Rotary units, rotary mechanisms, and related applications

• US 8,668,619 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher C. Sappenfield
• Original Assignee: Christopher C. Sappenfield
• Inventors: Sappenfield, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US13/221,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20120010040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 475/331
• US Class Current: 475/331
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/0806 with a plurality of driving or driven shafts

Abstract

Rotary units and rotary mechanisms that are suitable for use in numerous applications are provided. Rotary units typically include rotational components that are configured to rotate. In some embodiments, for example, multiple rotary units are assembled in rotary mechanisms such that neighboring pairs of rotational components counter-rotate or contra-rotate relative to one another during operation of the rotary mechanisms. Rotational components generally include one or more implements that are structured to perform or effect one or more types of work as the rotational components rotate relative to one another in a given rotary mechanism. In certain embodiments, implements are configured to rotate and/or to effect the movement of other components as rotational components rotate.

Claims

1. A rotary unit, comprising at least a first rotational component that comprises at least first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface comprises at least one sun gear component and the second surface comprises at least one ring gear component, which sun and ring gear components are substantially fixed relative to one another, wherein the sun gear component of the first rotational component is configured to operably engage one or more planetary gear components that are configured to operably engage one or more ring gear components of at least a second rotational component when the first rotational component is disposed proximal to the second rotational component such that when the first rotational component rotates in a first direction, the second rotational component rotates in a second direction, wherein the ring gear component of the first rotational component is configured to operably engage one or more planetary gear components that are configured to operably engage one or more sun gear components of at least a third rotational component when the first rotational component is disposed proximal to the third rotational component such that when the first rotational component rotates in the first direction, the third rotational component rotates in the second direction, wherein one or more ear structures comprise the planetary gear components, which planetary gear components are configured to rotate in substantially fixed positions relative to one another, and wherein at least one radial outer surface of the first rotational component comprises at least one implement.

2. A rotational mechanism comprising the rotary unit of claim 1.

3. The rotary unit of claim 1, wherein the surface of the first rotational component that comprises the implement is configured to rotate substantially non-perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotary unit.

4. The rotary unit of claim 1, wherein the surface of the first rotational component that comprises the implement is configured to rotate substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the rotary unit.

5. A rotary mechanism, comprising:

at least first, second, and third rotational components, wherein at least one radial outer surface of at least one of the rotational components comprises at least one implement;

at least first and second counter-rotational mechanisms, wherein the first counter-rotational mechanism operably engages at least the first and second rotational components, wherein the second counter-rotational mechanism operably engages at least the second and third rotational components, and wherein at least portions of the first and second counter-rotational mechanisms are substantially fixedly positioned relative to one another; and

,

at least one drive mechanism component or a portion thereof operably engaged with one or more of the rotational components and/or with one or more of the counter-rotational mechanisms, which drive mechanism component or portion thereof is configured at least to effect rotation of the rotational components and the counter-rotational mechanisms such that the first and third rotational components rotate in a first direction and the second rotational component rotates in a second direction.

6. A rotary unit, comprising:

at least first rotational component that comprises at least one sun gear component and at least one ring gear component, wherein the sun gear component is configured to operably engage one or more planetary gear components of at least a second rotational component such that when the first rotational component rotates in a first direction the second rotational component rotates in a second direction, wherein the ring gear component at least partially defines at least one gear structure receiving area, and wherein at least one radial outer surface of the first rotational component comprises at least one implement; and

,

at least one gear structure at least partially disposed in the gear structure receiving area, which gear structure comprises at least one support component and at least one planetary gear component rotatably coupled to the support component, wherein the support component is substantially fixedly positioned when the planetary gear component rotates relative to the support component, wherein the planetary gear component is configured to operably engage the ring gear component of the first rotational component and one or more sun gear components of at least a third rotational component such that when the first rotational component rotates in the first direction the third rotational component rotates in the second direction.

7. The rotary unit of claim 6, wherein the support component is configured to operably engage one or more other support components of one or more other rotational components such that the support components are substantially fixedly positioned relative to one another when the rotational components rotate.

8. A rotary mechanism comprising the rotary unit of claim 6.

9. A rotary mechanism, comprising:

at least one drive mechanism component or a portion thereof comprising at least one ring gear component and at least one gear structure that comprises at least one support component and at least one planetary gear component rotatably coupled to the support component, which planetary gear component is configured to operably engage the ring gear component; and

,

at least one rotary unit that comprises;

at least one rotational component comprising at least one ring gear component and at least one sun gear component, and

at least one gear structure that comprises at least one support component and at least one planetary gear component rotatably coupled to the support component, which planetary gear component is configured to operably engage the ring gear component,

wherein the planetary gear component of the drive mechanism component or a portion thereof is configured to operably engage the sun gear component of the rotary unit such that when the drive mechanism component or a portion thereof effects rotation of the ring gear component of the drive mechanism component or a portion thereof in a first direction, the rotational component of the rotary unit rotates in a second direction; and

wherein at least one radial outer surface of at least one of the rotational compounds and/or the ring gear component of the drive mechanism component or the portion thereof comprises at least one implement.

10. The rotary mechanism of claim 9, wherein the gear structure of the drive mechanism component or the portion thereof is operably connected to the gear structure of the rotary unit such that the support components are substantially fixedly positioned relative to one another at least when the ring gear component of the drive mechanism component or the portion thereof rotates in the first direction, the rotational component of the rotary unit rotates in the second direction.

11. The rotary mechanism of claim 9, comprising at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, or more rotary units.

12. A method of rotating an implement, the method comprising:

providing a rotary mechanism comprising;

at least first, second, and third rotational components, wherein at least one radial outer surface of at least one of the rotational components comprises at least one implement;

at least first and second counter-rotational mechanisms, wherein the first counter-rotational mechanism operably engages at least the first and second rotational components, wherein the second counter-rotational mechanism operably engages at least the second and third rotational components, and wherein at least portions of the first and second counter-rotational mechanisms are substantially fixedly positioned relative to one another; and

at least one drive mechanism component or a portion thereof operably engaged with one or more of the rotational components and/or with one or more of the counter-rotational mechanisms; and

,

moving the drive mechanism component and/or the portion thereof such that the first and third rotational components rotate in a first direction and the second rotational component rotates in a second direction, thereby rotating the implement.