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US 8,821,138 B2Granted
Gerotor apparatus for a quasi-isothermal Brayton cycle engine
AssigneeThe Texas A&M University System
InventorsMark T. Holtzapple, George A. Rabroker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, a gerotor apparatus includes an outer gerotor having an outer gerotor chamber, an inner gerotor, at least a portion of which is disposed within the outer gerotor chamber, and a synchronizing apparatus operable to control the rotation of the inner gerotor relative to the outer gerotor. The inner gerotor includes one or more entrance passages operable to communicate a lubricant into the outer gerotor chamber.
Claims20
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- and
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- wherein:
- at least one of the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor is configured to rotate with respect to the other,
- at least one of the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor has first and second layers,
- the first layer is a ceramic, and
- the second layer is a non-ceramic;
- wherein a combination of the housing, the outer gerotor, and the inner gerotor is configured for at least a compression or an expansion of fluid;
- wherein at least one of the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor further comprises protrusions or knobs coupling the first layer to the second layer;
- and
- wherein the protrusions or knobs either extend from the first ceramic layer into the second non-ceramic layer or extend from a common point in one of the layers radially outward into the other of the layers.
10 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- and
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- wherein:
- at least one of the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor is configured to rotate with respect to the other when viewed from a cross section of the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor,
- at least one of the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor has two layers, and
- at least one of the two layers is segmented into a plurality of segments when viewed from the cross section.
5 more elements
A gerotor apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- an outer gerotor disposed within the housing;
- and
- an inner gerotor disposed within the outer gerotor;
- wherein:
- at least one of the inner gerotor and the outer gerotor has two layers,
- at least one of the two layers is segmented into a plurality of segments, and
- each of the plurality of segments in a segmented layer of the two layers is coupled to the other of the two layers by at least one of a knob or a protrusion.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.