| US 7,591,235 B2 | ||
| Opposed piston engine with piston compliance | ||
| James U. Lemke, La Jolla, Calif. (US); Ronald J. Hoffman, Scottsdale, Ariz. (US); Michael H. Wahl, Bonita, Calif. (US); and Patrick R. Lee, San Diego, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Achates Power, Inc., San Diego, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on Mar. 11, 2008, as Appl. No. 12/75,374. | ||
| Application 12/075374 is a continuation of application No. 11/378959, filed on Mar. 17, 2006, granted, now 7,360,511. | ||
| Application 11/378959 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/US2005/020553, filed on Jun. 10, 2005. | ||
| Application PCT/US2005/020553 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/865707, filed on Jun. 10, 2004, granted, now 7,156,056. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0163848 A1, Jul. 10, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. F01P 3/06 (2006.01); F01P 3/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 123—41.35 [123/193.6] | 19 Claims |
| 1. An opposed piston engine including a crankshaft, a cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons disposed for reciprocal movement
in the cylinder, and connecting rods coupled to the crankshaft, each piston including an elastically deformable member between
the piston and a respective connecting rod; in which,
each piston includes a cylindrical body with a skirt, an open end, and a closed end defining a crown, a piston rod with first
and second ends, the first end attached to a back of the crown and the second end extending through the open end, and an associated
wristpin attaching the second end to a respective pair of connecting rods, the elastically deformable member including a resiliently
deformable boot retaining the first end; and,
the piston rod includes a bore and the piston includes a longitudinal axis and an array of passages symmetrically disposed
about the longitudinal axis and abutting the back surface of the crown, each of said passages being in fluid communication
with the bore and opening to an inside surface of the skirt.
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