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US 2003/0215345 A1Published application
Gerotor apparatus for a quasi-isothermal brayton cycle engine
AssigneesThe Texas A&M University Systems, StarRotor Corporation
InventorsMark T. Holtzapple, George A. Rabroker, Thomas J. Beck, Mark Ehsani, Matthew M. Whiteacre, Michael Kyle Ross, Gary P. Noyes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, a gerotor apparatus includes an outer gerotor having an outer gerotor chamber, an inner gerotor, at least a portion of which is disposed within the outer gerotor chamber, and a synchronizing apparatus operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor. The inner gerotor includes one or more entrance passages operable to communicate a lubricant into the outer gerotor chamber.
Claims296
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- a valve plate rigidly coupled to the housing, the valve plate having a first surface positioned adjacent an end of the outer gerotor;
- a proximity sensor coupled to the valve plate, the proximity sensor operable to sense a gap between an end of the outer gerotor and the surface of the valve plate;
- and
- means for adjusting the gap between the end of the outer gerotor and the valve plate.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- a valve plate rigidly coupled to the housing, the valve plate having a first surface positioned adjacent an end of the outer gerotor;
- a sealing ring disposed around a perimeter of the first surface;
- and
- an actuation system operable to control a gap between the sealing ring and the end of the outer gerotor.
4 more elements
An actuation system for controlling leakage of gas into lubricant in a gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a sealing ring disposed between a surface of a gerotor and a valve plate such that a gap exists between the surface of the gerotor and the sealing ring, the sealing ring having a plurality of apertures formed therein;
- a gas supply source operable to deliver gas through the apertures and into the gap;
- a flow-measuring device operable to measure a rate of gas being delivered into the gap;
- a controller coupled to the flow-measuring device and operable to receive the measured rate;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the controller and operable to translate the sealing ring based on the measured rate.
3 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- and
- a valve plate rigidly coupled to the housing, the valve plate comprising:
- a first surface positioned adjacent an end of the outer gerotor;
- an inlet port;
- an exhaust port;
- and
- a compression control element slidably engaged with either the inlet port or exhaust port, the compression control element operable to control a compression ratio of the gerotor apparatus based on its position within either the inlet port or the gas outlet port.
7 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an inner shaft rigidly coupled at a first end to the housing;
- a hollow shaft rotatably coupled to the inner shaft;
- an inner gerotor rigidly coupled to the hollow shaft;
- an outer gerotor rotatably disposed within the housing by a rotating shaft;
- a seal plate having a circular hole formed therein rigidly coupled to the outer gerotor;
- a seal plug disposed within the circular hole of the seal plate, the seal plug having a circular hole formed therein;
- and
- a first bearing disposed within the circular hole of the seal plug, the first bearing supporting the outer gerotor on the hollow shaft.
6 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a hollow shaft coupled at a first end to the housing;
- an inner shaft disposed within the hollow shaft and rotatably coupled at first and second ends to the housing;
- an inner gerotor rigidly coupled to the inner shaft;
- a first synchronizing mechanism rigidly coupled to the inner shaft;
- an outer gerotor rotatably coupled to the hollow shaft and having a second synchronizing mechanism;
- and
- a seal plate rigidly coupled to the outer gerotor.
5 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- and
- a gear housing disposed within the inner gerotor, the gear housing housing at least one gear operable to synchronize a rotation of the outer gerotor with a rotation of the inner gerotor.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first shaft rotatably coupled to a first end of the housing;
- an outer gerotor coupled to the first shaft via a seal plate and a gear housing;
- a rigid shaft coupled to a second end of the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor and rotatably coupled to the rigid shaft;
- and
- wherein the gear housing houses an inner gear that couples a first gear coupled to the outer gerotor and a second gear that couples to the inner gerotor, the inner gear rotatably coupled to the rigid shaft.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- and
- a gearing system for driving the outer and inner gerotors, the gearing system external to the housing and comprising:
- a rotating shaft having a first gear and a second gear;
- a third gear meshing with the first gear and coupled to a first shaft, the first shaft rigidly coupled to the outer gerotor and rotatably coupled to a first end of the housing;
- and
- a fourth gear meshing with the second gear and coupled to a second shaft, the second shaft rigidly coupled to the inner gerotor and rotatably coupled to a second end of the housing.
6 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly from an inside surface of the housing, thereby creating a plurality of gas pockets between respective protrusions;
- and
- wherein the outer gerotor includes a plurality of conduits formed in a wall of the outer gerotor, the conduits extending from a compression chamber inside the outer gerotor to an outside of the outer gerotor to allow gas to travel from the compression chamber to the gas pockets.
3 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a hollow shaft rigidly coupled to a first end of the housing;
- an inner shaft disposed within the hollow shaft and rotatably coupled within the hollow shaft by a first bearing and a second bearing;
- an inner gerotor rigidly coupled to the inner shaft;
- a first synchronizing mechanism rigidly coupled to the inner gerotor;
- and
- an outer gerotor rotatably coupled to the hollow shaft with a third bearing and a fourth bearing, the outer gerotor having a second synchronizing mechanism.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a hollow shaft rigidly coupled to a first end of the housing;
- an inner shaft disposed within the hollow shaft and rotatably coupled within the hollow shaft by a first bearing and a second bearing;
- an outer gerotor rigidly coupled to the inner shaft;
- a first synchronizing mechanism rigidly coupled to the outer gerotor;
- and
- an inner gerotor rotatably coupled to the hollow shaft with a third bearing and a fourth bearing, the inner gerotor having a second synchronizing mechanism.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first shaft coupled to a first end of the housing;
- a second shaft associated with a second end of the housing and rotatably coupled at a first end to the first shaft by a first bearing;
- an outer gerotor rigidly coupled to the second shaft;
- a first synchronizing mechanism rigidly coupled to the outer gerotor;
- and
- an inner gerotor rotatably coupled to the first shaft with a second bearing and a third bearing, the inner gerotor having a second synchronizing mechanism.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first shaft coupled to a first end of the housing;
- a first hollow shaft coupled to a second end of the housing;
- a second shaft disposed within and rotatably coupled to the first hollow shaft;
- an outer gerotor rigidly coupled to the second shaft;
- a first synchronizing mechanism rigidly coupled to the outer gerotor;
- and
- an inner gerotor rotatably coupled to the first shaft, the inner gerotor having a second synchronizing mechanism.
5 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first shaft rigidly coupled to a first end of the housing, the first end of the housing including a gas inlet for the gerotor apparatus;
- a second shaft rotatably coupled to a second end of the housing;
- an outer gerotor rigidly coupled to the second shaft;
- a first synchronizing mechanism rigidly coupled to the outer gerotor;
- and
- an inner gerotor rotatably coupled to the first shaft, the inner gerotor having a second synchronizing mechanism.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a lower shaft rigidly coupled to a first end of the housing that includes a gas inlet port for the gerotor apparatus;
- a gear housing coupled to the lower shaft;
- an upper shaft rigidly coupled to the gear housing and extending towards a second end of the housing,
- an inner gerotor rotatably coupled to the lower shaft;
- an outer gerotor rotatably coupled to the upper shaft and rotatably coupled to the second end of the housing with a first bearing;
- and
- wherein the gear housing houses an idler gear that couples a first gear coupled to the outer gerotor and a second gear coupled to the inner gerotor.
5 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a lower shaft rigidly coupled to a first end of the housing that includes a gas inlet port for the gerotor apparatus;
- an upper shaft rigidly coupled to a second end of the housing;
- a gear housing coupled between the lower and upper shafts;
- an inner gerotor rotatably coupled to the lower shaft;
- an outer gerotor rotatably coupled to the upper shaft by a hollow shaft;
- a driven gear rigidly coupled to the hollow shaft;
- a drive gear coupled to the driven gear;
- and
- a rotating shaft rotatably coupled to the second end of the housing and rigidly coupled to the drive gear.
7 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- and
- a valve plate rigidly coupled to the housing, the valve plate comprising a first surface positioned adjacent an end of the outer gerotor.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor comprising an outer gerotor chamber;
- an inner gerotor, at least a portion of the inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor chamber;
- the inner gerotor comprising one or more entrance passages operable to communicate a lubricant into the outer gerotor chamber;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor;
- an inner gerotor;
- a synchronizing system comprising an alignment guide and an alignment member, the alignment member positioned in alignment with the alignment guide;
- wherein the synchronizing system is operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor.
1 more element
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor;
- an inner gerotor;
- a synchronizing system operable to align the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor, the synchronizing system comprising:
- a cam plate coupled to the outer gerotor, the cam plate comprising an alignment guide;
- and
- an alignment plate coupled to the inner gerotor, the peg plate comprising at least one alignment member in alignment with the alignment guide.
3 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor comprising an outer gerotor chamber, the outer gerotor chamber comprising a perimeter surface;
- an inner gerotor comprising a plurality of protrusions;
- a knob device coupled to the inner gerotor adjacent a particular one of the plurality of protrusions;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor such that the knob device travels adjacent the perimeter surface of the outer gerotor chamber.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor;
- an alignment guide;
- an outer gerotor assembly comprising an outer gerotor and an alignment member, the alignment member positioned in alignment with the alignment guide;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an inner gerotor;
- an outer gerotor comprising an alignment guide;
- an alignment member positioned in alignment with the alignment guide;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor such that the alignment member travels along the alignment guide.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor;
- an inner gerotor comprising a cross-sectional shape based on a hypocycloid;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor.
1 more element
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor;
- an inner gerotor comprising a cross-sectional shape based on an epicycloid;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor.
1 more element
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an inner gerotor;
- an outer gerotor comprising an outer gerotor chamber and an outer perimeter;
- wherein the outer perimeter comprises a first opening coupled to the outer gerotor chamber such that gas disposed within the outer gerotor chamber may exit the outer gerotor through the first opening;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an inner gerotor;
- an outer gerotor comprising an outer gerotor chamber and an outer perimeter, the outer perimeter comprising a first opening coupled to the outer gerotor chamber;
- and
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor;
- wherein in a first position of the outer gerotor, a volume of gas may enter the outer gerotor chamber through the first opening in the outer perimeter;
- and
- wherein in a second position of the outer gerotor, at least a portion of the volume of gas may exit the outer gerotor chamber through the first opening in the outer perimeter.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor;
- an inner gerotor comprising an inside opening;
- a separator disposed substantially within the inside opening and operable to substantially separate a first section of the inside opening from a second section of the inside opening;
- wherein the first section is an intake section operable to receive gas at a first pressure and the second section is an exit section operable to release the gas at a second pressure higher than the first pressure;
- and
- a drive apparatus operable to drive the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor in order to increase the pressure of the volume of gas from the first pressure to the second pressure.
3 more elements
An engine system, comprising:
- a storage tank;
- a drive apparatus;
- a compressor operable to compress gas;
- an expander coupled to the compressor and operable to receive compressed gas to power the drive apparatus;
- wherein the compressor is further operable to:
- communicate compressed gas toward the expander during a first state of the system;
- and
- communicate compressed gas toward the storage tank during a second state of the system.
5 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an outer gerotor;
- a first rotational object coupled to the outer gerotor;
- an inner gerotor;
- a second rotational object coupled to the inner gerotor;
- and
- a synchronizing system coupled to the first and second rotational objects;
- wherein the synchronizing system is operable to control the rotation of the outer gerotor relative to the rotation of the inner gerotor.
4 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an inner gerotor;
- an outer gerotor;
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the outer gerotor relative to the rotation of the inner gerotor;
- and
- an electric motor operable to at least partially control the rotation of the outer gerotor.
2 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- an inner gerotor;
- an outer gerotor;
- a synchronizing system operable to control the rotation of the outer gerotor relative to the rotation of the inner gerotor;
- and
- an electric generator operable to generate electricity from the rotation of the outer gerotor.
2 more elements
An engine system, comprising:
- an expander comprising:
- an inner expander gerotor;
- and
- an outer expander gerotor;
- and
- a compressor comprising:
- an inner compressor gerotor;
- and
- an outer compressor gerotor;
- wherein the inner expander gerotor and the inner compressor gerotor are coupled such that the rotation of the inner expander gerotor is proportional to the rotation of the inner compressor gerotor in at least a first state of the engine system.
7 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- and
- a gear housing disposed within the inner gerotor and coupled to the housing with a lower shaft, the gear housing housing at least one gear operable to synchronize a rotation of the outer gerotor with a rotation of the inner gerotor.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.