Rotary machine and thermal cycle

#This invention relates generally to rotary machines and more specifically to internal and external rotary combustion engines, fluid compressors, vacuum pumps, and drive turbines for expandable gases or pressurized fluid and water.

#As the human race has evolved throughout the centuries, we, as a people, have used our minds to develop machines and tools to help us achieve higher evolutionary standards. Technological advances include the invention and discovery of the lever and the wheel in early times to more sophisticated communication and computational devices that we now enjoy in our daily lives. Nearly all aspects of technology, from the very rudimentary to the very complex, have made great advances that have made the daily lives of the people and animals on this planet much easier. However, there is one invention that has been with us for a long time that has received little technological advancement despite its extremely important use in our daily lives.

#A typical four-cycle internal combustion reciprocating engine powers nearly all vehicles on the face of the planet. Likewise, the same engine is employed to power boats, generators, compressors, pumps, and machines of all type and design. However, despite its widespread use, the internal combustion, or Otto cycle, engine or, in certain instances, a diesel cycle engine, has received very little technological advancement. The changes made to the engine have left the basic thermal cycle of the engine untouched.

#The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a semi-exploded isometric view of a rotary machine;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional frontal view of rotary components;

#FIG. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of a rotary machine 40. The rotary machine 40 employs a generally toroidal-shaped housing 42 having a cover 43 at one end. Disposed substantially within the toroidal housing 42 and integrally connected to the housing 42 is a plurality of rotary components. The generally toroidal-shaped housing 42 is substantially cylindrical in shape at its perimeter. However, at an end of the housing 42 opposite of the cover 43, the housing forms a generally toroidal inner housing 56 (see FIG. 2).

#An expansion ring 44 is located within the housing 42 and the cover 43. More specifically, the expansion ring 44 is disposed between the toroidal housing 42 and the toroidal inner housing 56. The expansion ring 44 is generally cylindrical in shape, having disposed on a portion of its inner surface an expansion ring gear 46 (see FIG. 2). The expansion ring gear 46 and that corresponding portion of the expansion ring 44 are generally disposed within an expansion ring gear race 48 formed in the toroidal housing 42 (best seen in FIGS. 5-6). The race 48 provides a bearing surface for the expansion ring 44. The race 48 is a substantially cylindrical-shaped groove having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the expansion ring gear 46. The depth of the race 48 is determined largely by the application employed by the rotary machine 40. In relatively high speed, low torque applications the race depth may be slightly greater than in a lower r.p.m. application. The guiding principle regarding race 48 design is to provide a guide track to help maintain the rotational movement integrity of the expansion ring 44.

#The type of bearing (not shown) employed to carry relative motion of the rotary components varies with the application. In the preferred high speed, low torque embodiment roller bearings would be employed. However, other bearings are considered within the scope of this invention, for example, ball, tapered, air, liquid metal and magnetic bearings. Similarly, in a high torque, low speed application carbon (graphite) bushings are preferred. Again, however, other bearings are considered within the scope of this aspect of the invention, for example, ceramic composites, oil impregnated composites and bronzes, carbon impregnated composites, carbide composites and powdered metal composites.