FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention, in general, relates to rotary engines. Particularly, the invention relates to a two-stroke internal combustion rotary engine with Zindler curve shaped eccentric ring gear. More particularly, the present invention relates to a 360 degree rotary internal combustion engine with a triangular rotor featuring inner Zindler curve ring gear.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

[0002] Rotary engine is a form of internal combustion engine widely used in aviation engineering and automobiles. It has certain advantages over other reciprocating internal combustion engines such as fewer moving parts, better reliability, less manufacturing cost, and less vibration. Among the rotary engines developed across the world, the Wankel engine is the most popular and widely used for industrial applications. However, said Wankel engine suffers from certain problems such as excessive exhaust emission, leakage at the side seals, excessive wear, and high fuel consumption.

[0003] Different types of rotary engines are known in the state-of-the-art literature. For example, US Pat No. 3918415 teaches a rotary internal combustion engine comprising of an elliptical cylinder, four piston elements operatively associated with each other to form a rotor in the shape of a regular quadrangle having angles which form a rhombus with sides of substantially equal length, said elliptical cylinder being concentric with a rotating shaft disposed in the centre of said regular quadrangle, the sides of said piston elements and the sides of the elliptical cylinder defining a plurality of chambers there between which extend between the respective vertices of the angles forming the regular quadrangle, and rod means for securing the centre portion of the piston elements to the rotating shaft.

[0004] CN104405447A teaches a multi-angle rotor fluid mechanism, including a triangular rotor. The triangle rotor is arranged in a double arc cylindrical cavity, and a fluid entrance and a fluid exit are arranged on the double arc cylindrical cavity and the end sealing bodies of the double arc cylindrical cavity. However, the central spur gear is designed to be stationary, wherein the circular ring gear is configured to eccentrically rotate around said central spur gear. It further means implies the centre shaft is eccentric, which causes vibration when the engine is in operation.

[0005] CN106121810B teaches a kind of Wankel engines of Ratios, comprising of cycloidal cylinder body, three-apexed rotor, variable volume groove and resetting spring. [0006] From the foregoing, it becomes apparent that there is a need for an internal combustion engine that is capable of achieving high compression ratio, has few parts, and delivers high thermal, volumetric, and mechanical efficiency.

[0007] The present invention discloses a 360 degree rotary internal combustion engine with a triangular rotor featuring inner Zindler curve ring gear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is therefore the primary objective of the present invention to propose a 360 degree rotary internal combustion engine with a triangular rotor featuring inner Zindler curve ring gear.

[0009] It is another object of the invention to propose a two-stroke internal combustion engine that comprises of only six main parts.

[0010] It is yet another object of the invention to propose an IC engine that has high thermal, volumetric, and mechanical efficiency.

[0011] It is a further object of the invention to propose an IC engine capable of achieving high combustion ratio. [0012] It is yet another object of the invention to provide an IC engine that produces very less vibration during operation.

[0013] Accordingly, the present invention proposes a A 360° rotary internal combustion engine characterized by:

• triangular rotor featuring inner Zindler curve shaped ring gear (61);

• a planetary spur gear (79) configured to mesh with said Zindler curve shaped ring gear, wherein said planetary gear also meshes with a static centre spur gear (78);

• a rotatable circular casing (50) concentrically encompassing the rotor, wherein a combustion chamber is formed in the space between the casing and rotor; and

• circular covers (67,74) fixed to the sides of said casing respectively to form an air-tight closed structure.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

[0014] FIG.1 shows the triangular rotor inside the rotor casing.

[0015] FIG.2 illustrates the exploded view of the internal combustion engine. [0016] FIG.3 depicts the rotor.

[0017] FIG.4 shows the side covers featuring the ball-groove.

[0018] FIG.5 illustrates the operation cycle.

[0019] FIG.6 depicts the spur gear and planetary gears with respective shafts.

[0020] FIG.7 shows the cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.

[0022] The preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses a 360° rotary internal combustion engine having a triangular rotor featuring inner Zindler curve ring gear. Said engine is a petrol engine, even though it may be adapted to work in other fuels as well.

[0023] Referring to FIG.1, FIG.3, FIG.7, the rotary internal combustion engine comprises of an equilateral triangular rotor (60) having a Zindler curve shaped ring gear (61) on its inside surface, wherein a planetary gear (79) is so-disposed to mesh with said ring gear, wherein said planetary gears also meshes with a static central spur gear (78). The centre spur gear is mounted on a cover (84), wherein one end of said shaft is disposed through a hole (85) provided on the side cover on the output side, wherein it is fixed on said covers by means of bearings. FIG.2 depicts the exploded view of the internal combustion engine. FIG.6 shows the central spur gear and shaft.

[0024] As shown in the FIG.1 , the central spur gear is stationary, wherein said stationary central spur gear is provided to facilitate the rotor to trace an eccentric path when it turns. Specifically, the planetary spur gear (79) is configured to simultaneously mesh with the centre spur gear (78) and the Zindler curve shaped ring gear of the rotor, wherein as the the rotor turns, it follows an eccentric path around the centre spur gear (78). The planetary gear shaft is fixed to the rotor covers (74).

[0025] FIG.3 illustrates the equilateral triangular rotor with Zindler curve shaped ring gear. Corner seals are provided on both sides of the equilateral triangular rotor casing to prevent any kind of gas leakage from the combustion chambers during the combustion process. As shown in the figure, the thickness of the rotor is same in all directions. Such a design helps to keep the overall weight of the rotor less. Said design also aids in cooling the rotor during operation, and helps to easily apply lubrication, whenever required. The present invention uses a rotor cooling mechanism that utilises either water or air.

[0026] As shown in FIG.1 , the rotor is encompassed inside a circular rotor casing (50), wherein a combustion chamber is formed in the space between the casing and the rotor. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the casing is configured to rotate along with the rotor, but at different angular velocities, which is in the ratio of 3:1. Two circular covers (74 and 67) are fixed to the sides of said casing (50) respectively to make it an air-tight closed structure, as shown in the figure. Inlet (54) and exhaust ports (56) are provided on the casing for the intake and exhaust of gases respectively. The casing further features a provision for installing one or more spark plugs (52) to aid the combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber. In one embodiment, the engine features one spark plug (52).

[0027] Referring to FIG.2/FIG.4, the electric circuit powering the spark plugs is partially provided on the casing, wherein continuity of said circuit is ensured by means of a carbon brush (57) arrangement. Specifically, an electric carbon brush is provided, wherein said brush remains in constant contact with a concentric copper ring mounted on the axis, therein facilitating the continuity of said electrical circuit even during the operation of the engine. The power to operate the spark plug is provided by the magnetic coil (59), wherein said coil is fixed at the outside of the rotor casing, as shown in the figure. The magnetic coil is encompassed in a rotatable outer casing fixed on the output shaft.

[0028] Referring to FIG.4, the rotation of the rotor (60) is balanced by means of a ball-groove (65) mechanism. The steel balls (66) fixed at the centre of each edge of the rotor is configured to roll through the oval path/groove (72) provided on the rotor covers, wherein said movement of the balls in the groove helps the rotor to maintain its rotation along an oval shaped path (72), which keeps it stable. In one embodiment, the shape of the groove is distorted oval. The shape of the groove varies with overall size of the rotor. Said ball-groove (65) mechanism aids in causing the radial load to exert only on the faces of the equilateral triangular rotor. [0029] Referring to FIG.1 , the speed of the engine may be fixed at the time of design by varying the diameter of the spur gear as well as the central spur gear. If the diameter of centre spur gear (78) is increased (with proportional decrease in the diameter of spur gear), there will be a corresponding increase in the number of teeth cuts on said gear, and thereby a decrease in the time taken for one complete revolution and hence decreased output drive speed, and vice versa.

[0030] Many IC engines in the prior art does not have this speed controlling feature owing to the lack of gear driven mechanism.

Operation

[0031] The preferred embodiment of the present invention teaches a 360° rotary internal combustion engine with a triangular rotor featuring inner Zindler curve ring gear. As illustrated in FIG.5, the working cycle comprises of four strokes: i) Suction stroke, which completes in 0°-360°of crank rotation, ii) compression stroke that completes in 0°-360°of crank rotation, iii) expansion stroke that completes in 0°-360°of crank rotation, and iv) exhaust stroke, which completes in 0°-360°degree of crank rotation.

[0032] The motor is started using self-motor, which rotates the shaft causing the casing to rotate, therein inducing rotation on the planetary gear, which in turn turns the Zindler curve shaped ring gear and hence the rotor. As per the preferred embodiment, the relative speed of rotation of the casing and the rotor is 3:1. That is, for every 360° rotation of the planetary gear, said gear runs over 20 teeth of the inner ring gear of the rotor.

[0033] During the suction stroke, fuel is sucked into the combustion chamber, wherein the suction stroke completes in 0°-360°of crank rotation. The compression stroke completes in 0°-360°of crank rotation. Subsequently, the expansion stroke commences, wherein the fuel is ignited by the spark plug, wherein the said stroke completes in 0°-360°of the crank rotation. The exhaust stroke subsequent to expansion also completes in 0°- 360° of crank rotation. Therefore, every stroke in the IC engine of present invention happens over 0°-360°of the crank rotation. Said operation enhances the operating efficiency of said engine to 60%.

[0034] The rotation of the rotor causes the planetary gear to rotate, wherein said rotation of the planetary gear causes the side covers and hence the casing to rotate, wherein said rotation is transferred to the central shaft (70) at the output side.

[0035] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention unless they depart there from.