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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Leaky gas spring valve for preventing piston overstroke in a free piston Stirling engine

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6768940
This patent describes an improvement in a free piston Stirling machine, including a displacer reciprocally mounted in a working gas space and engaged by a gas spring and having a piston mounted for reciprocation in a cylinder and acted upon by the working gas. It comprises: means for detecting piston amplitude beyond a selected amplitude during its reciprocation; valve means connected in communication with the gas spring for permitting the connection of the gas spring to another gas space; and actuating means connected between the detecting means and the valve means for opening the valve means in response to detection of piston amplitude in excess of the selected amplitude to reduce the spring constant and make the gas spring more lossy and thereby increase its damping and for closing the valve means in response to the absence of piston amplitude in excess of the selected amplitude.
Assignee:
Sunpower, Inc., Athens, OH (USA)
Patent Number(s):
A; US 4945726
Application Number:
PPN: US s 7-397182
OSTI ID:
6768940
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English