Fluid displacement apparatus and method

An apparatus for fluid displacement comprising:

• a housing having an interior space;
• a revolving structure positionable in said interior space for a circuitous, revolving movement;
• a plurality of articulated displacement members positionable in said interior space and defining in said interior space a plurality of displacement zones, each said displacement zone having a flow opening through which said fluid alternately both enters and exits said displacement zone in a bi-directional flow cycle,
• wherein each of said articulated displacement members has a proximal end portion pivotably mountable on said revolving structure and a distal end portion pivotably securable in said housing at a substantially fixed position,
• wherein each of said displacement zones has a maximum volume and a minimum volume and said articulated displacement members are operable for cycling said displacement zones to and from said maximum and minimum volumes;
• a plurality of piston chambers;
• and,
• a plurality of pistons, each of said piston chambers having one of said pistons reciprocatably positionable therein and wherein each of said pistons divides said chamber into two parts and each of said displacement zones is in fluid communication with one said part of a separate one of said piston chambers.

An apparatus for fluid displacement comprising:

• a housing having an interior space;
• a revolving structure positionable in said interior space for a circuitous, revolving movement;
• and
• a plurality of articulated displacement members positionable in said interior space and defining in said interior space a plurality of displacement zones, each said displacement zone having a flow opening through which said fluid alternately both enters and exits said displacement zone in a bi-directional flow cycle,
• wherein each of said articulated displacement members has a proximal end portion pivotably mountable on said revolving structure and a distal end portion pivotably securable in said housing at a substantially fixed position,
• wherein each of said displacement zones has a maximum volume and a minimum volume and said articulated displacement members are operable for cycling said displacement zones to and from said maximum and minimum volumes, and,
• wherein each of said displacement zones is a closed fluid system, and each of said displacement zones is hydraulically isolated from each other displacement zone,
• a proximal pivot point of said articulated displacement members, said proximal pivot point having a center;
• and,
• a first mounting post secured to said housing, said first mounting post being for the mounting of a corresponding distal end portion of a first articulated displacement member thereon,
• said first mounting post having a center;
• a second mounting post secured to said housing, said second mounting post being for the mounting of a corresponding distal end portion of a second articulated displacement member thereon,
• said second mounting post having a center,
• said second mounting post being adjacent to said first mounting post;
• wherein each of said proximal end portions has a fixed length and each of said distal end portions has a fixed length;
• wherein said revolving structure has a center;
• wherein said lengths of said proximal and distal end portions are selected to produce at least one particular displacement zone having a cross sectional area and a predetermined duty cycle determined according to the following equation:
• A=A.sub.1 +A.sub.2 -A.sub.3
• where, A is said cross sectional area of said particular displacement zone, A.sub.1 is a first triangular area, A.sub.2 is a second triangular area, and A.sub.3 is a third triangular area;
• where A.sub.1 has three sides of length D.sub.1, D.sub.2, and D.sub.3, respectively and where said A.sub.1 side of length D.sub.1 and said side of length D.sub.2 intersect at said center of said proximal pivot point;
• where A.sub.2 has three sides of length L.sub.1, L.sub.2, and D.sub.2, respectively, and wherein said A.sub.2 side of length D.sub.2 is a common side with said A.sub.1 side of length D.sub.2 ;
• where A.sub.3 has three sides of length L.sub.3, L.sub.4, and D.sub.1, respectively, and wherein said A.sub.3 side of length D.sub.1 is a common side with said A.sub.1 side of length D.sub.1 ;
• where said length of said proximal end portion is L.sub.3 ;
• where said length of said distal end portion is L.sub.4 ;
• where, D.sub.1 is a distance from said center of said proximal pivot point to said center of said first post;
• where D.sub.2 is a distance from said center of said proximal pivot point to said center of said second post;
• where D.sub.3 is a distance from said center of said first mounting post to said center of said second mounting post;
• where, ##EQU4## where, S.sub.1, S.sub.2, and S.sub.3, are one-half of a perimeter of said first, second, and third triangular areas respectively,
• S.sub.1 =(D.sub.1 +D.sub.2 +D.sub.3)/2,
• S.sub.2 =(L.sub.1 +L.sub.2 +D.sub.2)/2,
• S.sub.3 =(L.sub.3 +L.sub.4 +D.sub.1)/2;
• where,
• Y.sub.CA =SIN ((180-PA)/2).multidot.R.sub.C ;
• where R.sub.c is a distance between said revolving structure center and said center of said first mounting post;
• and,
• where PA is an angle between said center of said first post and said center of said second post as measured from said center of said revolving structure.