Hot-gas reciprocating engine

Claim 2

A hot-gas reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder unit having a working space of variable volume and higher temperature during operation; a regenerator unit; a heat pipe; a heater serving as a heat exchanger arranged inside the heat pipe and comprising at least a bundle of heater pipes; and one or more tubular members which pass through a wall of the heat pipe, said heater pipes communicating on one side with the working space, and on an other side with the regenerator unit, at least one of said units having a center line and being connected to the heater pipes by at least one of said members, wherein said members extend transversely to the center line of the unit to which they are connected, and the engine further comprises flexible sealing members for sealing said connection members to the heat pipe wall.

Claim 3

In a hot gas engine including a housing, a regenerator, a cylinder and displacer defining together a variable-volume expansion space, a heater comprising a heater duct having first and second ends communicating with said expansion space and said regenerator respectively, and a heat pipe generally surrounding said heater duct for supplying thermal energy thereto, the improvement in combination therewith, wherein said cylinder and displacer component has a central axis along which the displacer is reciprocated, and said regenerator component has a central axis corresponding to the flow direction of fluid therethrough, and said improvement comprises a tubular connection member oriented transverse of the central axis of at least one of said components and engaging and interconnecting said component and one of said heater duct ends, said member traversing said heat pipe wall with a clearance space defined therebetween, said improvement further comprising flexible seal means sealing said clearance space, whereby, a continuous fluid path is provided between said expansion space and said regenerator through said heater duct and connection member.

Claim 4

In a hot gas engine including a housing, a regenerator, a cylinder and displacer defining together a variable-volume expansion space, a heater comprising a heater duct having first and second ends communicating with said expansion space and said regenerator respectively, and a heat pipe generally surrounding said heater duct for supplying thermal energy thereto, the improvement in combination therewith, wherein said cylinder and displacer component has a central axis along which the displacer is reciprocated, and said regenerator component has a central axis corresponding to the flow direction of fluid therethrough, and said improvement comprises a tubular connection member oriented transverse of the central axis of at least one of said components and engaging and interconnecting said component and one of said heater duct ends, said member traversing said heat pipe wall with a clearance space defined therebetween, said improvement further comprising flexible seal means sealing said clearance space, whereby, a continuous fluid path is provided between said expansion space and said regenerator through said heater duct and connection member.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 comprising two of said connection members, the first connection member interconnecting said first end of the heater duct and said expansion space, and the second connection member interconnecting said second end of the heater duct and said regenerator.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said connection member interconnects said first end of the heater duct and said expansion space.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said connection member interconnects said second end of the heater duct and said regenerator.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said central axis of said cylinder and displacer and said regenerator are generally parallel.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said central axis of said cylinder and displacer and said regenerator intersect, defining a V.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said seal means comprises a bellows.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said heat pipe wall, in operation, expands, and applies a tensile force on the seal means to which it is engaged.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said heat pipe wall, in operation, expands, and applies compression force on the seal means to which it is engaged.