Board of Trustees Western Washington State College

Washington University

Jx Crystals Inc.

Michael Ronald Seal

Lewis M Fraas

Edward M West

Craig A Selvidge

A variable displacement engine is provided with a group of variably operated cylinders which are controllable to start and stop operation under predetermined operating conditions, and a group of invariable operated cylinders which are constantly in operation irrespective of the operating condition. The engine is operably connected to a variable displacement control system operable to deactivate the operation of the group of variably operated cylinders under predetermined operating conditions, such as idling, highway cruising speeds, and the like, so that the overall fuel efficiency of the engine is improved. In an aspect of the present invention, a turbocharger is provided. The turbocharger includes an inlet for receiving exhaust gas from the invariable operated cylinders and an outlet for supplying compressed air to the variable operated cylinders. In one embodiment, the engine is a reciprocating piston type engine, and in another embodiment, the engine is a rotary piston type engine.

Internal combustion engine having variable displacement

Electric power generator has linear arrays of thermophotovoltaic cells spaced outwardly from a tubular IR emitter. Hot combustion products flow downward from a combustion zone between a central pillar and the IR emitter, and then upward between the emitter and a tubular IR transparent window. The cell arrays are spaced outward from a convection barrier tube and a short pass filter. A burner assembly at the top of the pillar has an alternating arrangement of accelerating air channels with large openings to the air supply and slowing mixing channels with small openings to the air supply. Radial fuel channels connect the central fuel supply with the peripheral mixing channels. Release of accelerated air creates turbulence in the combustion zone where the air and fuel further mix and are ignited. A cavity in the pillar supplies liquid fuels which are atomized by ultrasonic energy from a central rod. The atomized liquids are released through small holes into the combustion zone. Exhaust gases preheat the air supply which is in an upward tubular extension of the IR emitter.

Generator with thermophotovoltaic cells and hydrocarbon burner

An automotive vehicle is provided with a lightweight crash-resistant honeycomb core chassis which combines structural load carrying support with lateral impact resistance. The automotive vehicle is aerodynamically efficient having a chassis and body which are inclined downwardly and forwardly to increase front downward air force. The body is smoothed to provide minimum air resistance and has a unique rearwardly diverging air guiding surface on the underside of the body. The air guiding surface reduces the velocity of air moving relative to the vehicle body and an air intake scoop is positioned at a point of high pressure along the air guiding surface but forwardly of the rear-mounted engine of the vehicle so that sufficient air pressure is available to force air into the engine compartment of the vehicle. Air leaves the rearward end of the vehicle through guiding vanes which direct the air into a low air pressure region behind the vehicle and in a direction to mix with air passing over the vehicle to reduce turbulent drag-producing air flow around the vehicle. Air drag is further reduced by providing a unique hollow wheel which is essentially free of drag producing struts or brake mechanism which brake mechanism is located within the aerodynamic efficient body of the vehicle. The hatch of the vehicle for admitting passengers is made lightweight by placing substantially all of the door latching mechanism on the body rather than in the hatch. A unique manually operated manual headlight positioning mechanism is provided to swing the headlights between an opened operable position and a closed low-aerodynamic drag position. Finally, a unique method is provided for inexpensively forming a rain gutter between a body and a hatch fitted close onto the body. The method includes forming parts of the hatch and body using a removable, easily extrusible wax dam to get an exact desired gap between the terminal edge of the hatch and the body.

Growing community of inventors

Bellingham, WA, United States of America

Michael Ronald Seal