# US 8,786,114 B2 · Power supply systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,114 B2 - Document ID: US8786114B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/318,100 - Filed: 2010-04-30 - Published: 2012-06-07 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-04-30 - Assignees: The University of Sussex - Applicants: Julian Francis Dunne - Inventors: Julian Francis Dunne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786114B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/24: characterised by the combustion engines - B60K 6/32: characterised by the fuel cells - B60K 6/46: Series type - B60L 1/006: {to power outlets} - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles - B60L 53/63: in response to network capacity - B60L 55/00: Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements - B60L 58/40: for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells - F01C 1/063: with coaxially-mounted members having continuously-changing circumferential spacing between them - F01C 21/007: {General arrangements of parts; Frames and supporting elements} - F01C 21/008: {Driving elements, brakes, couplings, transmissions specially adapted for rotary or oscillating-piston machines or engines (brakes, couplings, transmissions per se F16, B60)} - F01C 21/08: Rotary pistons (reciprocating pistons in general F16J) - F01C 21/10: Outer members for co-operation with rotary pistons; Casings (casings for rotary engines or machines in general F16M) - F02B 53/00: Internal-combustion aspects of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines (internal-combustion aspects of rotary pistons or outer members for co-operation therewith F02B55/00) - F02B 53/14: Adaptations of engines for driving, or engine combinations with, other devices - F02B 63/04: for electric generators - B60K 1/02: comprising more than one electric motor - B60L 2240/423: Torque - B60L 2240/441: Speed - B60L 2240/443: Torque - F01C 9/002: {the piston oscillating around a fixed axis} - F04C 2240/30: Casings or housings - Y02E 60/00: Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - Y04S 10/126: the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G] - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - F01C: ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES (internal-combustion aspects F02B53/00, F02B55/00) - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - F04C: ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS (engines F03C); ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract A power supply system comprises an internal combustion engine (20) having a pair of opposed pistons (28, 30) and cylinder (32) within which the pistons move in use, the pistons (28, 30) and cylinder together forming a combustion chamber. The pair of opposed pistons (28, 30) and the cylinder (32) are each arranged to rotate, in use, about a common axis of rotation A with respect to an associated electric generator arrangement (22) so as to generate an electric output. The pair of opposed pistons (28, 30) are also arranged to together form a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance and further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber causes the pistons (28, 30) to oscillate relative to each other about the common rotational axis (A). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply system, comprising: an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance; and an electric generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons for generating an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons in use. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the generator arrangement comprises a rotor and a stator, the rotor comprising at least one of the opposed pistons and the stator comprising a fixed casing at least partially surrounding the piston or pistons. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, comprising: a motor-generator arrangement for generating electricity from the motion of at least one of the opposed pistons and for driving or controlling rotational motion of the at least one piston. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposed pistons are each formed as toroidal sections that move within one or more toroidal-section shaped cylinders. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposed pistons are arranged to be rotated in use at a common mean angular velocity about their common axis of rotation and are further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about the common rotational axis when so-rotating. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising means for maintaining the alignment of each of the one or more cylinders with respect to a particular relative angular position of the opposed pistons. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, comprising: means for inducing or applying torques to the pair of opposed pistons so as to drive relative oscillation of the pistons. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, comprising: a controller that generates periodic combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine so as to generate resonant oscillation between the pistons. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, comprising: a controller that induces or applies a control torque to at least one of the opposed pistons that opposes the motion of the respective piston or pistons. ### Claim 10 A hybrid powertrain, comprising: a power supply system that generates an electrical output, the power supply system comprising: an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance, and an electric generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons for generating an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons in use; a motor-generator arrangement coupled to the power supply system for generating a mechanical output; and an energy store that stores electrical energy coupled to the power supply system or the motor-generator arrangement. ### Claim 11 A method of generating an electrical output using an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of the opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance, the method comprising: using combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers to cause relative oscillatory motion of the pistons about their common rotational axis; and using a generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons so as to generate an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising: rotationally accelerating the pair of opposed pistons about their common rotational axis to a greater than zero common angular velocity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising: maintaining the alignment of each of the one or more cylinders with respect to a particular relative angular position of the opposed pistons. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claims 11, comprising: inducing or applying torques to the pair of opposed pistons to drive relative oscillation between the pistons. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claims 11, comprising: generating periodic combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine to generate resonant oscillation between the pistons. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising: inducing or applying a control torque to at least one of the opposed pistons that opposes the motion of the respective piston or pistons. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied on said computer readable storage medium, the computer readable code for programming a computer to perform a method of generating an electrical output using an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of the opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance, the method comprising: using combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers to cause relative oscillatory motion of the pistons about their common rotational axis wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance; and using a generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons so as to generate an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons. ### Claim 18 A powered system, comprising: a vehicle, the vehicle includes: an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance; and an electric generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons for generating an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons in use.