A motor is configured to apply a rotational force to a wheel that includes a rim rotatably mounted to an axle about a first axis. The motor has a rotor coupled to the rim. The rotor has an interior cavity and a plurality of radial slots formed therein. A cylindrical stator is disposed within the cavity and has a second axis offset from the first axis. The stator is fixed in rotation relative to the axle. The motor further includes a plurality of vanes, each vane being slidably disposed within one of the plurality of radial slots. A compressed gas source is in fluid communication with the cavity and selectively provides compressed gas to the cavity to rotate the rotor.

A rotary motor (10;1 10) is described, comprising a stationary cylinder housing (12;1 12) having an internal mainly circular rotor (20;120) mounted on a drive shaft (14;1 14) and where the rotor (20;120) is equipped with a piston (16;1 16) and that provided about the rotor (20;120) is a circular working chamber (18;1 18) with an inlet (42;142) and an outlet (32;132) for supply and removal, respectively, of the relevant drive medium, where provided in front of the inlet (42; 142) of the working chamber (18;1 18) there is a passage valve (30; 130) arranged to allow passage of the piston (16;1 16) and to close the working chamber (18;1 18) after the piston (16;1 16) has passed. The inlet (42;142) in the cylinder housing (12;1 12) is connected to an external combustion chamber (40; 140) for introducing the drive medium to the working chamber (18;1 18), where the combustion chamber (40; 140) comprises means for increasing the compression pressure in the combustion chamber, as said means comprises a compression rod (50;150), or a piston, arranged to be pushed into the combustion chamber (40;140) to increase the compression pressure.

A motor is configured to apply a rotational force to a wheel that includes a rim rotatably mounted to an axle about a first axis. The motor has a rotor coupled to the rim. The rotor has an interior cavity and a plurality of radial slots formed therein. A cylindrical stator is disposed within the cavity and has a second axis offset from the first axis. The stator is fixed in rotation relative to the axle. The motor further includes a plurality of vanes, each vane being slidably disposed within one of the plurality of radial slots. A compressed gas source is in fluid communication with the cavity and selectively provides compressed gas to the cavity to rotate the rotor.

Engines and methods execute a high efficiency hybrid cycle, which is implemented in a volume within an engine. The cycle includes isochoric heat addition and over-expansion of the volume within the engine, wherein the volume is reduced in a compression portion of the cycle from a first quantity to a second quantity, the volume is held substantially constant at the second quantity during a heat addition portion of the cycle, and the volume is increased in an expansion portion of the cycle to a third quantity, the third quantity being larger than the first quantity.

A rotary motor (10;1 10) is described, comprising a stationary cylinder housing (12;1 12) having an internal mainly circular rotor (20;120) mounted on a drive shaft (14;1 14) and where the rotor (20;120) is equipped with a piston (16;1 16) and that provided about the rotor (20;120) is a circular working chamber (18;1 18) with an inlet (42;142) and an outlet (32;132) for supply and removal, respectively, of the relevant drive medium, where provided in front of the inlet (42; 142) of the working chamber (18;1 18) there is a passage valve (30; 130) arranged to allow passage of the piston (16;1 16) and to close the working chamber (18;1 18) after the piston (16;1 16) has passed. The inlet (42;142) in the cylinder housing (12;1 12) is connected to an external combustion chamber (40; 140) for introducing the drive medium to the working chamber (18;1 18), where the combustion chamber (40; 140) comprises means for increasing the compression pressure in the combustion chamber, as said means comprises a compression rod (50;150), or a piston, arranged to be pushed into the combustion chamber (40;140) to increase the compression pressure.