US 10,871,071 B1Granted

Rotary engine

OwnerDavid Joseph Straininventor

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Abstract

A rotary engine includes a rotor coupled to a shaft, the rotor having a first side wall, a second opposing side wall, and a rim extending between the first side wall and the second side wall. A piston extends from the rim of the rotor. A pressure chamber is defined by a face of the piston, the interior surface of a housing, and the rim of the rotor. An inlet directs fluid through the housing and into the pressure chamber. A backpressure flap is pivotably attached to the interior surface of the housing. An outlet directs fluid from the pressure chamber to the exterior of the housing. An effluent flap is pivotably attached to the interior surface of the housing. The inlet and outlets are closed when their respective flaps sealingly engage an interior surface of the housing.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A rotary engine comprising:

a rotor including a rim;
a piston disposed on the rim of said rotor;
a housing sealingly engaging said rotor and said piston,
wherein said housing defines a pressure chamber between said rotor, said piston, and an interior wall of said housing, and
wherein said housing defines an inlet configured to allow fluid to flow into said pressure chamber and an outlet configured to allow fluid out of said pressure chamber;
a backpressure flap pivotably attached to the interior wall of said housing and operable to move between a first position wherein an edge of said backpressure flap sealingly engages the rim of said rotor and a second position wherein said backpressure flap closes said inlet;
and
an effluent flap pivotably attached to the interior wall of said housing and operable to move between a first position wherein an edge of said effluent flap sealingly engages the rim of said rotor and a second position wherein said effluent flap closes said outlet, and
a piston position sensor disposed within said housing and configured to detect a position of said piston in proximity thereto,
wherein fluid flowing into said rotor through said inlet impinges upon said piston, thereby causing rotation of said rotor.

7 more elements

A rotary engine comprising:

a rotor coupled to a shaft such that rotation of said rotor causes a corresponding rotation of said shaft,
wherein said rotor comprises a first side wall, a second opposing sidewall, and a rim extending between the first side wall and the second side wall;
a piston extending from the rim of said rotor and comprising a sloping rear face and a front face;
a housing encompassing said rotor and said piston,
wherein a portion of the piston at a junction of said rear face and said front face is sealingly engaged with an interior surface of said housing, and
wherein a pressure chamber is defined by a face of said piston, the interior surface of said housing, and the rim of the rotor;
an inlet for directing a fluid through said housing and into said pressure chamber;
a backpressure flap pivotably attached to the interior surface of said housing and configured to move between sealing engagement with the interior surface of said housing and sealing engagement with the rim of said rotor, such that said inlet is closed when the backpressure flap is in sealing engagement with the interior surface of said housing;
an outlet for directing fluid from said pressure chamber to an exterior of said housing;
and
an effluent flap pivotably attached to the interior surface of said housing and configured to move between sealing engagement with the interior surface of said housing and sealing engagement with the rim of said rotor, such that the outlet is closed when the effluent flap is in sealing engagement with the interior surface of said housing.

8 more elements

A rotary engine comprising:

a rotor coupled to a shaft such that rotation of said rotor causes a corresponding rotation of the shaft,
wherein said rotor comprises a first side wall, a second opposing side wall, and a rim extending between the first side wall and second side wall;
a plurality of pistons extending from the rim of said rotor and being equidistant from one to another,
wherein each of the plurality of said pistons comprises a sloping rear face and a front face;
a housing encompassing said rotor and said plurality of pistons,
wherein a portion of said each of the plurality of said pistons sealingly engages an interior surface of said housing at a junction between the rear face and the front face of said each of the plurality of said pistons respectively;
a plurality of inlet/outlet pairs, each of the plurality of said inlet/outlet pairs being equidistant from one to another and comprising:
a first opening defined in said housing and extending from an exterior surface of said housing to the interior surface thereof, and a second opening defined in said housing and extending from the exterior surface of said housing to the interior surface thereof;
a plurality of backpressure flaps, each of the plurality of said backpressure flaps pivotably attached to the interior of said housing and configured to move between a first position,
wherein said each of the plurality of said backpressure flaps sealingly engages the interior surface of said housing, and a second position,
wherein said each of the plurality of said backpressure flaps sealingly engages the rim of said rotor, and
wherein when in the first position said each of the plurality of said backpressure flaps closes an adjacent inlet;
and
a plurality of effluent flaps, each of the plurality of said effluent flaps pivotably attached to the interior of said housing and configured to move between a first position,
wherein said each of the plurality of said effluent flaps sealingly engages the interior surface of said housing, and a second position,
wherein said each of the plurality of said effluent flaps sealingly engages the rim of said rotor, and
wherein when in the first position said each of said plurality of effluent flaps closes an adjacent outlet.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/652,637Filed 18 Jul 2017
Granted: 22 Dec 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F01C 1/22
Rotary-piston machines or engines: of internal-axis type with equidirectional movement of co-operating members at the points of engagement, or…
F01C 21/08
Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in groups F01C1/00 - F01C20/00: rotary pistons
F01C 21/18
Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in groups F01C1/00 - F01C20/00: arrangements for admission or discharge of the working…
F02B 53/10
Internal-combustion aspects of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines: fuel supply; Introducing fuel to combustion space

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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