Internal combustion engine

• US 7,207,299 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Hofbauer, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali; Hyder
• Application Number:
  US10/941,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20050103287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 123/46.E, 123/46.R, 123/46.B, 605/95, 417/364
• US Class Current: 123/46.00E
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/04 with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/12 with compression ignition with fuel-air charge ignited by compression ignition of an additional fuel F02B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/025 two
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/041 Linear electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/06 for pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 71/04 Adaptations of such engines for special use; Combinations of such engines with apparatus driven thereby
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/05 driven by internal-combustion engines

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide an opposed piston, opposed cylinder (OPOC) internal combustion engine. The OPOC engine comprises two cylinders opposed at 180 degrees. A linking element connects two outer pistons so that they move in tandem. A central piston is disposed between and moves in opposition to the outer pistons. The linking element is adapted to drive secondary mechanisms in accordance with embodiments of a drive shaft, electric generator, hydraulic pump, pneumatic pump, and gear-driven mechanisms, among others.

Claims

1. An electric power cell comprising:

a magnetic flux generating mechanism; and

an internal combustion engine comprising;

at least one set of two outer pistons and a central piston disposed between the outer pistons, the pistons freely reciprocating on a common axis and at not coupled to a crankshaft;

an end of a first outer piston and a first end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the first outer piston and the central piston, defining a first combustion chamber;

an end of a second outer piston and a second end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the second outer piston and the central piston, defining a second combustion chamber, enabling a free change of the cylinder volumes which allows a free expansion and compression of the gas in the combustion chamber not defined by any mechanical mechanism the magnetic flux generating mechanism linked to the linear movement of the two outer pistons and to the central pistons.

2. The electric power cell of claim 1 wherein the flux generating mechanism comprises one or more coil elements.

3. The electric power cell of claim 1 wherein at least one outer piston and the central piston each are linked to one or more elements of the flux generating mechanism so that relative movement of the elements induces magnetic flux.

4. The electric power cell of claim 3 wherein a plurality of magnet pairs is the flux generating element linked to one piston and a plurality of coils is the flux generating element linked to another piston.

5. The electric power cell of claim 3 wherein a first plurality of magnet pairs is linked to a first piston and a second plurality of magnet pairs is linked to an oppositely moving piston.

6. The electric power cell of claim 3 wherein:

a first moving element comprising a plurality of magnets arranged in a series along the common axis and circumferentially extending around a portion of the engine wherein the series forming a passage, the moving element being linked to at least one piston; and

a second moving element comprising one or more coils linked to a second piston, the coil being slidably disposed in the passage relative to the first moving element.

7. The electric power cell of claim 6 wherein a first moving element is linked to one outer piston at one end of a first connecting member and is linked to a second outer piston at a second connecting member.

8. The electric power cell of claim 6 wherein a second moving coil element is linked to the central piston, wherein the coil moves opposite to a first moving element for generation of flux.

9. The electric power cell of claim 6 wherein a first moving element is linked to one outer piston at one end of a first connecting member and is linked to a second outer piston at a second connecting member.

10. The electric power cell of claim 6 wherein e second moving cell element is linked to the central piston, wherein the coil moves opposite to a first moving element for generation of flux.

11. The electric power cell of 1 wherein at least two sets of a plurality of radially extending magnets are connected to one or more linking elements, each set being separated by a space in which there is radially extending another element of a flux generating mechanism, the magnets being movably disposed relative to the other element.

12. An electric power cell comprising:

at least one-pair of cylinders axially arranged substantially in an opposed piston, opposed cylinder configuration, each at least one pair of cylinders including four pistons comprising two outer pistons and two central pistons, wherein the two outer pistons are linked and the two inner pistons are linked so that they move in tandem and create in each cylinder a free change of the cylinder volumes which allows a free expansion and compression of the gas in the combustion chamber not defined by any mechanical mechanism; and

at least one element of a magnetic flux change generating device is linked to at least one of the free moving piston pairs.

13. The electric power cell of claim 12 wherein the two central pistons being linked so that the movement of the two central pistons are in tandem.

14. A flux change generating apparatus comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a pair of outer free pistons; and

a pair of inner free pistons, each of which is opposed to an outer piston;

the free pistons not coupled to a crankshaft, and in which the movement of the pair of outer pistons and the opposed pair of inner pistons create in each cylinder a free change of the cylinder volumes which allows a free expansion and compression of the gas in the combustion chamber not defined by any mechanical mechanism;

and a first flux generating element linked to the pair of outer pistons, and a second flux generating element linked to the opposed moving pair of inner pistons.

15. The flux change generating apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first flux generating element is a coil element.

16. The flux change generating mechanism of claim 14 wherein the first flux generating element is a magnet element.

17. The flux change generating apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first flux generating element is a magnet element and the second flux generating element is a coil element.

18. An electric power cell comprising:

a motivating mechanism providing two freely reciprocating opposed lines of movement; and

a first flux generating element linked to the first line of movement and disposed along the lines of movement and concentrically extending around a portion of the motivating mechanism wherein the first flux generating element and the motivating mechanism forms a channel to concentrically receive a second flux generating element linked to the second line of movement.

19. The electric power cell of claim 18 wherein the first flux generating element comprises one of a coil element or magnet element, and the second flux generating element comprises one of a coil element or magnet.

20. The electric power cell of claim 18 wherein the first element provides a channel that receives the second element in a concentric arrangement relative to each other and the circumference of the motivating mechanism.

21. The electric power cell of claim 18 wherein the engine includes at least one free piston uncoupled to a crankshaft.

22. An electric power cell comprising:

a motivating mechanism providing two reciprocating opposed lines of movement;

a plurality of units of flux generating elements, each unit disposed along the lines of movement of the motivating mechanism and comprising a first set of flux generating elements disposed concentrically about the motivating mechanism the first set of elements being arranged to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels that are parallel to the opposed lines of movement and each channel receiving a second set of flux generating elements the first unit being linked to a first line of movement and the second unit being linked to the second line of movement.

23. The electric power cell of claim 22 wherein the first set of flux generating element comprises one of a coil element or magnet element, and the second set of flux generating elements comprises one of a coil element or magnet element, the relative motion of the units inducing flux.

24. The electric power cell of claim 22 wherein the first set of flux generating elements comprises a magnet and the second set of flux generating elements comprises a second magnet and wherein the electric power generating mechanism further comprises a stationary coil disposed relative to the first and second flux generating elements so that relative motion of the elements induces flux.

25. The electric power cell of claim 22 wherein the first set of flux generating elements comprises a coil and the second set of flux generating elements comprises a coil and wherein the electric power cell further comprises a stationary magnet disposed between the two units.

26. The electric power cell of claim 22 wherein the first set of flux generating elements comprises a coil and the second set of flux generating elements comprises a pair of magnets.

27. An electric power cell comprising:

a motivating mechanism comprising at least one set of two outer pistons and a central piston disposed between the outer pistons, the pistons freely reciprocating on a common axis, at least one piston being a free piston uncoupled to a crankshaft;

an end of a first outer piston and a first end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the first outer piston and the central piston, defining a first combustion chamber;

an end of a second outer piston and a second end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the second outer piston and the central piston, defining a second combustion chamber, wherein each piston has a connecting member so that the linear reciprocation of the piston is communicatable to an element external to the mechanism; and

a support structure external to the mechanism; and

a first flux generating elements connected to the first line of movement and

a second flux generating elements connected to the second line of movement,

wherein the two freely reciprocating opposed lines of movement are transferred to each flux generating element so that each flux generating elements moves opposite the other and wherein each flux generating element is arranged in relation to the support structure.

28. The electric power cell of claim 27 wherein the first flux generating elements comprises a coil and the second flux generating elements comprises a magnet.

29. The electric power cell of claim 27 wherein the first flux generating element comprises a magnet and the second flux generating element comprises a second magnet and support structure includes a stationary coil.

30. The electric power cell of claim 27 wherein the first flux generating elements comprises a coil and the second flux generating element comprises a coil and the supporting structure includes a magnet.

31. The electric power cell of claim 27 wherein the first flux generating element comprises a coil and the second flux generating elements comprises a pair of magnets.

32. An electric power generating system comprising:

at least two OPOC engines, each engine comprising;

at least one set of two outer pistons and a central piston disposed between the outer pistons, the pistons freely reciprocating on a common axis, at least one piston being a free piston;

an end of a first outer piston and a first end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the first outer piston and the central piston, defining a first combustion chamber;

an end of a second outer piston and a second end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the second outer piston and the central piston, defining a second combustion chamber;

a connecting member linked to at least one piston, the connecting member having a part external to the cylinder and moving linearly in correspondence with the piston for transfer of mechanical energy;

each cylinder including at least one pair of slots, the slots being adapted to allow the linking element to mechanically connect to the piston;

a magnetic flux generating mechanism connected to each engine by at least one linking element, the first flux generating mechanism including a first 3-phase AC electric output apparatus and the second flux generating mechanism including a second 3-phase AC electric output apparatus, the first power generating mechanism and the second power generating mechanism being synchronized at 90 degrees out of phase.

33. An electric power cell comprising:

a magnetic flux generating mechanism; and

an internal combustion engine comprising;

at least one set of two outer pistons and a central piston disposed between the outer pistons, the pistons freely reciprocating on a common axis, at least one piston being a free piston;

an end of a first outer piston and a first end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the first outer piston and the central piston, defining a first combustion chamber;

an end of a second outer piston and a second end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the second outer piston and the central piston, defining a second combustion chamber, the magnetic flux generating mechanism linked to the linear movement of one of the outer and central pistons; and

wherein at least one outer piston and the central piston each are linked to one or more elements of the flux generating mechanism sot that relative movement of the elements induces magnetic flux; and

wherein a first moving elements comprising a plurality of magnets arranged in a series along the common axis and circumferentially extending around a portion of the engine wherein the series forming a passage, the moving element being linked to at least one piston;

and a second moving element comprising one or more coils linked to a second piston, the coil being slidably disposed in the passage relative to the first moving element.

34. An electric power cell comprising:

a magnetic flux generating mechanism; and

an internal combustion engine comprising;

at least one set of two outer pistons and a central piston disposed between the outer pistons, the pistons freely reciprocating on a common axis, at least one piston being a free piston;

an end of a first outer piston and first end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the first outer piston and the central piston, defining a first combustion chamber;

an end of a second outer piston and a second end of the central piston, in conjunction with a cylinder for the second outer piston and the central piston, defining a second combustion chamber, the magnetic flux generating mechanism linked to the linear movement of one of the outer and central pistons, and

wherein the engine is asymmetrically timed.

35. The electric power cell of claim 34 wherein the asymmetric timing is achieved by configuring the pistons and intake and exhaust ports so that the exhaust ports remain open for a period of time after the intake ports open.