US 5,720,251 AGranted

Rotary engine and method of operation

OwnerGeorge F. Round, Viljo K. Valavaara +1inventors

InventorsGeorge F. Round, Viljo K. Valavaara, Lixin Peng

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A rotary engine having an outer rotor on outer rotor bearings and an inner rotor within the outer rotor mounted on inner rotor bearings, the outer rotor axis being offset relative to the inner rotor axis, a housing enclosing the inner and outer rotors, generally radial arms formed on the inner rotor, and recesses defined between them, inwardly projecting lobes defined by the outer rotor, spaced apart, and defining outer rotor chambers, the inner rotor arms extending into the outer rotor chambers, at least around a portion of the rotational path of the rotors, a fresh air intake port for inducting fresh air into the outer rotor chambers in sequence at a predetermined point in the rotational path of the outer rotor, a fuel/air intake port for inducting burning fuel/air into the outer rotor chambers in sequence at a second predetermined point, and an exhaust port for exhausting gases from the outer rotor chambers in sequence at a third predetermined point. The invention also relates to a method of converting fuel energy into rotary force by a rotary engine.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A rotary engine (10) for the conversion of fuel energy into a rotary force and having an outer rotor (50,52,54) mounted on outer rotor bearing means (62,64) for rotation about an outer rotor axis;

an inner rotor (30) within said outer rotor mounted on inner rotor bearing means (34,36) for rotation about an inner rotor axis, said outer rotor axis being offset relative to said inner rotor axis, said inner and outer rotors being rotatable in unison about said respective axes around predetermined paths;
rotor housing means (12,14) enclosing said inner and outer rotors;
generally radial inner rotor arms (38) formed on said inner rotor (30), and recess means (44) defined between said arms;
inwardly projecting lobes (66) defined by said outer rotor, spaced apart from one another, and defining outer rotor chambers (76) therebetween, said inner rotor arms (38) extending into said outer rotor chambers (76), at least around a portion of the rotational path of said rotors, and being characterised by;
fresh air intake port means (88) for inducting fresh air into said outer rotor chambers (76) and being located at a first predetermined point around the rotational path of said outer rotor;
fuel intake port means (90) for inducting fuel rich burning fuel/air mixture into said outer rotor chambers (76) and being located at a second predetermined point around the rotational path of said outer rotor and spaced angularly from said fresh air intake port, and
exhaust port means (86) for exhausting gases from said outer rotor chambers (76) and being located at a third predetermined point around the rotational path of said outer rotor and spaced angularly from said fresh air intake and said fuel intake port means.

4 more elements

A method of converting fuel energy into rotary force by a rotary engine (10) having an outer rotor (50, 52, 54) and an inner rotor (30) rotatable about offset outer and inner rotor axes respectively, said inner rotor (30) being provided with radial rotor arms (38) defining recess means (44) therebetween, said outer rotor (54) being provided with inwardly projecting lobes (66) defining outer rotor chambers (76) therebetween for coupling with said inner rotor arms (38) at least around a portion of the rotational path of said rotors, said method being characterized by the steps of:

inducting fresh air into said outer rotor chambers (76) through fresh air intake port means (88), said fresh air intake port means being located at a first predetermined point in the rotational path of said outer rotor (54);
inducting burning fuel-rich fuel/air mixture into said outer rotor chambers (76) containing said fresh air through fuel intake port means (90) being located at a second predetermined point angularly spaced around the rotational path of said outer rotor (54) from said fresh air intake port means;
and
discharging exhausted gases from said outer rotor chambers (76) through an exhaust port means (86) being located at a third predetermined point angularly spaced around the rotational path of said outer rotor (54), from said fuel intake port means.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/633,825Filed 3 Apr 1996
Priority: CA 21081088 Oct 1993
Granted: 24 Feb 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

F01C 1/06
Of arcuate-engagement type, i.e. with circular translatory movement of co-operating members, each member having the same number of teeth or…: of…
F01C 1/103
Of internal-axis type with the outer member having more teeth or tooth-equivalents, e.g. rollers, than the inner member: the two members rotating…
F01C 1/084
Details specially related to intermeshing engagement type machines or engines: toothed wheels
F02B 53/00
Internal-combustion aspects of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines