Floating Head Piston Assembly
AssigneeThermal Tech Holdings
InventorJoshua M. Schmitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly with a piston reciprocated with the aid of a floating head in fluid communication with the piston. The assembly may utilize a floating head that is shifted in position to promote reciprocation of the piston through the aid of pressure supplied to the floating head from a pressure volume regulator. Alternatively, the floating head may be in fluid communication with the piston at one side of the head and isolated at the other side. In this manner changing volume and pressure at this other side of the head during reciprocation may ultimately lead to floating head movement toward the piston, thereby promoting the continued reciprocation. Additional efficiencies may also be realized through unique hydraulic layouts for both operating and working fluid circulations.
Claims20
A piston assembly for a thermal cycle engine, the assembly comprising:
- a piston with a piston head defining an adjacent chamber to circulate operating fluid;
- and
- a floating head defining a floating chamber and in hydraulic communication with the adjacent chamber to enhance reciprocation of the piston head, the position of the floating head dynamically correlated to a volume of the adjacent chamber.
A system comprising:
- a piston defining an adjacent chamber in hydraulic communication with a floating head defining a floating chamber, a position of the floating head dynamically correlated to a volume of the adjacent chamber;
- and
- a pressure volume regulator device in hydraulic communication with the floating chamber to facilitate a change in the volume of the adjacent chamber through a change in the position of the floating head.
A method of obtaining power from a system, the method comprising:
- circulating operating fluid to a piston of the system for reciprocation thereof;
- circulating a working fluid from the piston to a power retrieval device for the obtaining of the power in response to the reciprocation;
- and
- shifting a position of a floating head in fluid communication with the piston to enhance the reciprocation of the piston.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.