TECHNICAL FIELD

[01] The present disclosure related to internal combustion engine assemblies in general, and more particularly to four stroke internal combustion engines in which a first set of combustion chambers can be articulated in various orientations, i.e. angles, relative to a second set of combustion chambers.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[02] Four stroke internal combustion engines are well-known in the art in which each piston in such engines goes through an inlet stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion stroke, and an exhaust stroke. Four stroke engines may have different arrangements, such as in-line arrangement, horizontally opposed arrangement, V-shaped arrangement, and radial arrangements.

[03] Attempts to increase the efficiency of internal combustion engines through allowing the pistons to rotate relative to each other have been made in the prior art. For instance, the International patent application published under number W02006003678 discloses a piston assembly comprising a housing provided with an assembly of rotating pistons, forming air-tight chambers in the housing and a speed control means mounted on the housing for controlling speed of the rotating pistons in the housing. The patent application also discloses a four-stroke internal combustion engine including the said piston assembly.

[04] The publication titled “Preliminary explorations of the performance of a novel small scale opposed rotary piston engine” discloses a compact opposed piston internal combustion engine. The engine has no crank connecting rods and intake/exhaust valves, and the operation cycle takes 360° crank angle to complete but similar to a four stroke cycle. SUMMARY

[05] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a four-stroke internal combustion engine in which a first set of pistons can be oriented in various orientations, i.e. angles, with respect to a second set of pistons.

[06] Aspects of the present disclosure provide an articulating internal combustion engine assembly that can be oriented in different orientations, the engine may include a first portion connected to a second portion, wherein the first portion may include a first base with a first set of stationary holders extending therefrom; a first cylinder block rotatably mounted onto two of the first set of the stationary holders; and a first cylinder holder rotatably mounted onto one of the first set of stationary holders; and wherein the second portion may include a second base connected to the first base by means of a hinge, the second base has a second set of stationary holders extending therefrom; a second cylinder block rotatably mounted onto two of the second set of the stationary holders; and a second cylinder holder rotatably mounted onto one of the second set of the stationary holders.

[07] In aspects of the present disclosure, each of the first and second cylinder blocks may have three pass through openings, each of such openings configured to receive a piston connected to a connecting rod.

[08] In some aspects, the first portion may further include a first and a third rotating cylinder heads connected to the first cylinder block such that a combustion chamber is defined by each of the pass through openings including the pistons of the first cylinder block and the first and third rotating cylinder heads.

[09] In some aspects, the pistons of the first cylinder block may rotate while sliding within respective combustion chambers.

[010] In aspects of the present disclosure, the second portion may further include a second and a fourth rotating cylinder heads connected to the second cylinder block such that a combustion chamber is defined by each of the pass through openings including the pistons of the second cylinder block and the second and fourth rotating cylinder heads. [Oil] In some aspects, the pistons of the second cylinder block may rotate while sliding within respective combustion chambers.

[012] In some aspects, the first cylinder block and the first cylinder holder may be rotatably mounted onto the first set of the stationary holders by means of spherical ball bearings.

[013] In some aspects, the second cylinder block and the second cylinder holder may be rotatably mounted onto the second set of the stationary holders by means of spherical ball bearings.

[014] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the first portion may further include a first cover with a first ignition, intake and exhaust complex, the complex may include an intake valve, an exhaust valve, and a spark plug.

[015] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the second portion may further include a second cover with a second ignition, intake and exhaust complex, the complex may include an intake valve, an exhaust valve, and a spark plug.

[016] In further aspects of the present disclosure, the first portion may further include a plurality of retaining rings configured to circumfuse a part of the first cylinder head in order to maintain relative rotational movement between the first cover and the first cylinder block.

[017] In yet further aspects of the present disclosure, the second portion may further include a plurality of retaining rings configured to circumfuse a part of the second cylinder head in order to maintain relative rotational movement between the second cover and the second cylinder block.

[018] In aspects of the present disclosure, the connecting rods of the pistons of the first portion may be connected to connecting rods of the pistons of the second portion by means of universal joints.

[019] In aspects of the present disclosure, the connecting rods of the pistons in the first portion may pass through the first cylinder holder. [020] In aspects of the present disclosure, the connecting rods of the pistons in the second portion may pass through the second cylinder holder.

[021] In other aspects, the articulating internal vehicle engine of the present disclosure may further include a gear disc mounted onto one of the second set of the stationary holders, wherein such gear disc facilitates harnessing the kinetic energy of the rotating parts of the articulating internal combustion engine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[022] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, without however limiting the scope of the disclosure thereto, and in which:

[023] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an articulating internal combustion engine assembly configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[024] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a first part of an articulating internal combustion engine assembly configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[025] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a second part of an articulating internal combustion engine assembly configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[026] FIG. 4 illustrates a partial sectional view of a first part of an articulating internal combustion engine assembly configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[027] FIG. 5 illustrates a zoomed view of the detail “A” of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[028] FIGS. 1-5 illustrate an articulating internal combustion engine assembly configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The assembly may include a first base la connected to a second base lb by means of a hinge 2, the first base la may have a first set of stationary holders 100a, 100b, 100c extending therefrom, and the second base lb may have a second set of stationary holders lOOd, lOOe, lOOf. Each of the first set and the second set of the stationary holders 100a, 100b, 100c, lOOd, lOOe, lOOf may have a pass through opening 1000a, 1000b, 1000c, lOOOd, lOOOe, lOOOf, respectively. The stationary holders 100 a, 100b may be configured to receive a first cylinder block 3 a inside the pass through openings 1000a, 1000b, and the stationary holders lOOd, lOOe may be configured to receive a second cylinder block 3b inside the pass through openings lOOOd, lOOOe. In embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the first and second cylinder blocks 3a, 3b may be held within the stationary holders 100a, 100b, lOOd, lOOe by means of spherical ball bearings 4a, 4b.

[029] In embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the first and second cylinder blocks 3a, 3b may have a plurality of openings 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 300e, 300f, each may be configured to receive a piston 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, and a portion of respective connecting rod 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f. The first cylinder block 3a may be configured to be connected to a first rotating cylinder head 6a, and the second cylinder block may be configured to be connected to a second rotating cylinder head 6b. In some embodiments, one or more retaining rings 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d may circumfuse a part of the first and second cylinder heads 6a, 6b. The retaining rings 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d may be configured to retain a relative rotational movement between the first and second rotating cylinder heads 6a, 6b and the first and second covers 1 la, 1 lb, and may be positioned in grooves (not shown) in the first and second rotating cylinder heads 6a, 6b and the first and second covers 1 la, 1 lb, respectively.

[030] A third rotating stationary cylinder head 7a may be connected to the first rotating cylinder head 6a and to the stationary holder 100a, and a fourth rotating cylinder head 7b may be connected to the second rotating cylinder head 6b and to the stationary holder lOOd, such that a combustion chamber is defined in each of the openings 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 300e, 300f. In embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the third and fourth rotating cylinder heads 7a, 7b may have a plurality of pass-through holes 70a, 70b to receive an intake valve 8a, 8b, an exhaust valve 9a, 9b, and a spark plug 10a, 10b. [031] In embodiments of the present disclosure, a first cover 11a may be connected to the third rotating cylinder head 7a and may include a first ignition, intake and exhaust complex 110a. Alternatively, a second cover lib may be connected to the fourth rotating cylinder head 7b and may include a second ignition, intake and exhaust complex 110b. The first and second ignition, intake, and exhaust complexes 110a, 110b may include the intake valves 8a, 8b, the exhaust valves 9a, 9b, and the spark plugs 10a, 10b in order to provide the combustion chambers in the first and second cylinder blocks 3 a, 3b with the required fuel, air, and electric spark to allow for the combustion for fuel inside the combustion chambers, and take the exhaust gases produced from the combustion of fuel to the outside of the combustion chambers.

[032] The articulating internal combustion engine in embodiments of the present disclosure may further include a first cylinder holder 12a with a plurality of pass-through holes 120a, 120b, 120c, wherein the first cylinder holder may be rotatably mounted in the stationary holder 100c by means of spherical ball bearings 13a. In embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the connecting rods 50a, 50b, 50c may pass through a respective pass-through hole of the plurality of pass-through holes 120a, 120b, 120c.

[033] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the articulating internal combustion engine may further include a second cylinder holder 12b with a plurality of pass-through holes 120d, 120e, 120f, wherein the second cylinder holder may be rotatably mounted in the stationary holder lOOf by means of spherical ball bearings 13b. In embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the connecting rods 50d, 50e, 50f may pass through a respective pass-through hole of the plurality of pass-through holes 120d, 120e, 120f.

[034] Embodiments of the present disclosure may further include a power transmission gear disc 14 rotatably mounted onto the stationary holder lOOf, wherein another gear disc (not shown) may be connected to the power transmission gear disc in order to harness the kinetic energy of the rotating parts of the engine.

[035] In embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the connecting rods 50a, 50b, 50c may be connected to respective opposing connecting rods 50d, 50d, 50f by means of universal joints 15a, 15b, 15c, respectively. Such a connection may allow the internal combustion engine of the present disclosure to be articulated in different orientations and/or angles. Similarly, the hinge 2 connects the first base la to the second base lb while allowing for articulation in different orientations and/or angles.

[036] In embodiments of the present disclosure, first and second cylinder blocks 3a, 3b together with the first, second, third, and fourth rotating cylinder heads 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b and the first and second cylinder holders 12a, 12b are rotating mechanical elements inside the stationary holders 100a, 100b, 100c, lOOd, lOOe, lOOf. Similarly, the first and second covers 1 la, 1 lb along with the intake valves 8a, 8b, exhaust valves 9a, 9b, and spark plugs 10a, 10b are all rotating. This yields to that the fuel due to the rotary motion has a kinetic energy unlike conventional fuel feeding lines, where the fuel is stationary. This has great potential on increasing the ignition and operational efficiency in each combustion chamber.

[037] Each of the pistons 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f in embodiments of the present disclosure configured to perform four strokes. When a first piston 5a is in an upward stroke, the respective opposing piston that is connected to such piston, i.e. piston 5d, will be in downward stroke, like action and reaction. Thus, when the engine of the present disclosure starts working, any of the pistons 5a, 5b, 5c move downward, i.e. away from the stationary holder la, linearly and synchronously while its rotating with all parts. When it moves downward, the respective feed valve 8a opens to allow the mixture of the fuel and air to fill the respective combustion chamber. When this happens, the opposite connected piston, i.e. one of the pistons 5d, 5e, 5e, moves forward, i.e. towards the stationary holder If in compression process as reaction for the intake process for the first piston after compression process.

[038] After the intake stroke, i.e. the first stroke, the second stroke starts such that one of the pistons 5a, 5b, 5c moves forward, i.e. towards the stationary holder la, to compress the fuel mixture then the spark ignite it so the explosion process will happen due to high pressure in the combustion chamber.

[039] Due to the reaction of explosion inside the combustion chamber, one of the pistons 5a, 5b, 5c is pushed back which is the third stroke. The fourth stroke is the exhaust stroke. In the fourth stroke, one of the pistons 5a, 5b, 5c begins its second upward stroke, the exhaust valve opens and the burned fuel air mixture is forced out of the combustion chamber and the process will go like this.

[040] While the present disclosure has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various additions, omissions, and/or amendments can be made without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.