ROTARY UNITS, ROTARY MECHANISMS, AND RELATED APPLICATIONS

• US 20100089200A1
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher C. Sappenfield
• Original Assignee: Christopher C. Sappenfield
• Inventors: Sappenfield, Christopher C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/665.Q
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/26 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/0813 with only one input shaft differentials for four wheel drive vehicles B60K17/346
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/033 Series gearboxes, e.g. gearboxes based on the same design being available in different sizes or gearboxes using a combination of several standardised units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1914 Alternate drivers and driven
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19605 Reversing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19642 Directly cooperating gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19647 Parallel axes or shafts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19851 Gear and rotary bodies

Abstract

The invention relates to 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 rotational components, 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 first and second rotational components, and wherein the second counter-rotational mechanism operably engages at least the second and third 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 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.

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

3. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the second rotational component is disposed between the first and third rotational components.

4. 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.

5. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the implement is configured to effect the movement of one or more other components when the implement operably engages the other components.

6. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the implement comprises one or more of:

a blade, a razor, a prong, a peg, a claw, a tine, a chain, a stake, a column, a pillar, an arch, a bracket, a gear component, a bristle, a plume, an abrasive component, an elastomeric component, a nail filing component, a nail buffing component, a hair cutting component, a massaging component, or a post.

7. 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.

8. The rotary mechanism of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism component or portion thereof is configured to effect rotation of the rotational components and the counter-rotational mechanisms such that the first and third rotational components rotate in a second direction and the second rotational component rotates in a first direction.

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

10. The rotary mechanism of claim 9, wherein the implement is configured to operably engage one or more gear components of one or more other rotational components.

11. 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.

12. The rotary mechanism of claim 11, comprising a retaining mechanism that retains the third gear component operably engaged with the first and second gear components.

13. The rotary mechanism of claim 11, wherein the second gear component substantially defines a gear receiving area that is configured to receive at least a portion of the third gear component.

14. The rotary mechanism of claim 13, comprising at least one gear structure that comprises at least one support component, wherein the third gear component is rotatably coupled to the support component.

15. The rotary mechanism of claim 14, wherein the gear structure is at least partially disposed in the gear receiving area.

16. The rotary mechanism of claim 14, wherein the gear structure is rotatably coupled to at least one of the first and second rotational components.

17. The rotary mechanism of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second rotational components comprises at least one substantially or partially circular indentation and the gear structure comprises at least one projection configured to at least partially fit and move within the substantially or partially circular indentation to retain the gear structure relative to first and/or second rotational components.

18. The rotary mechanism of claim 14, wherein the gear structure comprises at least one substantially or partially circular indentation and at least one of the first and second rotational components comprises at least one projection configured to at least partially fit and move within the substantially or partially circular indentation to retain the gear structure relative to first and/or second rotational components.

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

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of:

a held-held device, a rototiller, a hair cutting device, a massaging device, nail grooming device, a propulsion device, a woodworking device, a lathe, a woodchipping device, a machining device, a dermabrasion device, a medical device, a dental device, a cleaning device, an engine, a snowblower, a nozzle, a food preparation device, a grinder, a pencil sharpener, a lawn mower, a vacuum cleaner, a hair dryer, a plumbing device, a weapon, a surfboard, a scuba device, a component thereof, and a combination thereof.

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

22. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of:

a farming vehicle, a mining vehicle, a construction vehicle, a submarine, an aircraft, a marine vehicle, a boat, a personal watercraft, and a military vehicle.

23. A rotary mechanism, comprising:

at least a first rotational component comprising at least a first gear component, which first rotational component comprises or is configured to receive at least a first drive mechanism component, wherein the first drive mechanism component and/or the first rotational component is configured to receive at least a second drive mechanism component;

at least a second rotational component comprising at least a second gear component, which second rotational component is configured to receive at least a portion of the first drive mechanism component of the first rotational component; and

,

at least a third gear component that operably engages the first gear component of the first rotational component and the second gear component of the second rotational component such that when the first rotational component rotates in a first direction, the third gear component and the second rotational component rotate in a second direction,

wherein at least one other component is configured to receive at least a portion of the first drive mechanism component of the first rotational component.

24. The rotary mechanism of claim 23, wherein the first and/or second rotational component comprises at least one implement.

25. The rotary mechanism of claim 23, comprising at least one implement rotatably coupled to at least one of the rotational components, which implement is configured to operably engage one or more gear components of one or more other rotational components.

26. The rotary mechanism of claim 23, wherein the other component comprises at least one other rotary mechanism.

27. The rotary mechanism of claim 23, wherein the other component comprises at least one retaining component that is configured to retain the second rotational component rotatably coupled to the first rotational component.

28. The rotary mechanism of claim 23, wherein the first and second directions are substantially opposite from one another.

29. The rotary mechanism of claim 23, wherein the first drive mechanism component comprises a shaft component.

30. A rotary mechanism, comprising:

at least three rotational components that are configured to substantially coaxially rotate relative to one another, wherein at least one of the rotational components comprises at least one implement; and

,

means for effecting substantially simultaneous counter-rotation of neighboring pairs of the rotational components relative to one another.

31. 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 a first gear component and the second surface comprises at least a second gear component, which first and second gear components are substantially fixed relative to one another, wherein the first gear component is configured to operably engage one or more third gear components that are configured to operably engage one or more second 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, and wherein the second gear component is configured to operably engage one or more third gear components that are configured to operably engage one or more first 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.

32. A rotary unit, comprising:

at least one rotational component comprising at least first and second sides that substantially oppose one another and at least one drive mechanism component receiving area that is configured to receive at least one drive mechanism component, wherein at least a first gear component is substantially coaxially and substantially fixedly positioned proximal to an inner region of the first side, wherein at least a second gear component is substantially coaxially and substantially fixedly positioned proximal to an outer region of the second side, wherein the second gear component defines at least a portion of at least one gear structure receiving area, wherein the gear structure receiving area is configured to receive one or more gear structures or components thereof, and wherein at least one surface of the rotational component comprises at least one implement;

at least one gear structure comprising at least one support component and at least a third gear component rotatably coupled to the support component, wherein the gear structure is at least partially disposed within the gear structure receiving area, wherein the gear structure is configured to rotate relative to the rotational component, wherein the third gear component is configured to operably engage the second gear component such that when the third gear component rotates in a first direction the rotational component rotates in the first direction, and wherein the first gear component is configured to operably engage the third gear component of at least one other rotary unit when the first gear component is disposed proximal to the other rotary unit such that when the first gear component rotates in the first direction the rotational component of the other rotary unit rotates in a second direction that is substantially opposite from the first direction; and

,

at least one retaining mechanism that is configured to retain the gear structure at least partially within the gear structure receiving area.

33. The rotary unit of claim 32, wherein the rotational component is configured to rotate about the drive mechanism component when the drive mechanism component receiving area receives the drive mechanism component.

34. The rotary unit of claim 32, wherein the rotational component is substantially fixedly attachable to the drive mechanism component when the drive mechanism component receiving area receives the drive mechanism component such that the rotational component rotates in the same direction as the drive mechanism component when the drive mechanism component rotates.

35. The rotary unit of claim 32, wherein the drive mechanism component receiving area receives the drive mechanism component.

36. The rotary unit of claim 32, wherein the rotational component is fabricated integral with the drive mechanism component.

37. A rotary unit, comprising:

at least one rotational component comprising at least first and second gear components and at least one gear structure receiving area, wherein the first gear component substantially fixedly extends from a first surface of the rotational component, wherein the second gear component substantially fixedly extends from a second surface of the rotational component, wherein the first and second surfaces substantially oppose one another, wherein the second gear component communicates with the gear structure receiving area, wherein the gear structure receiving area is configured to receive one or more gear structures or components thereof, and wherein at least one surface of the rotational component comprises at least one implement; and

,

at least one gear structure comprising at least one support component and at least a third gear component rotatably coupled to the support component, wherein the gear structure and/or the rotational component comprises at least one retaining mechanism or a portion thereof that is configured to retain the gear structure proximal to the first surface of the rotational component, wherein the gear structure or a component thereof is configured to rotate relative to the rotational component, wherein the first gear component is configured to operably engage the third gear component, and wherein the third gear component is configured to operably engage one or more other gear components when the third gear component is disposed proximal to the other gear components.

38. The rotary unit of claim 37, wherein the other gear components comprise one or more second gear components of at least one other rotary unit.

39. The rotary unit of claim 37, wherein the rotational component is configured to receive at least one drive mechanism or a portion thereof.

40. A rotary unit, comprising:

at least one rotational component comprising at least a first gear component, at least one gear structure receiving area that is configured to receive one or more gear structures or components thereof, and at least a second gear component disposed at least proximal to the gear structure receiving area; and

,

at least one gear structure comprising at least one support component and at least a third gear component rotatably coupled to the support component, wherein the third gear component is configured to operably engage the second gear component when the gear structure is at least partially disposed in the gear structure receiving area and wherein the third gear component is configured to operably engage one or more first gear components of at least one other rotary unit when the rotary unit operably engages the other rotary unit, or wherein the third gear component is configured to operably engage the first gear component when the third gear component is disposed proximal to the first gear component and wherein the third gear component is configured to operably engage one or more second gear components of at least one other rotary unit when the rotary unit operably engages the other rotary unit.