Stirling engine

• US 6,910,331 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Asai, Masahiro, Ban, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US10/097,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 605/17, 605/20, 605/26, 605/18, 605/22, 605/25
• US Class Current: 60/517
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/60 Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/64 Knee joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/74 fluid , i.e. hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6614 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/762 for measuring dimensions, e.g. a distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7625 for measuring angular position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7655 for measuring fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/043 the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2243/30 having their pistons and displacers each in separate cylinders two-piston machines F02G2244/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2244/50 Double acting piston machines
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2280/005 Medical applications, e.g. for prosthesis or artificial hearts

Abstract

To provide a Stirling engine and a control unit for a Stirling engine capable of disposing a displacer unit and a power cylinder unit separately from each other, thereby increasing the degree of freedom of layout thereof. A displacer unit and a power cylinder unit of a Stirling engine E are disposed separately from each other. A compression chamber of the displacer unit is connected to an operation chamber of the power cylinder unit via a pressure conduit. A control actuator capable of arbitrarily controlling the displacer piston of the displacer unit is connected to the displacer piston.

Claims

1. A Stirling engine including a displacer unit in which a displacer piston is slidably fitted in a displacer cylinder for partitioning an interior portion of said cylinder into an expansion chamber and a compression chamber, and a power cylinder unit having a power piston slidably fitted in a power cylinder for forming an operation chamber in communication with said compression chamber in said cylinder comprising:

said displacer unit and said power cylinder unit are disposed separately from each other;

said compression chamber is connected to said operation chamber via a pressure conduit; and

a control actuator determines a walking movement of a user and is operatively connected to said displacer piston for arbitrarily controlling the movement of said displacer piston to impart said walking movement operation to said operation chamber.

7. The Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein said pressure conduit has flexibility.

8. The Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein a hydraulic converter is operatively connected to said compression chamber for converting a pressure in said compression chamber to a hydraulic pressure and transmitting the hydraulic pressure to said operation chamber, said hydraulic converter being provided between said compression chamber and said pressure conduit.

9. The Stirling engine according to claim 1, wherein a hydraulic converter is operatively connected to said compression chamber for converting a pressure in said compression chamber to a hydraulic pressure and transmitting the hydraulic pressure to said operation chamber, said hydraulic converter being provided between said compression chamber and said pressure conduit.

2. A Stirling engine including a displacer unit in which a displacer piston is slidably fitted in a displacer cylinder for partitioning an interior portion of said cylinder into an expansion chamber and a compression chamber, and a power cylinder unit having a power piston slidably fitted in a power cylinder for forming an operation chamber in communication with said compression chamber in said cylinder comprising:

said displacer unit and said power cylinder unit are disposed separately from each other;

said compression chamber is connected to said operation chamber via a pressure conduit; and

a control actuator determines a running movement of a user and is operatively connected to said displacer piston for arbitrarily controlling the movement of said displacer piston to impart said running movement operation to said operation chamber.

3. A Stirling engine including a displacer unit in which a displacer piston is slidably fitted in a displacer cylinder for partitioning an interior portion of said cylinder into an expansion chamber and a compression chamber, and a power cylinder unit having a power piston slidably fitted in a power cylinder for forming an operation chamber in communication with said compression chamber in said cylinder comprising:

said displacer unit and said power cylinder unit are disposed separately from each other;

said compression chamber is connected to said operation chamber via a pressure conduit; and

a control actuator determines a slope ascending movement of a user and is operatively connected to said displacer piston for arbitrarily controlling the movement of said displacer piston to impart said slope ascending movement operation to said operation chamber.

4. A Stirling engine including a displacer unit in which a displacer piston is slidably fitted in a displacer cylinder for partitioning an interior portion of said cylinder into an expansion chamber and a compression chamber, and a power cylinder unit having a power piston slidably fitted in a power cylinder for forming an operation chamber in communication with said compression chamber in said cylinder comprising:

said displacer unit and said power cylinder unit are disposed separately from each other;

said compression chamber is connected to said operation chamber via a pressure conduit; and

a control actuator determines a slope descending movement of a user and is operatively connected to said displacer piston for arbitrarily controlling the movement of said displacer piston to impart said slope descending movement operation to said operation chamber.

5. A Stirling engine including a displacer unit in which a displacer piston is slidably fitted in a displacer cylinder for partitioning an interior portion of said cylinder into an expansion chamber and a compression chamber, and a power cylinder unit having a power piston slidably fitted in a power cylinder for forming an operation chamber in communication with said compression chamber in said cylinder comprising:

said displacer unit and said power cylinder unit are disposed separately from each other;

said compression chamber is connected to said operation chamber via a pressure conduit; and

a control actuator determines a stairs ascending movement of a user and is operatively connected to said displacer piston for arbitrarily controlling the movement of said displacer piston to impart said stairs ascending movement operation to said operation chamber.

6. A Stirling engine including a displacer unit in which a displacer piston is slidably fitted in a displacer cylinder for partitioning an interior portion of said cylinder into an expansion chamber and a compression chamber, and a power cylinder unit having a power piston slidably fitted in a power cylinder for forming an operation chamber in communication with said compression chamber in said cylinder comprising:

said displacer unit and said power cylinder unit are disposed separately from each other;

said compression chamber is connected to said operation chamber via a pressure conduit; and

a control actuator determines a stairs descending movement of a user and is operatively connected to said displacer piston for arbitrarily controlling the movement of said displacer piston to impart said stairs descending movement operation to said operation chamber.