An apparatus and a method comprises a housing comprising at least a recessed area and an inner wall. A plurality of plates are disposed within the housing and configured to form a structure. The structure has an outside surface. The structure is capable of being articulated between a first configuration and a second configuration and a third configuration. A plurality of connecting rods are joined to the plurality of plates to form the structure and to at least in part articulate the structure. The connecting rods are movable to form the first configuration to enable a gas to flow from the recessed area to the outside surface. The plurality of connecting rods are further movable to form the second configuration, wherein at least a portion of the gas is compressed between the outside surface and the inner wall and then to the third configuration.

An apparatus and a method comprises a housing comprising at least a recessed area and an inner wall. A plurality of plates are disposed within the housing and configured to form a structure. The structure has an outside surface. The structure is capable of being articulated between a first configuration and a second configuration and a third configuration. A plurality of connecting rods are joined to the plurality of plates to form the structure and to at least in part articulate the structure. The connecting rods are movable to form the first configuration to enable a gas to flow from the recessed area to the outside surface. The plurality of connecting rods are further movable to form the second configuration, wherein at least a portion of the gas is compressed between the outside surface and the inner wall and then to the third configuration.

The following description pertains to flexure structures, apparatuses comprising flexure structures, systems comprising flexure structures, methods of using flexure structures, methods of using apparatuses comprising flexure structures, and methods of using systems comprising flexure structures. The following description also pertains to methods, systems, and apparatuses for linear to rotary motion converters.

An internal combustion heat engine, of which the architecture of one elementary cylinder includes 4 identical mobile couplings distributed about the Z axis of the engine, consisting of a segmented piston driven by the crank pin of a crankshaft and guided by a roller rolling in a slide. The crankshafts, which are parallel and synchronized by a gear mechanism, perform one revolution per cycle. Each piston includes a sliding surface that nearly touches the cylinder face of the adjacent piston, but on which the segmentation slides in sealed contact. The concave shape of the 4 overlapping faces encloses a chamber volume that changes cyclically: at a minimum, having a quasi-spherical shape during combustion, reducing the heat losses at the walls, and at a maximum, uncovering the ports allowing intake and exhaust via transfer units and manifolds with the possibility of more economical Miller/Atkinson distribution, via rotary plates.

An internal combustion heat engine, of which the architecture of one elementary cylinder includes 4 identical mobile couplings distributed about the Z axis of the engine, consisting of a segmented piston driven by the crank pin of a crankshaft and guided by a roller rolling in a slide. The crankshafts, which are parallel and synchronized by a gear mechanism, perform one revolution per cycle. Each piston includes a sliding surface that nearly touches the cylinder face of the adjacent piston, but on which the segmentation slides in sealed contact. The concave shape of the 4 overlapping faces encloses a chamber volume that changes cyclically: at a minimum, having a quasi-spherical shape during combustion, reducing the heat losses at the walls, and at a maximum, uncovering the ports allowing intake and exhaust via transfer units and manifolds with the possibility of more economical Miller/Atkinson distribution, via rotary plates.

Pump systems having electrically conductive membranes are described. In embodiments of the invention, the electrically conductive membranes can be utilized as speakers to produce ultrasonic and audible sounds. The electrically conductive membranes are made from materials such as graphene, graphene oxide, and polymer films having a thin conductive coating.

Pump systems having electrically conductive membranes are described. In embodiments of the invention, the electrically conductive membranes can be utilized as speakers to produce ultrasonic and audible sounds. The electrically conductive membranes are made from materials such as graphene, graphene oxide, and polymer films having a thin conductive coating.

An air motor (10) that has opposing chambers (16, 17) to which compressed air is alternatively delivered to drive the motor (10). The motor (10) has a primary valve (52) that governs deli very of the compressed air to the chambers (16, 17) so at least part of the compressed air is transferred to the other chamber to aid in driving the pistons (18).

An internal combustion engine has a chamber that has a longitudinal centerline, inlet valving operable to admit constituents of a combustible mixture into the chamber for combustion in the chamber to provide a pressure increase in the chamber and outlet valving operable to release an outflow of liquid from the chamber under an influence of the pressure increase. An annular flow passage is defined in the chamber to conduct liquid towards the outlet valving and cause spiraling of the liquid in the flow passage by which a rotatable part exposed to the spiraling flow is caused to rotate. An electrical generator disposed externally of the chamber is driven by rotation of the rotatable part.