Pivoting vane rotary compressor

A rotary compressor comprising:

• a housing having a generally cylindrical chamber;
• a rotor mounted eccentrically within said chamber to define about said rotor a main chamber region, which narrows to a constricted chamber region, said rotor having a circumferential surface;
• an intake port formed in the housing for introducing air into the main chamber region;
• an exhaust port formed in said housing for discharging air from said constricted chamber region;
• at least one adjoining pair of curved vanes pivotably attached to said rotor and extending in generally opposite arcuate directions from said rotor into said chamber;
• and
• means for rotatably driving said rotor in a single direction such that said adjoining pivot vanes are urged against the walls of said chamber to define a compartment that transmits the air from said main chamber region to said constricted chamber region, whereby said air is compressed and discharged through said exhaust port;
• said circumferential surface of said rotor and each said vane having substantially conforming curvatures such that each said vane is driven into substantially flush interengagement with said circumferential surface when said vane is driven by said rotor into said constricted chamber region, said rotor including recess means formed in said circumferential surface of said motor for receiving said vanes as said rotor drives said vanes through said constricted chamber such that the size of the compartment is substantially decreased and air compression in the compartment is substantially increased, each vane including an enlarged distal portion and said recess means including a plurality of longitudinal recesses, each receiving said enlarged distal portion of at least one vane when said vane is driven through said constricted region.