An engine includes a housing defining an annular bore and a piston assembly disposed within the annular bore. The engine also includes a rotary valve comprising a circular faceplate and a wall structure disposed at an outer periphery of the faceplate, a portion of the at least one rotary valve disposed within the annular bore, and a rotary drive mechanism connected to the rotary valve and configured to rotate the rotary valve between a first position to align an opening of the wall structure with the annular bore to allow the piston of the piston assembly to travel within the annular bore from a first location relative to the rotary valve to a second location relative to the rotary valve and a second position to define a chamber relative to the piston of the piston assembly at the second location.

An engine includes a housing defining an annular bore and a piston assembly disposed within the annular bore. The engine includes a rotary valve comprising a loop-shaped wall structure defining an opening substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the loop-shaped wall structure. A portion of the rotary valve is disposed within the annular bore such that the axis of rotation of the loop-shaped wall structure is substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the piston assembly. The engine includes a rotary drive mechanism connected to the rotary valve and configured to rotate the rotary valve between a first position to align the opening of the loop-shaped wall structure with the annular bore to allow a piston of the piston assembly to travel within the annular bore and a second position to define a combustion chamber relative to the piston of the piston assembly at the second location.

An engine includes a housing defining an annular bore and a piston assembly disposed within the annular bore. The engine includes a rotary valve comprising a loop-shaped wall structure defining an opening substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the loop-shaped wall structure. A portion of the rotary valve is disposed within the annular bore such that the axis of rotation of the loop-shaped wall structure is substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the piston assembly. The engine includes a rotary drive mechanism connected to the rotary valve and configured to rotate the rotary valve between a first position to align the opening of the loop-shaped wall structure with the annular bore to allow a piston of the piston assembly to travel within the annular bore and a second position to define a combustion chamber relative to the piston of the piston assembly at the second location.

A rotary engine includes an intake port, an exhaust port, a rotor having an intake channel and/or an exhaust channel, and a rotor shaft coupled to the rotor. The rotor shaft has an inflow channel in communication with the intake channel and/or an outlet channel in communication with the exhaust channel. The rotary engine includes a housing having a working chamber formed between the housing and the rotor, the working chamber configured to handle, in succession, an intake phase, a compression phase, a combustion phase, an expansion phase, and an exhaust phase. The inflow channel cyclically communicates with the intake port and forms a passage between the intake port and the working chamber through the rotor shaft and the intake channel. The outlet channel cyclically communicates with the exhaust port and forms a passage between the exhaust port and the working chamber through the rotor shaft and the exhaust channel.

A rotary engine includes an intake port, an exhaust port, a rotor having an intake channel and/or an exhaust channel, and a rotor shaft coupled to the rotor. The rotor shaft has an inflow channel in communication with the intake channel and/or an outlet channel in communication with the exhaust channel. The rotary engine includes a housing having a working chamber formed between the housing and the rotor, the working chamber configured to handle, in succession, an intake phase, a compression phase, a combustion phase, an expansion phase, and an exhaust phase. The inflow channel cyclically communicates with the intake port and forms a passage between the intake port and the working chamber through the rotor shaft and the intake channel. The outlet channel cyclically communicates with the exhaust port and forms a passage between the exhaust port and the working chamber through the rotor shaft and the exhaust channel.

Sealing in rotary positive displacement machines based on trochoidal geometry that comprise a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion within a helical stator is described. Seals can be mounted on the rotor, the stator, or both. The rotor can have a hypotrochoidal cross-section, with the corresponding stator cavity profile being the outer envelope of the rotor as it undergoes planetary motion, or the stator cavity can have an epitrochoidal cross-section with the corresponding rotor profile being the inner envelope of the trochoid as it undergoes planetary motion. In some embodiments, the geometry is offset in a manner that provides advantages with respect to sealing in the rotary machine. In multi-stage embodiments, the rotor-stator geometry remains substantially constant or varies along the axis of the rotary machine.

Sealing in rotary positive displacement machines based on trochoidal geometry that comprise a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion within a helical stator is described. Seals can be mounted on the rotor, the stator, or both. The rotor can have a hypotrochoidal cross-section, with the corresponding stator cavity profile being the outer envelope of the rotor as it undergoes planetary motion, or the stator cavity can have an epitrochoidal cross-section with the corresponding rotor profile being the inner envelope of the trochoid as it undergoes planetary motion. In some embodiments, the geometry is offset in a manner that provides advantages with respect to sealing in the rotary machine. In multi-stage embodiments, the rotor-stator geometry remains substantially constant or varies along the axis of the rotary machine.

A rotational engine system comprises a rotational engine and a propulsion system. The rotational engine includes an outer ring enclosure, an inner ring component, and a drive gear. The inner ring component includes a piston and a drive gear engagement portion. The piston is configured to travel within the outer ring enclosure along a circumference of the outer ring enclosure. The drive gear engagement portion is configured to rotate as the piston travels along the circumference of the circular shape of the outer ring enclosure. The drive gear is coupled to the drive gear engagement portion of the inner ring component such that rotation of the drive gear engagement portion rotationally drives the drive gear. The propulsion system is configured to deliver propulsive energy to propel the piston along the circumference of the outer ring enclosure.

A scroll compressor is provided that may include a casing including a rotational shaft, a first scroll rotated by rotation of the rotational shaft, the first scroll including a first head plate and a first wrap that extends from the first head plate in a first direction, and a second scroll that defines a plurality of compression chambers together with the first scroll, the second scroll including a second head plate and a second wrap that extends from the second head plate in a second direction. Each of the first and second wraps spirally may extend from an outer end toward an inner start end, and the first wrap may have a thickness greater than a thickness of the second wrap.

A rotary engine includes an intake port, an exhaust port, a rotor having an intake channel and/or an exhaust channel, and a rotor shaft coupled to the rotor. The rotor shaft has an inflow channel in communication with the intake channel and/or an outlet channel in communication with the exhaust channel. The rotary engine includes a housing having a working chamber formed between the housing and the rotor, the working chamber configured to handle, in succession, an intake phase, a compression phase, a combustion phase, an expansion phase, and an exhaust phase. The inflow channel cyclically communicates with the intake port and forms a passage between the intake port and the working chamber through the rotor shaft and the intake channel. The outlet channel cyclically communicates with the exhaust port and forms a passage between the exhaust port and the working chamber through the rotor shaft and the exhaust channel.