Internal-combustion engines – Oscillating piston – Toroidal cylinder
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-14
2001-03-20
Koczo, Michael (Department: 3748)
Internal-combustion engines
Oscillating piston
Toroidal cylinder
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202600
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to engines and, more specifically, to an oscillating two-stroke internal combustion engine having a shaft with two opposing vanes as the oscillating member.
2. Description of Related Art
As an alternative to conventional internal combustion piston engines, oscillating internal combustion engines have been proposed. Such devices are well known in the art as evidenced by the U.S. Patents to Folsom, U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,475; Tan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,532; Meuret, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,976; Dettwiler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,253; Sakita, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,254; Crawford, U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,414; Seno, U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,732; and Meuret, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,976. Also of interest is the British Patent, Number 619,995 to Triani and the German Patent, Number 2,639,450, to Theilen. The patents to Tan et al., discloses a swinging-piston engine having a crank and connecting rod mechanism in which the piston swings around a fixed shaft and sweeps the combustion cylinders. The Dettwiler patent discloses an internal combustion engine having a rotor mounted in a circular casing, a pair of radial partitions fixed in the casing to define two chambers, and pistons radially fixed to the rotor such that the pistons oscillate in their chambers. The patent to Sakita describes an internal combustion engine having a pair of pistons connected to an oscillating shaft and means for converting the oscillating motion of the shaft to rotary motion. The patent to Crawford discloses a valveless two-stroke engine having a fan-shaped combustion chamber, wherein the moving element is not a piston, but is a pivoted divider oscillating within the combustion chamber. The German patent to Theilen discloses an oscillating piston-type engine having diametrically opposite pistons connected to a hub and camshafts for actuating inlet and outlet valves in succession. The Meuret patent describes a rotary piston engine having a dual piston shaped as a semicircular vane mounted about a rotating shaft going through the center of a spherical chamber, and including external means for converting the reciprocating rotation of the piston into a continuous rotation. The patent to Seno discloses a four stroke concentric oscillating rotary vane engine including a stator, a rotor, four arcuate combustion chambers, a pair of forced porting mechanisms for controlling the forced porting of air into the combustion chamber, and a pair of cranking mechanisms for controlling the oscillating rotary motion of the rotor. The Folsom patent describes a drive system using an oscillating rotor engine of the internal combustion type in which the output of the oscillating shaft is converted directly into usable energy without the necessity of a crank converter. The British patent to Triani discloses a two-stroke internal combustion engine in which combustion gases act on at least two pairs of vanes that can oscillate within a cylinder coaxial with the main shaft and revolve in opposite directions to each other, such as to impart a continuous rotary motion to the main shaft by means of clutches.
However, none of the prior art devices includes an oscillating element having a hollow shaft with air intake ports disposed between the outwardly extending vanes through which air is forced into the combustion chamber for mixing with fuel and expelling exhaust therefrom during periods when the ports are not closed of by the stator walls. Nor do any of the prior art devices propose the use of a magnetic coupling or a ratchet to convert the oscillating motion of the engine into rotational motion. Nor do any of the prior art devices propose affixing permanent magnets to the output shaft of the engine and surrounding them with wire coils wherein the oscillating mechanical motion of the permanent magnet induces an alternating current in the coils as a means to convert the oscillating motion of the engine into a useable form of energy.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The two-stroke internal combustion engine of the instant invention includes an oscillating member two stator walls, two engine casing members, two engine casing end plates, and at least one generating means. The generating means is magnetically coupled to the oscillating internal combustion engine and converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy. The two engine casing members are attached, with the two stator walls sandwiched in between to form a cylinder which is substantially bisected by the walls. Two engine casing end plates, having bearing surfaces adapted to allow the ends of the shaft of the oscillating member to pass therethrough, close the top and bottom of the cylindrical engine casing.
The oscillating member has a hollow shaft with two outwardly extending opposing vanes attached thereto. The shaft of the oscillating member is disposed within the cylindrical engine casing between the stator walls forming four distinct combustion areas. The vanes rotate reciprocally between the two coplanar stator walls following a two-stroke cycle with simultaneous opposing combustion. The hollow shaft of the oscillating member has openings disposed between the outwardly extending vanes which act as air intake ports. Air is forced through the hollow shaft and into the combustion chambers during periods when the ports are not closed off by the stator wall. Exhaust ports are located in the engine casing members which vent exhaust from the four distinct combustion areas depending on the orientation of the two opposing vanes. An electromagnetic coupling or clutch system or a bidirectional ratchet is used to convert the oscillating motion of the engine into rotational motion. Alternatively, a generating means is coupled to the exposed ends of the shaft of the oscillating member which converts the oscillating movement of the oscillating member into electric energy.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an oscillating two-stroke internal combustion engine having an oscillating member with a hollow shaft and openings which act as air intake ports disposed between outwardly extending vanes.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanical ratchet to convert the oscillating motion of the engine into rotational motion.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a generating means that is coupled to the exposed ends of the shaft of the oscillating member to convert the oscillating movement of the oscillating member into electric energy.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an engine having a electromagnetic coupling at each end of the hollow shaft according to the invention for converting the oscillating motion of the engine into rotational motion.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1042322 (1912-10-01), Chubbuck
patent: 2127743 (1938-08-01), Linthwaite
patent: 2203047 (1940-06-01), Cushman
patent: 2989040 (1961-06-01), Zalisko
patent: 4027475 (1977-06-01), Folsom
patent: 4599976 (1986-07-01), Meuret
patent: 4884532 (1989-12-01), Tan et al.
patent: 5074253 (1991-12-01), Dettwiler
patent: 5086732 (1992-02-01), Seno
patent: 5152254 (1992-10-01), Sakita
patent: 5228414 (1993-07-01), Crawford
patent: 2639450 (1978-03-01), None
patent: 619995 (1949-03-01), None
Koczo Michael
Litman Richard C.
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