Etagen, Inc.

Mainspring Energy, Inc.

Shannon Miller

Matt Svrcek

Adam Simpson

John Lawler

Christopher David Gadda

Andrew H Hancock

Scott Coakley

John Powers

Kevin Walters

Matthew Svrcek

Alan Crapo

Samuel Sherman

David B DeGraaff

Mark Svrcek

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

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a linear generator, comprising: a cylinder having a cylinder wall and a pair of ends, the cylinder including a reaction section disposed in a center portion of the cylinder; a pair of opposed piston assemblies adapted to move linearly within the cylinder, each piston assembly disposed on one side of the reaction section opposite the other piston assembly, each piston assembly including a spring rod and a piston comprising a solid front section adjacent the reaction section and a gas section; and a pair of linear electromagnetic machines adapted to directly convert kinetic energy of the piston assembly into electrical energy, and adapted to directly convert electrical energy into kinetic energy of the piston assembly for providing compression work during the compression stroke.

High-efficiency linear generator

Linear electromagnetic machine system

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a linear combustion engine, comprising: a cylinder having a cylinder wall and a pair of ends, the cylinder including a combustion section disposed in a center portion of the cylinder; a pair of opposed piston assemblies adapted to move linearly within the cylinder, each piston assembly disposed on one side of the combustion section opposite the other piston assembly, each piston assembly including a spring rod and a piston comprising a solid front section adjacent the combustion section and a gas section; and a pair of linear electromagnetic machines adapted to directly convert kinetic energy of the piston assembly into electrical energy, and adapted to directly convert electrical energy into kinetic energy of the piston assembly for providing compression work during the compression stroke.

Linear electromagnetic machine system with bearing housings having pressurized gas

High-efficiency linear combustion engine

A piston engine may include a heat pipe capable of transferring heat away from a portion of the piston engine such as a combustion section. The heat pipe may be included as part of a piston assembly, a cylinder, or both. The heat pipe may be filled with a suitable heat pipe fluid that may undergo a phase change such as, for example, water, ethanol, ammonia, sodium, other fluids or combinations thereof. Boiling and condensing of the fluid within the heat pipe may utilize the latent heat of the fluid during heat transfer. Multiple heat pipes may be used in some instances.

Methods and systems for managing a clearance gap in a piston engine

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a linear combustion engine, comprising: a cylinder having a cylinder wall and a pair of ends, the cylinder including a combustion section disposed in a center portion of the cylinder; a pair of opposed piston assemblies adapted to move linearly within the cylinder, each piston assembly disposed on one side of the combustion section opposite the other piston assembly, each piston assembly including a spring rod and a piston comprising a solid front section adjacent the combustion section and a hollow back section comprising a gas spring that directly provides at least some compression work during a compression stroke of the engine; and a pair of linear electromagnetic machines adapted to directly convert kinetic energy of the piston assembly into electrical energy, and adapted to directly convert electrical energy into kinetic energy of the piston assembly for providing compression work during the compression stroke; wherein the engine includes a variable expansion ratio greater than 50:1.

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a two-piston linear combustion engine, comprising: a cylinder having a cylinder wall and a pair of ends, the cylinder including a combustion section disposed in a center portion of the cylinder; a pair of opposed piston assemblies adapted to move linearly within the cylinder, each piston assembly disposed on one side of the combustion section opposite the other piston assembly; a pair of driver sections, each driver section comprising a compression mechanism that directly provides at least some compression work during a compression stroke of the engine; and a pair of linear electromagnetic machines adapted to directly convert kinetic energy of the piston assembly into electrical energy, and adapted to directly convert electrical energy into kinetic energy of the piston assembly for providing compression work during the compression stroke, wherein each linear electromagnetic machine is located distal to an end of the cylinder; wherein the engine includes a variable expansion ratio greater than 50:1.

High-efficiency two-piston linear combustion engine

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, CA, United States of America

Shannon Miller