Rotary engine with cylinders of different design and volume

Abstract

A rotary internal combustion engine including a housing structure defining a toroidal volume and including first and second housing sections, a rotor structure mounted for rotation in the housing structure and including first and second rotor members respectively that coact with first and second housing sections to define first and second toroidal cylinders. The intake and compression strokes are performed in the first toroidal cylinder and the resultant compressed charge being thereafter transferred by a transfer mechanism through a transfer passage to the second toroidal cylinder where combustion occurs and expansion and exhaust strokes are performed. In the device at least one of the following is true: the transfer mechanism is operative to maintain the volume of the charge substantially constant during the transfer operation; the first and second cylinders have disparate configurations; the second toroidal cylinder has a larger volume that the first toroidal cylinder with the transfer mechanism maintaining the volume of the charge substantially constant during the transfer operation irrespective of the larger volume of the second toroidal cylinder as compared to the first toroidal cylinder.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . A rotary internal combustion engine including a housing structure defining a toroidal volume and including first and second housing sections, and a rotor structure mounted for rotation in the housing structure and including first and second rotor members respectively coacting with the first and second housing sections to define first and second toroidal cylinders, intake and compression strokes being performed in the first toroidal cylinder and the resultant compressed charge being thereafter transferred by a transfer mechanism to the second toroidal cylinder where combustion occurs and expansion and exhaust strokes are performed, characterized in that:
 (a) the second toroidal cylinder has a larger volume than the first toroidal cylinder; and   (b) the transfer mechanism is operative to maintain the volume of the charge substantially constant during the transfer operation irrespective of the larger volume of the second toroidal cylinder as compared to the first toroidal cylinder.   
   
   
       32 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 31 , wherein the engine further includes a moveable wall coacting with a first lobe on the first rotor member or the first housing section to define therebetween, during the transfer operation, a charge volume of a predetermined cross sectional area and a second moveable wall coacting with a second lobe on the second rotor member or the second housing structure to define therebetween, during the transfer operation, a charge volume having the predetermined cross sectional areas the first moveable wall and first lobe converging during the transfer operation and the second moveable wall and the second lobe diverging during the transfer operation so that the charge volume entering the second toroidal cylinder during the transfer operation equals the charge volume leaving the first toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       33 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 31  wherein the engine further includes a moveable wall positioned in the first toroidal cylinder and operative to form a barrier wall in the first toroidal cylinder for coaction with a lobe on the first rotor member or on the first housing section to define a void volume therebetween in the first toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       34 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 31 , wherein the moveable wall is further operative at a selected moveable position thereof to form the entry portion of a transfer passage between the first and second toroidal cylinders. 
   
   
       35 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 31 , wherein: the moveable wall is mounted on the first housing section and is biased inwardly into the first toroidal cylinder against the first rotor member; and the lobe is formed on the first rotor member. 
   
   
       36 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 31 , wherein the lobe, in circumferential sequence, includes an entry portion operative to move the moveable wall actuation portion operative to move the moveable wall outwardly to its selected moveable position, whereby to initiate the charge transfer, a dwell portion whereby to maintain the moveable wall in the selected moveable position for a predetermined dwell time, and a terminal portion in sealing engagement with an inner periphery of the first housing section and operative to move the moveable wall outwardly to a position in which the transfer passage is interrupted, whereby to terminate transfer of the charge to the second toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       37 . A rotary internal combustion engine including a housing structure defining a toroidal volume and including first and second housing sections, and a rotor structure mounted for rotation in the housing structure and including first and second rotor members respectively coacting with the first and second housing sections to define first and second toroidal cylinders, intake and compression strokes being performed in the first toroidal cylinder and the resultant compressed charge being thereafter transferred by a transfer mechanism to the second toroidal cylinder where combustion occurs and expansion and exhaust strokes are performed, characterized in that the first and second cylinders have disparate configurations. 
   
   
       38 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 37 , wherein the second toroidal cylinder has a larger volume than the first toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       39 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 37 , wherein the transfer mechanism is operative during the transfer operation to progressively increase the charge volume in the second toroidal cylinder by an amount corresponding to the progressive decrease in the charge volume in the first toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       40 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 38 , wherein the larger volume is achieved by increasing the cross sectional area of the second toroidal cylinder as compared to the first toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       41 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 38 , wherein the larger volume is achieved by increasing the diameter of the second rotor member as compared to the first rotor member. 
   
   
       42 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 38 , wherein the larger volume is achieved by increasing the diameter and the cross sectional area of the second rotor member as compared to the first rotor member. 
   
   
       43 . A rotary internal combustion engine including a housing structure defining a toroidal volume and including first and second housing sections, a rotor structure mounted for rotation in the housing structure and including first and second rotor members respectively coacting with first and second housing sections to define first and second toroidal cylinders, intake and compression strokes being performed in the first toroidal cylinder and the resultant compressed charge being thereafter transferred by a transfer mechanism through a transfer passage to the second toroidal cylinder where combustion occurs and expansion and exhaust strokes are performed, characterized in that the transfer mechanism is operative to maintain the volume of the charge substantially constant during the transfer operation. 
   
   
       44 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 43 , wherein the engine further includes a moveable wall positioned in the first toroidal cylinder and operative to form a barrier wall in the first toroidal cylinder for coaction with a lobe on the first rotor member or on the first housing section to define a void volume therebetween in the first toroidal cylinder and a second moveable wall positioned in the second toroidal cylinder and operative to form a barrier wall in the second toroidal cylinder for coaction with a second lobe on the second rotor member or on an inner periphery of the second housing section to define therebetween a void volume in the second toroidal cylinder; the first moveable wall is held in its selected moveable position for a predetermined dwell time; and during the predetermined dwell time, the decrease in the void volume in the first toroidal cylinder is compensated by a corresponding increase in the void volume in the second toroidal cylinder so that the charge volume is maintained substantially constant during the transfer operation. 
   
   
       45 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 44 , wherein the first moveable wall is mounted in the first housing section; the second moveable wall is mounted in the second rotor member; and the transfer passage includes a passage in the first moveable wall opening in the first toroidal cylinder and a passage in the second housing section opening in the second toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       46 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 44 , wherein the moveable wall is mounted on the first housing section and is biased inwardly into the first toroidal cylinder against the first rotor member; and the lobe is formed on the first rotor member. 
   
   
       47 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 46 , wherein the lobe, in circumferential sequence, includes an entry portion operative to move the moveable wall actuation portion operative to move the moveable wall outwardly to its selected moveable position, whereby to initiate the charge transfer; a dwell portion whereby to maintain the moveable wall in the selected moveable position for a predetermined dwell time; and a terminal portion in sealing engagement with an inner periphery of the first housing section and operative to move the moveable wall outwardly to a position in which the transfer passage is interrupted, whereby to terminate transfer of the charge to the second toroidal cylinder. 
   
   
       48 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 44 , wherein one of the moveable walls is mounted in the respective housing section and the other moveable wall is mounted in the respective rotor member; and the transfer passage includes a passage in the first rotor member opening in the first toroidal cylinder, a passage in the second rotor member opening in the second toroidal cylinder, and an arcuate slot in a central partition separating the first and second housing sections and communicating with the passage in the first rotor member and the passage in the second rotor member during the dwell time. 
   
   
       49 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 44 , wherein the moveable wall is mounted for reciprocal movement. 
   
   
       50 . A rotary internal combustion engine according to  claim 44 , wherein the moveable wall is mounted for pivotal movement.