GB2505082A - Combined electrical generator, electromagnetic propulsion engine and internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

Hybrid electric vehicles require two motors or engines; one for internal combustion and a second for electronic propulsion. Here, as shown in figure 3, a novel hybrid engine is proposed. The proposed design is capable of permitting internal combustion and electric propulsion within the same engine block. Friction and/or heat dissipation from the engine is reduced. The proposed scheme utilises a set of permanent magnets C attached to connecting rods CR1 and to the same eccentric crankshaft ECS as the internal combustion engine, and is provided with motive force by electrically powered switching bipolar electromagnets A1, hence minimizing losses due to friction. It is more efficient than current hybrid engines or alternator motors due to reduced friction. The use of thermal and magnetic insulation AER in combination with appropriate cylinder timing circuitry represent advantages over existing technology and it may be used in alternator motor form to generate electricity for vehicular and other purposes.

Description

Description Title

Hybrid Electric Engine Hybrid electric engine capable of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy, and in alternator motor form, capable of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.

introduction & Background to the invention

1. This invention is intended to solve two problems. First, conventional electTic motors generate significant entrophic heat loss due to friction and accordingly consume greater electrical power in watts per unit of mechanical power output in wafts. Efforts have been made to reduce this inefficiency. Secondly, hybrid electric vehicles require, for propulsion, both an internal combustion engine and also an clcctric motor. Efforts havc bccn madc to conflatc thcsc distinct dcviccs into a unified engine also capable of being used as an alternator motor to generate electricity.

2. This invention comprises a hybrid electric piston engine. It is capable of pemiifting prior art internal combustion in tandem with a novel means of electric propulsion within the same engine block at the same time.

3. Various combinations of internal combustion and electric propulsion are possible, because both of the engines (both the internal combustion engine and the electric piston engine) may be attached to the same mechanical crankshaft at the same time.

4. The device also enables an internal combustion engine to propel an electric piston engine (in akernator motor form with appropriate solenoids) for the purpose of generating electricity.

5. The gist of the invention is that cylindrical neodymium permanent magnets or other permanent magnets perform a similar role here to the cylinders in conventional internal combustion engines.

6. Cylindrical permanent magnet pistons are connected to connecting rods and a crankshaft, just as the conventional cylinders of an internal combustion engine are connected to connecting rods and an eccentric crankshaft.

7. However, the permanent magnet cylinders in this hybrid electric engine are provided with motive force by switching bipolar electromagnets positioned above and beneath each motile permanent magnct piston. Rapid changes in thc polarity of the upper and lower stalk electromagnets, powered by an external battery or other power source, respectively pull and push (attract and repel) the cylindrical permanent magnet pistons, forcing them to move upwards and downwards within a low magnetic permeability cylinder housing. By this means, when the static electromagnets are supplied with pulses of electrical power, proximate motile neodymium (or other permanent) cylindrical magnets affixed to connecting rods arc caused to move up and down within said cylinder housings, thereby providing motive force through said connecting rods to the eccentric crankshaft of the vehicle.

8. Prior art automotive lubrication, water cooling and air flow cooling systems combined with prior art materials such as aerogel prevent the motile cylindrical permanent magnets losing their magnetic properties or reaching their Curie Temperatures due to entrophic heat dissipation arising from proximity to the cylinders of the internal combustion engine.

9. Engine blocks and cylinder housings made from prior art ceramics operate to keep the magnetic permeability of the surrounding engine housing to a minimum with effect that the upward and downward movement of the permanent magnet pistons is not materially affected by ferrous material in the engine block.

10. Prior art Mu-metal magnetic insulation in and around the cylinder housings of the motile cylindrical neodymium magnets prevents magnetic interference from affecting other parts of the vehicle and in particular from affecting neighbouring cylinders.

11. The means by which entrophic heat dissipation and unwanted magnetic interference are kept to a minimum are various, and in this sense, optional.

However the efficiency and longevity of the engine will depend upon the nature and extent of measures taken to reduce thermal and magnetic interference.

12. Motile neodymium cylinder timing on the other hand is critical in so 11w as the provision of motive ftwee in vehicular applications is concerned. Circuit schematics have been appended to this application illustrating representative though by no means exclusive means of timing the switching of static bipolar electromagnets to correspond precisely with the movement of the motile neodymium cylinders within their cylinder housings.

13. A more detailed explanation is set out below, but by way of example, prior art Pin Junction photodiodes [due to their rapid switching capability] may be used to enable rapid polarity switching of said static bipolar electromagnets (in conjunction with pilot art photodiode/laser arrays). Alternatively, Hall Effect sensors may be used, of which more is said below. Whatever optional means are used [in so far as the provision of motive force for vehicular applications is concerned] it is nonetheless critical that the static bipolar electromagnets are supplied with electrical power from an external power source or battery when and oniy when said motile cylindrical neodymium cylinders are respectively at the zenith and nadir of their respective cylinder housings [when the motile permanent magnets, within the cycle of movement more specifically described below, are respectively at their uppermost and lowest points within the cylinder housing, at which points they will be in closest proximity to the upper and lower static switching bipolar electromagnets].

14. Accordingly, it is essential that neodymium [or other permanent magnet] cylinder timing is strictly regulated by one means or another, so as to accord and optimally take advantage of pulses of electrical power supplied to the upper and lower static bipolar electromagnets. In general terms, pulses of power from the upper and lower static electromagnets must be timed to coincide so far as possible with the closest proximity [at the moment of electromagnet operation] with the oppositely polarized permanent magnetic poles of the motile cylindrical permanent magnets.

A high degree of engineering skill is not essential but will significantly affect the efficiency of the device. The idea is to ensure that the moving magnetic cylinders get as close as possible to the static electromagnets [without actually coming into contact with them] and this is important because of the inverse square dynamic governing how magnetic flux density (in Tesla) falls significantly over distance [over distances measurable in fractions of a millimetre]. The closer the moving cylindrical permanent magnets can get to the static electromagnets [without actually coming into contact with one another], the more explosively powerful the repulsion between the two will be, and the more closely the forces will equate with or exceed forces at work within the cylinders of an internal combustion engine.

15. The invention may be used to propel hybrid vehicles or may be used in a variety of other domestic and industrial applications to generate electricity or provide motive force. It is intended to be more efficient than conventional rotary electric motors in so far as relatively low angular velocity, high torque applications are concerned.

Introduction to the drawings

16. The invention is further described in detail in all of four examples of execution.

17. Fig. 1 constitutes a schematic side view in cross section of two static switching bipolar electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" respectively. The static electromagnet "Al" is positioned above a permanent magnet cylinder marked "C". The static electromagnet marked "AT' is beneath said permanent magnet cylinder marked "C".

IS. The permanent magnet cylinder marked "C" moves up and down inside a ceramic cylinder housing markcd "H".

19. The permanent magnet cylinder marked "C" is provided with motive force when the switching static bipolar electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" above and beneath the permanent magnet cylinder marked "C" are supplied with electrical energy by vehicle batteries (or other sources of electricity) marked "B!" and "B2" respectively, as shown in "Figure 1".

20. Fig 3. comprises a front view in cross section of an eight cylinder V' configuration (V8) internal combustion engine showing a ceramic permanent magnet cylinder housing marked"H" as well as the position of two switching bipolar electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" above and beneath the permanent magnet cylinder marked "C".

21. Fig 3. shows by way of example and in cross section, a VS engine with a permanent magnet piston on the left side of the diagram, together with a conventional internal combustion cylinder marked "CEC" on the right side of the diagram, showing how such different systems can be used in tandem.

22. The diagram shows Aerogel thermal insulation marked "AER" in the center of the diagram marking the dividing line between the internal combustion engine on the right of the diagram and Aerogel insulation also marked "AER" around the cylinder housing marked "H", showing how heat dissipation from the internal combustion half' of the engine may be minimized. Intemal combustion cylinders may be diseomiected from the crankshaft when not in operation by means of prior art clutch mechanisms. Attention is invited to the fact that the electric piston engine the subject of this invention need not necessarily be used in combination with an internal combustion engine. Combining the electric piston engine with an internal combustion engine would increase the range and practicability of the vehicle having regard to the state of the art in battery technology at the time of application, but it may be operated solely as an electric vehicle engine.

23. The diagram marked "Figure 4" shows a representative laser diode and photodiode array, marking one possible method of enabling rapid switching of the upper and. lower static bipolar elcctromagnets.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

24. The drawing at Fig 1. illustrates a switching bipolar electromagnet (marked Al') which is positioned above a permanent magnet piston marked C' (in the same place where one might expect to find a spark plug in a conventional internal combustion engine). A second switching bipolar electromagnet (marked "A2") is positioned below the permanent magnet piston (marked C'). These prior art static electromagnets arc, each of them, bipolar switching clectro-magnets capable of rapid changes of magnetic polarity (from North to South and South to North).

Polarity reversal is optional. What is essential is that the electromagnets are capable of being rapidly switched on and off Polarity reversal [which is possible simply by reversing the polarity of the direct current power supply to the static electromagnetsi and/or switching [switching the electromagnets on and oft] is achieved using the attached circuit and schematic diagrams marked "Figure 2", and "Figure 4". A wide range of different but appropriate circuits may be used to achieve the same outcome. Reasonably skilled electrical engineers may be expected to adapt and/or improve upon the candidate circuits and schematics attached to this application.

25. Implementation of the circuit diagrams and circuit schematics marked "Figure 2", and "Figure 4", enable the electric engine rapidly and repeatedly to switch on and off and/or to reverse the polarity of the electromagnets marked "Al" and "AT' respectively in Figure 1, as also further illustrated in "Figure 3".

26. Accordingly, the electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" in Fig 1 can be attuned respectively to attract and repel the permanent magnet piston marked "C" in Fig 1, causing upward and downward movement of the connecting rod marked "CR1" in Fig 3, which in turn necessarily causes rotation of the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Fig 3, thereby providing motive force for vehicular or other purposes.

27. The timing of the bipolar switching electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" in Figure 1 and in Figure 3, which is to say, the means by which the static bipolar electromagnets reverse their polarity and/or switch on and off at optimal moments within the upper and lower movement phases of the permanent magnet cylinder marked "C" in both Figure 1 and Figure 3, is achieved using the laser diode and photo diode array shown in "Figure 4".

28. From the attached diagram marked "Figure 1" it will be seen that an aperture marked "A" lies midway between the top and the base of the ceramic cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig. I. 29. When the permanent magnet cylinder marked "C" in Fig. I has travelled sufficiently towards the top of "H" (in the direction of the static bipolar electromagnet marked "Al") or sufficiently towards the base of the cylinder housing marked "H" in the direction of the lower static bipolar electromagnet marked "A2". in that event, light from the photo laser diode array marked "D1/D2" in Fig. 1 may travel through the aperture marked "A" in Fig. 1 directly through the cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig. 1, traversing the cylinder housing marked "H" until it reaches the aperture marked "B" in Fig. I, which is positioned directly opposite the aperture marked "A" in Fig. I. 30. Accordingly, light from the photo laser diode marked "D l/D2" in Fig. I may only traverse or cross the cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig. I through the apertures marked A and B respectively, which is to say, light may only travel from aperture "A" to aperture "B", if the permanent magnetic piston marked "C" in Fig. 1 is not blocking the light traveling towards aperture B. Only when the moving permanent magnet piston does not block the laser light traveling from aperture A to aperture B, will said light strike the surface of a P119 Junction photodiode marked "Qi" in figure I. 31. Note that the light source (Dl 1D2), aperture A, aperture B and the PIN Junction photodiodc Q I are all in alignment to enable light to strike QI, unless the moving permanent magnet cylinder "C" prevents said light from traversing the cylinder housing "H", emerging at aperture B and striking the PIN Junction photodiode marked "Qi" in Figure 1.

32. Light that makes it across the cylinder housing marked "H" activates the PIN Junction photodiode marked "Ql", activating the normally off photodiode switch marked "Ql"in the illustration marked "Figure 2".

33. Figure 2 comprises a schematic representation of a photodiode sensor containing the following representative elements, elements capable of adaptation, improvement and modification: Qi = PIN Junction photodiodc Ri = 10,000 Ohm carbon film resistor R2 = 10,000 Ohm carbon film resistor R3 = 100,000 Ohm carbon film resistor Cl = 10 microfarad ceramic capacitor C2 = 0.1 microfarad ceramic capacitor Bi = 12v vehicle battery IC1 = 555 integrated timer circuit 1C2 = integrated programmable microprocessor circuit EM1 = Upper static switching bipolar electromagnet EM2 = Lower static switching bipolar electromagnet 34. When the photoreceptor switch "QI" is activated by light from the laser diode at figure 4A, the representative circuit marked fig. 2, which contains prior art integrated circuits including but not limited to a prior art 555 integrated circuit marked "Id" in Fig. 2 and a prior art programmable integrated circuit (microprocessor) marked "1C2" in Fig. 2, cause the static bipolar electromagnets marked "EM1" and "EM2" in Fig. 2 (corresponding with Al and A2 in Fig. 1) to switch polarity in accordance with a suitable software program contained in the integrated circuit microprocessor marked "lC2" in Fig. 2.

35. Attention is invited to the fact that a Hall Effect Sensor array could also be used as one of many possible altcrnativcs to the representative circuit at fig. 2.

36. In combination, the above element of the invention at fig.2, when combined with prior art internal combustion engine cylinders connected to the same eccentric crankshaft as shown in fig. 3, permit contemporaneous operation of the permanent magnet cylinders of the electric engine marked "C", alongside said internal combustion engine cylinders as is more particularly illustrated in Fig. and Fig. 3.

37. Figure 4 comprises a representative schematic circuit for the photo laser diode marked D1/D2 in Fig. 1 and is divided into two schematic circuits marked 11g. 4A and fig. 4B respectively.

38. Figure 4 [comprising respectively both of Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B] contains the following representative elements: Fig. 4A Laser Diode VI = 12v vehicle battery Ri = 3.9 Ohm carbon film resistor R2 = 560 Ohm carbon film resistor R3 = 3.9 Ohm carbon film resistor Cl = 10 microfarad lOOv 85 degree radial electrolytic capacitor C2 = 0.01 microfarad ceramic capacitor C3 = 100 picofarad ceramic capacitor C4 = 10 mierofarad ceramic capacitor D2 = 1N4001 diode D3 = Zener 2.5v or LM341 -F heat-sink or BZX55C 3v D4 = Laser diode D5 = Photo diode Q2= PNP transistor BC328 Q3 = NPN transistor BD 139 Fig. 4B Photodiode Sensor Qi = PIN Junction photodiode Bi = 12v vehicle battery Q4 = NPN transistor EM1 = Electromagnet polarity switch 39. By way of explanation of fig. 4A and 4B, note that "Figure 3" constitutes a representation of an eccentric crankshaft (marked "ECS") showing two sets of connecting rods (marked "CR1" and "CR2" respectively) both of which are connected to a crankshaft marked "ECS". The connecting rod marked "CR1" (on the left side of the diagram marked fig. 3) is attached to a permanent magnetic cylinder (marked "C") of the electric engine and is also attached to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Fig. 3.

40. The permanent magnetic cylinder marked "C" is provided with motive force when electricity is supplied respectively to the switching upper and lower static bipolar electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" respectively.

41. The connecting rod marked "CR2" on the right hand side of Fig. 3 is attached to a conventional internal combustion engine cylinder marked "CEC". The connecting rod marked "CR1" is also connected to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS".

42. The conventional internal combustion engine cylinder marked "CEC" in fig. 3 is provided with motive force by prior art internal combustion. Accordingly, both of the connecting rods marked "CR1" (magnetic piston) and "CR2" (internal combustion cylinder) are connected to the same eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Fig 3.

43. Both of the connecting rods marked "CR1" and "CR2" supply motive force to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS".

44. The connecting rod marked "CR1" supplies motive force to the eccentric crankshaft due to its being attached to the permanent magnet cylinder of the electric engine marked "C" in Fig. 3.

45. The connecting rod marked "CR2" supplies motive force to the eccentric crankshaft due to its being attached to the conventional internal combustion engine cylinder marked "CEC" in Fig. 3.

46. Accordingly, the electric engine the subject of this invention may operate in tandem with prior art internal combustion engine cylinders, as shown in the attached in the diagram marked "Figure 3".

47. By rapidly switching the polarity of the upper and lower electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" respectively, as shown in Figure 1 and also so marked in Fig. 3, and by using the circuits or similar circuits to those shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the permanent neodymium or other permanent magnetic pistons (inside the ceramic engine block/cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig 1 and Fig. 3) are respectively attracted and repulsed, thereby causing said magnetic pistons to move towards and away from said static switching bipolar electromagnets above and beneath them.

48. This results in the magnetic pistons moving up and down inside the ceramic low magnetic permeability engine housing, necessarily causing movement of the attached connecting rods, which in turn (as they are connected to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Figure 3) apply rotational force to the crankshaft.

49. Voltage spikes generated by rapidly collapsing magnetic fields maybe neutralized using prior art Voltage Spike Switching circuits. For the reasons set out below this should not be necessary. Prior art Zener diodes and/or Schottky diodes and/or Mu-metal applied in and around the neodymium cylinder housings maybe used to provide magnetic insulation to prevent rapid changes in magnetic flux caused by the moving neodymium cylinders from causing unwanted disturbance to other electromechanical parts of the vehicle and/or any sunounding electro-mechanical cnvironrncnt [the electric cngine can be magnetically shicldcd]. With further adaptation and modification, motile Mu-metal shielding may, through prior art mechanical means linked to the rotating crankshaft, sequentially shield and unshield (cover and uncover) secondary passive coils [of which more below] at optimal moments in the primary/secondary coil cycle to optimise supplementary secondary coil induced voltage that would otherwise oppose the applied voltage' vector of the primary solenoid coils. The use of mechanically timed. insulated primary and secondary solenoid coil pairs is discussed in more detail below.

Should this suggested improvement prove feasible, more than one sporadically insulated [mechanically covered and uncovered secondary coil shielded with precisely increasing or decreasing layers of Mu-metal insulation at different points in the induction cycle] may surround each primary coil to supplement the generation of electricity in alternator motor mode [that is to say, the secondary coils will also generate electricity which may be stored, for example, in super-capacitors].

Detailed description of the invention

50. This invention relates to a piston driven electric motor that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. It may also be used, in alternator motor form, with an appropriate copper solenoid of length L', comprising N' windings, to generate electricity.

51. The pistons or cylinders within said motor are comprised of cylindrical permanent rare earth magnets or other permanent magnets. These cylindrical magnets are connected to a low magnetic permeability crankshaft by way of low magnetic permeability connecting rods, just as the cylinders of a conventional internal combustion engine arc connected to a crankshaft using connecting rods. What distinguishes this invention from conventional electric motors or conventional internal combustion engines is that the engine housing or engine block and also the connecting rods are made from ceramic material with low magnetic permeability, with effect that the materials from which the engine housing and cylinder housings are made do not support the formation of magnetic fields.

Within this low magnetic permeability environment, cylindrical permanent Neodymium or other rare earth or permanent magnets are directly attached to connecting rods. The connecting rods in tum are directly attached to an eccentric crankshaft. The permanent magnet pistons are then provided with motive force by mains electricity or battery powered switching bipolar electromagnets positioned at either cnd of each of thc cylindrical permanent magncts. Thc cylinder housings for the cylindrical permanent magnets can be well ventilated [they may be drilled with numerous holes or apertures] both to enhance permanent magnet cooling and also to prevent otherwise inevitable air compression creating counter-forces capable of impeding the upward and downward movement of the permanent magnet cylinders. Unlike conventional internal combustion engine cylinders, the permanent magnet cylinders do not need to be hermetically sealed within cylinder housings because intcmal combustion is not taking place within said cylinder housings, bringing modcst wcight rcduction advantages as well.

Components used to build the dcvice 52. The device is comprised of prior art components. The components used to make the device [to which have been added additional components that may be deployed after further adaptation and improvement] include but are not limited to: (I) Copper wire of various diameter/gauge and of varying lengths and with suitable plastic and/or varnish and/or other external insulation. Said wire is used to enable interconnection of components and to furnish copper windings for the solenoid coils of the alternator motor.

(2) Inductor core materials, whether ferrous or Mu-metal or otherwise, to amplify the inductance in jiH of inductors and in particular to increase the inductance of the solenoids when the device is in alternator motor mode to enable the more efficient generation of electricity.

(3) Cylindrical permanent magnets (whether made from rare earth metals or otherwise) manufactured to include indentations or holes to enable bolts and/or screws to more easily affix said cylindrical magnets to their rcspective low magnetic permeability connecting rods.

4) Low magnetic permeability connecting rods and a low magnetic permeability eccentric crankshaft idcntical to the prior art connecting rods and eccentric crankshafts normally attached to the cylinders and/or connecting rods of conventional internal combustion engines, save that these components should have low magnetic permeability. By way of example, suitable connecting rods and eccentric crankshafts may be made from carbon fibre or other suitable materials capable of withstanding the linear force, torque and vibration of the device under construction,

according to the specifications of the device.

(5) Low magnetic pcrmeability cylinder block and engine housing. The device requires an engine block (containing cylinder housings) made from low magnetic permeability material capable of withstanding deformation or disintegration due to vibration and entrophic heat. Advanced ceramics and/or carbon fibre and or Titanium may be suitable materials for the engine block and cylinder housings. Aerogel may also be used in the engine block and cylinder housing to prevent thermal damage. The cylinder housing may be well ventilated [there may be many gaps or holes] to enhance cooling, reduce weight, and decrease air compression counter-forces during the upward and downward cycles of the permanent magnet cylinders.

(3) Static [positionally fixed] switching bipolar electromagnets of suitable voltage, current and magnetic flux (Weber) specifications suitable for the device under construction.

(4) Bridge rectifiers of suitable voltage and current handling specifications to convert alternating current issuing from the terminals [issuing from each end of the wire coil] of the solenoids of the device (when in alternator motor mode) into direct current.

(5) Terminal blocks (for example dual pin and other multiple pin terminal blocks) for more efficient connection of baftery terminals, solenoid terminals and circuits within the device under construction.

(5) Active and passive electronic components for the electronic circuits including but not limited to: (a) Axial and/or radial resistors (whether wire wound, metal oxide, carbon, foil or printed, and whether in parallel or in series) (b) Axial and/or radial capacitors [any of two conductors surrounded by a non-conductive region] whether ceramic capacitors, tantalum capacitors, aluminium electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, silver mica capacitors, super capacitors andlor vacuum capacitors (c) Inductors, whether air core or ferrous core or Mu-metal core inductors, and whether made from tums of copper wire or otherwise, including RF inductors, which may be required. for the further adaptation, modification andior optimisation of candidate circuits appended to this patent application (d) Prior art cooling components including but not limited to prior art automotive lubrication, air-flow, air cooling, aerogel, Mu-metal, and water coolant systems.

(e) Diodes, including but not limited to Laser diodes, PIN junction photo-diodes, photo-diodes, Zener diodes, Sehottky diodes, Tunnel diodes, Varicap diodes, Point Contact diodes, Junction diodes and/or Germanium diodes.

(0 Integrated circuits including but not limited to 555 timers, operational amplifiers, PNP transistors, NPN transistors, Junction Field Effect Transistors, Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors, Hall Effect Sensors, Temperature Sensors, and programmable integrated circuits.

(g) Printed circuit boards coiSning a layer of copper or other conductive material, and/or solder mask, and machined tbr through-hole components or designed for surface mount components, whether etched with Ferric Chloride and/or any other suitable etchant and/or whether milled from copper plated materials or otherwise.

(h) Solder and/or solder paste to affix through-hole and/or surface mount components into place on the circuit boads.

53. The apparatus constitutes a new type of electric piston motor engine and constitutes, inter all; a new method of permitting cylinder (piston) based electric motors to operate within the same engine block and to be attached to the same eccentric crankshaft as the connecting rods of the pistons of conventional internal combustion engines, all within the same engine block. The magnetic cylinders of the electric engine are protected fivm hysteresis or Curie temperature attainment due to a ceramic engine block and aerogel insulation. This prevents magnetic hysteresis of the magnetic pistons (loss of magnetic properties at high temperatures). Mu-metal insulation prevents rapid changes of magnetic flux density affecting the environment outside the neodymium cylinder housings.

54. The design and materiaLs used to make the apparatus minimize electromagnetic interference thereby allowing neighbouring circuits to operate without any or any material electrical or magnetic interference.

55. Permanent magnet cylinder movement is microprocessor controlled using a laser diode and photodiode sensor array that changes the polarity of the upper and lower electromagnets (depending upon thc position within the cylinder block of the permanent magnet cylinders). A Hall Sensor Effect array could equally well be used, provided Mu-metal insulation is adequate.

56. The resultant piston electric engine exhibits relatively low angular velocity in radians per second (which it to say it has relatively low RPM when compared with high RPM rotary electric motors found for example in state of the art vacuum cleaners at the time of application) but compensates fbr this with very high torque in N.m.

57. The required balance between torque and angular velocity is dependent upon, inter alia, the dimensions of the cylindrical permanent magnet pistons used, as well as the power consumption in watts and in particular the peak voltage characteristics of the static bipolar switching electromagnets used in the device.

58. All the components used to make this device are prior art. The invention is merely a novel way of combining prior art components together.

59. In summary, cylindrical permanent magnets, provided with motive force by electrically powered switching bipolar electromagnets positioned at each pole of the permanent magnet cylinders, cause the cylindrical permanent magnets to function as pistons within a low magnetic permeability ceramic environment.

Depending upon the position of the pistons within the cylinder housing, the polarity of the electromagnets is switched respectively to attract and repel the permanent magnet pistons, which are affixed to connecting rods that are in turn connected to an eccentric crankshaft.

60. Bipolar switching of the electromagnets is achieved using a photodiode and laser diode array that generates beams of light (laser beams) fired into small apertures in the cylinder housing. Said laser beams are directed at a photodiode sensor on the opposite side of the cylinder housing. When the permanent magnet pistons break the lascr/photodiodc circuit (break the light beam) the polarity of the electromagnets is rapidly switched using a PIN Junction photodiode circuit connected to a programmable integrated circuit, which is programmed to ensure optimal upward and downward movement of the permanent magnet pistons.

61. Hall Effect Sensor arrays may also be used to perform this function arising from micro-changes in voltage caused by changes in magnetic flux density provided that the Hall Effect Sensors can be sufficiently well shielded from sudden impact, voltage supply irregularity or excessive changes in magnetic flux density.

62. In this way and/or with appropriate adaptation and modification, the permanent magnet pistons are caused to move up and down within a thermally and electro-magnetically insulated engine housing (insulated with prior art ceramics, Acrogcl, Teflon and Mu-metal) and may operate within the same engine block as conventional prior art internal combustion engine cylinders.

63. The invention also constitutes a means of connecting an electromagnetic piston driven engine, housed within the same engine block as an internal combustion engine, directly to the same eccentric crankshaft as that to which the connecting rods of the internal combustion engine itself are attached, and further, it constitutes a new form of piston driven electric engine that may be used independently of or in selective combination with, internal combustion engine cylinders in terms of the types of cylinders in use (whether electric or internal combustion), the number of cylinders in use, and whether and!or to what extent a given number of electrically powered or intemal combustion cylinders are variously deployed at any given point in time.

64. The effect of this and the intention is that the magnetic pistons (when the corresponding upper and lower static electromagnets are supplied with synchronised and/or regulated pulses of electricity) may be used to provide motive force, and/or, in alternator motor form, without the static electromagnets being supplied with power, the pistons may be used to generate electricity (when surrounded by appropriate copper solenoid coils) when supplied with motive force by the cylinders of an internal combustion engine ultimately by means of a rotating crankshaft [attached to a prior art internal combustion engine through a shared eccentric crankshaftj.

65. The drawing at Fig 1. illustrates a switching bipolar electromagnet (marked Al') which is positioned above a permanent magnet piston marked C' (in the same place where one might expect to find a spark plug in a conventional internal combustion engine).

66. A second switching bipolar electromagnet (marked "A2") is positioned below the permanent magnet piston (marked C'). These prior art static electromagnets are, each of them, bipolar switching clcctro-magncts capable of rapid changes of magnetic polarity (from North to South and South to North) and/or capable of switching on and off.

67. Polarity reversal is achieved using the attached circuit diagrams marked "Figure 2", and "Figure 4". A wide rangc of different but appropriate circuits may be used to achieve the same outcome. Reasonably skilled electrical engineers may be expected to adapt and/or improve upon the circuits and schematics attached to this application.

68. Implementation of the circuit diagrams and circuit schematics marked "Figure 2", and "Figure 4", enable the electric engine rapidly and repeatedly to reverse the polarity of the electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" respectively in Figure 1, as also flrther illustrated in "Figure 3".

69. Accordingly, the electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" in Fig I can be attuned respectively to attract and repel the permanent magnet piston marked. "C" in Fig I, causing upward and downward movement of the connecting rod marked "CR1" in Fig 3, which in turn necessarily causes rotation of the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Fig 3, thereby providing motive force for vehicular or other purposes.

70. The timing of the bipolar switching electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" in Figure 1 and in Figure 3, which is to say, the means by which the static bipolar electromagnets reverse their polarity at optimal moments within the upper and lower movement phases of the permanent magnet cylinder marked "C" in both Figure 1 and Figure 3, is achieved using the laser diode and photo diode array shown in "Figure 4". Hall Effect Sensors and other possible methods may also be used to achicvc this purpose as stated above.

71. From the attached diagram marked "Figure 1" it will be seen that an aperture marked "A" lies midway between the top and the base of the ceramic cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig. 1.

72. When the permanent magnet cylinder marked "C" in Fig. I has travelled sufficicntly towards the top of "U" (in the direction of the static bipolar electromagnet marked "Al") or sufficiently towards the base of the cylinder housing marked "H" in the direction of the lower static bipolar electromagnet marked "A2". in that event, light from the photo laser diode array marked "D1/D2" in Fig. 1 may travel through the aperture marked "A" in Fig. 1 directly through the cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig. 1, traversing the cylinder housing marked "H" until it reaches the aperture marked "B" in Fig. 1, which is positioned directly opposite the aperture marked "A" in Fig. 1.

73. Accordingly, light from the photo laser diode marked "D l/D2" in Fig. I may only traverse or cross the cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig. 1 through the apertures marked A and B respectively, which is to say, light may only travel from aperture "A" to aperture "B", if the permanent magnetic piston marked "C" in Fig. 1 is not blocking the light travelling towards aperture B. Only when the moving permanent magnet piston does not block the laser light travelling from aperture A to aperture B, will said light strike the surface of a PIN Junction photodiode marked "QI" in Fig. 1.

74. Note that the light source (D1/D2), aperture A, aperture B and the PIN Junction photodiode Qi are all in alignment to enable light to strike Qi, unless the moving permanent magnet cylinder "C" prevents said light from traversing the cylinder housing "H", emerging at aperture B and striking the PiN Junction photodiode marked "Qi" in Figure 1.

75. Light that makes it across the cylinder housing marked "H" activates the PIN Junction photodiode marked "Qi", activating the normally off" photodiode switch marked "Ql"in the illustration marked "Figure 2".

76. Figurc 2 comprises a schematic representation of a photodiodc sensor containing the following representative elements, elements capable of adaptation, improvement and modification: Qi = PiN Junction photodiode Ri = 10,000 Ohm carbon film resistor R2 = 10,000 Ohm carbon film resistor R3 = 100,000 Ohm carbon film resistor Cl = 10 microfarad ceramic capacitor C2 = 0. I microfarad ceramic capacitor B I = I 2v vehicle battery IC I = 555 integrated timer circuit 1C2 = integrated programmable microprocessor circuit EM1 = Upper static switching bipolar electromagnet EM2 = Lower static switching bipolar electromagnet 77. When the photoreceptor switch "Q I" is activated by light from the laser diode at figure 4A, the representative circuit marked fig. 2, which contains prior art integrated circuits including but not limited to a prior art 555 integrated circuit marked "TC I" in Fig. 2 and a prior art programmable integrated circuit (microprocessor) marked "1C2" in Fig. 2, cause the static bipolar electromagnets marked "EM1" and "EM2" in Fig. 2 (corresponding with Al and A2 in Fig. 1) to switch polarity in accordance with a suitable software program contained in the integrated circuit microprocessor marked "1C2" in Fig. 2.

78. Attention is invited to the fact that a Hall Effect Sensor array could also be used as one of many possible alternatives to the representative circuit at fig. 2.

79. In combination, the above clement of the invention at fig.2, when combined with prior art internal combustion engine cylinders connected to the same eccentric crankshaft as shown in fig. 3, permit contemporaneous operation of the permanent magnet cylinders of the electric engine marked "C", alongside said internal combustion cnginc cylinders as is more particularly illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3.

80. Figure 4 comprises a representative schematic circuit for the photo laser diode marked D1/D2 in Fig. 1 and is divided into two schematic circuits marked fig. 4A and fig. 4B respectively.

81. Figure 4 contains the following representative elements: Fig. 4A Laser Diode Vl = 12v vehicle battery RI = 3.9 Ohm carbon film resistor R2 = 560 Ohm carbon film resistor R3 = 3.9 Ohm carbon film resistor Cl = 10 microfarad lOOv 85 degree radial electrolytic capacitor C2 = 0.01 microfarad ceramic capacitor C3 = 100 picofarad ceramic capacitor C4 = 10 microfarad ceramic capacitor D2 = 1N4001 diode D3 = Zener 2.5v or LM341 + heat-sink or BZX55C 3v D4 = Laser diode D5 = Photo diode Q2= PNP transistor BC328 Q3 = NPN transistor BD 139 Fig. 4B Photodiode Sensor Qi = PIN Junction photodiode B! = I 2v vehicle battery Q4 = NPN transistor EM! = Electromagnet polarity switch 82. By way of explanation of fig. 4A and 4B, note that "Figure 3" constitutes a representation of an eccentric crankshaft (marked "ECS") showing two sets of connecting rods (marked "CR1" and "CR2" respectively) both of which are connected to a crankshatt marked "ECS". The connecting rod marked "CR1" (on the left side of the diagram marked fig. 3) is attached to a permanent magnetic cylinder (marked "C") of the electric engine and is also attached to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Fig. 3.

83. The permanent magnetic cylinder marked "C" is provided with motive force when electricity is supplied respectively to the switching upper and lower static bipolar electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" respectively.

84. The connecting rod marked "CR2" on the right hand side of Fig. 3 is attached to a conventional internal combustion engine cylinder marked "CEC". The connecting rod marked "CR2" is also connected to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS".

85. The conventional internal combustion engine cylinder marked "CEC" in fig. 3 is provided with motive force by prior art internal combustion. Accordingly, both of the connecting rods marked "CR1" (magnetic piston) and "CR2" (internal combustion cylinder) are connected to the same eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Fig 3.

86. Both of the connecting rods marked "CR1" and "CR2" supply motive force to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS".

87. The connecting rod marked "CR!" supplies motive force to the eccentric crankshaft due to its being attached to the permanent magnet cylinder of the electric engine marked "C" in Fig. 3.

88. The connecting rod marked "CR2" supplies motive force to the eccentric crankshaft due to its being attached to the conventional internal combustion engine cylinder marked "CEC" in Fig. 3.

89. According!y, the electric engine the subject of this invention may operate in tandem with prior art internal combustion engine cylinders, as shown in the attached in the diagram marked "Figure 3".

90. By rapidly switching the polarity of the upper and lower electromagnets marked "Al" and "A2" respectively, as shown in Figure 1 and also so marked in Fig. 3, and by using the circuits or similar circuits to those shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the permanent neodymium or other permanent magnetic pistons (inside the ceramic engine block/cylinder housing marked "H" in Fig 1 and Fig. 3) are respectively attracted and repulsed, thereby causing said magnetic pistons to move towards and away from said static switching bipolar electromagnets above and bencath them.

91. This results in the magnetic pistons moving up and down inside the ceramic low magnetic permeability engine housing, necessarily causing movement of the attached connecting rods, which in turn (as they are connected to the eccentric crankshaft marked "ECS" in Figure 3) apply rotational force to the crankshaft.

92. Voltage spikes generated by rapidly collapsing magnetic fields may be neutralized using prior art Voltage Spike Switching circuits as required. Prior art Mu-metal applied in and around the neodymium cylinder housings may be used to provide magnetic insulation to prevent rapid changes in magnetic flux caused by the moving neodymium cylinders from affecting other parts of the vehicle.

Specific Examples of the Invention 93. Specific examples of the invention are that it may be used as an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle (in tandem with an internal combustion engine); it may be used as a form of pmpulsion when a hybrid electric vehicle is powered solely by electricity; it may be used to provide motive force for a solely electric vehicle or it may be used as an alternator motor (with appropriate copper solenoid modifications -not shown) to generate electricity to recharge a vehicle battery whilst an internal combustion engine is powering the shared crankshaft of the vehicle and/or it may be used purely as an alternator motor, by way of example, where in alternator motor form the device is attached to an impulse or other turbine to harness the kinetic energy of working fluids. Specifically, the device, in alternator motor form, may be connected to an impulse turbine to generate electricity from hydroelectric installations (for example rivers with adequate head (m) and flow rates (m3/s), but it would also be suitable for wave power generation due to the elliptical movement of gco-stationary buoys [fixed buoyant devices with lower density in kg/m3 than the surrounding working fluid] due to the motion of ocean waves, resulting in the upward and downward movement of connecting rods attached to any such buoys, which would in turn [said connecting rods] be attached to devices the subject of this application on the seabed, or connected to said devices wherein made neutrally or negatively buoyant beneath said geo-stationary buoys, whether in shoreline, near shore or off-shore loci.

94. As the invention may be attached to the crankshaft of an intcmal combustion engine, it may be used in conjunction with internal combustion engine cylinders to provide motive force or may be used to generate electricity in situations where conventional internal combustion engine cylinders provide motive force through a shared eccentric crankshaft.

95. The invention may also be used for safety reasons where internal combustion engines are unsuitable (for example in oil refineries or in proximity to flammable materials) or in situations where a supplementary source of motive power is required, such as for example, aircraft. Aircraft, and in particular single engines light aircraft, would benefit from having the engine the subject of this invention because if for example the internal combustion engine failed, the electric engine the subject of this application could then be powered from the aircraft battery to ensure the aircraft had sufficient motive power to land safely.

Invented Features 96. Whilst the components used to make the invention are prior art, the invented features comprise the combination (the inventive steps of combining) these prior art components into a useful device amounting to a new form of hybrid electric engine capable of being deployed contemporaneously or in selective combination within the same engine block as a conventional prior art internal combustion engine.

97. A thither invented feature is that the invention may be used to generate electricity in alternator motor form with appropriate solenoid modifications [not shown] for the purpose of generating electricity and recharging the batteries of hybrid electric vehicles in a more efficient manner than conventional rotary electric alternator motors due to decreased ifiction (there being fewer moving pn in contact with one another or in contact for example with stators or other static artefacts) resulting in lower entrophie heat dissipation and greater efficiency.

98. A further invented feature is that by combining the electric engine the subject of this invention as described here and elsewhere in this application with a conventional internal combustion engine within the same engine block as described here and elsewhere in this application, the power to weight ratio of vehicles may be increased thereby permitting vehicles to achieve a longer range, ceteris paribus than (1) existing hybrid electric vehicles using state of the art battery technology at the time of application and (2) conventional rotary electric motors and conventional rotary alternator motors and conventional internal combustion engines not so constructed.

99. A further invented feature is that the proposed use of prior art Aerogel thermal insulation will enable prior art components to be assembled to fonn a useful device without magnetic hysteresis or Curie Temperature attainment by the cylindrical permanent neodymium magnets contained in the device, thereby avoiding the loss of magnetic properties in said permanent cylindrical magnets at high temperatures.

100. A further invented feature is that the proposed use of prior art Mu-metal magnetic insulation in and around the cylinder housings of the motile cylindrical permanent neodymium magnets will prevent unwanted magnetic interference with other vehicle systems thereby enabling the invention to co-exist in the same engine block and alongside the sensitive electronics commonly found in modem hybrid-electric motor vehicles and/or vehiel Cs.

101. A further invented feature is that the supply of pulsed electrical power to static bipolar switching electromagnets to induce movement in motile cylindrical permanent neodymium magnet cylinders in turn connected to low magnetic permeability connecting rods and an eccentric crankshaft within a low magnetic permeability engine housing to provide motive force for vehicular and other purposes, is a novelty.

102. A further invented feature is that the supply of pulsed electrical power to static bipolar switching electromagnets to induce movement in proximate motile cylindrical permanent magnet cylinders in turn connected to low magnetic permeability connecting rods and an eccentric crankshaft within a low magnetic permeability engine housing will result in lower electrical power consumption in watts, mutatis mutandis, than conventional continuously powered rotary electric motors per unit of mechanical power output in watts.

103. A further invented feature is that the generation of electrical power by the rotating eccentric crankshaft of a conventional internal combustion engine connected by low magnetic permeability connecting rods to motile cylindrical permanent magnet cylinders within a low magnetic permeability engine housing, wherein said motile cylindrical permanent magnet cylinders are surrounded by an appropriate copper solenoid with N' windings and length L' meters, will result in an induced current due to rapid changes in magnetic flux density per unit time due in turn to higher rates of change of voltage per unit time than conventional rotary alternator motors and accordingly will result in greater electrical power generation, that is to say, greater electrical power output in watts, mutatis mutandis, than conventional identically powered (in terms of the source of the power supply) rotary electric alternator motors per unit of applied mechanical power in watts.

104. A further invented feature is that the use of prior art laser photo diode arrays and PIN junction photodiodes and/or prior art Hall Sensor Effect arrays in combination with prior art integrated circuits, programmable integrated circuits and suitable software to synchronise the movement of motile permanent magnet cylinders within the low magnetic permeability engine block of a hybrid electric vehicle; and the supply of pulsed power to switching bipolar electromagnets thereby enabling synchroniscd movement of said motile permanent magnet cylinders whilst attached by low magnetic permeability connecting rods to an eccentric crankshaft within a low magnetic permeability engine housing also containing conventional internal combustion engine cylinders within the same engine block, is a novelty.

105. A further invented feature is that neighbouring passive solenoids [not shown], that is to say, solenoids within which no motile cylindrical permanent magnet is moving, may be placed in close proximity within the same Mu-metal magnetically insulated engine block as activc solenoids [containing motile cylindrical permanent magnets] used to provide motive power and/or used to generate current in alternator motor form. Where each pair of magnetically shielded solenoids, comprising an active (with motile cylindrical magnet) and passive solenoid (without a motile cylindrical magnet), is thermally and magnetically insulated from all surrounding pairs of active and passive solenoids, the passive secondary solenoids will each generate an electromotive force (as with any proximate primary and secondary coils found for example in conventional transformers) which will vector in the opposite direction [in the secondary coilsi as the induced EMF opposing the flow of applied vohage' in the active primary solenoid containing the motile permanent magnet wherein the magnetic field in the active solenoid is increasing (before it collapses), which is to say, additional electricity may be generated in this way by harnessing the voltage generated by the collapsing magnetic fields in both the primary (active) and secondary (passive) solenoid coils. By means of mechanically connecting motile Mu-metal shielding, which is to say, by means of raising and lowering Mu-metal shielding over the secondary passive scilenoid coils by connecting the motile shielding to the moving eccentric crankshaft, the EMF generated in the secondary coils may be manipulated with effect that this additional EMF may be used to supply additional electrical power, for example, to high Farad value capacitors or super-capacitors of appropriate voltage specifications, thereby increasing the efficiency of the device and, with further adaptation and improvement, and should this prove practicable [should opposing back-EME in the primary and secondary solenoid pairs not simply, for example, cancel each other out, out-with efforts to time Mu-metal shielding and un-shielding of secondary passive solenoid coils in the proposed manner], this may be a useful novelty. In sum, with further adaptation and improvement, it may be possible to link Mu-metal shielding mechanically with the movement of the eccentric crankshaft to cnablc secondary coil shiclding to be raised and lowered at optimal points in the induction cycle onto and away from the secondary coils to increase the overall efficiency of the device, with the intention of optimising EMF generated in the passive secondary coils andlor reducing the debilitating effects of back-EMF on the primary active solenoid coil.

More than one secondary coil may be deployed per active primary coil, which is to say, each primary active coil may be surrounded by more than one sporadically shielded and unshielded passive secondary coil, wherein said Mu-metal shielding may be timed for optimal raising and lowering [covering and uncovering] over the secondary passive coils in sequence according to the movement of the eccentric crankshaft which may, with adaptation and improvement, result in greater cfficicncy. The author sincerely and contritely apologiscs to the extent he may have fallen into error concerning the ideas set out in paragraphs 49, lOS and 171 herein, iterates the hope he has not done so, and that this or some other primary/secondary solenoid arrangement with motile secondary passive coil Mu-metal shielding, with appropriate adaptation and improvement, may be of service.

106. A further invented feature is that the proposed use of prior art Pin Junction photodiodes, lascr photo-diodes, Hall Effect Sensors, integrated circuits and programmable intcgrated circuits [said programmablc integrated circuits having been programmed with suitable software to ensure that the static bipolar electromagnets receive pulses of electrical power at the precise points in time when the motile cylindrical permanent magnets are at the zenith and nadir of their journeys up and down the low magnetic permeability permanent magnet cylinder housings, is a novelty as a timing mechanism in relation to the permanent magnet cylinders of hybrid electric vehicle engines and/or in relation to electric engines in general.

107. A further invented feature is that the necessary application of pulsed electrical power to static bipolar electromagnets above and beneath motile cylindrical permanent magnets will have the effect of permitting higher voltages to be applied to said static bipolar electromagnets than would be possible if they were continuously supplied with electrical power. In consequence, higher voltages may be applied to said static bipolar electromagnets than it would be possible to apply if said static bipolar electromagnets were being continuously supplied with electrical power. In consequence, higher voltage supply by way of pulsed power to the electromagnets will enable more violent changes in magnetic flux density per unit time in the preferably minute space or distance between the motile permanent magnets and the static bipolar electromagnets when they are in closest proximity to one another. This may be achieved in the critical moments in the cylinder timing cycle when the motile cylindrical permanent magnets are in closest proximity to the static bipolar electromagnets than would be otherwise possible [iterating that the device cannot work under continuous static bipolar electromagnet power anyway] where the static bipolar electromagnets were continuously supplied with electrical power. In other words, the device will only work under pulsed. power in electric engine mode. It cannot work und.er if [mono-polar] power is continuously supplied to the static electromagnets. As the inverse square law applies in terms of magnetic field strength in Tesla [the closer the static electromagnet is to the motile permanent magnet, the greater the magnetic repulsion or attraction will be), a further (potential) benefit of this invention is that less electrical power in Watts will be consumed per unit time by static bipolar electromagnets supplied with pulsed power, mutatis mutandis, than would be consumed by continuously powered static bipolar electromagnets, for the same mechanical power output in Wafts and that the efficacy of said magnets in combination with one another will be increased for no significant net additional consumption of electrical power (out-with increased voltage which must necessarily increase power consumption to some extent as Power (wafts) = Volts x Amps), and this is a novelty.

108. A further invented feature is that the engine management capabilities made possible by this invention, as set out below, constitute a novelty.

Engine Management [Not Shown] 109. Equally, through the use of prior art clutch mechanisms [not shown], the internal combustion engine may simply be turned off, and the vehicle provided with motive force solely by the electric engine the subject of this invention.

110. Any of various combinations of electric engine cylinder and internal combustion engine cylinder (dependant only upon the nature and number of cylinders of either type deployed) may be used, thereby providing additional engine management options, which may be controlled manually and/or electronically and/or automatically by the operator or driver. Accordingly, engine management options may be selected depending upon the charge status of the vehicle battery [not shown] and/or the remaining fossil fuel in the vehicle fuel tank [not shown] supplying the internal combustion engine of the vehicle [not shown].

Alternator Motor [Not Shown] 111. Furthermore, the invention may be used in alternator motor form [not showni to generate electricity during the course of adaptive braking, which is to say, motile neodymium pistons of the type referred to above may be configured to move up and down inside a copper solenoid [not shown] for the intended purpose of slowing the vehicle down. The linear force in Newtons required to cause a cylindrical neodymium magnet to move through a copper solenoid of windings N and length L' will create a braking force or drag on a common eccentric crankshaft.

112. However, at the same time said braking force is applied to slow the vehicle down, the upward and downward movement of the cylindrical neodymium magnet cylinders inside copper solenoids [not shown] will necessarily result in changes in magnetic flux, thereby inducing an electromotive force in the copper wire windings of the solenoid [not shown].

113. More specifically, as with all inductors, solenoids resist changes in current. Under steady state direct current conditions, solenoids allow current to pass relatively unhindered. However, if the applied voltage is increased, inductors behave analogously with resistors, which is to say, they resist changes in current and this resistance, to changes in current, peaks at times of most rapidly increasing voltage.

114. On the other hand, when applied voltage decreases, inductors behave in a similar way to voltage sources and operate to keep current flowing (that is to say they resist changes in current). Accordingly, inductors supply the highest voltage at times when current decreases most quickly.

I 15. When the magnetic field becomes constant, energy stored in the magnetic ficld [that is, storcd in the solenoid/inductor -not shown] is equal to the work performed by the voltage source.

116. Accordingly, the solenoids surrounding the motile neodymium magnets transform electrical energy into a magnetic field (stored in the inductor/solenoid) during times when there are fluctuations in current.

117. The growing magnetic field will traverse the coils of the same solenoid that induced it causing back EMF. This exerts a flow of electrons travelling in the opposite direction to the applied voltage (the preferred or intended voltage generated by the alternator motor solenoid).

118. The practical effect of this, which is really the flip side of this, is that decreasing current generates a voltage travelling in the same direction as the applied voltage. Where no extemal voltage is applied from, for example, the battery of the vehicle, the motile neodymium cylinders will induce EMF in the copper solenoid at the same time as drag is applied to a common eccentric crankshaft. Accordingly, the invention, in its current form and with appropriate adaptation and further improvement, is capable of being used for the purpose of adaptive braking, which is to say, it can generate electricity to recharge a vehicle battery at the same time as it is used for the purpose of adaptive braking to decelerate a vehicle.

119. Further adaptation and improvement may commend the introduction of neighbouring passive' inductors [not shown] located in proximity to active' solenoid inductors [not shown] so as to maximise the generation of electricity during both stages of the cycle of increasing and collapsing magnetic fields [generated by motile cylindrical neodymium magnets moving u.p and. down inside static copper solcnoids]. This may work on thc same lines as the primary and secondary coils of transformers provided each pair of proximate solenoids (an active solenoid containing a motile permanent magnet and a passive neighbouring solenoid not containing any magnet) are sufficiently magnetically insulated from neighbouring pairs of active and passive solenoids using Mu-metal insulation.

See also paragraphs 49, 105 and 171.

120. For the above reasons, the invention can be used as an adaptive braking system capable of generating electricity to replenish a vehicle battery whilst at the same time enabling the driver of a vehicle to decelerate.

121. Thc invention, in alternator motor form [not shown], may also be used for example in wind power and hydroelectric applications when attached to wind impulse turbines or hydroelectric impulse turbines for the purpose of generating electrical power from the kinetic energy of moving working fluid. In so far as hydroelectric installations are concerned, the invention [with appropriate adaptation and improvement] would appear mathematically suitable [for example using Pelton impulse turbines] fbr a wide range of loci, ranging from loci with flow rates of only 0.001 cubic meters of water per second and heads of 10 metres or more [provided only that starting torque/inertia in N.m can be achieved], to loci with significantly higher flow rates and head [there being no apparent mathematical limit on flow rate and head capable of being used to generate electricity with appropriate solenoid modiflcations only limitations imposed by nature in terms of loci].

Possible modifications & Variations 122. Possible modifications and variations include the use of pairs of active and passive solenoids appropriately insulated with Mu-metal or other appropriate insulating material as set out herein at paragraphs 49, 105 and 171. Other possible uses 11w thc device include any applications where motive force is required or where, in alternator motor Ibrm, any applications involving the generation of electricity or the timing of cylinder movements in vehicular and other engines or motors are involved, or where friction, heat dissipation, fuel consumption, weight to power ratios, and noise pollution from electric engines or electric motors or electric alternator motors or hybrid electric vehicles or vehicles of any sort are intended to be minimised or where range, efficiency, power to weight ratios and maximum speed are intended to be increased.

123. This device may also be used with appropriate modification for a wide variety of purposes involving the provision of motive thrce or the generation of electricity from working fluids, moving objects, or by attachment to the moving crankshafts or other moving parts of machines of any sort to the device, and in particular may be used to generate electricity from wind power, hydroelectric sites such as rivers and wave power sites including shoreline, near shore and off-shore loci.

Advanta2es of the Invention 124. The advantage of this invention is that prior art components have been combined into a useful device amounting to a new form of hybrid electric engine capable of being deployed contemporaneously or in selective combination within the same engine block as a conventional prior art internal combustion engine, decreasing the weight to power ratio and increasing the range of hybrid electric and electric vehicles.

125. A further advantage is that the invention may be used to generate electricity in alternator motor fonit with appropriate solenoid modifications [not shown] for the purpose of generating electricity and recharging the batteries of hybrid electric vehicles in a more efficient manner than conventional mtary electric alternator motors due to decreased friction (there being fewer moving parts in contact with one another or in contact for example with stators or other static artefacts) resulting in lower entrophic heat dissipation and greater efficiency when connected for example to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine vehicle.

126. A thither advantage is that by combining the electric engine the subject of this invention as described herein and elsewhere in this application with a conventional internal combustion engine within the same engine block as described herein and elsewhere in this application, the weight to power ratio of vehicles may be reduced thereby permitting vehicles to achieve a longer range, ceteris paribus [than existing hybrid electric vehicles using existing battery technology at the time of applicationi than conventional rotary electric motors and conventional rotary alternator motors and conventional intemal combustion engines not so constructed by the addition of the device the subject of this application.

127. A further advantage is that the proposed use of prior art aerogel thermal insulation will enable prior art components to be assembled to form a useful device without magnetic hysteresis or Curie Temperature attainment by the cylindrical pemmnent neodymium magnets contained in the device, which, in conjunction with aeration by air gaps in the permanent magnet cylinder housings to prevent air compression and decrease entrophic heat build up, in conjunction with prior art vehicular cooling, will operate to prevent the loss of magnetic properties in said permanent cylindrical magnets at high temperatures.

128. A further advantage is that the proposed use of prior art Mu-metal magnetic insulation in and around the cylinder housings of the motile cylindrical permanent neodymium magnets will prevent unwanted magnetic interference with other vehicle systems thereby enabling the invention to co-exist in the same engine block and alongside the sensitive electronics commonly found in modem hybrid-electric vehicles, solely electric vehicles and/or non-vehicular systems.

129. A further advantage is that the supply of pulsed electrical power to static bipolar switching electromagnets to induce movement in motile cylindrical permanent neodymium magnet cylinders in turn connected to low magnetic permeability connecting rods and an eccentric crankshaft within a low magnetic permeability engine housing to provide motive force for vehicular and other purposes may reduce overall electrical power consumption.

130. A further advantage is that the supply of pulsed electrical power to static bipolar switching electromagnets to induce movement in proximate motile cylindrical permanent magnet cylinders in tum connected to low magnetic permeability connecting rods and an eccentric crankshaft within a low magnetic permeability engine housing will result in lower electrical power consumption in wafts, mutatis mutandis, than conventional continuously powered rotary electric motors per unit of mechanical power output in watts.

131. A further advantage is that the generation of electrical power by the rotating eccentric crankshaft of a conventional internal combustion engine connected by low magnetic permeability connecting rods to motile cylindrical permanent magnet cylinders within a low magnetic pcrmeability engine housing, wherein said motile cylindrical permanent magnet cylinders are surrounded by an appropriate copper solenoid with N' windings and of length L' meters, will result in an induced current in accordance due to rapid changes in magnetic flux density per unit time, resulting in higher rates of change of voltage per unit time than conventional rotary alternator motors and accordingly will result in greater electrical power generation, that is to say, greater electrical power output in watts, mutatis mutandis, than conventional identically powered (in terms of the source of the power supply) rotary electric alternator motors per unit of applied mechanical power rn watts.

132. A further advantage is that the use of prior art laser photo diode arrays and PIN junction photodiodcs andior prior art Hall Sensor Effect arrays in combination with prior art integrated circuits, programmable integrated circuits and suitable software to synchronisc the movement of motile permanent magnet cylinders within the low magnetic permeability engine block of a hybrid electric vehide; and the supply of pulsed power to switching bipolar electromagnets thereby enabling synchronised movement of said motile permanent magnet cylinders whilst attached by low magnetic permeability connecting rods to an eccentric crankshaft within a low magnetic permeability engine housing also containing conventional internal combustion engine cylinders within the same engine block, is advantageous.

133. A further advantage is that neighbouring passive solenoids [not shown], that is to say, solenoids within which no motile cylindrical permanent magnet is moving, may be placed in close proximity within the same Mu-metal magnetically insulated, area as active solenoids u.sed to provid.e motive power andior used to generate current in alternator motor form. Where each pair of magnetically shielded solenoids, comprising an active (with motile cylindrical magnet) and passive solenoid (without a motile cylindrical magnet), is thermally and magnetically insulated from all surrounding pairs of active and passive solenoids, the passive solenoids will each generate an electromotive force (as with any proximate primary and secondary coils found for example in conventional transformers) which will vector in the opposite direction as the induced EMF opposing the flow of applied or preferred voltage in the active solenoid containing the motile permanent magnet when the magnetic field in the active solenoid is increasing (before it collapses), which is to say, additional electricity may be generated in this way by harnessing the voltage generated by the collapsing magnetic fields in both the primary (active) and secondary (passive) solenoid coils for the reasons set out in paragraphs 105 and 171 herein. This additional EMF may be used to supply additional electrical power, for example, to charge super-capacitors.

134. A further advantage is that the proposed use of prior art Pin Junction photodiodes, laser photo-diodes, Hall Effect Sensors, integrated circuits and programmable integrated circuits programmed with suitable software to ensure that the static bipolar electromagnets receive pulses of electrical power at the precise points in time when the motile cylindrical permanent magnets are at the nadir and zenith of their journeys up and down the low magnetic permeability permanent magnet cylinder housings, is advantageous as a timing mechanism in relation to the permanent magnet cylinders of hybrid electric vehicle engines and/or in relation to electric engines in general.

135. A further advantage is that the necessary application of pulsed electrical power to static bipolar electromagnets above and beneath motile cylindrical permanent magnets will have the effect of permitting higher voltages to be applied to said static bipolar electromagnets than would be possible if they were continuously supplied with electrical power. In consequence, higher voltages may be applied to said static bipolar electromagnets than it would be possible to apply than if said static bipolar electromagnets were being continuously supplied with electrical power. In consequence, higher voltage supply by way of pulsed power to the electromagnets will enable more violent changes in magnetic flux density per unit time in the [preferably miniscule] space between the motile permanent magnets and the activated static bipolar electromagnets. This may be achieved in the critical moments in the cylinder timing cycle when the motile cylindrical permanent magnets are in closest proximity to the static bipolar electromagnets than would be possible [iterating that the device cannot work under steady state or continuous static bipolar electromagnet power anyway] where the static bipolar electromagnets were continuously supplied with electrical power. As the inverse square law applies in terms of magnetic field strength in Tesla [the closer the static electromagnet is to the motile permanent magnet, the greater the magnetic repulsion or attraction will be), a further (potential) benefit of this invention is that less electrical power in Watts will be consumed. per unit time by static bipolar electromagnets supplied with pulsed powcr, mutatis mutandis, than would be consumed by continuously powered static bipolar electromagnets for the same mechanical power output in Watts and that the efficacy of said magnets in combination with one another will be increased for no significant net additional consumption of electrical power (out-with increased voltage which must necessarily increase power consumption to some extent), and this is advantageous.

136. A further advantage is that the engine management capabilities made possible by this invention, as set out below, constitute an advantage over existing technology.

Engine Management [Not Shown] 137. Equally, through the use of prior art clutch mechanisms [not shown], the internal combustion engine may simply be turned off, and the vehicle provided with motive force solely by the electric engine the subject of this invention and this has advantages.

138. Any of various combinations of electric engine cylinder and internal combustion engine cylinder (dependant only upon the nature and number of cylinders of either type deployed) may be used, thereby providing additional engine management options, which may be controlled manually and/or electronically/automatically by the operator or driver. Accordingly, engine management options may be selected depending upon the charge status of the vehicle battery [not shown] and/or the remaining fossil fuel in the tank [not shown] supplying the internal combustion engine of the vehicle [not shown].

Alternator Motor Form [Not Shown] 139. Furthermore, the invention may be used advantageously in alternator motor form [not shown] to generate eleetr city during the course of adaptive braking, which is to say, motile neodymium pistons of the type referred to above may be configured to move up and down inside a copper solenoid [not shown] for the intended purpose of slowing the vehicle down. The force in Newtons required to cause a cylindncal neodymium magnet to move through a copper solenoid of windings N and length L' will create a braking force or drag on a common eccentric crankshaft.

140. However, at the same time said braking force is applied to slow the vehicle down, the upward and downward movement of the cylindrical neodymium magnet cylinders inside copper solenoids [not shown] will necessarily result in changes in magnetic flux, thereby inducing an electromotive force in the copper wire wind.ings of the solenoid. [not shown].

141. More specifically, as with all inductors, solenoids resist changes in current. Under steady state direct current conditions, solenoids allow current to pass relatively unhindered. However, if the applied voltage is increased, inductors behave analogously with resistors, which is to say, they resist changes in current and this resistance, to changes in current, peaks at times of most rapidly increasing voltage.

142. On the other hand, when applied voltage decreases, inductors behave in a similar way to voltage sources and operate to keep current flowing (that is to say they resist changes in current). Inductors supply the highest voltage at times when currcnt dccrcascs most quickly.

143. Accordingly, when the magnetic field becomes constant, energy stored in the magnetic field [that is, stored in the solenoid/inductor -not showni is equal to the work performed by the voltage source.

144. Accordingly, the solenoids surrounding the motile neodymium magnets transform electrical energy into a magnetic field (stored in the inductor/solenoid) during times when there arc fluctuations in current.

145. The growing magnetic field will traverse the coils of the same solenoid that induced it causing back EMF. This exerts a flow of electrons travelling in the opposite direction to the applied or preferred voltage one seeks to extract from the alternator motor/solenoid.

146. The practical effect of this is that decreasing current generates a voltage travelling in the same direction as the applied or preferred voltage. Where no external voltage is applied from, for example, the baft cry of the vehicle, the motile neodymium cylinders will induce EMF in the copper solenoid at the same time as drag is applied to the common eccentric crankshaft. Accordingly, the invention, with appropriate adaptation and improvement, is capable of being used for the purpose of adaptive braking, which is to say, it can generate electricity to recharge a vehicle battery at the same time as it is used for the purpose of adaptive braking to decelerate a vehicle.

147. Further adaptation and improvement may commend the introduction of neighbouring passive' inductors [not showni located in proximity to active' solenoid inductors [now shown] so as to maximise the generation of electricity during both stages of the cycle of increasing and collapsing magnetic fields [generated by motile cylindrical neodymium magnets moving up and down inside static copper solenoids]. This may work on the same lines are the primary and secondary coils of transformers provided each pair of proximate solenoids (an active solenoid containing a motile permanent magnet and a passive neighbouring solenoid not containing any magnet) are sufficiently magnetically insulated from neighbouring pairs of active and. passive solenoid.s using Mu-metal insulation, and for the further reasons sct out in paragraphs 105 and 171 herein.

148. For the above reasons, the invention can be used as an adaptive braking system capable of generating electricity to replenish a vehicle battery whilst at the same time enabling the driver of a vehicle to decelerate it.

149. The invention, in alternator motor form [not showni, may also be used for example in wind power and hydroelectric and wave power applications when attached to wind impulse turbines or hydroelectric impulse turbines or geo-stationary buoys for the purpose of generating electrical power from the kinetic energy of moving working fluids. Tn the case of hydroelectric installations, the invention [with appropriate adaptation] would appear mathematically suitable [for example using Pelton impulse turbinesj for a wide range of sites, ranging from loci with flow rates of only 0.001 cubic meters of water per second and heads of metres or more [provided starting torque/inertia in N.m can be achieved which may well be higher in N.m than the starting inertia of rotary alternator motors], to loci with significantly higher flow rates and head [there being no physical or mathematical limit on flow rate and head capable of being used to generate electricity using the invention with appropriate solenoid modifications other than limits set by nature itself in terms of loci].

Description Summary:

For the avoidance of doubt, this is not the claims section of the application. This is part of the description. However, claims later made in the claims section of this application are all contained in this description as if the same had been set out herein and repeated seriatim as follows: 150. An electric piston driven engine capable of operating as an alternator motor and/or hybrid electric engine comprising a battery, wire, low magnetic permeability cylinder housings, low magnetic permeability connecting rods, motile cylindrical permanent magnets, a low magnetic permeability engine block, a low magnetic permeability crankshaft, static switching bipolar electromagnets, an internal combustion engine, thermal and magnetic insulation, copper solenoids, bridge rectifiers, active and passive electronic components and programmable integrated circuits, the permanent magnet cylinders of said motor/alternator motor capable of being attached by said connecting rods to the same mechanical crankshaft as the connecting rods of cylinders attached by connecting rods to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and said electric piston driven engine or motor and!or ahernator motor being capable of use contemporaneously within the same engine block as said internal combustion engine without hysteresis or Curie Temperature attainment and resultant loss of permanent magnetic properties by said motile cylindrical permanent magnets, wherein said motile cylindrical permanent magnets may provide motive force to said. common crankshaft on being provided with motive force by switching bipolar electromagnets wherein the timing of the switching of said bipolar electromagnets is caused to coincide with the required upward and downward movement of said motile cylindrical electromagnets through the use of laser and photo diode arrays and or Hall Sensor Effect integrated circuits, arranged in the former ease whereby light from the laser diode may traverse the cylinder housing and strike a photodiode circuit so as to trigger pulsed switching of said static bipolar electromagnets causing the required upward and downward movement of said motile cylindrical permanent magnets, andior in the latter case through the use of Hall Effect sensors whereby changes in magnetic flux density cause changes in voltage due to the movement of said motile cylindrical permanent magnets. whereby for timing purposes, this causes passive components and also integrated circuits that arc in turn connected to a programmable integrated circuit to enable pulsed power to be delivered to said switching bipolar electromagnets at the required timing intervals, which in turn enables said electric piston engine to operate more efficiently than conventional rotary electric motors due to deduced friction arising from the absence of stators or other static elements giving rise to friction, and wherein said crankshaft, being a crankshaft shared with an internal combustion engine for the purpose of providing motive power more efficiently than a conventional rotary electric motor, may further, in altcrnator motor form, and when provided with motive force by said intcmal combustion engine to which said electric piston alternator motor is attached via a common crankshaft to said motile cylindrical permanent magnets, and wherein said motile cylindrical permanent magnets arc caused to move up and down inside said cylinder housings within copper solenoids, [whether or not in tandem with motile Mu-metal shielding attached to secondary passive coils, said motile secondary coil shielding being mechanically connected to the eccentric crankshaft] said motile cylindrical permanent magnets may generate electricity to recharge the battery of a moving or static vehicle or otherwise generate electricity which may be used for the purpose of providing motive force or for other purposes, more efficiently than conventional rotary electric alternator motors.

lSl.An electric piston driven engine and alternator motor as in para. 150 infra enabling the co-existence within the same low magnetic permeability andlor ceramic engine block of an internal combustion engine in conjunction with a piston driven electric engine wherein the power to weight ratio of hybrid electric vehicles may be improved and accordingly the range in terms of distance that may be traversed by said hybrid electric vehicles, before requiring refuelling or recharging, may be increased.

152.An electric piston driven engine as in para. 150 infra wherein said electric engine is more efficient than conventional rotary electric motors because it generates less entrophic heat in consequence of reduced friction due to the fact that stators and other static components tending to reduce efficiency have been minimized.

153.An electric piston alternator motor as in para. ISO infra wherein said electric alternator motor is more efficient than conventional rotary electric alternator motors because it generates less cntrophic heat in consequence of reduced friction due to the fact that stators and other static components tending to reduce efficiency in conventional alternator motors have been minimised.

154.An electric piston driven engine as in para. 150 infra wherein the consumption of electrical power in watts, per unit of mechanical power output in watts, is lower than that of comparable rotary electric motors for the same mechanical power output in watts.

I55.An electric piston driven alternator motor as in para. ISO infra wherein electrical power output in watts, per unit of mechanical power consumption in wafts, is higher than that of comparable rotary electric alternator motors to which the same mechanical power in watts is applied.

156.An electric piston driven alternator motor as in para. 150 infra wherein relatively more electrical power output in watts per unit of applied mechanical power may be generated in watts in comparison to conventional rotary alternator motors due to reduced friction and more rapid more violent changes in magnetic flux density per unit time leading, mutatis mutandis, to more rapid changes of voltage per unit time and therefore highcr current output in amperes than conventional rotary alternator motors.

157.An electric piston driven electric engine as in para. 150 infra wherein it may be used to provide vehicular or other domestic and/or industrial motive force on a relatively low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when used contemporaneously with an internal combustion engine, and on a low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when powered solely by electricity.

158.An electric piston driven electric engine as in para. 150 infra wherein further on, with appropriate adaptation and execution it can be used in a wide variety of applications requiring motive force from powerful relatively efficient electric engines and alternator motors on the one hand to small high torque applications on the other.

159.An electric piston driven alternator motor as in para. 150 infra wherein it may be used to generate electricity on a relatively low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when used contemporaneously with an internal combustion engine.

160.An electric piston driven alternator as in para. 150 infra wherein further on, with appropriate adaptation and execution it can be used in a wide variety of applications requiring the generation of electricity from the shared crankshafts of internal combustion engines or, through the use of impulse or other suitable turbines, it may be used to generate electricity from the kinetic energy of naturally occurring or deliberately generated moving fluids such as, for example, air or water and in particular hydroelectric and. wave power installations.

161.An electric piston driven alternator as in para. 150 infra wherein switching bipolar electromagnets when supplied with electrical power from a battery or other external source can respectively attract and repel proximate motive cylindrical rare earth or other permanent magnet pistons and provide motive force if said motile cylindrical permanent magnet pistons are attached by connecting rods to an eccentric crankshaft within low magnetic permeability cylinder and engine housings which have been adequately insulated both thermally and magnetically.

162.An electric piston driven alternator as in para. 150 infra wherein motive cylindrical permanent magnet pistons when surrounded by solenoids of length L' metres and comprised of N' copper windings arc capable of the efficient generation of electricity when externally pulse powered static electromagnets are positioned above and below said motile cylindrical permanent magnets and the switching of said bipolar static electromagnets is controlled by laser photodiode and/or Hall Sensor Effect sensors connected to integrated and programmable integrated timing circuitry.

l63.An electric piston driven alternator as in para. 150 infra wherein the thermal insulation of permanent magnet piston engines may be achieved using prior art automotive engine cooling technology in combination with advanced ceramics, Aerogel, Teflon and/or carbon fibre and/or Titanium materials and also in combination with Mu-metal magnetic shielding with effect that the combination of the application of these or other suitable materials is capable of enabling pennanent magnet piston engines to share the same engine block as the cylinders of intemal combustion engines without said permanent magnet pistons losing any or any material permanent magnetic properties due to magnetic hysteresis caused by excessive temperatures and without any or any material electromagnetic interference causing any or any material malfunctions with vehicular or other electronic systems.

164.An electric piston driven engine as in para. 150 infra wherein said magnetic piston and internal combustion engine cylinders can be operated all at once within the same engine block, or may be deployed in any available operational combination limited only by the number of magnetic and/or internal combustion engine cylinders in the engine so as to enable a broader range of engine and/or power management capabilities than is currently available having regard to the state of the art. for hybrid electric vehicles.

165.An electric piston driven engine as in para. 150 infra wherein the device constitutes a new method of electromotive propulsion both for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles because the idea of attaching permanent magnet pistons to low magnetic permeability connecting rods via a crank shaft within a low magnetic permeability thermally and magnetically insulated engine housing before subjecting said. permanent magnet pistons to pulsed. power from laser photo diode and/or Hall Sensor Effect triggered programmable integrated circuits therein controlling switching bipolar electromagnets is a novelty.

166.An electric piston driven engine as in para. 150 infra wherein less electrical power in Watts is consumed, mutatis mutandis, than identical continuously operated switching bipolar electromagnets would consume because the switching bipolar electromagnets in the device consume power sporadically rather than continuously.

l67.An electric piston driven engine as in para. ISO infra wherein said switching bipolar electromagnets only require pulses of electrical energy to operate and accordingly, electrical power docs not need to be applied continuously to said electromagnets with effect that the absence of the need for a continuous supply of voltage and current to the electromagnets results in the ability to apply higher voltages to said switching bipolar electromagnets than they could normally withstand during continuous operation with effect that higher voltages may be applied to said switching bipolar electromagnets resulting in the generation of stronger magnetic fields over short time frames by pulse powered electromagnets subjcct to higher voltages in turn creating more violent attraction and repulsion of said motile permanent magnet pistons leading to greater magnetic flux density in Wb/m2, leading to greater force in Newtons applied to the permanent magnet pistons, and correspondingly causing greater rotational force or torque in N.m applied to the crankshaft.

168.An electric piston driven alternator motor as in para. 150 infra capable of generating electricity when attached to wind impulse turbines or hydroelectric impulse turbines which may be used for the more efficient generation of electricity than conventional rotary alternator motors.

l69.An electric piston driven motor as in para. ISO infra capable of being used in aircraft as a primary source of motive power and/or as a secondary or back-up source of motive power to enable aircraft to land safely should the primary source of motive power fail during flight.

170.An electric piston driven alternator motor as in para. 150 infra capable of being attached to impulse turbines for the generation of hydroelectricity and also capable of being attached beneath sea-surface buoyant artefaets to generate electricity from wave power due to the elliptical movement of fixed buoys moving on the surface of sea and/or ocean waves in shoreline, near shore and off-shore applications, whether the device is affixed to the sea floor, neutrally buoyant or negatively buoyant relative to the mass in kg/m3 of the working fluid.

171.An electric piston driven altemator motor as in para. 150 infra wherein the use of magnetically insulated primary (active) and secondary (passive) solenoid pairs, magnetically insulated from all other active and passive solenoid pairs by the use of Mu-metal or some other suitable insulating material, and. in which the active primary solenoid contains a motile cylindrical permanent magnet and the passive secondary solenoid does not contain said motile cylindrical permanent magnet due to its having merely an air core or a ferrite core or an Mu-metal core, will enable reverse EMF resulting from magnetic flux issuing from the operative primary active solenoid, which is to say, magnetic flux generated by the primary active solenoid due to the upward and downward movement of said cylindrical permanent magnet, traversing the coils of said adjoining passive secondary solenoid, to cause an electromotive force or voltage to be induced in an appropriate insulated secondary passive solenoid which is to say that said EMF so induced in the secondary passive solenoid will be travelling in the opposite direction as the induced back-EMF voltage opposing' the applied voltage in the primary active coil, and accordingly, through the usc of mechanically operated Mu-metal shielding, raised and lower over the secondary passive coils at optimal points in the inductance cycle, this may result in further efficiencies such that with the appropriate use of high Farad value capacitors or super-capacitors attached to the secondary passive coil of said magnetically insulated solenoid pair, this may be used to store charge arising in the secondary passive solenoid that may be deployed elsewhere in the device (fix example in electric engine mode to supply pulsed electrical power to the switching bipolar electromagnets), and this may result, with appropriate adaptation and modification, and in particular by attempting to create a flux valve by means of precisely layered mechanically operated motile Mu-metal shielding raised and lower up from and down upon the secondary passive solenoids at optimal points in the inductance cycle (allowing fix example a measurable and controllable quantity of magnetic flux to travel to the secondary passive solenoid from the primary active solenoid distinct from that which may travel back hm the second passive solenoid to the primary active solenoid) in the more efficient generation of electrical energy from the mechanical energy supplied by the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and/or, where the device is attached to an impulse or other form of turbine, may result in the more efficient generation of electricity from the kinetic energy of naturally or artificially generated motile working fluids.

Claims (22)

1. C LA I MS1. An electric piston driven engine capable of operating as an alternator motor and!or hybrid electric engine comprising a battery, various lengths and gauges of variously iitsulated copper wire, low magnetic permeability cylinder housings, low magnetic permeability connecting rods, motile cylindrical permanent magnets, a low magnetic permeability engine block, a low magnetic permeability crankshaft, static switching bipolar electromagnets, an internal combustion engine, thermal and magnetic insulation, copper solenoids, bridge rectifiers, active and passive electronic components and programmable integrated circuits, the permanent magnet cylinders of said motor/alternator motor capable of being attached by said connecting rods to the same mechanical crankshaft as the connecting rods of cylinders attached by connecting rods to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and said electric piston driven engine or motor and/or alternator motor being capable of use contemporaneously within the same engine block as said internal combustion engine without hysteresis or Curie Temperature attainment and resultant loss of permanent magnetic properties by said motile cylindrical permanent magnets, wherein said motile cylindrical permanent magnets may provide motive force to said common crankshaft on being provided with motive force by switching bipolar electromagnets wherein the timing of the switching of said bipolar electromagnets is caused to coincide with the required upward and downward movement of said motile cylindrical electromagnets through the use of laser and photo diode arrays and or Hall Sensor Effect integrated circuits, arranged in the former case whereby light from the laser diode may traverse the cylinder housing and strike a photodiode circuit connected to a programmable integrated circuit so as to trigger pulsed switching of said static bipolar electromagnets causing the required upward and downward movement of said motile cylindrical permanent magnets, and/or in the latter case through the use of Hall Effect sensors whereby changes in magnetic flux density cause changes in voltage du.e to the movement of said. motile cylindrical permanent magnets, whereby for timing purposes, this causes passive components and also integrated circuits that are in turn connected to a programmable integrated circuit to enable pulsed power to be delivered to said switching bipolar electromagnets at the required timing intervals, which in turn enables said electric piston engine to operate more efficiently than conventional rotary electric motors due to reduced friction arising from the absence of stators or other static elements giving rise to friction, and wherein said crankshaft, being a crankshaft shared with an internal combustion engine for the purpose of providing motive power more efficiently than a conventional rotary electric motor, may further, in alternator motor form, and when provided with motive force by said internal combustion engine to which said electric piston alternator motor is attached via a common crankshaft to the low magnetic permeability connecting rods attached to said motile cylindrical permanent magnets, and wherein said motile cylindrical permanent magnets are caused to move up and down inside said cylinder housings within copper solenoids, [whether or not in tandem with motile Mu-metal shielding attached to secondary passive coils, said motile secondary coil shielding being mechanically connected to the eccentric crankshaft] said motile cylindrical permanent magnets may generate electricity to recharge the battery of a moving or static vehicle or otherwise generate electricity which may be used for the purpose of providing motive force or for other purposes, more efficiently than conventional rotary electric alternator motors.
2. 2. An electric piston driven engine and alternator motor as in claim I enabling the co-existence within the same low magnetic permeability and/or ceramic engine block of an internal combustion engine in conjunction with a piston driven electric engine wherein the power to weight ratio of hybrid electric vehicles may be improved and accordingly the range in terms of distance that may be traversed by said hybrid electric vehicles, before requiring refuelling or recharging, may be increased.
3. 3. An electric piston driven engine as in claim 1 wherein said electric engine is more efficient than conventional rotary electric motors because it generates less entrophic heat in consequence of reduced friction due to the fact that stators and other static components tending to reduce efficiency have been minimized.
4. 4. An electric piston alternator motor as in claim 1 wherein said electric alternator motor is more efficient than conventional rotary electric alternator motors because it generates less entrophic heat in consequence of reduced friction due to the fact that stators and other static components tending to reduce efficiency in conventional alternator motors have been minimised.
5. 5. An electric piston driven engine as in claim 1 wherein the consumption of electrical power in watts, per unit of mechanical power output in watts, is lower than that of comparable rotary electric motors for the same mechanical power output in watts.
6. 6. An electric piston driven alternator motor as in claim I wherein electrical power output in watts, per unit of mechanical power consumption in watts, is higher than that of comparable rotary electric alternator motors to which the same mechanical power in watts is applied.
7. 7. An electric piston driven alternator motor as in claim I wherein relatively more electrical power output in waifs per unit of applied mechanical power may be generated in wafts in comparison to conventional rotary alternator motors due to reduced friction and more rapid more violent changes in magnetic flux density per unit tirne leading, mutatis mutandis, to more rapid changes of voltage per unit time and therefore higher current output in amperes than conventional rotary alternator motors.
8. 8. An electric piston driven electric engine as in claim 1 wherein it may be used to provide vehicular or other domestic and/or industrial motive force on a relatively low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when used contemporaneously with an internal combustion engine, and on a low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when powered solely by electricity.
9. 9. An electric, piston driven electric engine as in claim I wherein f1arther on, with appropriate adaptation and execution it can be used in a wide variety of applications requiring motive force from powerfid relatively efficient electric engines and alternator motors on the one hand to small high torque applications on the other.
10. 10. An electric piston driven alternator motor as in claim 1 wherein it may be used to generate electricity on a relatively low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when used contemporaneously with an internal combustion engine.
11. II. An electric piston driven alternator as in claim I wherein further on, with appropriate adaptation and execution it can be used in a wide variety of applications requiring the generation of electricity from the shared crankshafts of internal combustion engines or, through the use of impulse or other suitable turbines, it may be used to generate electricity from the kinetic energy of naturally occurring or deliberately generated moving fluids such as, for example, air or water and in particular hydroelectric and wave power installations.
12. 12. An electric piston driven alternator as in claim 1 wherein switching bipolar electromagnets when supplied with electrical power from a battery or other external source can respectively attract and repel proximate motive cylindrical rare earth or other permanent magnet pistons and provide motive force if said motile cylindrical permanent magnet pistons are attached by connecting rods to an eccentric crankshaft within low magnetic permeability cylinder and engine housings which have been adequately insulated both thermally and magnetically.
13. 13. An electric piston driven alternator as in claim 1 wherein motive cylindrical permanent magnet pistons when surrounded by solenoids of length L' metres and comprised of N' copper windings are capable of the efficient generation of electricity when externally pulse powered static electromagnets arc positioned above and below said motile cylindrical permanent magnets and the switching of said bipolar static electromagnets is controlled by laser photodiode and/or Hall Sensor Effect sensors connected to integrated and programmable integrated timing circuitry.
14. 14. An electric piston driven alternator as in claim I wherein the thermal insulation of permanent magnet piston engines may be achieved using prior art automotive engine cooling technology in combination with advanced ceramics, Aerogel, Teflon and/or carbon fibre and/or Titanium materials and also in combination with Mu-metal magnetic shielding with effect that the combination of the application of these or other suitable materials is capable of enabling pernrnnent magnet piston engines to share the same engine block as the cylinders of internal combustion engines without said permanent magnet pistons losing any or any material permanent magnetic properties due to magnetic hysteresis caused by excessive temperatures and without any or any material electromagnetic interference causing any or any material nialfunctions with vehicular or other electronic systems.
15. 15. An electric piston driven engine as in claim 1 wherein said magnetic piston and internal combustion engine cylinders can be operated all at once within the same engine block, or may be deployed in any available operational combination limited only by the number of magnetic and/or internal combustion engine cylinders in the engine so as to enable a broader range of engine and/or power management capabilities than is currently available having regard to the state of the art for hybrid electric vehicles.
16. 16. An electric piston driven engine as in claim I wherein the device constitutes a new method of electromotive propulsion both for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles because the idea of attaching permanent magnet pistons to low magnetic permeability connecting rods via a crank shaft within a low magnetic permeability thermally and magnetically insulated engine housing before subjecting said permanent magnet pistons to pulsed power from laser photo diode and/or Hall Sensor Effect triggered programmable integrated circuits therein controlling switching bipolar electromagnets is a novelty.
17. 17. An electric piston driven engine as in claim I wherein less electrical power in Watts is consumed, mutatis mutandis, than identical continuously operated switching bipolar electromagnets would consume because the switching bipolar electromagnets in the device consume power sporadically rather than continuously.
18. 18. An electric piston driven engine as in claim I wherein said switching bipolar electromagnets only require pulses of electrical energy to operate and accordingly, electrical power does not need to bc applied continuously to said electromagnets with effect that the absence of the need for a continuous supply of voltage and current to the electromagnets results in the ability to apply higher voltages to said switching bipolar electromagnets than they could normally withstand during continuous operation with effect that higher voltages may be applied to said switching bipolar electromagnets resulting in the generation of stronger magnetic fields over short time frames by pulse powered electromagnets subject to higher voltages in tum creating more violent attraction and repulsion of said motile permanent magnet pistons leading to greater magnetic flux density in Wb/m2, leading to greater force in Newtons applied to the permanent magnet pistons, and correspondingly causing greater rotational force or torque in N.m applicd to the crankshaft.
19. 19. An electric piston driven alternator motor as in claim 1 capable of generating electricity when attached to wind impulse turbines or hydroelectric impulse turbines which may be used for the more efficient generation of electricity than conventional rotary alternator motors.
20. 20. An electric piston driven motor as in claim I capable of being used in aircraft as a primary source of motive power and/or as a secondary or back-up sourcc of motive power to enable aircraft to land safely should the primary source of motive power fail during flight.
21. 21. An electric piston driven alternator motor as in claim 1 capable of being attached to impulse turbines for the generation of hydroelectricity and also capable of being attached beneath sea-surface buoyant artefacts to generate electricity from wave power due to the elliptical movement of fixed buoys moving on the surface of sea and/or ocean waves in shoreline, near shore and off-shore applications, whether the device is affixed to the sea floor, neutrally buoyant or negatively buoyant relative to the mass in kg/m3 of the working fluid.
22. 22. An electric piston driven alternator motor as in claim I wherein the use of magnetically insulated primary (active) and secondary (passive) solenoid pairs, magnetically insulated from all other active and passive solenoid pairs by the use of Mu-metal or some other suitable insulating material, and in which the active primary solenoid contains a motile cylindrical permanent magnet and the passive secondary solenoid does not contain said motile cylindrical permanent magnet due to its having merely an air core or a ferrite core or an Mu-metal core, will enable reverse EMF resulting frorn magnetic flux issuing from the operative primary active solenoid, which is to say, magnetic flux generated by the primary active solenoid due to the upward and downward movement of said cylindrical permanent magnet, traversing the coils of said adjoining passive secondary solenoid, to cause an electromotive force or voltage to be induced in an appropriate insulated secondary passive solenoid which is to say that said EMF so induced in the secondary passive solenoid will be travelling in the opposite d.irection as the induced. back-EMF voltage opposing' the applied, voltage in the primary active coil, and accordingly, through the usc of mechanically operated Mu-metal shielding, raised and lowered over the secondary passive coils at optimal points in the inductance cycle, this may result in further efficiencies such that with the appropriate use of high Farad value capacitors or super-capacitors attached to the secondary passive coil of said magnetically insulated solenoid pair, this may be used to store charge arising in the secondary passive solenoid that may be deployed elsewhere in the device (for example in electric engine mode to supply pulsed electrical power to the switching bipolar electromagnets), and this may result, with appropriate adaptation and modification, and in particular by attempting to create a flux valve by means of precisely layered mechanically operated motile Mu-metal shielding raised and lower up from and down upon the secondary passive solenoids at optimal points in the inductance cycle (allowing for example a measurable and controllable quantity of magnetic flux to travel to the secondary passive solenoid from the primary active solenoid distinct from that which may travel back from the second passive solenoid to the primary active solenoid) in the more efficient generation of electrical energy from the mechanical energy supplied by the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and!or, where the device is attached to an impulse or other form of turbine, may result in the more efficient generation of electricity from the kinetic energy of naturally or artificially generated motile working fluids.For the avoidance of doubt, each and all of the matters referred to in the Description of the invention is referred to and relied upon in this Claims document as if the matters referred to in the Description were set out herein and traversed seriatim.Amendments to the claims have been filed as followsCLAIMSI, A combined electric piston motor and alternator comprising, cylinder housings, connecting rods, an engine block, a crank shaft, cylindrical permanent magnets, and static switching bipolar electromagnets, wherein the cylindrical permanent magnets are attached by the connecting rods to the crankshaft which is shared with an internal combustion engine within the same engine block, and the timing of the switching of the bipolar electromagnets coincides with the upward and downward movement of the cylindrical permanent magnets within the cylinder housings to rotate the crankshaft contemporaneously with the internal combustion engine, alternatively the internal combustion engine may rotate the crankshaft and the cylindrical permanent magnets are driven up and down inside the cylinder housings and within solenoids to function as an alternator to generate electricity.2. A combined electric piston motor and alternator as in claim 1 supra wherein, using prior art clutch mechanisms, the device may be provided with motive force solely by an internal combustion engine.3, A combined electric piston motor and alternator as in claim 1 supra wherein, using prior art clutch mechanisms, the device may be provided with motive force C\J solely by electricity when electricity is supplied to the switching bipolar electromagnets acting upon the cylindrical permanent magnets in the device.CO 4. A combined electric piston motor and alternator as in claim 1 supra wherein, r using prior art clutch mechanisms, the device may be provided with motive force using any of various combinations of internal combustion engine cylinders used in tandem with electric piston motor cylinders at the same time, that is, may be operated all at once within the same engine block, or may be deployed in any available operational combination limited only by the number of magnetic and/or internal combustion engine cylinders in the engine, and by way of example, one internal combustion engine cylinder may provide motive force at the same time as one or more permanent magnet cylinders provide motive force or vice versa, and the variety of operational combinations is limited only by the number of respective cylinders of each type (whether they be internal combustion engine cylinders or permanent magnet cylinders).5. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra wherein less electrical power in watts is consumed, mutatis mutandis, than identical continuously operated switching bipolar electromagnets would consume (under steady state conditions), due to the fact that the switching bipolar electromagnets only require sporadic pulses of power to operate (noting that the device would not function if steady state power were supplied continuously to the static bipolar electromagnets).6. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra wherein the efficiency of the device (in terms of its electrical power consumption in watts when powered solely by electricity), versus the mechanical power output of the device in wafts, is greater (that is to say, less electrical power in wafts is consumed per unit of mechanical power output in wafts) relative to prior art rotary electric motors capable of the same mechanical power output in wafts.7, A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra wherein, in alternator mode, the electrical power output in wafts, per unit of mechanical power consumption in watts, is greater than that of comparable prior art rotary electric alternator motors to which the same mechanical power input in wafts is applied.8. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra which exhibits reduced friction in both motor and alternator motor configurations resulting in lower entrophic heat dissipation than prior art rotary electric motors or alternators.9. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra where, CD in electric motor mode, pulses of electrical power supplied to the static bipolar -i-electromagnets provide motive force to the crankshaft and accordingly, as the said static electromagnets are not continuously supplied with electrical power (under C\J steady state conditions), less electrical power is consumed in watts than would be consumed if the device required a continuous supply of electrical power (as is thecase with prior art rotary electric motors).10. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra where, in electric motor mode, pulses of electrical power are supplied to the static bipolar electromagnets and accordingly, greater electrical power (and in particular, higher voltages) may be applied to the static bipolar electromagnets than said static bipolar electromagnets would otherwise be capable of tolerating under steady state conditions (before tolerance limitations arising from entrophic heat dissipation resulted in component failure).Ii. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra wherein the alternator components of the device may be used for the purpose of generating electricity in the course of adaptive braking in vehicular applications.12. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra wherein more rapid more violent changes in magnetic flux density per unit time result in more rapid changes of voltage per unit time (1 = dv/dt) and therefore enable higher current output in amperes when compared, mutatis mutandis, withconventional prior art rotary alternator motors.13. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra wherein vehicular and/or other domestic and/or industrial motive force may be generated on a relatively low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when used contemporaneously with an internal combustion engine, and on a low operational carbon dioxide emission basis when powered solely by electricity provided that the internal combustion engine and/or the electric piston engine are disconnected from the crankshaft using prior art clutch mechanisms depending upon the required operation combination or combinations of respective cylinder types.14. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra capable of enabling permanent magnet piston engines to share the same engine block as that of the cylinders of an internal combustion engines without said permanent magnet pistons reaching their Curie temperature and/or without losing any or any material permanent magnetic properties due to magnetic hysteresis arising from entrophic heat dissipation.I 5, A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra wherein the idea of using a laser photo diode array and a programmable micro-controller to synchronise permanent magnet cylinder movement in a hybrid C1) electric and/or in an electric motor or engine is a novelty.16. A combined electric piston motor and alternator motor as in claim 1 supra C\J wherein the idea of using a Hall Sensor array and programmable micro-controller r to synchronise permanent magnet cylinder movement in a hybrid electric engine and/or in an &ectric motor or engine is a novelty. r