Axial vane rotary device and sealing system therefor

An axial vane rotary device (14) of the type including a stator (16) with a cylindrical internal chamber(34) defined by an annular outer wall(40) and two side walls (36, 38) of the stator, each said side wall having an annular cam surface (42, 44);

• a rotor (54) rotatably mounted within the chamber, the rotor having an annular outer wall (66) extending therethrough;
• a vane (68) slidably received in each said slot, each said vane having an outer edge (74) an inner edge (106) and side edges (70, 72), the side edges slidably engaging the cam surfaces;
• and means (42, 44) for reciprocating the vanes axially and alternatively expanding and compressing spaces between adjacent said vanes and the cam surfaces as the rotor rotates, said means including alternating first portions (92) and second portions (90) on the cam surfaces, the second portions being further from the rotor than the first portions, the first portions of one said cam surface being aligned with the second portions of another said cam surface, the device being characterized by each of the vanes having resiliently biased first seals (110, 112) extending along the inner edge (106) and second seals (134) along side edges (70, 72) thereof, each of the vanes having a groove (104, 132) extending along the inner edge and side edges thereof, the seals being slidably received in the grooves, the second seals (134) having radially inner ends (144) which are acutely angled with respect to the side edges (70, 72) of the vanes and the first seals having axially outer ends (120, 122) which are acutely angled with respect to the side edges of the vanes and which abut the inner ends of the second seals.

An axial vane rotary device (14) of the type including a stator (16) with a cylindrical internal chamber (34) defined by an annular outer wall (40) and two side walls (36, 38) of the stator, each said side wall having an annular cam surface (42, 44);

• a rotor (54) rotatably mounted within the chamber, the rotor having an annular outer wall (66) and a plurality of angularly spaced-apart, axial slots (64) extending therethrough;
• a vane (68) slidably received in each said slot, each said vane having an outer edge (74), an inner edge (106) and side edges (70, 72) the side edges slidably engaging the cam surfaces;
• and means (42, 44) for reciprocating the vanes axially and alternatively expanding and compressing spaces between adjacent said vanes and the cam surfaces as the rotor rotates, said means including alternating first portions (92) and second portions (90) on the cam surfaces, the second portions being further from the rotor than the second portions, the first portions of one said cam surface being aligned with the second portions of another said cam surface, the device being characterized by each of the vanes having resiliently biased first seals (110, 112) extending along the inner edge (106) and second seals (134) along side edges (70, 72) thereof, the rotor having a pocket (148) formed adjacent the cam surface at each said slot (64) and located radially inwards from each said vane, the pockets having seals (146) therein which slidably contact the cam surfaces and the inner edges of the vanes.