Patent ID: 9394851
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: F02G

Claim Text:
1. A Stirling cycle transducer apparatus for converting between thermal energy and mechanical energy, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a compression chamber disposed in the housing and having at least a first interface operable to vary a volume of the compression chamber; an expansion chamber disposed in the housing and having a second interface operable to vary a volume of at least the expansion chamber; a thermal regenerator in fluid communication with each of the compression chamber and the expansion chamber, the thermal regenerator being operable to alternatively receive thermal energy from gas flowing in a first direction through the regenerator and to deliver the thermal energy to gas flowing in a direction opposite to the first direction through the regenerator, the compression chamber, the expansion chamber, and the regenerator together defining a working volume for containing a pressurized working gas, each of the first and second interfaces being configured for reciprocating motion in a direction aligned with a transducer axis, the reciprocating motion being operable to cause a periodic exchange of working gas between the expansion and the compression chambers, and wherein at least one of the first and second interfaces comprises: