# US 4,395,206 A · Seal compensated geometry rotary motion device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,395,206 A - Document ID: US4395206A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/258,429 - Filed: 1981-04-28 - Granted: 1983-07-26 - Earliest claimed: 1981-04-28 - Assignees: Trochoid Power Corporation - Inventors: Benjamin Hoffmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395206A ## CPC - F01C 1/22: of internal-axis type with equidirectional movement of co-operating members at the points of engagement, or with one of the co-operating members being stationary, the inner member having more teeth or tooth- equivalents than the outer member - F01C 19/02: Radially-movable sealings for working fluids - F02B 53/00: Internal-combustion aspects of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines (internal-combustion aspects of rotary pistons or outer members for co-operation therewith F02B55/00) - F02B 2053/005: {Wankel engines} - Y10T 29/49245: Vane type or other rotary, e.g., fan - F01C: ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES (internal-combustion aspects F02B53/00, F02B55/00) - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Conventional industry practice has been to provide apex seals along adjoining intersecting peripheral surfaces of the envelope members in trochoidal rotary devices. The trochoidal member profiles are then recessed by a seal offset amount and the seals extended from the apices of the envelope member by the seal offset amount to minimize reciprocation of the seals in their grooves. In accordance with the invention, modified epitrochoids and corresponding envelopes are formed so that sealing faces of the apex seals can be substantially continuous with the envelope peripheral surfaces. In this manner, nearly ideal expansion ratios are achievable in such rotary devices and wider sealing faces can be used than heretofore practical. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An improved trochoidal rotary device of the type comprising a first working member having a shaped peripheral profile surface derived from a conventional geometrically exact trochoidal curve formed from a predetermined base circle, generating circle, and generating arm length and a second working member having a shaped peripheral profile surface in the form of a conventional envelope curve derived from said conventional trochoidal curve, said second working member profile having a plurality of apices at which are correspondingly mounted radially outward extending apex seals, said apex seals each having a sealing face profile for sealably engaging said profile surface of said first working member and being offset a predetermined distance from said envelope curve, said apex seals defining working chamber spaces between said first and second working members, wherein the improvement comprises: said first working member profile surface is that of a modified trochoidal curve formed from said predetermined base circle and generating circle and a modified generating arm length comprising said predetermined generating arm length with a tracing disk centered on the tip thereof, said tracing disk having a radius equal to said predetermined distance, such that said first working member profile surface is radially recessed by said predetermined distance everywhere about the periphery thereof relative to said conventional trochoidal curve, and said second working member profile surface is that of a modified envelope curve derived from said modified trochoidal curve traced by said tracing disk such that said second working member profile surface is radially enlarged by said predetermined distance everywhere about the periphery thereof relative to said conventional envelope curve. ### Claim 2 (depends on 31) The improvement of claim 31, wherein arc length for each of said sealing face profiles is in excess of 30.degree.. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, wherein said trochoidal device is an inner envelope type, said first working member being a housing with said first working member profile surface defining a trochoidal cavity, and said second working member being a rotor means mounted for movement in said cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The improvement of claim 3, wherein the trochoidal curve is an epitrochoidal curve. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The improvement of claim 3, wherein said face profiles are of a semi-circular shape having a center of curvature inward of said second working member from said apices. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The improvement of claim 3, wherein said rotor is formed with three peripheral faces and said peripheral wall surface is formed with two opposed lobe portions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The improvement of claim 3, further comprising a shaft mounted in said housing about a first axis with which said trochoidal cavity is symmetrical, an eccentric mounted on said shaft and having a second axis parallel to said first axis, said rotor means being mounted on said eccentric, and said housing having fluid intake and exhaust passage means for conducting pressurized fluid through said working chambers causing said rotor to drive said shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, wherein said trochoidal device is an outer envelope type, said second working member being a housing with said second working member profile surface defining a cavity, and said first working member being a rotor means mounted for movement in said cavity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The improvement of claim 8, wherein said housing is formed with four concave-shaped peripheral faces and the profile surface of said rotor means is formed with three convex-extending lobe portions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, wherein said peripheral profile surface of said second working member is shaved very slightly adjacent side surfaces of said apex seals forming arc relief portions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The improvement of claim 10, wherein said arc reliefs are each of a depth being substantially non-existent at a central area between adjacent apices and gradually becoming greater toward corresponding apex seal side surfaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The improvement of claim 11, wherein the maximum depth of each said arc relief portion is less than 5 hundredths of an inch. ### Claim 13 A method of manufacturing an inner envelope trochoidal rotary device comprising a first working member having a trochoidal curve shaped peripheral profile surface and a second working member having an envelope curve shaped peripheral profile surface derived from the trochoidal curve, said second member envelope profile having a plurality of apices at which are mounted corresponding apex seal means, said apex seal means each having a sealing face profile for sealably engaging said profile surface of said first working member, said apex seal means defining working chamber spaces between said profile surfaces of said first and second working members, wherein said method comprises: selecting a generating circle, a base circle, and a drawing arm length having a tracing tip for generating an ideal trochoid profile, determining a common distance for each said apex seal means by which said apex seal means is radially offset from an ideal inner envelope profile derived from said ideal trochoid profile, replacing said tracing tip with a tracing disc having its center of curvature at said tracing tip and a radius equal to said common distance, generating a trochoidal swath profile, having radially spaced concentric inner and outer outlines, with said tracing disk, said drawing arm, and said base and generating circles, forming said first working member profile surface from said outer outline and said second working member profile surface from an inner envelope curve derived from said outer outline, such that said first working member profile surface is radially recessed by said common distance everywhere about the periphery thereof relative to said ideal trochoid curve and said second working member profile surface is radially enlarged by said common distance everywhere about the periphery thereof relative to said ideal inner envelope profile, and providing a groove along each apex on said second working member to correspondingly receive respectively said apex seal means therein such that said sealing face profiles are substantially continuous with said second working member profile surface at said respective apices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said ideal trochoid profile is an epitrochoid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said sealing face profiles for apex seal means are each of a common semi-circular arc shape and said common distance is equal to the radius of said semi-circular arc. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising providing each said sealing face profile with an arc length of greater than 30.degree.. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising shaving said second working member profile surface very slightly adjacent side surfaces of said respective apex seal means to form arc relief portions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising gradually increasing the depth of each said arc relief portion from being substantially non-existent at a central area between corresponding adjacent apices to becoming a maximum at corresponding said apex seal side surfaces. ### Claim 19 A method of manufacturing outer envelope trochoidal rotary device each comprising a first working member having a trochoidal curve shaped peripheral profile surface and a second working member having an envelope curve shaped peripheral profile surface derived from the trochoidal curve, said second member envelope profile having a plurality of apices at which are mounted corresponding apex seal means, said apex seal means each having a sealing face profile for sealably engaging said profile surface of said first working member, said apex seal means defining working chamber spaces between said profile surfaces of said first and second working members, wherein said method comprises: selecting a generating circle, a base circle, and a drawing arm length having a tracing tip for generating an ideal trochoid profile, determining a common distance for each said apex seal means by which said apex seal means is radially offset from an ideal outer envelope profile derived from said ideal trochoid profile, replacing said tracing tip with a tracing disk having its center of curvature at said tracing tip and a radius equal to said common distance, generating a trochoidal swath profile, having radially spaced concentric inner and outer outlines, with said tracing disk, said drawing arm, and said base and generating circles, forming said first working member profile surface from said inner outline and said second working member profile surface from an outer envelope curve derived from said inner outline, such that said first working member profile surface is radially recessed by said common distance everywhere about the periphery thereof relative to said ideal trochoid curve and said second working member profile surface is radially enlarged by said common distance everywhere about the periphery thereof relative to said ideal outer envelope profile, and providing a groove along each apex on said second working member to correspondingly receive respectively said apex seal means therein such that said sealing face profiles are substantially continuous with said second working member profile surface at said respecive apices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein said ideal trochoid profile is an epitrochoid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein said sealing face profiles for apex seal means are each of a common semi-circular arc shape and said common distance is equal to the radius of said semi-circular arc. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising providing each said sealing face profile with an arc length of greater than 30.degree.. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising shaving said second working member profile surfaces very slightly adjacent side surfaces of said respective apex seal means to form arc relief portions. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising gradually increasing the depth of each said arc relief portion from being substantially non-existent at a central area between corresponding adjacent apices to becoming a maximum at corresponding said apex seal side surfaces.