Split four stroke engine

• US 20030015171A1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scuderi Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Scuderi Group, LLC
• Inventors: Scuderi, Carmelo J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,609,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/316
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/027 four
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 33/22 with pumping cylinder situated at side of working cylinder, e.g. the cylinders being parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 41/04 in main cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/02 Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/228 with cylinders arranged in parallel banks
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/32 Engines characterised by connections between pistons and main shafts and not specific to preceding main groups
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 7/0019 Cylinders and crankshaft not in one plane (deaxation)
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/0535 Seals or sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A four stroke cycle internal combustion engine including a crankshaft, rotating about a crankshaft axis of the engine. A power piston is slidably received within a first cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke of a four stroke cycle during a single rotation of the crankshaft. A compression piston is slidably received within a second cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke of the same four stroke cycle during the same rotation of the crankshaft. A power piston-cylinder axis along which the power piston reciprocates within the first cylinder, has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the power piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis.

Claims

1. A four stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising:

a crankshaft, rotating about a crankshaft axis of the engine;

a power piston slidably received within a first cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke of a four stroke cycle during a single rotation of the crankshaft;

a compression piston slidably received within a second cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke of the same four stroke cycle during the same rotation of the crankshaft;

a power piston-cylinder axis along which the power piston reciprocates within the first cylinder, wherein the power piston-cylinder axis has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the power piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis; and

a gas passage interconnecting the first and second cylinders, the gas passage including an inlet valve and an outlet valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween, the inlet valve permitting substantially one way flow of compressed gas from the second cylinder to the pressure chamber and the outlet valve permitting substantially one way flow of compressed gas from the pressure chamber to the first cylinder;

wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve of the gas passage substantially maintain at least a predetermined firing condition gas pressure in the pressure chamber during the entire four stroke cycle.

2. The engine of claim 1 comprising a compression piston-cylinder axis along which the compression piston reciprocates within the second cylinder, wherein the compression piston-cylinder axis has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the compression piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis.