CANTED OFF-AXIS DRIVER FOR QUIET PNEUMATIC PUMPING
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an umbrella shaft rigidly extending along a longitudinal axis;
an umbrella linkage rigidly coupled to a distal end of the umbrella shaft, the umbrella linkage having a plurality of distal members extending radially from the longitudinal axis;
a spinner body formed as a substantially rigid body having a proximal face and a distal face;
a drive shaft receptacle formed in the proximal face and extending along a drive axis of rotation of a drive shaft, wherein the spinner body rotates about the drive axis of rotation of, and synchronously with, the drive shaft; and
,an eccentric shaft receptacle formed as a substantially cylindrical chamber in the distal face for receiving a proximal portion of the umbrella shaft,wherein the longitudinal axis is offset from and at an acute angle with respect to the drive axis of rotation, and wherein when the proximal portion of the umbrella shaft is inserted into the shaft receptacle, the umbrella shaft has at each point along the proximal portion of the umbrella shaft an outer diameter that is less than the corresponding inner diameter of the shaft receptacle adjacent to that point such that the umbrella shaft is freely rotatable with respect to the spinner body and without binding.
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 of rotation, said longitudinal axis being offset and canted with respect to said drive axis of rotation. In an illustrative example, the piston drive linkage may be formed as an umbrella shape with multiple arm members extending radially from the longitudinal axis. The distal ends of each of the radial arm members may attach to a stationary piston crank. The nutating motion of the piston drive linkage may impart a substantially linear motion profile substantially parallel to the drive axis of rotation. A shaft extending along the longitudinal axis from the piston linkage may advantageously freely insert into and rotate within a receptacle of a spinner body being rotated around the drive axis of rotation.
8 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an umbrella shaft rigidly extending along a longitudinal axis; an umbrella linkage rigidly coupled to a distal end of the umbrella shaft, the umbrella linkage having a plurality of distal members extending radially from the longitudinal axis; a spinner body formed as a substantially rigid body having a proximal face and a distal face; a drive shaft receptacle formed in the proximal face and extending along a drive axis of rotation of a drive shaft, wherein the spinner body rotates about the drive axis of rotation of, and synchronously with, the drive shaft; and
,an eccentric shaft receptacle formed as a substantially cylindrical chamber in the distal face for receiving a proximal portion of the umbrella shaft, wherein the longitudinal axis is offset from and at an acute angle with respect to the drive axis of rotation, and wherein when the proximal portion of the umbrella shaft is inserted into the shaft receptacle, the umbrella shaft has at each point along the proximal portion of the umbrella shaft an outer diameter that is less than the corresponding inner diameter of the shaft receptacle adjacent to that point such that the umbrella shaft is freely rotatable with respect to the spinner body and without binding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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providing an umbrella shaft rigidly extending along a longitudinal axis; rigidly coupling an umbrella linkage to a distal end of the umbrella shaft, the umbrella linkage having a plurality of distal members extending radially from the longitudinal axis; providing a spinner body formed as a substantially rigid body having a proximal face and a distal face; providing a drive shaft receptacle formed in the proximal face and extending along a drive axis of rotation of a drive shaft; rotating the spinner body about the drive axis of rotation of, and synchronously with, the drive shaft; receiving a proximal portion of the umbrella shaft in an eccentric shaft receptacle formed as a cylindrical chamber in the distal face; and
,inserting the proximal portion of the umbrella shaft into the eccentric shaft receptacle, wherein the outer diameter of the umbrella shaft has at each point along the proximal portion of the umbrella shaft an outer diameter that is less than the corresponding inner diameter of the eccentric shaft receptacle adjacent to that point such that the umbrella shaft is freely rotatable without binding with respect to the spinner body. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus comprising:
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a shaft rigidly extending along a longitudinal axis; a wobble plate rigidly coupled to a distal end of the shaft, 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 (20)
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Specification