Rotational displacement apparatus

• US 10,443,383 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FeTu Limited
• Original Assignee: FeTu Limited
• Inventors: Fenton, Jonathan Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Theresa
• Application Number:
  US15/552,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 418 53, 418 68, 418193, 418195, 123 18 R, 123233, 123235, 123241, 123245
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 21/08 Rotary pistons reciprocating pistons in general F16J
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 3/00 Rotary-piston machines or engines with non-parallel axes of movement of co-operating members with the working-chamber walls being at least partly resiliently deformable F01C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 3/06 the axes being arranged otherwise than at an angle of 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 9/005 the piston oscillating in the space, e.g. around a fixed point rotary piston machines or engines with non-parallel axes of rotation between co-operating members F01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 53/00 Internal-combustion aspects of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines internal-combustion aspects of rotary pistons or outer members for co-operation therewith F02B55/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 53/02 Methods of operating
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/48 Rotary-piston pumps with non-parallel axes of movement of co-operating members
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 21/002 the piston oscillating around a fixed axis
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 21/005 the piston oscillating in the space, e.g. around a fixed point rotary-piston pumps with non-parallel axes of rotation between co-operating members F04C18/48

Abstract

An apparatus including a first piston member rotatable about a first rotational axis and a rotor with a first chamber and pivotable about a second rotational axis. The first piston member extends across the first chamber. The rotor and first piston member are rotatable around the first rotational axis, and the rotor is pivotable about the second rotational axis to permit a relative pivoting motion between the rotor and the first piston member linked to the rotor rotating about the first rotational axis.

Claims

1. A rotary fluid apparatus comprising:

a shaft which defines and is rotatable about a first rotational axis;

an axle defining a second rotational axis, the shaft extending through the axle;

a first piston member provided on the shaft, the first piston member extending from the axle towards a distal end of the shaft; and

the shaft, the axle and the first piston member are fixed relative to one another;

a rotor carried on the axle;

the rotor comprising a first chamber with the first piston member extending across the first chamber;

whereby;

the rotor and axle are rotatable with the shaft around the first rotational axis; and

the rotor is pivotable about the axle about the second rotational axis to permit relative pivoting motion between the rotor and the first piston member as the rotor rotates about the first rotational axis.

2. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein

the first chamber has a first opening;

and

the first piston member extends from the axle across the first chamber towards the first opening.

3. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axle is provided half way between ends of the shaft.

4. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first piston member extends from one side of the axle along the shaft;

and a second piston member extends from the other side of the axle along the shaft, the rotor comprising a second chamber to permit relative pivoting motion between the rotor and the second piston member as the rotor rotates about the first rotational axis.

5. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein

the second chamber has a second opening;

and

the second piston member extends from the axle across the second chamber towards the second opening.

6. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein there is provided a closeable flow passage between the first chamber and the second chamber.

7. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the closeable flow passage comprises a flow path in the axle which is open when the rotor is pivoted to one extent of its pivot, and closed as the rotor is pivoted towards its other extent of its pivot.

8. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the second chamber is specifically adapted for one or more of compression of the fluid, displacement of the fluid, flow of the fluid, and expansion of the fluid.

9. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second rotational axis is perpendicular to the first rotational axis.

10. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a housing having a wall which defines a cavity;

the rotor being rotatable and pivotable within the cavity and disposed relative to the housing such that a small clearance is maintained between the rotor over the majority of the wall.

11. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the housing further comprises a bearing arrangement for carrying the shaft.

12. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein:

the first piston member is sized to terminate proximate to the wall of the housing with a small clearance being maintained between the end of the first piston member and the housing wall.

13. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein:

the housing further comprises at least one port for each of the first chamber and a second chamber, which functions as an inlet port or an exhaust port for communication of fluid between a fluid passage and respective the first chamber and the second chamber.

14. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein:

for each of the first chamber and a second chamber,

the housing further comprises an inlet port for delivering fluid into one of the first chamber or the second chamber; and

an exhaust port for expelling fluid from one of the first chamber or the second chamber.

15. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the ports are sized and positioned on the housing such that:

in a first set of relative positions of the inlet port and the exhaust port and the respective rotor openings, the inlet port and the exhaust port and rotor openings are out of alignment such that the openings are fully closed by the wall of the housing to prevent fluid flow between the one or more chambers and the inlet port and the exhaust port; and

in a second set of relative positions of the inlet port and the exhaust port and the respective rotor openings, the openings are at least partly aligned with the inlet port and the exhaust port such that the openings are at least partly open to allow fluid to flow between the one or more chambers and the inlet port and the exhaust port.

16. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a pivot actuator operable to pivot the rotor about the axle.

17. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the pivot actuator comprises:

a first guide feature on the rotor; and

a second guide feature on the housing;

the first guide feature being complementary in shape to the second guide feature; and

one of the first or second guide features defining a path which the other of the first or second guide members is constrained to follow;

thereby inducing the rotor to pivot about the axle.

18. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein:

the guide path describes a path around a first circumference of the rotor or housing,

the guide path comprising at least;

a first inflexion which directs the guide path away from a first side of the first circumference of the rotor or housing and then back toward a second side of the first circumference of the rotor or housing; and

a second inflexion which directs the guide path away from the second side of the first circumference of the rotor or housing and then back toward the first side of the first circumference of the rotor or housing.

19. The rotary fluid apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first chamber is specifically adapted for one or more of compression of the fluid, displacement of the fluid, flow of the fluid, and expansion of the fluid.

20. A method of operation of a rotary fluid apparatus that comprises

a shaft which defines and is rotatable about a first rotational axis;

an axle defining a second rotational axis with the shaft extending through the axle;

a first piston member provided on the shaft; and

the shaft, the axle and the first piston member are fixed relative to one another;

the first piston member being rotatable about a first rotational axis;

a rotor comprising a first chamber and pivotable about a second rotational axis, the first piston member extending across the first chamber;

the method comprising;

rotating the rotor and first piston member around the first rotational axis; and

pivoting the rotor about the second rotational axis such that there is a relative pivoting motion between the rotor and the first piston member which varies the volume of the first chamber, with the change in chamber volume being linked to rotation of the rotor about the first rotational axis.