A reciprocating linear/rotational motion conversion device has a main shaft, a linear motion guiding mechanism, a sector gear and a rack frame. The sector gear is fixedly connected with the main shaft. A rack pair is arranged on the inner wall of the rack frame. The rack pair comprises a first gear rack and a second gear rack separately arranged on both sides of the sector gear. The reciprocating linear/rotational motion conversion device further includes a reversing mechanism fixedly connected with the main shaft. A cylinder device contains the reciprocating linear/rotational motion conversion device, connecting rods, pistons and cylinder bodies. The cylinder body is sleeved on the piston, and a cylinder head is arranged on one end of the cylinder body.

An electric device has a driveshaft with at least one stator cylinder positioned between opposing, curvilinear shaped cams mounted on the driveshaft, where the center axis of the stator cylinder is parallel with but spaced apart from the driveshaft axis. A magnet assembly is disposed in each end of the stator cylinder, with one magnet assembly engaging one cam and the other magnet assembly engaging the other cam. Each magnet assembly includes a cam follower that can move along a curvilinear shaped cam. A magnet slide arm attached to the cam reciprocates magnets carried on the magnet slide arm through electromagnetic windings disposed around the stator cylinder. An electrical input delivered to the windings can reciprocate the arm, driving the cams to rotate the driveshaft. Alternatively, rotation of the driveshaft can be used to reciprocate the arm to induce electric current in the windings.

Various exemplary embodiments relate to an engine including a cylindrical cassette that converts linear into rotational motion. The linear motion is provided by a normal cylinder and valve mechanism driving pistons in a reciprocating motion, and the rotational motion is transmitted to an output shaft. Further embodiments relate to methods of converting linear motion to rotational motion by using a cylindrical cassette.

A combination for an opposed-piston engine includes an intake piston and an exhaust piston, each with a top land height. The intake piston top land height is less than the exhaust piston top land height.

A combination for an opposed-piston engine includes an intake piston and an exhaust piston, each with a top land height. The intake piston top land height is less than the exhaust piston top land height.

A motion conversion apparatus (110) comprises a rodrack assembly (110) and a gearshaft member (150). The rodrack assembly (110) comprises a first gear connection member (120) and two guide members (140). The gearshaft member (150) comprises a second gear connection member (160) configured to engage with the first gear connection member (120), and a guiding surface arrangement (170) configured to contact the guide members (140). The rodrack assembly (110) is configured to provide rotation of the gearshaft member (150) about a rotational axis (A) by reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along a first spatial dimension (D1) orthogonal to the rotational axis (A), and/or the gearshaft member (150) is configured to provide reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along the first spatial dimension (D1) by rotational motion of the gearshaft member (150) about the rotational axis (A). The guiding surface arrangement (170) is configured to simultaneously contact each guide member (140) during at least a portion of the reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110).

A motion conversion apparatus (110) comprises a rodrack assembly (110) and a gearshaft member (150). The rodrack assembly (110) comprises a first gear connection member (120) and two guide members (140). The gearshaft member (150) comprises a second gear connection member (160) configured to engage with the first gear connection member (120), and a guiding surface arrangement (170) configured to contact the guide members (140). The rodrack assembly (110) is configured to provide rotation of the gearshaft member (150) about a rotational axis (A) by reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along a first spatial dimension (D1) orthogonal to the rotational axis (A), and/or the gearshaft member (150) is configured to provide reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along the first spatial dimension (D1) by rotational motion of the gearshaft member (150) about the rotational axis (A). The guiding surface arrangement (170) is configured to simultaneously contact each guide member (140) during at least a portion of the reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110).

A motion conversion apparatus (400, 500) comprises at least one set including a rodrack assembly (110) between two gearshaft member end sections (155), and a gearshaft member mid section (156) between the two gearshaft member end sections (155). The rodrack assembly (110) comprises a first gear connection member (120) and two guide members (140). The gearshaft member mid section (156) comprises a second gear connection member (160) configured to engage with the first gear connection member (120). The two gearshaft member end sections (155) each comprise a guiding surface arrangement (170) configured to contact the two guide members (140). The rodrack assembly (110) is configured to provide rotation of the gearshaft member mid section (156) about a rotational axis (A) by reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along a first spatial dimension (D1) orthogonal to the rotational axis (A), or vice versa.

A motion conversion apparatus (400, 500) comprises at least one set including a rodrack assembly (110) between two gearshaft member end sections (155), and a gearshaft member mid section (156) between the two gearshaft member end sections (155). The rodrack assembly (110) comprises a first gear connection member (120) and two guide members (140). The gearshaft member mid section (156) comprises a second gear connection member (160) configured to engage with the first gear connection member (120). The two gearshaft member end sections (155) each comprise a guiding surface arrangement (170) configured to contact the two guide members (140). The rodrack assembly (110) is configured to provide rotation of the gearshaft member mid section (156) about a rotational axis (A) by reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along a first spatial dimension (D1) orthogonal to the rotational axis (A), or vice versa.

The present invention is directed to a process for operating a combustion engine having a double-sided piston in a piston cylinder, wherein every stroke of the double-sided piston is a power stroke. Every piston cylinder defines a combustion chamber on each side of the double-sided piston. The process includes igniting a fuel-air mixture in each combustion chamber on each side of double-sided piston during every compression, i.e., at about top dead center and at about bottom dead center. The process utilizes the double-sided piston to achieve two power strokes per piston for each engine cycle.