Abstract:
The present invention provides novel engine technologies for power generation and work applications. The engines transform sunlight, heat, or cold, directly into mechanical force. The invention uses a focusing means to apply temperature differentials to a thermally reactive material retained in moveable housings. Said thermally reactive material is mounted in contact with a bearing element configured to apply directional force to said thermally reactive material surface as it changes shape in response to said applied temperature differentials.

Description:
[0001]    This patent application is a divisional application of patent application Ser. No. 10/165,722, filed on Jun. 10, 2002, confirmation number 2936, Art Unit 3748, examiner Sheldon J. Richter. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates generally to motors and engines.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art  
           [0005]    Generators, Motors and engines are well known in prior art. Electric motors, as well as gasoline and diesel engines, are the mainstay of power generation, transportation, and power tools. They range in efficiency from a high of 95% in electric motors to a low of 33% in gasoline engines. However, electric motors require electricity to operate, and electricity costs are steadily rising. Internal combustion engines require hydrocarbon fuels to operate, and they are steadily rising in cost as well. Electric generators are highly efficient as well, but they also require costly fuel sources or hydroelectric energy to create electricity. The Stirling engine is a prior art example of an external combustion thermal differential motor—but it provides relatively low power and is impractical for most modem applications.  
           [0006]    A number of “memory metal” actuator and motor designs using bi-metal or Nitinol materials have been disclosed in prior art. Gummin&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,707 describes a shape memory alloy actuator using a plurality of wires. Similarly, Richardson&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,935 uses a nitinol strand as a spring tensioner. Kutlucinar&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,992 discloses a heat converter engine based on shape memory materials that also use a plurality of strands.  
           [0007]    The present invention describes unique shape memory material power generating engine technologies which have a minimum of moving parts, require only one shape memory element, an can be scaled to produce tremendous torque with available ambient environmental temperature differentials as fuel—specifically heat, cold, water, and/or sunlight.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an efficient, high torque motor which uses sunlight or ambient cold or heat differentials as fuel sources. The invention may also use artificially generated thermal differentials to improve or increase its power output.  
           [0009]    The engines in accordance with the present invention transform sunlight, heat, or cold, directly into rotary and linear mechanical force. The invention uses a focusing means to apply ambient temperature differentials to a thermally reactive material retained in a moveable housing. Said thermally reactive material is mounted in contact with a bearing element which either receives or applies directional force from or to said thermally reactive material surface as said surface changes shape in response to said applied ambient temperature differentials.  
           [0010]    The invention as described herein has many advantages over prior art solutions. A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages, will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description, drawings, and claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an isometric detail of a rotary sunlight engine in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an isometric detail of a rotary thermal differential engine in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is an isometric detail of a reciprocating sunlight engine in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is an isometric detail of a reciprocating thermal differential engine in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention as presented in FIG. 1 provides a bearing mount means  5  configured to retain bearing assemblies  6 . Left rotatable retaining collar  7  is rigidly mounted to axle  23 . Right rotatable retaining collar  9  is also rigidly mounted to axle  23 . The inner rims of the perimeter of collars  7  and  9  are fabricated with indentations in a manner to allow the rigid retention of thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  as it is clamped between collars  7  and  9 . Detail  11  shows an exemplary removed segment of collar  9  to further illustrate the thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  retention indentation.  
         [0016]    Thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  may be fabricated from bimetal strip material as used in thermometers, or it may be fabricated from other types of memory metal such as nitinol. The important capability of thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  is that it expand and/or contract rapidly when exposed to a heat or cold source, and return to its original shape equally as rapidly when said source is removed.  
         [0017]    A thermal differential element is provided in this embodiment which may be a sunlight focusing means  20 , and which may be a magnifying lens mounted on positioning arms  16  with bolts  18  such that said focusing means  20  is aimed to apply magnified solar rays  21  collected from the sun  22  to temperature differential focusing means  28 . Positioning arms  16  are fixedly mounted to bearing mount means  5 .Temperature differential focusing means  28  is fixedly mounted to pivot arms  25 , which are in turn pivotably mounted to positioning arms  16  by pins  17 . Temperature differential focusing means  28  is in thermally conductive contact with thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  so as to generate heat on the surface of thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12 .  
         [0018]    Ball transfer bearing housing  14  may be fixedly mounted adjacent to focusing means  20  on bearing mount means  5  with clamp  19 . Ball transfer bearings are well known in prior art so it is not necessary to go into further detail on their construction herein. The important capability of the ball transfer bearing housing  14  is that it is fixedly mounted so that the freely rolling ball bearing  15  applies positive contact pressure to said thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  adjacent to said temperature differential focusing means  28  such that a change in shape of the thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  increases the normal pressure on said freely rolling ball bearing  15  causing said thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  to push away from said freely rolling ball bearing  15 , in turn causing said axle  23 , which is fixedly mounted to collars  7  and  9 , to rotate within bearing assemblies  6 . As each new portion of thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  is exposed to, and heated in turn by sunlight focusing means  20 , pressure is continuously applied to said freely rolling ball bearing  15  to maintain rotation of collars  7  and  9 . Due to the pivot point at pin  17 , temperature differential focusing means  28  is free to ride up and down on wheel strip  12  as its shape changes so as to maintain thermal contact.  
         [0019]    A perimeter gear or other power take-off element may be fixedly attached to the outer rim of collars  7  and/or  9  to allow the usage of the available horsepower and torque provided by the invention described herein. Usage of the available horsepower and torque provided by the invention described herein may also be provided by an attachment to axle  23 .  
         [0020]    Another embodiment of the present invention as presented in FIG. 2 is almost identical to the embodiment referenced in FIG. 1, so element identification numerals are retained for identical components. However, different numbers are assigned to different components.  
         [0021]    In the embodiment of the invention presented in FIG. 2, the sunlight focusing means  20  is replaced with a temperature differential conducting means  26  in thermal contact with, and fixedly mounted to temperature differential focusing means  28 . Positioning arms  16  are replaced with mounting arms  27  fixedly attached to bearing mount means  5 . Temperature differential focusing means  28  is in turn, in thermally conductive contact with thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12 . Temperature differential focusing means  28  may be a heat sink, and may be configured to absorb cold or hot temperatures from the ambient air, or from temperature differential conducting means  26 —which may be flexible tubes or any other thermal media conductor—and which, may be fed from a thermal medium  24  stored in hot or cold media reservoir  29 . Thermal medium  24  may be a water source, a waste heat source, or any other means to store temperature variations from ambient.  
         [0022]    As the temperature differential focusing means  28  develops a temperature variation relative to ambient, said temperature variation is applied to the surface of thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12  through temperature differential focusing means  28 , wheel strip  12  puts pressure on ball  15 , and the apparatus rotates exactly as in the embodiment in FIG. 1. In other embodiments of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the temperature differential focusing means  28  may be a laser beam, a gas flame, an ice cube, or any other medium that may affect a change in the surface temperature of thermally reactive perimeter wheel strip  12 .  
         [0023]    Another embodiment of the present invention as presented in FIG. 3 provides a thermal differential reciprocating engine apparatus which includes a horizontal component retaining means  30  configured to fixedly retain a thermally reactive material strip  31 .  
         [0024]    Horizontal component retaining means  30  is also configured to fixedly retain a linear bearing assembly travel rod means  32  substantially parallel to said thermally reactive material such that bearing housing  35  may freely slide horizontally along travel rod means  32  in a manner also substantially parallel to said thermally reactive material strip  31 . Ball transfer bearing assembly  35  is fixedly attached to bearing housing  34  such that ball bearing  33  maintains contact with said thermally reactive material strip  31 .  
         [0025]    A first sunlight focusing means  38  is mounted on the left side of upper element retaining means  40 , and configured to direct magnified sunlight  39 , collected from the sun  51 , to temperature differential focusing means  48 . Temperature differential focusing means  48  is moveably mounted to a slotted relief in retaining arms  37  with pins  36 . Retaining arms  37  are in turn fixedly mounted to horizontal component retaining means  30 . Temperature differential focusing means  48  is in thermally conductive contact with thermally reactive material strip  31  so as to generate heat or cold on the surface of said thermally reactive material strip  31 . Due to the slot relief in retaining arms  25 , temperature differential focusing means  48  is free to ride up and down on material strip  31  as its shape changes.  
         [0026]    A second sunlight focusing means  47  is mounted on the right side of upper element retaining means  40 , and configured to apply magnified sunlight to temperature differential focusing means  50 . Temperature differential focusing means  50  is moveably mounted to a slotted relief in retaining arms  52  with pins  53 . Retaining arms  52  are in turn fixedly mounted to horizontal component retaining means  30 . Temperature differential focusing means  50  is in thermally conductive contact with thermally reactive material strip  31  so as to generate heat on the surface of said thermally reactive material strip  31 . Due to the slot relief in retaining arms  52 , temperature differential focusing means  50  is free to ride up and down on material strip  31  as its shape changes.  
         [0027]    As the surface of thermally reactive material strip  31  expands in response to the applied magnified sunlight heat temperature differential provided by first temperature differential focusing means  48 , bearing  33  is forced in a direction opposite to the change in surface height which leads to the second temperature differential focusing means  50 . As bearing  33  approaches said second temperature differential focusing means  50 , second temperature differential focusing means  50  applies a thermal differential to the surface of thermally reactive material strip  31 , forcing said bearing  33  back towards first temperature differential focusing means  48 .  
         [0028]    The cycle repeats indefinitely as sunlight is alternately restricted from, and released into, first and second temperature differential focusing means  48  and  50  through sunlight flow directing valve  54 . Said valve  54  is a light blocking means which is slidably mounted in thermal differential element retaining means  40 , and fixedly coupled to linear bearing housing  34  by vertical shaft  55 . Valve  54  alternately blocks and allows passage of the sun&#39;s rays through sunlight focusing means  38  and  47  onto the temperature differential focusing means  48  and  50  as linear bearing housing  34  travels from side to side. Power transfer shaft  57  may be fixedly attached to ball transfer bearing means  35  at right angles to travel rod means  32  to allow the usage of the available horsepower and torque provided by the invention as bearing housing  34  accelerates from side to side in opposition to the application of said directional forces. Shaft  57  may also be fixedly attached to connecting arm  59 , which may in turn be connected to crank  60  fixedly mounted to crankshaft  61 . Power from the apparatus may be extracted from shaft  57 , crankshaft  61 , or any other suitable motive energy attachment point on the apparatus.  
         [0029]    The embodiment of the present invention as described in FIG. 3 is a novel reciprocating engine that operates on an applied thermal differential provided by focused sunlight. The relative difference between ambient temperature and the temperature applied to the thermally reactive material strip  31  determines the net available horsepower. Sunlight may replaced by any ambient temperature differential source.  
         [0030]    Another embodiment of the present invention as presented in FIG. 4 is almost identical to the embodiment referenced in FIG. 3, so element identification numerals are retained for identical components; however, different numbers are assigned to different components.  
         [0031]    In the embodiment of the invention presented in FIG. 4, the sunlight focusing means  38  and  47  are eliminated. Upper element retaining means  40  is replaced with upper rocker element retaining means  63 . Sunlight flow directing valve  54  is replaced with rocker actuator  64 . Left rocker arm  66  is moveably attached to left rocker pivot rod  67 , retained in pivot mounts  68 , such that pressure exerted on said arm  66  will press on first temperature differential focusing means  48  to maintain thermal contact with strip  31 . Right rocker arm  70  is moveably attached to right rocker pivot rod  71 , retained in pivot mounts  72 , such that pressure exerted on said arm  70  by actuator  64  will be transferred to second temperature differential focusing means  50  to maintain thermal contact with strip  31 .  
         [0032]    Rocker actuator  64  is slidably mounted in upper rocker element retaining means  63 , and fixedly coupled to linear bearing housing  34  by vertical shaft  55 . Rocker actuator  64  alternately applies pressure to the temperature differential focusing means  48  and  50  as linear bearing housing  34  travels from side to side. Power transfer shaft  57  may be fixedly attached to ball transfer bearing means  35  at right angles to travel rod means  32  to allow the usage of the available horsepower and torque provided by the invention as bearing housing  34  accelerates from side to side in opposition to the application of said directional forces. Shaft  57  may also be fixedly attached to connecting arm  59 , which may in turn be connected to crank  60  fixedly mounted to crankshaft  61 . Power from the apparatus may be extracted from shaft  57 , crankshaft  61 , or any other suitable motive energy attachment point on the apparatus.  
         [0033]    Temperature differential media conducting means  73 —which may be flexible tubes or any other thermal media conductor—and which, may be fed from a hot or cold media reservoir  74 , are thermally coupled to, which directs the flow of thermal medium  75  into and out of temperature differential focusing means  48  and  50 . Thermal medium  75  may be a water source, a waste heat source, or any other means to store temperature variations that differ from ambient.  
         [0034]    The cycle repeats indefinitely as rocker arms  68  and  69  alternately force temperature differential focusing means  48  and  50  into direct contact with strip  31  in response to the pressure exerted on said rocker arms  68  and  69  by rocker actuator  64 .  
         [0035]    The embodiment of the present invention as described in FIG. 4 is a novel version of a reciprocating engine which operates on any applied thermal differential. The relative difference between ambient temperature and the temperature applied to the thermally reactive material strip  31 , the size of thermally reactive strip  31 , and the tensile strength of strip  31 , are key factors that determine the net available horsepower.  
         [0036]    It is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.