Granted Patent B2

US 12,556,063 · App. 18/674,227 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventors: Matt Svrcek (Redwood City, CA); David DeGraaff (Mountain View, CA); Kevin Walters (Redwood City, CA); Cameron Wylie (Oakland, CA); John Powers (Menlo Park, CA); John Lawler (Portland, OR); Sam Sherman (San Francisco, CA); Jodie Prudhomme (San Francisco, CA); Scott Coakley (Naples, ID)

Assignee: Mainspring Energy, Inc.

H02K7/1884F02B63/041F02B71/04H02P9/08

Abstract

Claims (51)

1 . A system comprising:

a linear generator comprising:

at least one gas spring,

at least one power cylinder comprising:

a plurality of intake ports, and

a reaction section,

at least one translator, and

at least one stator; and

an air system comprising:

a fan, and

ducting, wherein:

air is drawn into the air system towards a heat exchanger by the fan,

a first portion of the air is cooled through the heat exchanger and provided to the reaction section through the plurality of intake ports, and

a second portion of the air is pushed through the ducting to one or more cooling jackets by the fan.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ducting distributes the second portion of the air in parallel to each of the one or more cooling jackets.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more cooling jackets comprises at least one air-flow directing feature.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the linear generator comprises at least one plenum interfacing with at least one intake port of the plurality of intake ports.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the first portion of the air is mixed with fuel in the at least one plenum.

6 . A linear generator comprising:

at least one gas spring;

at least one power cylinder comprising:

a plurality of intake ports, and

a reaction section;

at least one translator;

at least one stator; and

an air system comprising:

a fan, and

ducting, wherein:

air is drawn into the air system towards a heat exchanger by the fan,

a first portion of the air is cooled through the heat exchanger and provided to the reaction section through the plurality of intake ports, and

a second portion of the air is pushed through the ducting to one or more cooling jackets by the fan.

7 . The linear generator of claim 6 , wherein the ducting distributes the second portion of the air in parallel to each of the one or more cooling jackets.

8 . The linear generator of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the one or more cooling jackets comprises at least one air-flow directing feature.

9 . The linear generator of claim 6 , wherein the linear generator comprises at least one plenum interfacing with at least one intake port of the plurality of intake ports.

10 . The linear generator of claim 9 , wherein the first portion of the air is mixed with fuel in the at least one plenum.

11 . A method of cooling a linear generator comprising:

at least one gas spring;

at least one power cylinder comprising:

a plurality of intake ports, and

a reaction section;

at least one translator;

at least one stator; and

an air system comprising:

a fan, and

ducting;

the method comprising:

drawing air into the air system towards a heat exchanger using the fan;

cooling a first portion of the air through the heat exchanger;

providing the first portion of the air to the reaction section through at least one intake port of the plurality of intake ports; and

providing, using the fan, a second portion of the air to one or more cooling jackets.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising mixing the first portion of the air with fuel in at least one plenum interfacing with the at least one intake port.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (177)