# US 5,343,704 A · Double-headed and swash plate type stirling engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,343,704 A - Document ID: US5343704A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/017,624 - Filed: 1993-02-12 - Granted: 1994-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 1992-02-21 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho - Inventors: Shigeki Kanzaki; Tatsuyuki Hoshino; Kunifumi Goto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5343704A ## CPC - F02G 1/044: having at least two working members, e.g. pistons, delivering power output - F01B 3/02: with wobble-plate - F02G 2243/00: Stirling type engines having closed regenerative thermodynamic cycles with flow controlled by volume changes - F02G 2258/10: ceramic - F02G: HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS (steam engine plants, special vapour plants, plants operating on either hot gas or combustion-product gases together with other fluid F01K; gas-turbine plants F02C; jet-propulsion plants F02K); USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F01B: MACHINES OR ENGINES, IN GENERAL OR OF POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE, e.g. STEAM ENGINES (of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F01C; of non-positive-displacement type F01D; internal-combustion engines F02B; combustion-product engine plants F02G; machines or engines, other than of positive-displacement type, for liquids F03B; positive-displacement engines driven by liquids F03C; wind motors F03D; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04B; rotary-piston, or oscillating-piston, positive-displacement machines for liquids F04C) ## Abstract A double-headed swash plate type Stirling engine includes double headed pistons defining front spaces and rear spaces and anchored to the swash plate by shoes. Thus, the reciprocal movement of the double-headed pistons, resulting from the expansion and compression of an operating gas in the front and rear spaces, are directly converted into the rotary movement of the swash plate. Hence, the Stirling engine has a very simplified construction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine, comprising: a cylinder block including a heat insulator disposed at a central portion in an axial direction, an axial central hole, a plurality of bores disposed in parallel with the axial central hole, and a swash plate chamber formed therein and opened to a center of the bores; a front housing enclosing a front end of said cylinder block; a rear housing enclosing a rear end of said cylinder block; a shaft rotatably disposed in said axial central hole of said cylinder block; a swash plate fixed around said shaft, and disposed rotatably in said swash plate chamber of said cylinder block; a plurality of double-headed pistons coupled to said swash plate by shoes, and disposed reciprocally in said bores of said cylinder block; a plurality of front spaces formed by said front housing, said bores and a front end of said double-headed pistons in said cylinder block, and containing an operating gas therein; a plurality of rear spaces formed by said rear housing, said bores and a rear end of said double-headed pistons in said cylinder block, and containing said operating gas therein; a first heat exchanger for carrying out heat exchange around said front spaces; a second heat exchanger for carrying out heat exchange around said rear spaces; and a plurality of connecting pipes connecting said front spaces to said rear spaces with a predetermined phase difference, each of said plurality of connecting pipes and the connected front and rear spaces having a constant volume, and including a heat accumulator disposed between said front spaces and said rear spaces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein said shaft is an output shaft, said first heat exchanger heats said front spaces, and said second heat exchanger cools said rear spaces, whereby said Stirling engine operates as a prime mover. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein said shaft is a driving shaft, said first heat exchanger radiates the heat of said front spaces, and said second heat exchanger receives the heat of said rear spaces, whereby said Stirling engine operates as a cooler or a heater. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein said first heat exchanger is a fluid passage formed in said cylinder block and said front housing, and said second heat exchanger is a fluid passage formed in said cylinder block and said rear housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein said connecting pipes connect said front spaces to said rear spaces with a phase difference of 90.degree.. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein said bores and said double-headed pistons are provided in a quantity of four, respectively. ### Claim 7 A double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine, comprising: a cylinder block including a heat insulator disposed at a central portion in an axial direction, an axial central hole, a plurality of bores disposed in parallel with the axial central hole, and a swash plate chamber formed therein and opened to a center of the bores; a front housing enclosing a front end of said cylinder block; a rear housing enclosing a rear end of said cylinder block; an output shaft rotatably disposed in said axial central hole of said cylinder block; a swash plate fixed around said shaft, and disposed rotatably in said swash plate chamber of said cylinder block; a plurality of double-headed pistons coupled to said swash plate by shoes, and disposed reciprocally in said bores of said cylinder block; a plurality of front spaces formed by said front housing, said bores and a front end of said double-headed pistons in said cylinder block, and containing an operating gas therein; a plurality of rear spaces formed by said rear housing, said bores and a rear end of said double-headed pistons in said cylinder block, and containing said operating gas therein; a heating means for heating said front spaces; a cooling means for cooling said rear spaces; and a plurality of connecting pipes connecting said front spaces to said rear spaces with a predetermined phase difference, each of said plurality of connecting pipes and the connected front and rear spaces having a constant volume, and including a heat accumulator disposed between said front spaces and said rear spaces. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 7, wherein said heating means is a fluid passage formed in said cylinder block and said front housing, and said cooling means is a fluid passage formed in said cylinder block and said rear housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 7, wherein said connecting pipes connect said front spaces to said rear spaces with a phase difference of 90.degree.. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 7, wherein said bores and said double-headed pistons are provided in a quantity of four, respectively. ### Claim 11 A double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine, comprising: a cylinder block including a heat insulator disposed at a central portion in an axial direction, an axial central hole, a plurality of bores disposed in parallel with the axial central hole, and a swash plate chamber formed therein and opened to a center of the bores; a front housing enclosing a front end of said cylinder block; a rear housing enclosing a rear end of said cylinder block; a driving shaft rotatably disposed in said axial central hole of said cylinder block; a swash plate fixed around said shaft, and disposed rotatably in said swash plate chamber of said cylinder block; a plurality of double-headed pistons coupled to said swash plate by shoes, and disposed reciprocally in said bores of said cylinder block; a plurality of front spaces formed by said front housing, said bores and a front end of said double-headed pistons in said cylinder block, and containing an operating gas therein; a plurality of rear spaces formed by said rear housing, said bores and a rear end of said double-headed pistons in said cylinder block, and containing said operating gas therein; a heat radiating means for radiating the heat of said front spaces; a heat receiving means for receiving the heat of said rear spaces; and a plurality of connecting pipes connecting said front spaces to said rear spaces with a predetermined phase difference, each of said plurality of connecting pipes and the connected front and rear spaces having a constant volume, and including a heat accumulator disposed between said front spaces and said rear spaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 11, wherein said heat radiating means is a fluid passage formed in said cylinder block and said front housing, and said heat receiving means is a fluid passage formed in said cylinder block and said rear housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 11, wherein said connecting pipes connect said front spaces to said rear spaces with a phase difference of 90.degree.. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The double-headed and swash plate type Stirling engine according to claim 11, wherein said bores and said double-headed pistons are provided in a quantity of four, respectively.