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Internal combustion engine, particularly, a free-piston engine

  • US 4,803,960 A
  • Filed: 06/01/1987
  • Issued: 02/14/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An internal combustion engine, more specifically a free-piston engine, having at least one cylinder (1) comprising one piston (4) therein arranged and guided to be movable and sealed, which piston may perform axial stroke elements within a cylinder chamber (9), and featuring cylindrical projections (7,8) extending axially away from said piston (4) to either side and having at least over part of their length of diameter smaller than the diameter of the piston (4), said projections (7,8) being guided at least over some part of their length within axial cylinder bores (12,13) and therein partially sealed;

  • and having combustion chambers (10,11) within the cylinder (1), said combustion chambers being formed and delimited by certain parts of an inside cylinder wall defining the cylinder chamber (9) and by certain surface parts of the piston (4) and its projections (7,8), the surfaces defining said combustion chambers (10,11) being formed more particularly by end faces (5 and 26, or 6 and

         27); and

    having inlet ports (2) arranged in a longitudinal cylinder wall (100) to admit air, and outlet ports (3) arranged within the longitudinal cylinder wall (100) so as to permit exhaust gases to be expelled, said inlet ports (2) and outlet ports (3) being opened and closed depending upon the axial position of the piston (4) and its projections (7,

         8); and

    having ducts (18,19) within said piston (4) and its projections (7,8), wherein said ducts permit the controlled passage of gases such as air and fuel/air mixtures by forming flow path connections linked to bores (20,21) located in lateral surfaces (101,102) of the projections (7,8), and said ducts may be brought into open flow connection and blocked with respect to said inlet ports (2) depending upon the axial position of said piston (4) and its projections (7,8) relative to the cylinder (1), said ducts may also be brought into open flow connection with said combustion chambers (10,11) via said bores (20,21) and blocked by means of said axial cylinder bores (12,13) at approximately identical axial piston positions relative to said cylinder (1); and

    wherein said ducts (18 and

         19) are arranged separately from each other, one each within one of two longitudinal piston halves (401 and

         402) and their respective projection (7 or

         8), located to either side of a symmetry plane (K) arranged perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis (A-A) of the piston (4);

    each of said ducts (18 or

         19) being connected with a corresponding orifice (90 or

         91) located within a peripheral surface (80) of the piston (4), said orifices (90 or

         91) being arranged in an area of radial planes (K1 or K2) located parallel to and at a distance (a) from said symmetry plane (K) of the piston (4);

    all ports (2) located in the longitudinal cylinder wall (100) being arranged in the area of the symmetry plane (Z) of the cylinder (1);

    said outlet ports (3) for the combustion chambers (10 or

         11) being separate from each other in areas located in radial planes (Z1 or Z2) in parallel to and at a second distance (b) from the symmetry plane (Z) of the cylinder (1);

    the first distance (a) of the orifices (90 or

         91) at either side of the symmetry plane (K) of the piston (4) and the second distance (b) of said outlet ports (3) at either side of the symmetry plane (Z) of the cylinder (1) being defined so that all the inlet ports (2) may be in open flow path connection with the orifices (90 or

         91), the ducts (18 or

         19), the bores (20 or

         21) and the combustion chamber (10 or

         11) associated with one of said longitudinal halves (401 or

         402) of said piston whenever the end face (6 or

         5) of the opposite longitudinal half of the piston (402 or

         401) is near the respective end face (27 or

         26) of the cylinder chamber (9).

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