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US 6,886,528 B2Granted
Rotary machine
OwnerRichard G. Jamesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
At least two rotors are mounted in a chamber and rotate synchronously to compress and/or transport fluid. The chamber has the shape of partially overlapping circles with each circle intersecting the center of the adjacent circle. The rotors are non-eccentric and have curved sides with the same radius as the circles. In exemplary embodiments, the rotors are trochoidal and the chamber is epitrochoidal. Also provided are compressors, pumps, actuators, and engines incorporating the rotary machine.
Claims34
A rotary device, comprising:
- a housing defining at least one chamber having an epitrochoidal shape defined by two or more partially overlapping circles, wherein each one of the partially overlapping circles intersects a center of an adjacent one of the circles, one or more inlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber, and one or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber;
- two or more rotors that cooperate to temporarily define one or more compression sub-chambers and one or more suction sub-chambers as the rotors rotate synchronously within the chamber;
- and
- a linkage for synchronously rotating the rotors,
- wherein each one of the rotors has a curved outer side having the same radius, each one of the rotors rotates about a corresponding axis, and the distance between the axes is substantially the same as the radius of the outer sides of the rotors, which in turn is substantially the same as the radius of the circles defining the chamber.
2 more elements
A rotary device, comprising:
- a housing defining at least one chamber having an epitrochoidal shape defined by two or more partially overlapping circles with each one of the partially overlapping circles having the same radius, one or more inlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber, and one or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber;
- two or more rotors that cooperate to temporarily define one or more compression sub-chambers and one or more suction sub-chambers as the rotors rotate synchronously within the chamber;
- and
- a linkage for synchronously rotating the rotors,
- wherein at least one of the outlet ports is positioned in a compression corner of a non-overlapping part of one of the circles defining the chamber, the corner defined by a side wall of the housing, an arc of an overlapping part of an adjacent one of the circles, and a leading side of a trailing one of the rotors as the leading side defines one of the compression sub-chambers.
2 more elements
A rotary device, comprising:
- a housing defining at least one chamber having a shape defined by two or more partially overlapping circles, two or more inlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber, and two or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the inlet ports are connected together in fluid communication and the outlet ports are connected together in fluid communication;
- two or more rotors that cooperate to temporarily define one or more compression sub-chambers and one or more suction sub-chambers as the rotors rotate synchronously within the chamber;
- and
- a linkage for synchronously rotating the rotors,
- wherein at least one of the outlet ports is positioned in a compression corner of a non-overlapping part of one of the circles defining the chamber, the corner defined by a side wall of the housing, an arc of an overlapping part of an adjacent one of the circles, and a leading side of a trailing one of the rotors as the leading side defines one of the compression sub-chambers.
2 more elements
A rotary device, comprising:
- a housing defining at least one chamber having an epitrochoidal shape defined by two or more partially overlapping circles, wherein each one of the partially overlapping circles intersects a center of an adjacent one of the circles, one or more inlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber, and one or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber;
- two or more rotors that cooperate to temporarily define one or more compression sub-chambers and one or more suction sub-chambers as the rotors rotate synchronously within the chamber;
- and
- a linkage for synchronously rotating the rotors,
- wherein at least one of the outlet ports is positioned in a compression corner of a non-overlapping part of one of the circles defining the chamber, the corner defined by a side wall of the housing, an arc of an overlapping part of an adjacent one of the circles, and a leading side of a trailing one of the rotors as the leading side defines one of the compression sub-chambers.
2 more elements
A rotary device, comprising:
- a housing defining at least one chamber having a shape defined by two or more partially overlapping circles, one or more inlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber, and one or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber;
- two or more rotors that cooperate to temporarily define one or more compression sub-chambers and one or more suction sub-chambers as the rotors rotate synchronously within the chamber;
- and
- a linkage for synchronously rotating the rotors,
- wherein each of the rotors has at least one seal comprising a plunger that moves between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the corresponding rotor, the plunger having a head for sealing and a foot, wherein the rotor has a retaining channel defined therein that receives and is oversized relative to the foot, one or more outer apertures defined therein from a radially outer part of the retaining channel through a side of the rotor, and one or more inner apertures defined therein from a radially inner part of the retaining channel through another side of the rotor, wherein the plunger seal is moved to and held in the extended position in response to a greater pressure at the inner apertures than the outer apertures.
2 more elements
A rotary device, comprising:
- a housing defining at least one chamber having a shape defined by two or more partially overlapping circles, one or more inlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber, and one or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber;
- two or more rotors that cooperate to temporarily define one or more compression sub-chambers and one or more suction sub-chambers as the rotors rotate synchronously within the chamber;
- and
- a linkage for synchronously rotating the rotors,
- wherein at least one of the outlet ports is positioned in a compression corner of a non-overlapping part of one of the circles defining the chamber, the corner defined by a side wall of the housing, an arc of an overlapping part of an adjacent one of the circles, and a leading side of a trailing one of the rotors as the leading side defines one of the compression sub-chambers, and
- wherein at least one of the inlet ports is positioned in a suction corner of a non-overlapping part of one of the circles defining the chamber, the corner defined by a side wall of the housing, an arc of an overlapping part of an adjacent one of the circles, and a trailing side of a leading one of the rotors as the trailing side defines one of the suction sub-chambers.
3 more elements
A rotary device, comprising:
- a housing having a side wall defining at least one chamber with an epitrochoidal shape defined by two partially overlapping circles, wherein each one of the circles intersects a center of an adjacent one of the circles and both of the circles have the same radius;
- one or more inlet ports and one or more outlet ports defined in the housing in fluid communication with the chamber;
- two non-eccentric rotors each having a trochoidal shape with curved outer, leading, and trailing sides all having the same radius as the circles defining the chamber,
- the rotors cooperating to temporarily define two compression sub-chambers and two suction sub-chambers as the rotors rotate synchronously within the chamber through a 360-degree rotary cycle, wherein the compression sub-chambers are formed by the outer side of a leading one of the rotors, the leading side of a trailing one of the rotors, and the chamber side wall, wherein the suction sub-chambers are formed by the trailing side of a leading one of the rotors, the outer side of a trailing one of the rotors, and the chamber side wall, wherein the compression sub-chambers and the suction sub-chambers are not formed by the rotors when the rotors turn through non-overlapping parts of the circles in two neutral phases, and wherein each one of the rotors rotates about a corresponding axis, and the distance between the axes is substantially the same as the radius of the outer sides of the rotors, which in turn is substantially the same as the radius of the circles defining the chamber;
- and
- a linkage for synchronously rotating the rotors.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.