Crower Pistons -- Patent -- Free Piston Pressure Spike Modulator

I ran across this while browsing the internet:

http://crower.com/Crower_Patent.pdf

In the hopes of gaining a better understanding, I looked up the patent:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7588000.PN.&OS=PN/7588000&RS=PN/7588000

I'm curious about it, but don't really understand ---> Can somebody explain this to me?

Have a good day!
Michael

I found this. looks to be a way to alter combustion chamber volume.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7588000.pdf

Ok .... I'll take a stab at it.
For this example, the engine is a signal cylinder engine.
Basically think of it as a second cylinder off of the main cylinder. This second cylinder has a piston in it, but it is not connected to the crank shaft. It does however have something which wants to push this 2nd piston up to the main cylinder's, like a spring or very high air pressure. But this "return method" for this 2nd piston is weak enough so that when the pressure in the main cylinder exceeds a given pressure, this 2nd piston will slide within it's cylinder, effectively increasing the total volume of the main cylinder. As the main cylinder's piston moves toward Bottom Dead Center and the total pressure within the cylinder becomes weaker than the "return method" for the 2nd piston, this "return method" pushes the 2nd piston back toward the main cylinder. Effectively helping to push the main piston down on the power stroke.

Well that's what I "think" is going on.

yep,its providing a cushion for the explosion of the air/fuel .helping relieve stress off of the piston and rod and gaskets

I understand it changes the chamber volume, but what are they trying to fix or improve upon? How will they integrate it into the OEM engine designs?

Some of these questions are rhetorical, but I'm just curious .

Merry Christmas!
Michael

It works like an accumulator. The air in the free piston chamber compresses and stores some of the energy created from the ignition and releases it after the piston and rod pass TDC so they have better leverage on the crank throw. A side benefit is prolly some detonation protection as the free piston will absorb the concusion of the detonation.

Bill