Rotating Cam Compressor with Sliding End Vanes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary compressors and pumps face challenges in maintaining seals and performing maintenance due to complex and expensive designs, particularly around sliding vanes and slanted compression plates.
Innovation Solution
A compressor apparatus with a housing containing a rotating cam and sliding end vanes, where the cam has a reversible design with sloped annular channels and ramp configurations that allow for efficient fluid flow in both directions, and the end vanes are biased to divide the channels for intake and discharge, facilitating easy maintenance and seal integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rotary compressor design with slanted compression plate and sliding vanes is used, then continuous energy transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compression chamber is segmented into multiple chambers by the cam structure, with each chamber independently processing fluid. This segmentation allows continuous operation while simplifying the overall mechanical design compared to traditional sliding vane compressors.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a rotating component, a sealing surface, a fluid directing element, and a chamber-defining structure. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining continuous operation.
2Productivity
If traditional sliding vane compressor design is used, then continuous compression is achieved, but maintenance difficulty and seal integrity problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic sliding vane and slanted compression plate components are extracted from the design. Instead, a cam structure with end vanes is used, which eliminates the complex sealing requirements and maintenance issues associated with traditional sliding interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than having sliding vanes move along a slanted plate, the invention inverts the approach by having a rotating cam with fixed or simply-supported end vanes that slide along the cam's peripheral surface. This reversal of the sliding interface location and orientation simplifies maintenance and improves seal integrity.
3Reliability
If complex sealing arrangements are used around suction and compression spaces, then seal integrity is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the cam structure itself. The cam's peripheral surface and the end vane interfaces create natural sealing surfaces that define chamber boundaries without requiring separate complex sealing mechanisms. The geometry of the cam and vanes themselves provides the sealing action.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for compressing or pumping fluid includes a housing having an interior chamber. A rotating cam is rotatably mounted within an interior chamber and includes a reversible cam body configured to enable fluid to flow in a foreword direction and a reverse direction. The reversible cam body has a first sloped annular channel formed therein. The first end of the reversible cam body includes a ramp up portion, a ramp down portion, and inner and outer circumferential sidewalls that circumscribe the ramp to define the first sloped annular channel. The apparatus may include a circumferential cam gear located on the outer circumferential sidewall and a secondary drive shaft with a pinion gear to rotate the circumferential cam gear.