Control system and method for preventing destructive collisions in free piston machines
US6536326B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 15, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 16, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25B2309/001
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In a free piston machine, initial collisions of the piston with structures at the end of the cylinder are detected and generate a change in the magnitude of a perturbation signal, which is applied to the summing junction of a closed loop feedback control system controlling a piston force. The change is applied in a direction to reduce piston amplitude. In embodiments in which maximization of piston amplitude is desirable, the magnitude of the perturbation signal is also varied in the opposite direction in the absence of collisions to increase piston amplitude of oscillation so that operation then hunts between initial nondestructive collisions and a non-colliding maximum amplitude of piston oscillation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.