Split-chamber rotary engine improvements
OwnerEgidio Lucas de Oliveirainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to the field of internal combustion engines and compressors in general and to linear compressors, in particular these used as in U.S. Pat. No. 8,056,527, by accurately controlling the pressure being delivered into the combustion chambers of said engine while returning unused energy of the compression phase into the motor for complete expansion. Another improvement relates to a pressure compensated vane to be used inside grooves of the motor assembly rotor. This invention enables the vane to seal against the cavity of the housing tightly with minimal force.
Claims11
A split-chamber rotary engine improvement, the split-chamber rotary engine comprising:
- a power module comprising:
- a rotor case having a rotor chamber wall defining a rotor volume and at least one expansion chamber and at least one case combustion chamber disposed therein, wherein the expansion and case combustion chambers are equal in number, at least one combustion chamber piston passage extending outwardly from the at least one case combustion chamber and being substantially tangential to the rotor chamber wall, and at least one exhaust passage extending outwardly from the at least one expansion chamber;
- a combustion chamber piston disposed for reciprocation within the combustion chamber piston passage of the case;
- and
- a rotor disposed within the case, the rotor having at least one combustion chamber portion formed peripherally therein and being at least equal in number to the rotor case combustion chambers, the combustion chamber piston, combustion chamber piston passage of the case, and combustion chamber portion of the rotor dealing a split combustion chamber within the case;
- and
- at least one compressor module extending from the corresponding combustion chamber piston passage of the case, the compressor module comprising;
- a compressor cylinder having a case attachment end and a closed distal end opposite the case attachment end;
- a compressor piston assembly disposed within the compressor cylinder;
- a connecting rod rigidly fixing the compressor piston assembly to the combustion chamber piston;
- an accumulator located within the compressor piston assembly;
- and
- an outlet valve mounted on the compressor piston assembly;
- the improvement comprising:
- one or more variable pressure controllers comprising:
- a hollow cylindrical rod having a cupped end configured to move linearly through an end-cap of the compressor piston assembly;
- a spring configured to maintain the hollow cylindrical rod at a desired position;
- and
- a tulip-type air intake valve incorporated in the center of the hollow cylindrical rod;
- wherein the cupped end of the rod is configured to approach or distance itself from the compressor piston assembly and upon contact therewith, occlude the outlet valve, thereby controlling pressure delivered to the accumulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.