Patent Publication Number: US-7210445-B1

Title: Piston-cam engine

Description:
This is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/816,284 filed Apr. 1, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,534. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   This invention relates to combustion engines with improvements therein. Particularly, the engine embodies a novel cam drive mechanism to increase power. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Conventional reciprocating piston type engines adopt a crankshaft and connecting-rod mechanism. In order to gain efficiency in power in the combustion engines, these types of engines have been modified to eliminate the crank shaft and connecting rod mechanism and made the engine more compact. 
   Prior modified systems have failed to provide suitable leak tightness found in reciprocating cylindrical pistons. Prior engine modifications have also employed a single shaft and connecting-rod mechanism to the piston for driving the same within the cylinder. These prior modifications use moving connecting rods. Variations of such prior engines fail to provide a suitable solution to prevent potential wear within the engine. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the invention is to provide an improved combustion engine. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a piston-cam engine which is smaller in volume than the conventional crankshaft and connecting-rod type engine having the same capacity. 
   Still another object is to provide a piston-cam engine of relatively high efficiency and torque. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide at least one slave piston which cooperates with a drive piston to reduce potential wear and force exerted on the drive piston. 
   Accordingly, the invention is directed to a piston-cam engine which includes a drive cylinder, a drive piston operably disposed therein having a piston head and a shaft, a support frame having a drive shaft rotatably movably connected thereto, a cam having a peripheral surface and having a plurality of lobes thereon, a roller member connected to the piston shaft and adapted for engagement with the peripheral surface of the cam, and a biasing element for biasing the roller member continuously against the peripheral surface of the cam. A support drive plate interconnects the piston shaft and the roller member and one or more slave cylinder(s) is provided adjacent the drive cylinder and has a slave piston operably disposed therein and has a piston head and a shaft, wherein the slave piston shaft is connected to the support drive plate to absorb part of a force exerted on the support plate during operation of the engine. 
   With the above and other objects in view, the invention further consists of the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a sectional view taken through an embodiment of a piston-cam engine. 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal sectional view taken through line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view illustrating an intake phase. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view illustrating a compression phase. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view illustrating an ignition phase. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view illustrating an exhaust phase. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view illustrating an intake phase. 
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view illustrating a compression phase. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view illustrating an ignition phase. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view illustrating an exhaust phase. 
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view illustrating another embodiment having both intake and ignition phases. 
       FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view illustrating another embodiment having both compression and exhaust phases. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings in detail, where-in like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the piston-cam engine is generally referred to by the numeral  10 . The piston-cam engine  10  includes a support frame  12  mounted to a vehicle frame (not shown), for example, and has a generally cylindrical open bearing surface  14 , to movably receive a drive shaft  16  the purpose of which will be presently apparent. 
   A drive cylinder  18  is operably disposed adjacent the drive shaft  16  which supports a cam  20  thereon which may be keyed, splined or otherwise rigidly connected thereto. A drive piston  19  is operably disposed within the cylinder  18 . The drive piston  19  includes a head  21  and shafts  23 . While there are two shafts  23 , it is contemplated that one may be employed. 
   As illustrated in the drawings, the cam  20  includes a periphery face which is provided with a plurality of lobes  22 . Here, there are four lobes  22  shown wherein the number of cycles in the engine are shown here as four. The number of lobes  22  is a proportional to the cycles to be achieved. 
   In a contemplated embodiment, there can be adjacent slave cylinders  24  and pistons  26 , each piston  26  having a respective head  28  and shaft  30 . The slave pistons  26 /cylinders  24  are believed to lend stability adjacent inwardly disposed to the drive piston  19 /cylinder  18 . 
   A support drive plate  32  is fixed to ends of the piston shafts  23  and  30  and includes a roller member  34 , such as roller bearings, adapted to lie flush against the periphery faces of the cam  20 . In this regard, biasing means  36 , such as a spring, interconnect the support drive plate  32  and the support frame  12  to assure a continuous contact is maintained between the roller member  34  and periphery faces of cam  20 . As illustrated in the drawings, the cam  20  has rounded periphery faces to prevent friction when engaging the roller member  34 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 3–6 , the drive piston  19  exercises an intake phase, a compression phase, an ignition phase and hence driving phase and an exhaust phase. The cam  20  is initially set at about a 10 degree of dead center to begin the cycle. The Cylinder is equipped with a conventional intake valve  40  and exhaust valve  40  operably connected to cams,  44  and  46 , respectively, which in turn are connected to a cam shaft  48 . The cam shaft  48  is connected to the drive shaft  16  via a timing belt  50  and disks  52  and  54 , the operation thereof is apparent from the drawings. It is contemplated that the valves  40  and  42  can be controlled with a solenoid or the like technology. 
   In  FIG. 7 , another embodiment  100  is illustrates which includes a cam  200  having eight lobes  222  disposed thereon. In this embodiment, there are a plurality of cylinders  180  disposed adjacent one another a distance sufficient from one another and in a spaced relation from the cam  200  to enable a complete cycle to be made from a peak of one lobe  222  to the next adjacent peak of the lobe  222 . Here, the support frame  112  includes an upper frame portion  113  upon which the cylinders  180  are mounted. Biasing means  136  are connected to roller member support  132  and the support frame  112  to maintain the roller member  134  against the cam  200 . 
     FIGS. 8–11  show yet another embodiment of the engine  10 A. Here, the drive piston  19  is enclosed in cylinder  18  in a manner to have a constant vacuum on the bottom of the piston  19  when the engine is operating. Thus, a vacuum reservoir  36 ′ is operably connected to the cylinder  18  through a port  100 . This assures continuous contact is maintained between the roller member  34  and peripheral face of cam  20 . 
   An air check valve  102  is provided in the bottom of the cylinder  18  to allow air to be driven out through the down stroke. As the piston is  19  is on the upstroke, it generates a vacuum on the bottom of the piston  19 . 
   The vacuum reservoir  36 ′ is only employed for starting the engine. A solenoid valve  104  can be energized to release a vacuum at the bottom of the drive piston  19 . This in turn brings the roller member  34  in contact with peripheral face of cam  20 . After the engine starts, the solenoid valve  104  is de-energized. 
   While the engine is running, drive piston  19  continues to create a constant vacuum at the bottom thereof. This causes a constant continuous contact of roller member  34  with the peripheral face of cam  20 . 
   Still,  FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate yet one more embodiment. This type of engine shows multiple drive pistons  19 , each having a head  21  and shaft  23  which are interconnected by a support plate  200  having roller member  34  operably connected there below. The shafts  23  are equidistant from the roller member  34 . 
   A compression spring  202  is provided for aiding during the starting phase. As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , intake and ignition are tied together on the same stroke the engine  10 B. This design assured a positive continuous contact between roller member  34  and peripheral face of cam  20 . 
     FIG. 12  shows the intake side having valve  40  in an open position and exhaust valve  42  in a closed position with drive piston  19  in the intake position. Also, the ignition side has valve  40  in a closed position and exhaust valve  42  in a closed position with drive piston  19  in the ignition position. 
     FIG. 13  shows the compression side having valve  40  in a closed position and exhaust valve  42  in a closed position with drive piston  19  in the compression position. Also, the exhaust side has valve  40  in a closed position and exhaust valve  42  in an open position with drive piston  19  in the exhaust position. 
   It is readily seen that other cam may be constructed having more faces to operate a corresponding number of pistons commensurate with the stroke of the pistons and power to be derived or developed. By so providing, the present invention obviates the employment of piston rod shafts necessary in the make-up of the crank shaft engine. The invention provides less friction than other such systems and provides more output with minimal wear on associated parts. 
   The above described embodiments are set forth by way of example and are not for the purpose of limiting the present invention. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that obvious modifications, derivations and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto should be read in their full scope including any such modifications, derivations and variations. Having described the invention,