Rotary engine, parts thereof, and methods

An internal combustion engine comprising a combustion assembly and a compression assembly, said combustion assembly comprising:

• a combustion housing having an interior surface defining an interior area;
• a power rotor positioned within the interior area of said combustion housing, said power rotor having an exterior surface displaced from said interior surface of said combustion housing, thereby defining a combustion chamber;
• a drive shaft extending from said power rotor;
• and
• a first expansion member extending from said exterior surface of said power rotor towards said interior surface of said combustion housing,
• wherein said first expansion member segments the combustion chamber into an expansion section and an exhaust section during a power stroke of the engine,
• wherein said exhaust section is configured to facilitate expelling expanded working fluid of a first charge,
• wherein said expansion section is configured to facilitate power generation associated with expansion of working fluid of a second charge,
• wherein said first expansion member is coupled to said power rotor such that said expansion member moves through the combustion chamber as said power rotor rotates about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of said drive shaft,
• wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said power rotor such that the rotational speed of said drive shaft is equal to the rotational speed of said power rotor,
• wherein said combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, said intake port being positioned at a first end of said combustion chamber and said exhaust port being positioned at a second end of said combustion chamber,
• wherein said compression assembly comprises a compression rotor, and
• wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said compression rotor such that the rotational speed of said compression rotor is equal to the rotational speed of said drive shaft,
• then engine further comprising a venting system in fluid communication with a first location of the combustion housing, the first location being positioned between said combustion chamber and an exterior surface of said drive shaft so as to inhibit fluid from migrating out of said combustion housing along said exterior surface of said drive shaft.

A method of assembling an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

• coupling a power rotor to a drive shaft;
• engaging the drive shaft with a combustion housing such that the drive shaft and the power rotor are capable of rotating about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of the drive shaft;
• and
• enclosing the power rotor within the combustion housing, thereby creating an enclosed combustion chamber;
• and
• coupling a compression isolator to a synchronizing shaft such that rotation of the compression isolator is timed relative to rotation of a compression rotor,
• wherein the combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, each of the intake and exhaust ports being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber,
• wherein the power rotor comprises an expansion member for separating a first section of the combustion chamber from a second section of the combustion chamber, the first and second sections being configured to facilitate expansion and exhaust, respectively, the exhaust port being in fluid communication with the second section of the combustion chamber, and
• wherein the expansion member is configured to rotate past the exhaust port so that the exhaust port is in fluid communication with a first portion of the combustion chamber, thereby causing the first section of the combustion chamber to be configured to facilitate exhaust,
• the method further comprising:
• coupling a combustion isolator to the synchronizing shaft;
• engaging the synchronizing shaft with the combustion housing such that the synchronizing shaft and the combustion isolator are capable of rotating about a second axis, the second axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of the synchronizing shaft;
• enclosing the combustion isolator within the combustion housing;
• and
• timing rotation of the synchronizing shaft relative to the drive shaft such that a first receptacle of the combustion isolator receives the expansion member as the expansion member moves away from the exhaust port towards the intake port,
• wherein the second axis is parallel with but displaced from the first axis,
• the method further comprising:
• coupling a drive gear to the drive shaft;
• coupling a synchronizing gear to the synchronizing shaft;
• meshing the drive gear with the synchronizing gear, thereby timing rotation of the synchronizing shaft relative to the drive shaft,
• coupling the compression rotor to the drive shaft such that rotation of the compression rotor is capable of being driven at least partially by rotation of the power rotor;
• and
• enclosing the compression rotor within a compression housing, thereby creating an enclosed compression chamber,
• wherein the compression housing defines an inlet port and an outlet port, each of the inlet and outlet ports being in fluid communication with the compression chamber,
• wherein the compression rotor comprises a compression member for separating a first section of the compression chamber from a second section of the compression chamber, the first and second sections being configured to facilitate intake and compression, respectively, the inlet ort being in fluid communication with the first section of the compression chamber, and
• wherein the compression member is configured to rotate past the inlet port so that the inlet port is in fluid communication with the second portion of the compression chamber, thereby causing the first section of the compression chamber to be configured to facilitate compression,
• the method further comprising enclosing the compression isolator within the combustion housing,
• wherein a first receptacle of the compression isolator receives the compression member as the compression member moves away from the outlet port towards the inlet port.

A method of assembling an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

• coupling a power rotor to a drive shaft;
• engaging the drive shaft with a combustion housing such that the drive shaft and the power rotor are capable of rotating about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of the drive shaft;
• and
• enclosing the power rotor within the combustion housing, thereby creating an enclosed combustion chamber;
• and
• coupling a compression isolator to a synchronizing shaft such that rotation of the compression isolator is timed relative to rotation of a compression rotor,
• wherein the combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, each of the intake and exhaust ports being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber,
• wherein the power rotor comprises an expansion member for separating a first section of the combustion chamber from a second section of the combustion chamber, the first and second sections being configured to facilitate expansion and exhaust, respectively, the exhaust port being in fluid communication with the second section of the combustion chamber, and
• wherein the expansion member is configured to rotate past the exhaust port so that the exhaust port is in fluid communication with a first portion of the combustion chamber, thereby causing the first suction of the combustion chamber to be configured to facilitate exhaust,
• the method further comprising coupling a rotary valve to the drive shaft such that an aperture of the rotary valve rotates about the first axis, thereby moving the aperture in and out of alignment with the intake port, wherein the intake port is in an open configuration when the aperture is in alignment with the intake port.

A method of assembling an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

• coupling a power rotor to a drive shaft;
• engaging the drive shaft with a combustion housing such that the drive shaft and the power rotor are capable of rotating about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of the drive shaft;
• and
• enclosing the power rotor within the combustion housing, thereby creating an enclosed combustion chamber;
• and
• coupling a compression isolator to a synchronizing shaft such that rotation of the compression isolator is timed relative to rotation of a compression rotor,
• wherein the combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, each of the intake and exhaust ports being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber,
• wherein the power rotor comprises an expansion member for separating a first section of the combustion chamber from a second section of the combustion chamber, the first and second sections being configured to facilitate expansion and exhaust respectively, the exhaust port being in fluid communication with the second section of the combustion chamber, and
• wherein the expansion member is configured to rotate past the exhaust port so that the exhaust port is in fluid communication with a first portion of the combustion chamber, thereby causing the first section of the combustion chamber to be configured to facilitate exhaust,
• the method further comprising installing a venting system in fluid communication with a first location of said combustion housing, said first location being positioned between said combustion chamber and an exterior surface of said drive shaft so as to inhibit fluid from migrating out of said combustion housing along said exterior surface of said drive shaft.

An internal combustion engine comprising a combustion assembly and a compression assembly, said combustion assembly comprising:

• a combustion housing having an interior surface defining an interior area;
• a power rotor positioned within the interior area of said combustion housing, said power rotor having an exterior surface displaced from said interior surface of said combustion housing, thereby defining a combustion chamber;
• a drive shaft extending from said power rotor;
• and
• a first expansion member extending from said exterior surface of said power rotor towards said interior surface of said combustion housing,
• wherein said first expansion member segments the combustion chamber into an expansion section and an exhaust section during a power stroke of the engine,
• wherein said exhaust section is configured to facilitate expelling expanded working fluid of a first charge,
• wherein said expansion section is configured to facilitate power generation associated with expansion of working fluid of a second charge,
• wherein said first expansion member is coupled to said power rotor such that said expansion member moves through the combustion chamber as said power rotor rotates about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of said drive shaft,
• wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said power rotor such that the rotational speed of said drive shaft is equal to the rotational speed of said power rotor,
• wherein said combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, said intake port being positioned at a first end of said combustion chamber and said exhaust port being positioned at a second end of said combustion chamber,
• wherein said compression assembly comprises a compression rotor, and
• wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said compression rotor such that the rotational speed of said compression rotor is equal to the rotational speed of said drive shaft,
• the engine further comprising a rotary valve coupled to said drive shaft, wherein said rotary valve defines an aperture that moves in and out of alignment with the intake port as the rotary valve rotates about the first axis, and wherein the intake port is in an open configuration when the aperture is in alignment with the intake port.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a combustion assembly, said combustion assembly comprising:
• a combustion housing having an interior surface defining an interior area;
• a power rotor positioned within the interior area of said combustion housing, said power rotor having an exterior surface displaced from said interior surface of said combustion housing, thereby defining a combustion chamber;
• a drive shaft extending from said power rotor;
• and
• a first expansion member extending from said exterior surface of said power rotor towards said interior surface of said combustion housing,
• wherein said first expansion member segments the combustion chamber into an expansion section and an exhaust section during a power stroke of the engine,
• wherein said exhaust section is configured to facilitate expelling expanded working fluid of a first charge,
• wherein said expansion section is configured to facilitate power generation associated with expansion of working fluid of a second charge,
• wherein said first expansion member is coupled to said power rotor such that said expansion member moves through the combustion chamber as said power rotor rotates about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of said drive shaft,
• wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said power rotor such that the rotational speed of said drive shaft is equal to the rotational speed of said power rotor, and
• wherein said combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, said intake port being positioned at a first end of said combustion chamber and said exhaust port being positioned at a second end of said combustion chamber;
• and
• a venting system in fluid communication with a first location of the combustion housing, the first location being positioned between said combustion chamber and an exterior surface of said drive shaft so as to inhibit fluid from migrating out of said combustion housing along said exterior surface of said drive shaft.

An internal combustion engine comprising a combustion assembly, said combustion assembly comprising:

• a combustion housing having an interior surface defining an interior area;
• a power rotor positioned within the interior area of said combustion housing, said power rotor having an exterior surface displaced from said interior surface of said combustion housing, thereby defining a combustion chamber;
• a drive shaft extending from said power rotor;
• a first expansion member extending from said exterior surface of said power rotor towards said interior surface of said combustion housing;
• and
• a rotary valve coupled to said drive shaft,
• wherein said first expansion member segments the combustion chamber into an expansion section and an exhaust section during a power stroke of the engine, wherein said exhaust section is configured to facilitate expelling expanded working fluid of a first charge,
• wherein said expansion section is configured to facilitate power generation associated with expansion of working fluid of a second charge,
• wherein said first expansion member is coupled to said power rotor such that said expansion member moves through the combustion chamber as said power rotor rotates about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of said drive shaft,
• wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said power rotor such that the rotational speed of said drive shaft is equal to the rotational speed of said power rotor,
• wherein said combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, said intake port being positioned at a first end of said combustion chamber and said exhaust port being positioned at a second end of said combustion chamber,
• wherein said rotary valve defines an aperture that moves in and out of alignment with the intake port as the rotary valve rotates about the first axis, and
• wherein the intake port is in an open configuration when the aperture is in alignment with the intake port.

A method of assembling an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

• coupling a power rotor to a drive shaft;
• engaging the drive shaft with a combustion housing such that the drive shaft and the power rotor are capable of rotating about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of the drive shaft;
• enclosing the power rotor within the combustion housing, thereby creating an enclosed combustion chamber, wherein the combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, each of the intake and exhaust ports being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber;
• and
• coupling a rotary valve to the drive shaft such that an aperture of the rotary valve rotates about the first axis, thereby moving the aperture in and out of alignment with the intake port, wherein the intake port is in an open configuration when the aperture is in alignment with the intake port,
• wherein the power rotor comprises an expansion member for separating a first section of the combustion chamber from a second section of the combustion chamber, the first and second sections being configured to facilitate expansion and exhaust, respectively, the exhaust port being in fluid communication with the second section of the combustion chamber, and
• wherein the expansion member is configured to rotate past the exhaust port so that the exhaust port is in fluid communication with the first portion of the combustion chamber, thereby causing the first section of the combustion chamber to be configured to facilitate exhaust.

A method of assembling an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

• coupling a power rotor to a drive shaft;
• engaging the drive shaft with a combustion housing such that the drive shaft and the power rotor are capable of rotating about a first axis, the first axis being coincidental with a longitudinal central axis of the drive shaft;
• enclosing the power rotor within the combustion housing, thereby creating an enclosed combustion chamber, wherein the combustion housing defines an intake port and an exhaust port, each of the intake and exhaust ports being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber;
• and
• installing a venting system in fluid communication with a first location of said combustion housing, said first location being positioned between said combustion chamber and an exterior surface of said drive shaft so as to inhibit fluid from migrating out of said combustion housing along said exterior surface of said drive shaft,
• wherein the power rotor comprises an expansion member for separating a first section of the combustion chamber from a second section of the combustion chamber, the first and second sections being configured to facilitate expansion and exhaust, respectively, the exhaust port being in fluid communication with the second section of the combustion chamber, and
• wherein the expansion member is configured to rotate past the exhaust port so that the exhaust port is in fluid communication with the first portion of the combustion chamber, thereby causing the first section of the combustion chamber to be configured to facilitate exhaust.