Roticulating Rotor Piston Mechanism for Fluid Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid pumps and internal combustion engines with a 'cranked' reciprocating arrangement face inefficiencies due to the need for translation of linear piston motion into rotational shaft motion, leading to energy losses.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus featuring a rotatable and pivotable rotor with piston members that rotate around a first axis and pivot around a second axis, allowing for relative pivoting motion between the rotor and piston members, eliminating the need for crank-based translation by using a 'roticulating' mechanism that simultaneously rotates and articulates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a crank-based reciprocating arrangement is used to translate linear piston motion into rotational shaft motion, then the mechanical connection between piston and shaft is established, but energy losses occur due to the translation mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the crank translation mechanism entirely from the system. Instead of using a piston connected to a crankshaft, the invention employs a rotor with chambers that directly rotate about the output shaft axis, eliminating the intermediary translation mechanism and its associated energy losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical crank-slider mechanism with a rotational chamber system. The piston motion is achieved through rotation of the rotor chambers rather than through crank-based translation, substituting a more efficient mechanical arrangement.
2Productivity
If conventional crank translation is used to convert linear motion to rotational motion, then the piston can be connected to the shaft, but efficiency is reduced due to translation losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous rotational motion of the rotor chambers without interruption from translation mechanisms. The chambers continuously rotate about the output shaft, providing uninterrupted useful action and eliminating the inefficiencies of periodic translation.
Solution Approach 2:
The crank translation mechanism is completely removed from the system. The invention achieves direct rotational motion through the rotor chambers, extracting the harmful translation step and its associated energy losses.
3Loss of energy
If a rotor with pivotable chambers is used to eliminate crank translation, then energy losses are reduced, but the device complexity increases due to the pivot mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rotation and pivoting functions into a single integrated rotor assembly. The rotor chambers both rotate about the output shaft and pivot relative to the rotor body, combining multiple motions into one component rather than requiring separate mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor chambers are configured with curved surfaces and pivot along arcuate paths, allowing smooth rotational and pivoting motions. The spherical or spheroidal geometry of the rotor enables continuous rotation and pivoting without mechanical interference.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus including a first piston member rotatable about a first rotational axis and a rotor with a first chamber and pivotable about a second rotational axis. The first piston member extends across the first chamber. The rotor and first piston member are rotatable around the first rotational axis, and the rotor is pivotable about the second rotational axis to permit a relative pivoting motion between the rotor and the first piston member linked to the rotor rotating about the first rotational axis.