Rotating sleeve engine

A poppet valved rotating sleeve internal combustion engine comprised of at least one cylinder, each cylinder comprised of:

• a support means, such that the support means is recessed, where a portion of the recess serves as
• a cylinder head, and such that at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve are integral to the cylinder head;
• a rotating sleeve means having a first end and a second end, such that the rotating sleeve means may rotate within the recess of the support means, the rotating sleeve means oriented such that the first end is located approximately adjacent to the cylinder head, the rotating sleeve means having an inner essentially cylindrical surface and an outer essentially cylindrical surface, such that the rotating sleeve means may rotate within at least two journal bearing means integral to the support means;
• such that the clearance for the journal bearing means is within the range of about 0.002 to 0.004 inches, and such that the diameter to length ratio for the journal bearings is is bearing is within the range of about 3 to 4 and the wall thichness of the rotating approximately ⅛ to ⅜ inches;
• a combustion chamber, the chamber being the variable volume between the reciprocating piston means, the rotating sleeve means, and the cylinder head;
• a sleeve driving means, such that the sleeve driving means causes the rotating sleeve means to rotate in order to maintain hydrodynamic lubrication between the piston means and the rotating sleeve means;
• a sleeve sealing means, such that the sleeve sealing means provides a seal between the rotating sleeve means and the cylinder head;
• an intake means, such that a fuel/air mixture (spark ignition engines) and fresh air (compression ignition engines) may be introduced into the combustion chamber;
• an exhaust means;
• such that combustion gasses can be removed from the combustion chamber;
• a flange means integral to and substantially orthogonal to the first end of the outer essentially cylindrical surface of the rotating sleeve means, such that the flange means has a thickness of approximately 0.25 to 0.125 inch and such that the flange means extends approximately 0.25 inch beyond the outer essentially cylindrical surface of the rotating sleeve means, the flange means having an upper surface which opposes the support means such that thrust loads are to the cylinder heads and support means, the outer surface of the flange means supporting a sleeve sealing means which provides a seal between the rotating sleeve means and the cylinder head;
• a piston means, such that the piston means may reciprocate within the inner essentially cylindrical surface of the rotating sleeve means, such that the reciprocation varies between a top dead center compressed position where the piston is located near the first end of the rotating sleeve means and a bottom dead center expanded position where the piston approaches the second end of the rotating sleeve means, and such that the piston means is grooved to accept at least one compression ring piston sealing means, such that the compression ring piston sealing means is fixed relative to the piston means;
• a piston sealing means, such that the piston sealing means provides a seal between the piston means and the rotating sleeve means;
• and
• a sleeve driving means, such that the sleeve driving means causes the rotating sleeve means to rotate at a fixed rate for an engine with relatively high peak cylinder pressure, such that at the most frequent operating engine speed, the inside liner surface speed is approximately 2 to 5 m/s in order to maintain hydrodynamic lubrication between the piston means and the rotating sleeve means.

A method for reducing piston assembly friction and for reducing piston ring and cylinder liner wear in a valved internal combustion engine, the method comprised of the steps of:

• reciprocating the piston within a cylindrical sleeve;
• rotating the cylindrical sleeve within each cylinder at a sufficeint speed to maintain hydrodynamic lubrication as the piston approaches top dead center and bottom dead center;
• supporting the rotating cylindrical sleeve with at least two journal bearings;
• providing a lubricant to the rotating cylindrical sleeve through special holes drilled within the journal bearings;
• sealing between the rotating cylindrical sleeve and the cylinder head with at least one compression ring means;
• sealing between the rotating cylindrical sleeve and the piston with at least one compression ring means located in a groove on the piston.

A method for reducing piston assembly friction and for reducing piston ring and cylinder liner wear in a poppet-valved internal combustion engine, the method comprised of the steps of:

• reciprocating the piston within a flanged cylindrical sleeve;
• rotating the cylindrical sleeve within each cylinder at a variable speed sufficient to maintain hydrodynamic lubrication as the piston approaches top dead center and bottom dead center;
• supporting the rotating cylindrical sleeve with at least two journal bearings;
• providing a lubricant to the rotating cylindrical sleeve through the journal bearings;
• cooling the lubricant to remove heat from the cylindrical sleeve;
• sealing between the rotating cylindrical sleeve and the cylinder head with at least one compression ring means located on the interface of the sleeve and support means;
• sealing between the rotating cylindrical sleeve and the piston with at least one compression ring means located in a groove on the piston.