Power delivery devices for reciprocating engines and related systems and methods

A drive mechanism for generating a rotational output from a reciprocating input of a piston assembly of a reciprocating engine, the drive mechanism comprising:

• an axially translating y-axis component configured to reciprocate along a y-axis with the reciprocating input of the piston assembly relative to a base to which the y-axis component is attached;
• an x-axis component slidingly coupled to and translating with the y-axis component along the y-axis, the x-axis component being:
• i) configured to reciprocate substantially perpendicularly to the y-axis relative to the y-axis component, ii) comprising an internal ring gear, and iii) comprising an orbital engagement component disposed substantially concentric with the internal ring gear;
• an output shaft assembly rotatingly coupled to the base and having an output gear that interfaces with the internal ring gear;
• and
• a stationary engagement component substantially concentrically disposed relative to the output shaft assembly, the stationary engagement component interfacing with the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component, the interfacing between the stationary engagement component and the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component maintaining tangential engagement between the internal ring gear and the output gear as the internal ring gear orbits about and drives the output gear.

A method of converting an axial force from a reciprocating input of a reciprocating element to a torque applied to a shaft assembly and/or converting an input torque from shaft assembly to an axial force applied to the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating element, the method comprising:

• applying an axial force to move an axially translating y-axis component configured to reciprocate along a y-axis with the reciprocating motion of a piston assembly relative to a base to which the y-axis component is slidingly attached;
• transmitting the axial force through an x-axis component which is slidingly coupled to and translating with the y-axis component along the y-axis, the x-axis component being:
• i) configured to reciprocate substantially perpendicularly to the y-axis relative to the y-axis component, ii) comprising an internal ring gear, and iii) comprising an orbital engagement component disposed substantially concentric with the internal ring gear;
• and
• transmitting the axial force to an output shaft assembly rotatingly coupled to the base and having a gear that interfaces with the internal ring gear, wherein a stationary engagement component substantially concentrically disposed relative to the shaft assembly interfaces with the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component, the interfacing between the stationary engagement component and the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component maintaining engagement between the internal ring gear and the gear as the axial force is transmitted from the internal ring gear to the gear.

A method of converting a reciprocating axial force from a reciprocating motion of a reciprocating element into a torque applied to a shaft and/or converting a torque applied to the shaft into the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating element, the method comprising:

• applying the axial force to slide an axial translating component with the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating element relative to the shaft, wherein the axial translating component is axially coupled to an internal ring gear engaged with the shaft and the internal ring gear is configured to slide relative to the axial translating component in a direction substantially perpendicular to the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating element;
• maintaining contact between the internal ring gear and the shaft using an idler assembly substantially concentrically disposed relative to the internal ring gear;
• and
• as the axial translating component and internal ring gear coupled thereto slide axially relative to the shaft, permitting the internal ring gear to slide in the direction substantially perpendicular to the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating element, thereby causing the internal ring gear to orbit about, and apply the torque to, the shaft during reciprocation of the reciprocating element.

A drive mechanism for generating a rotational output from a reciprocating motion and/or for generating a reciprocating output from a rotational motion, the drive mechanism comprising:

• an axial translating y-axis component configured to reciprocate along a y-axis with the reciprocating motion relative to a base to which the y-axis component is attached;
• an x-axis component slidingly coupled to and translating with the y-axis component along the y-axis, the x-axis component being:
• i) configured to reciprocate substantially perpendicularly to the y-axis relative to the y-axis component, ii) comprising an internal ring gear, and iii) comprising an orbital engagement component disposed substantially concentric with the internal ring gear;
• a shaft assembly rotatingly coupled to the base and having a gear that interfaces with the internal ring gear;
• and
• a stationary engagement component substantially concentrically disposed relative to the shaft assembly, the stationary engagement component interfacing with the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component, the interfacing between the stationary engagement component and the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component substantially maintaining tangential engagement between the internal ring gear and the gear as the internal ring gear orbits.

A reciprocating compressor comprising:

• a cylinder block defining at least one cylinder;
• at least one piston assembly reciprocating within the at least one cylinder;
• and
• a drive mechanism for generating a reciprocating output of the piston assembly from a rotational input, the drive mechanism comprising:
• an axially translating y-axis component configured to reciprocate along a y-axis with the reciprocating output of the piston assembly relative to a base to which the y-axis component is slidingly attached;
• an x-axis component slidingly coupled to and translating with the y-axis component along the y-axis, the x-axis component being:
• i) configured to reciprocate substantially perpendicularly to the y-axis relative to the y-axis component, ii) comprising an internal ring gear, and iii) comprising an orbital engagement component disposed substantially concentric with the internal ring gear;
• an input shaft assembly rotatingly coupled to a base and having a pinion gear that interfaces with the internal ring gear;
• and
• a stationary engagement component substantially concentrically disposed relative to the input shaft assembly, the stationary engagement component interfacing and tangentially engaging with the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component, the interfacing between the stationary engagement component and the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component maintaining substantial contact between the internal ring gear and the pinion gear as the internal ring gear orbits about and is driven by the pinion gear of the input shaft assembly.

A reciprocating pump comprising:

• a cylinder block defining at least one cylinder;
• at least one piston assembly reciprocating within the at least one cylinder;
• and
• a drive mechanism for generating a reciprocating output of the piston assembly from a rotational input, the drive mechanism comprising:
• an axially translating y-axis component configured to reciprocate along a y-axis with the reciprocating output of the piston assembly relative to a base to which the y-axis component is slidingly attached;
• an x-axis component slidingly coupled to and translating with the y-axis component along the y-axis, the x-axis component being:
• i) configured to reciprocate substantially perpendicularly to the y-axis relative to the y-axis component, ii) comprising an internal ring gear, and iii) comprising an orbital engagement component disposed substantially concentric with the internal ring gear;
• an input shaft assembly rotatingly coupled to a base and having a pinion gear that interfaces with the internal ring gear;
• and
• a stationary engagement component substantially concentrically disposed relative to the input shaft assembly, the stationary engagement component interfacing and tangentially engaging with the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component, the interfacing between the stationary engagement component and the orbital engagement component of the x-axis component maintaining substantial contact between the internal ring gear and the pinion gear as the internal ring gear orbits about and is driven by the pinion gear of the input shaft assembly.