WOBBLE ENGINE

• US 20020043238A1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mcmaster Outdoors, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mcmaster Outdoors, LLC
• Inventors: McMaster, Harold A., McMaster, Robert G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,390,052 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/228
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 9/005 the piston oscillating in the space, e.g. around a fixed point rotary piston machines or engines with non-parallel axes of rotation between co-operating members F01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 53/02 Methods of operating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A wobble plate engine (20) includes a wobble plate assembly (26) having a wobble plate (58) that rolls against truncated cone portions (42) of a housing (22) and has an inner extremity (60) rotatably supported by an axially inclined annular bearing (49, 49′) on a spherical member (46) of the wobble plate assembly so as to rotate a shaft (24) during the wobbling motion. One embodiment of the wobble engine (20) includes an oil lubrication system (114) and another embodiment includes antifriction roller bearings (220) that support the wobble plate (58) on the spherical member (46), antifriction roller bearings (224) that rotatively support the shaft (24) on the housing (22′) and seals (226) that rotatively seal between the shaft (24) and the housing (22′).

Claims

1. A wobble engine comprising:

a housing including an outer annular portion having an interior with a spherical shape that is symmetrically truncated on opposite sides of a great circle thereof, the housing also including a pair of cone portions that converge toward each other along a central rotational axis and that have truncated inner extremities, the spherically shaped outer annular portion cooperating with the truncated cone portions to define an annular cavity, and a vane that extends parallel to the central axis across the annular cavity;

a shaft that extends along and is rotatable about the central axis; and

a wobble plate assembly located within the housing for wobbling motion and including a spherical member rotatively fixed to the shaft, the spherical member having an annular bearing that extends obliquely with respect to the central axis, the wobble plate assembly also including a wobble plate of a generally annular shape having an inner extremity that is rotatably supported by the annular bearing of the spherical member and having an outer extremity that is slidably engaged with the spherical shape of the outer annular portion of the housing, the wobble plate having a slot that extends radially with respect to the spherical member and that receives the vane of the housing in a slidable relationship therewith, and the wobble plate having oppositely facing surfaces that respectively roll along the pair of truncated cone portions of the housing at diametrically opposite sides of the spherical member.

2. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a pair of combustion chambers spaced from each other along the central axis on one circumferential side of the vane, and the housing also including a pair of exhaust chambers spaced from each other along the central axis on the opposite circumferential side of the vane as the pair of combustion chambers.

3. A wobble engine as in claim 2 wherein each of the pair of combustion chambers includes an associated fuel injector for injecting fuel thereinto for combustion.

4. A wobble engine as in claim 3 wherein each of the pair of combustion chambers includes a glow plug for igniting the fuel for combustion.

5. A wobble engine as in claim 2 wherein each of the pair of combustion chambers includes an associated fuel injector for receiving ammonia and nitrous oxide for injection thereinto, and each of the pair of combustion chambers including a glow plug for igniting the ammonia and nitrous oxide for combustion.

6. A wobble engine as in claim 2 wherein each of the combustion chambers has a refractory liner.

7. A wobble engine as in claim 6 wherein the refractory liner of each combustion is made from a material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, a refractory oxide and a mixture of refractory oxides.

8. A wobble engine as in claim 2 wherein each of the pair of combustion chambers includes an associated fuel injector for injecting fuel thereinto for combustion, each of the pair of combustion chambers including a glow plug for igniting the fuel for combustion, and each combustion chamber having a refractory liner.

9. A wobble engine as in claim 2 wherein each of the pair of combustion chambers includes an associated fuel injector for injecting ammonia and nitrous oxide thereinto for combustion, each of the pair of combustion chambers including a glow plug for igniting the ammonia and nitrous oxide for combustion, and each combustion chamber having a refractory liner.

10. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the wobble plate includes a vane seal that defines the slot thereof for slidably sealing with the vane.

11. A wobble engine as in claim 10 wherein the wobble plate has a radially extending round bore and radially extending openings though which the vane extends, and the vane seal being a bifurcated dowel having seal portions that slidably contact opposite sides of the vane.

12. A wobble engine as in claim 1 further including an oil lubrication and cooling system for passing oil into the housing, through the wobble plate assembly, and back out of the housing.

13. A wobble engine as in claim 12 wherein the oil lubrication and cooling system includes an oil inlet to the housing, supply passages in the housing from the inlet to the wobble plate assembly, distribution passages in the wobble plate assembly for distributing the oil to the inner and outer extremities of the wobble plate, return passages in the housing from the wobble plate assembly, and an oil outlet to which the return passages return the oil from the wobble plate assembly for flow out of the housing for cooling and recycling.

14. A wobble engine as in claim 13 wherein the wobble plate includes a first set of radially extending distribution passages that are spaced circumferentially from each other and have inner and outer ends with the inner ends being fed oil from the supply passages adjacent the inner extremity of the wobble plate, an annular outer distribution passage that receives oil from the outer ends of the first set of radially extending distribution passages, and a second set of radially extending distribution passages that are spaced circumferentially from each other and have inner and outer ends with the outer ends receiving oil from the annular outer distribution passage and with the inner ends feeding the oil to the return passages for flow from the housing through the oil outlet.

15. A wobble engine as in claim 14 wherein the first and second sets of radially extending distribution passages of the wobble plate are circumferentially spaced in an alternate relationship with respect to each other for uniform cooling.

16. A wobble engine as in claim 14 wherein the outer extremity of the wobble plate includes an outer annular central seal that slidably seals with the spherically shaped outer annular portion of the housing, the outer extremity of the wobble plate having oil seal passages that extend from the annular outer distribution passage to the outer annular central seal to provide lubrication.

17. A wobble engine as in claim 16 wherein the wobble plate includes a pair of outer annular side seals located on opposite sides of the outer annular central seal, and the outer extremity of the wobble plate having side seal passages that extend from the annular cavity to the outer annular side seals such that pressure supplied thereto from the annular cavity provides sealing thereof with the spherically shaped outer annular portion of the housing.

18. A wobble engine as in claim 17 wherein the wobble plate includes a central plate and an outer annular ring that cooperates with the central plate to define the annular outer distribution passage, the outer annular ring having an annular central groove that receives the outer annular central seal and having a pair of annular side grooves that respectively receive the pair of outer annular side seals, and the outer annular ring defining the oil seal passages and the side seal passages.

19. A wobble engine as in claim 13 wherein the shaft includes a first helical groove for preventing the oil from exiting the supply passages adjacent the shaft, and the shaft including a second helical groove for preventing the oil from exiting the return passages adjacent the shaft.

20. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the annular bearing is a journal bearing including an annular groove in the spherical member that receives and rotatably supports the inner extremity of the wobble plate.

21. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the annular bearing is an antifriction thrust bearing including roller elements.

22. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a generally annular housing member having opposite axial ends and an intermediate portion that extends between its ends and defines the spherically shaped outer annular portion of the housing, and the housing including a pair of cone members that are respectively secured to the opposite axial ends of the annular housing member and have frustoconical surfaces that define the truncated cone portions of the housing.

23. A wobble engine as in claim 22 wherein the frustoconical surfaces of the cone members have plate seals that extend radially and axially from the central axis and that seal with the wobble plate upon rolling thereof along the frustoconical surfaces.

24. A wobble engine as in claim 22 wherein the frustoconical surfaces of the cone members have seal grooves, the plate seals including seal members that are respectively received by the seal grooves and also including springs that resiliently bias the seal members, and the seal members having outer extremities that are resiliently positioned outwardly from the seal grooves so as to resiliently engage and seal with the wobble plate upon the rolling thereof along the frustoconical surfaces.

25. A wobble engine as in claim 22 wherein the annular housing member and the pair of cone members have vane grooves that receive the vane that extends across the annular cavity of the housing, the vane having a partially circular inner extremity that slidably contacts the spherical member of the wobble plate assembly, and the vane groove of the annular housing member including a spring that resiliently biases the vane against the spherical member of the wobble plate assembly to accommodate for thermal expansion and contraction.

26. A wobble engine as in claim 22 wherein the housing includes a pair of annular end plates secured to the annular housing member, the pair of cone members having support portions that are respectively supported by the pair of annular end plates, and the support portions of the cone members having the shaft extending therethrough and including seals that rotatably seal with the shaft and with the spherical member of the wobble plate.

27. A wobble engine as in claim 22 wherein the annular housing member includes half sections that have semicircular shapes that are secured to each other.

28. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the spherical member of the wobble plate assembly includes a pair of hemispheres having engaged faces that each include an annular groove portion for cooperating with the other annular groove portion to define an annular groove of the annular bearing.

29. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the annular bearing includes at least one antifriction roller bearing that rotatably supports the inner extremity of the wobble plate on the spherical member and has roller elements that rotate about associated axes extending transverse to the wobble plate.

30. A wobble engine as in claim 1 further including a pair of antifriction roller bearings that rotatably support the shaft on the housing.

31. A wobble engine as in claim 30 further including a pair of seals that rotatively seal between the shaft and the housing outward from the pair of antifriction roller bearings that rotatably support the shaft on the housing.

32. A wobble engine as in claim 1 wherein the annular bearing includes a pair of antifriction roller bearings that rotatably support the inner extremity of the wobble plate on the spherical member and have roller elements that rotate about associated axes extending transverse to the wobble plate, a pair of antifriction roller bearings that rotatably support the shaft on the housing, and a pair of seals that rotatively seal between the shaft and the housing outward from the pair of antifriction roller bearings that rotatably support the shaft on the housing.

33. A wobble engine comprising:

a housing including an outer annular portion having a spherical shape that is symmetrically truncated on opposite sides of a great circle thereof, the housing also including a pair of cone portions that converge toward each other along a central rotational axis and that have truncated inner extremities, the spherically shaped outer annular portion cooperating with the truncated cone portions to define an annular cavity, and a vane that extends parallel to the central axis across the annular cavity;

a shaft that extends along and is rotatable about the central axis;

a wobble plate assembly located within the housing for wobbling motion and including a spherical member rotatively fixed to the shaft, the spherical member having an annular bearing that extends obliquely with respect to the central axis, the wobble plate assembly also including a wobble plate of a generally annular shape having an inner extremity that is rotatably supported by the annular bearing of the spherical member and having an outer extremity that is slidably engaged with the spherical shape of the outer annular portion of the housing, the wobble plate having a slot that extends radially with respect to the spherical member and that receives the vane of the housing in a slidable relationship therewith, and the wobble plate having oppositely facing surfaces that respectively roll along the pair of truncated cone portions of the housing at diametrically opposite sides of the spherical member; and

an oil lubrication and cooling system for passing lubrication oil into the housing, through the wobble plate assembly, and back out of the housing, the oil lubrication and cooling system including an oil inlet to the housing, supply passages in the housing from the inlet to the wobble plate assembly, distribution passages in the wobble plate assembly for distributing the oil to the inner and outer extremities of the wobble plate, return passages in the housing from the wobble plate assembly, and an oil outlet to which the return passages return the oil from the wobble plate assembly for flow out of the housing for cooling and recycling.

34. A wobble engine comprising:

a housing including an outer annular portion having a spherical shape that is symmetrically truncated on opposite sides of a great circle thereof, the housing also including a pair of cone portions that converge toward each other along a central rotational axis and that have truncated inner extremities, the spherically shaped outer annular portion cooperating with the truncated cone portions to define an annular cavity, a vane that extends parallel to the central axis across the annular cavity, a pair of combustion chambers spaced from each other along the central axis on one circumferential side of the vane, and a pair of exhaust chambers spaced from each other along the central axis on the opposite circumferential side of the vane as the pair of combustion chambers;

a shaft that extends along and is rotatable about the central axis;

a wobble plate assembly located within the housing for wobbling motion and including a spherical member rotatively fixed to the shaft, the spherical member having an annular bearing that extends obliquely with respect to the central axis, the wobble plate assembly also including a wobble plate of a generally annular shape having an inner extremity that is rotatably supported by the annular bearing of the spherical member and having an outer extremity that is slidably engaged with the spherical shape of the outer annular portion of the housing, the wobble plate having a slot that extends radially with respect to the spherical member and that receives the vane of the housing in a slidable relationship therewith, and the wobble plate having oppositely facing surfaces that respectively roll along the pair of truncated cone portions of the housing at diametrically opposite sides of the spherical member under the impetus of combustion in the combustion chambers; and

an oil lubrication and cooling system for passing lubrication oil into the housing, through the wobble plate assembly, and back out of the housing, the oil lubrication and cooling system including an oil inlet to the housing, supply passages in the housing from the inlet to the wobble plate assembly, radially extending distribution passages in the wobble plate assembly for distributing the oil to the inner and outer extremities of the wobble plate, return passages in the housing from the wobble plate assembly, and an oil outlet to which the return passages return the oil from the wobble plate assembly for flow out of the housing for cooling and recycling.

35. A wobble engine comprising:

a housing including an outer annular portion having a spherical shape that is symmetrically truncated on opposite sides of a great circle thereof, the housing also including a pair of cone portions that converge toward each other along a central rotational axis and that have truncated inner extremities, the spherically shaped outer annular portion cooperating with the truncated cone portions to define an annular cavity, a vane that extends parallel to the central axis across the annular cavity, a pair of combustion chambers spaced from each other along the central axis on one circumferential side of the vane, and a pair of exhaust chambers spaced from each other along the central axis on the opposite circumferential side of the vane as the pair of combustion chambers;

a shaft that extends along and is rotatable about the central axis;

a pair of antifriction roller bearings that rotatively support the shaft on the housing for rotation about the central axis;

a pair of annular seals that rotatably seal between the shaft and the housing outward from the antifriction roller bearings that rotatably support the shaft on the housing; and

a wobble plate assembly located within the housing for wobbling motion and including a spherical member rotatively fixed to the shaft, the spherical member having an annular bearing that extends obliquely with respect to the central axis and includes a pair of antifriction roller bearings having roller elements, the wobble plate assembly also including a wobble plate of a generally annular shape having an inner extremity that is rotatably supported by the antifriction roller bearings of the annular bearing of the spherical member with the roller elements thereof rotating about associated axes that extend transversely to the wobble plate, the wobble plate having an outer extremity that is slidably engaged with the spherical shape of the outer annular portion of the housing, the wobble plate having a slot that extends radially with respect to the spherical member and that receives the vane of the housing in a slidable relationship therewith, and the wobble plate having oppositely facing surfaces that respectively roll along the pair of truncated cone portions of the housing at diametrically opposite sides of the spherical member under the impetus of combustion in the combustion chambers.