Durable canted off-axis driver for quiet pneumatic pumping
First Claim
1. An apparatus that converts a rotational input to a nutating drive for a plurality of diaphragm pistons, the apparatus comprising:
- a bearing having an inner race within an outer race, each of the races symmetrically arranged for rotation relative to each other about a longitudinal axis, the inner race circumscribing a central aperture;
a wobble plate oriented about the longitudinal axis and having an aperture sized to releasably receive the bearing, the wobble plate extending radially from the longitudinal axis;
a bearing contact surface disposed in the aperture of the wobble plate and adapted to support the wobble plate by releasably contacting substantially only the outer race;
a spinner body formed as a substantially rigid body having a proximal face and a distal face, wherein the spinner body rotates about a drive axis of rotation of, and rotates synchronously with, a drive shaft; and
,an eccentric shaft extending along the longitudinal axis from the distal face and into the central aperture of the bearing, the eccentric shaft making intimate contact with the bearing only at the inner race,wherein the wobble plate is adapted to remain stationary with respect to the longitudinal axis when the spinner body causes the inner race to rotate about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis of rotation, and wherein the longitudinal axis is offset from and at an acute angle with respect to the drive axis of rotation, and wherein when the bearing is inserted into the aperture, the outer race at each point along the longitudinal axis has an outer diameter that is less than a corresponding inner diameter of the wobble plate aperture adjacent to that point such that the bearing can be freely inserted into and removed from the aperture in the wobble plate without an interference fit between the bearing and the wobble plate.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and associated methods relate to nutating a piston drive linkage oriented around a longitudinal axis in response to the rotation of a drive shaft about a drive axis, said longitudinal axis being offset and canted with respect to said drive axis. In an illustrative example, the piston drive linkage may be formed as a wobble plate extending radially from the longitudinal axis. Near a periphery, the wobble plate may attach to a plurality of stationary piston cranks. The nutating motion of the piston drive linkage may impart a substantially linear motion profile substantially parallel to the drive axis of rotation. A bearing oriented around the longitudinal axis may advantageously be freely inserted into and removed from an aperture in the wobble plate. An inner race of the bearing may freely rotate about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation about the drive axis.
22 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus that converts a rotational input to a nutating drive for a plurality of diaphragm pistons, the apparatus comprising:
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a bearing having an inner race within an outer race, each of the races symmetrically arranged for rotation relative to each other about a longitudinal axis, the inner race circumscribing a central aperture; a wobble plate oriented about the longitudinal axis and having an aperture sized to releasably receive the bearing, the wobble plate extending radially from the longitudinal axis; a bearing contact surface disposed in the aperture of the wobble plate and adapted to support the wobble plate by releasably contacting substantially only the outer race; a spinner body formed as a substantially rigid body having a proximal face and a distal face, wherein the spinner body rotates about a drive axis of rotation of, and rotates synchronously with, a drive shaft; and
,an eccentric shaft extending along the longitudinal axis from the distal face and into the central aperture of the bearing, the eccentric shaft making intimate contact with the bearing only at the inner race, wherein the wobble plate is adapted to remain stationary with respect to the longitudinal axis when the spinner body causes the inner race to rotate about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis of rotation, and wherein the longitudinal axis is offset from and at an acute angle with respect to the drive axis of rotation, and wherein when the bearing is inserted into the aperture, the outer race at each point along the longitudinal axis has an outer diameter that is less than a corresponding inner diameter of the wobble plate aperture adjacent to that point such that the bearing can be freely inserted into and removed from the aperture in the wobble plate without an interference fit between the bearing and the wobble plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method to convert a rotational input to a nutating drive for a plurality of diaphragm pistons, the method comprising:
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providing a bearing having an inner race within an outer race, each of the races symmetrically arranged for rotation relative to each other about a longitudinal axis, the inner race circumscribing a central aperture; orienting a wobble plate about the longitudinal axis, the wobble plate extending radially from the longitudinal axis; providing in the wobble plate an aperture sized to releasably receive the bearing; providing a bearing contact surface disposed in the aperture of the wobble plate; supporting the wobble plate by releasably contacting the wobble plate to substantially only the outer race; providing a spinner body formed as a substantially rigid body having a proximal face and a distal face, wherein the spinner body rotates about the drive axis of rotation of, and rotates synchronously with, a drive shaft; providing an eccentric shaft extending along the longitudinal axis from the distal face and into the central aperture of the bearing, the eccentric shaft making intimate contact with the bearing substantially only at the inner race; and
,adapting the wobble plate to remain stationary with respect to the longitudinal axis when the spinner body causes the inner race to rotate about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis of rotation, wherein the longitudinal axis is offset from and at an acute angle with respect to the drive axis of rotation, and wherein when the bearing is inserted into the aperture, the outer race at each point along the longitudinal axis has an outer diameter that is less than a corresponding inner diameter of the wobble plate aperture adjacent to that point such that the bearing can be freely inserted into and removed from the aperture in the wobble plate without an interference fit between the bearing and the wobble plate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a bearing having an inner race and an outer race and symmetrically arranged about a longitudinal axis; a wobble plate having an aperture sized to releasably receive the bearing; a bearing contact surface wherein when the wobble plate is supported by the bearing, the wobble plate is substantially supported only by the outer race, the wobble plate having a plurality of distal members extending radially from the longitudinal axis; and
,means for nutating the wobble plate in response to the rotation of a drive shaft about a drive axis of rotation, said longitudinal axis being offset and canted with respect to said drive axis of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification