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Patent US6062023A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6062023A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Cantilevered crankshaft stirling cycle machine
Assignee: New Power Concepts LLC
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Filing: 1998-07-14
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Granted: 2000-05-16
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Expires: 2018-07-14
Abstract
Abstract A Stirling machine having two pistons coupled to a harmonic crank drive linkage for providing a specified phase relationship between sinusoidal displacements of each piston with respect to a fixed fiducial point. The harmonic crank drive linkage has a primary crankshaft and an eccentric crankshaft mounted internally to the primary crankshaft and coupled via a gear set to counterrotate with respect to the primary crankshaft. The eccentric crankshaft may be cantilevered with respect to the primary shaft, with the pistons of the engine coupled to the eccentric crankshaft externally to the supporting bearings. A flywheel coupled to the eccentric crankshaft provides for operation of the engine with a zero net angular momentum. An intake manifold provides for mixing air and fuel for combustion heating of the engine.
Inventors
- 👤 John Kerwin
- 👤 Kingston Owens
- 👤 Michael Norris
- 👤 Dean L. Kamen
- 👤 Tim Duggan
- 👤 Christopher C. Langenfeld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:47
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H21/00; F16H21/10; F16H21/16; F16H21/18; F16H21/22; F16H21/30; F02; F02G; F02G1/00; F02G1/04; F02G1/043; F02G1/044; F02G2243/00; F02G2243/02; F02G2243/30; F02G2244/00; F02G2270/00; F02G2270/42; F02G2270/425
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
370 words
A machine comprising: a. a first piston having a first connecting rod, the piston undergoing reciprocating linear motion along a first rod axis within a first cylinder and having a displacement along the first rod axis with respect to a first fiducial point disposed along the first rod axis and fixed with respect to the first cylinder; b. a second piston having a second connecting rod, the second piston undergoing reciprocating linear motion within a second cylinder along a second rod axis, the second rod axis lying in a first plane parallel to the first rod axis and in a second plane forming an angle with respect to the first rod axis, the second piston having a displacement along the second rod axis with respect to a second fiducial point disposed along the second rod axis and fixed with respect to the second cylinder; c. a harmonic drive linkage having a net annular momentum, the harmonic drive linkage coupled to the first and second connecting rods in such a manner that the displacement of the first piston along the first rod axis is a sinusoidal function of a crank angle and the displacement of the second piston alone the second rod axis is a sinusoidal function of the crank angle, the displacement of the second piston being shifted in phase with respect the displacement of the first piston along the first rod axis, the phase shift substantially equal to the angle between the second plane and the first rod axis; and d. a working fluid contained within the first and second cylinders, the working fluid undergoing successive closed cycles of heating, expansion, cooling and compression; e. wherein the linkage comprises: i) a primary crankshaft; ii) an eccentric crankshaft having a cantilevered end, the eccentric crankshaft disposed internally to the primary crankshaft, the eccentric crankshaft coupled to both the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod adjacent to the cantilevered end; and iii) an epicyclic gear set disposed distally to the cantilevered end, the epicyclic gear coupling the eccentric crankshaft to the primary crankshaft in such a manner that the eccentric crankshaft is characterized by a forward angular momentum and the primary crankshaft is characterized by a backward angular momentum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
370 words
A machine comprising: a. a first piston having a first connecting rod, the piston undergoing reciprocating linear motion along a first rod axis within a first cylinder and having a displacement along the first rod axis with respect to a first fiducial point disposed along the first rod axis and fixed with respect to the first cylinder; b. a second piston having a second connecting rod, the second piston undergoing reciprocating linear motion within a second cylinder along a second rod axis, the second rod axis lying in a first plane parallel to the first rod axis and in a second plane forming an angle with respect to the first rod axis, the second piston having a displacement along the second rod axis with respect to a second fiducial point disposed along the second rod axis and fixed with respect to the second cylinder; c. a harmonic drive linkage having a net annular momentum, the harmonic drive linkage coupled to the first and second connecting rods in such a manner that the displacement of the first piston along the first rod axis is a sinusoidal function of a crank angle and the displacement of the second piston alone the second rod axis is a sinusoidal function of the crank angle, the displacement of the second piston being shifted in phase with respect the displacement of the first piston along the first rod axis, the phase shift substantially equal to the angle between the second plane and the first rod axis; and d. a working fluid contained within the first and second cylinders, the working fluid undergoing successive closed cycles of heating, expansion, cooling and compression; e. wherein the linkage comprises: i) a primary crankshaft; ii) an eccentric crankshaft having a cantilevered end, the eccentric crankshaft disposed internally to the primary crankshaft, the eccentric crankshaft coupled to both the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod adjacent to the cantilevered end; and iii) an epicyclic gear set disposed distally to the cantilevered end, the epicyclic gear coupling the eccentric crankshaft to the primary crankshaft in such a manner that the eccentric crankshaft is characterized by a forward angular momentum and the primary crankshaft is characterized by a backward angular momentum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein the epicyclic gear set comprises: a. an internal gear having a pitch diameter, the internal gear disposed in a plane substantially parallel to both the first and second rod axes; and b. a pinion gear having a pitch diameter equal to half the pitch diameter of the fixed internal gear, the pinion gear coupled to eccentric crankshaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein the linkage further comprises at least one counterweight rotating in counterphase with the pinion gear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A machine according to claim 1, further comprising a flywheel coupled to the eccentric shaft such that the net angular momentum of the harmonic drive linkage is substantially zero.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A machine according to claim 1, further including a generator coupled to the primary crankshaft for converting mechanical to electric energy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A machine according to claim 5, further including a processor for controlling a current load on the generator in such a manner as to provide a substantially constant torque on the primary crankshaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting rod is flexible with respect to bending in a direction transverse to the first rod axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein the second connecting rod is flexible with respect to bending in a direction transverse to the second rod axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A machine according to claim 1, further including a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy across a manifold from a first fluid to a second fluid, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of pins extending from the manifold into the first fluid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A machine according to claim 1 further including a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy across a manifold from a first fluid to a second fluid, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of pins extending from the manifold into the second fluid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A machine according to claim 1, further including a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy across a manifold from a first fluid to a second fluid, the heat exchanger comprising: a. a plurality of pins extending from the manifold into the first fluid; and b. a plurality of pins extending from the manifold into the second fluid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
174 words
A machine according to claim 1, further comprising an intake manifold for combining air and a fuel having an auto-ignition temperature in such a manner as to form an air-fuel mixture for combustion in a chamber having a combustion axis so as to heat a heater head of the machine, the air-fuel mixture having a flame speed, the intake manifold comprising: a. a conduit having axial symmetry about the combustion axis, the conduit having an inlet and an outlet for conveying radially inwardly flowing air; b. a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the radially inwardly flowing air in such a manner that the air and fuel mix to form a air-fuel mixture having a flow speed which is above the flame speed of the air-fuel mixture; and c. a bell-shaped throat having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the conduit, the bell-shaped throat having an outlet, the bell-shaped throat further having a cross sectional area such that the cross sectional area of the throat remains constant from inlet to outlet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A machine according to claim 12, further comprising: an air swirler disposed within the conduit for imparting a rotational component to the inwardly flowing air.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
A machine according to claim 12, wherein the fuel is a gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
A machine according to claim 12, wherein the fuel is propane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
206 words
An intake manifold for combining air and a fuel for forming an air-fuel mixture for injection into a burner having a combustion axis, the air-fuel mixture having an auto-ignition temperature and a flame speed under a specified set of conditions, the intake manifold comprising: a. a conduit having an inlet and an outlet for conveying air flowing radially inwardly with respect to the combustion axis, the flowing air having a flow speed; b. an air swirler disposed within a fairing disposed between the conduit and the burner for imparting a rotational component on the radially inwardly flowing air, the air swirler having an inlet diameter and an outlet diameter, the inlet diameter being greater than the outlet diameter such that the flow speed of the air is above the flame speed of the fuel; c. a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the radially inwardly flowing air in such a manner that the air and fuel mix for forming an air fuel-mixture; and d. a bell-shaped throat having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the conduit, the bell-shaped throat further having an outlet, the bell-shaped throat having a cross sectional contour such that the cross sectional area remains constant from inlet to outlet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
206 words
An intake manifold for combining air and a fuel for forming an air-fuel mixture for injection into a burner having a combustion axis, the air-fuel mixture having an auto-ignition temperature and a flame speed under a specified set of conditions, the intake manifold comprising: a. a conduit having an inlet and an outlet for conveying air flowing radially inwardly with respect to the combustion axis, the flowing air having a flow speed; b. an air swirler disposed within a fairing disposed between the conduit and the burner for imparting a rotational component on the radially inwardly flowing air, the air swirler having an inlet diameter and an outlet diameter, the inlet diameter being greater than the outlet diameter such that the flow speed of the air is above the flame speed of the fuel; c. a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the radially inwardly flowing air in such a manner that the air and fuel mix for forming an air fuel-mixture; and d. a bell-shaped throat having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the conduit, the bell-shaped throat further having an outlet, the bell-shaped throat having a cross sectional contour such that the cross sectional area remains constant from inlet to outlet.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for combusting in air a fuel having an auto-ignition temperature and a flame speed, the method comprising: a. propelling the air at a speed above the flame speed into an inlet of a throat, the throat also having an outlet and a constant cross sectional area from inlet to outlet; and b. mixing fuel into the air forming an air-fuel mixture, the air-fuel mixture exiting the outlet, such that a flame is created in the air-fuel mixture outside the outlet of the throat.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for combusting in air a fuel having an auto-ignition temperature and a flame speed, the method comprising: a. propelling the air at a speed above the flame speed into an inlet of a throat, the throat also having an outlet and a constant cross sectional area from inlet to outlet; and b. mixing fuel into the air forming an air-fuel mixture, the air-fuel mixture exiting the outlet, such that a flame is created in the air-fuel mixture outside the outlet of the throat.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-16 | 2003-11-15 | 2004-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-16 | 2007-11-15 | 2008-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-16 | 2011-11-15 | 2012-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |