Rotary units, rotary mechanisms, and related applications

• US 9,382,973 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher C. Sappenfield
• Original Assignee: Christopher C. Sappenfield
• Inventors: Sappenfield, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): KNIGHT, DEREK DOUGLAS
• Application Number:
  US14/327,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/26 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/14 gear parts, e.g. gear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/46 Systems consisting of a plurality of gear trains each with orbital gears, i.e. systems having three or more central gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/0813 with only one input shaft differentials for four wheel drive vehicles B60K17/346
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49465 Gear mounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19642 Directly cooperating gears

Abstract

The invention relates to devices including rotary units and rotary mechanisms that are suitable for use in numerous applications. 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 mechanism, comprising:

at least first, second, and third rotary units that each comprise at least one rotational component, wherein one or more of the rotational components comprise at least a first portion, at least a second portion, and at least one resilient coupling, wherein the resilient coupling resiliently couples the first and second portions to one another, and wherein 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 rotational components of the first and second rotary units, and wherein the second counter-rotational mechanism operably engages at least the rotational components of the second and third rotary units; 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 movement of the rotational components and the counter-rotational mechanisms such that the rotational components of the first and third rotary units rotate in a first direction and the rotational component of the second rotary unit rotates in a second direction.

2. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, comprising more than three rotational components.

3. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rotational components comprises one or more gear components that are configured to operably engage one or more implements rotatably coupled to one or more other rotational components.

4. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the implement comprises at least one cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of:

a circle, an oval, a square, a rectangle, a trapezoid, an irregular n-sided polygon, and a regular n-sided polygon.

5. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the implement is rotatably coupled to the rotational component.

6. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least the first counter-rotational mechanism comprises at least a first gear component disposed on the first rotational component, at least a second gear component disposed on the second rotational component, and at least a third gear component that operably engages the first and second gear components such that when the first gear component rotates in the first direction, the second and third gear components rotate in the second direction and when the first gear component rotates in the second direction, the second and third gear components rotate in the first direction.

7. A device comprising the rotary mechanism of claim 1.

8. A vehicle comprising the rotary mechanism of claim 1.

9. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the resilient coupling comprises at least one positioning mechanism that positions the first and second portions relative to one another within a range of motion.

10. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the resilient coupling comprises at least one spring mechanism.

11. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the resilient coupling comprises at least one elastomeric material.

12. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the resilient coupling comprises at least one material container component.

13. The rotary mechanism of claim 12, wherein the material container component comprises at least one fluidic and/or semi-fluidic material.

14. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least the first and second rotary units each comprise:

at least one rotational component that comprises at least one sun gear component and 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, and wherein the planetary gear component is configured to operably engage the ring gear component,

wherein the sun gear component of at least the first rotary unit operably engages the planetary gear component of at least the second rotary unit such that when the rotational component of the first rotary unit rotates in the first direction, the rotational component of the second rotary unit rotates in the second direction.

15. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

at least the first rotary unit comprises at least one rotational component that comprises at least first and second sun gear components;

at least the second rotary unit comprises at least one rotational component that comprises at least first and second ring gear components; and

,

at least a first planetary gear component is configured to operably engage the second sun gear component of the first rotary unit and the first ring gear component of the second rotary unit such that when the rotational component of the first rotary unit rotates in the first direction, the rotational component of the second rotary unit rotates in the second direction.

16. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least the first and second rotary units each comprises:

at least one rotational component that comprises at least one ring gear component; and

,

at least one second gear component configured to operably engage the ring gear component.

17. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

at least the rotational components of the first and second rotary units each comprise at least one ring gear component; and

,

at least one of the counter-rotational mechanisms comprises at least a first gear component that operably engages the ring gear component of at least the rotational component of the first rotary unit, at least a second gear component that operably engages the ring gear component of at least the rotational component of the second rotary unit, and at least a third gear component that operably engages at least the second gear component such that when the first gear component rotates in the first direction, the rotational component of the first rotary unit rotates in the first direction and the second gear component and the rotational component of the second rotary unit rotate in the second direction.

18. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least the rotational components of the first and second rotary units each comprise at least two ring gear components, and wherein the rotary mechanism comprises at least a first planetary gear component that is configured to operably engage at least one of the ring gear components of the first rotary unit and at least one of the ring gear components of the second rotary unit such that when the rotational component of the first rotary unit rotates in the first direction, the rotational component of the second rotary unit rotates in the second direction.

19. A rotary mechanism, comprising:

at least first and second rotational components, wherein one or more of the rotational components comprise at least a first portion, at least a second portion, and at least one resilient coupling, wherein the resilient coupling resiliently couples the first and second portions to one another, and wherein at least one of the rotational components comprises at least one implement;

at least one counter-rotational mechanism that operably engages at least the first and second rotational components; and

,

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

20. A method of making a rotary mechanism, the method comprising:

placing at least one counter-rotational mechanism into operable engagement with at least first and second rotational components, wherein one or more of the rotational components comprise at least a first portion, at least a second portion, and at least one resilient coupling, wherein the resilient coupling resiliently couples the first and second portions to one another, and wherein at least one of the rotational components comprises at least one implement; and

,

placing at least one drive mechanism component or a portion thereof into operable engagement with one or more of the rotational components and/or with the counter-rotational mechanism, which drive mechanism component or portion thereof is configured at least to effect rotation of the rotational components such that the first rotational component rotates in a first direction and the second rotational component rotates in a second direction, thereby making the rotary mechanism.