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US 8,136,490 B2Granted
Multi-piston camwheel engine
AssigneeKuzwe, LLC
InventorsPaul R. Maguire, Dion B. Linkel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine is disclosed. In one implementation, the engine includes a camwheel mounted to an output shaft. Eighteen cylinder-enclosed pistons are positioned in a circular plane about the camwheel such that the radius of the circular plane and the camwheel are coplanar. Lobes integrally formed on the camwheel define a guiderail including a continuously, substantially sinusoidal surface biased for rotation in the direction of the rotary motion of the output shaft. Drive bearings associated with each piston engage and maintain contact with the guiderail. The rotary motion is obtained by transferring the displacement of the plurality of pistons from respective top dead center positions and bottom dead center positions to the guiderail, thereby rotating the camwheel and output shaft.
Claims20
An engine having an output shaft for providing rotary motion, the engine comprising:
- first and second mounting plates;
- a camwheel rotatably mounted to the output shaft for supplying rotary motion thereto, the camwheel being disposed between the first and second mounting plates;
- a plurality of lobes integrally formed on the camwheel, the plurality of lobes defining a guiderail including a continuous surface;
- a plurality of cylinders straddling the guiderail, the plurality of cylinders being interposingly coupled between the first and second mounting plates in a static circular plane about the camwheel such that a radius of the circular plane and the camwheel are coplanar;
- and
- a corresponding plurality of pistons disposed within each of the plurality of cylinders, each of the corresponding plurality of pistons including a connecting shaft for coupling a drive bearing thereto, the drive bearing for engaging and maintaining contact with the guiderail,
- wherein the rotary motion is obtained by transferring displacement of the plurality of pistons from respective top dead center positions and bottom dead center positions to the guiderail, thereby rotating the camwheel.
4 more elements
An engine having an output shaft for providing rotary motion, the engine comprising:
- first and second mounting plates;
- a camwheel rotatably mounted to the output shaft for supplying rotary motion thereto, the camwheel being disposed between the first and second mounting plates;
- a plurality of cylinders straddling the camwheel, the plurality of cylinders being interposingly coupled between the first and second mounting plates in a static circular plane about the camwheel such that a radius of the circular plane and the camwheel are coplanar;
- and
- a corresponding plurality of pistons disposed within each of the plurality of cylinders, each of the plurality of pistons including a connecting shaft for coupling a drive bearing thereto, the drive bearing for engaging and maintaining contact with the camwheel,
- wherein the rotary motion is obtained by transferring displacement from respective top dead center positions and bottom dead center positions to the camwheel, thereby rotating the camwheel.
3 more elements
A method for providing rotary motion from an engine to an output shaft, the method comprising:
- seating a first plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons at top dead center positions of a camwheel of a static cylinder block, the camwheel rotatably mounted to the output shaft for supplying rotary motion thereto;
- seating a second plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons between top dead center positions and bottom dead center positions of the camwheel;
- seating a third plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons between bottom dead center positions and top dead center positions of the camwheel such that the plurality of pistons are interleaved clockwise as a piston from the first plurality, a piston from the second plurality, and a piston from the third plurality;
- causing a working stroke with the first plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons wherein combustion occurs within respective chambers of the cylinder-enclosed pistons;
- forcing the first plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons downward along a continuous surface, thereby providing rotary motion to the output shaft in a counterclockwise direction;
- substantially simultaneously with the working stroke, causing an exhaust stroke with the second plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons wherein combusted material is exhausted from the second plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons;
- substantially simultaneously with the working stroke, causing an intake stroke with the third plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons wherein combustible material is disposed within the third plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons;
- and
- rotating the working stroke, exhaust stroke, and intake stroke between the first, second, and third pluralities of cylinder-enclosed pistons.
6 more elements
A system for providing rotary motion to an output shaft, the system comprising:
- means for seating a first plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons at top dead center positions of a camwheel of a static cylinder block, the camwheel rotatably mounted to the output shaft for supplying rotary motion thereto;
- means for seating a second plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons between top dead center positions and bottom dead center positions of the camwheel;
- means for seating a third plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons between bottom dead center positions and top dead center positions of the camwheel such that the plurality of pistons are interleaved clockwise as a piston from the first plurality, a piston from the second plurality, and a piston from the third plurality;
- means for causing a working stroke with the first plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons wherein combustion occurs within respective chambers of the cylinder-enclosed pistons;
- means for forcing the first plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons downward along a continuous surface, thereby providing rotary motion to the output shaft in a counterclockwise direction;
- substantially simultaneously with the working stroke, means for causing an exhaust stroke with the second plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons wherein combusted material is exhausted from the second plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons;
- substantially simultaneously with the working stroke, means for causing an intake stroke with the third plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons wherein combustible material is disposed within the third plurality of cylinder-enclosed pistons;
- and
- means for rotating the working stroke, exhaust stroke, and intake stroke between the first, second, and third pluralities of cylinder-enclosed pistons.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.