Mechanism for transforming reciprocal to rotational motion or vice versa, and mechanism applications

A mechanism for transforming rotating to reciprocating motion, or vice versa,

• wherein the mechanism comprises a first annular component (1) and a second annular component (3) coaxially located, the first beside the second, along a longitudinal axis (ΔA), wherein both are able to rotate around the longitudinal axis and to reciprocate along the longitudinal axis,
• side (A) of the first annular component (1) adjacent to the second annular component (3) is in continuous contact, in at least one point, with a neighbouring side (Γα) of the second annular component (3), such that the second annular component (3) is able to move coaxially in relation to the first annular component (1) in continuous contact in at least one point with the adjacent side (A) of the first annular component (1), the contacting sides are smooth undulated surfaces (A, Γα) formed as a geometric locus of the radii passing through smooth undulated curves (α, γα), respectively, of the external cylindrical surface of the first and second annular components (1, 3), starting from their external surface and characterized by n (natural number≠0) repeated pairs of geometrically similar crests and valleys with a similarity ratio 1:3, the crests/valleys are symmetric relative to the level defined by a highest/lowest point of the crest/valley (respectively) and the longitudinal axis,
• the crests of the undulated surface of the first annular component (1) may be in contact with the crests of the undulated surface of the second annular component (3) and, in this position, the points of contact are located on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, relative to which the undulated surfaces (A, Γα) of the first annular component (1) and the second annular component (3) are symmetric,
• the crests of each and every undulated surface (A, Γα) are smaller than the geometrically similar valleys with a similarity ratio of 1:3 such that, when they enter the valleys of the other, and crest edges come into contact with the lowest point of the opposite undulated surface, there is free space left between the undulated surfaces, resulting, when lubricated, in achieving friction and wear minimization due to dynamic lubrication,
• such that if the first annular component (1) and the second annular component (3) are forced into rotational movement relative to each other, remaining at the same time in continuous contact, then every point of the undulated surfaces (A, Γα) will trace, in relation to the other, an undulated trajectory and at the same time will execute, in relation to the other, a reciprocating motion with a frequency n-times, wherein n is the number of crests/valleys, the corresponding rotational motion frequency, between a TDC (Top Dead Center) and a BDC (Bottom Dead Center), this relative motion being executed by each component connected firmly to one of the annular components (1, 3), while each component connected to one of the annular components (1, 3), such that this connected component is free not to follow the rotation of the component to which it is connected, executes reciprocating motion only, relative to the other annular component so that rotational motion is transformed to reciprocating motion of the component with or without coexisting rotation, whereas, conversely the forced relative reciprocating motion of one annular component (1, 3) relative to the other is transformed to rotational motion of the component with or without the coexistence of reciprocating motion,
• the edges of the crests and valleys in a planar spread of the undulated curves of the external surfaces of the first and second annular components are points or straight sections vertical to the longitudinal axis, if the edges of the crests and valleys are points, in the case of relative rotational motion between the two annular components (1, 3) at constant speed, a simple and/or harmonic reciprocation results, on the other hand, if the edges of the crests and valleys are straight sections, in case of relative rotational motion between the two annular elements (1, 3) with constant speed, a reciprocation results with a delay in the reversal of motion in the TDC and BDC, if the edges of the crests are straight sections of length c, and the edges of the valleys are straight sections of length 3c, respectively, the result is equal time intervals of delay in motion inversion in TDC and BDC.