초록 ▼

Radial impulse engine, pump, and compressor systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the invention, an engine includes a first end wall portion spaced apart from a second end wall portion to at least partially define a combustion chamber therebetween. In this embodiment, the engine further

Radial impulse engine, pump, and compressor systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the invention, an engine includes a first end wall portion spaced apart from a second end wall portion to at least partially define a combustion chamber therebetween. In this embodiment, the engine further includes a plurality of movable wall portions disposed between the first and second end wall portions. Each movable wall portion includes a cylindrical surface extending at least partially between a distal edge portion and a pivot axis. Upon ignition in the combustion chamber, the distal edge portion of each movable wall portion slides across the cylindrical surface of the adjacent movable wall portion as the movable wall portions pivot outwardly in unison about their respective pivot axes.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An engine comprising: a first end wall portion; a second end wall portion spaced apart from the first end wall portion to at least partially define a pressure chamber therebetween; a first movable wall portion operably disposed between the first and second end wall portions, the first

We claim: 1. An engine comprising: a first end wall portion; a second end wall portion spaced apart from the first end wall portion to at least partially define a pressure chamber therebetween; a first movable wall portion operably disposed between the first and second end wall portions, the first movable wall portion being pivotable about a first pivot axis and having a first surface facing at least generally toward the pressure chamber; a second movable wall portion operably disposed between the first and second end wall portions adjacent to the first movable wall portion, the second movable wall portion being pivotable about a second pivot axis and having a second surface facing at least generally toward the pressure chamber; a third movable wall portion operably disposed between the first and second end wall portions adjacent to the second movable wall portion, the third movable wall portion being pivotable about a third pivot axis and having a third surface facing at least generally toward the pressure chamber; and a synchronizing apparatus operably coupling the first movable wall portion to the second movable wall portion and the third movable wall portion, the synchronizing apparatus causing the first, second, and third movable wall portions to move in unison as the first movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the first pivot axis, the second movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the second pivot axis, and the third movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the third pivot axis. 2. The engine of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing apparatus includes a gear operably coupling the first movable wall portion to the second movable wall portion. 3. The engine of claim 1 wherein the synchronizing apparatus includes a gear operably coupling the first movable wall portion to the second and third movable wall portions. 4. The engine of claim 1, further comprising: a first wrist shaft configured to pivot about the first pivot axis; and a second wrist shaft configured to pivot about the second pivot axis, wherein the first movable wall portion is fixedly attached to the first wrist shaft and the second movable wall portion is fixedly attached to the second wrist shaft, and wherein the synchronizing apparatus operably engages the first and second wrist shafts. 5. The engine of claim 1, further comprising: a first wrist shaft configured to pivot about the first pivot axis; a second wrist shaft configured to pivot about the second pivot axis; a first timing gear fixedly attached to the first wrist shaft; and a second timing gear fixedly attached to the second wrist shaft, wherein the first movable wall portion is fixedly attached to the first wrist shaft and the second movable wall portion is fixedly attached to the second wrist shaft, and wherein the synchronizing apparatus includes a gear operably engaging the first and second timing gears. 6. The engine of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third pivot axes define a circle, and wherein the synchronizing apparatus includes a ring gear configured to rotate about an axis extending through a center of the circle. 7. The engine of claim 1, further comprising: a first wrist shaft fixedly attached to the first movable wall portion and configured to pivot about the first pivot axis; a second wrist shaft fixedly attached to the second movable wall portion and configured to pivot about the second pivot axis; a third wrist shaft fixedly attached to the third movable wall portion and configured to pivot about the third pivot axis; a first timing gear fixedly attached to the first wrist shaft; a second timing gear fixedly attached to the second wrist shaft; and a third timing gear fixedly attached to the third wrist shaft, wherein the first, second, and third pivot axes define a circle, and wherein the synchronizing apparatus includes a ring gear configured to rotate about an axis extending through a center of the circle. 8. The engine of claim 1, further comprising: a first wrist shaft fixedly attached to the first movable wall portion and configured to pivot about the first pivot axis; a second wrist shaft fixedly attached to the second movable wall portion and configured to pivot about the second pivot axis; and a crankshaft, wherein the synchronizing apparatus includes a gear operably engaging the first wrist shaft with the second wrist shaft, and wherein the crankshaft is operably coupled to the gear and configured to rotate unidirectionally as the first movable wall portion pivots about the first pivot axis and the second movable wall portion pivots about the second pivot axis. 9. The engine of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third pivot axes define a circle having a first radius of curvature, and wherein the second surface of the second movable wall portion has a second radius of curvature that is at least approximately equivalent to the first radius of curvature. 10. The engine of claim 1 wherein the first movable wall portion further includes a first distal edge portion spaced apart from the first pivot axis, and wherein the first distal edge portion is configured to slide across the second surface of the second movable wall portion as the first movable wall portion pivots about the first pivot axis and the second movable wall portion pivots about the second pivot axis. 11. The engine of claim 1 wherein the first movable wall portion further includes a distal edge portion spaced apart from the first pivot axis, and wherein the distal edge portion of the first movable wall portion carries a seal configured to slide across the second surface of the second movable wall portion as the first movable wall portion pivots about the first pivot axis and the second movable wall portion pivots about the second pivot axis. 12. The engine of claim 1 wherein the first movable wall portion further includes a distal edge portion spaced apart from the first pivot axis, wherein the distal edge portion of the first movable wall portion is configured to lubricate the second surface of the second movable wall portion as the distal edge portion slides across the second surface. 13. The engine of claim 1 wherein the pressure chamber is a combustion chamber, and wherein the second movable wall portion includes an aperture configured to admit at least one of air and an air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber. 14. The engine of claim 1 wherein the pressure chamber is a combustion chamber, and wherein the engine further comprises a fuel injector configured to spray fuel into the combustion chamber. 15. The engine of claim 1, wherein the pressure chamber is a combustion chamber, and wherein the engine further comprises an igniter configured to ignite an air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. 16. The engine of claim 1, wherein the pressure chamber is a combustion chamber, and wherein the engine further comprises valve configured to discharge exhaust gas from the combustion chamber. 17. The engine of claim 1, wherein the pressure chamber is an expansion chamber, and wherein the engine further comprises a valve configured to admit pressurized steam into the expansion chamber. 18. The engine of claim 1 wherein the first surface of the first movable wall portion has a first cylindrical shape, and wherein the second surface of the second movable wall portion has a second cylindrical shape that is at least approximately identical to the first cylindrical shape. 19. The engine of claim 1, further comprising: a fourth movable wall portion operably disposed between the first and second end wall portions adjacent to the third movable wall portion, the fourth movable wall portion being pivotable about a fourth pivot axis and having a fourth surface facing at least generally toward the pressure chamber; and at least a fifth movable wall portion operably disposed between the first and second end wall portions adjacent to the fourth movable wall portion, the fifth movable wall portion being pivotable about a fifth pivot axis and having a fifth surface facing at least generally toward the pressure chamber, wherein the synchronizing apparatus causes the first, second, third, fourth and fifth movable wall portions to move in unison as the first movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the first pivot axis, the second movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the second pivot axis, the third movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the third pivot axis, the fourth movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the fourth pivot axis, and the fifth movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the fifth pivot axis. 20. The engine of claim 1, further comprising a crankshaft operably coupled to the first movable wall portion, wherein the crankshaft is configured to rotate unidirectionally as the first movable wall portion pivots back and forth about the first pivot axis. 21. The engine of claim 1, further comprising: means for introducing fuel into the pressure chamber; and means for igniting the fuel in the pressure chamber. 22. An internal combustion engine comprising: a first end wall portion; a second end wall portion spaced apart from the first end wall portion to at least partially define a combustion chamber therebetween; a first wrist shaft extending at least partially between the first and second end wall portions along a first pivot axis; a second wrist shaft extending at least partially between the first and second end wall portions along a second pivot axis; a third wrist shaft extending at least partially between the first and second end wall portions along a third pivot axis; a first movable wall portion fixedly attached to the first wrist shaft and having a first surface defining at least a portion of the combustion chamber; a second movable wall portion fixedly attached to the second wrist shaft and having a second surface defining at least a portion of the combustion chamber; a third movable wall portion fixedly attached to the third wrist shaft and having a third surface defining at least a portion of the combustion chamber; and a synchronizing apparatus operably coupling the first wrist shaft to the second wrist shaft, the synchronizing apparatus causing the first, second, and third movable wall portions to move in unison as the first movable wall portion reciprocates about the first pivot axis, the second movable wall portion reciprocates about the second pivot axis, and the third movable wall portion reciprocates about the third pivot axis. 23. The internal combustion engine of claim 22, wherein the synchronizing apparatus includes a gear operably coupling the first wrist shaft to the second wrist shaft. 24. The internal combustion engine of claim 22, further comprising a crankshaft operably coupled to the first movable wall portion, wherein the crankshaft is configured to rotate unidirectionally as the first movable wall portion reciprocates about the first pivot axis. 25. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 wherein the first, second, and third pivot axes define a circle. 26. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 wherein the first movable wall portion further includes a first distal edge portion spaced apart from the first pivot axis, and wherein the first distal edge portion is configured to slide across the second surface of the second movable wall portion as the first movable wall portion reciprocates about the first pivot axis and the second movable wall portion reciprocates about the second pivot axis. 27. An internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber; a first movable wall portion positioned proximate to the combustion chamber; a second movable wall portion positioned proximate to the combustion chamber and the first movable wall portion; a third movable wall portion positioned proximate to the combustion chamber and the second movable wall portion; a fourth movable wall portion positioned proximate to the combustion chamber and the third movable wall portion; a fifth movable wall portion positioned proximate to the combustion chamber and the fourth movable wall portion; means for introducing fuel into the combustion chamber; and means for igniting the fuel in the combustion chamber, wherein igniting the fuel in the combustion chamber causes the first movable wall portion to rotate in a first direction about a first pivot axis, the second movable wall portion to rotate in the first direction about a second pivot axis, the third movable wall portion to rotate in the first direction about a third pivot axis, the fourth movable wall portion to rotate in the first direction about a fourth pivot axis, and the fifth movable wall portion to rotate in the first direction about a fifth pivot axis, and wherein the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth pivot axes are arranged in a circle. 28. The internal combustion engine of claim 27: wherein the first movable wall portion has a first distal edge portion spaced apart from the first pivot axis; wherein the second movable wall portion has a second distal edge portion spaced apart from the second pivot axis; and wherein igniting the fuel in the combustion chamber further causes the first distal edge portion to slide across the second movable wall portion and the second distal edge portion to slide across the third movable wall portion. 29. The internal combustion engine of claim 27, further comprising means for reversing direction of the first and second movable wall portions as they rotate in the first direction. 30. The internal combustion engine of claim 27 wherein the first pivot axis is offset from a first center of the first movable wall portion, and the second pivot axis is offset from a second center of the second movable wall portion.