Patent ID: 6035630
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: F02C,Y02T

Abstract:
An internal combustion rotary engine comprising a circular inner element mounted to be rotatable thereby to function as a rotor of the engine and a concentric, substantially annular outer element mounted to be stationary thereby to function as a stator of the engine, said rotor and stator being disposed so that an inner circumference of the stator, at least in certain pre-determined circumferential sectors thereof, sealingly surrounds said rotor, said rotor and stator being mounted for relative rotation about an axis of concentricity thereof, the stator being provided with at least two combustion chambers equidistantly spaced around said circumference, each of said combustion chambers having a discharge outlet opening tangentially into said circumference towards said rotor, each of said combustion chambers further having at least one fuel inlet through which oxygen or air and fuel, in pre-determined amounts such as to form a combustible mixture, can be injected into said combustion chamber at pre-determined intervals, the combustion chamber further comprising means for initiating or enhancing the ignition of the combustible mixture injected into said combustion chamber, said rotor being designed so as to form a generally ring-shaped body of rotation having a thoroughfare inside extending axially therethrough, and an outer ring body connected to a central shaft by a plurality of spokes in a rigid, torque transmitting manner, said central shaft protruding, at least at one of its end portions, from said ring body and being mounted to serve as the main shaft of the engine, said ring body of the rotor being provided with a plurality of recesses adapted to receive a gas jet of expanding high pressure combustion gases discharged from said combustion chambers through their discharge outlets when said recesses are, temporally and sequentially facing said discharge outlets during the relative rotation of said rotor in relation to said stator, the rotary engine being characterised in said rotor consisting of at least two adjacent and identical rotor segments, comprising each, a ring segment, and said recesses being, in each ring segment of said rotor, designed and shaped so as to form at least one group of thoroughfare expansion channels providing direct connections for the combustion gases from said discharge outlets of said combustion chambers towards said inside of said rotor at intervals when inlets of said expansion channels along the outer circumference of said rotor segments are facing said discharge outlets along the inner circumference of the stator.