Linear free piston stirling machine
View Patent ↗A linear-free piston Stirling machine comprising a displacer and a power piston. A rod is attached at one end to the displacer, extends through the power piston and is mounted to the casing at its opposite end via a spring. A resilient stopper at the opposite end is arranged to contact the engine casing if the displacement of the displacer exceeds a predetermined limit.
1. A linear free piston Stirling machine comprising a displacer and a power piston which are reciprocally mounted within a casing, a rod attached at one end to the displacer and extending through an opening in the power piston, and a spring mounted with respect to the casing and being attached to the rod towards its opposite end to reciprocally support the rod and displacer; characterised by a resilient stopper separate from the spring on the opposite end of the rod arranged, in use, to contact the engine casing if the displacement of the displacer exceeds a predetermined limit.
2. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the stopper comprises a first resilient portion facing the casing, and a denser second non-resilient portion on the side of the resilient portion furthest from the casing.
3. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the stopper is rubber.
4. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the stopper is a spring.
5. A machine according to claim 2 , wherein the stopper is rubber.
6. A machine according to claim 2 , wherein the stopper is a spring.