Rotary Fluid Transfer Apparatus and Associated Methods

Abstract

A fluid transfer device (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110) and corresponding method of transferring fluid. The device (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110) comprises an inner member (46, 146, 246, 346, 446, 546, 646, 746, 846, 946, 1046, 1146) with a central axis (28, 128, 228, 328, 428, 528, 728, 728, 828, 928, 1028, 1128) and comprising an outer surface (48, 148, 248, 348, 448, 548, 748, 748, 848, 948, 1048, 1148); and an outer member (42, 142, 242, 342, 442, 542, 742, 742, 842, 942, 1042, 1142) coaxially arranged with the inner member (46, 146, 246, 346, 446, 546, 646, 746, 846, 946, 1046, 1146) and comprising an inner surface (44, 144, 244, 344, 444, 544, 744, 744, 844, 944, 1044, 1144) radially spaced from the outer surface of the inner member (46, 146, 246, 346, 446, 546, 646, 746, 846, 946, 1046, 1146) to define a space between the inner (46, 146, 246, 346, 446, 546, 646, 746, 846, 946, 1046, 1146) and outer members (42, 142, 242, 342, 442, 542, 742, 742, 842, 942, 1042, 1142). The device (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110) has a first axial member and a second axial member. There is at least one variable fluid chamber (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 720, 720, 820, 920, 020, 1120) defined in the space, with a fluid inlet (22, 122, 222, 322, 422, 522, 722, 722, 822, 922, 1022, 1122) to the at least one fluid chamber (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 20, 720, 720, 820, 920, 1020, 1120); and a fluid outlet (24, 124, 224, 324, 424, 524, 20 724, 724, 824, 924, 1024, 1124) from the at least one fluid chamber. At least one of the first and/or second axial member/s is rotatable about the central axis (28, 128, 228, 328, 428, 528, 728, 728, 828, 928, 1028, 1128) to vary a volume of the at least one fluid chamber (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 720, 720, 820, 920, 1020, 1120). The volume of the at least one fluid chamber (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 720, 720, 820, 920, 1020, 1120) corresponds to a rotational position of the first and/or second axial member/s.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.