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US 6,629,488 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for controlling axial device
AssigneeWhiteMoss, Inc.
InventorRodney D Hugelman
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AssigneeWhiteMoss, Inc.
InventorRodney D Hugelman
Estimating the term…
A control system, method and apparatus are provided in which a wobble plate assembly is adjustably mounted on a piston and cylinder stroke control assembly. The wobble plate assembly is adjustable through various positions relative to the base, thus providing an adjustable tilt angle to the wobble plate assembly and different strokes for the pumping pistons. In another embodiment the wobble plate assembly is affixed to a clearance volume control assembly, thus providing for simultaneous, independent adjustment of piston stroke and clearance volume of the axial device.
Apparatus for controlling an axial device having a drive shaft with an axis of rotation and a plurality of pistons parallel to and surrounding an extension of said shaft of rotation beyond said drive shaft, comprising:
Apparatus for controlling an axial device having a drive shaft with an axis of rotation and a plurality of pistons parallel to and surrounding an extension of said shaft of rotation beyond said drive shaft, comprising:
A method of controlling an axial device having a drive shaft with an axis of rotation and a plurality of pistons parallel to and surrounding an extension of said axis of rotation beyond said drive shaft, comprising:
Apparatus for controlling an axial device having a drive shaft with an axis of rotation and a plurality of pistons parallel to and surrounding an extension of said shaft of rotation beyond said drive shaft, comprising:
A method of controlling an axial device having a drive shaft with an axis of rotation and a plurality of pistons parallel to and surrounding an extension of said axis of rotation beyond said drive shaft, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with rotating cylinders in order to obtain the reciprocating-piston motion: with more than one cylinder
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis: with wobble-plate
For machines with rotary cylinder block: by changing the inclination of the swash plate
Cam and follower drive: axial-type cam [e.g., wabbler type]
Term ended 6 Jun 2021 (estimated)
Fluid pumps, whether for liquids or gases, may be of the axial type, wherein a plurality of cylinders and pumping pistons are aligned parallel to and disposed around a central axis. The pumping pistons are actuated successively and with their strokes overlapping in time to provide continuous pumping of the working fluid.
One method and means of controlling piston actuation is to provide a wobble plate or swash plate, which is tilted relative to the pump axis. The plate engages the pumping piston and cylinder assemblies so as to actuate each one successively as rotation, of the wobble plate on one hand or the piston and cylinder assembly on the other hand, takes place.
Typical adjustable wobble plate designs for axial pumps generally make use of a tilt platform with a pin-ended bearing support along the tilt axis. An external mechanism is then used to rotate the pin-ended platform. This configuration requires the tilt platform and pin-ended bearing structures to support the full pump thrust loads. Structural rigidity and dynamic performance are compromised with an accompanying increase in pump vibration, noise, and small stroke dynamic stability. An unnecessarily large pump envelope is required to accommodate this approach adding to pump cost and size while further exacerbating rigidity and noise problems.
FIG. 1 is a cross section of a conventional axial pump retrofitted using a stroke control assembly and a double wedge tilt platform of the present invention at maximum stroke.
FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional rendering of a stroke control assembly and a spherical ball tilt platform of the present invention at maximum stroke.
FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional rendering of the stroke control assembly and spherical ball tilt platform of FIG. 2 at zero stroke.
In order to assist in a fuller understanding of the above and other aspects of the present invention, the embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings as a variable axial piston machine. The description will, for the most part, describe the machine as a pump or compressor. However, those skilled in the art will readily perceive the utility of the machine as a motor where power input and output are interchanged.
It is an object of the invention to provide a control system, method and apparatus for axial devices having a drive shaft with an axis of rotation and a plurality of pistons parallel to and surrounding an extension of said shaft of rotation beyond said drive shaft, comprising a base member encompassing said axis of rotation, and a control piston adjustably fitted within said base member, said control piston being in driving contact with a means for adjustably tilting a flat surface, said flat surface being in driving relationship to said plurality of pistons, whereby adjustment of said control piston relative to said base member adjusts the angle formed by said flat surface to control movement of said plurality of pistons.
Double Wedge Wobble Plate