公开(公告)号：US20230101969A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-30

申请号：US18077007

申请日：2022-12-07

申请人： MAINSPRING ENERGY, INC.

发明人： Adam Simpson ,  Shannon Miller ,  Matt Svrcek

IPC分类号： F02B71/04 ,  F01B11/00 ,  F02B63/04 ,  F02B71/00 ,  F02B25/08 ,  F02B75/28 ,  H02K7/18 ,  H02K35/02

摘要： Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a linear combustion engine, comprising: a cylinder having a cylinder wall and a pair of ends, the cylinder including a combustion section disposed in a center portion of the cylinder; a pair of opposed piston assemblies adapted to move linearly within the cylinder, each piston assembly disposed on one side of the combustion section opposite the other piston assembly, each piston assembly including a spring rod and a piston comprising a solid front section adjacent the combustion section and a gas section; and a pair of linear electromagnetic machines adapted to directly convert kinetic energy of the piston assembly into electrical energy, and adapted to directly convert electrical energy into kinetic energy of the piston assembly for providing compression work during the compression stroke.

公开(公告)号：US20230072947A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-09

申请号：US17988048

申请日：2022-11-16

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Matt Svrcek ,  Jodie Prudhomme

IPC分类号： F04B1/00 ,  F16J1/09 ,  F15B15/00 ,  F16F9/36 ,  F04B1/0448 ,  F16J9/16 ,  F16J9/22 ,  F16J9/28 ,  F16J15/34

摘要： A sealing ring includes a first sealing element having a first mating surface and a second sealing element having a second mating surface. A high-pressure boundary extends across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element, and a low-pressure boundary extends across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element. The first mating surface, the second mating surface, or both, includes a recess open to the low-pressure boundary and not open to the high-pressure boundary. The recess may include a groove, for example. The first mating surface is sealed against the second mating surface by a first force acting on the first sealing element and a second force acting on the second sealing element. These forces act to pressure-lock the assembly.

公开(公告)号：US20220356948A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-10

申请号：US17733228

申请日：2022-04-29

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Matt Svrcek ,  Jodie Prudhomme

IPC分类号： F16J9/16

摘要： The present disclosure provides a sealing ring assembly having a first ring and a second ring, configured to seal a high-pressure region from a lower pressure region of a piston and cylinder device. Accordingly, the sealing ring assembly includes a high-pressure boundary and a low-pressure boundary. Each ring may be segmented, and the first and second rings interface along a surface. Along the surface at the interface, a groove open to the lower pressure region aids in pressure locking the sealing ring assembly. A pocket in the second ring allows for high pressure gas to aid in balancing radial forces on the sealing ring assembly. As the sealing ring wears, the first and second rings remain engaged with one another.

公开(公告)号：US11346445B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-31

申请号：US16561846

申请日：2019-09-05

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Matt Svrcek ,  Jodie Prudhomme

IPC分类号： F16J9/16 ,  F16J9/26

摘要： The present disclosure provides a sealing ring assembly having a first ring and a second ring, configured to seal a high-pressure region from a lower pressure region of a piston and cylinder device. Accordingly, the sealing ring assembly includes a high-pressure boundary and a low-pressure boundary. Each ring may be segmented, and the first and second rings interface along a surface. Along the surface at the interface, a groove open to the lower pressure region aids in pressure locking the sealing ring assembly. A pocket in the second ring allows for high pressure gas to aid in balancing radial forces on the sealing ring assembly. As the sealing ring wears, the first and second rings remain engaged with one another.

公开(公告)号：US20210388901A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-16

申请号：US17226566

申请日：2021-04-09

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Jodie Prudhomme ,  Matt Svrcek

IPC分类号： F16J9/06 ,  F16J9/18 ,  F16J9/10 ,  F04B53/14

摘要： The present disclosure provides a sealing ring assembly having a ring and one or more gap cover elements, configured to seal a high-pressure region from a lower pressure region of a piston and cylinder device. The ring may be segmented, and the gap cover elements may engage with interfaces between the ring segments. The gap cover elements are configured to move radially outward and wear as the ring wears. The gap cover elements may include, for example, wedge-shaped features that engage with corresponding wedge recesses in the interfaces. The sealing ring assembly may include a high-pressure boundary and a low-pressure boundary. As the sealing ring wears, the gap cover elements stay engaged with the interfaces, so that ring gaps do not form on the low pressure boundary.

公开(公告)号：US20210079838A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-18

申请号：US17106695

申请日：2020-11-30

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Adam Simpson ,  Shannon Miller ,  Matt Svrcek

IPC分类号： F02B71/04 ,  F01B11/00 ,  F02B63/04 ,  F02B71/00 ,  F02B25/08 ,  F02B75/28 ,  H02K7/18 ,  H02K35/02

摘要： Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a linear combustion engine, comprising: a cylinder having a cylinder wall and a pair of ends, the cylinder including a combustion section disposed in a center portion of the cylinder; a pair of opposed piston assemblies adapted to move linearly within the cylinder, each piston assembly disposed on one side of the combustion section opposite the other piston assembly, each piston assembly including a spring rod and a piston comprising a solid front section adjacent the combustion section and a gas section; and a pair of linear electromagnetic machines adapted to directly convert kinetic energy of the piston assembly into electrical energy, and adapted to directly convert electrical energy into kinetic energy of the piston assembly for providing compression work during the compression stroke.

公开(公告)号：US11530691B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-20

申请号：US16575744

申请日：2019-09-19

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Matt Svrcek ,  Jodie Prudhomme

IPC分类号： F04B1/00 ,  F16J1/09 ,  F15B15/00 ,  F16F9/36 ,  F04B1/0448 ,  F16J9/16 ,  F16J9/22 ,  F16J9/28 ,  F16J15/34

摘要： A sealing ring includes a first sealing element having a first mating surface and a second sealing element having a second mating surface. A high-pressure boundary extends across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element, and
a low-pressure boundary extends across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element. The first mating surface, the second mating surface, or both, includes a recess open to the low-pressure boundary and not open to the high-pressure boundary. The recess may include a groove, for example. The first mating surface is sealed against the second mating surface by a first force acting on the first sealing element and a second force acting on the second sealing element. These forces act to pressure-lock the assembly.

公开(公告)号：US20220260034A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-18

申请号：US17699456

申请日：2022-03-21

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Matt Svrcek

IPC分类号： F02F3/28 ,  F16J1/09 ,  F16J9/08 ,  F02B71/00 ,  F16J1/00 ,  F16J9/12

摘要： The present disclosure provides an open-faced piston with a circumferential groove into which a piston ring assembly is arranged. Openings at the bottom of the circumferential groove and between a front land of the open-faced piston and the piston face are provided. The openings are arranged to allow for a combustion reaction to propagate through the volume defined between the bottom of the piston ring assembly and the piston face such that at least a portion of an air and fuel mixture located in that volume is reacted.

公开(公告)号：US11193588B2

公开(公告)日：2021-12-07

申请号：US16945580

申请日：2020-07-31

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Matt Svrcek ,  Jodie Prudhomme ,  Jerry DeJong ,  Tom Hasler

IPC分类号： F16J9/28 ,  F16J9/16 ,  F16J15/44 ,  F16J15/16 ,  F02G1/053 ,  F16J15/34

摘要： The present disclosure provides a sealing ring assembly having a sealing ring and a reinforcement, configured to seal a high-pressure region from a lower pressure region of a piston and cylinder device. The sealing ring may be segmented, and a metal layer, wire, or other reinforcement may be affixed to the ring. The reinforcement is placed into tension against the sealing ring, which is correspondingly placed into compression. The composite structure of a relatively brittle sealing ring and reinforcement provides for reduced tensile loads in the sealing ring, thus extending life and reducing the likelihood of failure. The brittle portion of the sealing ring assembly may include a polymer or ceramic such as graphite, which is relatively less strong in tension than compression.

公开(公告)号：US20210140542A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-13

申请号：US17155674

申请日：2021-01-22

申请人： Mainspring Energy, Inc.

发明人： Matt Svrcek

IPC分类号： F16J9/20 ,  F16J1/08 ,  F02F5/00 ,  F16J9/26

摘要： A ringset is configured to be arranged on a piston for sealing a gas in a high-pressure region of a cylinder in the absence of oil or other liquid lubricant. The ringset includes one or more rings made from a high-strength material as a sealing element. The ringset also includes a solid lubricant applicator configured to provide lubrication between the one or more rings and a bore of the cylinder. For example, the ring can support pressure loads from high-pressure gas without breaking, while the applicator need not act as a seal. As the piston reciprocates in the bore, the applicator slides against the bore and applies solid lubricant material to the bore, resulting in a solid lubricant film on the bore against which the sealing element may slide. The applicator includes a material such as a graphite, a polymer, or other suitable solid lubricant.