GB2226710A

GB2226710A - Rotating and reciprocating piston electric motor or generator

Info

Publication number: GB2226710A
Application number: GB8928577A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Iso Wyrsch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-04-04
Filing date: 1989-12-19
Publication date: 1990-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-03
Also published as: GB8928578D0; DE3773724D1; GB2198788A; GB2198788B; JPH0794801B2; KR960000436B1; GB8928577D0; CA1308155C; GB2226612B; EP0240467B1; AU7209387A; ATE97991T1; DE3788357D1; JPS63502916A; GB2226710B; GB2226612A; ES2048328T3; ATE68556T1; DE3788358D1; EP0369991B1

Abstract

The rotating and alternating piston machine is an alternating or free piston machine in which the pistons effect a rotating and alternating movement. Main characteristics: 1) the use of rotation or alternation/rotation, for example in order to control the ports provided in the cylinder walls of two- and four-stroke engines, pumps and compressors; 2) simple conversion of rotating and alternating movement by mechanical or electrical means. The rotating and alternating piston machine offers the possibility of: pumps, including the electric drive, in which there is only one rotating part; direct conversion of the alternating movement of the piston into electrical energy; control of the gas movement by the piston; operation of other ports having specific functions (for example, introducing additional compressed gas, discharge ports operating in succession etc.); free selection of the number of piston strokes per rotation; choice of piston stroke kinematics; powerful rotation or swirling of charge; easily designed compact and inexpensive machines; possible integration of a compressor without having to provide for an additional volume and virtually without any weight increase. In the two-stroke combustion engine, in which the gas exchange is controlled by the pistons (2 and 5), the useful power is available at the central shaft (14), which carries the rotating and alternating piston (2) in a longitudinally-slidable but rotationally-fixed manner. Movement is converted by the oscillating shaft (35) and transmission element (38). The engine is provided with four working chambers and has a 100% mass balance.

Description

ROTATING AND ALTERNATING PISTON MACHINE TECHNICAL FIELD Technical field of the invention are piston engines and piston machines with reciprocating and at the same time rotating pistons in the cylinder, whereas this motion of the piston is arranged by electric energy.

The "classic", well known reciprocating piston engine has pistons which only execute a reciprocating motion. The piston motion is in this case mostly produced by a crankshaft and a connecting rod. For the conversion of the power, an electromotor or electric generator is connected with the crankshaft.

The reciprocating and at the same time rotating motion of the piston however has a lot of advantages: The friction of the rotating piston is lower, the additional rotation of the piston can improve the port-controll and so on.

Because of this typical motion of the piston, this kind of machine will thereafter be called "rotating and alternating piston machine" or "rotating-reciprocating piston machine", whereas "rotating-reciprocating piston machine" means not only a machine but also an engine in the following.

This present invention now concerns electrically operating devices for the arrangement of the piston motion of such rotating-reciprocating piston machines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART Kenneth R. Maltby describes in patent (US 2,352,396) a rotating-reciprocating piston machine. The piston motion is arranged by a cam-like curved path which is rotating relatively to guiding elements and thus also is executing a reciprocating motion. He also describes combinations of mechanic devices with electro-magnetic devices. According to figure 12 of K. R. Maltby's patent, the reciprocating stroke motion is arranged electrically, but the rotating motion is added mechanically by a curved path. According to Maltby's figure 13 and 14, an electric motor or generator arranges only the rotating motion; the additional reciprocating motion is arranged by a mechanical device, too, by the cam-like curved path.

That means that these electric devices produce eigther axial force components for the stroke motion or tangential force components for the rotational motion.

But they do not have axial and tangential components acting both together.

The purpuse of the present invention is to create the rotating-reciprocating motion of the piston by axial and tangential force components, whereby this piston motion is produced by electrical energy or electrical energy is produced by this piston motion.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a piston engine or piston machine with at least one piston which executes a rotating motion around the cylinder axis and at the same time a reciprocating stroke motion parallel to the cylinder axis, characterized in that this motion of the piston is electro-magnetically arranged by means of an armature which is disposed in an inclined way to the axis of rotation or is curved in axial direction, whereby the force acting between stator and armature has axial and tangential components.

Usually, there are one or more places at the stator, where the stator keeps the lateral surface of the armature near these places, whereby the armature is executing the reciprocating motion according to its form while rotating.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which schematically illustrate some examples in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section illustrating a rotating-reciprocating piston machine with an electromagnetic arrangement for producing motion of the piston; Figures 2 to 5 are longitudinal sections and cross sections illustrating details of electromagnetic arrangements for producing motion of the piston; and Figure 24 illustrates an example of a design of an armature.

Key To The Figures: 1 cylinder (fig.i-5) 2 piston which executes a rotating reciprocating motion 5 piston-like member which only rotates (fig.1) 8 intake channel (fig.1) 9 outlet channel (fig.1) 14 central shaft (fig.1) 20 armature, or rotor 21 stator 29 valve (fig.1) 44 magnetic pole which guides the armature (fig.2-5) 45 magnetic pole which drives the armature (fig.2-5) 46 auxiliary winding for the start-up (fig.2) Referring now to the drawings in detail, figure 1 shows schematically a rotating-reciprocating piston machine with electric production of the rotating reciprocating motion according to the invention.The stroke motion of the piston (2) together with the rotating motion results from the form of the armature (20): the lateral surface of the armature (20) is axially guided on the upper side by the concentrated magnetic field of the stator (21) on the upper side. Below, the field of the stator is axially much broader. Below, the axial motion of the armature lateral surface is therefore admitted relatively to the stator. The torque is principally produced in the same way in case of this version as in case of convential electro motors or electric generators. On the left, the control of the charge exchange is figured in a conventional way with valves (29), on the right the port controll is influenced by the rotating motion of the piston (2) and of the piston-like member (5).

By the following version, not drawn, the axial force component is additionally increased: The stator does not only act there with axial force components on the lateral surface of the armature, where it is guiding the armature. The stator supports the relative axial motion of the lateral surface of the armature at other places of the stator by driving electromagnetic forces. These driving forces are oscillating according to the motion of the lateral surface of the armature.

Figure 2a-b shows schematically details of another version of a rotating-reciprocating piston machine according to the invention. Fig. 2a shows a section along the cylinder axis, fig. 2b a section along the axis A-A. The armature (20) is not a permanent magnet, but magnetizable. The piston (.2) is connected to the armature and is executing one stroke cycle per revolution. The pole (44) of the stator attracts the lateral surface of the armature (20) with electromagnetic force and therefore guides the armature (20) according to the form of the armature. The driving poles (45) of the armature relatively to the guiding pole (44) have an alternating magnetic field and effect tangential and axial acting forces on the armature (20) because of the form of the armature. The tangential forces are producing a torque and the axial forces are producing a force in direction of the stroke. The statorpole (46) which is as well fixed to the cylinder serves as an auxiliary pole for the start-up.

Figure 3 shows a similar version of the piston-motion producing detail like figure 2, but driving poles (45) exist at three places of the perimeter. The driving poles are controlled in a temporary displaced way on to each other.

Figure 4 shows schematically another version similar to figure 2 and 3. According to the form of the armature (20), the piston (2) executes two reciprocating cycles per revolution. The armature is guided at two places by guiding poles (44) of the stator. Poles (45) of the stator are situated on the upper side and lower side of the drawing.

This version needs a device for the start-up.

Figure 5 shows a version similar to figure 4. A northpole and a southpole (44) of the stator are guiding the armature (20). Driving poles (45) exist at four places. The driving poles are switched in such a way that they execute a forward and backward going axial-tangential force on the armature (20).

The guiding poles (44) are for example executed as permanent magnets. In case of another version, the stator has only driving poles (45). The poles (45) are thus acting predominantly attracting on the armature and are driving and guiding the armature into the right rotating reciprocating motion.

The described designs exist in a contrary version, too: the stator installed at the outside has the described functions and characteristics of the armature. Analogously, the armature has the described functions and characteristics of the stator.

Figure 6 shows perspectively the form of the armature (20) of figure 4 and 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the rotating-reciprocating piston machine according to invention the motion of the piston is arranged by means of an armature (20) which is disposed in an inclined way (see figure 1 to 3) to the axis of rotation or is curved in axial direction (see figure 4 to 6), whereby the force acting from the stator to the armature (or vice versa) has axial and tangential components.

The axial force components concern the stroke motion, the tangential force components concern the rotating motion.

Preferably, at one or more places of the stator (21), the stator keeps the lateral surface of the armature (20) near these places. This means that the stator is guiding the lateral surface of the armature at these places. This is somehow an analogy to the known mechanical device with the guiding elements and the cam-like curved path. The amount of guiding places preferably is equal to the amount of reciprocating stroke cycles per revolution, according to the form of the armature.

The principle of the electric motor or generator can be made very similar to any known principle. (See for example figure 1).

In some embodiments the armature is made with thereon fixed magnetic poles or windings.

An other version is characterized in that the armature is made of magnetizable but not permanent-magnetic material.

This version is realizable because of the non-rotationalsymmetric form of the armature. The.electromagnetic field of the stator magnetizes the armature. Force and motion are produced and influenced by the arrangement and the timing of the electromagnetic field of the stator and by the form of the armature.

An other version is characterized in that the length of the stroke or the compression ratio or both is adjustable.

This is made by axial displacement of magnetic poles or by magnetic poles being electrically switchable, or by adjustment of the strength of the magnetic force which has an axial component.

An other version is characterized in that the two neighbouring front (working) faces of two pistons or of a piston and a piston-like member (5) are always meshing with each other like claws. In that way the motion of the differnt pistons is for example synchronized.

An other version is characterized in that the piston bear upon a lubrication film, whereas, if the lubrication fluid must not get into the working chamber or into the ports, it is kept away from the working chamber or the ports by a scraper ring or other sealing element. This sealing element is for example mounted at the cylinder wall.

BEST EXECUTIONS OF THE INVENTION The armature of the following rotating-reciprocating piston machine is fixed at the piston and made of magnetizable but not permanent-magnetic material. Thus there is no current feed needed for the armature. The piston normally is arranged to make eigther one, two, three or more reciprocating stroke cycles per revolution. Preferably it is arranged to make two identical stroke cycles per revolution. In this case the armature is formed according to figure 6. The armature is guided by two magnetic poles which are placed diametrical to each other at the stator. The amount of these guiding places is equal to the amount of identical reciprocating stroke cycles per revolution; and these guiding places are arranged in identical angle distances to each other with regard to the rotation axis. Therefore our example has two guiding places and the angle distance is 180 degrees. These poles at these guiding places eighter are permanent-magnets or they are activated by spools. Inbetween these guiding places there are driving electromagnetic fields, caused by windings or spools.

These spools for example are placed with axial distances to one another and effect axial and axial-tangential force components. In case of direct current these windings or spools are switchable. In case of polyphase alternating current the spools are arranged at the driving places so that the driving electromagnetic fields move according to the relative motion of the lateral surface of the armature.

Claims

1. A piston engine or piston machine with at least one piston (2) which executes a rotating motion around the cylinder axis and at the same time a reciprocating stroke motion parallel to the cylinder axis, characterized in that this motion of the piston is electro-magnetically arranged by means of an armature (20) which is disposed in an inclined way to the axis of rotation or is curved in axial direction, whereby the force acting between stator and armature has axial and tangential components.

2. A piston engine or piston machine according to claim 1, characterized in that at one or more places of the stator (21), the stator keeps the lateral surface of the armature (20) near this places, whereby the armature is executing the reciprocating motion according to its form while rotating.

3. A piston engine or piston machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the armature is made with thereon fixed magnetic poles or windings.

4. A piston engine or piston machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the armature is made of magnetizable but not permanent-magnetic material.

5. A piston engine or piston machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the length of the stroke or the compression ratio or both is adjustable, by axial displacement of magnetic poles or by magnetic poles being electrically switchable, or by adjustement of the strength of the magnetic force which has an axial component.

6. A piston engine or piston machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two neighbouring front (working) faces of two pistons (2) or of a piston (2) and a piston-like member (5) are always meshing with each other like claws.

7. A piston engine or piston machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the piston bears upon a lubrication film, whereas, if the lubrication fluid must not get into the working chamber or into the ports, the lubrication fluid is kept away from the working chamber or the ports by a scraper ring or other sealing element.

8. A piston engine or piston machine constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to the various embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawings.