Rod Seal Assembly for a Stirling Engine
AssigneeStirling Biopower, Inc.
InventorsStefan Johansson, Christopher Domanski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rod seal assembly for a Stirling Engine of the type having two or more piston assemblies reciprocating within cylinder bores. The rod seal assembly seals against a connecting rod extending between a piston and a kinematic drive system. The rod seal assembly includes a separated cap seal assembly and a base seal assembly with a hollow cavity formed therebetween. The cap seal assembly and base seal assembly include sealing element features which provide high performance gas sealing and excellent durability characteristics. The hollow interior cavity of the rod seal assembly may be used as part of an internal volume within the engine used as part of a pressure balancing system for the isolated cycle volumes within the engine.
Claims27
A rod seal assembly for a Stirling cycle engine of the type having two or more piston assemblies reciprocating within cylinder bores, each of the piston assemblies separating isolated cycle volumes of a working gas contained within the engine, each of the piston assemblies affixed to a connecting rod which stroke in a linear reciprocating manner during operation of the engine, the rod seal assembly sealing with the connecting rod to control leakage of the working gas from the cycle volumes, the rod assembly comprising:
- a rigid housing,
- a cap seal assembly retained by the housing adjacent the piston assembly and having a cap seal engaging the connecting rod,
- a base seal assembly retained by the housing spaced from the piston assembly, having a rod seal engaging the connecting rod, and
- the housing forming an internal cavity between the cap seal assembly and the base seal assembly.
A rod seal assembly for a Stirling cycle engine of the type having two or more piston assemblies reciprocating within cylinder bores, each of the piston assemblies separating isolated cycle volumes of a working gas contained within the engine, each of the piston assemblies affixed to a connecting rod which stroke in a linear reciprocating manner during operation of the engine, the rod seal assembly sealing with the connecting rod to control leakage of the working gas from the cycle volumes, the rod assembly comprising:
- a rigid housing,
- a cap seal assembly retained by the housing adjacent the piston assembly, having a cap seal sealing with the connecting rod,
- a base seal assembly retained by the housing spaced from the piston assembly, the base seal assembly having a seal plug positioned at an end of the housing opposite the cap seal assembly, a seal seat forming a concave semi-spherical surface, a rod seal having an internal bore for the connecting rod and a convex semi-spherical surface bearing against the seal seat concave semi-spherical surface, a spring positioned in the housing to place a compressive force against the rod seal, and
- the housing forming an internal cavity between the cap seal assembly and base seal assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.