Contraction machine

• US 6,196,811 B1
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hasse High Pressure Engineering
• Original Assignee: Hasse High Pressure Engineering
• Inventors: Hasse, Hans-Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): FREAY, CHARLES GRANT
• Application Number:
  US09/310,582
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 417/321
• US Class Current: 417/321
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/06 using expansion or contraction of bodies due to heating, cooling, moistening, drying or the like using thermal expansion of non-vaporising liquids F01K

Abstract

The invention concerns a contraction engine or pump comprising two mutually spaced rigid elements (4, 6) connected to each other by at least one piston/cylinder system (8, 10) receiving an operational medium and of which at least one element is displaceable in the direction of motion of the piston/cylinder system. At least one expansible and contractile operational element (11) is connected to the two elements (4, 6) and is operationally connected with a fitting for liquid intake and exhaust and/or water vapor intake and exhaust and which will expand in the case of liquid and/or water vapor intake and will contract in the case of liquid exhaust and/or water vapor reduction. The cylinder (8) is connected to intake and exhaust conduits (12, 14) for the operational medium.

Claims

1. A pump, comprising:

a) a rigid first element;

b) a rigid second element, the rigid second element being spaced apart from the first element;

c) a piston and cylinder connecting the first element to the second element, the piston being displaceable relative to the cylinder;

d) at least one of the first and second elements being displaceable in the direction of displacement of the piston relative to the cylinder;

e) an operational element, the operational element being disposed between and operatively connected to the first and second rigid elements;

f) the operational element expanding when absorbing a fluid and contracting when drying out, and the expanding of the operational element causing the first and second plates to move away from each other, thereby causing the piston to be displaced from the cylinder;

g) a fitting operatively connected to the operational element, the fitting being configured for supplying and exhausting at least one of water and water vapor to the operational element;

h) an intake and an exhaust conduit which supplies and removes an operational medium, the intake and exhaust conduit being operatively connected to the piston and cylinder; and

i) whereby, when one of water and water vapor is supplied by the fitting to the operational element, the operational element absorbs the one of water and water vapor and the operational element expands, moves the first element and second element apart, displaces the piston relative to the cylinder, and thus sucks the operational medium into the cylinder.

2. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) when one of water and water vapor is removed by the fitting from the operational element, the operational element releases the one of water and water vapor and the operational element contracts, moves the first element and second element together, displaces the piston relative to the cylinder, and thus displaces the operational medium from the piston.

3. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the rigid first and second elements include plates.

4. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the rigid first and second elements include plaiting.

5. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the rigid first and second elements include a fabric material.

6. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the rigid first and second elements include a lattice.

7. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a strand.

8. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a fiber.

9. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a folded plate.

10. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a coil.

11. A pump as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a coiled fiber.

12. A pump as in claims 1, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a plurality of operational elements.

13. A pump as in claims 9, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a plurality of folded plates.

14. A pump as in claims 8, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a plurality of fibers.

15. A pump as in claims 7, wherein:

a) the operational element includes a plurality of strands.