EP4204299A1

EP4204299A1 - Device driving the flapping of a carrier plane

Info

Publication number: EP4204299A1
Application number: EP21765812.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francis Rey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-08-28
Filing date: 2021-08-25
Publication date: 2023-07-05
Also published as: WO2022043368A1; CA3187069A1; US20230322346A1; FR3113643A1; FR3113643B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for driving a primary shaft (200), characterised in that the device comprises: a system S1 comprising means for driving movement of a control member (100) along a looped trajectory λ having two axial components; a system S2 comprising a means for pivoting the shaft (200) about its longitudinal axis, actuated by the movement of the member (100) along at least one component of λ; a system S3 comprising a means for driving movement of the shaft (200), actuated by the movement of the member (100) along at least the other component of λ, the member (100) projecting from the plane of the components and engaged with both the driving means for pivoting and for moving of the shaft (200), the movement of the member (100) along λ generating a pivoting of the shaft (200) in alternating directions and its movement in alternating directions.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Title: TRAINING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING PLANE

The present invention relates to a device for driving a carrier plane, preferably profiled, immersed in a fluid, making it possible to animate said plane with an alternating beat composed of a pitch tilting and a transverse displacement. allowing either to produce a displacement or to recover energy from the displacement of the fluid.

Such a profiled carrier plane is for example that known by the name of the English term "foil" and consists of a profiled wing which moves in the water and transmits a lift force to its support. The speed of movement of the wing support generates on this wing a hydrodynamic lift capable of lifting, for example, a boat hull, or a "windsurf" type board, partially or totally out of the water.

The present invention therefore proposes to use such a wing, which can also be called hydrofoil, aileron, shovel, paddle, wing or fin, depending on its size and function, by animating it with an alternating beat composed of a linear displacement or in an arc of a circle and a tilting, to recover the kinetic energy of a fluid or to move a machine or a fluid, understood that fluid here designates a perfectly deformable material (water, air. ..). All types of support planes can be used, including those with relative flexibility or those with controlled deformation.

The invention relates to the development needs of three sectors in particular:

- that of propulsion devices for maritime or river vehicles, the context of which pushes the actors to make the systems less energy-consuming while possessing strong maneuvering potential to guarantee their operational autonomy and their safety without losing reliability and being moreover more respectful of the environment: acoustic and visual discretion, more harmless to wildlife;

- that of the production of so-called renewable energy by exploiting the natural kinetics of the atmospheric, maritime or fluvial environment (current, tide) with expectations concerning efficiency, robustness, assets against biofouling, low impact on the environment naturalness and adaptation to many operating contexts: urban machines on buildings, river machines on the bottom, floating marine machines;

- that of the development of small or mini robotic underwater exploration vehicles, aerial or submerged drones in charge of shooting, research, surveillance, sampling or delivery missions for which the carrying plans biomimetic leaves would bring many benefits.

STATE OF THE ART

A system with one or more flapping airfoils is inherently better than those rotating around a hub like those on an ordinary propeller or those on a tubular hub with the blades often pointing inwards. The reasons are mainly three-fold.

The first is of a hydrodynamic nature and linked to the rotation of the blades which produces in particular: a globally helical and non-orthogonal wake; a hydrodynamic pressure along the radially variable and non-constant blade; does not allow optimum angle of attack setting over the entire aspect ratio of the blade; the number of blades multiplies the losses by marginal vortices which are added to that of the warhead or the tubular hub which retains them. In addition, the alternating tilting of the oscillating carrier plane in itself generates a hydrodynamic unsteadiness of the flows (regularly released vortices) which globally increase its effectiveness under certain conditions.

The second reason is related to the cases of devices having to respond to different conditions of evolution without loss of efficiency (rate or speed of the fluid); what variable-pitch propellers try to answer, but the variability of the three-dimensional geometry that this ideally requires (dynamic twisting of the blades, restricted hub) comes up against technological limits.

Finally, for moving machines, the third disadvantage of the propeller is related to the configuration for obtaining a maneuver, either: the addition of a rudder or the mounting of the propeller on a pivoting nacelle. The first solution is traditional but provides limited manoeuvrability; the second greatly improves this objective but at the cost of a complex kinematic or/and electrical chain whose accessibility is nil or restricted, so that its choice often raises questions. Furthermore, in both cases the additional device adds a drag, which lowers the performance of the assembly.

Apart from the disposition of the blades in a helix, two generic operating configurations of the airfoils are possible: that of fins mounted on a rotor (fins substantially perpendicular to the rotor) and those of the wings with an alternating beat.

Thus, for the blades mounted on a rotor, a first series of systems consisting of to position one or more carrier planes, generally in this case called fins, perpendicular to one or two plane rotors located in a plane tangent to the flow, such systems being known under the name of cycloidal thrusters of the Lipp type described in WO -A-2002070890 or Voith-Schneider as well as the evolutions of these systems such as those described in WO-A-2014006603, WO-A-2016067251 and WO-A-2017168359 or systems approaching them such as those described in WO-A-1988010207.

In this type of device, the trajectory of a fin in the fluid is a cycloid, ie a relatively swirling trajectory and highly dependent on the ratio: rotor rotation speed co to forward speed u. Thus, the setting on the trajectory, of the incidence a of a fin is not easy and in fact, a sometimes significant part of the trajectory is not efficient or even counterproductive, consequently limiting the performance of this type of system which on the other hand can offer good manoeuvrability.

If we are now interested in the plan with an alternative beat, many systems have been proposed. However, we exclude here from the prior art, due to the drawbacks they present, in particular due to the fact that they must operate at a limited translational speed or due to the need for ancillary and/or complex control elements, the devices comprising a main hydraulic actuator (cylinder) or systems with main motor or generator movement that are non-rotating or that require alternate rotations. Because of their reliability, mechanical systems resulting in continuous rotation are therefore preferred.

Thus from this technologically advantageous continuous rotation, very many systems, such as FR-A-1330218, FR-A-2470875, US-A-5401196, FR-A-2797428, WO-A-2003/062048, WO -A-2004/110859, WO-A-2009/074580, WO-2009/068762, US-A-2011/0255971, US-A-2014/0328682, use the crank or wheel - crank - connecting rod or wheel system - crank pin - lever to transform continuous rotation into linear alternating motion or arc of a circle to produce the movements of a supporting plane. This technological solution, although simple and robust, nevertheless has many disadvantages for the intended application: the axis or the wick of the carrying plane is laterally offset from the wheel, making the devices not very compact and sometimes not symmetrical with respect to the axis of the ship ; the orientation adjustment of the pitch tilting oscillation is not possible except by interposing an additional actuator (jack) in permanent motion on the connecting rod or the lever making its connection problematic; for hydrodynamic efficiency purposes, the tilting oscillation is not independently parameterizable. In addition, the connecting rod - crank system has a heave kinematics in speed and in relatively asymmetrical acceleration (a function of the ratio of connecting rod to crank lengths) whereas pitch as produced has a symmetric function, hence asymmetric hydrodynamic operation which will reduce efficiency.

Finally, only a few systems come out of this scheme to produce the oscillation of a carrier plane, WO-A-2016/004800 in particular with the use of a planetary gear but in the latter only the translational movement in roll is generated .

Furthermore, in many systems, FR-A-1330218, FR-A-2470875, FR-A-2797428, WO-A-2004/110859, US-A-2011/0255971, structures supporting or guiding the wing in position degrade the hydrodynamics.

Finally, the sealing between the hydrodynamic part and the mechanical part is very rarely addressed and does not seem to be easy to achieve in most systems.

All of the state-of-the-art documents therefore generally present elements disturbing the hydrodynamic potential of the support plane and a size of the mechanism limiting the possibilities of implantation. In addition, the pitching function is either not present as it is or only delegated to the flexibility of the profile, or not easily adjustable in amplitude without an additional on-board actuator on a moving part of the mechanism, or even sometimes rotating. Similarly, the pitch function is non-adaptable, the latter being overall only sinusoidal; however, as will be explained, different functions have a strong interest. In addition, the devices described offering effective sealing between the hydrodynamic part and the mechanical part are rare, which induces limits of use or durability. The orientation function of the flapping plane when it is in a position to be able to have a rudder role (vertical position) is rarely present or limited and very often cannot be done without disturbing the transverse displacement function (non-decoupled functions) , either the rotation of the motor or the generator.

Thus, the present invention proposes to remove all or part of the barriers described above which prevent current use, which will open up the possibilities of using the flapping of a supporting plane for the applications mentioned.

Presentation of the invention

To this end, the main object of the invention is a device for driving in combined flapping a carrier plane, preferably profiled, the combined flapping being composed at least a displacement (heave translation and/or roll or pitch swing) and a pivoting of the driving axis of the carrier plane (pitch tilting), axis called wick connected to a drive device of a primary shaft in lateral displacement with positions parallel or not to its longitudinal axis and in pivoting around its longitudinal axis.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a device for driving a primary shaft in displacement (translation and/or swinging) and in pivoting around its longitudinal axis.

Thus, the invention relates to an alternative drive device for a primary shaft in displacement and in pivoting around its longitudinal axis, characterized in that the device comprises a primary shaft and three systems operating in cooperation, the first system SI comprising means for driving a control member in displacement along a trajectory A in the form of a closed curve, having at least a first axial component T and a second axial component a. the second system S2 comprising means for driving in pivoting, the angle of heel tp of said primary shaft around its longitudinal axis, configured to be actuated by the movement of said control member according to at least one component, preferably the axial component T, of the trajectory defined by the SI system; the third system S3 comprising drive means in movement of the primary shaft, configured to be actuated by the movement of said control member according to the other component, preferably the axial component <T. at least from the trajectory A defined by the system SI, said control member being configured to extend projecting from the plane (o, r) of the said axial components of its trajectory 2 or from a projection in this plane thereof ci and be engaged both with the pivot drive means of the primary shaft and the displacement drive means of said primary shaft, the movement of the control member along the closed curve generating the times a pivoting control (p in one direction then in the opposite direction of the primary shaft around its longitudinal axis and the movement of the primary shaft in one direction and in the opposite direction.

Thus, advantageously, the cooperation of these three systems with the aid of a single control member, such as a crank pin, makes it possible to transform the generally planar displacement of the control member into two distinct and coordinated movements of the shaft. primary. Such a drive device for a primary shaft is particularly advantageous for implementing a combined flapping drive device for an airfoil such as a streamlined wing.

To this end, the invention also relates to a driving device in combined flapping of an airfoil such as a wing, immersed in a fluid, provided with a driving axis called a wick, characterized in that it comprises at least one device for driving a primary shaft in displacement and in pivoting about its longitudinal axis, comprising said primary shaft and three systems operating in cooperation, the first system SI comprising means for driving in displacement a control member along a trajectory /. in the form of a closed curve, having at least a first axial component r and a second axial component . the second system S 2 comprising drive means in pivoting, heel angle (p of said primary shaft around its longitudinal axis, configured to be actuated by the displacement of said control member mainly according to the axial component r of the trajectory 2 defined by the system SI, according to a main function E>(r) fixing tp; the third system S3 comprising means for driving the primary shaft in displacement, configured to be actuated by the displacement of the said control member mainly according to the second axial component o of the trajectory 2 defined by the system SI, said control member being configured to extend projecting from the plane (C>,T) of its trajectory A or from a projection in this plane of that ci and be engaged both with the pivot drive means of the primary shaft and the displacement drive means of said primary shaft, the movement of the control member along the curve f ermed generating both a pivoting command (p in one direction then in the opposite direction of the primary shaft around its longitudinal axis and the movement of the primary shaft in one direction and in the opposite direction, the device comprising in furthermore a connecting system S4 provided between said drive device of the primary shaft and the axis or wick of the carrying plane to transmit the combined movements of displacement and pivoting of the primary shaft to this wick.

Advantageously, this training device produces the essential kinematic components or precursors of the fundamental combined beat of the carrier plane and is always formed by the cooperation of these three systems S1, S2 and S3, whatever the configuration.

Advantageously, these essential movements of the primary shaft are then directly or indirectly transmitted to the bit of the carrying plane to form a minimum effective system via a fourth link system S4 which defines the configuration of the device.

We speak of configuration to designate an embodiment of the invention changing the type of positioning of the support plane and sometimes the components of its movement relative to the device generating the essential kinematics; a configuration can contain several bearing planes of similar or dissimilar motion components. We specify that we are talking about the same carrying plane, including if it is divided into two parts insofar as the movements of the two parts are identical and integral with the same axis, called wick, it is to say that they notably remain in the same plane.

A carrying plane of a device according to the invention can be installed relative to the machine or to the frame according to two types of so-called generic configuration. According to a first type of configuration, a profiled carrier plane such as a profiled wing 1 connected directly or indirectly to the primary shaft can extend with its longitudinal axis substantially orthogonally to the wall of the machine or of the frame on which it is assembled, as can be seen in Figure 1-A, the transverse movement of said bearing plane being substantially tangential to this wall, knowing that the wall is defined here as part of the physical envelope of the machine or of the casing containing the drive device according to the invention This type of generic configuration is said to be T-shaped with several possible cases, depending on the type of transverse movement and the presence or not of an offset from the support plane.

In the simplest case, the profiled wing is attached directly to the primary shaft of the primary shaft drive device by the axis around which it can tilt, designated wick located on the profile of the profiled wing and it undergoes a linear transverse displacement. For this purpose, the wick passes through a slot in the wall of the housing containing the drive device which can be installed behind the wall of the machine.

In a second type of configuration, the support plane has its plane substantially parallel to the wall and the transverse movement is then substantially normal to the latter, as in FIG. 1-B. This type of generic configuration is said to be H-shaped. In this case, the support plane is attached to the drive device according to the invention by, on the one hand, its tilting axis, namely the wick, and on the other hand , by at least one element preferentially orthogonal to this axis and carrying it without displacement, called pestle. The latter is then substantially normal to the wall of the machine and can pass through the latter, through an opening provided with a bearing with bushing and seal or equivalent, providing guidance and sealing between the mechanical parts of the driving device and hydrodynamics of the carrier plane. Starting from these generic configurations (T and H), many other configurations are possible, by adapting the drive device to the position and movements of one or more supporting planes, the heart of the device called the fundamental device producing the components essential cutscenes remaining the same.

The fundamental movements of the carrier plane generated by a device according to the invention are therefore a pitch tilt <> and a transverse movement with respect to the speed u of the flow of the fluid (relative to the speed of the carrier plane) upstream of the carrier plane , this transverse movement possibly being composed of a displacement, denoted E, substantially in the heave direction, or of a rocking, denoted , of rolling or pitching, or of a composition of a displacement E and a sway ¥( surge, yaw and yaw components that can be added depending on the direction and curvature of the transverse movement.

For the record, in Figures 2-A and 2-B, the movements used in the navy or in aviation are represented, applied here to a carrier plane such as a streamlined wing and in which P corresponds to heave, C to surge, E to l yaw, R in roll, L in yaw, T in pitch for a profiled wing configuration called T (figure 1-A) and a configuration called H (figure 1-B). In these figures, are also represented the main orientation of the speed u of the flow of the fluid and that of the reference R (o;x,y,z) linked to the machine or to the frame. The directions of u and the pitch axis of the wing define all movements and all directions. The pitch axis can be driven in motion by rotational drive resulting in pitch tilting and by transverse displacement which is either substantially linear E or pivoted with an angle swing or even curvilinear in two dimensions or even in three dimensions .

Each of the systems obtained according to the invention are simple, efficient and robust mechanical devices whose particular arrangement for distinct but cooperating functional tasks makes it possible to propose the drive device according to the invention.

The invention also relates to a machine comprising at least one driving device in combined flapping of a carrying plane as means of displacement or propulsion of said machine on the surface or immersed in a fluid.

The invention also relates to a device for producing energy from a fluid such as water, air, comprising at least one driving device in combined beat of a carrying plane as a means of recovering energy from the fluid.

Definitions

Definitions are given below for terms that are used in this specification.

Thus, the term satelliton is used to designate a third wheel located in a planetary gear train composed of a sun gear and a satellite, this satelliton being located in an intermediate position with respect to the two previous ones, and rotating around the sun gear. at the same speed as the satellite. In the case of a gear train, the satelliton meshes with the sun gear and the satellite, thus setting the latter in rotation. In the case of a train of pulleys or sprockets with a belt or a chain between the sun gear and the satellite, the equivalent of this satelliton is in the position of a tensioner roller and is called a roller.

The term epitrochoidal is an adjective relating to an epitrochoid which describes a plane curve drawn by a point (i.e. the trajectory of this point) belonging to a disc or being attached to it via an extension, the disc rolling on the external part of a circle fixed. The term antiepitrochoidal(e) is used in the present invention, to qualify a similar planetary train producing a trajectory with a point belonging to a satellite, or being integral with it via an extension, the proper rotation of the satellite taking place in the opposite direction of the rotation around the planetary, being proportional to the ratio of the radii of the planetary to that of the satellite. Materially, therefore, the satellite does not touch the sun gear and its own rotation can take place via a satelliton in the case of an ordinary gear train or via a belt or chain. between the satellite and the sun gear in the case of a train of pulleys or pinions.

Solidarity elements are elements fixed together without a degree of freedom such as a weld or allowing only small relative movements to absorb vibrations or the equivalent, via for example one or more elastic elements.

The linked shafts or wheels relate to two wheels or two shafts whose successive links ensure the transmission of the rotation, whatever the respective position of these axes in space: parallel, orthogonal or any intermediate position. Similarly, wheels or shafts in connection qualify the fact that these wheels or these shafts are linked.

Abbreviations are used in this description according to the following list: />: pitch angle of the axis of the carrier plane (proper rotation of the axis and of the carrier plane)

P: additional angle for orientation adjustment of the hydrodynamic resultant

Z: linear transverse displacement of the support plane

: angle of transverse swing of the wick of the carrier plane or of an element carrying it, according in particular respectively to a roll or pitch angle y trajectory of the wick of the carrier plane (of the tilting axis of the carrier plane) in the fluid f: inclination of the transverse displacement with respect to the direction y corresponding to the heave; cp: angle of heel of the input shaft (proper rotation of the shaft): swing angle of the input shaft

2: name given to the trajectory of the control device or crankpin o: main transverse component of the trajectory A of the so-called crankpin

T: secondary transverse component, generally perpendicular to a, of the trajectory Z of the crank pin

A: displacement of the control device or of an element carrying it for speed adjustment /: phase shift angle of the moving wheel with respect to the drive wheel nr: speed of a chain carrying a crankpin co: speed of rotation of a drive wheel p: pitch of the helical path u: relative principal speed of the flow of the fluid with respect to the machine v: transverse speed of displacement of the support plane, a: angle of incidence of the support plane ( angle between the real relative speed, i.e. the resultant of u and v, and the chord of the profile of the carrying plane)

F: hydrodynamic resultant force on the airfoil composed of lift and drag

6: in the plane of the trajectory y local angle of the latter (compared to the ordinate x) f: beat frequency a: beat amplitude

St: Strouhal number (with St = a.f/ u)

R: orthonormal Cartesian frame (p;x,y,z) of the frame or machine on which the device is installed o: axis of rotation of the driving wheel, origin of the frame R o': axis of rotation of the carrier satellite crank pin o": axis of rotation of a satelliton or a roller z: point of rooting (installation) of the bit in the profile of the support plane S: function of kinematic transformation linked to a configuration: function of definition of the helical path.

The fundamental systems

According to a first embodiment, the device for driving a primary shaft in lateral displacement and in pivoting around its longitudinal axis, comprises a first system SI comprising means for driving in displacement a control member according to a trajectory in the form of a closed curve, having at least a first axial component T and a second axial component a, said control member extending projecting from said plane (o, T) preferably substantially perpendicular to the plane, i.e. say with an angle of 90° +/- e°, e being small in front of 90°, for better adjustments with the ordered parts; the second system S2 comprising drive means in pivoting, heel angle (p of said primary shaft around its longitudinal axis, mounted on an axis of rotation coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the shaft and provided with means for guides configured to cooperate with the control member along a helical displacement path of said control member around the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft, the third system S3 comprising drive means for lateral displacement of the primary shaft , comprising a support on which the primary shaft is mounted free to rotate about its longitudinal axis, the support comprising guide means configured to cooperate with the control member and allow it free movement along a trajectory, preferably linear and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft and driving it along a path substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft, as well as a means of gu idage such as an elongated element along which the support is mounted movable, sliding or rolling, said guide means extending substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft or by means of an equivalent device in this function such as systems with bars or articulated plates developing a rectilinear or quasi-rectilinear trajectory such as the mechanisms of Watt, Tchebychev, Peaucellier-Lipkin, Sarrus; the control member being configured to extend projecting from the first system, in engagement with the guide means of the system S2 and the guide means of the system S3, so that, during its movement along the trajectory 2 defined by the system SI, said control member is free to move in the guide means of S3 only according to the component of the trajectory parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft, the other component of the trajectory generating the movement of said support along the elongated element of the S3 system or of the equivalent device, while the control member is drivable, simultaneously, in displacement along the guide path defined by the system S2, by driving in rotation the means for pivotally driving the primary shaft, and therefore said primary shaft, mounted free in rotation on the stand.

IS system

The functional system SI which comprises means for driving a control member in displacement along a trajectory, or the projection thereof in a plane, in a continuous planar loop, allows both the driving in transverse displacement of the wing, 2 and/or /, as well as the displacement serving as a basis for its tilting </> by cooperation with the two systems S2 and S3.

It is thus composed of means allowing the transformation of a continuous rotation of speed coming from a motor for example, into a flat trajectory or of closed flat component 2 of a point element, the control member consisting most simply of 'a cylindrical shaft end, normal to this plane, and named crank pin. The trajectory of said crank pin produced by the SI system is a closed curve, preferably having at least one axial symmetry, and more preferably a symmetrical closed curve with center o and continuous, thus preferably having a major axis and a minor axis intersecting at right angles to the center o. Therefore, this trajectory, named 2, can be broken down along these axes into two combined displacement movements, preferably linear, designated G and r. These movements are by nature periodic, alternating if o is internal to 2 and out of phase by a quarter turn if and r are perpendicular. The main displacement G produces the transverse movement of the carrying plane and/or <// via the system S3. Due to its function, it is oriented transversely to the relative velocity u of the fluid. The displacement r produces the pitch tilting of the carrying plane via the system S2.

In the examples of the SI system according to the invention, the drive means of the SI system are configured to define the trajectory A in the form of a closed plane curve which has a major axis defining the component G and a minor axis defining the component T, this trajectory being in particular a circle, an ellipse or an oblong curve.

The drive means of the first system SI, denoted Sic can consist of a flexible transmission member such as a belt, a belt, a chain, driven in displacement in a plane by at least two drive members such as pulleys, sprockets, the transmission member carrying the crank pin as control member projecting above the plane of the trajectory, this pin being driven in displacement and describing a trajectory in a parallel plane. Consequently, the trajectory z is planar and the curve preferentially oblong.

The drive means of the SI system may alternatively consist of a planetary gear train, preferably located in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the trajectory X of the control member such as a crank pin, located on the flank of a satellite or of an extension attached to it, the axis of rotation o' of which is positioned on the flank of a wheel or a crank called the drive of the planetary gear train, and of the hypocycloidal type , hypotrochoidal (satellite inside a crown) noted Slhypo or of the epicyclic, epitrochoidal or anti-epitrochoidal type noted SI epi according to the definition given above. The trajectory is then planar and the curve preferentially elliptical.

Advantageously, these drive means have good, or even very good transmission efficiencies and, moreover, are robust and economical.

For a trajectory in ellipse and in circle, the two components a and r are of sinusoidal nature; these components being symmetrical sawtooth with rounded ends for the symmetrical substantially oblong shape. It goes without saying, however, that the person skilled in the art can choose another trajectory of the crankpin with these same means or other drive means without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In the case of a substantially oblong flat trajectory 2, the crank pin can be mounted integral with a link of a transmission chain with rollers or the like, stretched between two sprockets or two groups of coplanar sprockets which ensure its maintenance. and of which at least one of the pinions is connected to a rotation drive means such as a motor, generator, pump, etc. This embodiment of the SI system is denoted Sic.

In the case of a circular planar trajectory 2, the drive means of the system SI, are a wheel or a crank, or a series of parallel wheels and cranks, rotating at a substantially constant speed a> around their central pivot and on which a control member such as a crank pin is installed. Thus, the control member or crankpin is integral with the wheel or the crank, called the drive, in rotation around the center o, and whose continuous rotation is linked to a motor, a generator or a pump. This embodiment of the system SI is denoted Sim.

In the case of an elliptical plane trajectory, the X trajectory can be generated by a hypotrochoidal type planetary gear train whose ratio of the radius of the planetary, with center o, to the radius of the satellite, with center o', is equal to 2. As a reminder, a hypotrochoidal train is materialized by a sun gear such as a crown fixed in position and rotation and a satellite rolling inside the crown which carries the pin on one of its sides or on a elongate. In this system, the proper rotation of the satellite around its center is due to the crown-satellite gear, the proper rotation of the satellite being consequently in the opposite direction to that of its center around the center of the sun gear. When the elliptical trajectory becomes a segment (T = 0), this leads to the geometric solution known as the straight line of the Hire characterized by a crankpin on the periphery of the satellite, or for toothed wheels, on the so-called primitive radius. This embodiment of the SI system is denoted Slhypo.

Another planetary gear embodiment is possible to produce an ellipse; this is the embodiment called antiepitochoidal as defined above and denoted Slepi-c for the chain or belt version and Slepi-e for the gear version. In these embodiments of the SI system, the ratio of the radii of the planetary to that of the satellite is equal to 2; the central sun gear with center o is fixed in position and normally in rotation; the satellite with center o' and the satellite(s) or the tension roller(s) with center o" rotate around o, via a wheel, driving their axis; and the crankpin is preferably positioned on an extension attached to the side of the satellite so as to produce an ellipse having a certain elongation, i.e. with an O/T ratio preferably greater than 2. As for the hypotrochoidal system, the Hire solution is possible when the distance from the crank pin to the center of the satellite is equal to the distance separating the axes o and o' of the planetary and of the satellite.

Whatever the type of trochoidal planetary gear just mentioned - the hypotrochoidal or the antiepitrochoidal - the satellite is set in rotation, around the axis o common with that of the fixed planetary, preferably via a wheel, also called drive, on which the pivot of the satellite and, where applicable, the satelliton or the roller are fixed. This wheel is therefore in a plane parallel to the planetary gear and opposite to the plane of trajectory 2 of the crankpin. The rotation of said drive wheel by the drive or operating member such as motor, generator, pump, etc., or an intermediate system such as a reduction gear, can then in particular be done by gearing or by flexible belt-type transmission or chain. The embodiments of the SI system described above are minimum sets of elements to ensure the function of the SI system. The addition of additional elements is of course possible to balance the system or to reinforce it, in particular: 1) the addition of a balancing mass opposite the satellite on the wheel or on the driving crank; 2) the addition of support wheels, with proper free rotation around said drive wheel to cancel the flexion of its pivot; 3) the addition of a second satelliton or a second tensioner roller on the driving wheel; 4) a planet gear and a sun gear, in particular with double teeth, in parallel planes secured to the ends of the same pivot axis, with an arrangement of the teeth on either side of the drive wheel; finally 5) with the SI system, without or with one or the other or several of these complements, doubled in mirror with a common crankpin, or distinct crankpins facing each other, in the center.

S2 system

The second system S2 directly or indirectly controls the pitch tilting of the airfoil from the secondary motion component r generated by the SL II system is unique in its principle but infinitely adaptable to the design. The system S2 comprises means allowing the transformation of the secondary component r of the movement of the crank pin along the trajectory X into an alternating tilting movement, of angle denoted <p, in a plane substantially orthogonal to the trajectory A. For this purpose, the second system S2 comprises means for driving the primary shaft in pivoting about its longitudinal axis, mounted on an axis of rotation coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft and provided with guide means configured to cooperate with the control member along a path of helical movement around the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft such as a cylinder provided with a groove forming the cam path of the control member such as a crankpin, the function <P(t) giving <p, being linear or not. Thus, the control member or crankpin cooperates with these guide means defining a guide path of a helical nature, i.e. a preferably cylindrical spiral, carried by an axis or with a median axis if the latter swings, substantially parallel to T and linked to the primary shaft.

Thus the component T of the trajectory imparts a heeling tilt of angle tp to the guide means comprising the helical displacement path forming the cam path and to the primary shaft which is linked to it. This primary shaft in turn transmits directly or indirectly, via a transmission system S4, the tilting of list (p to the wick of the carrying plane then producing its pitch </>, knowing that (p and are generally equal or substantially equal depending on the elements introduced into the S4 system for the operational needs of the configuration.

For the embodiments corresponding to trajectories /. circular or elliptical of the crankpin, the list wave (p produced is of the sinusoidal type if a linear function <ï> is given to the design of the cam path (<b: (p = (po + 2 n .t/p where p corresponds to the step and (po to a constant phase shift). Non-linear transformations can nevertheless be materialized. Thus the sinusoidal signal of T can be transformed for example into a relatively more square function ip corresponding to a bulge of the sinusoid (example (r): p = (po + 2 n . |T//?|".sign(r) with 0 < n < 1) or as an asymmetrical signal if interest is drawn from it.

Furthermore, depending on whether the driving device of the carrier plane is dedicated to propulsion or whether it is dedicated to the production of energy, the pitch is configured differently corresponding in one case compared to the other, to a tilting opposite of the carrying plane with respect to the trajectory of its bit. In fact, in the case of a device dedicated to the production of energy, the pitch rotation must be greater than in the case of a propulsion device. Note that both cases are ultimately defined by the orientation of the projection of the hydrodynamic lift of the supporting plane on the x axis: in the productive case, the projection of the lift and the relative speed u of the fluid are in the same direction with energy capture; they are of opposite direction in the propulsive case with the need for a supply of energy. The increase in the amplitude of the angle of heel (p that this entails in the productive case could materially be obtained by a helical path of shorter pitch, or with the same pitch, by increasing the width of the range of displacement T of the crank pin.

On the other hand, if we seek the cancellation of the pitch tilting during the beat, for the stop of a production machine for example, the system S2 will allow it if, on the one hand, the function <I> of the cam path helical does not include a constant term (?o=0), on the other hand, if the SI system in one of its variants admits r null whatever a, or for trochoidal systems, the Hire solution.

For the materialization of the helical cam track characterizing the S2 system, the pivot drive means consist of a cylinder provided with a groove or a projecting rail forming the cam track, mounted coaxial with the shaft primary. Thus, the simplest embodiment is a groove cam in which a groove, possibly through, forming the cam track, is made on the cylinder. This cylinder is mounted coaxial with the primary shaft, either on a shaft end from said primary shaft or on a hollow cylinder engaged on the primary shaft. Alternative systems are possible to limit the forces and wear on the crank pin and the cam track, for example with a system of mating cams and/or cam rollers.

S3 system

The S3 system allows the structural guidance of the components provided by the SI and S2 systems thus, the fundamental movements of the flapping, namely the transverse displacement movement according to the component o and the heel tilting movement (p, are exploitable.

The third system S3 comprises drive means in lateral displacement of the primary shaft, parallel or not to its longitudinal axis, configured to be actuated by the displacement of said control member according to the trajectory defined by the system SL

According to one embodiment, these drive means comprise a support on which the primary shaft is mounted free to rotate around its longitudinal axis, the support comprising guide means configured to cooperate with the control member and allow it free movement along a path of the substantially linear control member, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft. This generally linear path of the control member drives the primary shaft along a path substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft due to a substantially linear guide means, guiding it in this orthogonal path such that an elongated element along which the support is mounted so as to be movable, sliding or rolling, to follow its guiding, said guiding means such as a slide for example extending substantially orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft.

The support consists of normally planar faces orthogonal to each other and integral, having at least one base and two opposite sides in the vicinity of the ends of the latter. This support may have, in addition to the base and the two sides, a face opposite the base, called the bottom face, and a third side for installing elements. The base and the underside are substantially parallel to the plane of the trajectory 2 of the crank pin and one or the other or both linked to at least one slide slider, either by being integral with it, or by an axis pivot with, if necessary, a small deflection of the latter possible or the equivalent.

This support carries at least the primary shaft via bearings or the equivalent mounted on its opposite sides. The base of said support is positioned between the drive means of the crank pin in the SI system (link, wheel, extension) and the drive means in pivoting of the primary shaft of the S2 system. This base is provided with guide means such as an oblong opening called a slot, or the equivalent, allowing both the engaging engagement of the control member and its displacement along the slot according to the component T of path 2, the head of the control member crossing said slot to come into engagement with the guide means of S2, while the part of the control member in the slot of the support drives the support, according to component a perpendicular to the slot by abutment on its edges, generating the displacement of the primary shaft according to this component n along the elongated element of S3.

To prevent wear of the crank pin on the edges of the slot, a bushing, a bearing or any other device of equivalent utility can be added, the crank pin can also be replaced by a set of elements in this function.

The elongated element as the guide means of the system S3 is preferably a preferably linear slideway which extends substantially orthogonally to the primary shaft, i.e. parallel to the component a of the movement of the crank pin and orthogonal to its component T. The support is mounted sliding or rolling on this slide by means of a slider on which the support is mounted, either fixed or pivoting and able to swing through an angle y. In addition, in order to guide the primary shaft in a plane substantially parallel to the trajectory z of the crank pin, this slide prevents rotation along the guide axis of the slide on the slide, with the use of a slide couple - non-cylindrical or splined slider, unless, in the S4 system, a second slider or a complementary pivot is present to guide the same primary shaft in order to guarantee this condition.

It is also possible to envisage solely articulated devices, without slides or rails to achieve this transverse guidance, such as the planar mechanism known under the name of Chebyshev's horse or else the three-dimensional mechanism of Sarrus.

For the needs of the configuration defined by S4, in the case where the longitudinal axes of the primary shaft and the slide of S3 must not always be strictly orthogonal and allow an angle y, the support must be pivotally mounted on the slider. The support can thus pivot through an angle y on the slider to follow the swinging of the wick or of an element carrying it, this pivot being preferably mounted orthogonally on the underside of the support and the point of its projection in the plane of 2 substantially on o passing through the axis of the helical path. This system S3 also serves as a transmission base for the system S4 which transmits the movements to the supporting plane without modification or substantially, the movement parameters of the supporting plane being in fine or/and '/ ^z and q as defined. Moreover, the system S3 must de facto take up the part of the hydrodynamic force F not taken up by the systems SI and S2, namely essentially the surge component of this force (Fc), and the roll moments M in o, yaw and pitch (Mr/o, Ml/o and Mt/o) related to the offset of F relative to the drive device; if necessary, it must also take up the yaw component (Fe). Indeed, systems SI and S2 only include the transverse component of F, ie only the heave force (Fp) and the pitching moment at i (Mt/i). Efforts related to the friction of the moving parts in the device are then added to it as in any mechanical system.

S4 configuration system

The S4 system is made up of simple mechanical connection elements allowing the transmission of the fundamental components of the beat ( , p) produced by the cooperation of the systems SI, S2 and S3, to the wick of the carrying plane in the position corresponding to a chosen configuration. , design variants may also exist for the same configuration.

The S4 system can be of a very simple composition by simply joining together elements of the same type, as in the basic configuration which will be described later, but it can also be composed of common means allowing the transmission of the movements of a shaft. with here for the primary shaft, a change of direction of tp, an offset of tp and a tilting y additional or replacing the transverse displacement o. In a certain number of cases, the connecting means of S4 are configured to carry out a transmission to the axis of the carrying plane without modifying the fundamental movements (tp = <j>, o = X and y = = 0), but in the general case there is a modification of movements such that: ( , 7 ^z ,q) = (p,tp) where S is the function of kinematic modification dependent on the composition and the architecture of the system S4.

The system S4 can thus comprise at least one slideway with a dedicated slider, on which the support or an additional support is mounted.

For the transmission of the heel tilt angle tp, S4 may in particular include: the joining of two substantially aligned shafts, with or without flexible coupling means; the shaft offset remaining parallel via spur gears (gear, pulley-belt, sprockets- chain) ; the angle transmission of shafts in a fixed position relative to each other, by means of bevel gears; and the swinging of one shaft with respect to another, by means of Cardan-type shaft transmission joints or their homokinetic equivalents.

For the offset of the wick from the support plane, which amounts to the offset of the support plane itself, the S4 system can in particular comprise a means such as a pestle, characterized by a back and forth movement on its main axis; or an arm, characterized by a transverse displacement or tilting movement of this same main axis. In both cases, the wick of the carrying plane is carried without displacement by said pestle or said arm, these elements generally being mutually orthogonal. Variants with in particular two pestles or two arms on either side of the same support plane, rather than a single centrally positioned one, are of course possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

With regard to the transmission of the lateral displacement characterized by the component o of the displacement of the crankpin, S4 can in particular configure a transverse movement of the supporting plane consisting of: an exclusively linear displacement, with preferential installation of a second slide for supplement that of the S3 system; exclusively tilting, with the installation of an axis pivot and a radial shaft slider to follow the linear trajectory o of the crankpin; a tilting and a radial displacement, with the installation of a pivot-slide or a pivot on slide for the same reason; a tilting and a transverse displacement, with the implementation of one or two complementary linear slides and an asynchronous coordination system of the slides as characterized in the guidance assistance system presented below.

Assistance systems

As explained, the SI to S4 systems provide the kinematics necessary for the perfect functioning of the support plane according to the proposed configurations. Nevertheless, in the case of the presence of at least two guide slides along G (in S3 and S4), a drive aimed in particular at limiting the wear of the slides of the slides guiding the transverse movement can be added at a lower cost. Such a system, denoted S5, is an additional assistance system for slides. Indeed, the slides, if they are free to move on each slide, will have to alone take up the transverse moment (Mr/o) that the bit or its support (pestle, arm) undergoes under the hydrodynamic pressures of the carrying plane, which results in a torque at the level of each slide causing strong localized pressures to appear on the sliding members, whatever they may be (bearings, pads, balls or rollers), which affects their lifespan. However, a cancellation of this couple consists in creating, in the case of a slide couple, a couple of forces collinear with the slides, via a synchronous guidance system for the movement of the slide of each slide, the assembly remaining free to move according to position o of the crankpin.

A simple and robust embodiment of this system consists in positioning on either side of each slide, a pinion connected by a flexible transmission element of the chain or toothed belt type carrying the slide of the slide by at least one point of attachment, such as a conveyor system. The pinions are then connected between the slides, at least on one side, by a shaft, called connecting shaft, integral with each pinion, so that the movement of a slide on a slide, leads via this system, a movement on the slide of the other slide. Two possibilities are then possible: in the case where the connecting shaft connects pinions of the same diameter, the movement at the level of each slide is synchronous and the element carried by a slide on each slide is, whatever the movement, orthogonal to the slides, if it was orthogonal at the start (version noted S5syn); otherwise the movement of the sliders is asynchronous, which produces a rocking of the carried element, the latter then having to be articulated on each slider (version denoted S5asyn). In the latter case, the angle of swing is determined by the ratio of the diameters of the pinions connected to said connecting shaft and by the amplitude of movement of one of the two sliders or of an intermediate element.

Adjustment systems

To the systems SI to S3 associated with S4 composing the flapping mechanism, can be added a speed adjustment system S6 comprising means for controlling the angle of heel range <p transmitted via the system S4 to the range d incidence a of work of the carrier plane on its trajectory p by acting in particular on its pitch tilt </>. The speed adjustment system S6 comprises, for this purpose, means for controlling the range of angle <f> of the supporting plane during its displacement and/or consisting of means for parametric modification of SI to modify the component T of the trajectory X of the control member acting mainly on S2, i.e. the component T. The modification introduced therefore consists in modifying the range of evolution r of the crank pin, produced by the SL system

In the case of the embodiment of the Sic system generating a substantially oblong trajectory X with a chain driven by four or six sprockets, the modification consists in varying the position of at least four of the sprockets and preferably of the six, so as to widen or narrow, symmetrically with respect to the center o, the component of width r of the trajectory X of the path of the links of the chain. This can be achieved in particular by

- a structural system with hinged bars of the pantographic type with one row of diamonds in which the six pinions occupy the terminal positions of the joints of the end diamonds;

- A device for controlling the relative position of the sprockets, and therefore the width of the path of the links of the chain, of the type with a threaded rod connected to two opposite joints of one of the lozenges of the pantograph to move them apart or bring them closer together; finally, the modification of the pantograph not taking place at a constant circumscribed periphery length, a third tensioning device where preferably two end bars of the two end lozenges are provided with an automatic spring-type cylinder to both ensure the tension of the chain and automatically modify the length of the bars Furthermore, for its holding, this pantographic system is mounted on a partition integral with the frame or the machine, one of its pivots, preferably the central one, of which is fixed on the partition while the axial pivots on either side of it, and at least for one of them, slide on openings allowing the transverse clearance or the equivalent with slides.

In the case of crank pin systems on a wheel or on an extension integral with a wheel, the speed regulation system comprises two or three mechanisms. The first relates to the elements allowing movement of the crankpin, the second relates to the elements allowing the adjustment of its position and the third is specific to the gear-driven anti-epitrochoidal system for correcting parasitic rotation.

In the case of the embodiment of the system S im generating a circular trajectory X, version denoted S6/Slm, the modification consists in varying, by an adjustable value A, the radial position of the crankpin on the said driving wheel carrying it during the rotation of it. If the use of an actuator (jack) with rotating connections is excluded, this is obtained by three subsets of complementary elements. The first subassembly is composed in particular of the drive wheel modified so that the crankpin or a slider carrying it can move in the plane of the wheel substantially radially and freely, in a range of positions corresponding to the adjustment of r accepted by the S2 system. The second sub-assembly comprises the crankpin and a counter-crankpin, preferably opposite each other sharing the same axis or on parallel axes, integrally linked together directly or via the radial positioning slide mentioned in the first subassembly. The third sub-assembly comprises a counter-wheel, which will be called displacing, juxtaposed to the crank pin carrier as above modified, normally of the same diameter as the latter and sharing the same axis o, in which a path range spiral cam or the equivalent, which is called a spiral path, is made on its side, opposite the possible positions of the counter-crank pin in order to lead it in part of this path spiral.

All of these three sub-assemblies are therefore functional in this way: if a differential rotation called / appears between the drive wheel and the moving wheel, the counter-crank pin guided jointly by the radial path of the drive and the said spiral path of the moving one, moves radially on the driving wheel carrying it, which likewise moves the crankpin, the whole being done so that the crankpin and the counter-crankpin remain on a normal to the wheels by means suitable for this function .

In the above description, it goes without saying that the crankpin and counter-crankpin assembly can be physically held by one or the other wheel, or even by both on respective sliders, or even by neither of the two unilaterally. insofar as the adjustment of the two paths in parallel but crossing planes (the radial path and the spiral path) contribute sufficiently to holding the crank pin perpendicular to the wheels, in its trajectory and for its function.

In the case of the embodiment of the Slepi system generating an elliptical trajectory A, the hypotrochoidal version does not allow the adjustment in question with rigid gear wheels, unlike the antiepitrochoidal where two sub-versions are possible: the version with toothed chain or belt, denoted S6/Slépi-c, and the geared one, denoted S6/S 1 épi-e.

The modification consists in both cases in varying the radial position of the axis of the planetary gear carrying the crank pin on the said drive wheel on which this axis is located, during the rotation of the latter, which is obtained in the same way as for the displacement of the crankpin for the embodiment with the circular trajectory of the previous paragraph. Consequently, the crankpin and the counter-crankpin are replaced in the preceding descriptions by the pivot of the satellite and a counter-pivot, the latter having the same function and the same form as the counter-crankpin. Therefore, insofar as in the antiepitrochoidal system the pivot of the satellite and the crank pin are integral with the same element, the displacement A of the pivot causes the displacement of the crank pin. The displacement A sought, however, requires adjustments to be made to the intermediate transmission elements (roller or satelliton) to ensure, on the one hand, kinematic continuity (chain tension or good gearing between each wheel) and, on the other hand, to cancel or correct a parasitic rotation of the satellite, linked to its displacement, the result of which would be to cause the trajectory 2 of the ellipse to rotate by distorting the pitch setting of the carrier plane. To this end, in the case of the chain version (S6/S 1 épi-c), it becomes, on the one hand, mandatory to introduce at least one tensioner roller and, on the other hand, to cancel the parasitic rotation , it or these must be, whatever their position, always in a symmetrical position with respect to the straight line joining the axes o of the sun gear and o' of the satellite. Regarding the positioning of the roller(s), the method is similar to that of the satellite, i.e. crossing paths respectively on the driving and displacing wheels to guide their pivot and counter-pivot. Finally, one can add, for a marginal displacement, a free movement of the pivot of the roller or rollers with the thrust of a spring, fixed position return rollers that can also complete the device.

In the case of the geared version with a satelliton (S6/S1 épi-e), it is mandatory:

- a single satelliton under penalty of blocking the gears during movement A;

- that the path of the satelliton pivot on the trainer must necessarily be a segment of arc centered on o for the planetary-satelliton gear;

- that the axes of the satellite and the satelliton are linked by at least one connecting rod or the equivalent to ensure the gearing satellite-satellite whatever their respective displacement; and that a third device described below is installed to correct the parasitic rotation of the satellite.

To enable adjustment of the S6 rate control system, a device is required to fix the differential rotation / of said drive wheel and said displacer wheel but these rotating at the same frequency to produce the expected beat, it is acts more precisely to fix their phase shift.

The device which allows this operation can advantageously comprise the system known as a differential, ie a non-plane epicyclic planetary gear, the planetary gears being in separate parallel planes and the satellites orthogonal to these planes on a planet carrier. One of the embodiments here adapted from it is in particular the following: one of the sun gears, called the primary sun gear, is secured by a hollow shaft to a wheel, called the primary follower, meshed on one of the two drive wheels or moving; the second sun gear, whose axis of rotation passes through the hollow shaft of said primary sun gear, is secured by this shaft to a second follower wheel meshed with a wheel called inverter itself meshed with the other wheel to be phase-shifted; the rotation of the planet carrier is directly linked to a control lever which can be manual; the two following wheels and the reversing wheel are of the same diameter; the two planetary also; and the reversing wheel has a double toothing or a double tooth width so that one half meshes with the follower wheel, the other with the driving or displacing wheel; the diameter of the satellites is irrelevant.

Operation is then as follows: the driving wheel sets the primary follower wheel in rotation; which drives the primary sun gear, which puts the planet gears in proper rotation in the opposite direction, which in turn drive the secondary sun gear in rotation but in the opposite direction to the primary sun gear, rotation then transmitted to the secondary follower wheel which in turn transmits it to the inverting wheel which transmits it to the moving wheel, then having a rotation equal to that of the drive wheel, except in a time interval when the planet carrier undergoes a positive or negative control rotation, accelerating or decelerating the secondary sun gear, thus creating a constant x phase shift between the driver and the moving one after the moment when the command has been exerted.

In the case of an S6/Slepi-e version, it is necessary to produce on the satellite a corrective rotation equal and inverse to the sudden parasitic rotation, which takes place if a rotation of the planetary wheel is produced of the same value and of the same meaning that the angular displacement of the axis of the satelliton, that is to say in this case equal to the phase shift %. Materially, a simple solution of this device consists in securing to the shaft of the control lever a so-called control wheel actuating a reduction gear acting on the shaft integrally linked to the sun gear of the anti-epitrochoidal gear. In this device, according to the preferred description described, the reduction ratio of the rotations of the control shaft to that of the planetary shaft is equal to 2 times the ratio of the radii of the following wheels to the moving wheels.

For the embodiments proposed above, the S6 system does not exclusively modify the pitch tilt but also modifies the range of evolution of the transverse movement. which, at constant rotational speed c of the pinion or of said drive wheel, leads to a change in the trajectory // of the carrier plane wick. These two effects can be combined by partially neutralizing each other if the modifications of trajectories 2 are concentric. Thus for a controlled decrease in pitch <> aiming to increase the angle of attack a, the angle θ of the trajectory will decrease, decreasing the angle of attack which would have been acquired with the sole decrease in pitch and conversely for a controlled increase in pitch. A setting of the system is therefore chosen where this neutralization effect is non-existent or is not too pronounced to make the adjustment of incidence sufficiently effective. It should nevertheless be emphasized that the embodiment of the fundamental system creating an oblong shape or an ellipse with the longest axis elongation along n will be much less sensitive to this phenomenon, a controlled displacement A of the crankpin being proportionally lower along G than that according to T, indeed: A / max(| |) < A / max(|T|)

Orientation systems

To these systems making up the flapping device according to one or other of the generic configurations, an orientation system S7 may be added aimed at directing the direction of the overall lift produced by the bearing plane or planes. The system thus aims to orient, in an (x,y) plane, the global hydrodynamic resultant of the forces over a beat cycle.

The S7 orientation system is applicable to all configurations. It introduces an additional angle that can be configured during operation, denoted p, on the function d of the heeling tilt (p of the primary shaft. This is then transferred via the transmission system S4, to the pitch tilting of the supporting plane, with a possible choice of P over 360°. It therefore directs the lift in a plane (x,y). Consequently, for T-type configurations, the device is equivalent to the action of a rudder on command from a rudder angle For the H-type configuration with a substantially horizontal bearing plane, the device is equivalent to the action of an elevator controlled by a stick.

The S7 type orientation system comprises a hollow cylindrical shaft carried without displacement on the support, via the bearings of the latter, called the steering shaft. Said directing shaft is integral with the helical displacement path and with an internal diameter allowing the passage of said primary shaft and, if necessary, intermediate bearings or annular bearings minimizing friction and preventing relative displacements of the shafts. This version also contains an epicyclic gear train of preferentially differential type, that is to say having satellites orthogonal to the two parallel planetary gears: the first shaft, ie the primary shaft being integral with one of the two planetary gears, the second, ie said steering shaft, being integral with the other sun gear, and the planet carrier being assigned to the third shaft, called orientation shaft, linked to a wheel, called orientation wheel, which will control its rotation. These elements then cooperate in the following way: in the absence of control rotation movement on the orientation shaft, the primary shaft and the steering shaft are synchronous but reversed in their heel tilting (opposite direction, even speed) printed by the comings and goings r of the crankpin, via the helical path on the steering shaft; conversely, in the presence of a rotation on the orientation shaft, there is, depending on the direction of the control rotation, an acceleration or a deceleration of the primary shaft leading to a persistent phase shift when stopped control rotation. According to the preferred embodiment described, the control rotation and the phase shift Pz are in a 1/2 ratio.

However, the orientation function is not actually possible at this stage. Indeed, whatever the configuration, the orientation wheel undergoes the transverse displacement a. To connect it to a fixed axis in the frame R (o;x,j,z), a second device is necessary.

A simple and reliable solution responding to the function of the latter consists in: on the one hand creating a splined shaft fixed in position, called the control shaft because it will be the control device, positioned parallel to the displacement G and therefore to the system slider of the S3 or S4 system; and on the other hand provide a worm and its complementary wheel, the worm sliding along its axis on the splined control shaft and the complementary wheel being the orientation wheel.

To now ensure the movement o of the endless screw, a jumper is added to the orientation shaft, linked to the movement of the support or of the shafts carried by it, the wings of which pass on either side of the endless screw so as to drive it in one direction or the other. To define the orientation wheel connection on the orientation shaft according to the chosen configuration, either the support connection on the slider does not allow swinging and an orthogonality between the slide and the primary shaft exists at all times, in this case the wheel orientation can be simply attached to the orientation shaft because the worm gear assembly and orientation wheel also have orthogonal axes, or swinging is possible via a pivot and it is necessary on the one hand to provide a guidance of the slewing wheel on the splined control shaft so as to maintain the orthogonality of the axes of the meshed wheels and the position in plan of the slewing wheel, the rider sliding on the splined shaft being able to take part in this system and, on the other hand, provide a connection between the slewing wheel and the slewing shaft with a Cardan or equivalent type transmission joint and a shaft slider to compensate for the length of the shaft. orientation related to so n swinging between two points guided by parallel guides.

The system presented has the advantage of producing only a very low torque on the control shaft, this being ultimately the helm in the case of a ship, which makes it possible, for example, to drop it during operation, without affecting orientation. The function of the orientation system as previously defined is also operational without flapping movement. Thus, in the case of a T configuration, the flapping system equipped with the S7 system directing the wick of the carrier plane in a plane (x,y) is transformed directly into a passive rudder, the latter being moreover movable laterally, which can be an advantage, for example for boats listing like a sailboat.

For the H-shaped configuration, those skilled in the art can provide a complementary orientation in the plane (x, z) by mounting the entire device on a turntable. Thus, by means of either the adoption of a partially profiled pestle on a certain surface, or a modification of the supporting plane consisting of adding a part of a more or less perpendicular plane, of the fin type better known by the English term "winglet" or of the wingtip fence type known by the English term “wingtip fence”, the system can fulfill this function of directional orientation in the plane (x, z).

Basic configurations

The device for driving a bearing plane in flapping according to the invention allows a certain number of elementary configurations from the generic so-called T- and H-configurations presented and functional systems producing, adjusting and directing the flapping as above. described, and this, with simplicity and compactness of the device.

Thus, one can obtain a so-called basic configuration denoted To with a pure heave transverse movement, starting from the generic T configuration, i.e. in the case where the transverse movement of the carrier plane wick is linear, composed only of a displacement and that this one is orthogonal to u. The advantage of this To configuration is its simplicity.

From the basic configuration To with a bearing plane orthogonal to the plane (o;x, ), one can envisage a configuration offsetting the bearing plane of the wall along x with the installation of an arm holding its tilting axis. This configuration, denoted Tb, is called swing. The advantage of this configuration lies in this offset allowing this arm to be placed on the rear part of a machine.

Still starting from the basic configuration To with a support plane substantially orthogonal to the plane (o;x,y), it is also possible to envisage a configuration which gradually changes the heave of the sections of the support plane according to their distance from the wall. Most obvious is that producing only a rolling sway of the airfoil, angle, from a pivot point that is physically part of the system or machine. This configuration will be named wing and denoted Ta. In the case where the system is doubled in mirror, we have a device resembling flapping wings or pectoral fins. In addition to the potential linked to biomimicry, the advantage of this configuration is the possibility of effective sealing that it offers between the wall of the machine and the support plane or its wick via the installation of a bellows, the slot being able to be greatly reduced or replaced by a kneecap or equivalent.

A configuration also possible in this context is that producing a heave movement superimposed on a rolling swing. This case is in fact equivalent to a configuration in roll where the pivot is fictitious and outside the system, this further point moving due to the fact that the bit is carried without movement by a linear slide. This configuration, denoted To, is called oscillating. The advantage of this configuration is an oscillating transverse displacement with a distant fictitious pivot.

Starting from the generic H configuration, in the case where the transverse movement of the drill bit is made up of a displacement orthogonal to u, the configuration is called pistoning and denoted Ho. The advantage of this configuration is multiple: the orientation of the mechanism according to the displacement G can be done according to the longitudinal or transverse direction or for any intermediate direction; the seal between the mechanical and hydrodynamic parts can be achieved effectively based on fine adjustments of the parts and/or seals; a double possibility of orientation of the bearing plane is possible along the z and y axes.

It is possible to introduce in these configurations a transverse movement inducing surge.

Thus, in the so-called swinging configuration denoted Tb, the arm carrying the support plane moves while remaining parallel in its positions; however, to produce the heave of the support plane, one can consider a transformation of this configuration consisting in tilting the arm rather than it moves parallel for the heave. The transverse movement is then not strictly pounding but in an arc of a circle therefore bringing a surge component. This configuration by analogy to that of the caudal fin of fish and marine mammals is called caudal and denoted Te. The advantages of this configuration lie in the possibility of effective sealing between the mechanical part and the hydrodynamic part and in its positioning like a caudal fin. On the basic configuration To, including its variations with a rolling tilt (Ta and To), the transverse movement of heave I. or rocking W is strictly orthogonal to the relative speed of the fluid with respect to the machine, i.e. at speed u. Nevertheless it is of course possible to organize the installation of the device in the machine or on its support so that the transverse movement is not strictly orthogonal to u, or that it is inclined at an angle which we call different from 90°. We denote these configurations To', Ta', Ta' for those deriving respectively from To, Ta, To.

Similarly, the so-called piston configuration Ho can be installed in such a way that the heave is not strictly orthogonal to u, ie with a bias. The configuration Ho with this bias will be denoted Ho'. In fact, this inclination ) of the transverse movement L introduces a surge component, which is proportional to it. If the transverse movement is composed of a swing ï ⁷ , it is a component of yaw swing which is introduced, ie the composition of a surge and a yaw.

Hydrodynamically a surge component will directly impact the shape of the trajectory // of the axis of the carrying plane in the fluid. To measure such a surge effect, are presented in figures 21 -A, 21 -B, 21-C and 21-D, for different Strouhal numbers St (St = af/ u with a amplitude and f beat frequency, u relative velocity of the fluid) and for a heave of sinusoidal nature, the trajectories of different types possible with the present invention. Thus, St=oo (or w=0) in figure 21-A, St=1.00 in figure 21-B, St=0.50 in figure 21-C, St=0.25 in figure 21-D; type A linear without bias (=0); type B linear with a 30° bias; type C with a 1.41m arm swinging at +/-45°.

For comparison, trajectories resulting from transverse movements of ailerons on the rotor, in continuous rotation in the heave-surge plane, as for the systems known under the names of Von Schneider, Lipp or systems derived therefrom, are also given. This constitutes type D in the previous figures with a circular movement of radius 1.00m. In all cases the heave function is purely sinusoidal with frequency f= 1.00 and amplitude a = 2.00m.

The cases of rotor systems stand out clearly due to their strong asymmetry with respect to the abscissa axis with a clear mixing effect above a Strouhal number of 1/2.

However, insofar as the incidence of work has profiles of a supporting plane has a range of value optimum restricted around 10-20° and that this incidence a is the angle between the pitch produced by the system and the angle of the trajectory 0, the shape of the trajectory defines the ideal pitch function to achieve optimum efficiency.

The evolution of this angle of the trajectories, over a period, for the different systems, is shown in figures 22 representing the slope 0 of the trajectory q of the axis of a carrier plane for different Strouhal numbers St and different types of transverse movement. It appears that, except for the strictly perpendicular transverse case, the ideal pitch functions to be generated are quickly complex when the surge component is important, the case of the rotor being particularly problematic, which in its applications affects the yields.

Nevertheless, the case of the inclination of the transverse movement (case B or C) is not without interest and in fact it is found in animals, which is not fortuitous. In fact, in this case, it can be seen that the trajectory p clearly comprises two phases corresponding respectively to the equivalent of the downstroke and the ascent of the plane. However, in the context of an evolution subject to a field of gravity, the lift in the direction opposite to this field must be greater than in the other direction in return for benefiting from the additional power provided by the weight; whereas the ascent phase can be reduced to planing. Furthermore, we point out that the efficiency of a system exhibiting this asymmetry can be equivalent to that of symmetrical trajectories according to, for example, S. C. Lich & Al. [S. C. Licht, M.S. Wibawa, F.S. Hover, M.S. Triantafyllou; Journal of Experimental Biology; In-line motion causes high thrust and efficiency in flapping foils that use power downstroke; 2010 213: 63-71; doi: 10.1242/jeb.O31708], but this possibility requires a pitch function adapted to each of the half-periods that the mechanism of the invention allows by playing on the function (P of the helical path of the system S2 or/and /l of the crankpin produced by the SI system.

Multiplane configurations

The flapping drive device according to the invention, according to one or other of the elementary configurations presented above, allows those skilled in the art to envisage configurations with several bearing planes whose transverse movements are substantially synchronized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the device producing the fundamental kinematic components, the assembly of the systems SI, S2 and S3 being the same and the transmission system S4 sometimes having to be adapted. It goes without saying that this multiplication of carrying planes for the same beat system further increases the interest of the invention.

Outstanding qualities of the invention

Whatever the declination of the beat chosen to be adapted to the intended application and in addition to the various possible configurations, the invention is remarkable with respect to the systems of swing support plan existing or described in that it has the qualities and generic properties following

The system is not very disturbing for the fluid. In particular, it does not include any fixed element in the fluid to guide the support plane and the minimum number of mobile elements to position it, their dimensions being moreover normally small with regard to the surface of the support plane.

For submerged applications or in contact with the marine environment in particular, half of the elementary configurations (Ta, Te, Ho) make it possible to simply create a seal between the hydrodynamic part and the mechanical part, for example by means of a seal or bellows.

The system can produce an exclusively transverse beat with respect to the axis of evolution of the machine, that is to say in particular without surging movement which introduces an asymmetry in the trajectory of evolution of the carrier plane and, consequently, which creates a hydrodynamic operating asymmetry that is detrimental to performance. The ailerons on tilting arm are affected by these problems of asymmetry but the advantage of the system here is to allow the adjustment of the pitch function to this functional asymmetry which can cancel out the consequences, or even present advantages.

The kinematic chain producing the alternating beat of the carrying plane leads, in reverse use, to a continuous rotary movement allowing the use or operation of traditional rotating machines (motor, dynamo, pump, etc.); the inversion of the direction of rotation of the rotating machine is moreover equivalent to a phase shift of a half period of the kinematic or hydrodynamic parameters and in particular of the lift.

The kinematics of the beat is of the sinusoidal or substantially type, a linear part being possible between vertices for one embodiment. The pitch of the carrier plane generated during the flapping can nevertheless be, at the design stage, modeled in relation to its basic sinusoidal evolution, by approaching for example a more bulging signal so that the performances gain there as reported by Boudis and Al . [AT. Boudis, A. Benzaoui, H. Oualli, O. Guerril, M. Mekadem; 4th International Seminar on New Energies and Renewables; Numerical Investigation of Energy Extraction by an Oscillating Wing; Ghardaïa - Algeria - 24 - 25 October 2016],

The device, including its control modules, is entirely mechanical and without actuator (without cylinder or electrical system or additional motor) which makes it simple and reliable. The adjustments are conventionally made by rotation of control shafts and the same angular position leads to the same adjustment.

The rotating driving source producing or exploiting the beat does not have a position in the center of the system but any position at the periphery, which facilitates its maintenance, its protection or its exploitation.

The mechanism is relatively compact and globally flat, that is to say that the beat is generated by a device occupying a limited space in the machine or the casing containing it. This compactness in a casing will allow its isolation, packaging, transport... In addition, the size according to G is centered on the median or axial position of the transverse movement of the profiled wing (foil), which makes it simple system placement.

A variant consisting in carrying out a mirror pairing of two identical beat mechanisms in the direction of the depth is possible in the majority of cases (for the embodiments presented, if the support does not tilt). This brings a possibility of division of the efforts, balancing and reduction of the flexion of the pivot axes.

A wind vane module can be added to the mechanism without damaging the operation or the hydrodynamics of the wing. This module will make it possible to vary the pitch angle of a wing profile, proportionally to its nominal value, including until its cancellation if necessary. This will therefore make it possible to optimize operation at a given speed (search for optimum efficiency) but will also make it possible to accelerate or decelerate the machine, or even to brake it (reversal of thrust), while the speed of rotation of the driving source can remain unchanged.

A directional steering module can be added to the mechanism, including by adding to the speed adjustment, without damaging its operation or its hydrodynamics. This module will then make it possible to vary with the ship's helm or its equivalent the direction of the overall lift produced during the beat (resulting from the lift over a cycle) with respect to the direction of evolution. In the case of an H configuration with a substantially vertical pestle, this directional piloting module will then make it possible to orient the machine according to the depth (elevator) which will complete the maneuverability of submerged type gear or allow trim corrections for floating gear (trim). This orientation module is also effective if the beat is stopped and thus the carrying plane can take on the function of passive directional plane (rudder). This will also contribute to the performance of the machine due to the fact that the propulsion apparatus and the rudder will be confused, by canceling in passing the possible harmful hydrodynamic interactions between distinct appendages. This possible orientation of the plane, including when stationary, may also allow the flapping wing to act as a passive lift carrier plane. For the H configuration mounted on a turntable, the profiling of the pestle or winglet or wingtip fence type carrier plane end extensions will be required to play this role of passive rudder.

Presentation of figures

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the figures which represent:

[Fig. 1-A] a perspective view of a support plane installed on a machine with a generic so-called T-shaped configuration;

[Fig. 1-B] a perspective view of a support plane installed on a machine with a generic so-called H configuration;

[Fig. 2-A] a perspective view of a support plane on which movements are represented as used in the navy or in aviation for the generic so-called T-shaped configuration;

[Fig. 2-B] a perspective view of a support plane on which movements are represented as used in the navy or in aviation for the generic so-called H-shaped configuration;

[Fig. 3-A] a perspective view of a carrier plane of a first embodiment of a device for driving a carrier plane in swing according to the invention, according to the so-called basic configuration To, with the representation movements produced;

[Fig. 3-B] a perspective view of a support plane of a second embodiment of a drive device for swinging a support plane according to the invention according to the so-called swing configuration Tb, with the representation of the movements products;

[Fig. 3-C] a perspective view of a carrier plane of a third embodiment of a flapping drive device for a carrier plane according to the invention according to a so-called wing configuration Ta, with the representation of the movements produced;

[Fig. 3-D] a perspective view of a carrier plane of a fourth mode of a drive device in beat of a carrier plane according to the invention according to a so-called oscillating configuration To realization with the representation of the movements produced ;

[Fig. 4-A] a perspective view of a bearing plane of the first embodiment of a device for driving a bearing plane in flapping according to the invention, with a surge component linked to the introduction of a bias on , that is the configuration To', with its movements;

[Fig. 4-B] a perspective view of an airfoil of a fifth embodiment of a flapping drive device for an airfoil according to the invention, inducing a surge component, i.e. the so-called caudal configuration Te, with the representation of the movements produced;

[Fig. 4-C] a perspective view of a carrier plane of the third embodiment of a drive device in flapping of a carrier plane according to the invention configured with a surge component linked to the introduction of a bias on the pivot axis of let Ta' be the configuration, with its movements;

[Fig. 4-D] a perspective view of a bearing plane of the fourth embodiment of a driving device in flapping of a bearing plane according to the invention with a surge component linked to the introduction of a bias on £ and on the pivot axis of let be the configuration T with its movements;

[Fig. 5-A] a perspective view of a bearing plane of a sixth embodiment of a device for driving a bearing plane in swing according to the invention according to a so-called pistoning configuration Ho, with the representation of the movements products;

[Fig. 5-B] a perspective view of a support plane of the sixth embodiment configured with a surge component linked to the introduction of a bias f on £ , i.e. the configuration Ho', with its movements;

[Fig. 6-A] a perspective view of a first embodiment of the fundamental training device (S1, S2, S3) according to the invention;

[Fig. 6-B] a perspective view of a second embodiment of the device basic training (S1, S2, S3) according to the invention;

[Fig. 7] a perspective view of a first embodiment of the first SI system of the device of the invention, namely Sic;

[Fig. 8] a perspective view of a second embodiment of the first system Si of the device of the invention, i.e. SI hypo;

[Fig. 9-A] a perspective view of a third embodiment of the first SI system of the device of the invention, i.e. Slépi-c;

[Fig. 9-B] a perspective view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of the first SI system of the device of the invention, i.e. Slépi-e.

[Fig. 10] a perspective view of a complete device (SI, S2, S3 and S4) for driving a supporting plane in beat with a basic configuration To with the Slépi-c version and equipped with the option of S5syn support;

[Fig. 11-A] a perspective view of an example of the systems S2, S3 and S4 of a driving device in flapping of an airfoil with a standard wing elementary configuration Ta;

[Fig. 11-B] a perspective view of another example of the S2, S3 and S4 systems with the S5syn option of a training device with a Ta wing standard elemental configuration;

[Fig. 12] a perspective view of an example of the S2, S3, S4 and S5asyn systems of a training device with a standard elementary TQ oscillating configuration;

[Fig. 13] a perspective view of an example of the S2, S3 and S4 systems with the S5syn option of a drive device with a standard elementary configuration called swing, Tb;

[Fig. 14] a perspective view of an example of systems S2, S3 and S4 of a training device with a standard elementary configuration called caudal, Te;

[Fig. 15] a perspective view of an example of the S2, S3 and S4 systems with the S5syn option of a drive device with a standard elementary configuration called pistoning, Ho

[Fig. 16] a perspective view of a speed regulation system S6 in the case where the system SI is a chain or belt with pulleys or sprockets, i.e. S6/Slc.

[Fig. 17-A] a perspective view of an S6 speed regulation system in the case where the SI system is simply a wheel, i.e. S6/Slm,

[Fig. 17-B] a plan view of Figure 17A;

[Fig. 18-A] a perspective view of an S6 speed control system in the case where the SI system is a planetary gear set, i.e. S6/Slépi-c,

[Fig. 18-B] a plan view of Figure 18-A.

[Fig. 19- A] a perspective view of an S6 vane control system in the case where the SI system is another variant of the S6/Slépi-e planetary gear;

[Fig. 19-B] a plan view of Figure 19-A;

[Fig. 20-A] a perspective view of an S7 orientation system allowing pitch orientation (a controlled phase shift) of the flapping of the airfoil;

[Fig. 20-B] a perspective view of an S7 orientation system providing pitch orientation (a controlled phase shift) of the airfoil beat, in which the primary shaft swings at an angle y;

[Fig. 21-A];

[Fig. 21-B];

[Fig. 21-C];

[Fig. 21-D]; different trajectories p of the axis of a carrier plane for different Strouhal numbers St and different types of transverse motion:

[Fig. 22-A];

[Fig. 22-B];

[Fig. 22-C];

[Fig. 22-D] the slope 0 of the trajectory u of the axis of a carrier plane for different Strouhal numbers St and different types of transverse motion: Generic presentation

According to a first type of possible configuration of a carrier plane on a machine as illustrated in Figure 1-A, the profiled carrier plane such as a profiled wing 1 extends with its longitudinal axis substantially orthogonal to the wall 3 of the machine or of the frame on which it is assembled, the transverse movement of said support plane 1 being substantially tangential to this wall 3, knowing that here the wall 3 is defined as part of the physical envelope of the machine or of the housing which contains the drive device according to the invention. This generic configuration is said to be T-shaped. In the case shown, the profiled wing 1 is attached to the flapping drive device by the axis around which it can tilt, designated wick 2 located on the profile of the profiled wing 1 and it undergoes a transverse displacement. The wick 2 passes through a slot 4 made in the wall 3 of the device.

In a second type of configuration of a support plane on a machine as represented in FIG. 1-B, the support plane 1 has its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the wall 3 and the transverse movement is then substantially normal to the latter. . This generic configuration is said to be H-shaped and comprises two support planes 1, 1'. In this case, the carrying plane 1, 1 'is attached to the flapping drive device according to the invention by, on the one hand, its tilting axis, namely the wick 2, 2' and on the other hand, by at least one element preferably orthogonal to this axis and carrying it without displacement, called pestle 5. The latter is then substantially normal to the wall of the machine 3 and can pass through the latter, through an opening provided with a Bushing and joint bearing or equivalent, providing guidance and sealing between the mechanical parts, of the drive device, and hydrodynamic parts, of the support plane.

The functional systems S1, S2, S3 and S4 constituting the flapping training device according to the invention produce, regulate and orient the flapping with simplicity and compactness allowing a certain number of elementary configurations, starting from generic so-called T-shaped configurations. and in H, various versions of which are described in more detail below.

Thus, the invention proposes a driving device in flapping of an airfoil such as a profiled wing 1 according to a preferred embodiment for different variants and different configurations. To this end, the following parts are distinguished in accordance with the previous presentations: the so-called fundamental flapping drive device which makes it possible to produce both the transverse displacement of a shaft o and its alternating tilting which is called list (p which, when they are directly applied to the wick 2 of a carrying plane 1 are capable of producing respectively the heaving movement X and the pitch tilting (f Such a drive device said fundamental includes systems SI, S2 and S3 with different variants in particular for the system SI.

The S4 system makes it possible to transmit to the airfoil at least the essential heave and pitch tilt movements and is also described as making it possible, from the fundamental flap training device, to obtain the different elementary flap configurations of a wing profiled 1 . Likewise, the S5 assistance system for slides is detailed, which can be fitted to certain configurations, as well as the S6 and S7 systems, which allow these configurations to be integrated with control for speed adjustment and/or directional orientation control.

The device according to the invention therefore consists of a driving device in movement and in combined pivoting of a primary shaft constituting what is called the fundamental device.

The fundamental device is characterized, as illustrated in Figures 6-A and 6-B, in that the flapping of the streamlined wing is essentially produced, directly or indirectly, by the cooperation of three mechanical systems: SI, S2 and S3, whose compositions and assembly as we describe below form the drive device in transverse displacement and in alternating pivoting of a primary shaft 200.

fundamental system

The SI system is dedicated to the preferentially continuous cyclic movement of a point element or of a set of equivalent elements in function, constituting a control member intended to cooperate with the two other systems S2 and S3, called crankpin 100. This crank pin 100 is most simply made up of a pin or end of cylindrical axis, whose lower base, called the foot, is located in a substantially orthogonal manner on the side of a movable element 101, 103, 104 or 110 according to the variants, causing it along a generally planar trajectory 2, in the form of a curve closed on itself. This curve is preferably convex with an axial or even central symmetry with center o, in the form of a circle, an ellipse or an oblong shape.

Such a trajectory 2 therefore consists of a closed curve having a major axis and a minor axis intersecting at a right angle at the center o. This trajectory z can therefore be broken down by projection in the plane into two combined periodic displacement components intersecting at o perpendicularly, which we will call n along the major axis and r along the minor axis, preferably linear (in the plane) and alternating (in time) around with a zero mean value if o is the barycenter of 2, and phase shifted by a quarter turn. Several types of mechanism and embodiments of this SI system are possible as described below.

The system S2 is itself configured to use the displacement of the control member or crankpin 100 according to its component r, the head of the crankpin 100 being preferably engaged on a helical path 201 normally, of axis substantially coincident with that of the primary shaft which it drives directly or indirectly in rotation, the function (P of transformation of T into ? being linear or not. This axis moreover extends in a plane preferably parallel to that of the trajectory 2 and is, itself or its middle position in the case where said primary shaft displays in this plane an additional alternating swinging movement y, preferably parallel to the component r.

Thus, the system S2 consists of drive means in pivoting of a primary shaft 200 around its longitudinal axis, producing an alternating tilting of heel cp of said primary shaft 200. These drive means in pivoting are preferably made up of 'a drum cam coaxial with the primary shaft, having a groove forming a helical path 201 in which the head of the crankpin 100 is engaged. This drum cam therefore normally consists of a cylinder or sleeve 202, having the helical groove 201, engaged on the primary shaft 200.

The system S3 is dedicated to the minimum structural guidance of the movement components produced by the systems SI and S2 in order to allow the transmission of said movements of displacement u and tilting of heel <p to the primary shaft 200, at a point on its axis. , whether or not there is an additional balancing y at this point.

To this end, the system S3 comprises a support 300 on which the primary shaft 200 is mounted, free to rotate on itself. The support 300 consists of a normally planar base and two sides substantially at the ends of the base extending more or less perpendicular thereto and preferably provided with two bearings 304, 304' between which extends the primary shaft 200, drivable in rotation on itself, said primary shaft 200 and the flat base extending preferentially, but therefore not exclusively in parallel planes. The support 300 is further guided by a means in its transverse movement which extends generally parallel to the major axis of the component G in a plane parallel to the plane of the trajectory. The support 300 is thus mounted to slide along a elongated element such as a slide 301 which constitutes this preferred guide means. The support 300 then has a slider 302 cooperating with the slide 301.

The base of the support 300 further comprises means for guiding the control member of the SI system, consisting of a through slot 305 through which the crankpin 100 is engaged.

Thus, the crankpin 100 crosses said base of the support through the generally oblong slot 305, or an equivalent device, of direction and length at least equivalent to the maximum component r of the trajectory X of the crankpin 100 and adjusted in the direction of the width normally to crank pin diameter 100.

To allow the cooperation of the systems SI, S2 and S3 these are superposed in planes preferably, for the compactness of the system, parallel, so that the crank pin 100 is driven along the trajectory 2 defined in a plane PI, cooperates with the support 300 by crossing the slot 305 of the support 300 in a plane P2 then is engaged in the helical path connected to the primary shaft 200 located in a plane P3.

Thus, when the crankpin 100 is driven in translation along the trajectory 2, the T component of this trajectory causes the crankpin 100 to be driven in displacement in the helical path 201 and in the slot 305 while the G component causes the in abutment of said pin 100 against the longitudinal edges of the slot 305 which causes the movement of the support 300 along the slide 301.

The head of the crank pin 100 after having passed through the slot 305 is engaged in the helical groove 201, and abuts against the edge of the groove according to the component r of movement of the crank pin 100 causing the rotational drive of the primary shaft 200 carrying the groove 201.

The positions of the support 300 are either always parallel to each other, hence there is zero, as can be seen in FIG. 6-A, the slider 302 and the support 300 being fixed relative to each other; or they form between them a variable angle y as in FIG. 6-B with in this case the installation of an axis pivot 303 for the connection of the slider 302 on the support 300. The pivot 303 is preferably mounted on the intersection of the orthogonal projection of G and the axis of the helical path on a face of the support opposite its base while the primary shaft and the helical path are in an intermediate position.

Thus the movements a and (p of the primary shaft 200 can be transmitted to the support plane 1 when the primary shaft 200 is linked to the wick 2 by means of an additional system S4 whose constitution is dependent on the presence or not of the swings y and and of the relative position of the support plane 1 and of the fundamental driving device.The system S4 therefore transforms in particular the movement of displacement o of the primary shaft 200 into either or else into X and and its heel tilt (p becomes the pitch tilt

Starting from this definition, different embodiment variants of the system SI are possible to obtain a trajectory 2 of the crankpin 100 from an original driving, generating or functional rotation such as a motor, a generator, or even a pump, named hereafter rotating machine.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the drive means on which the crank pin 100 is located to produce the trajectory 2 consist of a flexible element of the roller chain type 110 or equivalent, or a series of parallel chains, moving at a substantially constant speed rn on rectilinear sections between at least two sprockets or 2 sets of coplanar sprockets 111a to ll lf per chain, at least one of the sprockets of which is, directly or indirectly, actuated by a motor or transmits its rotation to a generator, the path 2 therefore having linear sections between the generally circular pinions.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, means for driving the crankpin 100 comprise, as a mobile element on which the crankpin 100 is installed to carry out its said trajectory A, a satellite 103 of a hypotrochoidal train or else an extension 104 integral with this said satellite wheel, the latter rolling without slipping, generally via a gear, inside a planetary ring 102 fixed in position and generally in rotation, the diameter of the planetary gear being half the diameter of the planetary gear and the planetary gear being maintained in its rotation by a pivot 105 in its center located on a driving wheel 101 or a crank of substantially constant rotational speed a>, directly or indirectly linked to the said rotating machine, the trajectory X therefore being here an ellipse of center o or a segment in the case where the orthogonal projection of the axis of the crank pin 100 is on the perimeter of the satellite, or on the orthogonal projection of the primitive ray in the case of a toothed wheel.

As illustrated in Figures 9-A and 9-B, the mobile element on which the crank pin 100 is installed to achieve its said trajectory 2 is a satellite 103, or an extension 104 integral with it, which belongs to an anti-epitrochoidal train with gears or toothed pulleys and pinions, defined on the one hand, in that said satellite orbits (rotates at a distance) generally in the same plane around a planet wheel 102 fixed in position and fixed ordinarily in rotation by attachment to a carrier pin 112, due to its holding by a pivot 105 in its center on a drive wheel 101 or a crank with a rotational speed a> substantially constant around the carrier pin 112, located in a parallel plane, directly or indirectly linked to the rotating machine; while on the other hand, the proper rotation of said satellite around its pivot 105 is obtained either by gearing with at least one satellite 106, 106', also held by a pivot (pivot axis) 107, 107' in its center implanted on said drive wheel 101, meshing with the sun gear and the satellite, or else by a toothed belt 108 or a chain stretched between these same elements, then becoming pulleys or sprockets, possibly with one or more intermediate rollers 106 modifying the path of belt or chain; and that moreover, for the intended application, the diameter of the satellite is half as large as that of the sun gear, which results in a trajectory z in the form of an ellipse with center o or, in a particular case of parameterization, in form of segment normally making it possible to cancel in fine the pitch f> of the carrying plane in all places of its transverse movement.

For structural purposes, a number of optional elements can also be introduced here, such as a balancing weight on the drive wheel or support wheels around the drive wheel. Similarly, a first variant of the subsystem consists in doubling in particular the teeth of the satellite and of the sun gear on either side of said drive wheel; a second, which can be combined with the first, consists in doubling this assembly in a mirror to hold the same crankpin, or two crankpins facing each other, in the centre; i.e. at least three possible variants of the subsystem.

Concerning the link/transmission system S4, only the so-called standard system S4 is described, this being defined in that it minimizes the number of elements necessary to obtain the elementary configuration, knowing that this could be inadequate for a multi-plane configuration. In this same spirit of simplicity, only the embodiment of the elementary configurations is described whose movements of the primary shaft 200 and of the wick 2 take place in the same plane for the configurations denoted To, Ta and To OR substantially for the Ho and for which the bit 2 is substantially normal to the plane of movement of the primary shaft 200 for the configurations Tb and Te. Other elements can be added to these standard elementary configurations by a person skilled in the art for the adapt to a configuration with several planes or change the position of these planes without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Basic standard configuration To

Thus in Figure 3 -A, an elementary configuration (embodiment of the device) is presented with a pure heave transverse movement, starting from the generic T-shaped configuration, that is to say in the case where the movement transverse of the wick 2 is linear, composed only of a displacement T and that this is orthogonal to u, this so-called basic configuration being denoted To. The advantage of this configuration is its simplicity. The transmission system S4 in this configuration ensures direct transmission of the movements of the primary shaft 200 to the wick 2, by securing, preferably along their axis, of the primary shaft 200 with the wick 2, this securing being able to be done by plates 407 substantially normal to the axes and between which rubber cylinders or the equivalent are positioned to attenuate vibrations, absorb shocks or have elasticity in operation, as shown in Figure 10.

Such a configuration having a transverse movement of displacement, is obtained with the fundamental driving device represented in FIG. 6A in which the system S3 is configured so that the support 300 extends orthogonal to the slide 301. Such a system can also benefit from an S5 slide assistance system in its synchronous version as illustrated in FIG. dedicated slider 402, to guide the support 300 along <r with a slider 402, 302 on each slide 401, 301, the two slides 301, 401 being quite distant from each other. As can be seen, the SI system is linked to a rotary machine 8 which when it is a motor generates the beat of the carrier plane and when it is a generator recovers the energy from the beat of the carrier plane 1.

Ta wing standard configuration

In Figure 11-A is shown the beat drive device according to the invention consisting of the fundamental device SI, S2, S3 associated with a system S4 which includes a secondary shaft connection 410 or the equivalent between the wick 2 and the frame 3 on which the device is installed, so that the displacement o produces the roll swing. We thus obtain, shown in Figure 3-C, the so-called standard wing configuration Ta, having a movement transverse with an angle roll swing.

The implementation of roll sway is done in all cases with the S4 system comprising ball-and-socket connection means such as a tilting pivot 408 or equivalent and sliding connection means such as a shaft slide 405 between said wick 2 and the shaft primary 200 allowing their connection in rotation and their relative displacement Indeed, to the swinging must be added the free rotation of the wick 2 for its pitch tilting </>. However, it is also necessary to ensure a relative movement with respect to the frame 3 in the reference R of an element due to the linearity of the movement a in this reference and not of its arcuate shape with respect to the pivot of said ball joint 408.

Several embodiments are then possible, including: sliding of the axis of the pivot relative to the frame; a sliding of the shaft relative to the pivot or a sliding allowing the lengthening of the shaft. The standard configuration Ta favors the latter solution insofar as it is the only one which does not cause radial displacement of the support plane with respect to the frame reference R, this radial displacement being potentially detrimental to the lift by increasing the induced frame. .

The standard configuration Ta therefore preferably comprises a shaft slider 405 along the axis of said bit 2 allowing it to be extended, ie a device of the splined shaft type and corresponding grooved sheath. This can be installed between the wick 2 and the primary shaft

200 as in figure 11-A or between the primary shaft 200 and the cylinder of the helical path

201 if the bearings 304, 304bis on the support 300 allow movement while freezing the axial position of the drum cam 202.

Two possible embodiments now relate to the direction of the support 300 carrying in particular the primary shaft 200 in the system S3. Indeed, either the support 300 follows the transverse roll swing, hence y = W, which then assumes that the choice of the connection with the guide slider 302 on the slide 301 is the axis pivot 303, or well then the support 300 remains orthogonal to the slide guide system 301. In the first case with a tilting support 300 (FIG. 11-A), the connection between the primary shaft 200 and the wick 2 is a simple connection of shafts like the configuration To of FIG. 10; in the second case with a support 300 remaining orthogonal to u (FIG. 11-B), the connection is made with a shaft transmission joint 406 allowing the angle variation while transmitting the heel rotation (p, but the slider 301 of the S3 system must then prohibit alone or via a complementary slider the rotation of the slider 302 around the slider 301 as indicated in the description.

The choice of one or the other of these last two possibilities changes the kinematic function E of transformation of tp into </>. Due to the non-parallel position between the axis of the helical path 201 and the component r in the case of a support 300 following tilting, the designer will take into account that the function of list defined on said helical cam path will be modulated with an asymmetrical wave function between the downstroke and the ascent of the plane (or its movement towards starboard and its movement towards port). This asymmetry will moreover be all the greater as the component has a large clearance. In the case now of a support 300 remaining orthogonal to o, it is taken into account that if a non-homokinetic shaft transmission joint 406 is adopted, the heel function defined on the helical cam path 201 is modulated with a function wave directly dependent on the roll angle.

TQ Oscillating Standard Configuration

To achieve the so-called standard TQ oscillating configuration having transverse motion with angle roll sway superimposed on displacement, shown in Figure 3-D, the fundamental drive device S1 to S3 is combined with a system S4 which includes at least one complementary guide rail 401, and preferably a second 401', parallel and relatively spaced from that of S3 (cf. FIG. 12).

The simplest and most effective embodiment for obtaining the configuration is as follows: the system S3 consists of a support 300 pivoting on the slider 302, via the axis pivot 303, As for the transmission system S4, it therefore comprises two slides 401, 401', each of these complementary slides being provided with a slider 402, 402' to drive via a complementary pivot 403, 403' an independent complementary support 400, 400' which will first carry the wick 2 of the support plane without displacement, via a dedicated bearing 404 and for the second if necessary, the primary shaft 200, the supports 300, 400, 400 'being aligned along the axis of the carried shafts, as well as a slide shaft 405 allowing a connection with a relative movement between the primary shaft 200 and the wick 2, namely a device of the splined shaft and wick type and corresponding grooved sheath; and if necessary, a bearing or the equivalent 404 will allow movement of the primary shaft 200 relative to the second complementary support 400'. Finally, the mechanism will be completed by the slide assistance system S5 driving at least two slides asynchronously, this asynchrony ensuring the rolling swing of the bit 2 and y of the support, with y = . Due to the y tilting of the support, the axis of a helical path 201 and the T component are non-parallel. Consequently, we will take into account that, by construction, the function of list defined on the helical path is modulated with an asymmetrical wave function between the surge and the ascent of the plane (or its movement towards starboard and its movement towards port). This asymmetry is moreover all the stronger as the component T has a large displacement.

Configurations To', Ta', Ta'

It is possible to introduce into these configurations To, Ta, To a transverse movement inducing surge. Thus, while in the basic configuration To, including its variations with a rolling swing Ta and To, the transverse movement of heave E or tilting T is strictly orthogonal to the relative speed of the fluid with respect to the machine, either at speed u, it is possible to organize the installation of the device in the machine or on its support so that the transverse movement is not strictly orthogonal to u, or it is inclined at an angle that we call it different from 90°. These configurations To′, Ta′, Tri are respectively represented in FIGS. 4-A, 4-C and 4-D for those deriving respectively from To, Ta, Tn.

Standard swing configuration Th

The combined flapping drive device making it possible to obtain the so-called standard flapping configuration Tb, visible in FIG. 3-B, having a heave movement E with a support plane offset along the x axis, comprises the drive device fundamental of the systems SI to S3, and a system S4 as illustrated in FIG. 13, provided with the additional slide 401 similar to that described above which also comprises a hollow arm 6, cylindrical or profiled, integral with the support 300 and orthogonal to the slides 301, 401, carrying without displacement via bearings, on the one hand, preferably inside the arm 6, a coaxial secondary shaft 410 and secured on one side to the primary shaft 200 and on the other hand to the on the other side, the wick 2 of the support plane 1, the latter being substantially orthogonal to the shafts 200, 410, with two collaborating bevel gears 411 or the equivalent integral, one of said secondary shaft 410 and the other of the wick 2 ) to ensure the transmission of the angle of heel q> to it, as can be seen in FIG. 13. Furthermore, the movement of the support 300 on the slides 301, 401 can include the slide guide system S5 in its synchronous version .

Te standard caudal configuration In the so-called swinging configuration denoted Tb, the arm 6 carrying the support plane moves while remaining parallel in its positions; gold to produce the heave of the support plane, one can consider a transformation of this configuration consisting in tilting the arm rather than it moves parallel to the heave. The transverse movement is then not strictly pounding but in an arc of a circle therefore bringing a surge component. This configuration by analogy to that of the caudal fin of fish and marine mammals is called caudal and denoted Te as visible in figure 4-B. Thus, starting from the fundamental device of the systems SI to S3, the transmission system S4 is associated which comprises a hollow arm 6, cylindrical or profiled, integral with the support 300 and pivoting on the frame or the machine 3 as represented in figure 14 The so-called standard Te caudal configuration has a transverse pitch tilting motion with an offset bearing plane, as shown in Figure 4-B.

The simplest and most efficient embodiment of the configuration is as follows: the S3 system is configured with a 300 pivoting support, via the axis pivot 303 according to the description of the subsystem; the system S4 comprises an arm 6, generally hollow, cylindrical or profiled, integral with said support 300, preferably carrying inside the arm, a secondary shaft 410 integral linked directly or indirectly to one side of the primary shaft 200 to form the same axis substantially parallel to said arm 6; on the other side the said arm carrying the wick 2 of the bearing plane 1 substantially orthogonal to the shafts 200, 410, two collaborating bevel gear wheels 411 one of which is secured to said secondary shaft 410 and the other to the wick 2 ensuring their connection. Thus, the transmission system S4 comprises a hollow arm 6, cylindrical or profiled, integral with the support 300 and pivotally mounted relative to the frame or to the machine 3 so that the displacement <7 produces the pitch tilting by the intermediary of two opposite pivots 409 not crossing said arm 6; the primary shaft 200 extending inside the arm 6 and in its continuity a secondary shaft 410 being carried without displacement via bearings inside the arm 6 while being parallel to it. On the one hand, the connection between the primary shaft 200 and the secondary shaft 410 positioned end-to-end along the same axis is made via sliding means allowing the relative movement of the shafts such a shaft slider 405 allowing their relative movement, ie a device of the splined shaft type and corresponding grooved sheath; on the other side, at its end, the arm 6 carries without displacement the wick 2 of the support plane 1, the latter being substantially orthogonal to the secondary shaft 410; finally, two collaborating bevel gears 411 or the equivalent are integral, one with the secondary shaft 410 and the other with the wick 2, to control the pitch </> thereof. Ho and Ho' pistoning standard configuration

The flapping drive device according to the invention making it possible to obtain the so-called pistoning configuration Ho standard having a transverse displacement movement with a bearing plane offset along the y axis, as illustrated in FIG. 5-A, is that represented in Figure 15.

The simplest and most effective embodiment is as follows: the system S3 is configured with a support 300 orthogonal to o the transmission system S4 comprising meanwhile, for the solidity of the mechanism, preferably, an additional slide 401 with its dedicated slider 402 to guide the support 300 along <J with a slider 302, 402 on each slide 301, 401, the two slides being relatively distant from each other and also comprising a hollow pestle 5, cylindrical or profile, positioned parallel to the displacement c, secured to the support 300, mounted on said support 300 orthogonally to the primary shaft 200 and sliding in a sleeve 413 secured to the frame or the machine 3. The system further comprises a secondary shaft 410 carried without displacement inside said pestle preferably and being parallel to it. The system S4 also comprises a tertiary shaft 414, perpendicular to the primary shaft 200 and carried without movement by the support 300, the heeling rotation tp of the primary shaft 200 being transmitted to the secondary shaft via the tertiary shaft by two collaborating bevel wheels 415 for the perpendicular shafts or equivalent, further comprising, on the side of the support 300, a pair of generally straight wheels 417, 417', on two distant parallel shafts, one integral with the secondary shaft 410, the other of the tertiary shaft 414, allowing via a gear or a flexible transmission element such as a belt or a chain 416 the transmission of rotation between the secondary 410 and tertiary 414 shafts. carrying plane, the pestle 5 carries without displacement the wick 2 of the carrying plane 1, the latter being substantially orthogonal to the pestle 5 with two collaborating bevel toothed wheels 411 or equivalent, one integral with the secondary shaft and the other of the bit to control the pitch <f> of it.

It should however be noted that to the detriment of the symmetry of the device, a variant of the device is possible by offsetting the pestle 5 with respect to the support 300, which makes it possible to eliminate the tertiary shaft 414 and the pair of straight wheels 417, 417 'The collaboration between the primary shafts 200 and secondary 410 can then be done directly via a couple of collaborating bevel wheels.

This so-called piston configuration Ho can be installed in such a way that the heave does not is not strictly orthogonal to u, that is to say with a bias This configuration denoted Ho' is represented in figure 5-B. In fact, this inclination S, of the transverse movement S introduces a surge component, which is proportional to it.

Complementary systems

As we have already mentioned before, the system S4 transforms from the fundamental device S1, S2 S3 the displacement movement a of the primary shaft 200 into either or else into and and its tilting of heel (p becomes the tilting of In addition, complementary systems can extend the field of use or the effectiveness of such and such a configuration as presented below, such as the S6 wind speed regulation system or the S7 directional orientation system, or even structurally improve the configuration or complete the kinematics as with the S5 guide system.

Slide assist system

In the case of the presence of at least two slides 301 and 401 oriented along <J, each guiding a slider 302, 402 to carry the primary shaft 200 on the support 300, a slide assistance system, named S5, as shown in Figures 10, 11-B, 13, may be added. Figure 12 is mandatory for the Tu configuration in its asynchronous version.

The robust embodiment of this system consists in positioning on either side of at least two slideways a pinion 500, 500' connected by a flexible transmission element 501, 501' of the chain or toothed belt type carrying the slider of the slide by at least one attachment point 502, 502', such as a conveying system. The sprockets are then connected between the slideways, at least on one side, by a connecting shaft 503, secured to each pinion, so that the movement of any element connected to a slider on a slideway, causes via this system, a movement on the slide of the other slide or other slides.

In the case where said connecting shaft 503 connects pinions 500, 500' of the same diameter (FIGS. 10, 11-B, 13), the movement at the level of each slideway is synchronous and the primary shaft 200 moves into positions parallels between them. To limit the parasitic stresses on the slides 302, 402 and the slides, these will then be preferentially linked to the support 300, for one with a pivot 303 and for the other with a sliding pivot 403, i.e. a pivot inserted in an oblong hole allowing a slight deflection or an equivalent device.

In the case where the connecting shaft connects sprockets of different diameters (figure 12), the displacement of the slides will be asynchronous, which produces a swinging of the primary shaft 200 which is only possible with the presence of at least one independent complementary support 400 (or two in figure 12 with 400 and 400'), the authorization of a swing between the slides 302, 402, 402' and the supports, either via the pivot 303 and a complementary pivot 403, 403' per complementary support and finally, with a deflection to absorb the difference in distance linked to the swinging T between the two slides, either by linking the shafts carried on each support positioned end-to-end along the same axis, in this case the primary shaft 200 and the wick 2, by means of a slide d shaft 405 allowing their relative movement, or a splined shaft type device and corresponding grooved sheath. Thus, the swing angle î/′ is determined by the ratio of the diameters of the pinions connected to said connecting shaft 503 and by the amplitude of displacement of any point of the elements carried via the sliders.

S6 vane control system Sic version

In the case of the system embodiment S1 generating a substantially oblong z-trajectory with a roller chain 110, 110' or the like, a vane control system S6 comprises means configured to coordinately change the position of sprockets, at least 4 sprockets and preferably 6, 111a to ll lf, so as to widen or narrow, preferably symmetrically with respect to the direction o, the component T of the trajectory A of the crank pin 100 on the chain 110, which can in particular be obtained, as illustrated in figure 16, by

1) a set of articulated bars of the pantograph type 620 connecting the pinions, to a row of diamonds in which the six said pinions 111 a to ll lf coplanar with at least one chain, and preferably two, are in the extension of the joints terminals of the end diamonds;

2) by a device for controlling the relative position of said pinions, of the jack 621 type with a threaded rod or equivalent, to bring two opposite joints closer together or further apart from one of the diamonds of said pantograph; finally

3) a tensioning device where at least one end bar, and preferably two, of the end diamonds can be adjusted in length via an automatic spring jack 622a to 622d or the equivalent.

Furthermore, this pantographic system is mounted on a partition 623, parallel to the plane of the gears, integral with the frame or the machine 3 with one of its pivots 624 of articulation, preferably the central one, fixed on the partition 623 then than the lateral axial pivots 625a to 625d, and at least for one of them, will slide on openings 626a to 626d or the equivalent allowing movement in direction G.

S 6 vane control system Sim version

In the case of the embodiment of the system Sim generating a circular trajectory 2 with a wheel or a crank, the speed regulation system S6, as illustrated in FIGS. 17-A and 17-B, comprises means for shifting the radial position of the crankpin 100 on the flank of the driving wheel 101 and of a moving wheel 604 on which it is directly or indirectly guided along a path on each wheel, during the rotation of the latter by means of a controlled phase shift device between the rotations of the driving wheel 101 and of the moving wheel 604 by in particular preferentially installing a differential 800. It consists in: on the one hand allowing the displacement, by an adjustable value A, of the radial position of the crankpin 100 on the side of the driving wheel 101 on which it is installed during the rotation of the latter, which is normally obtained by three sets of complementary elements, the first set being composed in particular of said drive wheel 101 in the side of which a path 601 or a slideway is open substantially radially so that the crankpin 100, with an axis substantially orthogonal to the side of the drive wheel 101, or a slider 602 on which it is located , can move freely in the plane of the wheel, in a range of positions corresponding to the adjustment of T accepted by the subsystem S2; the second assembly comprising the crankpin 100 and an equivalent crankpin, called counter-crankpin 600, with a parallel axis, opposite to each other, preferably on the same axis, integrally linked together directly or else via the slider 602 radial positioning located in the first set; the third set comprising a moving wheel 604, juxtaposed to said crank pin-carrying drive wheel as above equipped and sharing the same geometric or physical axis o or the equivalent is done, vis-à-vis the possible positions of the counter-crank pin 600 in order to lead the end of the latter, or a slide in which this end is located, in a part of this path spiral.

The system S6 consists on the other hand in introducing a phase shift system x controlled between the rotations of the driving wheels 101 and moving wheels 604 by preferentially installing a member known as the differential 800, in which: one of the sun gears, named primary sun gear 803 , is secured by a shaft 610 to a wheel, called follower wheel 611, meshed with one of the two driving wheels 101 or moving wheels 604 to be phase-shifted; the secondary sun gear 804 is mounted integral with a second follower wheel 613 meshed for a half width of its teeth on a so-called inverter wheel 615, itself meshed for the other half width on the other wheel to be phase-shifted; and finally in which the satellite carrier 801 secured to a shaft 614 opposite to the two previous ones is directly linked to a control lever which can be manual. The characteristics of the wheels in these assemblies are normally as follows: driving wheel 101 and displacing wheel 604 are of the same diameter; the two following wheels 611, 613 and the reversing wheel 615 are of the same diameter; the two sun gears 803, 804 of the differential are also of the same diameter; and the satellite(s) 802 on the planet carrier 801 are of any diameter.

S6 vane control system SI epi version

In the case of the embodiment of the SI system generating an elliptical trajectory 2 according to the embodiment with a so-called anti-epitrochoidal planetary gear train with a chain or a Slépi-c belt (108, FIGS. 18-A or B) or else with gears with a satellite (106, FIGS. 19-A or B) Slépi-e, the speed regulation system S6 which is common to both versions comprises means for shifting the radial position of the axis o' of the crank pin holder satellite 103 implanted and guided jointly, directly or indirectly, on the side of the driving wheel 101 and of a moving wheel 604, via a path on each wheel, during the rotation of the latter, by means of a phase shift device controlled between the rotations of the drive wheel 101 and of the displacer wheel 604 by installing in particular preferably a differential 800 and consists of: firstly, allowing the displacement, by an adjustable value, of the radial position of the axis o' of the crank pin 103 implanted on the side of the drive wheel 101, during the rotation of the latter, which is normally obtained by three sets of complementary elements the first set being composed in particular of said drive wheel on the side of which a path 601 or a slide is open substantially radially so that the pivot 105 of the satellite 103, substantially orthogonal to the side of the drive wheel, or a slider 602 on which it is located, can move freely in the plane of the wheel and in a range of positions corresponding to the setting of r accepted by the system S2; the second set comprising the pivot 105 of the satellite and another parallel pivot 603, in opposite position, called counter-pivot, integrally linked together directly or via the radial positioning slider 602 mentioned in the first set; the third set comprising a counter-wheel, called moving 604, juxtaposed to said planetary carrier driving wheel as above equipped and sharing the same axis o or 112, on the side of which a track surface or a spiral slide 605 with center o or the equivalent is made, opposite possible positions of said counter-pivot 603 of the satellite with the aim of generally leading the end of the latter or a slider in which this end is located in a part of this spiral path.

The equipment consists secondly, as for the S6/Slm version presented above, in introducing a phase shift / controlled system between the rotations of the drive wheel 101 and the moving wheel 604, via the installation of a differential 800 controlling the follower wheels 611 and 613 and reverser 615.

To adjust to the adjustment position A of the satellite 103, an adequate means of moving the position of the pivot 107, either rollers for the S6/Slépi-c version, or satelliton for the S6/S 1 épi-c version. e, is necessary, which characterizes the third device.

For the S6/Slepi-c version, this third device is shown in Figures 18-A and 18-B. These means are characterized by the positioning of the pivot 107 of one or more rollers 106, 106' symmetrically with respect to the line (oo') on the side of the drive wheel 101 on which these axes are located, which is normally obtained by three sets of complementary elements the first set is composed in particular of said drive wheel on the side of which a path or a main slide 606, 606' per roller is open so that the pivot 107, 107' of each said roller, substantially orthogonal to the side of said drive wheel, or a dedicated slider 607, 607' on which it is located, can move freely in the plane of the wheel, in a range of positions allowing the tension of the belt or the channel regardless of the satellite tuning position; the second set comprises, for each roller, the pivot 107, 107' of said roller and another parallel pivot, in opposite position, called roller counter-pivot 608, 608', integrally linked together directly or via said slider 607, 607' of positioning being dedicated to it; and the third set consists in making on the side of the moving wheel 604, for each complementary roller, a complementary path or slide 609, 609' which crosses the main path opposite the possible positions of each counter-pivot roller 608, 608' with the aim of generally leading the end of the latter, or a slide in which this end is located, in a part of the complementary path 609, 609'; the interposition moreover of a spring in a range of additional free movement of a pivot which can also participate in the tension of the belt or chain 108.

Figures 19-A and 19-B show this third additional device for the S6/Slépi-e version. This device is characterized by the positioning of the pivot 107 of the satellite 106 in such a way that it always remains meshed with the sun gear 102 and the satellite 103, which is normally obtained by the following four sets of complementary elements: the first set is composed in particular of said driving wheel on the side of which for said pivot of the satelliton a path or a main slide 606 is open so that the pivot of the satelliton, substantially orthogonal to the side of said driving wheel, or a dedicated slider 607 on which it is installed, can move freely in the plane of the wheel, in a range of position normally in an arc of a circle centered at o; the second set comprises the pivot 107 of said satelliton and another parallel pivot, in opposite position, called counter-pivot of satelliton 608, integrally linked together directly or via said positioning slider being dedicated to them 607; the third set consists in linking together by at least one connecting rod 627, in a plane parallel to that of the drive wheel, said satellite counter-pivot 608 and said satellite counter-pivot 603; finally the fourth assembly dedicated to correcting the angular position of the satellite as a function of its radial positioning A , comprises a so-called control wheel 628, integral with said shaft of the control lever 614, actuating by gear or flexible element a corrective wheel 629 integral with the shaft 112 integrally connected to the sun gear 102 of the anti-epitrochoidal train, noting that the ratio of the spokes of the control wheel 628 to that of the correcting wheel 629 will be equal to 2 times the ratio of the spokes of the follower wheel 611 to that of the moving wheel 604.

The device S6 also accepts the following variants which can lead to safer operation: the first consists in juxtaposing two drive wheels on either side of the moving wheel; the second, to juxtapose two moving wheels on either side of the driving wheel; with in both cases a third follower wheel linked in rotation to the follower of the doubled wheel to drive the secondary driving or moving wheel.

Orientation system S 7

The flapping training device according to the invention may also comprise an orientation system S7, by phase shifting the pitch tilting.

The orientation system applicable to all configurations aims to introduce an angle additional, denoted P, adjustable from 0 to 360° during operation, to heel tilting q> of primary shaft 200. As illustrated in FIGS. 20-A and 20-B, three or four sets of elements participate make the steering effective.

The first set consists in particular, on the one hand, of an elongated hollow cylinder shaft up to the bearings 304, 304' carrying it without displacement on the support 300 of the system S3, called the director shaft 700, generally integrally linked to the cam track helical 201 along its axis, with an internal diameter allowing the passage of the primary shaft 200 and, where appropriate, annular elements minimizing friction and preventing the relative movements of these shafts (bearings or bearings) carried with the bearings 304, 304' of support 300.

The second set of elements preferably comprises a set known as the differential 900, that is to say a planetary gear having a planet carrier 901 with satellites 902 of the same diameter, orthogonal to the two planetary gears 903, 904 parallel of the same diameter, the primary shaft 200 being secured to one of the two sun gears 903, the steering shaft 700 being secured to the second sun gear 904, the planet carrier 901 being secured to the third shaft, called orientation shaft 701, carried without displacement by the support 300 preferably via two bearings 702, 702', itself connected in rotation to a wheel, called orientation wheel 703 which controls its rotation.

The third set of elements consists in allowing the maneuver of said orientation wheel in its displacement movement o and to do so, a simple solution materializes: firstly, with a splined control shaft or the equivalent of a fixed position, named control shaft 704 positioned parallel to the movement o and which can replace a slide 301, 401 of the system S3 or S4; secondly, with an assembly comprising a worm screw 705 meshing with said orientation wheel so that their axes are orthogonal, said worm screw sliding on said splined control shaft allowing the latter to be driven in rotation here and ; thirdly, to ensure the displacement G of the worm, with a substantially U-shaped element, called jumper 706, having the wings of the U passing on either side of the worm 705, possibly being crossed by said splined drive shaft, while its base or any other part attached to it is driven by the movement of the support.

The fourth set defines the connection of the orientation wheel 703 with the orientation shaft 701 depending on whether the support 300 of the subsystem S3 swings from the angle y or whether it is orthogonal to the displacement along a. In the case where the orthogonality is preserved (figure 20-A), said wheel orientation is simply integral with said orientation shaft and said jumper is integral with the support. Otherwise (Figure 20-B), it will first be necessary to provide guidance for the orientation wheel 703 on the splined control shaft 704 so as to maintain the orthogonality of the axes of the gear wheels 703, 705 as well that the position invariance of the plane containing the displacement of the axis of the orientation wheel, which will be obtained by the use of the slider 401 and the slider 402 of the S4 system secured to the rider to support at least one bearing 702” bearing the slewing wheel in the correct position and, secondly, providing a connection between two parts of the slewing shaft to allow swinging y of the part of the shaft linked to the support, which requires a on the one hand a shaft slider 707 allowing the relative movement of the shaft parts thus linked and, on the other hand, a shaft transmission joint 708.

Thus, the fourth set of elements, depending on whether the support 300 has a rocking movement y or not, sets the coupling conditions between orientation shaft 701 and orientation wheel 703 on the one hand and between rider 706 and support 300 on the other hand, namely: in the case without swinging by joining these elements together, the orientation shaft being carried in this case entirely without movement by the support 300, and in the case with a swinging y of the support, the device firstly comprises a two-part orientation shaft with a first part carried fixed by the support 300, while the second part is linked to the first with a shaft slider 707 allowing relative axial movement of the linked shafts and, on the other hand, a shaft transmission joint 708 to allow the free swing y of each part of said orientation shaft; and the device secondly secures said rider to a slider 402 of a slide 401 of the subsystem S4 to carry, orthogonally to the displacement <r and without proper rotation, the second part of the orientation shaft 701, via another bearing 702ter, due to its guidance combined with the control shaft.

TARGETED APPLICATIONS

All of the configurations of the driving device in flapping of a carrier plane described above are suitable for applications in the displacement or propulsion of surface, submerged or flying vehicles of all sizes, in the production of tidal energy or wind turbine or even for the equipment of robots or drones; therefore many applications can be made. Furthermore, due to the clear functional differentiation of the various systems presented and due to their respective simplicity, it appears obvious that a certain number of variations, additions and modifications to the mechanisms could be made by a person skilled in the art without departing of the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

58

1. Drive device in combined flapping of a carrier plane (1) such as a wing, immersed in a fluid, provided with a drive axis called wick (2), characterized in that it comprises at at least one device for driving a primary shaft (200) in displacement and in pivoting around its longitudinal axis, comprising said primary shaft (200) and three systems operating in cooperation, the first system SI comprising drive means in movement of a control member (100) along a trajectory A in the form of a closed curve, having at least a first axial component t and a second axial component . the second system S2 comprising means for driving the angle of heeling of said primary shaft (200) in pivoting around its longitudinal axis, configured to be actuated by the movement of said control member (100) mainly according to the axial component T of the trajectory 2 defined by the system SI, according to a main function (T) fixing (p; the third system S3 comprising means for driving the movement of the primary shaft (200), configured to be actuated by the movement of said control member (100) mainly according to the second axial component a of the trajectory 2 defined by the SI system, said control member (100) being configured to extend projecting from the plane of its trajectory λ, or from a projection in this plane thereof and be engaged both with the pivoting drive means of the primary shaft (200) and the displacement drive means of said primary shaft (200), the movement of the organ of control (100) along the closed curve generating both a pivoting control <p in one direction then in the opposite direction of the primary shaft (200) around its longitudinal axis and the movement of the primary shaft ( 200) in one direction and in the opposite direction, the device further comprising a connection system S4 provided between said drive device of the primary shaft (200) and the bit (2) of the carrying plane (1) to transmit the combined displacement and pivoting movements of the primary shaft (200) to this wick (2).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive means of the SI system, denoted Sic, consist of a flexible transmission member such as a band, a belt, a chain, driven in displacement in a plane by at least two drive members such as pulleys, pinions (111), the transmission member carrying the control member such as a crankpin (100) projecting above the plane of the trajectory, and 59 as a result of which the trajectory 2 is planar and a preferably oblong curve.

3 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive means of the SI system, denoted Sim, are a wheel or a crank (101), or a series of parallel wheels and cranks, rotating at a substantially constant speed co around their central pivot and on which a control member such as a crankpin (100) is located, and as a result of which the trajectory 2 is a flat circle.

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive means of the SI system consist of a planetary gear train of the epicyclic, epitrochoidal or anti-epitrochoidal gear type noted SI epi or hypocycloidal or hypotrochoidal noted SI hypo, located in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the trajectory of the control member, such as a crank pin (100), installed on the side of a satellite (103) or of an extension (104) integral with the latter , whose axis of rotation (p ') is positioned on the side of a wheel or crank called drive (101), and as a result of which the trajectory ^ is flat and a preferably elliptical curve.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second system S2 comprises drive means in pivoting of the primary shaft (200) about its longitudinal axis, mounted on a coaxial axis of rotation to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft (200) and provided with guide means configured to cooperate with the control member (100) along a helical displacement path (201) around the longitudinal axis of the shaft primary (200), such as a cylinder (202) provided with a groove forming the cam path (201) of the control member such as a crank pin (100), the function giving (p, being linear or not.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drive means in movement of the primary shaft of the system S3 comprise a support (300) on which the primary shaft (200) is mounted free in rotation about its longitudinal axis, the support (300) comprising guide means (305) configured to cooperate with the control member (100) and allow it free movement along a path of the substantially parallel control member to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft (200) and driving it along a path substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the primary shaft due to a substantially linear guide means, such as an elongated element ( 301), along which the support (300) is mounted to follow the guide. 60

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the support (300) consists of at least one base and two opposite sides more or less at the ends thereof which carry the primary shaft, this base being provided guide means such as a slot (305), allowing both the engaging engagement of the control member and its displacement along the slot (305) according to the component T of the trajectory 2.

8. Device according to one of Claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the elongated element of the system S3 is a preferably linear slideway (301) which extends substantially orthogonally to the primary shaft (200), the support (300) being mounted sliding or rolling on this slide (301) with the aid of a slider (302), the support (300) being mounted on the slider (302), either fixed or pivoting and able to swing from an angle y.

9. Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the S4 system comprises at least one slide (401) with a dedicated slider (402), on which the support (300) or an additional support (400) has climbed.

10. Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the S4 system comprises an assistance system for S5 slides, consisting of a pinion (500, 500 ') positioned on either side of each of 'at least two slides of S3 and/or S4 (301, 401; 401, 401'), connected by a flexible transmission element such as a chain, a notched belt (501, 501') carrying the slider of the slide by at least one attachment point (502, 502'), the pinions being connected between the slideways, at least on one side, by a connecting shaft (503), integral with each pinion (500, 500') .

11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the S4 connection system is configured to directly connect the primary shaft (200) to the axis (2) of the support plane (1).

12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the S4 system comprises ball-and-socket connection means such as a tilting pivot (408) and sliding connection means such as a shaft (405) between said wick (2) and the primary shaft (200) allowing their connection in rotation and their relative movement.

13. Device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the S4 system comprises an arm (6), generally hollow, cylindrical or profiled, integral with said support (300), preferably bearing inside the arm, an integral secondary shaft (410) linked directly or indirectly to one side of the primary shaft (200) to form the same axis 61 substantially parallel to said arm (6); on the other side the said arm carrying the bit (2) of the support plane (1) substantially orthogonal to the shafts (200, 410), two collaborating bevel toothed wheels (411) integral for one of the said secondary shaft (410) and for the other of the wick (2) ensuring their connection.

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the arm (6) is pivotally mounted relative to the frame or the machine (3) by means of two opposite pivots (409), the secondary shaft

(410) being linked to the primary shaft (200), positioned along the same axis, via sliding means allowing the relative movement of the shafts (200, 410).

15. Device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the S4 system comprises: a pestle (5), preferably hollow, cylindrical or profiled, mounted on the support (300) orthogonal to the primary shaft ( 200); a secondary shaft (410) being generally carried inside said ram (5); a tertiary shaft (414), perpendicular to the primary shaft (200) and carried by the support (300); the heel rotation (p of the primary shaft (200) being transmitted to said secondary shaft, via the tertiary shaft (414), by two collaborating bevel wheels (415) for the perpendicular shafts and a couple of generally straight wheels (417 , 417 ') allowing via a flexible transmission element (416) the transmission of the rotation between the secondary shafts (410) and tertiary (414) and, on the support plane side (1, the), the pestle (5) bearing without movement of the wick (2) of the carrier plane, the latter being substantially orthogonal to it with two collaborating bevel gears

(411), linking their rotation, one secured to the secondary shaft (410) and the other to the wick (2).

16. Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it comprises a speed adjustment system S6 comprising means for controlling the angle of heel range (p being transmitted via the system S4 to the range of incidence a of work of the carrying plane (1) on its trajectory /, said control means consisting of parametric modification means of SI to modify the component r of the trajectory i of the control member (100) acting mainly on S2.

17. Device according to the combination of claims 2 and 16, characterized in that the speed regulation system S6 comprises means configured to modify in a coordinated manner the position of the pinions (11 la to 11 If) to widen or narrow, symmetrically the component T of the trajectory X using in particular a set of articulated bars of the pantograph type (615) connecting the pinions. 62

18. Device according to the combination of claims 3 and 16, characterized in that the speed control system S6 comprises means for shifting the radial position of the crankpin (100) on the side of the drive wheel (101) and d a moving wheel (604) on which it is directly or indirectly guided along a path on each wheel, during rotation thereof by means of a controlled phase shift device between rotations of the drive wheel (101 ) and the moving wheel (604) in particular preferably installing a differential (800).

19. Device according to the combination of claims 4 and 16, characterized in that the speed control system S6 comprises means for shifting the radial position of the axis o 'of the planetary pin holder (103) implanted and jointly guided , directly or indirectly, on the flank of the driving wheel (101) and of a moving wheel (604), via a path on each wheel, during the rotation of the latter, by means of a phase shift device controlled between the rotations of the driving wheel (101) and of the moving wheel (604) by installing in particular preferentially a differential (800).

20. Device according to one of claims 6 to 19, characterized in that it comprises an orientation system, denoted S7 comprising: a first set of elements consisting of a hollow cylinder shaft elongated on said support (300) , called steering shaft (700), integrally linked to the helical cam track (201) along its axis, of internal diameter allowing the passage of the primary shaft (200), a second set of elements comprising a differential (900), consisting of a planetary gear having a planet carrier (901) with planet wheels (902) orthogonal to the two parallel planet wheels (903, 904) of the same diameter, the primary shaft (200) being integral with one of the two sun gears (903), the steering shaft (700) being secured to the other sun gear (904), the planet carrier (901) being secured to the third shaft, called orientation shaft (701) connected in rotation to a wheel, called orientation wheel (703), which controls its rotation, a third set of elements with an arb splined control re (704), of fixed position, also comprising an endless screw (705) meshing with the orientation wheel so that their axes are orthogonal, said endless screw sliding by its axis on said splined control shaft allowing the drive in rotation thereof and; with a substantially U-shaped element, called rider (706), having the wings of the U passing on either side of the endless screw (705) being preferably crossed by said splined control shaft, while its displacement is dependent on the movements of the support (300); and the fourth set of elements, depending on whether the support (300) has a movement of swinging there or not, sets the coupling conditions between orientation shaft (701) and orientation wheel (703) on the one hand and between rider (706) and support (300) on the other hand, namely: in the case without swinging by securing these elements, the orientation shaft being carried in this case entirely without movement by the support (300), and in the case with a swinging of the support, the device firstly comprises a shaft of orientation in two parts with a first part carried fixed by the support (300), while the second part is linked to the first with a shaft slider (707) allowing relative axial movement of the linked shafts and, on the other hand, a shaft transmission joint (708) to allow the free swing y of each part of said orientation shaft; and the device secondly secures said rider to a slide (402) of a slide (401) of the S4 subsystem to carry, orthogonal to the movement and without proper rotation, the second part of the orientation shaft (701), via another bearing (702ter), due to its guide combined with the control shaft.

21. Alternative drive device for a primary shaft (200) in displacement and in pivoting about its longitudinal axis, characterized in that the device comprises a primary shaft (200) and three systems operating in cooperation, the first system SI comprising means for driving a control member (100) in displacement along a trajectory Â in the form of a closed curve, presenting at least a first axial component t and a second axial component <7, the second system S2 comprising means pivoting drive, angle of heel (p of said primary shaft (200) around its longitudinal axis, configured to be actuated by the movement of said control member (100) along at least one component of the trajectory defined by the system SI; the third system S3 comprising means for driving the primary shaft (200) in movement, configured to be actuated by the movement of the said control member (100) according to the other c component at least of the trajectory defined by the SI system, said control member (100) being configured to extend projecting from the plane of said axial components of its z trajectory or from a projection thereof into this plane and be engaged both with the pivot drive means of the primary shaft (200) and the displacement drive means of said primary shaft (200), the movement of the control member (100) along of the closed curve generating both a pivoting command (p in one direction then in the opposite direction of the primary shaft (200) around its longitudinal axis and the displacement of the primary shaft (200) in one direction and in the opposite direction.