Helicotoroidal vane rotary engine

A helicotoroidal vane rotary engine comprising:

• a toroidal-shaped stator disposed around a central axis, the stator having a plurality of radially and axially extending, annularly-spaced thin slits defining a plurality of stator segments;
• a rotor disposed for rotation about the central axis, the rotor defining an annular cavity enclosing the stator and having a plurality of helicotoroidal troughs formed on the inner surface of the cavity;
• at least one means extending from the stator through at least one opening in the rotor for fixedly supporting and securing the stator;
• a planar vane wheel disposed in each thin slit for rotation about the wheel axis, each vane wheel having a plurality of annularly-spaced vanes radially extending into respective helicotoroidal troughs on the inner surface of the rotor cavity such that rotation of the rotor about the central axis imparts rotation to the vane wheels about their respective wheel axes, the vanes helicotoroidal troughs, and stator cooperating to define at least one each of intake, compression, combustion, expansion and exhaust chambers occurring in a constant mass process as the rotor and vane wheels rotate about their respective axes;
• intake and exhaust ports disposed to selectively communicate with the chambers;
• and
• a fuel system disposed to selectively communicate with the chambers.

A helicotoroidal vane rotary engine comprising:

• a toroidal-shaped stator disposed around a central axis, the stator having a plurality of radially and axially extending, annularly-spaced thin slits defining a plurality of stator segment;
• a rotor disposed for rotation about the central axis, the rotor defining an annular cavity enclosing the stator and having a plurality of helicotoroidal troughs formed on the inner surface of the cavity;
• at least one means extending from the stator through at least one opening in the rotor for fixedly supporting and securing the stator;
• a planar vane wheel disposed in each thin slit for rotation about the wheel axis, each vane wheel having a plurality of annularly-spaced vanes radially extending into respective helicotoroidal troughs on the inner surface of the rotor cavity such that rotation of the rotor about the central axis imparts rotation to the vane wheels about their respective wheel axes, the vanes, helicotoroidal troughs, and stator cooperating to define at least one each of intake, compression, combustion, expansion and exhaust chambers as the rotor and vane wheels rotate about their respective axes;
• intake and exhaust ports disposed to selectively communicate with the chambers;
• a fuel system disposed to selectively communicate with the chambers;
• and
• at least one means for ducting air from an outer surface of one or more of said stator segments to a central opening in the stator segment, wherein the air communicates with the vane wheel such that the vane wheel is displaced from the stator segment, the air being of sufficient pressure to counter a thrust force on the vane wheel resulting from rotation of the rotor and the vane wheel.

A helicotoroidal vane rotary engine comprising:

• a toroidal-shaped rotor disposed for rotation about a central axis, the rotor having a plurality of radially and axially extending, annularly-spaced thin slits;
• a stator disposed around the central axis, the stator defining an annular cavity enclosing the rotor and having a plurality of helicotoroidal troughs formed on the inner surface of the cavity;
• at least one power transferring means extending from the rotor through at least one opening in the stator;
• a planar vane wheel disposed in each thin slit for rotation about the wheel axis, each vane wheel having a plurality of annularly-spaced vanes radially extending into respective helicotoroidal troughs on the inner surface of the stator cavity such that rotation of the rotor about the central axis imparts rotation to the vane wheels about their respective wheel axes, the vanes, helicotoroidal troughs, and rotor cooperating to define a plurality of sequential intake, compression, combustion, expansion and exhaust chambers as the rotor and vane wheels rotate about their respective axes;
• intake and exhaust ports disposed to selectively communicate with the chambers;
• and
• a fuel system disposed to selectively communicate with the chambers.

A rotary machine comprising:

• a toroidal-shaped stator disposed around a central axis, the stator having a plurality of radially and axially extending, annularly-spaced thin slits;
• a rotor disposed for rotation about the central axis, the rotor defining an annular cavity enclosing the stator and having a plurality of helicotoroidal troughs formed on the inner surface of the cavity;
• at least one means extending from the stator through at least one opening in the rotor for fixedly supporting and securing the stator;
• a planar vane wheel disposed in each thin slit for rotation about the wheel axis, each vane wheel having a plurality of annularly-spaced vanes radially extending into respective helicotoroidal troughs on the inner surface of the rotor cavity such that rotation of the rotor about the central axis imparts rotation to the vane wheels about their respective wheel axes, the vanes, helicotoroidal troughs, and stator cooperating to define a plurality of sequential variable volume chambers as the rotor and vane wheels rotate about their respective axes;
• ports disposed to selectively communicate with the chambers;
• and
• at least one means for ducting air from an outer surface of one or more of said stator segments to a central opening in the stator segment, wherein the air communicates with the vane wheel such that the vane wheel is displaced from the stator segment, the air being of sufficient pressure to counter a thrust force on the vane wheel resulting from rotation of the rotor and the vane wheel.