IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0901915
(2010-10-11)
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등록번호 |
US-8596230
(2013-12-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Sturman, Oded Eddie
- Kiss, Tibor
- Massey, Steven E.
- Drury, David
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Sturman Digital Systems, LLC
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대리인 / 주소 |
Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
159 |
초록
▼
Hydraulic internal combustion engines having at least one combustion piston not mechanically connected to a crankshaft or any other combustion piston, but instead acting on hydraulic plungers through valving that is electronically controlled to control the piston position and velocity, typically thr
Hydraulic internal combustion engines having at least one combustion piston not mechanically connected to a crankshaft or any other combustion piston, but instead acting on hydraulic plungers through valving that is electronically controlled to control the piston position and velocity, typically through an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion or power stroke and an exhaust stroke. Electronically controlled fuel injection and electronically controlled engine valves provided great flexibility in the operating cycles that may be used, with the engine pumping hydraulic fluid to a high pressure accumulator for use in hydraulic motors or other hydraulic equipment. Embodiments using high pressure air injection to sustain combustion are also disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
1. An internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion piston in a combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above the combustion piston, the combustion chamber having electronically controlled intake and exhaust valves, the combustion piston not being mechanically connected to any other
1. An internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion piston in a combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above the combustion piston, the combustion chamber having electronically controlled intake and exhaust valves, the combustion piston not being mechanically connected to any other combustion piston or air compression piston each combustion cylinder having an electronically controlled valve for injection of high pressure air from a high pressure air rail into the combustion chamber;a combustion piston position sensor;a plurality of hydraulic plungers under the combustion piston, each in a respective hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic cylinders being coupled to electronically controlled hydraulic cylinder valving for controllably coupling each hydraulic cylinder to a high pressure hydraulic system or a low pressure hydraulic system; anda controller, the controller controlling the electronically controlled hydraulic cylinder valving and the electronically controlled intake and exhaust valves to control both the upward and the downward motion of the combustion piston in the combustion cylinder responsive to an output of the combustion piston position sensor:each combustion cylinder includes an electronically controlled valve for injection of high pressure air from a high pressure air rail into the combustion chamber,an air compression piston in an air compression cylinder defining an air compression chamber above the air compression piston, the air compression chamber having an intake valve and a valve for delivering high pressure air to the high pressure air rail, the air compression piston not being mechanically connected to any other combustion piston or air compression piston;an air compression piston position sensor;a plurality of hydraulic plungers under the air compression piston, each in a respective hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic cylinders being coupled to electronically controlled valving for controllably coupling each hydraulic cylinder to the high pressure hydraulic system or the low pressure hydraulic system; andthe controller controlling the electronically controlled hydraulic cylinder valving and the electronically controlled intake and exhaust valves to control both the upward and the downward motion of the combustion piston in the combustion cylinder, both the upward and the downward motion of the air compression piston in the air compression cylinder responsive to an output of the air compression piston position sensor, and also to control the electronically controlled valve for injection of high pressure air from the high pressure air rail into the combustion chamber. 2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 further comprising an electronically controlled fuel injector disposed to controllably inject fuel into the combustion chamber, the controller also controlling the electronically controlled fuel injector. 3. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 wherein the controller causes the combustion piston to successively execute an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke and an exhaust stroke for the combustion piston and to successively execute intake and air compression strokes for the air compression piston. 4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 wherein the controller causes the electronically controlled fuel injector to inject fuel into the combustion chamber during the intake stroke or the beginning of the compression stroke, and to inject air from the air rail but not fuel into the combustion chamber during the power stroke after compression ignition of the fuel to sustain combustion until all the fuel then in the combustion chamber is consumed. 5. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 wherein all cylinders have a construction of both combustion cylinders and air compression cylinders, and wherein each cylinder may be operated by the controller as an air compression cylinder at one time and as a combustion cylinder at another time. 6. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 wherein one cylinder is always operated as an air compression cylinder and the other cylinder is always operated as a combustion cylinder. 7. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 further comprising: an output piston in an output cylinder and connected to a crankshaft through a connecting rod below the output piston;a plurality of output hydraulic plungers above and acting on the output piston, each in a respective output hydraulic cylinder, the output hydraulic cylinders being coupled to electronically controlled output hydraulic cylinder valving for controllably coupling each output hydraulic cylinder to a high pressure hydraulic system or a low pressure hydraulic system to drive the crankshaft in rotation;the controller also controlling the electronically controlled output hydraulic cylinder valving responsive to a power setting. 8. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 wherein the controller controls the combustion piston responsive to the pressure in the high pressure hydraulic system. 9. An internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion cylinder;a combustion piston in the combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above a first surface of the combustion piston, the motion of the combustion piston not being mechanically fastened to move in unison with any other combustion or compression piston in the internal combustion engine;at least one pair of first hydraulic cylinders, the first hydraulic cylinders of each pair of first hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the combustion cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the combustion cylinder;a plurality of first hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of first hydraulic plungers within one of the first hydraulic cylinders and disposed with respect to a second surface of the combustion piston to reciprocate with the combustion piston;at least two electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valves coupled to at least one of the first hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of first hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line;a center hydraulic cylinder aligned with the central axis of the combustion cylinder; anda center hydraulic plunger coupled to the second surface of the combustion piston and in the center hydraulic cylinder, the center hydraulic plunger provides two opposing hydraulic control surfaces that allow the hydraulic plunger to push and pull the combustion piston along the central axis;wherein one of the electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valves is coupled to the center hydraulic cylinder to selectively couple the center hydraulic cylinder to a high pressure hydraulic line independently of the first hydraulic cylinders;a combustion piston position sensor to sense the position of the combustion piston within the combustion cylinder;a controller coupled to the position sensor and the at least one electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valves to selectively provide electrical signals to the first hydraulic fluid control valves responsive to the sensor and thereby couple the first hydraulic cylinders to the high pressure hydraulic line and provide a variable and reversible force on the combustion piston, and to provide electronic control to the fuel injector and intake and exhaust valves;an air rail;at least one compression cylinder having a compression piston in the compression cylinder defining a compression chamber above a first surface of the compression piston;an electronically controlled intake valve coupled to the compression chamber;at least one pair of second hydraulic cylinders, the second hydraulic cylinders of each pair of second hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the compression cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the compression cylinder;a plurality of second hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of second hydraulic plungers within one of the second hydraulic cylinders and disposed with respect to a second surface of the compression piston to cause the compression piston to reciprocate; andat least one electrically actuated second hydraulic fluid control valve coupled to the second hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of second hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line;each combustion cylinder having an electronically controlled air injection valve for injection of air compressed by the compression cylinder into each combustion cylinder. 10. The internal combustion engine of claim 9 further comprising: an electronically controlled fuel injector disposed to inject fuel into the combustion chamber;electronically controlled intake and exhaust valves coupled to the combustion chamber. 11. The internal combustion engine of claim 9 further comprising: a drive cylinder;a drive piston that slides within the drive cylinder along a central axis of the drive cylinder;a crankshaft coupled to a first side of the drive piston by a connecting rod;at least one pair of third hydraulic cylinders, the third hydraulic cylinders of each pair of third hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the drive cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the drive cylinder;a plurality of third hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of third hydraulic plungers within one of the third hydraulic cylinders and arranged to press against a second side of the drive piston opposite the first side; andat least one electrically actuated third hydraulic fluid control valve coupled to the third hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of third hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line, whereby the second plurality of hydraulic plungers move the drive piston and cause the crankshaft to rotate. 12. An internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion cylinder;a combustion piston in the combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above a first surface of the combustion piston, the motion of the combustion piston not being mechanically fastened to move in unison with any other combustion or compression piston in the internal combustion engine;at least one pair of first hydraulic cylinders, the first hydraulic cylinders of each pair of first hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the combustion cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the combustion cylinder;a plurality of first hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of first hydraulic plungers within one of the first hydraulic cylinders and disposed with respect to a second surface of the combustion piston to reciprocate with the combustion piston; andat least one electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valve coupled to at least one of the first hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of first hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line;at least one compression cylinder having a compression piston in the compression cylinder defining a compression chamber above a first surface of the compression piston;an electronically controlled intake valve coupled to the compression chamber;at least one pair of second hydraulic cylinders, the second hydraulic cylinders of each pair of second hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the compression cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the compression cylinder;a plurality of second hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of second hydraulic plungers within one of the second hydraulic cylinders and disposed with respect to a second surface of the compression piston to cause the compression piston to reciprocate; andat least one electrically actuated second hydraulic fluid control valve coupled to the second hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of second hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line;each combustion cylinder having an electronically controlled air injection valve for injection of air compressed by the compression cylinder into each combustion cylinder. 13. An internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion cylinder;a combustion piston in the combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above a first surface of the combustion piston, the motion of the combustion piston not being mechanically fastened to move in unison with any other combustion or compression piston in the internal combustion engine;at least one pair of first hydraulic cylinders, the first hydraulic cylinders of each pair of first hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the combustion cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the combustion cylinder;a plurality of first hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of first hydraulic plungers within one of the first hydraulic cylinders and disposed with respect to a second surface of the combustion piston to reciprocate with the combustion piston; andat least one electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valve coupled to at least one of the first hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of first hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line;further comprising for each combustion cylinder:an electronically controlled fuel injector disposed to inject fuel into the combustion chamber;electronically controlled intake and exhaust valves coupled to the combustion chamber. 14. An internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion cylinder;a combustion piston in the combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above a first surface of the combustion piston, the motion of the combustion piston not being mechanically fastened to move in unison with any other combustion or compression piston in the internal combustion engine;at least one pair of first hydraulic cylinders, the first hydraulic cylinders of each pair of first hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the combustion cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the combustion cylinder;a plurality of first hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of first hydraulic plungers within one of the first hydraulic cylinders and disposed with respect to a second surface of the combustion piston to reciprocate with the combustion piston; andat least one electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valve coupled to at least one of the first hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of first hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line;a drive cylinder;a drive piston that slides within the drive cylinder along a central axis of the drive cylinder;a crankshaft coupled to a first side of the drive piston by a connecting rod;at least one pair of third hydraulic cylinders, the third hydraulic cylinders of each pair of third hydraulic cylinders being located on opposite sides of a diameter of the drive cylinder equidistant from a central axis of the drive cylinder;a plurality of third hydraulic plungers, each of the plurality of third hydraulic plungers within one of the third hydraulic cylinders and arranged to press against a second side of the drive piston opposite the first side; andat least one electrically actuated third hydraulic fluid control valve coupled to the third hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple each pair of third hydraulic cylinders to a high pressure hydraulic line or a low pressure hydraulic line, whereby the second plurality of hydraulic plungers move the drive piston and cause the crankshaft to rotate. 15. A method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising: providing a combustion cylinder having a combustion piston in the combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above a first surface of the combustion piston, the motion of the combustion piston not being mechanically fastened to move in unison with any other combustion or compression piston in the internal combustion engine;selectively operating at least one electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valve to selectively provide high pressure or low pressure hydraulic fluid to at least one pair of first hydraulic cylinders acting on a second surface of the combustion piston to cause the combustion piston to compress the contents of the combustion chamber in a compression stroke, each first hydraulic cylinder including a first hydraulic plunger, each pair of the first hydraulic cylinders being substantially equal in diameter and located on a diameter of the combustion cylinder, equally and oppositely spaced from a center of the combustion cylinder, andeach of the plurality of first hydraulic fluid control valves coupled to at least one of the first hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple the first hydraulic cylinders in diametrically opposite pairs to the high pressure hydraulic line independently of the remaining first hydraulic cylinders;providing fuel and air to the combustion chamber at least by the time the contents of the combustion chamber are compressed and ready to ignite; andselectively operating the plurality of first hydraulic fluid control valves to receive high pressure hydraulic fluid from diametrically opposite pairs of the plurality of first hydraulic cylinders coupled to the combustion piston during a power stroke following ignition of the fuel;injecting air into the combustion cylinder during combustion in the power stroke;the plurality of electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valves being operated to control the combustion piston velocity and limits of travel during the compression and power stroke. 16. A method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising: providing a combustion cylinder having a combustion piston in the combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above a first surface of the combustion piston, the motion of the combustion piston not being mechanically fastened to move in unison with any other combustion or compression piston in the internal combustion engine;selectively operating at least one electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valve to selectively provide high pressure or low pressure hydraulic fluid to at least one pair of first hydraulic cylinders acting on a second surface of the combustion piston to cause the combustion piston to compress the contents of the combustion chamber in a compression stroke, each first hydraulic cylinder including a first hydraulic plunger, each pair of the first hydraulic cylinders being substantially equal in diameter and located on a diameter of the combustion cylinder, equally and oppositely spaced from a center of the combustion cylinder, andeach of the plurality of first hydraulic fluid control valves coupled to at least one of the first hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple the first hydraulic cylinders in diametrically opposite pairs to the high pressure hydraulic line independently of the remaining first hydraulic cylinders;providing ammonia and air to the combustion chamber at least by the time the contents of the combustion chamber are compressed and ready to ignite; andselectively operating the plurality of first hydraulic fluid control valves to receive high pressure hydraulic fluid from diametrically opposite pairs of the plurality of first hydraulic cylinders coupled to the combustion piston during a power stroke following ignition of the ammonia;the plurality of electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valves being operated to control the combustion piston velocity and limits of travel during the compression and power stroke. 17. A method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising: providing a combustion cylinder having a combustion piston in the combustion cylinder defining a combustion chamber above a first surface of the combustion piston, the motion of the combustion piston not being mechanically fastened to move in unison with any other combustion or compression piston in the internal combustion engine;selectively operating at least one electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valve to selectively provide high pressure or low pressure hydraulic fluid to at least one pair of first hydraulic cylinders acting on a second surface of the combustion piston to cause the combustion piston to compress the contents of the combustion chamber in a compression stroke, each first hydraulic cylinder including a first hydraulic plunger, each pair of the first hydraulic cylinders being substantially equal in diameter and located on a diameter of the combustion cylinder, equally and oppositely spaced from a center of the combustion cylinder, andeach of the plurality of first hydraulic fluid control valves coupled to at least one of the first hydraulic cylinders to selectively couple the first hydraulic cylinders in diametrically opposite pairs to the high pressure hydraulic line independently of the remaining first hydraulic cylinders;providing ammonia and air to the combustion chamber at least by the time the contents of the combustion chamber are compressed and ready to ignite, the ammonia being put into the combustion chamber at the beginning of or before the compression stroke; andselectively operating the plurality of first hydraulic fluid control valves to receive high pressure hydraulic fluid from diametrically opposite pairs of the plurality of first hydraulic cylinders coupled to the combustion piston during a power stroke following ignition of the ammonia;the plurality of electrically actuated first hydraulic fluid control valves being operated to control the combustion piston velocity and limits of travel during the compression and power stroke;wherein air and not fuel is injected into the combustion cylinder during combustion in the power stroke.
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