A hydraulic or pneumatic drive system, and a motor and a pump therefor

A fluid pump, comprising:

• a drive shaft rotatable about an axis thereof;
• at least one piston means;
• a sleeve means rotatable about a central axis and mounted around the at least one piston means;
• motion conversion means comprising:
• at least one portion extending continuously and circumferentially around the central axis and extending in part longitudinally relative to the central axis, and
• at least one linking means, wherein the at least one portion and the at least one linking means are arranged for relative rotation about the central axis, wherein the at least one linking means and the at least one portion are configured to cooperate so that relative rotation causes reciprocating movement of the at least one piston, wherein a one of the at least one portion and the at least one linking means is coupled to the sleeve means whereby rotation of the sleeve means causes rotation thereof about the central axis;
• for the or each piston means, a cylinder means, wherein an end of the or each piston means and the or each corresponding cylinder means define a chamber, and wherein the or each chamber can be operatively coupled to a pressure transmission system to permit alternating flow of fluid into and out of the or each chamber, wherein the reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes fluid flow into and out of the or each chamber;
• wherein the or each piston means is coupled to the other of the portion and the at least one linking means, whereby rotation of sleeve means causes the reciprocating movement of the piston means.

A fluid motor for a pneumatic or hydraulic drive system, comprising:

• at least one piston means arranged on a central axis;
• at least one cylinder means, wherein the or each cylinder means and an end of the or each piston means located in a corresponding one of the cylinder means defines a chamber, and wherein the or each cylinder means is operatively coupled to a pressure generation and transmission system arranged to cause flow of fluid into the respective chamber and enable flow of fluid out of said chamber, thereby to cause reciprocating movement of the piston means, wherein the or each piston means is arranged to rotate in the respective cylinder means about said central axis;
• motion conversion means comprising:
• at least one portion extending continuously and circumferentially around a central axis and extending in part longitudinally relative to the central axis, and
• at least one linking means, wherein the at least one portion and the or each linking means are relatively rotatable about the central axis and wherein a one of either the at least one linking means or the portion is coupled to the at least one piston means so that reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes reciprocating movement thereof, wherein the at least one linking means, the portion are configured to cooperate whereby the reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes relative rotary motion of the other of the portion and the linking means about said central axis;
• a drive shaft disposed coaxially with the at least one piston means, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to the at least one piston means so that the relative rotary motion causes corresponding rotation of the drive shaft and reciprocating movement of the piston means relative to the drive shaft on the central axis is permitted.

A fluid motor for a pneumatic or hydraulic drive system, comprising:

• at least one piston means arranged on a central axis;
• at least one cylinder means, wherein the or each cylinder means and an end of the or each piston means located in a corresponding one of the cylinder means defines a chamber, and wherein the or each cylinder means is operatively coupled to a pressure generation and transmission system arranged to cause flow of fluid into the respective chamber and enable flow of fluid out of said chamber, thereby to cause reciprocating movement of the piston means, wherein the or each piston means is arranged to rotate in the respective cylinder means about said central axis;
• motion conversion means comprising:
• at least one groove extending continuously and circumferentially around a central axis and extending in part longitudinally relative to the central axis, and
• at least one linking means, each linking means comprising a projection for engaging in the groove, wherein the at least one groove and the or each projection are relatively rotatable about the central axis and wherein a one of either the at least one projection or the groove is coupled to the at least one piston means so that reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes reciprocating movement thereof, wherein the at least one projection, the groove are configured to cooperate whereby the reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes relative rotary motion of the other of the groove and the projection about said central axis.

A hydraulic or pneumatic drive system comprising:

• a) a fluid motor;
• b) a fluid transmission system operatively connected to the fluid motor;
• c) a fluid pump to which the pressure transmission system is also operatively connected, the fluid pump comprising:
• a drive shaft rotatable about an axis thereof;
• at least one piston means;
• motion conversion means comprising at least one portion extending continuously and circumferentially around a central axis and in part longitudinally relative to said central axis, and at least one linking means, wherein the at least one portion and the at least one linking means are arranged for relative rotation about the central axis, wherein the at least one linking means and the at least one portion are configured to cooperate so that relative rotation causes relative reciprocating movement along the central axis, wherein a one of the at least one portion or the at least one linking means is coupled to the drive shaft whereby rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the one about the central axis;
• for the or each piston means, a cylinder means, wherein the or each cylinder means and an end of the or each piston means located in the respective cylinder means defines a chamber, and wherein the or each cylinder means is coupled to the fluid transmission system to permit alternating flow of fluid into and out of the or each chamber, wherein the or each piston means is arranged for reciprocating movement on or parallel to the central axis to cause fluid flow into and out of the corresponding chamber;
• wherein the piston means is coupled to the other of the at least one portion and the linking means so that rotation of the one of the at least one portion and the linking means causes the reciprocating movement of the or each piston means in the corresponding cylinder means.

A motor for a hydraulic or pneumatic drive system, comprising:

• at least two piston means;
• for each piston means, a cylinder means, wherein each cylinder means and the associated piston means define chamber, and wherein each cylinder means is operatively coupled to a fluid pump to cause alternating or sequential flow of fluid into and out of each chamber, thereby to cause reciprocating movement of each piston means;
• motion conversion means comprising:
• at least one portion extending continuously and circumferentially around a central axis and extending in part longitudinally relative to the central axis, and
• for each piston means, a linking means coupled to the respective piston means, so that reciprocating movement of each piston means causes reciprocating movement of the corresponding linking means, wherein the at least one portion and each linking means are relatively rotatable about the central axis, wherein the at least two linking means and the at least one portion are configured to cooperate whereby the reciprocating movement of each piston means causes relative rotary motion of the at least one portion about said central axis, wherein the at least two linking means are angularly spaced about the central axis.

A fluid motor for a pneumatic or hydraulic drive system, comprising:

• at least one piston means;
• at least one cylinder means, wherein the or each cylinder means and an end of the or each piston means located in corresponding cylinder means defines a chamber, and wherein the or each cylinder means can be operatively coupled to a fluid pump to cause flow of fluid into and out of the or each chamber, thereby to cause reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means, wherein the or each piston means is arranged to rotate in the respective cylinder means about said central axis;
• motion conversion means comprising:
• at least one portion extending continuously and circumferentially around the central axis and extending in part longitudinally relative to the central axis, and
• at least one linking means, each linking means for engaging with the at least one portion, wherein the at least one portion and the or each linking means are relatively rotatable about the central axis and wherein a one of the at least one linking means and the at least one portion is coupled to the at least one piston means so that reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes reciprocating movement thereof, wherein the at least one linking means and the at least one groove are configured to cooperate whereby the reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes relative rotary motion of the other of the portion and the linking means about said central axis.

A pedal-driven vehicle or machine comprising a hydraulic or pneumatic drive system, comprising:

• a) a fluid pump comprising a drive shaft mounted in a bracket and rotatable about an axis by a pedaling action;
• a cam mounted on the drive shaft;
• at least one piston means;
• for the or each piston means, a cylinder means, wherein an end of the or each piston means and the corresponding cylinder means define a chamber, wherein the piston means is arranged relative to the cam so that rotation of the cam with the drive shaft causes reciprocating movement of the piston means in the cylinder means;
• b) a fluid motor configured to drive a wheel;
• c) a transmission system operatively coupled to the or each chamber and to the fluid motor, wherein the reciprocating movement of the at least one piston means causes the fluid motor to drive the wheel.