Rotary energy converter with retractable barrier

A rotary energy converter comprising:

• an outer housing and an inner housing disposed within the outer housing so as to define an enclosure between an inner peripheral surface of the outer housing and an outer peripheral surface of the inner housing, at least one of the outer and inner housings being rotatable relative to the other of the outer and inner housings so as to define a drive member;
• first and second side housings disposed on opposite sides of the outer housing;
• at least two barriers disposed in the enclosure, at least one of the barriers being rotatable relative to at least one other barrier and at least one of the barriers comprising at least two retractable barriers mounted along a pivot axis and being pivotable between an extended position in which the at least two retractable barriers extend into the enclosure and a retracted position in which the at least two retractable barriers retract from the extended position, the enclosure being divided into at least two chambers when the at least one of the at least two retractable barriers is in the extended position;
• an intake port for introducing a fluid into one of the at least two chambers;
• an intake opening formed in one of the side housings, the intake opening intermittently fluidly communicating with the one of the at least two chambers through the intake port;
• and
• an exhaust port formed in a top wall of the outer housing for axially exhausting fluid from another of the at least two chambers.

A rotary internal combustion engine comprising:

• an outer housing and an inner housing disposed within the outer housing so as to define an enclosure between an inner peripheral surface of the outer housing and an outer peripheral surface of the inner housing, at least one of the outer and inner housings being rotatable relative to the other of the outer and inner housings so as to define a drive member;
• first and second side housings disposed on opposite sides of the outer housing;
• at least two barriers disposed in the enclosure, at least one of the barriers being rotatable relative to at least one other barrier and at least one of the barriers comprising a retractable barrier mounted along a pivot axis and being pivotable between an extended position in which the at least one retractable barrier extends into the enclosure and a retracted position in which the at least one retractable barrier retracts from the extended position, the enclosure being divided into a combustion chamber and an exhaust chamber when the at least one retractable barrier is in the extended position;
• an intake port for introducing a fluid into the combustion chamber;
• an intake opening formed in one of the side housings, the intake opening intermittently fluidly communicating with the combustion chamber through the intake port;
• an exhaust port for exhausting combustion gases from the exhaust chamber;
• an ignition source disposed in the combustion chamber for igniting a mixture of fuel and combustion fluid;
• and
• a rod connecting the retractable barrier to the inner housing so as to limit the extension of the retractable barrier away from the inner housing.

A rotary energy converter comprising:

• an outer housing and an inner housing disposed within the outer housing so as to define an enclosure between an inner peripheral surface of the outer housing and an outer peripheral surface of the inner housing, at least one of the outer and inner housings being rotatable relative to the other of the outer and inner housings so as to define a drive member;
• first and second side housings disposed on opposite sides of the outer housing;
• at least two barriers disposed in the enclosure, at least one of the barriers being rotatable relative to at least one other barrier and at least one of the barriers comprising a retractable barrier mounted along a pivot axis and being pivotable between an extended position in which the at least one retractable barrier extends into the enclosure and a retracted position in which the at least one retractable barrier retracts from the extended position, the enclosure being divided into at least two chambers when the at least one retractable barrier is in the extended position;
• an intake port for introducing a fluid into one of the at least two chambers;
• an intake opening formed in one of the side housings, the intake opening intermittently fluidly communicating with the one of the at least two chambers through the intake port;
• an exhaust port formed in a top wall of the outer housing for axially exhausting fluid from another of the at least two chambers;
• and
• a rod connecting the retractable barrier to the inner housing so as to limit the extension of the retractable barrier away from the inner housing.