Patent Abstract:
An engine comprises a tank of compressed air and a piston. The tank of compressed air is connected to a conduit and the conduit is connected to a cylinder comprising a first valve and an inlet to a chamber. The chamber comprises the piston, which reciprocates. The chamber also has a second outlet connected to a second valve. The air traverses from the tank of compressed into the chamber by opening the first valve. Both the first valve and second valve are closed and the compressed air moves the piston in the chamber to produce work. The second valve opens and the air escapes from the chamber and the piston.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to an energy conversion of fossil fuel combustion engines. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to the conversion of internal fossil fuel combustion engines with a regulated compressed air power source for energy, such as but not limited to lawnmowers, vehicles, portable machinery, and mobile equipment 
     BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART 
     Combustion engines, commonly used for mobile propulsion in vehicles, portable machinery, and so on, are generally powered by gasoline, diesel, or other, fossil fuel that produce significant emission due to the combustion of the fuel. Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide are generated from the combustion of fuels. The emissions have a negative effect on the environment. With escalating fuel costs and increasing concerns over the effects of emissions green technology or clean technology has become a favorable alternative within the last few decades. Currently, the most popular green technology alternatives for combustion engines available in the market are solar, electric, and heated compressed air. 
     Although these alternatives represent a marked improvement over gasoline and fossil fuels with respect to emissions and pollutants, they are not without drawbacks. The solar powered engine has one or more solar panels, which require recharging of the panels&#39; battery cells. Typically, this recharge can be two to three sunny days or four to five cloudy days. It&#39;s understandable that both these methods are undesirable due to the fact that they limit the availability of the engine during recharging. Similarly, the alternative electric powered engine has batteries, or an electrical extension cord, which generally must be recharged or powered with standard AC current. 
     As a result, this recharge can be from hours to days in duration. This is not pragmatic for engine demands from people that commute or desire to take long trips of four hours or more. Another consideration is inconvenience of the electrical extension cord range limitations. Ordinarily, where significant engine speeds are involved, heated compressed air has been used to increase the air&#39;s volume in order to achieve these desired speeds. The heated compressed air engine requires a heat source usually powered by another energy means. These energy means may or may not be environmentally friendly. A means of economically providing an energy conversion module powered by regulated compressed air for fossil fuel combustion engines without producing harmful emissions or polluting the air, would be valuable to green technology as well as greenhouse gasses affecting the earth&#39;s atmosphere. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an engine comprising a source of compressed air being connected to a conduit. The conduit is connected to a first valve and an inlet to a chamber. The chamber comprises a piston and a second outlet being connected to a second valve. The air traverses from the source of compressed air into the chamber by opening the first valve. Both the first valve and second valve are closed and the compressed air moves the piston in the chamber to produce work. The second valve opens and the air escapes from the chamber. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method comprising providing a source of compressed air and operating an engine with the compressed air by communicating the compressed air to the engine to reciprocate a piston from bottom dead center to top dead center or vice versa in a reciprocal manner. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an engine comprising a tank of compressed air. The tank of compressed air is connected to a conduit and the conduit is connected to a cylinder comprising a first valve and an inlet to a chamber. The chamber comprises a piston. The chamber also has a second outlet connected to a second valve. The air traverses from the tank of compressed into the chamber by opening the first valve. Both the first valve and second valve are closed and the compressed air moves the piston in the chamber to produce work. The second valve opens and the air escapes from the chamber and the piston. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a lawn mower comprising a blade being coupled to a drive shaft and an engine connected to the drive shaft for rotating the drive shaft. The lawn mower also has a tank of compressed air. The tank of compressed air is connected to a conduit. The conduit is connected to a cylinder of the engine and the engine comprises a first valve and an inlet to a chamber. The chamber comprises a piston and a second outlet being connected to a second valve. The air traverses from the tank of compressed into the chamber by opening the first valve. Both the first valve and second valve are closed and the compressed air moves the piston in the chamber to produce work to rotate the drive shaft and to rotate the blade. The second valve opens and the air escapes from the chamber and the piston. The engine provides that no combustion occurs in the cylinder and the piston reciprocates from the compressed air moving the piston. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a vehicle comprising a drive shaft and an engine connected to the drive shaft for rotating the drive shaft. The vehicle also has a tank of compressed air. The tank of compressed air is connected to a conduit. The conduit is connected to a cylinder of the engine and the engine comprises a first valve and an inlet to a chamber. The chamber comprises a piston and a second outlet being connected to a second valve. 
     The air traverses from the tank of compressed into the chamber by opening the first valve. Both the first valve and second valve are closed and the compressed air moves the piston in the chamber to produce work to rotate the drive shaft. The second valve opens and the air escapes from the chamber and the piston. The engine provides that no combustion occurs in the cylinder and the piston reciprocates from the compressed air moving the piston. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout different views. The drawings are not meant to limit the invention to particular mechanisms for carrying out the invention in practice, but rather, are illustrative of certain ways of performing the invention. Others will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of the present invention illustrating the components that make up the preferred embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the solenoid/actuator assembly of  FIG. 1  and that is assembled for the conversion of a fossil fuel combustion engine. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the controller/battery case of  FIG. 1  containing the power supply and controller. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic of a controller configuration for the lawn mower. 
         FIG. 5  shows a piston in a top dead center position being connected to a cam and a drive shaft and a blade. 
         FIG. 6  shows a piston with the inlet valve opened and the compressed air moving the piston from the top dead center position to the bottom dead center position and moving the cam to reciprocate the drive shaft and to reciprocate the blade. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The energy conversion module powered by regulated compressed air of the present invention overcomes the problems associated with prior art. It does not require several hours or days of recharging the power source. Nor is there a need for standard AC current recharge, or a required electric cord for the compressed air used. The energy conversion module of the present invention is specially designed to run on one or more tanks of regulated compressed air. 
     There are essentially no emissions or air pollution generated by the conversion module since there is no combustion of fuel and no spark plugs or combustion of diesel or gasoline. The secondary benefit to the energy conversion module powered by regulated compressed air is that it also eliminates many of the standard components currently used for fossil fuel combustion engines. The energy conversion module is comprised of a regulated compressed air energy source  30  attached to pneumatic solenoids  70 . 
     A rechargeable 12V battery  60 , located inside the controller/battery case (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) is used to energize the solenoids  70 , which are attached to an air actuator  50  connected to the engine drive shaft apparatus. Battery  60  is not limited to the 12 volt configuration and may be differently configured. The motion generated by the actuator  50  is used to power the drive assembly of the combustion engine. Various drive assemblies are possible and within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The objectives of the present disclosure are to illustrate the following: 1) an energy conversion module for fossil fuel combustion engines with a means of using regulated compressed air  30  as a power source; 2) a means of using a conversion module to eliminate several components commonly associated with fossil fuel combustion engines, and; 3) a means of eliminating air pollution produced by fossil fuel combustion engines through the function of a conversion module. Furthermore, it is an object of this application to illustrate the preferred embodiments and broadly state the methodology that may be used to convert fossil fuel combustion engines using the conversion module. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a lawn mower or vehicle  10  according to the present disclosure. The lawn mower  10  is not limited to the embodiment shown and it should be appreciated that the lawn mower  10  can be any vehicle, craft, airplane, helicopter, automobile, motorcycle, scooter, a vehicle with a hybrid engine, a vehicle with a diesel engine, a vehicle with a gasoline engine or any other craft known in the art that can use an electric motor or an internal combustion engine. Various configurations are possible and within the scope of the present disclosure. The lawn mower  10  preferably includes a source of compressed air  30  and a pressure regulator  20  connected to the source of compressed air  30  by a conduit  25  or the like. Preferably, compressed air will flow from the tank  30  into the conduit  25  and then is communicated to the pressure regulator  20 . Preferably, the tank  30  may vary in size and may further comprise a pump (not shown) to pressurize fluid on the fly. Air can be any fluid known in the art. 
     The lawn mower  10  further includes an intake manifold  40  preferably communicating with the conduit  25  and the pressure regulator  20 . The intake manifold  40  preferably receives compressed air from the air supply tank  30 . The intake manifold  40  is an intake manifold or inlet manifold and is the part of an engine that supplies the air to a cylinder ( FIGS. 5-6 ). An exhaust manifold (not shown) is disposed on the exhaust solenoid assembly  80  and collects the exhaust gases from the one or more cylinder into one pipe to release the compressed air back to the air supply tank  30  to be re-pressurized or (alternatively) to vent the exhaust gases back to ambient. 
     The lawn mower  10  also includes a pneumatic actuator  50  and an intake solenoid assembly  70  and a controller  60 . The pneumatic actuator  50  converts the energy in the compressed air into motion. The pneumatic actuator  50  preferably includes a piston D, a cylinder A, and valves B, C or ports shown in  FIGS. 5-6 . The piston D is covered by a diaphragm, or seal, which keeps the air in the upper portion of the cylinder A, allowing air pressure to force the diaphragm downward, moving the piston D underneath, which in turn moves the valve stem D′, which is linked to the internal parts of the actuator  50 . It should be appreciated that the actuator  50  may comprises a multiple cylinder configuration with a number of pistons D with at least one piston D in at least one cylinder A and two valves B, C per cylinder A. Alternatively, the cylinder A may include a rotary configuration. The pneumatic actuator  50  may comprise a two stroke configuration or a four stroke configuration or another configuration. Further, the valves A and B may be at a bottom side and the piston D may be driven in reverse. 
     Pneumatic actuators  50  may only have one spot for a signal input, top or bottom, depending on action required. Valves B, C require little pressure to operate and usually double or triple the input force. The larger the size of the piston D, the larger the output pressure can be and thus the more force may be impart on a cam E or the like to move the blades F of the lawn mower  10 . Having a larger piston D can also be good if air supply is low, allowing the same forces with less input. 
     In  FIG. 1 , lawnmower  10  has a pressure regulator  20 , with an air supply tank  30 , intake manifolds  40 , pneumatic actuator  50 , power supply and controller  60 , intake solenoid assembly  70 , exhaust solenoid assembly  80 , and universal clevis  90 . Clevis  90  is preferably a coupler shaped like the letter U with holes through each end so a bolt or pin can pass through the holes to complete the coupling on the lawnmower  10  or existing similar structure on a gas engine or the like. For illustration purposes of the energy conversion module for fossil fuel combustion engines, a lawnmower engine  10 , as in  FIG. 1 , will be demonstrated. 
     After a pressure regulator  20  is fitted to the air supply tank  30 , the air supply tank  30  is filled with compressed air from a remote pump or air refueling station or from an integral pump (not shown). It should be appreciated that the pump (not shown) may be integrated within the lawn mower  10 . The air supply tank  30  is secured to the lawnmower handle  15  by brackets. A hose  25  extending from the pressure regulator  20  is attached to the intake manifolds  40 . Solenoids are attached to the intake manifolds  40  to make up the intake solenoid assembly  70  and exhaust solenoid assembly  80 . Air enters the manifolds from the air supply tank  30  via the pressure regulator  20 , which has been manually set to achieve a reading of greater than 20 psi. 
     The pneumatic actuator  50  is connected to intake and exhaust supply ports (not shown) of the intake solenoid assembly  70  and exhaust solenoid assembly  80 . Located on the pneumatic actuator  50  are position sensors (not shown). 
     The controller  30  powered by the power supply  60  activates the solenoids of the intake solenoid assembly  70  and exhaust solenoid assembly  80  based on the location of the position sensors ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) which can be disposed on a top and bottom of the piston D or in the piston D. The controller  60  is a circuit that identifies location of the pneumatic actuator shaft (not shown) and activates each of the solenoids of the intake solenoid assembly  70  and exhaust solenoid assembly  80  accordingly. The universal clevis  90  connects the pneumatic actuator shaft (not shown) and the connecting rod (not shown) to the drive shaft (not shown), which creates rotation of the cutting blade (not shown). Preferably, the cutting blade F is operatively connected to a drive shaft, which is connected to a cam E. The cam E contacts the piston D ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ). When the piston D in the pneumatic actuator  50  is driven in a first direction by the force of the compressed air, then the piston D moves the cam E a predetermined radial amount. Preferably, the cam E then rotates the drive shaft, which rotates the blades F to cut the grass or to move the tires or the like. This is accomplished without combustion as the air seeks to expand upon being introduced into the chamber A. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown the solenoid/actuator assembly  20  and the intake manifolds  40 , with the pneumatic actuator  50 , the intake solenoid assembly  70 , the exhaust solenoid assembly  80 , and the universal clevis  90 . Preferably, disposed in the pneumatic actuator  50  is a piston D in a cylinder A. The piston D moves from a top dead center position to a bottom dead center position based on the movement of the compressed air that is introduced into the cylinder A by an inlet valve B. The controller  30  preferably is operatively connected to the valve to open and close the valve based on a position of the piston, which is sensed by a position sensor. The controller  30  also preferably is operatively connected to a second exhaust valve C to open and close the exhaust valve C based on the position of the piston D. In an alternative embodiment, the pneumatic actuator  50  may comprise a rotary Wankel configuration. 
     The piston D is covered by a diaphragm, or seal, which keeps the air in the upper portion of the cylinder A, allowing air pressure to force the diaphragm downward, moving the piston D underneath, which in turn moves the valve stem D′, which is linked to the internal parts of the actuator  50 . Turning now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a controller  30  and a battery generally represented by reference numeral  60 . Preferably, the controller  30  is operatively connected to the battery  60  so the controller  30  and the electrical components may draw power from the battery  60 . Various battery configurations are possible and are within the scope of the present disclosure. The battery  60  may be a nickel hydride configuration, a lithium ion configuration or any other configuration known in the present disclosure. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown an electrical controller schematic illustrating operation of the electrical components of the present disclosure generally shown as reference numeral  200 . The circuit  200  preferably includes a first semiconductor integrated circuit, D flip-flop pair MC 14013 -A shown as  205  and the second device, MC 14013 -B shown as reference numeral  210 . 
     Device  205  alternates a retract signal between two supply solenoids  311  and  312  and two exhaust solenoids  335  and  340 , via pre-amps  352  and  352 ′ and power-amplifiers  220 ,  225 . Device  210  alternates an advance signal between two supply solenoids  313  and  314  and two exhaust solenoids  320  and  330 , via pre-amps  352 ″ and  352 ′″ and power-amplifiers  230  and  235 . I 
     It should be appreciated that alternating the signal between two supply and two exhaust solenoids  313  and  314  provides a longer recovery period for each solenoid  313  and  314 . Solenoids  313  and  314  with shorter recovery time obtain a single advance and a single retract signal via pins  3  and  11  of the integrated circuit MC 14013   205  connected to negative and not to output pin  11  on the MC 14011  integrated circuit  210  and this applies when only four solenoids are used. Various solenoid configurations are possible and within the scope of the present disclosure and circuit  200  forms no limitations to the present disclosure. Circuit  200  preferably includes position sensors  250  and  255  (shown in the bottom left hand portion of the figure) connected to integrated circuit MC 14011 , a wired NAND-gate latch, gates  1  and  2  referenced as  271  and  272  respectively. 
     The NAND-gate latch  272  controls a switching negative bias for the supply and exhaust solenoids on the retract bank as shown by references  311 ,  312 ,  335  and  340  via pre-amp transistor  240  and power-amp transistor  212 . 
     The complementary NAND-gate latch signal controls a switching negative bias for the supply and exhaust solenoids on the advance bank as shown by reference numerals  313 ,  314 ,  320  and  330  via pre-amp transistor  245  and power-amp transistor  215 . The NAND-latch also provides the clock-pulse signals for devices  205  and  210  via output pin  11 . 
     Circuit  200  further includes a number of light emitting diodes  260 - 310  to provide an indication to the user of one or more operating parameters. Preferably, the sensor  250  and the second sensor  255  detect movement of a piston D and reports the positions to the controller via the primary NAND-gate latch. 
     Preferably, the control circuit  200  receives the position signals and opens a supply and exhaust valve combination, alternating between the advance and retract banks with contingency on the position of piston D to communicate compressed air into the cylinder A and to move the piston D to move the cam and to drive the shaft as described above. 
     It should be understood that circuit  200  includes several repeated configurations of the respective D flip-flop devices  205  or  210  being connected by a lead to a resistor  351  as shown in the top right of the schematic. The resistor  351  is connected to an NPN transistor,  352  which is connected to a resistor  353  connected to a light emitting diode  290 . 
     The resistor  353  is 1.8 k resistance and is also connected to a 1 k resistor, which is connected to a PNP power transistor  220 . On the first retract signal (when the piston D is advanced to a position) the transistor  220  provides a voltage Vcc to illuminate light emitting diode  265  and is also connected to diode  355 . Preferably, the diode  355  is connected to supply solenoid  311  and exhaust solenoid  340 , which opens pneumatic valves (not shown) and causes the piston D to retract. This action is repeated on the next retract signal, this time illuminating light emitting diode  260  and activating supply solenoid  312  and exhaust solenoid  335  which also opens pneumatic valves (not shown) and initiates retract of the piston D. 
     Preferably the lower right quadrant of circuit schematic  200  operates with the same characteristics, activating PNP power transistor  230 , illuminating light emitting diode  285 , activating supply solenoid  313  and exhaust solenoid  320  on the first advance signal (when the piston D is fully retracted) which opens pneumatic valves (not shown) and initiates advance of the piston D. This action is repeated on the next advance signal, this time illuminating light emitting diode  290  and activating supply solenoid  314  and exhaust solenoid  330  which also opens pneumatic valves (not shown) and initiates advance of the piston D. 
     D flip-flop device reference  205  (integrated circuit MC 14013 ) selects and turns on one of two supply and exhaust solenoid pairs for retract of the piston D. D flip-flop device  210  (integrated circuit MC 14013 ) selects and turns on one of two supply and exhaust solenoid pairs for advance of the piston. This option will permit use of slower reacting solenoids. For fast acting solenoids (required speed vs recovery time) pins  3  and  11  should be wired to 0V instead of output pin  11  shown as IC MC 14011 . Sensors are preferably NPN opto-isolator or NPN solid state magnetic. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 5 and 6  there is shown a piston in a simplified diagram that can be manufactured in the pneumatic actuator  50  or in a different configuration or the like. As shown the cylinder A preferably has a first port B and a second port C with an inlet valve and an exhaust valve. Compressed air is directed into the inlet valve B. The compressed air then contacts the piston D and drives the piston D from a top dead center position to a bottom dead center position as shown in  FIG. 6  and this is attributed solely to the air being expanded without combustion. Alternatively, the valve B may be on the bottom side and the piston D can be driven from the bottom dead center to top dead center. Further, the cylinder A may have a rotary configuration. The piston D then moves a cam and a cam E reciprocates a drive shaft F as shown. Thereafter, as the sensors detect that the piston D approaches the bottom dead center position; the controller  30  closes the inlet valve B and opens the exhaust valve C whereas the expanded compressed air is directed out of the cylinder A. Thereafter, the piston D is drawn up to top dead center for the next cycle whereas the exhaust valve C is closed. It should be appreciated that no combustion occurs in the cylinder A so no harmful emissions are created and relatively pure air is exhausted. A pump may be provided to provide compressed air and to recharge the compressed air tank. Air can be circulated in a closed loop to back into the tank  30  or in an open loop where the air is exhausted to ambient. 
     It should be appreciated that the present electronic components may be implemented in a computer environment as a time display for example in a software application. Generally, in operation, the computer system operable with that method shown in  FIG. 4  may be controlled by an operating system. Typical examples of operating systems are MS-DOS and Windows 95, Vista, Windows 7 from Microsoft Corporation, or Solaris and SunOS from Sun Microsystems, Inc., or the Apple OSX from Apple Corporation. As the computer system operates, input such as input search data, database record data, programs and commands, received from users or other processing systems, are stored on storage device. Certain commands cause the processor to retrieve and execute the stored programs. The programs executing on the processor may obtain more data from the same or a different input device, such as a network connection. The programs may also access data in a database for example, and commands and other input data may cause the processor to index, search and perform other operations on the database in relation to other input data. Data may be generated which is sent to the output device for display to the user or for transmission to another computer system or device. Typical examples of the computer system are personal computers and workstations, hand-held computers, dedicated computers designed for a specific purpose, and large main frame computers suited for use by many users. The present invention is not limited to being implemented on any specific type of computer system or data processing device. 
     It is noted that the present invention may also be implemented in hardware or circuitry which embodies the logic and processing disclosed herein, or alternatively, the present invention may be implemented in software in the form of a computer program stored on a computer readable medium such as a storage device. In the later case, the present invention in the form of computer program logic and executable instructions is read and executed by the processor and instructs the computer system to perform the functionality disclosed as the invention herein. If the present invention is embodied as a computer program, the computer program logic is not limited to being implemented in any specific programming language. For example, commonly used programming languages such as C, C++, JAVA as well as others may be used to implement the logic and functionality of the present invention. Furthermore, the subject matter of the present invention is not limited to currently existing computer processing devices or programming languages, but rather, is meant to be able to be implemented in many different types of environments in both hardware and software. 
     Furthermore, combinations of embodiments of the invention may be divided into specific functions and implemented on different individual computer processing devices and systems which may be interconnected to communicate and interact with each other. Dividing up the functionality of the invention between several different computers is meant to be covered within the scope of the invention. 
     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that is made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0