Deformable Vane Rotary Piston for Low-Cost Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary piston machines require precise machining and assembly to achieve close dimensional tolerances, making them unsuitable for light-duty, low-cost applications like water closets and building drainage systems due to high manufacturing costs and potential operational failures from internal losses and seizure.
Innovation Solution
A rotary piston machine designed for easy production through plastic injection molding with axially and torsionally deformable vanes that automatically adjust during operation to accommodate manufacturing inconsistencies, using a rotor with four equally spaced vanes and a hinge mechanism formed by internal pressure to ensure hermetic alignment and sealing, allowing for cost-effective and simplified assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If precise machining and assembly are used to achieve close dimensional tolerances, then operational reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vane is designed to be dynamically deformable during operation, transitioning from a rigid pre-assembly state to a flexible operational state. The vane can bend and twist under operating conditions to self-align with the rotor and cylinder, compensating for manufacturing tolerances without requiring precise initial machining. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by allowing cheaper manufacturing while maintaining operational reliability through real-time adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the vane from rigid to flexible/deformable. By allowing the vane to change its shape and orientation under operating conditions, the system can accommodate a range of manufacturing tolerances. The vane's ability to bend and twist enables it to adapt to dimensional variations in the rotor and cylinder, achieving reliable operation without expensive precision machining.
2Reliability
If precise machining is performed to achieve close dimensional tolerances, then internal losses and seizure are prevented, but manufacturing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vane serves itself by automatically adjusting its position and shape during operation to maintain proper clearance with the rotor and cylinder. The deformable vane self-aligns through bending and twisting under operating conditions, eliminating the need for complex precision machining and assembly procedures. This self-adjusting capability prevents internal losses and seizure while simplifying the manufacturing process.
3Ease of manufacture
If thin wall sections are used to minimize material costs and facilitate injection molding, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but component strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vane is designed as a thin-walled deformable component that leverages its flexibility as a functional feature rather than a weakness. The thin wall sections enable the vane to bend and twist for self-alignment while still providing sufficient structural integrity for operation. The deformability compensates for the reduced strength inherent in thin-walled construction, allowing cost-effective injection molding while maintaining operational capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine effectively overcomes manufacturing challenges by allowing for the use of cost-effective materials and simplified assembly, ensuring reliable operation despite component misalignments and distortions, while providing high-volume air displacement suitable for light-duty applications.
Implementation Method 1
the vane being substantially rigid perpendicular to its line of contact with the rotor but axially and torsionally deformable to allow the internal pressure generated during displacement to force the vane into simultaneous colinear alignment with the rotor and the cylinder
Implementation Method 2
a rotor eccentrically mounted within the stator, at least one vane connected to the rotor and in communication with the cylinder to form an expanding and contracting chamber as the piston rotates
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary piston machine has a cylinder provided with two ends to form a stator with inlet and outlet apertures, and a piston having a rotor eccentrically mounted within the stator. A vane is connected to the rotor by a hinge and forms an expanding and contracting chamber as the piston rotates. The piston is provided with a sealing means sufficient to restrict movement of gaseous/fluid matter between chambers during operation. The sealing means includes a flexible seal member with a mating lip positioned adjacent to the vane hinge. Each revolution of the eccentrically mounted piston causes the seal member to contact an inner cylinder wall to prevent the escape of displaced gaseous/fluid matter past the vane hinge. The flexible seal member contacts the cylinder wall and bends to form a lip seal resistive to the direction of pressurization.