Patent · US Expired

Free piston stirling machine having variable spring between displacer and piston for power control and stroke limiting

US5385021A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
14References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 20, 1992
Grant dateJan 31, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 20, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25B2309/001
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Free piston Stirling coolers and engines are improved by a spring coupling the displacer to the piston and having a variable spring constant. Controllable variation of its spring constant permits controllable variation of displacer stroke, engine power output and cooler thermal pumping rate and thus the invention is useful for stroke limiting and load matching.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.