Mainspring Energy, Inc.

Matthew Svrcek

John Lawler

Samuel Sherman

Christopher David Gadda

David B DeGraaff

Andrew H Hancock

Scott Coakley

Shannon Miller

John Powers

Kevin Walters

Alan Crapo

Kevin Ting

Rucha Bedarkar

Carlos Prieto

Neil Watters

David Degraaff

A linear electromagnetic machine includes a stator, a translator, and a bearing system. The bearing system maintains alignment against lateral displacement of the translator relative to the stator, as the translator reciprocates axially. More particularly, the bearing system maintains a motor air gap between the stator and a magnetic section of the translator. The stator includes a plurality of stator teeth and windings, which form a plurality of phases. The stator teeth and windings are arranged using a hoop stack with spines to form a stator bore and define the motor air gap. The bearing system can include bearing housings that are configured to form a bearing interface with a surface of the translator. The bearing interface can include a contact bearing or a non-contact bearing, such as a gas bearing. Current is controlled in the phases to convert between electrical energy and kinetic energy of the translator.

Linear electromagnetic machine with a stator having stator teeth arranged to provide an anti-clocking force

A bearing assembly for a linear electromagnetic machine includes a sleeve having a surface configured to provide a bearing between the surface and a translator, a front plate coupled to the sleeve, a support block, and a plurality of flexures coupled to the support block. Each flexure is coupled between the support block and one of the front plate or a stator. For example, a load path extends from a stator to the support block via a first set of flexures of the plurality of flexures, from the support block to the front plate via a second set of flexures of the plurality of flexures, and from the front plate to the sleeve. In the example of four flexures, two flexures are affixed to the support block and front plate, while two other flexures are affixed to the support block and the stator.

Systems and methods for flexure-based bearing mounting

Systems and methods are provided for a cantilever beam arrangement that preloads ring segments in a multi0segment piston ring arrangement. A piston assembly comprises a piston that comprises a land. A ring segment is arranged against the land. The ring segment comprises a radially inner surface, a radially outer surface for sealing against a bore, and a boss located on the radially inner surface. The piston assembly also includes a beam spring having a proximal end attached to the piston and a distal end in contact with the boss. The beam spring forces at least a portion of the ring segment radially outward by applying a force on the boss.

Springs for piston ring biasing

Linear electromagnetic machine system

Linear electromagnetic machine system with bearing housings having pressurized gas

Growing community of inventors

Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Matthew Svrcek