Did You Know...
...that it was melting ice cream that inspired the invention of the outboard motor? It was a lovely August day and Ole Evinrude was rowing his boat to his favorite island picnic spot. As he rowed, he watched his ice cream melt and wished he had a faster way to get to the island. At that moment the idea for the outboard motor was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8151745 | Opposed piston electromagnetic engine A converter converts mechanical energy of a piston to and from electrical energy during each piston cycle. ... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8037852 | Free piston electromagnetic engine Methods of operating an internal combustion engine are disclosed that may include a first piston slidably disposed in a first cylinder having a first and a second closed end, and a first converter operable with the first cylinder. The first converter may be configur... | 10/18/2011 |
| 7845317 | Energy converter Method and arrangement for providing an energy converter that includes a combustion system (1) including at least one piston (2, 3), at least one combustion chamber (6, 7) having at least one inlet (11, 13) and at least one outlet (10,... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7775184 | Deformable chamber-based homogeneous charge combustion ignition (HCCI) engine and generator A reciprocating internal combustion engine is based on Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) that occurs in a deformable, resonant combustion chamber and that is coupled mechanically to efficient, resonant, electro-mechanical transducers acting as motors and... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7426910 | Engine system having improved efficiency A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising of an internal combustion engine, a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the engine, and a control system for controlling the engine and the thermoelectric device during a first mode, supply electrical ene... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7334558 | Slide body internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine includes a slide body having a plurality of rigidly mounted pistons on opposite ends of the slide body. The slide body reciprocates and is connected to a flywheel by shaft and bearing which extends through an angled track in the slide b... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7332825 | System and method for controlling a power generating system This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a power generating system particularly suitable for field use in remote locations, which is fuel-efficient, relatively quiet, tolerant of dust, capable of operating on low grade logistics and d... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7329959 | Micro power generator and apparatus for producing reciprocating movement There is provided a micro power generator enhanced in efficiency and power generation output, and having an increased temperature range for operation. The micro power generator comprises: a high-temperature heat source; a low-temperature heat source; an enclosed bod... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7318506 | Free piston engine with linear power generator system A free piston engine with a linear power generation system with a variable stroke piston and improved construction and control is provided. The free piston engine includes a single double-ended piston located within a cylinder having opposed combustion chambers posi... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7258085 | Control device for free piston engine and method for the same A free piston engine has a pair of pistons opposing to each other and movable in a cylinder, to form a combustion chamber between the pistons. A mixed gas of air and fuel is supplied into the combustion chamber and the mixed gas is auto-ignited when it is compressed... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7207299 | Internal combustion engine Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide an opposed piston, opposed cylinder (OPOC) internal combustion engine. The OPOC engine comprises two cylinders opposed at 180 degrees. A linking element connects two outer pistons so that they move in tand... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7200994 | Free piston stirling engine control A control system for a Stirling engine including the use of a synchronous power converter (“SPC”) which is connected to the terminals of the alternator in a linear alternator/FPSE power system. According to the teachings of the present invention, the attached SP... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7194989 | Energy efficient clean burning two-stroke internal combustion engine A precision cast engine has a piston unit and a rotor unit to translate linear thrust from the piston unit into rotary power. Each piston rod is attached to a thrust absorber carriage running on precision bearings to eliminate piston drag on the cylinder walls. One ... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7082909 | Free-piston device with electric linear drive To provide a universally usable free-piston device with electric linear drive, comprising at least one piston receptacle with at least one piston device arranged for linear displacement in the piston receptacle, the piston device comprising a traveller device, and a... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7011051 | Hybrid two cycle engine, compressor and pump, and method of operation The hybrid comprises a two-cycle engine, boosted by the engine power compressor and a hydraulic pump. The pump plunger fastened to engine piston and located coaxially with the compressor piston and pump rotor, provide direct energy transmission to the compressor and... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7004120 | Opposed piston engine A four-stroke opposed piston engine includes a rotating cylinder with a circumference and an aperture defined through the circumference, first and second opposing pistons, optional first and second opposing cylindrical spacers, first and second opposing piston caps,... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6957632 | Air charging system for an opposed piston opposed cylinder free piston engine A free piston engine is configured with a pair of opposed engine cylinders located on opposite sides of a fluid pumping assembly. An inner piston assembly includes a pair of inner pistons, one each operatively located in a respective one of the engine cylinders, wit... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6932030 | Microgenerator of electrical energy Described herein is a microgenerator of electrical energy with a high power density, which uses an internal-combustion micromotor with two combustion chambers set opposite to one another, within which a piston is displaced with reciprocating motion. The piston is at... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6925971 | Exhaust gas recirculation for a free piston engine A free piston engine is configured with a pair of opposed engine cylinders located on opposite sides of a fluid pumping assembly. An inner piston assembly includes a pair of inner pistons, one each operatively located in a respective one of the engine cylinders, wit... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6856107 | Linear-motion engine controller and related method An apparatus and method for controlling a range of movement of a power piston coupled to an alternator in a linear-motion engine. The apparatus includes a power bridge and a bridge controller. The power bridge is coupled to the alternator and is used to adjust a vol... | 02/15/2005 |
| 6783047 | Expanding gas-operated setting tool An expanding gas-operated setting tool for driving fastening elements, such as nails, bolts, pins, etc., into a substrate, includes a housing (11), a setting mechanism (15), located in the housing (11) for driving the fastening element into a su... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6759755 | Energy converter An energy converter comprising a free piston engine with a cylinder (2), a piston (3), a body connected to the piston such as an armature (11) of a linear electric generator (10). The energy converter comprises a spring device (15)... | 07/06/2004 |
| 6748907 | Device including a combustion engine, a use of the device, and a vehicle A device that includes a combustion engine with a piston that is mechanically freely movable in a housing. The device permits combustion of a fuel mixture to produce a pushing force to the piston. The device includes an electromagnetic energy transducer and an exter... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6707175 | Linear generator with induction coil which moves with respect to fixed permanent magnets A linear generator includes an induction system including coils and magnets, to which a relative motion is imparted by moving the coils or permanent magnets integrally with a piston of an internal combustion engine provided with return springs having one end facing ... | 03/16/2004 |
| 6582204 | Fully-controlled, free-piston engine A free-piston engine includes at least one dual piston assembly, each of which has a pair of axially opposed combustion cylinders and free-floating combustion pistons respectively mounted in the combustion cylinders for reciprocating linear motion respons... | 06/24/2003 |
| 6541875 | Free piston engine with electrical power output A free piston internal combustion engine, particularly suitable for use in a vehicle having an electric motor as a prime mover, has a combustion cylinder, a piston reciprocally disposed within the cylinder, and a piston rod coupled with a piston. A linear... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6532916 | Opposed piston linearly oscillating power unit A piston/cylinder internal combustion unit has opposed pistons connected to a common rod and driven in an oscillatory and reciprocating movement. The pistons operate out of phase with each other, such that the power stroke of one drives the compression st... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6397793 | Microcombustion engine/generator A knocking-based, micro-combustion engine constructed in three layers of micromachined material. Two outer layers contain means for directing gases and fuels into and out of vents in a middle layer. The middle layer has machined in it two, linear, free pi... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6349683 | Miniature generator A miniature, two cycle engine with a linear electrical generator is presented. The piston attaches to the spring and a moving coil is also attached to the spring and/or rod assembly distal from the cylinder head. The spring is formed with an integral end ... | 02/26/2002 |
| 6276313 | Microcombustion engine/generator A knocking-based, micro-combustion engine constructed in three layers of micromachined material. Two outer layers contain means for directing gases and fuels into and out of vents in a middle layer. The middle layer has machined in it two, linear, free pi... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6109222 | Miniature reciprocating combustion-driven machinery A reciprocating micro heat engine for electrical and mechanical power generation is disclosed The micro heat engine uses a reciprocating free piston that is driven by a periodic combustion process, and is implemented using micromachining technology. In th... | 08/29/2000 |
| 5893343 | Linear electrical energy generator In an autogenous generator (1) in which electrical energy is generated by a linkage between fixed windings (2) and permanent magnets which move integrally on the alternating motion of one or more pistons of a two-stroke internal combustion engine, the cyl... | 04/13/1999 |
| 5540193 | Method for the cold start of a free-piston engine; and free-piston engine adapted for use of this method The invention relates to a method for the cold start of a free-piston diesel engine, comprising a cylinder having a combustion room therein and an air inlet, fuel supply and combustion gas outlet connected thereto, and a piston movable within the cylinder... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5002020 | Computer optimized hybrid engine This invention is a hybrid engine employing a reciprocating piston in conjunction with an electromagnetic transducer for control and power output. The transducer is essentially a specialized linear motor/generator. The piston is rigidly connected by means... | 03/26/1991 |
| 4924956 | Free-piston engine without compressor A double-acting tandem free-piston engine comprising a housing including a cylinder having combustion chambers at opposite ends and one in its center with double-acting pistons displaceable between one end and the center chamber and between the other end ... | 05/15/1990 |
| 4876991 | Two stroke cycle engine A free-piston two stroke cycle engine includes a piston rod assembly having a connecting rod with first and second ends, first and second power pistons affixed to the ends of the rod and first and second power transfer pistons mounted on the rod between t... | 10/31/1989 |
| 4867108 | Positive electrostatic power system A power supplementing system for an engine utilizes the selective delivery of electrical charge to a plate in the vicinity of a driving member of the engine, e.g. a piston, to increase the power of the engine. A high voltage AC signal is generated from a ... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4532431 | Method and apparatus for producing electrical energy from a cyclic combustion process utilizing coupled pistons which reciprocate in unison Method of and device for producing electric energy from a cyclic combustion process. The device includes two oppositely disposed aligned spark ignited internal combustion engine cylinders axially spaced from each other, means rigidly connecting the piston... | 07/30/1985 |
| 4484082 | Power plant and process utilizing gravitational force A power plant and process for converting gas expanding and contracting energy sources into useful forms of energy and utilizing gravitational force, wherein a piston containing a magnet and able to free fall within an enclosed cylinder, having a non-magne... | 11/20/1984 |
| 4480599 | Free-piston engine with operatively independent cam A free-piston engine formed by one or more units, each comprising a pair of opposed pistons connected to a common piston rod and movable within two opposed cylinders, with a load, such as the inductor of a linear alternator, connected to an intermediate p... | 11/06/1984 |
