Internal combustion engine with rotating pistons and cylinders and related devices and methods of using the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel internal combustion engine design and methods for using the same. The internal combustion engine of the present invention may include two rotors on which the pistons and cylinders and pistons are mounted, respectively. A plurality of cylinders mounted on a cylinder rotor, and a plurality of pistons mounted on a piston rod rotor, where the arrangements of the pistons and cylinders are complementary and each piston is paired with one of the cylinders. The cylinder rotor and the piston rod rotor may be position at oblique angle relative to one another, such that their central axes are located on a same plane, but the axes are not coaxially aligned and intersect on that plane.

Claims

1. A rotary engine, comprising: a. a piston rotor having a plurality of pistons thereon and positioned on a first rotational axis; b. a cylinder rotor having a plurality of cylinders thereon and positioned on a second rotational axis; c. a power shaft for transmitting rotational motion from one of the piston rotor and the cylinder rotor to another mechanical system, wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are at an oblique angle relative to one another, and each of said plurality of pistons is nested in one of said plurality of cylinders and the rotation of said piston rotor and said cylinder rotor is driven by combustion of a fuel in said cylinders; and d. an exhaust system comprising an exhaust manifold, wherein each of said plurality of cylinders includes an exhaust valve in fluid communication with an exhaust conduit, wherein said exhaust conduit is in fluid communication with said exhaust manifold and said exhaust manifold is mounted on said power shaft and rotates with said power shaft.

2. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein the first and second rotational axes are positioned on a same plane and the oblique angle between the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis is in a range of about 120 to about 160.

3. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein said pistons each include a piston head connected to a piston rod by a movable joint.

4. The rotary engine of claim 3, wherein said piston rod is connected to said piston rotor by a movable joint.

5. The rotary engine of claim 3, wherein said piston rod is substantially orthogonal to the surface of the piston rotor.

6. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein due to the oblique angle of the piston rotor and the cylinder rotor, synchronous rotation of the piston rotor and the cylinder rotor results in a reciprocating motion of each of the pistons within the corresponding cylinders, wherein a piston head of each of the pistons penetrates furthest into the corresponding cylinder at a proximal point in its rotational path that is nearest to the cylinder rotor and the piston is at its most retracted point in the corresponding cylinder at a distal point in its rotational path that is furthest from the cylinder rotor.

7. The rotary engine of claim 6, wherein combustion occurs at or near said proximal point.

8. The rotary engine of claim 6, wherein intake occurs at or near said distal point.

9. The rotary engine of claim 1, further comprising a fuel intake system comprising an intake manifold, wherein said intake manifold includes a hollow ring that is connected to said cylinder rotor and rotates with said cylinder rotor, wherein the hollow ring sits on a plane that is parallel to the cylinder rotor.

10. The rotary engine of claim 9, wherein said hollow ring has a substantially circular cross-section, said hollow ring is concentric with the cylinder rotor and includes fuel delivery passages that are in fluid communication with each of said plurality of cylinders in said cylinder rotor, and said hollow ring includes a channel that runs the entire length of the hollow ring on the side of the hollow ring opposite from said cylinder rotor.

11. The rotary engine of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of cylinders includes an intake valve in fluid communication with said hollow ring, and is opened by the vacuum created by an intake stroke of a corresponding piston.

12. The rotary engine of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of cylinders are fixed in a position orthogonally to the cylinder rotor.

13. A rotary engine, comprising: a. a piston rotor having a plurality of pistons thereon and positioned on a first rotational axis; b. a cylinder rotor having a plurality of cylinders thereon and positioned on a second rotational axis, and each of said plurality of cylinders is fixed in a position on the cylinder rotor such that the central axes of each of the plurality of cylinders remains parallel with the second rotational axis, wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are at a fixed oblique angle relative to one another on a same plane, and each of said plurality of pistons is nested in one of said plurality of cylinders and the rotation of said piston rotor and said cylinder rotor is driven by combustion of a fuel in said cylinders; and c. an exhaust system comprising an exhaust manifold, wherein said exhaust manifold is mounted on a power shaft and rotates with said power shaft.

14. The rotary engine of claim 13, wherein the power shaft is for transmitting rotational motion from one of the piston rotor and the cylinder rotor to another mechanical system.

15. The rotary engine of claim 13, wherein an angle between the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis is in a range of about 120 to about 160.

16. The rotary engine of claim 13, wherein said pistons each include a piston head connected to a piston rod by a movable joint.

17. The rotary engine of claim 13, wherein due to the fixed oblique angle of the piston rotor and the cylinder rotor, synchronous rotation of the piston rotor and the cylinder rotor results in a reciprocating motion of each of the pistons within the corresponding cylinder, wherein a piston head of each of the pistons penetrates furthest into the corresponding cylinder at a proximal point in its rotational path that is nearest to the cylinder rotor and the piston is at its most retracted point in the corresponding cylinder at a distal point in its rotational path that is furthest from the cylinder rotor.

18. The rotary engine of claim 13, further comprising a fuel intake system comprising an intake manifold, wherein said intake manifold includes a hollow ring that is connected to and concentric with said cylinder rotor, rotates with said cylinder rotor, and includes fuel delivery passages that are in fluid communication with each of said plurality of cylinders in said cylinder rotor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of an engine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an engine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of component systems of an engine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of component systems of an engine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of component systems of an engine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 5 is a plan view of component systems of an engine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of component systems of an engine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in reference to these figures and certain implementations and examples of the embodiments, it will be understood that such implementations and examples are not intended to limit the invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that are included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In the following disclosure, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. References to various features of the present invention throughout this document do not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include the referenced features. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details or features.

(9) Reference will be made to the exemplary illustrations in the accompanying drawings, and like reference characters may be used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. FIGS. 1-6 provide views of an exemplary embodiment of a novel internal combustion engine having a rotary piston and cylinder design.

(10) The engine of the present invention provides a rotary cylinder and piston system that drives a power shaft to transmit power to a power transmission system for various uses, including powering an automobile, powering a generator, powering a pumping system, and other applications. The engine 100 may be enclosed in an engine housing 101, enclosing the cylinder and piston rotors, as well as other systems, such as the intake and exhaust systems. A power shaft 102 may traverse the engine housing 101 such that it may deliver power to a power transmission assembly (not shown), such as a vehicle transmission. An exhaust pipe 103 may be nested within the power shaft and may allow for the removal of combustion exhaust from the engine housing and may be routed to a venting system. The exhaust pipe 103 may rotate with the power shaft and connect with a stationary system in a downstream location. The power shaft 102 may be in mechanical connection with a cylinder rotor, such that the rotation of the cylinder rotor rotates the power shaft 102. An idler shaft 105 may be present to connect to and hold a piston rotor in position within the engine housing 101 to position the piston rotor in proper orientation relative to the cylinder rotor and allow for free rotation of the piston rotor. The engine 100 may also include an engine cooling system that includes an oil pump and delivery system that works in coordination with cooling fins 155 operable to absorb thermal energy from the interior of the engine 100 and radiate it to the ambient air.

(11) FIG. 2 provides a cross-sectional view of the engine 100 showing most of the major internal parts of the embodiment. The piston rotor 110 and cylinder rotor 120 are shown in profile positioned at an oblique angle relative to one another within the engine housing 101. The rotors meet at a central plane (e.g., a vertical plane) that may be a pre-determined distance between the cylinder rotor 120 and piston rotor 110. In the embodiment shown in the FIGS., the central plane may be equidistant from the piston rotor 110 and the cylinder rotor 120. The angles of the cylinder rotor 120 and piston rotor 110 may be the same relative to the central plane. The angled arrangement of the cylinder rotor 120 and the piston rotor 110 creates an oscillating distance between corresponding piston heads and cylinders as the cylinder and piston rotors synchronously rotate. As shown in FIG. 2, there are multiple pistons 111a and 111b connected to the piston rotor 110. The pistons 111a and 111b include piston heads 112a and 112b nested in cylinders 121a and 121b. At the top of the rotational path of the pistons and cylinders, where piston head 111a and cylinder 121a are positioned in FIG. 2, the piston head 112a is at top dead center. At this position, the cylinder rotor 120 and the piston rotor 110 are in their closest proximity and the piston head 112a is fully inserted into the corresponding cylinder 121a. As the paired cylinder 121a and piston 111a rotate away from top dead center, they progressively move apart until they reach the bottom of the rotational path 180 from top dead center (at bottom dead center), where piston 111b and corresponding cylinder 121b are positioned in FIG. 2. As the paired cylinder and piston rotate back toward the top of the rotational path, the piston and cylinder progressively move together.

(12) As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinders 121 may be fixedly connected to a cylinder rotor 120 in an orthogonal or substantially orthogonal orientation. In the embodiment shown in the FIGS., the cylinders 121 may be positioned in a square arrangement of four cylinders with cylinders arranged equidistantly around the perimeter of the cylinder rotor 120. The piston rods of pistons 111 may be arranged in a corresponding pattern on the piston rotor 110. In the embodiment shown in the FIGS., the piston rods 112 may be connected to the piston rotor 110 by movable joints with one degree of freedom, for example a pivoting joint.

(13) The piston heads 112a and 112b may be connected to the corresponding piston rods 111a and 111b by movable joints. To accommodate the angled arrangement of the piston rotor 110 and the cylinder rotor 120, the piston heads 112 may be connected to the rods by a movable joint, such as a ball joint to allow 360 rotation with two degrees of freedom relative to the ball joint. The angling of the piston rods 111 relative to the axes of the cylinders 121 may be limited to about 30 or less within a limited angle range relative to the central axis of the corresponding cylinder 121, allowing limited movement to accommodate the geometry of the piston cylinder 121. The moveable joint may allow for the piston heads 112 to reciprocate in and out of the corresponding cylinder 121 with sufficient clearances between the piston rods and the walls of the cylinders without interference or seizing.

(14) There are several rotating elements that are connected to the spinning cylinder rotor 120 that allow for the system to work efficiently with the rotational action of the cylinders and pistons. The cylinder rotor 120 may be in mechanical connection with a power shaft 130 that translates the rotation of the cylinder rotor 120 to a transmission system (not shown) to utilize the power generated by the engine 100. The power shaft 130 may be fixedly connected to the cylinder rotor 120 such that they rotate together at the same rotational velocity. The intake and exhaust systems as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may also be positioned on the cylinder rotor 120 such that they rotate with the cylinder rotor 120 as well. The cylinder rotor 120 may include both intake ports for intake of air-fuel mixture during the intake stroke and exhaust ports to expel the combustion exhaust gas during the exhaust stroke. Each cylinder may have at least one intake port and at least one exhaust port in the cylinder rotor at the top of the cylinder.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the cylinder rotor 120, exhaust system intake system, and power shaft 130 in working assembly. Some structures are shown as transparent for illustrative purposes. The exhaust system may include exhaust valves 135 in fluid communication with each of the cylinders 121, which may control the passage of the exhaust gas through an exhaust port into an exhaust conduit 136 during the exhaust stroke. Each exhaust valve 135 may be operated and opened by a cam system that includes a drum 140 may turn freely with respect to the power shaft 130, but that is in mechanical connection with the rotating cylinder rotor 120, e.g., through a gearing system that times the rotation of the drum 140 such that cams thereon engage and open an exhaust valve 135 at the exhaust stroke for the corresponding cylinder 121. The cam system may include gearing with a ratio that allows it to spin at a different rotational speed than that of the cylinder rotor 120. The cam system gearing may be such that the drum 140 rotates in the same direction as the power shaft 130 at, e.g., one half the rotational speed of the cylinder rotor 120, and on a bearing. In such embodiments, four cam lobes may protrude from the drum to engage valve push rods or other engagement structures of the exhaust valves 125 of each cylinder 121. The cam lobes may be staggered along the axial dimension of the drum 140 and the exhaust valve push rods may be correspondingly staggered such that each cam lobe only engages with the exhaust valve of a particular cylinder 121, allowing the exhaust valves to remain closed during the other stages of the combustion cycle.

(16) An exhaust conduit 136 may be connected to each of the cylinders 121 for passing the exhaust gas to an exhaust manifold 137 that delivers the exhaust gas into the exhaust collection pipe 138. The exhaust manifold 137 may be incorporated into the power shaft 130, where each of the exhaust conduits 136 routes from the exhaust valve 135 of the corresponding cylinder 121 radially inward toward the power shaft 130. The exhaust conduits 136 may connect with an exhaust manifold 137, which may be a cylindrical collar around the power shaft 130. The exhaust conduits 136 may connect with a port in the exhaust manifold 137 that is in fluid connection with the exhaust pipe 138, which rotates with the power shaft 130. The exhaust pipe 138 may be nested within the power shaft 130 and rotate therewith. The exhaust pipe 138 may deliver the exhaust to a stationary receiving pipe or plenum to which the distal end of the exhaust pipe 138 is connected via a rotary union. Because the exhaust pipe 138 rotates with the power shaft 130, rotary union or joint is required to pass the exhaust gas to a static or non-rotating structure. The exhaust pipe may include at least one distal port that allows the exhaust gas to pass into the static structure. The exhaust pipe 138 may be a ceramic material or the interior surface thereof may be lined with a ceramic material in order to prevent corrosion and accumulation of exhaust residue.

(17) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, each cylinder 121 may include an intake port and valve 125a that is in fluid communication with an intake manifold 126. The intake manifold 126 may deliver fuel (e.g., an air fuel mixture) to the intake valves 125 associated with each cylinder. The intake manifold 126 may take the form of a ring chamber positioned at predetermined radius relative to the power shaft 130 and may be in alignment with the intake ports and valves 125. In some embodiments, the intake manifold 126 may include a receiving channel 126a along its entire length on an opposite side thereof from the cylinder rotor 120. The receiving channel 126a may be configured to receive a throttle ring 127 having a complementary shape to that of the receiving channel 126a such that the throttle ring 127 can be adjustably nested within the receiving channel 126a. An adjustable gap 127a may be present between the throttle ring 127 and the receiving channel 126a for allowing air to flow into the intake manifold 126 to provide the air in the air-fuel mixture. The throttle control of the engine may adjust the proximity of the throttle ring 127 in order to adjust the choke of the engine 100. The throttle ring 127 may be in static position relative to the cylinder rotor 120 with the gap 127a between the receiving channel 126a and the throttle ring 127 allowing for the rotation of the intake manifold 126, while the throttle ring 127 remains static.

(18) The throttle ring 127 may be attached to the motor housing 101 or a frame via biased connections that bias the throttle ring 127 toward the closed position. For example, the throttle ring 127 may be connected to the motor housing or frame via studs and biasing springs (not shown) biasing the throttle ring 127 toward the closed position. The studs may include stops that prevent the throttle ring from contacting the receiving channel of the intake manifold 126, preventing full choke. The engine 100 may have a throttle control (not shown) in mechanical connection with the throttle ring 127, allowing an operator to adjust the proximity of the throttle ring 127 to the receiving channel 126a, and thereby adjust the choke of the engine 100.

(19) A fuel injector 128 may be connected to the throttle ring 127 for passing fuel into the intake manifold 126. The fuel injector 128 may be positioned over the point at which the intake valve 125 is opened during the intake stroke and the intake port is exposed allowing the passage of the fuel (e.g., an air-fuel mixture) through the intake port. The fuel injector 128 may be timed to spray fuel into the intake manifold 126 as the intake valve 125 opens, allowing fuel (e.g., the air-fuel mixture) through the intake port and into the open cylinder 121. Air may be introduced into the intake system through the gap 127a between the throttle ring 127 and the intake manifold 126 via passages in the engine housing around the intake system.

(20) An intake valve 125 may control the passage of the air-fuel mixture through the intake port into the corresponding cylinder 121 during the intake stroke. In some embodiments, the intake valve 125 may be operated and opened by negative pressure during the intake stroke, and the intake valve 125 may remain closed during the other stages of the combustion cycle. In some embodiments, the low pressure generated in the cylinder 121 during the intake stroke may be sufficient to open an intake valve 125 for the cylinder 121 to allow the entry of the fuel. The intake valve 125 may include a seated structure in the intake port that is held in the seated position by a biasing device, such as an intake valve spring that biases the structure to the closed position. The force applied by the intake valve spring 129 to the valve structure 125 may be overcome by the vacuum in the cylinder 121 during the intake stroke.

(21) It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoing specification.