Patent ID: 7748352

Claim:
An internal combustion engine comprising: a compression chamber, an expansion chamber, a combustion chamber of substantially constant volume providing a tortuous, twisting path between the compression chamber and the expansion chamber, an outlet valve between the compression chamber and the combustion chamber for controlling the flow of gas from the compression chamber to the combustion chamber, a fuel inlet for providing fuel to the combustion chamber, and an inlet valve between the combustion chamber and the expansion chamber for controlling the flow of gas from the combustion chamber to the expansion chamber, wherein the compression chamber is configured to vary in volume and compress gas for delivery to the combustion chamber, the expansion chamber is configured to vary in volume and receive gas from the combustion chamber, the outlet valve allows gas to flow from the compression chamber to the combustion chamber for combustion, and the inlet valve allows gas to flow from the combustion chamber to the expansion chamber after combustion such that a substantially constant pressure is maintained in the combustion chamber over a wide range of operating conditions.