WO2006128545A1

WO2006128545A1 - Rotary piston machine

Info

Publication number: WO2006128545A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/004172
Authority: WO
Inventors: Herbert Hüttlin
Original assignee: Huettlin Herbert
Priority date: 2005-05-31
Filing date: 2006-05-04
Publication date: 2006-12-07
Also published as: CN1873189A; CN1873189B; DE102005026661A1; EP1885998A1

Abstract

A rotary piston machine is described, having a housing (12), the interior of which is not cylindrical, and in which a first and at least one second piston (40, 46) are arranged which can circulate jointly in the housing (12) about a rotational axle (48) which is fixed to the housing, the first piston (40) having a first end face (52) and the at least one second piston (46) having a second end face (58) which faces the first end face, the end faces (52, 58) delimiting a working chamber (60), and the first and the at least one second piston (40, 46) performing opposite to-and-fro movements with respect to one another during circulation about the rotational axle (48), in order alternately to increase and to decrease the working chamber (60). The to-and-fro movements of the first and the at least one second piston are linear movements which are oriented obliquely or orthogonally with respect to the rotational axle (48).

Description

Rotary piston engine

The invention relates to a rotary piston machine, with a housing whose interior is not cylindrical, and in which a first and at least a second piston are arranged, which can rotate together in the housing about a housing-fixed axis of rotation, wherein the first piston has a first end surface and the at least second piston has a second end surface facing the first end surface, wherein the end surfaces define a working chamber, and wherein the first and the at least second piston reciprocate reciprocating movements when rotating about the rotation axis to alternately increase and enlarge the working chamber out.

Such a rotary piston machine is known from document WO 03/067033 A1.

Rotary piston engines and in particular a rotary piston engine according to the present invention can be used as internal combustion engines (internal combustion engines), as pumps or as compressors. A rotary piston machine according to the present invention is preferably used as an internal combustion engine and described as such in the present specification. In the case of using a rotary piston engine as an internal combustion engine, the individual working cycles of the intake, compression, ignition of the combustion mixture and the expansion and expulsion of the combusted combustion mixture are mediated by reciprocating movements of the individual pistons between two end positions.

The rotary piston machine known from the above-mentioned document WO 03/067033 A1 belongs to the category of oscillating piston machines as a special case of rotary piston machines. In the case of oscillating piston machines, the reciprocating movements of the pistons which are derived from the circulation movement during the rotation of the individual pistons in the housing are pivoting movements about one or more pivot axes.

In the known rotary piston machine, four pistons are arranged in the housing, which rotate around a housing-fixed housing-fixed axis of rotation and run around in the housing reciprocating pivotal movements about a common pivot axis, with two adjacent pistons pivot in opposite directions. In this known rotary piston machine two diametrically opposed with respect to the housing center opposite pistons are rigidly connected together to form a double piston, and two such pairs of pistons are arranged in the middle of the housing over cross. Between each two facing end surfaces of the piston of the piston pairs, a working chamber is formed in each case, so that the known rotary piston machine has two working chambers. Both working chambers, which are arranged diametrically opposite one another with respect to the housing center, increase and decrease in size the reciprocating pivotal movements of the piston in the same direction.

The pistons of the known rotary piston machine essentially have the shape of a ball wedge, and the geometry of the working chambers is correspondingly the same.

Furthermore, the pistons of this known rotary piston engine are arranged in the housing so that they are perpendicular to the axis of rotation in their TDC position in which the volumes of the two working chambers are minimal. The working chambers are thus always outside and perpendicular to the axis of rotation in this known rotary piston machine.

Another rotary piston machine of the same Applicant is known from the document WO 03/089769 Al. This rotary piston machine has, in the direction of the axis of rotation, an elongated housing with a cylindrical interior, in which at least two pistons, when circulating about the axis of rotation, execute linear movements which are directed parallel to the axis of rotation.

Another rotary piston machine is known from document DE 100 01 962 A1. This known rotary piston machine has in a cylindrical housing a plurality of pistons, which are distributed circumferentially about an axis of rotation, wherein the pistons can rotate together about the axis of rotation, each piston is assigned a separate working chamber between a piston head and a housing inner wall whose volume It changes periodically when the piston rotates. The pistons perform when running around the axis of rotation linear, namely radially directed reciprocating movements, wherein a Control mechanism is provided which derives the reciprocating linear movement of the piston from the orbital motion of the piston. The control mechanism has a stationary cam piece arranged approximately on the center of the housing, which has concave and convex areas, wherein the pistons each have at least one running surface on their side facing the axis of rotation, with which the pistons are guided fittingly on the control cam. In this known rotary piston machine, the linear guidance of the individual pistons via a mutual toothing of each adjacent piston with gear shaft is realized comparatively expensive.

The present invention aims to provide a different from the above-described concepts of the known rotary piston machines new concept of a rotary piston machine.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a rotary piston machine of the type mentioned with a new concept of piston movement.

According to the invention this object is achieved with respect to the rotary piston machine mentioned above in that the reciprocating movements of the first and at least second piston are linear movements which are directed obliquely or orthogonally to the axis of rotation.

From the rotary piston machine known from the document WO 03/067033 A1, the rotary piston machine according to the invention differs in that the at least two pistons, when circulating about the axis of rotation, do not oscillate but pivot. perform linear movements. This has the advantage that it is possible to design the working chamber, ie the combustion chamber, with a simpler geometric structure, in particular cylindrical. From the rotary piston machine, which is known from DE 100 01 962 Al, the rotary piston machine according to the invention differs in that the working chamber is not formed between the piston head and the housing inner wall, but between two mutually facing end surfaces of the at least two pistons. This has the advantage that the working chamber can be equipped with an overall larger volume, because the individual strokes of the two pistons add to a total stroke, which is correspondingly larger than if only one piston limits the working chamber together with the housing inner wall.

The linear movements of the at least two pistons are directed obliquely or orthogonally to the axis of rotation. If the interior of the housing of the rotary piston machine has substantially spherical symmetry, it is particularly advantageous if the linear movements of the at least two pistons are directed obliquely to the axis of rotation, because the stroke of the individual pistons by the inclination of the linear movement of the two pistons compared to a Movement can be increased perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The linear movement of the piston is thus not directed radially in contrast to the known rotary piston machine with reciprocating. However, unlike the document WO 03/089769 A1, it is also not directed parallel to the axis of rotation, as a result of which a more compact design of the rotary piston machine according to the invention in the direction of the axis of rotation can be achieved. In a preferred embodiment, the axis of rotation passes through the working chamber.

While in the known from the document WO 03/067033 Al rotary piston machine as mentioned above, the working chamber is completely outside the axis of rotation, is provided in the aforementioned embodiment of the rotary piston machine according to the invention, the at least two pistons so that the at least one working chamber is not perpendicular to Rotary axis, but on the axis of rotation or around the axis of rotation lies around. The centrifugal forces acting on the working chamber bounding pistons as they circulate about the axis of rotation are less due to the smaller spacing of the pistons from the axis of rotation, and also act in the direction of movement apart of the two pistons, i. the centrifugal forces support the working cycle of expansion, which is advantageous for the function of the rotary piston machine according to the invention.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first and the at least second piston are substantially cylindrical.

The advantage here is that, for example, piston rings can be used as seals for the two pistons, so that it is possible to resort to long-standing experience in solving sealing problems in reciprocating piston engines.

Accordingly, it is also preferred if the working chamber has substantially cylindrical sections. As an alternative to a cylindrical configuration of the working chamber and the piston, a geometry deviating therefrom, for example an oval shape, can also be selected if this can contribute to increasing the volume of the working chamber.

In preferred practical embodiments, a cylinder axis of the first piston and a cylinder axis of the at least second piston with the axis of rotation each enclose an angle in the range of about 30 ° to about 60 °.

Preferably, the angle is approximately between 40 ° and 50 °, for example 45 °.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the linear movements of the first and at least second pistons are directed relative to one another at an angle in the range from about 60 ° to about 120 °.

The two pistons moving towards and away from each other thus form an approximately V-shaped piston assembly with an intermediate substantially cylindrical working chamber as mentioned above.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first end face and the second end face each have a section which runs approximately parallel to the axis of rotation.

It is advantageous that even with a V-shaped arrangement of the two pistons as mentioned above relative to each other, the end surfaces in the TDC position, ie in the state of minimal volume of the working chamber, along a ridgeline over can come very close or touch a large area, whereby a high compression of the fuel / air mixture is achieved in the working chamber. In a further preferred embodiment, the first and the second end face have a second section, which in each case encloses an angle in the range of approximately 30 ° to approximately 60 ° with the axis of rotation.

The provision of such a second portion has the advantage that, in particular in a direction obliquely to the axis of rotation directed linear movement of the individual pistons, the entire end surface of the two pistons can be chosen as large as possible with a large stroke, whereby the Arbeitskämmervolumen chosen correspondingly large, and by the two mutually inclined portions of the end faces a complete compression or minimization of the working chamber volume can be achieved.

The aforementioned second section of the respective end faces preferably extends in particular perpendicular to the direction of the linear movement of the two pistons.

In a further preferred refinement, the first piston and / or the at least second piston has at least one running element, which is guided along a correspondingly formed control cam when the first and / or at least second piston revolve around the linear movements of the first and at least second pistons to create.

It is further preferred if the control cam is arranged on the housing with respect to the axis of rotation at least approximately the maximum distance. Although a comparable control mechanism for the pivotal movements of the piston is provided in the known from the document WO 03/067033 Al rotary piston machine, but there is the control cam with a shorter distance to the axis of rotation in the vicinity of the end faces of the housing. The advantage of the greater spacing of the control cam from the axis of rotation consists in improved lever ratios to derive the linear movements of the at least two pistons from their orbital motion about the axis of rotation.

In this context, it is further preferred if the at least one running member is a ball which is rotatably mounted in a ball socket on one of the housing-facing outer side of the first and / or at least second piston, and that the control cam is formed as a groove with a part-circular cross-section , in which the ball partially intervenes.

Such a control mechanism, which uses a ball as the at least one running member, has the advantage of optimized friction reduction of the control mechanism, since the ball is freely rotatable in the ball socket of the at least one piston and also in the cam forming the cam immediately in the housing or on a separate part which is connected to the housing inner wall may be formed. Because of its omnidirectional rotation, the ball can advantageously follow the control cam with particularly low friction.

Preferably, both the first and the at least second piston on a running member in the form of a ball, which run in the same groove-shaped cam in the housing at a distance from each other. As an alternative to balls, the running members can also be designed as rollers.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first and the at least second piston are slidably mounted in a piston cage, which is arranged in the housing concentric with the axis of rotation about the axis of rotation, wherein the piston cage is rotatably connected to the first and at least second piston with respect to the rotational movement about the axis of rotation ,

The piston cage and the first and at least second piston thus form the "internal machine" or the "internal engine" of the rotary piston machine. The sliding bearing of the two pistons in the piston cage serves for the linear movement of the two pistons as described above, while the pistons revolve together with the piston cage due to their rotation with respect to the rotational movement about the axis of rotation with the piston cage together with this around the axis of rotation. The piston cage can now advantageously serve as a drive or driven member and be led out with a shaft extension corresponding to the housing.

In a further preferred embodiment, the piston cage has a bore in which the first and at least second piston are partially and slidably received therein, and which limits the working chamber in the circumferential direction.

The bore thus defines together with the two mutually facing end surfaces of the first and at least second piston, the at least one working chamber of the oscillating piston engine. Depending on the geometry of the end surfaces of the two pistons, the geometry of the bore of the piston cage is also selected, that is to say, for example. wise circular or as just mentioned above oval or other shape according to the shape of the end surfaces of the piston. In a circular configuration of the end faces of the two pistons, in conjunction with the circular bore in the piston cage, a working chamber is formed which is cylindrical. The pistons are then preferably sealed against the wall of the bore of the piston cage by means of seals, which in the case of a circular bore and circular end surfaces are advantageously designed as adapted to the shape of the working chamber piston rings.

If, as mentioned above, the pistons execute obliquely directed linear movements with respect to the axis of rotation, the bore accordingly preferably consists of two sections which meet on the axis of rotation and are each cylindrical in shape on both sides of the axis of rotation.

In a further preferred embodiment, a third and fourth piston are arranged in the housing, which can rotate with the first and second pistons about the axis of rotation and thereby perform reciprocating linear movements and define a second working chamber.

In this refinement, a system which is advantageously symmetrical and thus mass-balanced with respect to the axis of rotation is also provided in the case of the rotary piston machine according to the invention. It is further preferred if the third and the fourth piston are arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to a plane passing through the center of the housing perpendicular to the axis of rotation to the first and second piston. In this embodiment, the first and the second working chamber are preferably in one plane.

In a preferred alternative, the third and fourth pistons are offset relative to the first and second pistons by an angle of preferably 90 ° about the axis of rotation.

It is advantageous that the individual stroke of each piston can be made even larger, since the pistons do not come close in their UT position, because the first and second pistons are arranged offset by 90 ° with respect to the third and fourth pistons. As a result, the above-mentioned cam over a plane which passes perpendicularly through the axis of rotation and through the center of the housing, extend, which makes it possible to make the stroke of the piston and thus the maximum volume of the working chambers larger.

Regardless of whether the four pistons are arranged in one plane or in two planes, it is further preferred if the four pistons are arranged such that the first and second working chambers increase and decrease in the same direction as the pistons rotate about the axis of rotation.

As a result, it is advantageously achieved that in each of the two working chambers, a working cycle of expanding, ie working, can take place, even if no working cycle of working takes place in the other working chamber. Thus, the rotary piston machine always performs work over a full revolution around the axis of rotation. The intake and exhaust ports are correspondingly 180 ° and 90 ° respectively (the latter at 90 ° to each other rotated working chambers) to arrange staggered.

In a further preferred embodiment, the piston cage extends on both sides of the housing center and also receives the third and fourth piston.

Overall, a particularly simple and little parts requiring structure is thus created in which the piston cage receives all four pistons. For the third and fourth pistons, the piston cage, if provided for the first and second pistons as described above, also has a bore in which the third and fourth pistons are slidably mounted and non-rotatably connected to the piston cage with respect to the rotational axis this bore then limits the second working chamber together with the end surfaces of the third and fourth pistons.

In a further preferred embodiment, a housing inner wall of the housing is substantially spherical.

With this embodiment, a rotary piston machine with reciprocating piston is advantageously provided, which has ball symmetry. The rotary piston machine according to the invention thus combines the advantages of a pure rotary piston machine with the advantages of a pure reciprocating piston engine in spherical form.

Further advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained not only in the respective benen combination, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described with reference to this hereafter. Show it:

Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view of a rotary piston machine;

FIG. 2 shows a view of the rotary piston machine in FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows II in FIG. 1; FIG.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the rotary piston machine in Figure 1 taken along a plane parallel to the axis of rotation, wherein the pistons of the rotary piston machine are shown in their UT position.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the rotary piston machine in Fig. 1, wherein the pistons are shown in their TDC position, and wherein the representation is selected so that the housing with respect to the illustration in Fig. 3 by 90 ° about the axis of rotation is twisted;

5 shows a longitudinal section through the rotary piston machine in FIG. 1 corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4, but omitting the pistons;

6 shows a longitudinal section through the rotary piston machine in FIG. 1, similar to the representation in FIG. 5, again with reference to FIG. ter omission of the piston, wherein, however, the piston cage is rotated relative to the illustration in Figure 5 by approximately 90 ° about the axis of rotation.

FIG. 6A shows a representation comparable to FIG. 6 with a sectioning through the piston cage different from FIG. 6; FIG.

Fig. 7 is a view of the rotary piston machine in which a housing half is removed; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an inner side of a housing half of the rotary piston machine in Fig. 1 in isolation.

In Fig. 1 to 8, provided with the general reference numeral 10 rotary piston machine in various representations and individual parts of the rotary piston machine 10 are shown.

The rotary piston engine 10 is designed as an internal combustion engine in the present embodiment.

The rotary piston machine 10 has a housing 12, which is composed of two housing halves 14 and 16. The housing halves 14 and 16 each have a flange 18a and 18b, via which the housing halves 14 and 16 are detachably connected to each other.

On the housing 12, inlet ports 20 and 24 for fresh air / fuel are arranged diametrically opposite one another with respect to the center of the housing, the openings of which pass through the housing 12. go through. Likewise, outlet 22 and 26 are provided. The inlet ports 20 and 24 serve to supply fresh air or combustion air, while the outlet ports 22 and 26 are used for ejecting combusted fuel-air mixture. The intake ports 20 and 24 are each assigned a connection for a fuel injection nozzle, as shown for the inlet port 24 with a port 25 in FIG. 1 and for the inlet port 20 with a port 27 in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, a plurality of ports 28 to 38 for the supply and discharge or circulation of a cooling / lubricating medium are arranged on the housing 12 through the interior of the rotary piston machine 10.

A housing inner wall 39 of the rotary piston machine 10 is formed according to FIG. 3 substantially spherical or has ball symmetry.

Inside the housing 12, four pistons 40 to 46 are arranged, which can rotate together in the housing 12 about an axis of rotation 48 according to an arrow 49 (FIG. In this orbital movement, the pistons 40 to 46 perform a reciprocating linear movement between two end positions superimposed on the revolving movement, one end position in FIG. 3 (so-called UT position), and the other end position in FIG. 4 (so-called TDC position) is shown. The linear movements are here directed obliquely to the axis of rotation 48, but may also be directed orthogonally.

The axis of rotation 48 is to be understood as a geometric axis and passes through the center of the housing 51. The linear movements of the pistons 40 to 46 are illustrated in Fig. 3 with a respective double arrow 50a to 50d.

The nature of the guidance and control of the linear movements of the pistons 40 to 46 will be described later in more detail.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the pistons 40 and 46 are arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to the pistons 42 and 44 with respect to a plane 53 extending through the center of the housing 51 perpendicular to the axis of rotation 48 and perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG.

The housing 12 may also be separated along the plane 53, so that each left and right of the plane 53 results in a hemispherical half of the housing, wherein in one half of the housing, the pistons 40 and 46 and the other half of the housing, the pistons 42 and 44 are arranged. Between these two housing halves, an elongated cylindrical intermediate piece may be inserted, so that the overall shape of the housing 12 is then oblong with hemispherical end portions.

However, it is also conceivable arrangement in which, for example, the pistons 40 and 46 are arranged in a first plane, and the pistons 42 and 44 in a second plane, wherein the second plane, however, to the first plane of the piston 40 and 46 by 90 ° the rotation axis 48 is rotated.

The pistons 40 to 46 are individually mounted in the housing 12, that is not rigidly connected in pairs. Each of the pistons 40 to 46 has an end surface, namely, the piston 40 has an end surface 52, the piston 42 has an end surface 54, the piston 44 has an end surface 56, and the piston 46 has an end surface 58.

Each facing end surfaces, which are in the present case, the end surfaces 52 and 58 of the pistons 40 and 46 and the end surfaces 54 and 56 of the pistons 42 and 44, each defining a working chamber 60 and 62, which serve as combustion chambers. The axis of rotation 48 passes through both working chambers 60, 62, preferably centrally in each position of the pistons 40 to 46.

As is apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4, the end faces 52 to 58 of the pistons 40 to 46 each have two portions forming an angle to each other. This will be described below with reference to the end surface 52 of the piston, the same applies to the end surfaces 54 to 58 of the pistons 42 to 46.

The end surface 52 of the piston 40 has a portion 52 a, which runs approximately perpendicular to the linear direction of movement according to the arrow 50 a of the piston 40. A second portion 52b of the end face 52, on the other hand, forms an angle with the direction of movement of the piston 40 according to the arrow 50a, approximately 45 ° in the exemplary embodiment shown, and runs parallel to the axis of rotation 48. The portion 52b of the end face 52 also extends parallel to a section 58b of the end face 58 of the piston 46, so that the sections 52b and 58b in the TDC position according to FIG. 4 are arranged in contact with one another in terms of area or at least a minimum distance to minimize the volume of the working chamber 60. In contrast, the sections 52a come and 58a of the end surfaces 52 and 58 of the pistons 40 and 46 with another surface in contact or at a minimum distance, which will be described later.

As is apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4, the directions of movement 50a to 50d of the pistons 40 to 46 extend obliquely to the axis of rotation 48.

The pistons 40 to 46 are each substantially cylindrical in shape, and a longitudinal or cylinder axis of each piston 40 to 46 is parallel to the linear directions of movement 50a to 50d.

Each adjacent the piston 40 to 46 lead during rotation about the axis of rotation 48 to each other in opposite reciprocating linear movements, whereby the working chambers 60 and 62 always in the same direction to each other enlarge and reduce.

For example, starting from the state shown in Fig. 3 maximum volume of the working chambers 60 and 62, the pistons 40 and 46 move linearly but obliquely toward each other, as well as the pistons 42 and 44. This reduces the volumes of the working chambers 60 and 62 to to the final state shown in Fig. 4, in which the working chambers 60 and 62 occupy their minimum volume (ignition space). However, in the state in FIG. 4, only one of the working chambers 60 and 62 is being ignited, while the other of the two working chambers 60 and 62 also has a minimal volume, but the power stroke of the discharge is just completed here or the working stroke of the intake starts straight or vice versa. In order to derive the linear movements of the pistons 40 to 46 from the orbital motion of the pistons 40 to 46 about the axis of rotation 48, each piston 40 to 46 has a running member, namely the piston 40 a running member 64, the piston 42 a running member 66th , the piston 44, a running member 68 and the piston 46, a running member 70. The running members 64 to 70 are balls, which are each mounted in a ball socket, wherein the respective ball socket is disposed on an outer side of the respective piston 40 to 46, the housing inner wall 39 faces. In Fig. 3, a ball socket 72 for the running member 64 on the piston 40 is shown.

The running members 64 to 70 in the form of the balls can be loosely mounted in the ball pans 72 and held there by adhesion by means of a lubricating film, the ball pans then do not extend beyond the diameter of the balls 64 to 70, or the ball pans can through a beyond the ball diameter extending shape or a corresponding extension the balls 64 to 70 hold form-fitting and thus captive.

The balls 64 to 70 are freely rotatable in the ball cups of the pistons 40 to 46 in all directions about their respective ball center.

The running members or balls 64 to 70 are assigned two control cams in which the balls 64 to 70 run. More specifically, the balls 64 and 70 of the pistons 40 and 46 associated with a first control cam 76 which is formed as a groove with a part-circular cross-section in the housing inner wall 39. Instead of forming the control cam 76 directly in the häuseinnenwand 39 by molding, the control cam 76 may also be formed on a separate component, which is arranged on the housing 12. A corresponding control cam 78 is assigned to the running members or balls 66 and 68 of the pistons 42 and 44.

The balls 64 and 70 thus run in the same control cam 76, and the balls 66 and 68 in the same control cam 78. The balls 64 and 70 on the one hand and the balls 66 and 68 on the other hand are in each case offset relative to the axis of rotation 48 by 180 °.

The cams 76 and 78 are disposed in front of the axis of rotation 48 at least approximately the maximum distance, as far as the UT position of the pistons 40 to 46, as is apparent from Fig. 3, i. they are almost level with the plane 53. The cams 76 and 78 are generally orthogonal to the axis of rotation 48.

In Fig. 5, the cams 76 and 78 can be seen more clearly, since in the illustration in Fig. 5, the pistons 40 to 46 have been omitted. An even more complete illustration of the cams 76 and 78 can be seen in Fig. 8, which shows a view of the inside of the housing half 14 of the housing 12. Accordingly, in each case one half of the control cams 76 and 78 can be seen in FIG. 8, which, however, in each case extend in total around 360 ° about the axis of rotation 48.

Instead of balls, the running members 64 to 70 may also be configured as rollers, whose running surfaces are formed part-spherical, and at the piston rear sides of the piston 40th to 46 are rotatably mounted accordingly, and then run in the cams 76 and 78.

The pistons 40 to 46 are mounted in the housing 12 in a piston cage 80 which revolves around the axis of rotation 48 together with the pistons 40 to 46, which is described in more detail below with further details of the pistons 40 to 46. In Fig. 7, the piston cage 80 is shown in non-sectional view with the two pistons 40 and 42 and the housing half 14. Fig. 5 shows the piston cage 80 in longitudinal section, as well as Figs. 6 and 6A, while Figs. 3 and 4 show the piston cage 80 in longitudinal section together with the pistons 40 to 46.

The piston cage 80 is in the embodiment shown, and preferably a one-piece component, but instead of a one-piece design but also a multi-piece design is conceivable.

The piston cage 80 extends along the axis of rotation 48 over the entire length of the housing 12, wherein shaft extensions 86 and 88 of the piston cage 80 protrude from the housing and can serve as a drive or output shaft.

The piston cage 80 has in each case one of the shaft extensions 86 and 88 subsequent main bearing portion 82 and 84, via which the piston cage 80 is rotatably mounted in the housing 12 about the rotation axis 48. The bearing sections 82 and 84 are connected at the center of the housing 90 via a central portion 90, which has a cross-sectionally approximately square pin-like portion 92, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to which the pistons 40 to Supported towards the housing center point 51 are mounted in each case linearly movable.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 6A, the piston cage 80 has two bores 94 and 96 in which the pistons 40 to 46 are slidably mounted. More specifically, in the bore 94, the pistons 40 and 46 and in the bore 96, the pistons 42 and 44 slidably mounted. The holes 94 and 96 each have two sections 94a, 94b and 96a, 96b, which are also cylindrical and according to the inclination of the pistons 40 to 46 are also inclined to the axis of rotation 48 to each other. The holes 94, 96 are circular in cross section, and accordingly, the end surfaces 52 to 58 of the pistons 40 to 46 are formed in a cross section perpendicular to the respective cylinder axis of the respective piston 40 to 46 circular. The pistons 40 to 46 are mounted in the bores 94 to 96 by means of piston rings for sealing the working chambers 60 and 62, as shown in Fig. 4 for the piston 40 with seals 98 and 100.

The bores 94 and 96 together with the end surfaces 52 to 58 of the pistons 40 to 46 define the working chambers 60 and 62.

In the bores 94 and 96 of the piston cage 80, the pistons 40 to 46 rotatably connected to the piston cage 80, so that the pistons 40 to 46 rotate together with the piston cage 80 about the axis of rotation 48, while the pistons 40 to 46 while in the holes 94 and 96 linear reciprocating movements, ie in the bores 94 and 96 are linearly slidably movable to perform the individual cycles of intake, compression, expansion and ejection. The pistons 40 to 46 are substantially cylindrical.

The arrangement of piston cage 80, the piston 40 to 46 together with the Lauforgangans 64 to 70 forms the "inner engine" of the rotary piston machine 10, which is shown in Fig. 7 (together with the housing half 14). This "inner engine" comprises all moving parts of the rotary piston engine 10.

In the bearing portions 82 and 84 of the piston cage 80, as shown for example in Fig. 6A, a plurality of channels 102 and 104, respectively, which extend circumferentially and through the interior of the bearing portions 82 and 84 of the piston cage 80, and with the above-mentioned terminals 28, 30 and 36, 38 communicate, so that through the channels 102, 104, a cooling / lubricating medium for cooling and lubricating the piston cage 80 can be passed. The channels 102 and 104 serve primarily for cooling the internal engine in the vicinity of the working chambers 60, 62.

Also in the central portion 90 of the piston cage 80, a through hole 106 is shown in FIG. 5, which also serves as a cooling / lubricating medium channel. The bore 106 widens at its two ends like a trumpet, in order to improve the distribution of the cooling / lubricating medium in the center of the housing 12 yet. Upon rotation of the piston cage 80 about the axis of rotation 48, the cooling / lubricating medium in the bore 106 is thrown in the direction of the housing inner wall 39 due to centrifugal forces. In this way, a cooling or lubrication of the pistons 40 to 46 and the running members 64 to 70 is accomplished in the center of the inner motor. At the Lauforgane 64 Up to 70, the lubricating film which forms in this case also serves to hold the running members 64 to 70 in the ball sockets of the pistons 40 to 46 by adhesion, unless this is accomplished by a positive fit.

According to FIG. 6, two further holes or channels 108 and 110 are provided in the piston cage 80, which open on the one hand in the bores 94 and 96, and on the other hand to the housing inner wall 39, namely at the level of the inlet and outlet nozzles 20 and 22 respectively 24 and 26 lead. The channels 114, 116 serve to engage in a rotational position of the piston cage 80 about the axis of rotation 48 through the inlet port 20 and 24, a fuel-air mixture in the working chambers 60, 62, and in a different rotational position burned fuel-air mixture through the outlet 22 and 26 eject. In the other rotational positions of the piston cage 80 closes these nozzles. The piston cage 80 thus simultaneously assumes the function of a valve for releasing and closing the connecting pieces 20 to 26.

Furthermore, in the piston cage 80 for each working chamber 60 and 62, a spark plug 112 and 114 are provided, which are arranged on the rotation axis 48 and rotate together with the piston cage 80 about this. Electrical leads (not shown) are connected in accordance with example by slip rings with the spark plugs 118 and 120. In the case of using the rotary piston machine 10 as a diesel engine, the candles 112 and 114 are respectively glow plugs.

The offset by 180 ° with respect to the axis of rotation 48 arrangement of the connecting pieces 20 and 22 relative to the connecting piece 24th and 26 serves that at least in one of the working chambers 60 and 62 when rotating the pistons 40 to 46 about the axis of rotation 48 by 360 ° always carried out an expansion process. Thus, if a working cycle of expansion is taking place in the working chamber 60, a working cycle of discharging the burned fuel-air mixture takes place in the working chamber 62, and vice versa.

The operation of the rotary piston machine 10 will be described below.

Starting from the operating position of the pistons 40 to 46 according to FIG. 3, there are the pistons 40 to 46 in their so-called. UT (bottom dead center) position. After a 90 ° rotation about the axis of rotation 48, the pistons 40 and 46 or 42 and 44 have moved to their so-called. OT (top dead center) position, as shown in Fig. 4, wherein the movements between the UT Position and the TDC position of the piston 40 to 46 is linearly in the direction of arrows 50a to 5Od in Fig. 3 to the axis of rotation 48 through out. The linear movement of the pistons 40 to 46 was thereby derived by the running of the running members 64 to 70 along the cams 76 and 78 from the orbital movement about the axis of rotation 48. Fuel-air mixture, which is located for example in the working chamber 60 is, for example, compressed in the transition from Fig. 3 to Fig. 4 and then ignited in the piston position in Fig. 4, and in the working chamber 62 in Fig. 3 befindliches burned Mixture is ejected at the transition from Fig. 3 to Fig. 4.

In the TDC position according to FIG. 4, the sections of the end surfaces 52 which run perpendicular to the linear direction of movement lie to 58 of the pistons 40 to 46 on a mating surface formed on the piston cage 80, as shown for the portion 52 a of the end surface 52 of the piston 40 in Fig. 4, where the portion 52 a at an angle to the axis of rotation 48 inclined surface 82 a of Piston cage 80 is applied. In the TDC position of the pistons 40 to 46 of FIG. 4, the volumes of the working chambers 60 and 62 are minimal but preferably different from zero.

Starting from FIG. 4, after a further rotation of the pistons 40 to 46 about the rotation axis 48 by 90 °, the state shown in FIG. 3 is reached again (UT position), but in relation to FIG. 3 by 180 ° about the axis of rotation 48 staggered arrangement, and after a further rotation by 180 ° then the starting position shown in FIG. 3 is reached again.

After a complete rotation through 360 °, the four working cycles of intake, compression, expansion and ejection have thus once taken place in each of the working chambers 60 and 62.

In the rotary piston machine 10 may be provided analogous to the known from WO 03/067033 Al rotary piston machine, the use of the working chambers 60, 62 intermediate spaces between the pistons 40 and 42 or 44 and 46 as a pre-compression chambers for precompressing combustion air. For possible embodiments and mode of operation of such a self-charging reference is made to WO 03/067033 Al.

Claims

claims

1. Rotary piston machine, comprising a housing (12) whose interior is not cylindrical, and in which a first and at least a second piston (40, 46) are arranged, which together in the housing (12) about a housing-fixed axis of rotation (48). wherein the first piston (40) has a first end surface (52) and the at least second piston (46) has a second end surface (58) facing the first end surface (52), the end surfaces (52, 58) forming a working chamber (52). 60), and wherein the first and at least second pistons (40, 46), when circulating about the rotation axis (48), perform reciprocal reciprocal movements to alternately enlarge and reduce the working chamber (60), characterized in that the reciprocating movements of the first and at least second pistons (40, 46) are linear movements directed obliquely or orthogonally to the axis of rotation (48).

2. Rotary piston machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the axis of rotation (48) through the working chamber (60).

3. Rotary piston machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first and the at least second piston (40, 46) are substantially cylindrical.

4. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the working chamber (60) has substantially cylindrical sections.

5. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a longitudinal axis of the first piston (40) and a longitudinal axis of the at least second piston (46) with the axis of rotation (48) each at an angle in the range of about 30 ° to about 60 ".

6. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the linear movements of the first and at least second piston (40, 46) are directed relative to each other at an angle in the range of about 60 ° to about 120 °.

7. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first end face (52) and the second end face (58) each have a portion (52b, 58b) which extends approximately parallel to the axis of rotation (48).

8. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first end face (52) and the second end face (58) have a second portion (52a, 58a) with the rotation axis (48) each having an angle in the area from about 30 ° to about 60 °.

9. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first piston (40) and / or the at least second piston (46) at least one Running member (64, 70) which is guided during rotation of the first and / or at least second piston (40, 46) along a correspondingly formed control cam (76) to the linear movements of the first and at least second piston (40, 46) to create.

10. Rotary piston machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the control cam (76) on the housing (12) with respect to the axis of rotation (48) is arranged at least approximately the maximum distance.

11. Rotary piston machine according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the at least one running member (64, 70) has a ball which is rotatable in a ball socket (72) on a housing (12) facing the outside of the first and / or at least second piston (40, 46) is mounted, or is a roller with teilkugeliger tread, which is rotatably mounted on a piston rear side of the first and / or at least second piston and in that the control cam (76) is formed as a groove with a part-circular cross-section into which the ball or roller partially engages.

12. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the first and the at least second piston (40, 46) in a piston cage (80) are slidably mounted in the housing (12) concentric with the axis of rotation (48) to this is rotatably arranged, wherein the piston cage (80) with the first and at least second piston (40, 46) with respect to the rotational movement about the rotational axis (48) is rotatably connected.

13. Rotary piston engine according to claim 12, characterized in that the piston cage (80) has a bore (94) in which the first and at least second piston (40, 46) are partially and slidably received therein, and the working chamber (60). limited in the circumferential direction.

14. Rotary piston machine according to claim 13, characterized in that the bore (94) has two cylindrical sections.

15. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that in the housing (12) a third and fourth piston (42, 44) are arranged, which with the first and second pistons (40, 46) about the axis of rotation ( 48) while performing reciprocating linear movements and defining a second working chamber (62).

16. Rotary piston machine according to claim 15, characterized in that the third and the fourth piston (42, 44) to the first and second pistons (40, 46) mirror-symmetrically with respect to a through the center of the housing (51) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (48) extending plane are arranged.

17. Rotary piston machine according to claim 16, characterized in that the first and the second working chamber (60, 62) lie in one plane.

18. Rotary piston machine according to claim 15, characterized in that the third and the fourth piston with respect the first and second pistons are offset by an angle of preferably 90 ° about the axis of rotation.

19. Rotary piston machine according to claim 15 or 18, characterized in that the first and the second working chamber with respect to the axis of rotation by an angle not equal to 0 °, preferably offset by 90 ° to each other.

20. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that the four pistons (40 - 46) are arranged so that the first and second working chamber (60, 62) during rotation of the piston (40 - 46) to the Increase and reduce the axis of rotation (48) in the same direction.

21. Rotary piston machine according to claim 12 or 13 and one of claims 14 to 20, characterized in that the piston cage (80) extends on both sides of the housing center (51) and also receives the third and fourth piston (42, 44).

22. Rotary piston machine according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that a housing inner wall (39) of the housing is substantially spherical.