mechanism, comprising at least one piston, which reciprocates within at least one cylinder, comprising: at least one connecting rod, comprising: a piston end pivotally connected to the at least one piston, a crank end; at least one gear set, comprising: a crankpin, the crank end pivotally connected to the crankpin; a crank gear; a crank gear shaft, the crank gear rotatably mounted on the crank gear shaft, the crankpin located between centerline of the crank gear shaft and radius of the pitch circle of the crank gear; a stationary gear, the crank gear meshing with the stationary gear, the crank end driving the crankpin, which drives the crank gear and the crank gear shaft about the stationary gear; the crank pin and the crank end rotating about the stationary gear and following the path of a roulette of a centered trochoid about the stationary gear.

The present disclosure relates to piston engine systems which are no longer restricted by their compression ratios. Rather, a mixture of fuel and pre-compressed air is used to complete the combustion. The pressure of the compressed air is independently controlled. As a result, the clearance volume can be reduced to less than 1/50 or to zero, and the piston engine systems can be used with different types of fuels, for example, gasoline, diesel, ethanol, or vegetable oils.

A four-stroke opposed piston engine contains a drive train containing two outer crank shaft gears, and two inner synchro gears, wherein the inner synchro gears are twice the diameter of the outer crank shaft gears. Additionally, novel piston faces are presented that when fixed on opposed pistons, create annular cavities that form advantageous combustion chambers when the pistons are at top dead center.

A four-stroke opposed piston engine contains a drive train containing two outer crank shaft gears, and two inner synchro gears, wherein the inner synchro gears are twice the diameter of the outer crank shaft gears. Additionally, novel piston faces are presented that when fixed on opposed pistons, create annular cavities that form advantageous combustion chambers when the pistons are at top dead center.

An opposed piston engine includes an engine housing (20), at least one cylinder housing (300) coupled to the engine housing, and a cylinder (210) supported by the at least one cylinder housing (300). The cylinder has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. Each of the first and second cylinder ends is directly supported by the engine housing (20).

Pressurized air may be generated within a lightweight opposed piston engine without the need to make use of a supercharger. The lightweight engine may be combined with one or more lightweight micro-generators.

Pressurized air may be generated within a lightweight opposed piston engine without the need to make use of a supercharger. The lightweight engine may be combined with one or more lightweight micro-generators.

A crank and connecting rod mechanism, comprising at least one piston, which reciprocates within at least one cylinder, comprising: at least one connecting rod, comprising: a piston end pivotally connected to the at least one piston, a crank end; at least one gear set, comprising: a crankpin, the crank end pivotally connected to the crankpin; a crank gear; a crank gear shaft, the crank gear rotatably mounted on the crank gear shaft, the crankpin located between centerline of the crank gear shaft and radius of the pitch circle of the crank gear; a stationary gear, the crank gear meshing with the stationary gear, the crank end driving the crankpin, which drives the crank gear and the crank gear shaft about the stationary gear; the crank pin and the crank end rotating about the stationary gear and following the path of a roulette of a centered trochoid about the stationary gear.

Compact and quiet opposed piston engines (OPEs) are provided. Though compact and quiet, the OPEs provide substantial mechanical shaft power that is required for a range of applications. The inventive OPEs may have a plurality of size displacements.