Rotary Piston Engine Counter-Piston Contour Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary piston engines face challenges such as sealing issues and high production costs due to complex mechanical designs, limiting their market penetration.
Innovation Solution
A simplified rotary piston engine design with a mechanical control system that minimizes contact between the rotary piston and counter-piston, using a one-piece rotor with trapezoidal-shaped pistons and a pressure accumulator device to optimize sealing and efficiency, allowing for clock-controlled operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical control system is used to drive the counter-piston, then the sealing efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical control systems with a clock-controlled system that uses the rotational position of the rotor to automatically control the counter-piston. This substitution maintains precise sealing control while reducing mechanical complexity by leveraging the inherent rotational mechanics of the rotor rather than adding separate control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The counter-piston is designed to automatically follow the contour of the rotary piston through its own mechanical movement, controlled by the rotor's rotation. The system uses the rotor's motion itself to control the counter-piston positioning, eliminating the need for external control systems and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining sealing efficiency.
2Reliability
If the counter-piston follows the contour of the rotary piston without contact, then sealing efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the counter-piston and rotary piston with matching trapezoidal contours that create equivalent geometric relationships. By ensuring both components have the same contour shape, the system achieves automatic contour following through geometric compatibility rather than requiring high-precision active control, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining sealing efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If a one-piece rotor is used, then production costs are reduced, but the difficulty of achieving precise piston positioning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric trapezoidal contours on the rotary piston and counter-piston that are specifically designed to work together. This asymmetric geometry creates a natural positioning mechanism where the contours guide each component into the correct relative position during rotation, achieving precise positioning through geometric design rather than requiring complex measurement and adjustment systems.
4Reliability
If the rotary piston and counter-piston are minimized in contact, then sealing efficiency is improved, but friction losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the trapezoidal contour design to create a flexible sealing interface where the counter-piston follows the rotary piston's contour with minimal contact. This design maintains sealing effectiveness through geometric conformity while minimizing frictional contact area, reducing energy losses compared to traditional rigid sealing methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances sealing efficiency, reduces production costs, and achieves low-vibration operation with improved displacement/power ratio, making the rotary piston engine more viable.
Implementation Method 1
The rotary piston and the part of the counter-piston projecting into the cylinder are approximately the same shape and the at least one rotary piston and the at least one counter-piston are approximately trapezoidal
Implementation Method 2
the counter-piston follows the contour of the rotary piston protruding from the rotor without contact as it passes through with a minimal distance
Implementation Method 3
the rotor advantageously being formed in one piece
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a novel rotary piston engine, comprising a motor housing (2) having a housing interior (2.1) with at least one inlet (2.2) and at least one outlet (2.3), a cylindrical rotor (3) being received in said housing rotatably about a rotational axis (RA) in a specified direction of rotation (DR) in a cylindrical running surface (6) which extends concentrically to the rotational axis (RA) and which encloses at least one cylinder (5) having an annular cross-section together with the lateral surface (3.1) of the rotor (3) and lateral ribs (5.3), at least on rotary piston (4, 4') on the rotor (3) being arranged on the lateral surface (3.1) of the rotor (3), wherein at least one counter piston (7, 7') is received at least partially in the motor housing (2), at least the at least one counter piston (7, 7') is mounted movably on the rotor (3), and each counter piston (7, 7') is associated with at least one inlet (2.3) having an inlet valve (13) and at least one outlet (2.3), wherein the at least one outlet (2.3) is arranged in the direction of rotation (DR) directly upstream of the counter piston (7, 7') and following the same at least one inlet (2.2) is arranged in the direction of rotation (DR), wherein the at least one counter piston (7, 7') is driven such that the counter piston (7, 7') follows the contour of the rotary piston (4, 4') protruding from the rotor (3) with minimal distance in a contactless manner during the passage of said piston.