The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 15, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 12, 2001
Brett M. Bailey, Peoria, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc, Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
A free piston internal combustion engine includes a housing with a combustion cylinder and a hydraulic cylinder. A piston includes a piston head reciprocally disposed within the combustion cylinder and movable during a compression stroke to a top dead center position and during a return stroke to a BDC position. A plunger head is reciprocally disposed within the hydraulic cylinder. A plunger rod interconnects and is rigidly affixed to each of the piston head and the plunger head. The plunger head and the hydraulic cylinder define a variable volume pressure chamber on a side of the plunger head generally opposite the plunger rod. At least one valve interconnects a hydraulic accumulator with the pressure chamber during a portion of the compression stroke to act on the plunger head and thereby move the piston head toward the top dead center position, and interconnects the hydraulic accumulator with the pressure chamber during the return stroke to pressurize the hydraulic accumulator during movement of the piston head toward the BDC position.