Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7594492?dq=6,250,774
Timestamp: 2015-01-30 17:40:10
Document Index: 596325772

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7594492 - Rotary valve system and engine using the same - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsRotary valve system for controlling communication with a port in an internal combustion engine which, in one disclosed embodiment, has a crankshaft, compression and expansion pistons connected to the crankshaft for reciprocating movement within compression and expansion chambers, a combustion chamber...http://www.google.com/patents/US7594492?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7594492 - Rotary valve system and engine using the sameAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7594492 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/457,114Publication dateSep 29, 2009Filing dateJul 12, 2006Priority dateMar 9, 2005Fee statusLapsedAlso published asEP1866531A2, US7255082, US7325520, US7328674, US7415947, US7415948, US7418929, US7421995, US7424871, US7448349, US7481189, US7487748, US7552703, US7658169, US7748351, US7748352, US7757644, US7905204, US20060243229, US20060254249, US20060254554, US20070012020, US20070012021, US20070012022, US20070012023, US20070012024, US20070012291, US20070017200, US20070017201, US20070017202, US20070017203, US20070017204, US20070017476, US20070017477, US20070151537, US20070151538, WO2006096850A2, WO2006096850A3, WO2006099064A2, WO2006099064A3, WO2006099066A2, WO2006099066A3Publication number11457114, 457114, US 7594492 B2, US 7594492B2, US-B2-7594492, US7594492 B2, US7594492B2InventorsJohn ZajacOriginal AssigneeZajac Optimum Output Motors, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (110), Classifications (49), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetRotary valve system and engine using the sameUS 7594492 B2Abstract Rotary valve system for controlling communication with a port in an internal combustion engine which, in one disclosed embodiment, has a crankshaft, compression and expansion pistons connected to the crankshaft for reciprocating movement within compression and expansion chambers, a combustion chamber in which air from the compression chamber is combined with fuel and burned to produce an increased gas volume. The valve system has an outer valve member which is rotatively mounted in a bore and has an opening which moves into and out of communication with the port as the outer valve member rotates, an inner valve member rotatably mounted within the outer valve member with an opening at least partly overlapping the opening in the outer valve member, a flange extending along one edge of the opening in the inner valve member and through the opening in the outer valve member for sealing engagement with the wall of the bore, and means for effecting rotation of the valve members to change the degree of overlap between the openings and thereby control the timing and duration of communication between the openings and the port.
a compression cylinder having a piston therein;
an expansion cylinder having a piston therein;
an outlet port through which gas can flow from the compression cylinder to the combustion chamber;
an inlet port through which gas can flow from the combustion chamber to the expansion cylinder;
a first rotary valve member having first and second openings that move into and out of communication with respective ones of the outlet and inlet ports;
a second rotary valve member disposed concentrically of the first valve member and having first and second openings which at least partly overlap with the first and second openings in the first valve member; and
a control for adjusting the relative rotational positions of the valve members to change the degree of overlap between the openings and thereby control the timing and duration of communication between the compression cylinder and the combustion chamber and between the combustion chamber and the expansion cylinder.
2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 further including a crankshaft constraining the pistons for reciprocating motion within cylinders, with rotational motion being impeded to at least one of the valve members from the crankshaft.
a compression chamber having an intake port and an outlet port;
a first rotary valve member between the intake manifold end the intake port with an opening that moves into and out of communication with the intake port; and
a second rotary valve member between the outlet port and the combustion chamber with an opening that moves into and out of communication with the outlet port and is smaller than the opening in the first valve member.
4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 further including an additional rotary valve member disposed concentrically of the first valve member and having an opening that overlaps the opening in the first valve member by an amount that can be adjusted to control flow between the intake manifold and the intake port.
5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4 further comprising:
an expansion chamber having an Inlet port and an exhaust port;
a third rotary valve member between the combustion chamber and the inlet port with an opening that moves into and out of communication with the inlet port; and
a fourth rotary valve member with an opening that moves into and out of communication with the exhaust port and is smaller than the opening in the third valve member.
6. The internal combustion engine of claim 5 wherein the first and fourth valve members are connected together, and the second and third valve members are connected together.
a fuel inlet for providing fuel to be burned in the combustion chamber;
a expansion cylinder with a piston therein;
a crankshaft constraining the piston for reciprocating movement between top and bottom dead center positions in the expansion cylinder;
a rotary inlet valve for controlling communication between the combustion chamber and the expansion cylinder having two concentrically disposed inlet valve members with overlapping openings;
a rotary exhaust valve for controlling exhaust flow from the expansion cylinder having two concentrically disposed exhaust valve members with overlapping openings;
a pressure sensor for detecting pressure in the expansion cylinder; and
a valve control system for adjusting the relative positions of the inlet valve members to adjust the timing for opening the inlet valve during a downstroke of the piston based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor and adjusting the relative positions of the exhaust valve members to adjust the timing for opening the exhaust valve during an upstroke of the piston based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor.
a compression cylinder with a piston therein;
an expansion cylinder with a piston therein;
a crankshaft interconnecting the pistons for reciprocating movement between top and bottom dead center positions in the cylinders;
a combustion chamber between the compression cylinder and the expansion cylinder;
a rotary outlet valve for controlling gas flow from the compression cylinder to the combustion chamber having two concentrically disposed outlet valve members with overlapping openings;
a rotary inlet valve for controlling gas flow from the combustion chamber to the expansion cylinder having two concentrically disposed inlet valve members with overlapping openings; and
a valve control system for adjusting the timing of the outlet and inlet valves by adjusting the overlap of the openings in the outlet valve members and the overlap of the openings in the inlet valve members.
9. The internal combustion engine of claim 8 wherein the valve control system adjusts the timing of the outlet valve and the inlet valve to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the combustion chamber during at least one mode of operation.
10. The internal combustion engine of claim 8 wherein the valve control system adjusts the timing of the outlet valve and the inlet valve to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the combustion chamber at a plurality of different load conditions.
RELATED APPLICATION Division of Ser. No. 11/372,978, filed Mar. 9, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,082, which claimed the priority of:
Provisional Application No. 60/660,045, filed Mar. 9, 2005; Provisional Application No. 60/660,046, filed Mar. 9, 2005, Provisional Application No. 60/660,050, filed Mar. 9, 2005, Provisional Application No. 60/760,478, filed Jan. 20, 2006, Provisional Application No. 60/760,641, filed Jan. 20, 2006, Provisional Application No. 60/760,642, filed Jan. 20, 2006. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is in general an object of the invention to provide a new and improved rotary valve system and an internal combustion engine utilizing the same.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, somewhat schematic, of one embodiment of an internal combustion engine with a rotary valve system incorporating the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawings, the invention is illustrated in conjunction with a four cylinder internal combustion engine which is described in greater detail in copending application Ser. No. 11/372,751, filed Mar. 9, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. That engine has a pair of compression cylinders 11, 12 and a pair of expansion cylinders 13, 14 connected to opposite ends of a combustion chamber 16 which can, for example, be of a type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 11/372,737, filed Mar. 9, 2006, filed of even date, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The cylinders are formed in an engine block 17, with the upper ends of the cylinders being closed by a cylinder head 18 and the lower ends of the cylinders opening into a crankcase 19 in the lower portion of the engine block.
Compression cylinders 11, 12 receive fresh air through an intake manifold 31, with intake valves 32, 33 controlling communication between the manifold and the cylinders. Cylinders 11, 12 also communicate with the inlet end of combustion chamber 16 via a manifold 34, with communication between the cylinders and that manifold being controlled outlet valves 36, 37. The outlet end of combustion chamber 16 communicates with expansion cylinders 13,14 via a manifold 39, with inlet valves 41, 42 controlling communication between the chamber and those cylinders. Exhaust gases are expelled from the expansion cylinders through an exhaust manifold 43, with communication between the cylinders and the manifold being controlled by exhaust valves 46, 47.
It may also be desirable in some applications to make lip seals 61, 62 in a way such that the valve is not completely closed in its most closed position. That can be done, for example, by forming grooves in the sealing surfaces or by putting stops on the seals to prevent the valve from closing fully. This can be useful during very low load conditions such as compression release engine braking, commonly known as �Jake braking�, where it can be beneficial to have a small amount of air enter the combustion chamber and burn. This will keep the combustion chamber hot and ready for use even after long periods of very low load conditions. In addition, the small flow of air may help avoid overpressure conditions in the event of a control failure.
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