Expandable pistons
AssigneeGenesis Advanced Technology Inc.
InventorJames Brent Klassen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A piston is arranged to move in a cylinder to define a variable volume chamber, and can expand in two directions under the influence of pressure in the variable volume chamber to provide sealing against the cylinder. The piston can comprise a primary foot and a secondary foot arranged to move relative to each other in a first direction. The primary foot and the secondary foot can each comprise plural segments arranged to move relative to each other in a second direction. The piston may be suitable for use in an inner rotor, where it forms the end of a projection of the inner rotor and fully exits and reenters the cylinders.
Claims30
An energy transfer machine, comprising:
- a carrier secured within an annular housing, the annular housing having a radially inner surface defining cylinders, the annular housing and carrier rotating in relation to each other,
- at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about an inner rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
- outward projections projecting outward to mesh with the cylinders and define variable volume chambers within the cylinders as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier during operation;
- the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially and axially expandable under pressure within the variable volume chambers;
- and
- fluid transfer passages on at least one of the inner rotor, annular housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers.
An energy transfer machine comprising:
- a piston arranged to move within a cylinder in a longitudinal direction to define a variable volume chamber, the piston comprising a primary foot and a secondary foot arranged to slide relative to each other under pressure within the variable volume chamber in a first direction transverse to the longitudinal direction for sealing contact with walls of the cylinder in the first direction, and
- the primary foot and the secondary foot each comprising plural segments biased relative to each other in a second direction transverse to the longitudinal direction by the pressure within the variable volume chamber for sealing contact with walls of the cylinder in the second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.