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US 8,616,176 B2Granted
Rotary internal combustion engine
AssigneeSumner Properties, LLC
InventorsSam J. Jacobsen, Craig H. Melter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary engine includes a compressor assembly and two power assemblies that receive compressed air from the compressor assembly. Each assembly includes at least two intermeshing rotors. The rotors of the compressor assembly compress air, either alone or in an air/fuel mixture, in a compression chamber located in that assembly. The compressed air is transferred to the expansion chambers of the power assemblies, where fuel is ignited to initiate a power stroke. A line bisecting the axes of the rotors of the compressor assembly is inclined at an acute angle relative to a line bisecting the axes of the rotors of the power assemblies. The power assemblies operate 180° out of phase with respect to one another to minimize power fluctuations in the engine.
Claims21
An internal combustion engine comprising:
- a compressor assembly including first and second intermeshing compressor rotors, each of which is rotatable about a respective axis, a compression chamber being formed partially around the compressor rotors and decreasing in size during a portion of each rotational cycle of the compressor assembly to pressurize air in the compression chamber;
- and
- a power assembly including first and second intermeshing combustor rotors, each of which is rotatable about a respective axis, an expansion chamber being formed partially around the combustor rotors and increasing in size during a portion of each rotational cycle of the power assembly rotor assembly under the power of a combustion event;
- and
- a fuel source that at least indirectly supplies fuel to the expansion chamber,
- wherein
- the expansion chamber is connected to the compression chamber by a porting arrangement when the power assembly is in the vicinity of a designated rotational position thereof, and
- a first bisector line connecting the axes of the compressor rotors is inclined at an acute angle relatively to a second bisector line connecting the axes of the combustor rotors.
5 more elements
An internal combustion engine comprising:
- (A) an engine housing;
- (B) a compressor assembly housed in the engine housing and including first and second intermeshing compressor rotors, each of which is rotatable about a respective axis and each of which has i) a lobe that seals against the engine housing through the majority of a rotational cycle of the compressor assembly and ii) a recess that is engaged by the lobe of the other compressor rotor during a portion of the compressor assembly rotational cycle, a compression chamber being formed at least partially around the compressor rotors between a line of contact of the rotors and the lobes and decreasing in size during a portion of each rotational cycle of the compressor assembly to pressurize air in the compression chamber;
- and
- (C) first and second power assemblies each including first and second intermeshing combustor rotors, each of which is rotatable about a respective axis, and each of which has i) a lobe that seals against the engine housing through the majority of a rotational cycle of the power assembly and ii) a recess that is engaged by the lobe of the other combustor rotor during a portion of the power assembly rotational cycle, an expansion chamber being formed at least partially around the combustor rotors between a line of contact of the combustion rotors and the lobes and increasing in size during a portion of each rotational cycle of the power assembly under the power of a combustion event to power the engine;
- and
- (D) a fuel source that at least indirectly supplies fuel to the expansion chambers,
- wherein
- the expansion chambers of the first and second power assemblies are periodically connected to the compressor assembly by first and second porting arrangements,
- a first bisector line connecting the axes of the rotors of the first power assembly is parallel to a second bisector line connecting the axes of the rotors of the second power assembly,
- a third bisector line connecting the axes of the compressor rotors is inclined at an acute angle relative to the first and second bisector lines, and
- the first and second power assemblies are phased such that top dead center positions of the first and second power assemblies are displaced approximately 180° from one another.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- (A) admitting air into a compressor assembly, the compressor assembly having first and second intermeshing compressor rotors, each of which is rotatable about a respective axis, wherein
- a first bisector line connecting the axes of the rotors of the first power assembly is parallel to a second bisector line connecting the axes of the rotors of the second power assembly, and
- a third bisector line connecting the axes of the compressor rotors is inclined at an acute angle relative to the first and second bisector lines;
- (B) rotating the compressor assembly to pressurize air contained therein;
- then
- (C) transmitting the compressed air into an expansion chamber of a first power assembly, the first power assembly including first and second intermeshing combustor rotors, each of which is rotatable about a respective axis,
- (D) using the air admitted into the combustion chamber of the first power assembly and a fuel charge, forming a first air/fuel mixture, the air/fuel mixture being formed in one of the expansion chamber and downstream of the compressor assembly;
- then
- (E) igniting the fuel in the first air/fuel mixture to initiate a first expansion stroke to drive the first power assembly to rotate;
- (F) in the vicinity of the initiation of the first expansion stroke, admitting air into the compressor assembly;
- then
- (G) rotating the compressor assembly to pressurize the air contained therein;
- then
- (H) transmitting the compressed air into an expansion chamber of a second power assembly, the second power assembly including first and second intermeshing combustor rotors, each of which is rotatable about a respective axis,
- (I) using the air admitted into the expansion chamber of the second power assembly, forming a second air/fuel mixture, the air/fuel mixture being formed by mixing air with fuel in one of the expansion chambers of the second power assembly and a location downstream of the compressor assembly;
- and then
- (J) igniting the fuel in the second air/fuel mixture to initiate a second expansion stroke to drive the second power assembly to rotate.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.