Patent ID: 8365699

Claim:
A combustion engine utilizing a virtual piston assembly, the combustion engine comprising: a body having an interior and additionally having an inlet port, an exhaust port, and a first angled slot configured to function as a first fluidic diode; and a rotating member mounted within the body, the rotating member including a second angled slot configured to function as a second fluidic diode, the first angled slot and the second angled slot being oppositely disposed in the body and rotating member respectively at corresponding outer radial locations so that when the rotating member rotates, the opposed first and second slots define therebetween a first circumferential swath of varying angular extent; wherein the body further includes a third angled slot configured to function as a third fluidic diode and the rotating member including a fourth angled slot configured to function as a fourth fluidic diode, the third angled slot and the fourth angled slot being oppositely disposed in the body and the rotating member respectively at corresponding inner radial locations so that when the rotating member rotates, the opposed third and fourth slots define therebetween a second circumferential swath of varying angular extent; wherein the rotating member is disposed in relation to the body, and the body has a correspondingly shaped interior, so as to form, (i) in the outer radial locations, a first virtual chamber having a volume that varies with the rotation of the rotating member in a manner corresponding to the angular extent of the first circumferential swath and (ii) in the inner radial locations, a second virtual chamber having a volume that varies with the rotation of the rotating member in a manner corresponding to the angular extent of the second circumferential swath; and wherein one of the first and second virtual chambers is configured as a compressor in the engine and the other of the first and second virtual chambers is configured as an expander in the engine.