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US 6,546,908 B1Granted
Variable geometry toroidal engine
AssigneeVGT Technologies, Inc.
InventorRudolf R. Pekau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A novel rotary engine has a single toroidal cylinder and a set of pistons on a rotating circular piston assembly. A rotating disk valve perpendicular to the toroid has a cutout position which periodically traverses the chamber to allow passage of a piston therethrough. The geometry of the pistons and the valve are arranged to minimize the residual volume, by altering the geometry of the chamber section formed between valve and piston and/or providing pistons which are mechanically extendible and retractable in synchronization with the opening and closing of the disk valve, to optimize engine efficiency and performance.
Claims19
A rotary engine comprising, in combination:
- a stationary toroidal piston cylinder which is circular about a main axis of radial symmetry and has a uniform non-circular cross-section, said cylinder cross-section having a radially inner part-circular contour with radius of curvature R2 merging outwardly with a radially outer part-circular contour with radius of curvature R1, R2 being greater than R1;
- a piston assembly, comprising a plurality of pistons fixedly mounted to the periphery of a circular mounting disk rotatable about the main axis for unidirectional movement of said pistons in unison in a circular path within said toroidal piston cylinder, each said piston having a forward face, a rearward face and a body portion therebetween, with a surface curvature matching said non-circular cross-section of the toroidal cylinder;
- a central shaft extending from the centre of said mounting disk coaxially with said main axis for transmission of energy from the engine;
- at least one rotating disk valve perpendicularly intersecting said toroidal piston cylinder, including a peripheral part-circular cutout section which, in use, periodically opens within the piston chamber as the disk valve rotates, to permit passage of a piston therethrough and then to close the passage sealingly, forming an expansion chamber within the cylinder between the closed disk valve and the rearward face of a receding piston;
- a source of pressurized fluid and injection means for injecting said pressured fluid into said expansion chamber to impart thrust to said piston in a power stroke;
- control means for activating said injection valve, once said expansion chamber is formed;
- exhaust means on the cylinder operable to open and to vent fluid from the cylinder after said piston passes by;
- and
- means to actuate the rotation of said disk valves in preselected sychronization with the rotation of said central shaft and said piston assembly.
6 more elements
A rotary internal combustion engine comprising, in combination:
- a stationary toroidal piston cylinder which is circular about a main axis of radial symmetry and has a uniform non-circular cross-section, said cylinder cross-section having a radially inner part-circular contour with radius of curvature R2 merging outwardly with a radially outer part-circular contour with radius of curvature R1, R2 being greater than R1;
- a piston assembly comprising a plurality of pistons fixedly mounted to the periphery of a circular mounting disk rotatable about the main axis for unidirectional movement of said pistons in unison in a circular path within said toroidal piston cylinder, each said piston having a forward face, a rearward face and a body portion therebetween, with a surface curvature matching said non-circular cross-section of the toroidal cylinder;
- a central shaft extending from the centre of said mounting disk coaxially with said main axis for transmission of energy from the engine;
- at least one rotating disk valve perpendicularly intersecting said toroidal piston cylinder, including a peripheral part-circular cutout section which, in use, periodically opens within the piston chamber as the disk valve rotates, to permit passage of a piston therethrough and then to close the passage sealingly, forming a compression cylinder between the closed disk valve and the forward face of an approaching piston and an expansion chamber between the closed disk valve and the rearward face of the receding piston;
- an engine ignition system, including a by-pass combustion chamber, means for injecting fuel into said combustion chamber, valved inlet and outlet means associated with the combustion chamber, respectively for receiving air from said compression chamber in a compression stroke for combustion of the fuel-air mixture, and for injecting a high-velocity jet of the burning air-fuel mixture into said expansion chamber to impart thrust to said piston in a power stroke;
- air charge means for injecting air for combustion into the cylinder before the forward face of a piston and the disk valve for said compression stroke;
- a valved exhaust port on the cylinder operable to open and vent combustion exhaust from the cylinder following said power stroke, after said piston goes by the exhaust port;
- and
- means to actuate the rotation of said disk valve in preselected synchronization with the rotation of said central shaft and said piston assembly.
6 more elements
A rotary engine comprising:
- a stationary toroidal piston cylinder which is circular about a main axis of radial symmetry and has a uniform non-circular cross-section, said cylinder cross-section having a radially inner part-circular contour with radius of curvature R2 merging outwardly with a radially outer part-circular contour with radius of curvature R1, R2 being greater than R1;
- a piston assembly comprising a plurality of pistons fixedly mounted to the periphery of a circular mounting disk rotatable about the main axis for unidirectional movement of said pistons in unison in a circular path within said toroidal piston cylinder, each said piston having a forward face, a rearward face and a body portion therebetween, with a surface curvature matching said non-circular cross-section of the toroidal cylinder;
- a central shaft extending from the centre of said mounting disk coaxially with said main axis for transmission of energy from the engine;
- at least one rotating disk valve perpendicularly intersecting said toroidal piston cylinder, including a peripheral part-circular cutout section which, in use, periodically opens within the piston chamber as the disk valve rotates, to permit passage of a piston therethrough and then to close the passage sealingly, forming a compression chamber between the closed disk valve and the forward face of an approaching piston, and an expansion chamber between the closed disk valve and the rearward face of the receding piston, said rotating disk having a front edge and a rear edge proximate said cutout section;
- an engine ignition system, including a by-pass combustion chamber, an injection system, and inlet and outlet valves, said inlet valve for receiving air from said compression chamber in a compression stroke for combustion of the fuel-air mixture, and said outlet valve for injecting a high-velocity jet of the burning air-fuel mixture into said expansion chamber to impart thrust to said piston in a power stroke;
- a valved exhaust port on the cylinder at a location between the rear face of a piston and the disk valve following said power stroke;
- a drive connecting said disk valve and said central shaft, said drive configured to operate said disk valve and said pistons in synchronization.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.