EP0933500B1 - Machine volumétrique à piston rotatif - Google Patents

Machine volumétrique à piston rotatif Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0933500B1
EP0933500B1 EP99300703A EP99300703A EP0933500B1 EP 0933500 B1 EP0933500 B1 EP 0933500B1 EP 99300703 A EP99300703 A EP 99300703A EP 99300703 A EP99300703 A EP 99300703A EP 0933500 B1 EP0933500 B1 EP 0933500B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rotary piston
stator
piston
rotor
cylinder
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP99300703A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0933500A1 (fr
Inventor
Stephen Francis Lindsey
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Individual
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Individual
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01C—ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01C3/00—Rotary-piston machines or engines with non-parallel axes of movement of co-operating members
    • F01C3/02—Rotary-piston machines or engines with non-parallel axes of movement of co-operating members the axes being arranged at an angle of 90 degrees

Definitions

  • This invention relates to rotary piston and cylinder devices which may be, for example, in the form of an internal combustion engine, or a pump such as a supercharger or fluid pump, or as an expander such as a hydraulic motor or turbine replacement.
  • 'piston' is used herein in its widest sense to include, where the context admits, a partition capable of moving relative to a cylinder wall, and such partition need not generally be of substantial thickness in the direction of relative movement but can often be in the form of a blade.
  • FR 2660364 discloses a rotary piston and cylinder device in which radially inwardly extending pistons are caused to move through an annular cylinder space.
  • a shutter disc is provided which serves to partition the annular cylinder space twice. Such an arrangement is in practice difficult to realise so as to avoid the rotating disc impeding the passage of the pistons.
  • a rotary piston and cylinder device comprising a rotor and a stator, the stator at least partially defining an annular cylinder space, the rotor is in the form of a ring, and the rotor comprising at least one piston which extends generally radially inwardly from the rotor ring into the annular cylinder space, the stator being positioned internally of the ring, in use the at least one piston is moved circumferentially through the annular cylinder space on rotation of the rotor relative to the stator, the rotor body being sealed relative to the stator, and the device further comprising cylinder space shutter means which is capable of being moved relative to the stator to a closed position in which the shutter means partitions the annular cylinder space, and to an open position in which the shutter means permits passage of the at least one piston, the cylinder space shutter means comprising a shutter disc, the device being characterised in that the shutter disc passes through the cylinder space only once.
  • the stator may have portions which extend generally radially outwardly beyond the ring if desired.
  • the shutter disc presents a partition which extends substantially radially of the annular cylinder space.
  • the shutter means could be reciprocable, it is much preferred to avoid the use of reciprocating components, particularly when high speeds are required, and the shutter means is preferably at least one rotary shutter disc provided with at least one aperture which in the open condition of the shutter means is arranged to be positioned substantially in register with the circumferentially-extending bore of the annular cylinder space to permit passage of the at least one piston through the shutter disc.
  • the at least one aperture is provided radially in the shutter disc.
  • the rotor is adapted to receive the shutter disc.
  • the shutter disc is preferably driven from the rotor through a suitable transmission means.
  • the axis of rotation of the rotor is not parallel to the axis of rotation of the shutter disc.
  • the axis of rotation of the rotor is substantially orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the shutter disc.
  • the piston is so shaped that it will pass through an aperture in the moving shutter means, without balking, as the aperture passes through the annular cylinder space.
  • the rotor body is preferably rotatably supported by the stator rather than relying on co-operation between the pistons and the cylinder walls to relatively position the rotor body and stator.
  • the rotor ring is preferably rotatably supported by suitable bearing means carried by the stator.
  • the annular cylinder space maybe divided into a plurality of annular cylinder spaces. Preferably there is at least one piston in each cylinder space.
  • the communication means is provided between the cylinder spaces which comprises at least one transfer passage.
  • the transfer passage or passages may be provided internally or externally of the stator, or internally or externally of the rotor.
  • At least one of the transfer passages may be valved by the shutter means.
  • annular cylinder space is divided into two annular cylinder spaces by the inclusion of a circumferentially-extending central wall in the stator.
  • a respective piston is provided in each cylinder space.
  • One annular cylinder space defines an induction/compression space, and the other cylinder space defines a combustion/exhaust space.
  • the central wall has formed therein a transfer passage which provides a communication means between one annular cylinder space on one side of the shutter disc and the other annular cylinder space on the other side of the shutter disc.
  • the transfer passage is shaped so that as the aperture of the shutter disc passes through the transfer passage, the aperture acts as a valve therein.
  • a relatively narrow transfer passage may act as a venturi, allowing direct injection of fuel into the compressed gas (from an injector on the combustion side of the transfer passage) at a lower pressure than would otherwise be necessary. Direct injection may allow a higher compression ratio to be used (and hence increase the engine efficiency).
  • the energy expended in fuel pressurisation may be reduced by having a split injection system in which part of the fuel is injected into the inlet port (in which the gas that is injected into is around atmospheric pressure) and the rest of the fuel needed to form a combustible mixture is injected into the compressed gas in the transfer passage. This may improve fuel mixing and would still allow a high compression ratio to be used without the risk of pre-ignition that would occur if all of the fuel was added to the inlet port.
  • the circular geometry of the engine may cause fuel to be centrifuged outwards. In the combustion side, this could possibly be controlled with an injector design, or an aerodynamic device by the injector to control amount of mixing. This would allow variable charge stratification (and hence allow power output to be varied without throttling).
  • Another possible modification would be the introduction of a second port on the induction/compression side to allow part of the induced air to be rejected. Control of the amount of air rejected would allow throttling of the device without the pumping losses associated with conventional throttles. Using this form of throttling, the compression ratio is effectively reduced, but the expansion ratio remains the same.
  • the stator comprises at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port.
  • At least one of the ports is substantially adjacent to the shutter means.
  • At least one of said ports is continuously open.
  • at least one of said ports may be valved.
  • Said ports maybe valved by the shutter means.
  • the ports may be valved by pressure-controlled valving means or other valving means.
  • each piston comprises sealing means.
  • the sealing means comprises at least one sealing strip.
  • each such sealing strip is attached to the piston by means of at least one resilient member.
  • the sealing means may, alternatively, comprise a spring seal.
  • sealing strip and the piston device define a recess.
  • the piston and the sealing strip comprise angled front portions which encourage the accumulation of pressure in that region of the annular cylinder space which is adjacent to said front angled portions.
  • the ratio of the angular velocity of the rotor to the angular velocity of the shutter disc is 1:1.
  • the rotary piston and cylinder device is an internal combustion engine.
  • the rotary piston and cylinder device is a fluid pump.
  • the rotary piston and cylinder device is a hydraulic motor/actuator.
  • the rotary piston and cylinder device may be a turbine replacement.
  • the rotary piston and cylinder device may be a compressor or expander.
  • a rotary piston and cylinder device is shown in Figures 1 to 4.
  • the device 31 illustrated comprises an outer ring 56, a shutter disc 58 and stator 60.
  • the stator 60 comprises a roof 62 and walls 64a and 64b. Said roof and said walls extend circumferentially around an axis of rotation Y-Y.
  • the walls 64a and 64b comprise two ports 80 and 81, respectively, which are located adjacent to the shutter disc 58.
  • the inlet port and the outlet port may equally be provided in the roof 62.
  • the outer ring 56 is rotatably mounted to said stator 60 by suitable bearing means.
  • the outer ring 56 is provided with an inner surface 68 which is substantially arcuate in outline so as to accommodate the shutter disc 58.
  • the inner surface 68 and stator 60 define an annular cylinder space 70.
  • Said annular cylinder space is sealed by means of sealing rings (not shown).
  • Said outer ring further comprises a piston 72 which extends generally inwardly of the outer ring 56.
  • the piston 72 is provided with inner surface portion 72a and is shaped so as to allow for the movement of said inner surface portion on the roof 62.
  • the shutter disc 58 is provided with an aperture 76 and the shutter disc is mounted within the outer ring 56 so that the shutter disc passes once through the annular cylinder space 70 as illustrated.
  • the shutter disc has an axis of rotation X-X.
  • Suitable transmission means are provided (not illustrated) between the outer ring 56 and the shutter disc 58 so that they both rotate at the same angular velocity.
  • the piston is so shaped that when both the ring and the shutter disc rotate at (substantially) the same angular speed the piston is able to pass through the aperture without prohibiting interference.
  • the effective size of the aperture is dependent on the thickness of the piston.
  • the ratio of the angular velocities of the rotor to that of the shutter disc may be 1:2 if two diametrically opposed pistons were provided.
  • the embodiment described may be used as a pump with an inlet port 80 and an outlet port 81.
  • the outer ring 56 would be driven by suitable driving means (not shown). During operation the outer ring 56 and the shutter disc 58 would rotate and the stator 60 would remain stationary.
  • the inlet and outlet ports may be provided in outer ring 56 and may be valved by openings provided in a static outer housing.
  • one or more of the inlet or outlet ports may be valved by a modification to the shutter disc 58.
  • other suitable valving means may be used.
  • inlet and outlet ports may be provided in the outer ring 56 so that more conventionally the outer ring 56 remains stationary and the rotating shutter disc 58 and the stator 60 rotate inside the outer ring 56.
  • One advantage of the inventive rotary piston and cylinder is that of compactness.
  • the lack of reciprocating motions means that acceleration forces impose less of an rpm limit on the device.
  • the rotary piston and cylinder device 31 could be adapted to be used as an hydraulic motor. Alternatively, if appropriate communication means were provided between different parts of the annular cylinder space 70, the device could be used as a combustion engine.
  • FIG. 5 A further embodiment in accordance with the invention is shown in Figure 5.
  • the angle between the axis Y-Y of rotation of the rotor ring and the axis B-B of rotation of the shutter disc is 45°.
  • the piston attached to the outer ring is less angled with respect of the axis of rotation of the outer ring which reduces the side thrust on the outer ring.
  • Another advantage of the embodiment shown in Figure 5 is that the external dimensions are further reduced compared to the rotary piston and cylinder device 31.
  • the device could be used as a pump or hydraulic motor/actuator or as a compressor or expander with the addition of valving means.
  • a number of the devices set forth could be combined, or the cylinder space divided to form multi-stage machines. These could take the form of a combustion engine, if appropriate valving and communication means were provided, or other machines such as multi-stage compressors.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
  • Hydraulic Motors (AREA)
  • Centrifugal Separators (AREA)
  • Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)
  • Valve-Gear Or Valve Arrangements (AREA)
  • Actuator (AREA)

Claims (16)

  1. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) comprenant un rotor et un stator (60), le stator (60) définissant au moins partiellement un espace cylindrique annulaire (70), le rotor revêtant la forme d'un anneau (56), et le rotor comprenant au moins un piston qui s'étend généralement radialement vers l'intérieur depuis l'anneau de rotor (56) dans l'espace cylindrique annulaire (70), le stator (60) étant placé intérieurement par rapport à l'anneau (56), ledit au moins un piston (72) étant déplacé, en utilisation, de façon périphérique à travers l'espace cylindrique annulaire (9) lors de la rotation du rotor par rapport au stator (60), le corps du rotor étant monté de façon étanche par rapport au stator, et le dispositif comprenant en outre des moyens formant obturateur d'espace cylindrique (58) qui sont capables d'être déplacés par rapport au stator vers une position fermée dans laquelle les moyens formant obturateur définissent une partition de l'espace cylindrique annulaire, et vers une position ouverte dans laquelle les moyens formant obturateur permettent le passage dudit au moins un piston, les moyens formant obturateur d'espace cylindrique comprenant un disque d'obturateur, et le dispositif étant caractérisé en ce que le disque d'obturateur passe à travers l'espace cylindrique uniquement une fois.
  2. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le disque d'obturateur (58) présente une partition qui s'étend sensiblement de manière radiale par rapport à l'espace cylindrique annulaire (70).
  3. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le disque d'obturateur (58) est un disque d'obturateur rotatif pourvu d'au moins une ouverture (76) qui, dans l'état ouvert des moyens formant obturateur, est agencée pour être positionnée sensiblement de façon calée avec l'alésage s'étendant de manière périphérique par rapport à l'espace cylindrique annulaire (70) pour permettre le passage du piston (72) à travers le disque d'obturateur.
  4. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 3, dans lequel ladite au moins une ouverture (76) est prévue de manière radiale dans le disque d'obturateur (58).
  5. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 4, dans lequel l'axe de rotation du rotor n'est pas parallèle à l'axe de rotation du disque d'obturateur (58).
  6. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 5, dans lequel l'axe de rotation du rotor est sensiblement orthogonal par rapport à l'axe de rotation du disque d'obturateur (58).
  7. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'espace cylindrique annulaire (70) est divisé en une pluralité d'espaces cylindriques annulaires.
  8. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 7, dans lequel il existe au moins un piston dans chaque espace cylindrique.
  9. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 7 ou 8, dans lequel des moyens de communication sont prévus entre les espaces cylindriques annulaires.
  10. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 9, dans lequel les moyens de communication comprennent au moins un passage de transfert.
  11. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 10, dans lequel ledit au moins un passage de transfert est prévu à l'intérieur du stator (60).
  12. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31), selon la revendication 10, dans lequel ledit au moins un passage de transfert est prévu à l'extérieur du stator (60).
  13. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10 à 12, dans lequel ledit au moins un passage de transfert est pourvu d'un échappement constitué par les moyens formant obturateur (58).
  14. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, qui comprend un orifice d'entrée (80) et un orifice de sortie (81) qui sont prévus dans l'anneau du rotor.
  15. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon la revendication 14, dans lequel au moins un de l'orifice d'entrée (80) et de l'orifice de sortie (81) est pourvu d'un échappement constitué par les ouvertures dans le stator.
  16. Dispositif à piston rotatif et cylindre (31) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 13, dans lequel le dispositif comprend un orifice à valve.
EP99300703A 1998-01-30 1999-01-29 Machine volumétrique à piston rotatif Expired - Lifetime EP0933500B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9801859 1998-01-30
GBGB9801859.1A GB9801859D0 (en) 1998-01-30 1998-01-30 Rotary piston and cylinder devices

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0933500A1 EP0933500A1 (fr) 1999-08-04
EP0933500B1 true EP0933500B1 (fr) 2003-08-27

Family

ID=10826069

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99300703A Expired - Lifetime EP0933500B1 (fr) 1998-01-30 1999-01-29 Machine volumétrique à piston rotatif

Country Status (5)

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EP (1) EP0933500B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE248290T1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69910634T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2207118T3 (fr)
GB (1) GB9801859D0 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN107075948A (zh) * 2014-07-24 2017-08-18 隆特拉有限责任公司 旋转活塞及汽缸装置
CN107075947A (zh) * 2014-07-24 2017-08-18 隆特拉有限责任公司 旋转活塞及汽缸装置

Families Citing this family (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001040630A1 (fr) * 1999-11-30 2001-06-07 Allen, Margaret, Elizabeth Moteur a combustion interne
US6546908B1 (en) 2000-08-04 2003-04-15 Vgt Technologies, Inc. Variable geometry toroidal engine
GB2402974A (en) * 2003-06-17 2004-12-22 Richard See Rotary device in which rotor has sectors of different radii
DE102004022489A1 (de) * 2004-05-07 2005-12-01 Voith Paper Patent Gmbh Pressenanordnung und Verfahren zum einseitigen oder beidseitigen Behandeln einer laufenden Materialbahn
US7305963B2 (en) * 2005-05-13 2007-12-11 Juan Zak Blade-thru-slot combustion engine, compressor, pump and motor
GB0603099D0 (en) * 2006-02-16 2006-03-29 Lontra Environmental Technolog Rotary piston and cylinder devices
GB2438859B (en) * 2006-06-05 2011-11-23 Juan Zak Rotary combustion engine, compressor, pump and motor
JP5093866B1 (ja) * 2012-04-02 2012-12-12 清 野口 熱効率の良いバンケル式回転ピストンエンジン
GB2528658A (en) * 2014-07-24 2016-02-03 Lontra Ltd Rotary piston and cylinder devices
GB2528509A (en) * 2014-07-24 2016-01-27 Lontra Ltd Rotary Piston and Cylinder Devices
WO2017051484A1 (fr) * 2015-09-25 2017-03-30 隆雄 鶴田 Moteur à combustion interne à allumage par étincelle
GB201614975D0 (en) * 2016-09-02 2016-10-19 Lontra Ltd Rotary piston and cylinder device
GB201614976D0 (en) * 2016-09-02 2016-10-19 Lontra Ltd Rotary piston and cylinder device
GB201614973D0 (en) * 2016-09-02 2016-10-19 Lontra Ltd Rotary piston and cylinder device
GB201614972D0 (en) * 2016-09-02 2016-10-19 Lontra Ltd Rotary piston and cylinder device
US10801401B2 (en) 2017-10-12 2020-10-13 Constant Velocity Design Llc Toroidal engine

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2660364A1 (fr) * 1990-03-27 1991-10-04 Kohn Elhanan Moteur thermique rotatif.
US5293849A (en) * 1992-11-24 1994-03-15 Huckert Louie N Continuously rotating engine apparatus

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR334055A (fr) * 1903-03-16 1903-12-10 Robert Nass Moteur rotatif
FR1370790A (fr) * 1963-07-17 1964-08-28 Dispositif rotatif à équipages mobiles pour comprimer, détendre ou entraîner un fluide
GB2104154A (en) * 1981-08-20 1983-03-02 Sebastiano Italia Rotary positive-displacement fluid-machines
DE4200146C1 (en) * 1992-01-07 1993-06-24 Klemm, Gerhard Wilhelm, 7290 Freudenstadt, De IC engine with discontinuous inner combustion - has ring chamber divided by stop plate, rotating with rotor, and having gate for blade which drives rotor, which then drives drive shaft
DE19509913A1 (de) * 1995-03-18 1996-09-19 Juergen Walter Umlaufkolbenmaschine

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2660364A1 (fr) * 1990-03-27 1991-10-04 Kohn Elhanan Moteur thermique rotatif.
US5293849A (en) * 1992-11-24 1994-03-15 Huckert Louie N Continuously rotating engine apparatus

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN107075948A (zh) * 2014-07-24 2017-08-18 隆特拉有限责任公司 旋转活塞及汽缸装置
CN107075947A (zh) * 2014-07-24 2017-08-18 隆特拉有限责任公司 旋转活塞及汽缸装置
CN107075948B (zh) * 2014-07-24 2019-10-11 隆特拉有限责任公司 旋转活塞及汽缸装置
CN107075947B (zh) * 2014-07-24 2019-10-25 隆特拉有限责任公司 旋转活塞及汽缸装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE248290T1 (de) 2003-09-15
GB9801859D0 (en) 1998-03-25
ES2207118T3 (es) 2004-05-16
EP0933500A1 (fr) 1999-08-04
DE69910634T2 (de) 2004-06-17
DE69910634D1 (de) 2003-10-02

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