Rotary-stroke piston displacement machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a piston machine (10) for supplying work to or extracting work from a gaseous or liquid working medium, comprising at least one cylinder (1) in which a piston (2) is arranged. The piston (2) is guided in the working chamber (3) of the cylinder (1) such that the piston carries out an oscillating movement along the cylinder axis as well as a rotating movement about the cylinder axis, in particular a sinusoidal rotary-stroke movement, wherein the piston (2) is connected to a transmission mechanism (9), in particular via a piston rod (29), in order to guide the piston (2) in a forced manner and in order to convert the rotary-stroke movement into a rotational movement, and the piston machine (10) has at least one inlet channel (4) for admitting the working medium into the working chamber (3) and at least one outlet channel (5) for discharging the working medium out of the working chamber (3). According to the invention, the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) are arranged in the cylinder casing (11) such that the head (21) of the piston (2) slides over the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) during the rotary-stroke movement thereof and cyclically covers and releases same, in particular in a complete manner. The inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) together with the piston (2) are arranged and designed such that the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) are, independently of each other, dynamically sealed off from the working chamber (3) with respect to the working medium, and the respective sealing surface between the piston head (21) and the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5) is arranged about the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5).

Description

[0001] Rotary piston displacement machine

[0002] The invention relates to a piston engine for delivering or receiving work from or to a gaseous or liquid working medium according to the preamble of patent claim 1, as well as to an internal combustion engine according to the preamble of patent claim 20, a compressor according to the preamble of patent claim 21 and a steam expander according to the preamble of patent claim 22.

[0003] A number of rotary piston displacement machines are known from the prior art. A working fluid expands and exerts a force on a piston via pressure, which is then forced into both a rotational and a reciprocating motion via a forced kinematic system. Such a rotary piston machine is known, for example, from EP 0240467 A1. The power output is achieved via a central shaft on which the rotary piston is mounted so that it can be longitudinally displaced but is rotationally rigid. Motion conversion is achieved via a swashplate-like shaft and a transmission element.

[0004] Similar reciprocating piston engines known from the prior art are known, for example, from US 5517952 A, US 1572068 A, EP 0320171 A1 and DE 3038673 A1. The reciprocating piston engines known from the prior art with a rotary piston, as well as the slide motors and rotary slide controls known from the prior art, have not been widely used due to a variety of problems beyond the theoretical basis. In the devices known from the prior art, for example, thermal problems, lubrication problems, the very complex design and, in particular, sealing problems could not be satisfactorily solved. In particular, the piston rings known from the prior art, which are used to seal the working chamber from the remaining machine parts, did not ensure satisfactory sealing.

[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a universal reciprocating piston machine or displacement machine which can be used both as a working machine and as a power machine and which does not require complex valve trains with, for example, poppet valves.

[0006] 1

[0007] REPLACEMENT BLADE (RULE 26) The present object is achieved in a piston engine according to the preamble of patent claim 1 with the characterizing features. According to the invention, it is provided that the inlet channel and the outlet channel are arranged in the cylinder jacket in such a way that the piston with its piston skirt passes over the inlet channel and the outlet channel during its rotary stroke movement and cyclically, in particular completely, covers them and then releases them again, and wherein the inlet channel and the outlet channel are arranged and designed with the piston in such a way that the inlet channel and the outlet channel are each dynamically sealed independently of one another from the working chamber for the working medium, wherein the sealing-effective surface between the piston skirt and the inlet channel and / or the outlet channel is arranged around the inlet channel and / or the outlet channel.

[0008] The advantage of the piston engine according to the invention is that it enables both symmetrical and asymmetrical control of the gaseous and liquid working media, and the typically complex and error-prone crank drives are no longer required. Furthermore, the piston engine according to the invention enables a compact design with few moving parts and low-maintenance and efficient operation. The sealing of both the inlet port and the outlet port with respect to the working chamber according to the invention also has the advantage over the piston ring seals known from the prior art in that both unwanted pressure losses and leaks into the working chamber are reliably prevented, and the sealing concept is reliable and simple.

[0009] Due to the inventive arrangement of the inlet and outlet ports, which are arranged in the cylinder jacket, the piston engine according to the invention is also very small and requires little installation space, since the dead space for the valves known from the prior art, such as poppet valves, is eliminated. Furthermore, the piston engine according to the invention essentially has only one oscillating component, i.e. the piston, which serves both to control the working fluid and to apply and absorb the expansion and compression forces. Furthermore, the elimination of the crank drive ensures low-vibration operation of the piston engine, which, thanks to its compact design and the low-movement components, does not require complex mass balancing, as is the case with prior art piston engines.In the context of the present surface, the sealing surface is understood to be the surface where the sealing effect occurs between the piston skirt and the intake port and / or exhaust port. According to the invention, this can be implemented without contact or by sealing elements resting directly on the piston skirt. However, it is essential for the invention that the sealing effect around the intake port and / or exhaust port relative to the working chamber occurs when the piston covers them with the piston skirt.

[0010] Particularly advantageous embodiments of the piston engine according to the invention are further defined by the features of the dependent claims:

[0011] A particularly simple sealing option is provided in that the piston engine has a number of sealing units, wherein the sealing units each have a sealing sleeve which can be pressed onto the piston skirt of the piston, wherein in each case one sealing unit, in particular the sealing sleeve, is arranged around the inlet channel and one sealing unit, in particular the sealing sleeve, is arranged around the outlet channel and each seals the inlet channel and the outlet channel against the working chamber, wherein the sealing unit, in particular the sealing sleeve, is designed such that when the piston passes over the inlet channel and / or the outlet channel it permanently rests on the piston skirt at least at two points, wherein in particular the sealing unit, preferably the sealing sleeve, is shaped in an orbicular manner adapted to the radius of the piston skirt.

[0012] The sealing units and the rotary stroke kinematics make it particularly easy to achieve both symmetrical and asymmetrical control times of the working fluids or gas exchange relative to the top dead center or bottom dead center of the piston, without requiring separate valve trains, poppet valves, camshafts, etc. The piston engine according to the invention is therefore suitable for a four-stroke combustion engine, an efficient vapor-gas expander operated by CR or ORC processes, and also as a compressor.

[0013] The sealing units, in particular the sealing sleeve, always seal off or separate the inlet and outlet channels from the working chamber, thus achieving a favorable seal. The sealing sleeve is advantageously round or elliptical and runs completely around the opening of the inlet and outlet channels, respectively.

[0014] Preferably, the sealing units can be provided with a spring, whereby the sealing units, in particular the sealing sleeve, can be pressed against the piston skirt of the piston by means of the spring. The spring loading of the sealing units in the direction of the piston reliably ensures that the sealing unit or the sealing sleeve always rests against the piston, and a dynamic seal is achieved with simple components during the rotary stroke of the piston.

[0015] To easily adjust the force with which the sealing unit is pressed against the piston and to optimize friction, the sealing units can be connected to the working chamber or the inlet channel and / or the outlet channel via pressure-transmitting channels. The prevailing differential pressure between the inlet channel or the outlet channel and the working chamber can be transmitted via the channel to the sealing unit, in particular the sealing sleeve, and the sealing unit, in particular the sealing sleeve, can be pressed toward the piston skirt. Furthermore, the spring can be selected to be smaller, since the spring force is supported by the pressure difference.

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the piston engine is provided in that the piston has a piston crown which is set back with respect to the end face of the piston, so that the piston forms a cavity open towards the working chamber, wherein the piston has at least one piston inlet channel formed in the piston, which forms a connection from the piston skirt into the cavity and / or to the piston crown and enables the working medium to flow into the working chamber when the piston passes over the inlet channel, and wherein the piston has at least one piston outlet channel formed in the piston, which forms a connection between the cavity and / or the piston crown and the piston skirt and enables the working medium to flow out of the working chamber when the piston passes over the outlet channel.The preferred embodiment of the piston with a recessed piston crown enables a particularly compact design of the piston engine, so that not only does the sweeping of the inlet or outlet channel by the end face of the piston cause the working medium to flow into the working chamber, but the working medium can flow into the working chamber via the inlet or outlet channel, which overlap with the piston inlet or piston outlet channel according to the control times.

[0017] In order to be able to design asymmetrical control times even more advantageously, it can be provided that the inlet channel and / or the exhaust channel extend over a section of the movement, in particular a sinusoidal course, of the piston skirt, preferably of the piston inlet channel and / or the piston outlet channel, wherein in particular the opening of the inlet channel and / or the exhaust channel into the cylinder has a sinusoidal extension in the cylinder jacket, and / or that the opening of the piston inlet channel and / or the opening of the piston outlet channel on the piston skirt has an extension corresponding to a section of the movement of the piston, in particular a partially sinusoidal extension. If the piston inlet channel or the piston outlet channel or the inlet channel and / or the exhaust channel extend over a certain section of the sinusoidal movement orthe movement of the piston, the control times, i.e. the inlet and outlet times of the working medium, can be extended and in this way, depending on requirements, the inlet or outlet of the working medium can be realized over a larger range of the movement of the piston.

[0018] In order to be able to convert the usually higher pressure of the working medium when flowing into the working chamber into a beneficial impulse or a beneficial force on the piston, it can be provided that the piston inlet channel runs in the piston, in particular opens into the working chamber in the direction of the piston crown, in such a way that a flow pressure in the direction of movement of the piston can be applied to the piston by the working medium entering the piston from the inlet channel.

[0019] An advantageous embodiment of the piston engine according to the invention is provided in that the cylinder has two working chambers, wherein the piston is designed as a double-acting piston, wherein the two working chambers are arranged at opposite ends of the cylinder and separated from one another by the piston, wherein the piston in particular has an H-shaped design in the meridian section. By designing it as a double-acting piston, on the one hand, the expansion and / or compression processes within the piston are advantageously used and, on the other hand, a particularly compact design is provided. Furthermore, the design with two working chambers allows the number of moving parts to be further reduced, allowing two working chambers to be machined with one piston.In order to advantageously seal the working chambers from each other, it can be provided that the two working chambers are separated from each other in a fluid-tight manner by at least one piston ring arranged on the piston. Preferably, the piston ring has an anti-rotation device, in particular a projection or hook engaging in the piston, which prevents the piston ring from rotating relative to the piston. Configuring the piston ring with an anti-rotation device advantageously prevents the piston ring from rotating relative to the piston, thereby further improving the seal.

[0020] An optional embodiment of the invention is provided in that the gear mechanism has a positive guide unit for positively guiding the piston and a conversion unit for converting the rotary stroke movement into a rotary movement, wherein the positive guide unit and a conversion unit are arranged spatially separately in the piston engine, and wherein in particular the conversion unit and / or the positive guide unit are designed to be fluid-tightly sealed to the working chamber and arranged separately therefrom. The optional embodiment makes it possible to arrange both the piston group and the gear mechanism or the positive guide unit and the conversion unit separately from one another and thereby ensure that they are hermetically separated from the working chamber. This makes it possible to enable lubrication or even a lubricant-free design of the individual parts, thereby further reducing wear.The separation of the forced guidance unit from the conversion unit also enables two separate assemblies, which can be specifically designed and lubricated depending on the requirements of the individual units.

[0021] In order to be able to advantageously convert the rotary stroke movement into a rotary movement, it can advantageously be provided that the conversion unit has a sliding element, in particular a cylindrical polygon, preferably a square or hexagon, arranged in particular at the end of the piston rod, which is arranged in the direction of the piston axis in a bearing bush of the same design so that it can be displaced relative to the piston axis. The bearing bush is rotatably mounted relative to the housing of the piston engine and the rotary stroke movement converted into a rotary movement can be discharged via this. Due to the advantageous design using the sliding element, this can move along the piston axis relative to the bearing bush, but the rotation of the piston is transmitted via the sliding element to the bearing bush and from there to the other elements, for example a gear, as a pure rotary movement.The sliding element can, for example, be designed as a cylindrical polygon, e.g. as a square or hexagonal rod with a cross-section that can move along the cylinder axis of the piston in the bearing bush that has the same shape as the opposite. Other shaft-shaft or shaft-hub connections known from the prior art are also possible, which then have, for example, a clearance fit or other fits or elements between the sliding element and the bearing bush, so that the sliding element can be moved in a guided manner relative to the bearing bush along the cylinder or piston axis, but drives the bearing bush with it during rotational movement. For example, the bearing bush can be mounted in the housing via a rolling or ball bearing and thus absorbs the axial forces, but enables the radial forces or the rotational movement of the bearing bush. The sliding element can also optionally be designed with the bearing bush as a linear bearing known from the prior art.

[0022] A further advantageous embodiment of the piston engine is provided in that the conversion unit for the removal or supply of the torque has a torque ball bushing with which the rotary stroke movement initiated on the piston, in particular the piston rod, can be converted at the conversion unit into a rotary movement or the rotary movement at the gear unit into a rotary stroke movement on the piston.

[0023] A further advantageous embodiment of the piston engine is provided in that the forced guidance unit has a number of ball grooves and a number of ball sockets, wherein the ball sockets are arranged opposite the ball grooves, wherein the ball grooves are formed according to the rotary stroke movement of the piston, in particular having a sinusoidal or sinusoidal-like curve shape, wherein balls or other rolling elements are arranged in the ball sockets, which, during the rotary stroke movement of the piston, are movable in the ball sockets following the track of the ball grooves and the piston can be guided during its rotary stroke movement. Thus, by forming the ball grooves, for example in the housing of the cylinder or the piston engine, the forced movement of the piston can be easily predetermined, for example by having the ball grooves have a sinusoidal profile on the housing.As an alternative to the variants described above, it is also possible for the piston engine to have other cam guides known from the prior art, which guide the piston in its rotary stroke movements or enable the guidance of the rotary stroke movement of the piston. Advantageously, the transition between the piston and the transmission mechanism, in particular the positive guide unit, can be designed in the form of a pedestal joint, in particular with at least three pins and a number of rollers, ball bearings, or needle bearings.

[0024] To provide a particularly compact design for the piston engine, the piston can be designed to be hollow, with the positive guide unit located inside the piston. This advantageous embodiment further reduces the moving mass of the piston, and the size of the piston engine is further reduced by the support or positive guide of the piston inside the piston.

[0025] It is advantageous if the ball grooves are arranged in the inside of the piston and the ball sockets on a stator connected to the housing of the piston machine or if the ball sockets are arranged in the inside of the piston and the ball grooves are formed on a stator.

[0026] A further advantageous embodiment of the piston machine is provided in that the gear mechanism, in particular the positive guide unit, is designed in the form of a sine disc gear, wherein the gear mechanism has a disc which is sinusoidally designed over its circumference and is connected to the piston, wherein the disc is connected to rolling elements via a guide element connected to the housing, wherein the rolling elements rest on the disc for guidance and storage. By designing it by means of a sine disc gear, the piston is guided particularly advantageously and the pressure forces applied to the piston by the working medium are converted into the advantageous rotary stroke movement according to the invention.

[0027] An advantageous embodiment of the piston machine by means of a sine-disk gear is provided in that at least two guide elements are provided, which are each rotatably mounted in the housing, wherein each guide element has two guide pins directed in the direction of the disc, on each of which a rolling element is rotatably mounted, wherein the guide pins with the rolling elements are designed and arranged at a distance from one another in such a way that the rolling elements rest on the respectively opposite end faces of the disc and the disc is guided and mounted by the rolling movement of the rolling elements and a pivoting movement of the guide elements, wherein the positive guide unit has a ball joint which is arranged between the piston and the disc, wherein the disc is connected to the ball joint via a spring washer in a torque-transmitting manner in such a way that a relative tilting orRotation of the disc is enabled by elastic deformation of the spring slide. The design of the guide elements, which are designed with the sinusoidal disc as a so-called balance beam bearing, enables rotation of the disc with as little friction as possible, and the pivoting or rotating of the guide elements prevents the disc from jamming or jamming.

[0028] To enable cooling of the piston or individual elements of the piston engine, it can advantageously be provided that the piston has two piston rings that are arranged at a distance from one another on the piston and form a cooling chamber between them. At least one cooling channel in the cylinder jacket opens into the cooling chamber, into which a cooling medium can be introduced, thus cooling the piston and / or the cylinder. In this way, a coolant can be easily supplied via the space between the two piston rings, thus cooling the components in the area of ​​the working chamber without risking contact between the coolant and the working medium flowing in the working chamber.

[0029] A further aspect of the present invention is to provide an advantageous internal combustion engine for generating work from a combustion fluid mixed with an oxidizing agent as the working medium, which has a particularly advantageous design. This object is achieved with an internal combustion engine according to the characterizing part of claim 20. According to the invention, the internal combustion engine is designed as a piston engine according to the invention, wherein the working fluid is caused to expand, in particular by means of a spark plug, and the generated energy can be released via the transmission mechanism, and the combusted working medium can be expelled from the working chamber as exhaust gas via the exhaust channel.

[0030] A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a compressor, in particular a pump, for compressing a working medium that has all the advantages of the piston engine according to the invention. According to the invention, a compressor is designed as a piston engine according to the invention, wherein the working medium is compressed in the working chamber and can be discharged from the piston engine via the outlet channel as a compressed working medium or a working medium with an increased pressure level.

[0031] A further advantageous embodiment of the piston engine is provided in that it is designed as a steam expander for generating mechanical work from a vaporous working medium. According to the invention, the steam expander is designed as a piston engine according to the invention or comprises a piston engine according to the invention, wherein the working medium is expanded in the working chamber, thereby driving the piston and dissipating mechanical work to the gear mechanism.

[0032] Further advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings.

[0033] The invention is schematically illustrated below with reference to particularly advantageous, but not restrictive, embodiments in the drawings and is described by way of example with reference to the drawings:

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the piston engine according to the invention in a sectional view, Figs. 2 to 7 show embodiments of the sealing units, Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of a piston ring, Figs. 10 and 11 show an embodiment of the piston engine according to the invention in detailed views according to Fig. 1, Figs. 12 and 13 show a second embodiment of the piston engine according to the invention with ball grooves, Figs. 14 to 16 show a third embodiment of the piston engine according to the invention as an internal combustion engine, Figs. 17 and 18 show a fourth embodiment of the piston engine according to the invention with a gear mechanism formed in the piston, Figs. 19 and 20 show designs of the piston inlet channels and piston outlet channels for a steam expander in a developed view of the cylinder jacket surface and the piston skirt, and Fig.21 and 22 show a view of a developed section of the piston skirt and the cylinder jacket for an embodiment of the piston engine according to the invention as an internal combustion engine. Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the piston engine 10 according to the invention for delivering or taking work from or to a gaseous or liquid working medium. The piston engine 10 comprises a cylinder 1 in which a piston 2 is arranged. The cylinder 1 is closed off at the end by a cylinder head 12. The piston 2 is movable in the cylinder 1 along the cylinder axis and rotatable about the piston axis or cylinder axis. The piston 2 can therefore perform both a rotary and a stroke movement, or a so-called rotary stroke movement, in the cylinder 1. During the stroke movement of the piston 2 in the cylinder 1, a working chamber 3, into which a working medium is introduced, is enlarged and reduced by the movement of the piston 2.The piston engine 10 further has an inlet channel 4 through which the working medium can enter the working chamber 3. After, for example, expansion or compression of the working medium, it is then expelled from the working chamber 3 via an outlet channel 5. Both the inlet channel 4 and the outlet channel 5 are arranged in the cylinder jacket 11 of the cylinder 1 and open circumferentially into the working chamber 3. During its rotary stroke movement, the piston skirt 21 of the piston 2 cyclically passes over the inlet channel 4 and the outlet channel 5, so that the working medium enters the working chamber 3 via the inlet channel 4, is expanded or compressed, and then exits the working chamber 3 via the outlet channel 5. The inlet channel 4 and the outlet channel 5 form a seal during operation of the piston 2 or the piston engine 10, so that the inlet channel 4 and the outlet channel 5 are dynamically sealed from the working chamber 3 for the working medium.

[0035] In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the piston engine 10 has a number of sealing units 6 corresponding to the number of inlets 4 and outlets 5. Preferred embodiments of the sealing units 6 are shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The sealing units 6 each have a sealing sleeve 63 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is pressed against the piston skirt 21 of the piston 2. The sealing units 6 have a spring 65 which is designed as a compression spring and which applies a force to the sealing sleeve 63 relative to the housing of the sealing units 6 in the direction of the piston 2. The spring force 65 thus ensures that the sealing sleeve 63 always rests against the piston skirt 21 of the piston 2 and forms a dynamic seal with it.The dynamic seal of the sealing sleeve 63 with the piston skirt 21 prevents the working medium present in the inlet channel 4 from flowing into the working chamber 3 if the inlet opening into the working chamber 3 is not cleared by the piston skirt 21. In the outlet channel 5, as in the inlet channel 4, a sealing sleeve 63 is also arranged in the sealing unit 6, which is also pressed toward the piston skirt 21 of the piston 2 by means of a spring 65. If the outlet channel 4 is not opened by the piston skirt 21 or the edge of the end face 23 of the piston 2, the sealing unit 6 or the sealing sleeve 63 prevents the working medium from flowing out of the working chamber 3 into the outlet channel 5. The sealing unit 6 in the outlet channel 5 or the sealing sleeve 63 of the sealing unit 6 therefore prevents the working medium from flowing unintentionally from the working chamber 3 into the outlet channel 5.

[0036] The sealing units 6 or the inlet channel 4 and the outlet channel 5 are arranged in the cylinder jacket 11 of the cylinder 1 in a manner coordinated with the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2, such that when the outlet channel 5 or the inlet channel 4 is swept over or released by the piston 2, the sealing units 6 or the sealing sleeve 63 are permanently in contact with the piston skirt 21 at least at two points, thus preventing tilting or jamming with the piston 2.

[0037] 4 and 5 show alternative embodiments of the sealing units 6. The sealing units are each adjusted by means of an adjusting sleeve 66 in the direction of the piston 2 by the arrows shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thus specifying the distance between the sealing sleeve 63 and the piston skirt 21 of the piston 2. The sealing units 6 of Figs. 4 and 5 also have a spring 65, which in these embodiments prevents the sealing sleeve 63 from penetrating too deeply into the working chamber 3. The distance between the piston skirt 21 and the sealing sleeve 63 can be advantageously adjusted in this way, so that, for example, a contactless seal can be formed between the sealing unit 6 and the piston 2. It is thus possible, for example, to achieve a sealing effect of the inlet channel 4 orof the exhaust port 5 relative to the working chamber 3. During initial commissioning or during maintenance, the sealing gap between the sealing necks 63 and the piston skirt 21 can be adjusted via the adjusting sleeve 66 and optimized to a minimum gap width.

[0038] Optionally, the surface of the piston 2 and / or the end face of the sealing sleeve 63 facing the piston 2 can have a special surface structure that improves the contactless seal. For example, the entire surface of the piston skirt 21 can be provided with a rough, structured, honeycomb-like, scale-like, or other fluid-turbulent surface structure, which, due to the resulting fluid vortices of the flowing working medium, exerts a resistance that goes beyond the pure throttling effect of the throttle gap between the piston skirt 21 and the sealing sleeve 63, thus causing a corresponding reduction in the leakage flow.

[0039] Further alternative embodiments of the sealing units 6 are shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The sealing units 6 are connected to the working chamber 3 via a pressure-transmitting channel 62 (Fig. 6), via which the pressure of the working chamber 3 is transmitted to the rear side of the sealing sleeve 63 and influences the force with which the sealing sleeve 63 is pressed against the piston skirt 21 of the piston 2.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 7, for example, the rear chamber of the sealing sleeve 63 can also be connected to the inlet channel 4 or outlet channel 5 via a channel 62, so that depending on the pressure difference between the working chamber 3 and the inlet channel 4 and the outlet channel 5, a differential pressure is established, with which the sealing sleeve 63 is pressed in the direction of the piston skirt 21.

[0041] As shown in Figs. 2 to 7, the sealing sleeve 63 or the sealing unit 6 can optionally be adapted orbicularly to the radius of the piston skirt 21 or the piston 2, so that the sealing sleeve 63 or the sealing unit 6 always rests over its entire surface on the piston skirt 21 or the circumference of the piston 2, as seen in the piston axis.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 1, in preferred embodiments of the piston engine 10, the piston 2 is designed as a double-acting piston 2. The piston engine 10 therefore has two working chambers 3, which are each arranged at opposite ends of the cylinder 1. The two working chambers 3 are each separated from one another by the piston 2, and the piston 2 performs oppositely directed reciprocating movements in the respective working chambers 3. If one working chamber 3 is compressed or reduced in size, the second working chamber 3 is enlarged or expanded in return. As shown in Figs. 1 to 17, the piston 2 preferably has an H-shape, i.e. is designed as a piston 2 that is H-shaped in meridional section, and in each case has a piston crown 26 that is set back from the end face 23 of the piston 2.Due to the recessed piston crown 26, a cavity 27 is formed in the piston 2, which acts as an extension of the working chamber 3 and is open towards the working chamber 3. The piston 2 has a piston inlet channel 24, which forms a connection between the piston skirt 21 and the cavity 27 or the piston crown 26. If the working medium flows via the inlet channel 4 towards the working chamber 3, it first flows into the inlet channel 24 and then via this into the cavity 27 or the working chamber 3. The piston 2 also has a piston outlet channel 25, which connects the working chamber 3 or the cavity 27 with the piston skirt 21. If the piston outlet channel 25 is aligned with the outlet channel 5, the working medium flows from the working chamber 3 or the cavity 27 via the piston outlet channel 25 into the outlet channel 5 and thus out of the working chamber 3 or the cylinder 1.The cylinder 1 is closed at both ends by a cylinder head 12, which defines the working chamber 3 in the cylinder 1 at the end face. Optionally, the cylinder head 12 can be adapted to the end face shape of the piston 2, as shown in Figs. 1 to 18, so that the working chamber 3 is completely or almost completely filled by the piston 2 during the reciprocating movement, and the piston 2 almost rests against the cylinder head 12 at its end face 23 at a short distance from the cylinder head 12 at top dead center.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 1, the piston engine 10 has at least one inlet channel 4, one outlet channel 5, and, as preferably described, at least one piston inlet channel 24 and at least one piston outlet channel 25 for each working chamber 3. In alternative embodiments, however, it is also possible for the piston 2 or the piston engine to have several, in particular two, inlet channels 4, outlet channels 5, piston inlet channels 24 and / or piston outlet channels 25.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment of the piston engine 10 according to the invention, the piston inlet channel 24 is curved in the piston 2 or runs in a curve in the piston 2. The piston inlet channel 24 is guided in the piston 2 or runs therein in such a way that the working medium entering via the inlet channel 4 causes an impulse or a force in the piston inlet channel 24 and adjusts the piston 2 in the direction of the cylinder axis or imposes a favorable impulse or force on it. Due to the advantageous guidance of the piston inlet channel 24, the flow pressure of the working medium can be used to apply an advantageous impulse to the piston 2 in the direction of movement of the piston 2.

[0045] The two working chambers 3 can, as shown in Fig. 1 to 17, advantageously be separated from one another by piston rings 22 arranged on the piston 2 or by a piston ring 22, so that the pressure conditions within the two working chambers 3 do not influence one another and the working chambers 3 are sealed off from one another for the working medium by the piston ring 22. As shown in Fig. 8, the piston ring 22 can advantageously have an anti-twist device, which in this embodiment is designed as a hook 28. When the piston ring 22 is arranged on the piston 2, the hook 28 is inserted into a recess of the opposite design and thus prevents the piston ring 22 from twisting during the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2 relative to the latter.

[0046] In the embodiments of the piston engine 10 according to the invention, the piston 2 is connected to a gear mechanism 9 which, on the one hand, effects the forced guidance of the piston 2 and, on the other hand, the conversion of the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2 into a rotary movement.

[0047] In the first embodiment of the piston engine 10 according to Fig. 1, the gear mechanism 9 has a positive guide unit 7 for positively guiding the piston or for guiding the piston 2 and causes the piston to execute the rotary stroke movement or to perform it in a defined, predetermined manner. The gear mechanism 9 or the piston engine 10 further has a conversion unit 8 which converts the rotary stroke movement into a pure rotary movement. The conversion unit 8 has a sliding element 81 which has an elongated square design or is designed as a so-called square (Figs. 10, 11). The sliding element 81 or the square is connected to the piston 2 via a piston rod 29, so that the sliding element 81 executes the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2 together with the latter. In the conversion unit 8, opposite the sliding element 81, a bearing bush 82 of the same design is arranged, which is rotatably mounted in the cylinder housing via rolling bearings.If the piston 2 now performs the rotary stroke movement, the sliding element 81 is adjusted along with the piston 2 via the piston rod 29 and moves further in or out of the bearing bush 82 along the cylinder axis relative to the latter. Due to its square design, the sliding element 81 takes the bearing bush 82 with it in the direction of rotation of the piston 2 and thereby converts the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2 into a pure rotary movement on the bearing bush 82. The sliding element 81 can therefore be adjusted in the cylinder axis of the piston 2 or cylinder 1 relative to the bearing bush 82, but takes the bearing bush with it during the rotary movement around the axis of the piston 2 or cylinder 1. Further elements can then be arranged on the bearing bush 82, via which the rotary movement is diverted and transmitted to other elements, for example a gear.In alternative embodiments, the sliding element 81 with the bearing bush 82 can also be designed as a linear bearing known from the prior art.

[0048] Optionally to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 18 by means of conversion unit 8 with sliding element 81 and bearing bush 82, the conversion unit 8 can alternatively also have a torque ball bush or other components known from the prior art, which are connected to the piston rod 29 and, as previously described, convert the rotary stroke movement into a pure rotary movement.

[0049] The first embodiment of the piston engine 10 in Fig. 1 also has a positive guide unit 7, with which the positive movement of the piston 2, i.e. the rotary stroke movement, is guided or imposed on it. In the first embodiment of Figs. 1, 10 and 11, the positive guide unit 7 is designed in the form of a sinusoidal gear. The positive guide unit 7 or the gear mechanism 9 has a disk 75 which is sinusoidal over its circumference and is connected to the piston 2 via a guide rod 79. The disk 75 has a sinusoidal shape over its circumference and is connected to the guide rod 79 via a ball joint 100 (Fig. 1). The disk 75 can therefore execute a slight tilting or pivoting movement relative to the guide rod 79 via the ball joint 100. A spring disk 102 is arranged between the ball joint 100 and the disk 75.The spring washer 102 transmits the torque of the guide rod 79 via the ball joint 100 to the disc 75, but allows a relative tilting or rotation of the disc 75 to the guide rod 79 through elastic deformation. The disc 75, together with the ball joint 100, the spring washer 102, and the guide rod 79, forms a so-called balance beam bearing, which allows the disc to tilt relative to the guide rod while still allowing the torque of the piston 2 or the guide rod 98 to be transmitted to the disc. This arrangement also enables load balancing.

[0050] Relative to the housing of cylinder 1, the disc 75 is guided in its movement by two guide elements 76. The guide elements 76 each have two guide pins 78, on each of which rolling elements 77 are arranged. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the rolling elements 77 are tapered rollers, each of which rests against one of the end faces of the disc 75 and is therefore arranged at a distance from one another in the thickness of the disc 75. The disc 75 is guided via the rolling elements 77, whereby the guide elements 76 can pivot relative to the housing of the cylinder 1. Due to the arrangement of the disc 75 and its sinusoidal design with the ball joint 100, the guide elements 76 and the rolling elements 77, the piston 2 is guided via the guide rod 79 or, in the embodiment of Fig. 1, a forced movement is imposed on it, a sinusoidal rotary stroke movement.

[0051] 12 and 13 show a second embodiment of the piston engine 10 according to the invention. In the second embodiment of the piston engine 10, the gear mechanism 9 has an alternative positive guide unit 7. The positive guide unit 7 has a ball groove 71 which is formed on the interior of the housing 1, which is also cylindrical in the region of the positive guide unit 7. Opposite the ball groove 71, three ball sockets 72 are arranged on the guide rod 79, in which balls 73 are fastened. The balls 73 engage from the ball sockets 72 into the ball grooves 71 and, via the guide rod 79, cause a forced movement of the piston 2 corresponding to the formation of the ball groove 71. The ball groove 71 has a sinusoidal curved shape, so that a sinusoidal rotary stroke movement corresponding to the path of the ball grooves 71 is imposed on the piston 2.

[0052] As an alternative to the embodiment shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the ball sockets 72 or the ball grooves 71 with the balls 73 can be designed in the form of a pod joint, so that the three balls 73 form, for example, a tripod.

[0053] Optionally to the embodiment using balls 73 described in Figs. 12 and 13, other rolling elements can also be arranged on the guide rod 79 and can be supported in or move in opposing grooves on the housing of the cylinder 1.

[0054] 14 to 16 show a third embodiment of the piston engine 10 according to the invention. In the third embodiment of the piston engine 10, the forced guide unit 7 is arranged inside the piston 2. The piston 2 is designed as a hollow cylinder and ball sockets 72 are formed in its inner wall, in which balls 73 are arranged. Also arranged inside the piston 2 is a stator 74 which is connected to the housing of the cylinder 1 via a connecting rod. The stator 74 is arranged rotationally fixed inside the piston 2 and has two ball grooves 71, each offset by 90° to one another. The movement of the piston 2 is forced onto the piston 2 via the balls 73 or the ball grooves 71 via the stator 74, and the piston 2 executes, for example, a sinusoidal rotary stroke movement depending on the design of the ball grooves 71.The piston 2 is therefore positively mounted with the positive guide unit 7 in its interior and performs a rotary stroke movement when the working medium flows in via the inlet channel 4 and the piston inlet channel 24.

[0055] 17 and 18 show a fourth embodiment of the piston engine 10 according to the invention. The piston engine 10 has a positive guide unit 7 arranged inside the piston 2. The piston 2 has three ball sockets 72 in which three balls 73 or (Fig. 18) are arranged. An intermediate sleeve 87 is arranged between the stator 74 and the piston 2, on which the ball grooves 71 are formed. The intermediate sleeve 87 is firmly connected to the stator 74 so that the piston 2 can execute the rotary stroke movement. The embodiment of Figs. 17 and 18 has only one ball groove 71.

[0056] As shown in Figs. 14 to 18, the third and fourth embodiments have a number of circulation channels 103 which allow the air present in the piston 2 to circulate during the reciprocating movement without being subjected to compression and thereby inhibiting the movement of the piston 2.

[0057] The preferred embodiments of Figs. 14 to 18 enable a particularly compact design of the piston engine 10, which additionally has only a few moving parts, thereby reducing the susceptibility to errors on the one hand and the moving masses on the other.

[0058] As shown in Figures 1 to 18, the gear mechanism 9 or the conversion unit 8 and the positive guide unit 7 can be arranged separately from the working chamber 3 and thus be designed to be separately sealed. For example, optional lubrication and hermetic separation of the gear mechanism 9 or the conversion unit 8 and the positive guide unit 7 from the working chamber can be achieved, whereby their components have an increased service life and mixing or contact with the working medium is effectively prevented. As shown in the preferred embodiments in Figures 14 to 17, the piston engine 10 can optionally have two piston rings 22, each of which is arranged at a distance around the circumference of the piston 2 with respect to the cylinder axis or the axis of the piston 2.The gap between the piston rings 22 can then be formed, for example, in the piston 2 or cylinder 1 as a cooling chamber 14, into which coolant is supplied to the piston 2 via a cooling channel 15. Thus, a coolant introduced, for example, via the cooling channel 15 can circulate in the cooling chamber 14 and be discharged from the cooling chamber 14 via another cooling channel 15. In this way, it is possible to specifically cool the piston 2 or the cylinder 1 in the area of ​​the cooling chamber 14 using the coolant or cooling medium, thereby avoiding undesirable temperature increases.

[0059] In preferred embodiments, the cylinder 1, the piston 2 and other components of the piston engine 10 or parts thereof are made of ceramic materials, carbon-graphite compounds or high-tech plastics and high-tech compounds.

[0060] The embodiments of the piston engine 10 shown in Figures 1 to 21 can either be designed as expansion machines in which a compressed working gas is expanded in the working chamber 3 and thereby applies work to the piston 2 or, conversely, work is applied by the piston 2 in the form of compression power to the working medium by applying mechanical power to the piston 2.

[0061] The piston engine 10 according to the invention can optionally have, in addition to the illustrated embodiments, a plurality of cylinders 1, each of which has a piston 2 arranged therein.

[0062] An advantageous application of the piston engine 10 according to the invention provides that the piston engine 10 is designed as an internal combustion engine or an internal combustion engine comprises a piston engine 10 according to the invention. In the piston engine 10, for example, a combustion fluid is then introduced as a working medium via the inlet channel 4 into the working chamber 3 and burned with an oxidizing agent. During combustion, the working medium expands and pushes the piston 2 along the rotary stroke movement, thus delivering power to the piston 2 and via the piston to the conversion unit 8. The power can then be delivered via the conversion unit 8, for example, to the wheels of a vehicle or a transmission. For this purpose, spark plugs 101 can be provided, which protrude into the working chamber 3, as shown, for example, in Fig. 14.Such an internal combustion engine can, for example, be used in the Otto principle or as a diesel engine or gas engine without major adaptations.

[0063] A further use of the piston engine 10 according to the invention provides for it to be designed as a compressor or pump, or for the compressor to have a piston engine 10. The working fluid enters the piston engine 10 according to the invention, is compressed in the working chamber 3, and then exits via the outlet channel 5 as a compressed working fluid or as a working fluid with a higher pressure level. In the case of the compressor, work is supplied to the piston 2 via the conversion unit 8 and the piston 2, which then transfers this work to the working fluid via the rotary stroke movement.

[0064] A further advantageous application of the piston engine 10 according to the invention provides for it to be designed as a steam expander operating in the RC or ORC process, or for a steam expander to comprise a piston engine 10 according to the invention. The working medium, for example, steam or ORC fluid, is then expanded in the working chamber 3, thus dissipating power via the piston 2 and the gear mechanism 9 or the conversion unit 8.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment of the piston engine 10 according to the invention, the piston inlet channel 24 or the piston outlet channel 25 with its opening into the piston skirt 21 can extend longitudinally according to the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2.

[0066] Fig. 19 shows an embodiment of the piston 2 in developed form. The piston inlet channel 24 and the piston outlet channel 25 are partially sinusoidal in shape, extending over the piston skirt 21 over a portion of the rotary stroke movement, corresponding to the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2. In Fig. 20, the outlet channel 5 and the inlet channel 4 are then also shown in developed form over the cylinder jacket 11. Over a portion of the rotary stroke movement of the piston 2, the piston inlet channel 24 corresponds to the inlet channel 4 and the working medium can flow into the working chamber 3 via the piston inlet channel 24. If this is then expanded, as in a compressor, for example, the piston outlet channel 25 overlaps with the outlet channel 5 and the working medium can exit the cylinder via the piston outlet channel 25 and the outlet channel 5. As shown in Fig.19, for example, in the design of the piston engine as a steam expander, the piston outlet channel 25 extends further over the circumference of the piston skirt 21 than the piston inlet channel 24.

[0067] Figs. 21 and 22 show a configuration of the piston inlet port 24 and the piston outlet port 25 for a four-stroke internal combustion engine, corresponding to Figs. 19 and 20. Depending on the configuration of the piston inlet ports 24 and the piston outlet ports 25, asymmetric control points of the piston 2 or the process in the working chamber 3 can be controlled, and advantageous movement patterns can be imposed on the piston 2.

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Piston engine (10) for delivering or receiving work from or to a gaseous or liquid working medium, comprising at least one cylinder (1) closed at the end, in particular by a cylinder head, in which a piston (2) is arranged, wherein the piston (2) is guided in the working chamber (3) of the cylinder (1) such that it performs an oscillating movement along the cylinder axis as well as a rotating movement about the cylinder axis, in particular a sinusoidal rotary stroke movement, wherein the piston (2) is connected, in particular via a piston rod (29), to a gear mechanism (9) for positively guiding the piston (2) and for converting the rotary stroke movement into a rotary movement, wherein the piston engine (10) has at least one inlet channel (4) for the inlet of the working medium into the working chamber (3) and at least one outlet channel (5) for the outlet of the working medium from the working chamber (3), characterized in thatthat the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) are arranged in the cylinder jacket (11) in such a way that the piston (2) with its piston skirt (21) passes over the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) during its rotary stroke movement and cyclically, in particular completely, covers and releases them again, and wherein the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) with the piston (2) are arranged and designed in such a way that the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) are dynamically sealed independently of one another against the working chamber (3) for the working medium, wherein the sealing-effective surface between the piston skirt (21) and the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5) is arranged around the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5).

2. Piston engine (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston engine (10) has a number of sealing units (6), wherein the sealing units (6) each have a sealing sleeve (63) which can be pressed onto the piston skirt (21) of the piston (2), wherein in each case one sealing unit (6), in particular the sealing sleeve (63), is arranged around the inlet channel (4) and one sealing unit (6), in particular the sealing sleeve (63), is arranged around the outlet channel (5) and each seals the inlet channel (4) and the outlet channel (5) against the working chamber (3), wherein the sealing unit (6), in particular the sealing sleeve (63), is designed such that it permanently rests on the piston skirt (21) at least at two points when the piston (2) passes over the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5), wherein in particular the sealing unit (6), preferably the sealing sleeve (63), is shaped in an orbicular manner to fit the radius of the piston skirt (21).

3. Piston engine (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the sealing units (6) have a spring (65), wherein by means of the spring (65) the sealing units (6), in particular the sealing sleeve (63) can be pressed against the piston skirt (21) of the piston (2).

4. Piston engine (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the sealing units (6) are connected to the working chamber (3) or the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5) via pressure-transmitting channels (62), wherein the prevailing differential pressure between the inlet channel (4) or the outlet channel (5) to the working chamber (2) can be transmitted via the channel (62) to the sealing unit (6), in particular the sealing sleeve (63), and the sealing unit (6), in particular the sealing sleeve (63), can be pressed in the direction of the piston skirt (21).

5. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston (2) has a piston head (26) which is set back with respect to the end face (23) of the piston (2), so that the piston (2) forms a cavity (27) open towards the working chamber (3), - wherein the piston (2) has at least one piston inlet channel (24) formed in the piston (2), which forms a connection from the piston skirt (21) into the cavity (27) and / or to the piston crown (26) and enables the working medium to flow into the working chamber (3) when the piston (2) passes over the inlet channel (4) and - wherein the piston (2) has at least one piston outlet channel (25) formed in the piston (2), which forms a connection between the cavity (27) and / or the piston crown (26) to the piston skirt (21) and enables the working medium to flow out of the working chamber (2) when the piston (2) sweeps over the outlet channel (5).

6. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5) extend over a section of the movement, in particular a sinusoidal course, of the piston skirt (21), preferably of the piston inlet channel (24) and / or the piston outlet channel (25), wherein in particular the opening of the inlet channel (4) and / or the outlet channel (5) into the cylinder (1) has a sinusoidal extension in the cylinder jacket (11), and / or that the mouth of the piston inlet channel (24) and / or the mouth of the piston outlet channel (25) on the piston skirt (21) have an extension corresponding to a section of the movement of the piston, in particular a partially sinusoidal extension.

7. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston inlet channel (24) runs in the piston (2), in particular opens into the working chamber (3) in the direction of the piston crown (26), in such a way that a flow pressure in the direction of movement of the piston (2) can be applied to the piston (2) by the working medium entering the piston (2) from the inlet channel (5).

8. Piston machine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylinder (1) has two working chambers (3), wherein the piston (2) is designed as a double-acting piston (2), wherein the two working chambers (3) are arranged at opposite ends of the cylinder (1) and are separated from one another by the piston (2), wherein in particular the piston (2) has an H-shaped design in the meridian section.

9. Piston engine (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the two working chambers (3) are separated from one another in a fluid-tight manner by at least one piston ring (22) arranged on the piston (2), wherein the piston ring (22) preferably has an anti-twist device, in particular an extension or hook (28) engaging in the piston (2), which prevents rotation of the piston ring (22) relative to the piston (2).

10. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gear mechanism (9) has a forced guide unit (7) for the forced guidance of the piston (2) and a conversion unit (8) for converting the rotary stroke movement into a rotary movement, - wherein the forced guidance unit (7) and a conversion unit (8) are arranged spatially separated in the piston engine (10), and - wherein in particular the conversion unit (8) and / or the forced guidance unit (7) is designed to be fluid-tightly sealed to the working space (3) and is arranged separately therefrom. 1 1. Piston engine (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the conversion unit (8) is a, in particular arranged at the end of the piston rod (29), Sliding element (81), in particular a cylindrically shaped polygon, preferably a square or hexagon, which is arranged in the direction of the piston axis of the piston (2) in a bearing bush (82) of the same design so as to be displaceable relative to the latter, wherein the bearing bush (82) is rotatably mounted relative to the housing of the piston machine (10) and via this, the rotary stroke movement converted into a rotary movement can be discharged.

12. Piston machine (10) according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the conversion unit (8) for the removal or supply of the torque has a torque ball bushing with which the rotary stroke movement introduced at the piston (2), in particular the piston rod (29), can be converted at the conversion unit (8) into a rotary movement or the rotary movement at the conversion unit (8) can be converted into a rotary stroke movement at the piston (2).

13. Piston machine (10) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the positive guide unit (7) has a number of ball grooves (71) and a number of ball sockets (72), the ball sockets (72) being arranged opposite the ball grooves (71), the ball grooves (71) being designed in accordance with the rotary stroke movement of the piston (2), in particular having a sinusoidal or sinusoidal-like curve shape, balls (73) or other rolling elements being arranged in the ball sockets (72), which, when the rotary stroke movement of the piston (2) is moved, are movable in the ball sockets (72) following the track of the ball grooves (71), and the piston (2) is guided during its rotary stroke movement.

14. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transition between the piston (2) and the gear mechanism (9), in particular the positive guide unit (7), is designed in the form of a pedestal joint, in particular with at least three pins and a number of rollers or ball or needle bearings.

15. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston (2) is hollow, wherein the forced guide unit (7) is formed in the interior of the piston (2).

16. Piston engine (10) according to claim 15, characterized in that the ball grooves (71) are arranged in the inside of the piston (2) and the ball sockets (72) are arranged on a stator (74) connected to the housing of the piston engine (10) or - that the ball sockets (72) are arranged in the inside of the piston (2) and the ball grooves (71) are formed on a stator (74).

17. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gear mechanism (9), in particular the positive guide unit (7), is designed in the form of a sinusoidal disk gear, wherein the gear mechanism (9) has a disk (75) which is sinusoidally shaped over its circumference and which is connected to the piston (2), - wherein the disc (75) is connected to rolling elements (77) via a guide element (76) connected to the housing, - wherein the rolling elements (77) rest on the disc (75) for guidance and support.

18. Piston engine (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that at least two guide elements (76) are provided, each of which is rotatably mounted in the housing, wherein each guide element (76) has two guide pins (78) directed in the direction of the disc (75), on each of which a rolling element (77) is rotatably mounted, wherein the guide pins (78) with the rolling elements (77) are designed and arranged at a distance from one another in such a way that the rolling elements (77) rest on the respective opposite end faces of the disc (75) and the disc is guided and mounted by the rolling movement of the rolling elements (77) and a pivoting movement of the guide elements (76), - wherein the positive guide unit (7) has a ball joint (100) which is arranged between the piston (2) and the disc (75), wherein the disc (75) is connected to the ball joint (100) via a spring disc (102) in a torque-transmitting manner such that a relative tilting or rotation of the disc (75) is made possible by an elastic deformation of the spring disc (102).

19. Piston engine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston (2) has two piston rings (22) which are arranged at a distance from one another on the piston (2) and form a cooling chamber (14) between them, wherein in the cylinder jacket (11) at least one cooling channel (15) opens into the cooling chamber (14) into which a cooling medium can be introduced and thus the piston (2) and / or the cylinder (1) can be cooled.

20. Internal combustion engine for generating work from a combustion fluid mixed with an oxidizing agent as a working medium, comprising a number of cylinders, characterized in that the internal combustion engine is designed as a piston engine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the Working fluid is caused to expand, in particular by means of a spark plug, and the energy generated can be released via the gear mechanism (9) and the burned working medium can be expelled as exhaust gas from the working chamber (3) via the outlet channel (5).

21. Compressor, in particular a pump, for compressing a working medium, characterized in that the compressor is designed as a piston machine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the working medium is compressed in the working chamber (3) and can be discharged from the piston machine (10) via the outlet channel (4) as a compressed working medium or working medium with an increased pressure level.

22. Steam expander for generating mechanical work from a vaporous working medium, in particular water vapor or ORC fluid, characterized in that the steam expander is designed as a piston machine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the working medium is expanded in the working chamber (3) and thereby the piston (2) can be driven and mechanical work can be dissipated at the gear mechanism (9). TI

Images