Radial vane rotary device and method of vane actuation

A four-cycle rotary internal combustion engine comprising:

• an external stator portion defining an internal volume having an oval-shaped transverse cross-section, the external stator portion comprising a pair of circumferentially split portions mating along a medial transverse plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation to form front and back external stator portions;
• the front external stator portion comprising a central throughhole for receiving the end shaft, each front and back external stator portion comprising a respective mirror image cam groove formed in the mating plane so as to define a cam track encircling the internal volume when the two circumferentially split portions are mated together;
• and
• an internal stator portion comprising an axial cylindrical protrusion inwardly projecting from the back external stator portion and concentrically aligned with the internal volume, the internal stator comprising at least one inlet passageway communicating with at least one peripheral port;
• a rotor assembly portion comprising a block comprising a central cylindrical bore for receiving the internal stator portion, the block rotatable within a rotor chamber portion of the internal volume lying between the internal stator portion and the external stator portion, the block comprising a selected number, greater than one, of radial compartments equally spaced apart about the axis of the device, each of the compartments open to a peripheral surface of the block, each of the compartments having a respective inner opening for intermittently communicating with the at least one axially aligned radial port in the peripheral wall of the internal stator portion as the rotor assembly rotates, the rotor assembly further comprising the selected number of radially extending vane slots disposed within the block in alternating relation with the radial compartments;
• and
• a selected number of vane assembles, each comprising a respective vane body portion slidably received in a respective rotor slot and a respective outer cam follower portion medially fixed to the inner portion by means of a respective stub extending radially outward from the respective inner flat portion, the respective cam follower slidably received in the cam track;
• and
• an end shaft protruding outwardly from one end of the rotor block through the central hole in the front external stator portion.

A rotary power device operable as one of a pump and an expander, the power device comprising:

• an external stator portion defining an internal volume having an oval-shaped transverse cross-section, the external stator portion comprising a pair of circumferentially split portions mating along a medial transverse plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation so as to form front and back external stator portions;
• the front external stator portion comprising a central throughhole for receiving the end shaft, each of the front and back external stator portion comprising a respective mirror image cam groove abutting the medial transverse plane so as to form a cam track encircling the internal volume when the pair of circumferentially split portions are mated together;
• and
• an internal stator portion comprising an axial cylindrical protrusion inwardly projecting from the back external stator portion and concentrically aligned with the internal volume, the internal stator comprising at least one inlet passageway communicating with at least one pair of diagonal opposed peripheral ports;
• and
• a rotor assembly portion comprising a block comprising a central cylindrical bore for receiving the internal stator portion, the block rotatable within a rotor chamber portion of the internal volume lying between the internal stator portion and the external stator portion, the block comprising a selected number, greater than one, of radial compartments equally spaced apart about the axis of the device, each of the compartments open to a peripheral surface of the block, each of the compartments having a respective inner opening communicating with the at least one axially aligned radial port in the peripheral wall of the internal stator portion during the course of each rotation of the rotor assembly, the rotor assembly further comprising the selected number of radially extending vane slots disposed within the block in alternating relation with the radial compartments;
• and
• the selected number of vane assembles comprising respective inner flat portions slidably received in respective rotor slots and respective outer cam follower portions medially fixed to the respective inner portion by means of respective stub portions extending radially outward from the respective inner portions, each of the cam follower portions slidably received in the cam track;
• and
• an end shaft protruding outwardly from one end of the rotor block through the central hole in the front external stator portion.

A fluid-driven device operable as one of a pump and a compressor, the fluid-driven device comprising a rotor assembly rotatably mounted within an annular chamber defined by the substantially oval inner wall of an external stator portion and a circular peripheral wall of a central internal stator portion fixed to the external stator portion;

• the external stator portion comprising a pair of circumferentially-split portions mating along a transverse plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation, each of the mating portions comprising a respective cam groove portion configured so as to define a medial cam track surrounding the annular chamber when the two circumferentially split portions are mated together;
• and
• a rotor assembly portion comprising a block comprising a central cylindrical bore for receiving the internal stator portion, the block comprising a selected number, greater than one, of radial compartments equally spaced apart about the axis of rotation, each of the compartments open to a peripheral surface of the block, each of the compartments having a respective inner opening for intermittently communicating with the at least one axially aligned radial port in the peripheral wall of the internal stator portion as the rotor assembly rotates, the rotor assembly further comprising the selected number of radially extending vane slots disposed within the block in alternating relation with the radial compartments;
• and
• the selected number of vane assembles, each of the vane assemblies comprising a respective inner flat portion slidably received in a respective rotor slot and a respective outer cam follower portion medially attached to the respective inner portion by means of a respective stub portion extending radially outward from the respective inner portion, each of the cam follower portions received in the cam track;
• and
• wherein the internal stator portion comprises a first fluid inlet passageway connected to a first inlet port intermittently communicating with each radial compartment in the course of each rotation of the block;
• and a second fluid inlet passageway connected to a second inlet port intermittently communicating with each radial compartment in the course of each rotation of the block;
• and
• wherein the external stator portion further comprises a first fluid discharge passageway connected to the first fluid discharge port intermittently communicating with each radial compartment in the course of each rotation of the block;
• and a second fluid discharge passageway connected to the second fluid discharge port intermittently communicating with each radial compartment in the course of each rotation of the block.

A two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising a rotor assembly rotatably mounted within an annular chamber defined by a substantially oval-shaped inner peripheral wall of an external stator portion and a circular peripheral wall of a central internal stator portion;

• the external stator portion comprising a pair of circumferentially split portions mating along a transverse plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, each of the circumferentially-split stator portions comprising a mirror image cam groove portion abutting the transverse plane and extending around the internal volume so as to define a cam track when the two circumferentially split portions are mated together;
• and
• a rotor assembly portion comprising a block comprising a central cylindrical bore for receiving the internal stator portion, the block comprising a selected number, greater than one, of radial compartments equally spaced apart about the axis of the device, each of the compartments open to a peripheral surface of the block, each of the compartments having a respective inner opening for intermittently communicating with the at least one axially radial port in the peripheral wall of the internal stator portion as the rotor assembly rotates, the rotor assembly further comprising the selected number of radially extending vane slots disposed within the block in alternating relation with the radial compartments;
• and
• the selected number of vane assembles, each of the vane assemblies comprising a respective inner flat portion slidably received in a respective rotor slot and a respective outer cam follower portion medially attached to the respective inner portion by means of a respective stub portion extending radially outward from the respective inner portion, each of the cam follower portions slidably received in the cam track;
• and
• wherein the external stator portion further comprises at least two diagonal exhaust passageway connected to at least one discharge port, each passageway communicating with each radial compartment in the course of each rotation of the block;
• and at least a pair of diagonal ignition ports, each of the ports comprising a respective ignition means, each ignition means sequentially communicating with each radial compartment during each rotation of the block.