WO2009040733A2

WO2009040733A2 - Device for converting energy

Info

Publication number: WO2009040733A2
Application number: PCT/IB2008/053865
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniele Dall'asta
Original assignee: Dall Asta Daniele
Priority date: 2007-09-27
Filing date: 2008-09-23
Publication date: 2009-04-02
Also published as: ITPR20070071A1; WO2009040733A3

Abstract

A device (1,- 100) for converting energy, including a stator (2; 102) having at least one inlet duct (3; 103) and at least one outlet duct (4; 104) a first rotor (5,-205) rotatably fastened to a support pin (7; 107) connected to the stator (2,- 102) and a second rotor (6;206) rotatably fastened to said support pin (7; 107) connected to the stator (2; 102). A first blade (5a;205a, 205b), solidly connected to said first rotor (5;205), and a second blade (6a,-206a, 206b), solidly connected to said second rotor (6;206), rotate inside the stator (2; 102) and interact with the working fluid present inside the stator. The device also includes a mechanical shaft (8; 108), first (9,-209) and second transmission elements (10, -210) to connect said first (5, -205) and second rotor (6;206) to said mechanical shaft (8; 108). Said first and second transmission elements (9, 10, -209, 210) are configured in such a way to generate variable transmission ratios between the mechanical shaft (8; 108) and each of said rotors (5, 6,-205, 206) so that the different angular speeds of the blades (5a, 6a; 205a, 205b, 206a, 206b) solidly connected to them correspond to a preestablished angular speed of the mechanical shaft (8; 108).

Description

DEVICE FOR CONVERTING ENERGY

TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND ART. The scope of the present invention is a device for converting energy, of the type described in the preamble of claim 1. As is known, almost all industrial sectors need to transform energy, whether it is electrical, solar, mechanical, chemical or other, into mechanical energy, for example in the form of the rotation of a mechanical shaft; there is also the opposite need, i.e. to transform mechanical energy into another type of energy, for example into fluid pressure or flow rate. Normally the term "motor" refers to a device that can transform any given type of energy into mechanical work while the term "pump" refers to a device that can energize a fluid by exploiting a source of mechanical work. As regards motors, later in this description we will refer in particular to fluid motors, i.e. those which exploit a working fluid that is suitably energized. According to a first known art, shown as an example in the document EP

1798396, there are alternative motors which operate by internal combustion equipped with a plurality of mobile pistons having reciprocating motion within cylinders, each of said pistons being connected to a drive shaft by means of a kinematic mechanism including a connecting rod and a crankshaft. Generally this type of motor is used for motor propulsion or in the aeronautical or naval sectors.

According to a second prior art, shown as an example in the document US 4063535, there are known rotary internal combustion engines, in particular Wankel engines. The Wankel engines have a prismatic rotor with an equilateral triangular base having slightly convex sides. The rotor is contained inside a housing, the stator, in which ports are built to draw in the fuel-air mixture and discharge the burnt gases. The stator has lateral walls defining an internal cavity with an essentially elliptical section and it is closed by two bases made up of two flat walls having a central hole for the passage of the drive shaft. Turning inside the housing with an orbiting movement, the rotor forms three chambers whose volume varies cyclically: in the three chambers three Otto4-stroke cycles occur simultaneously, displaced from each other by 120°. Since the rotor has three equal sides, the process occurs sequentially three times for each turn of the rotor (corresponding to three turns of the drive shaft), with significant advantages in terms of the power supplied and the regularity of operation.

According to a further prior art, there are fluid dynamic pumps that take mechanical energy and transfer it to a fluid to increase its pressure or impose a flow rate. Typically, the fluid dynamic pumps are divided into volumetric, centrifugal or axial pumps.

One of the main operative parameters of a motor or pump is the thermodynamic output, i.e. the ratio between the energy extracted from and introduced into a system (for example a motor or pump). The output value is a measurement of the efficiency of the machine since it quantifies the efficiency of the energy conversion. Generally, for all the aforementioned systems the output value is hardly ever greater than 35%.

Another typical disadvantage of reciprocating internal combustion motors is the constructive complication needed to convert the linear motion of the pistons into a rotary motion of a drive shaft. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION. The object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned disadvantages by proposing a device for converting energy that can significantly curb the typical losses of energy in motors and pumps made according to the prior art to provide a high thermodynamic output. A further object of the present invention is to propose a device for converting energy that is simple to build. In particular, one of the objects of this invention is to propose a device for converting energy that does not simultaneously have moving mechanical parts with linear motion connected to moving mechanical parts with rotary motion. Another object of the present invention is to make a device for converting energy that is reversible, i.e. able to function as a motor and as a pump.

A further object of the present invention is to make a device for converting energy that is reliable and economical.

Said objects are fully achieved by the device for converting energy described in this invention, which is characterized by the claims given below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.

These and other objects will be further evidenced by the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown purely by way of non-limiting example in the drawings attached in which: - Figure 1 illustrates the frontal view of a section of a first embodiment variant of a device built according to this invention; Figure 2 illustrates a lateral section view according to the A-A line of Figure 1 of an embodiment detail of the device shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 illustrates a left lateral view of the device shown in Figure 1 ; - Figure 4 illustrates a right lateral view of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 1 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a first working position;

Figure 6 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 1 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a second working position;

Figure 7 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 1 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a third working position; - Figure 8 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 1 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a fourth working position;

- Figure 9 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 1 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a fifth working position;

Figure 10 illustrates a second embodiment variant of a device made according to this invention;

Figure 1 1 illustrates a lateral section view according to line B-B of

Figure 10 showing an embodiment detail of the device shown in Figure 10;

- Figure 12 illustrates a left lateral view of the device shown in Figure 10;

Figure 13 illustrates a right lateral view of the device shown in Figure 10; - Figure 14 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 10 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a first working position;

Figure 15 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 10 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a second working position;

- Figure 16 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 10 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a third working position;

Figure 17 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 10 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a fourth working position;

- Figure 18 illustrates a lateral section view of the device in Figure 10 with some parts removed to better evidence others and in a fifth working position; - Figure 19 shows a graph of the working speed of a pair of design details of a device according to the invention;

Figure 20 shows a graph of the working speed of two pairs of design details of a device according to the invention;

Figures 21 , 22 and 23 show three axonometric views of the first embodiment variant of the device shown in Figure 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION. With specific reference to Figures 1-9 and Figures 21-23, a device for converting energy made according to this invention is globally indicated by number 1. The device 1 includes a stator 2, preferably cylindrical, having at least one inlet port 3 to allow the introduction and one discharge port 4 to allow expulsion of a working fluid. Precisely, the working fluid can be a liquid, for example water, or an aeriform fluid, for example air or a fuel-air mixture, typically in the case in which the device 1 acts as an internal combustion engine. 5 With particular reference to Figures 1-4, the device 1 includes a first rotor

5 and a second rotor 6 rotatable fastened to a support pin 7, typically coaxial to said stator 2. Preferably, the support pin 7 is positioned in the center of the stator 2.

The device 1 includes a first blade 5a and a second blade 6a respectivelyo connected solidly to said first and said second rotor 5, 6. The blades 5a, 6a move by rotation inside the stator 2 subsequent to the rotation of the rotors and interact with the working fluid present inside the stator.

Preferably the blades 5 a, 6a have an essentially trapezoidal section in which the major and minor bases are defined by circumference arcs and the5 oblique sides are defined by the stator radii (Figure 2).

The device 1 has a mechanical shaft 8 kinematically connected to said rotors 5, 6 and moves by rotation around its longitudinal axis. Specifically, the mechanical shaft 8 is connected to the first rotor 5 by means of first transmission elements 9 and is connected to the second rotor 6 by means of second0 transmission elements 10. Precisely, said first and second transmission elements are configured in such a way as to generate variable transmission ratios between the mechanical shaft 8 and each of said rotors 5, 6, so that the preestablished angular speed of the mechanical shaft corresponds simultaneously to different angular speeds of the rotors and therefore of the blades 5a, 6a solidly connecteds to them. In particular, said transmission elements impose variable transmission ratios so that, though the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 8 is maintained during an entire rotation, the rotors 5, 6 (and therefore the respective blades connected to them) simultaneously undergo accelerations and decelerations as a function of the instant angular position taken by the mechanical shaft during its rotation.

According to the invention, each of said first and second transmission elements 9, 10, includes at least one pair of noncircular gears. In particular, a first of said gears is solidly connected to a corresponding rotor 5, 6 and a second of said gears is solidly splined onto said mechanical shaft 8 and kinematically connected to said first gear.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 4, said first transmission elements 9 have a pair of noncircular gears, including a first elliptical wheel 9a solidly connected to the first rotor 5 rotatable fastened to the support pin 7 and to a second elliptical wheel 9b solidly splined onto said mechanical shaft 8 and able to engage with said first elliptical wheel 9a.

With particular reference to Figures 1 and 3, said second transmission elements 10 also include a first elliptical wheel 10a solidly connected to the second rotor 6, which is also rotatable fastened to the support pin 7 like said first rotor 5 is. A second elliptical wheel 10b is solidly splined onto the mechanical shaft 8 and engages with said first elliptical wheel 10a.

Therefore, with particular reference to Figure 1, said elliptical wheels 9b, 10b rotate solidly around each other because they are splined onto the same mechanical shaft 8. According to an embodiment variant not shown, it is possible for each pair of noncircular gears of each of said first and second transmission elements to include wheels eccentrically splined onto the respective rotation pins.

According to further embodiment variants falling under the same inventive concept, there is the possibility of using noncircular gears, no matter how made, for example, triangular, lobate wheels or other shapes.

Moreover, it is intended that the various types of noncircular gears are combinable to each other; for example, the first gear can be made with an elliptical wheel, while the second gear can be made with an eccentrically splined wheel, or vice versa. The operation and advantages of all the above-mentioned embodiments are the same as those of the embodiment variant having elliptical type wheels.

Preferably, the elliptical wheels 9a, 9b of said first transmission elements 9 and/or the elliptical wheels 10a, 10b of said second transmission elements 10 are the gear type. Preferably, the elliptical wheels 9a, 9b of said first transmission elements 9 have the same geometry and dimensions as the elliptical wheels 10a, 10b of said second transmission elements 10. In particular, the pair of elliptical wheels 9a, 9b of said first transmission elements 9 and the pair of elliptical wheels 10a, 10b of said second transmission elements 10 each engage with the same maximum transmission ratio, preferably 1 :2,5.

In the example shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the elliptical wheels 9a, 10a connected to the respective first and second rotor 5, 6 are eccentrically splined onto the same said rotors. Likewise, the elliptical wheels 9b, 10b are eccentrically splined onto the drive shaft 8. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the elliptical wheels 9a, 9b of said first transmission elements 9 are coupled to each other with a phase displacement of 180° with respect to the elliptical wheels 10a, 10b of said second transmission elements 10.

In the example shown in Figures 1 - 9, given the identical geometry and dimensions of the elliptical wheels 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b of said first and second transmission elements 9, 10 and in consideration of the eccentricity with which the elliptical wheels 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b are spiined onto the respective rotors and onto the drive shaft, the angular speeds of the first and second rotor 5, 6 have an identical trend during a rotation of the mechanical shaft 8 and take on a same maximum value and a same minimum value at each rotation of the shaft, but with a phase displacement of 180°.

It goes without saying that the trend of angular speeds of the rotors 5, 6 is transmitted identically to the blades 5a, 6a solidly connected to them and interacting with the working fluid introduced into the stator 2. Precisely, in the example shown, each rotation of each of said blades 5a,

6a inside the stator 2 corresponds to a rotation of the mechanical shaft 8.

If the device 1 described in this invention functions as a "motor", said first elliptical wheels 9a, 10a connected to the first and second rotor 5, 6 respectively will be drive wheels, while said second elliptical wheels 9b, 1 Ob will be driven wheels. Vice versa, if the device 1 described in this invention functions as a "pump", said first elliptical wheels 9a, 10a connected respectively to the first and second rotors 5, 6 will be driven wheels, while said second elliptical wheels 9b, 10b connected to the mechanical shaft 8 will be drive wheels .

With particular reference to Figures 5 - 9, now we will describe the operation, also referred to as "basic cycle", of the device 1, regardless of whether the device 1 functions as a "motor" or as a "pump".

The so-called basic cycle starts at a dead stop (Figure 5) which corresponds to the moment in which the blades 5a, 6a reach the same speed and are located respectively in correspondence to inlet port 3, and discharge port 4. In particular, 90° after the dead stop (Figure 7), the ratio between the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 8 and the angular speed of the blade 5a connected to the first rotor 5 is minimum, while the ratio between the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 8 and the angular speed of the blade 6a connected to the second rotor 6 is maximum, as result of the aforementioned phase displacement and of the geometry shown in Figures 3 and 4.

With reference to Figure 19, which illustrates the trend of the transmission ratio between the mechanical shaft and the blades as a function of the angular position assumed by the mechanical shaft, it is observed that the ratio between the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 8 and the angular speed of the blade 5a connected to the first rotor 5 is maximum when the ratio between the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 8 and the angular speed of the blade 6a connected to the second rotor 6 is minimum. This behavior is possible considering the eccentricity with which the elliptical wheels 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b are splined onto the respective rotors and onto the drive shaft, Preferably, the inlet and discharge ports are completely obstructed by the blades 5a, 6a when these are located in correspondence to the dead stop (Figure 5).

With reference to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, subsequently the blade 5a moves within the stator 2 (arrow with the letter F) at an angular speed that is a function of the transmission ratio between the elliptical wheel 9a solidly connected to the first rotor 5 and the elliptical wheel 9b solidly connected to the mechanical shaft 8. In the meantime, since the angular speeds of the first and second rotor 5, 6 have an identical trend during the rotation of the mechanical shaft 8 and assume a same maximum value and a same minimum value at every rotation of the shaft itself, but with a phase displacement of 180° with respect to the other, the blade 6a assumes a much lower speed than that of blade 5a and therefore undergoes a limited angular shift equal to the angular shift of the mechanical shaft 8, This behavior is deduced by the graph shown in Figure 19, which illustrates the ratio between the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 8 and the angular speed of the blades, considering that the angular speed of the mechanical shaft is the same for both the blades; in fact the elliptical wheels 9b, 1 Ob, are solidly splined onto said mechanical shaft.

As soon as the blade 5 a has reached the dead stop in correspondence to the discharge port 4 (Figure 9), the cycle is repeated with the blades 5a, 6a inverted. The dead stop is passed by exploiting preferably the inertia of the blades

5a, 6a or by means of one or more rotating masses, typically flywheels, connected to the rotors 5, 6.

Now we will describe the behavior of the device 1 in the operation cycle as a "motor" by using a fluid under pressure. With particular reference to Figure 6, after starting the motor by means of an external source of energy, for example an electric motor that applies torque to the mechanical shaft 8, the dead stop is passed at every turn of the blades 5a, 6a by exploiting the inertia of the blades themselves or by exploiting a flywheel.

When the device is started up, a pressurized fluid is drawn into the intake port 3 and moves the front blade 5a (in the counterclockwise direction of rotation of the blades indicated by the arrow F of Figure 5), and on the rear blade 6a (in the counterclockwise direction of rotation of the blades). The pressure on the blades exerts a force, whose point of application, given the shape of the blades, lies at a certain distance from the longitudinal axis of the support

5 pin 7 thereby generating a torque to each of said first and second rotors.

Considering the fact that the transmission ratio between the elliptical wheels 9a, 10a, solidly connected to the first and to the second rotors 5, 6, respectively and the elliptical wheels 9b, 10b solidly connected to the mechanical shaft 8, is favorable for the elliptical wheel 9a corresponding to the

K) front blade 5a, the latter moves counterclockwise exerting a drive torque on the mechanical shaft; simultaneously, the rear blade 6a will be dragged by the mechanical shaft 8, therefore exerting a resisting torque. In particular, the transmission ratio is favorable for the elliptical wheel 9a, as can be seen on the graph in Figure 19, which shows that for rotation angles of the mechanical shaft i.s 8 between 90° and 270° the transmission ratio between the mechanical shaft 8 and the elliptical wheel 9a is greater than the transmission ratio between the mechanical shaft 8 and the elliptical wheel 10a.

The difference between the drive torque exerted by the front blade 5a and the resisting torque exerted by the rear blade 6a provides a net drive torque such

20 to make the mechanical shaft 8 rotate.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4, the presence of elliptical wheels imposing variable transmission ratios and the appropriate system geometry that contemplates a phase displacement of 180° (determined by the corresponding phase displacement of the transmission ratio, as shown in Figure 19) between

25 the maximum and minimum angular speeds of the rotors 5, 6 make it possible to obtain, with an equal force exerted on the blades 5a, 6a by the pressurized fluid, a multiplication of the torque on the mechanical shaft 8, as regards the front blade 5a, and a de-multiplication of the torque on the mechanical shaft 8, as regards the rear blade 6a.

5 The ratio between the torque supplied to the mechanical shaft 8 remains favorable for the front blade 5a until the moment in which it reaches the rear blade 6a (Figure 9). Subsequently the function of the blades 5a, 6a is inverted because the transmission ratio between the elliptical wheels 9a, 10a of the rotors 5,6 and the elliptical wheels 9b, 10b of the mechanical shaft 8 become favorableo for the blade 6a integral with the second rotor 6.

The blade 5a, during its advancement inside the stator 2 (Figures 6, 7 and 8), besides applying the torque to the mechanical shaft 8, expels from discharge port 4 the working fluid remaining from the previous cycle.

With particular reference to Figures 5-9, we shall now describe thes behavior of the device 1 in the working cycle as a "pump".

Contrary to the cycle as a "motor", in this case the external torque is applied to the mechanical shaft 8, thereby activating a rotation of the blades 5a, 6a. The latter, in consideration of the presence of the elliptical wheels 9a, 1 Oa, 9b, 1 Ob and of the system geometry, come together and move apart for eacho rotation of the mechanical shaft 8.

The positioning of the inlet port 3 in correspondence to the area in which the blades 5a, 6a are moving away from each other (figure 6 and 7) and of the discharge port 4 in correspondence to the area in which the blades come together (Figure 8) makes it possible to respectively generate an intake of fluid from the intake port and a pressurization of fluid with a subsequent forced discharge from the discharge port.

With reference to Figures 10 - 14, we will now describe the behavior of a device for converting energy according to this invention in a working cycle as 5 an internal combustion engine. In this embodiment variant the device has been globally indicated by number 100.

The device 100 includes a stator 102, preferably cylindrical, having at least one inlet port 103 and at least one discharge port 104 to allow the introduction and expulsion of a working fluid, typically air and a fuel-air mixture. K) The device 100 includes an intake duct 1 13 to introduce air into the stator

102 through the inlet port 103 and an expulsion duct 1 14 to allow the discharge of burnt gases through the discharge port 104.

In the intake duct 113 there is preferably an airflow partialization valve

115, typically a butterfly valve, to control the power developed by the engine. 15 The device 100 includes an injector 105 to inject fuel into the stator 102 and a means for igniting the fuel-air mixture, preferably an electrical spark plug

106.

With reference to Figure 1 0, the device 100 includes a first rotor 205 and a second rotor 206 rotatable fastened to a same support pin 207, coaxial to said 20 stator 102. Preferably, the support pin 207 is positioned in the center of the stator 102.

The device 100 includes a first pair of blades 205a, 205b and a second pair of blades 206a, 206b. In particular, said first pair of blades 205a, 205b is solidly connected to said first rotor 205, while said second pair of blades 206a, 206b is 25 connected to said second rotor 206. The blades move by rotation inside the stator 102 subsequent to the rotation of rotors 205, 206 and interact with the air and/or the fuel-air mixture present inside the same stator.

Preferably the blades 205a, 205b, 206a, 206b have an essentially trapezoidal section in which the major and minor bases are defined by the s circumference arcs and the oblique sides are defined by the stator radii (Figure

1 1).

The device 100 has a mechanical shaft 108 kinematically connected to said rotors 205, 206 and mobile by rotation around its longitudinal axis. In particular, the mechanical shaft 108 is connected to the first rotor 205 by means of first so transmission elements 209 and is connected to the second rotor 206 by means of second transmission elements 210. Precisely, said first and second transmission elements are configured in such a way as to generate variable transmission ratios between the mechanical shaft 108 and each of said rotors 205, 206, so that a preestabiished angular speed of the mechanical shaft corresponds i5 simultaneously to different angular speeds of the rotors and therefore of the blades 205a, 205b, 206a, 206b solidly connected to them.

In particular, said transmission elements impose variable transmission ratios so that, though maintaining constant the angular speed of the mechanical shaft during an entire rotation of the same, the rotors 205, 206 (and therefore the0 respective blades) simultaneously undergo accelerations and decelerations as a function of the angular position taken on by the mechanical shaft during one of its complete rotations.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 13, said first transmission elements 209 include a first elliptical wheel 209a solidly connected to the first 5 rotor 205 rotatable fastened to the support pin 107 and a second elliptical wheel 209b solidly splined onto said mechanical shaft 108 and able to engage with said first elliptical wheel 209a.

With particular reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 12, said second transmission elements 210 also include a first elliptical wheel 210a solidly connected to the second rotor 206, which is also rotatable fastened to the support pin 107 like said first rotor 205, and a second elliptical wheel 210b solidly splined onto the mechanical shaft 108 and able to engage with said first elliptical wheel 210a.

Preferably, the elliptical wheels 209a, 209b of said first transmission elements 209 and/or the elliptical wheels 210a, 210b of said second transmission elements 210 are the gear type.

Preferably, the elliptical wheels 209a, 209b of said first transmission elements 209 have the same geometry and dimensions as the elliptical wheels 210a, 210b of said second transmission elements 210. In particular, the pair of elliptical wheels 209a, 209b of said first transmission elements 209 and a pair of elliptical wheels 210a, 210b of said second transmission elements 210 each engage with the same maximum transmission ratio, preferably 1 :2,5.

In the example shown in Figures 10, 12 and 13, the elliptical wheels 209a,

210a connected to the respective first and second rotor 205, 206 are splined centrally onto the same said rotors, unlike the first embodiment variant shown in

Figures 10, 12 and 13. Likewise, the elliptical wheels 209b, 210b are centrally splined onto the drive shaft 108,

As already described above, it is possible for said elliptical wheels to be replaced by generic noncircular gears, for example eccentrically splined wheels, triangular wheels, lobate wheels or other wheels. Preferably, the elliptical wheels 209a, 209b of said first transmission elements 209 are coupled to each other with a phase displacement of 90° from the elliptical wheels 210a, 210b of said second transmission elements 210.

In the example shown in Figures 10-18, given the identical geometry and dimensions of the elliptical wheels 209a, 209b, 210a, 210b of said first and second transmission elements 209, 210 and considering that the elliptical wheels 209a, 209b, 210a, 210b are splined in their center onto the respective rotors and onto the drive shaft, the angular speeds of the first and second rotors 205, 206 have an identical trend during a rotation of the mechanical shaft 108 and take on a same maximum value and a same minimum value at each rotation of the shaft itself, but with a phase displacement of 90°.

It goes without saying that the trend of angular speeds of the rotors 205, 206 is transmitted identically to the blades 205a, 205b, 206a, 206b solidly connected to them and interacting with the working fluid introduced into stator 102.

With reference to Figure 20, which illustrates the trend of the transmission ratio between the mechanical shaft and the blades as a function of the angular position assumed by the mechanical shaft, it is observed that the ratio between the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 108 and the angular speed of the blades 205a, 205b connected to the first rotor 205 is maximum when the ratio between the angular speed of the mechanical shaft 108 and the angular speed of the blades 206a, 206b connected to the second rotor 206 is minimum. This behavior is possible in consideration of the fact that the eiliptical wheels 209a, 209b, 210a, 210b are splined in their center onto the respective rotors and onto the drive shaft. The operation of the device as an internal combustion engine is the following.

Firstly, the device is started up by means of an external energy source, for example by means of an electric motor that applies a drive torque to the mechanical shaft 108.

The blades 205a, 205b connected to the first rotor 205 move inside the stator 102 with an angular speed that is greater than that of the blades 206a, 206b connected to the second rotor 206, considering the different transmission ratio established by the elliptical wheels. With reference to Figures 14 - 18, this difference of speed determines the formation of four chambers having a variable volume inside the stator, after the blades come together and move apart: a first chamber 102a (for intake) in correspondence to the inlet port 103 with volume increasing inside said chamber 102a, air being therefore drawn from outside into said chamber and fuel being simultaneously sent through the injector 105; a second chamber 102b (for compression) with volume decreasing, inside which the fuel-air mixture is compressed; a third chamber 102c (for expansion) increasing in volume, inside which the burnt gases expand after the sudden increase in pressure resulting from ignition of the fuel-air mixture, as will be described below (Figure 18);

- a fourth chamber 102d (for discharge) in correspondence to the discharge port 104 and with decreasing volume, the burnt gases being then discharged from said chamber 102d. The volume of the second chamber 102b reaches a minimum value in correspondence to the dead stop, when, that is, the pair of blades take on the same speed and are found at the inlet and discharge ports and at the spark plug 106 respectively (Figure 14). When the second chamber 102b reaches the minimum volume

(combustion chamber), the spark plug 106 creates the spark causing the ignition of the fuel-air mixture and the rapid expansion of burnt gases which determines the sudden acceleration of the pair of blades 205a, 205b. The acceleration of said blades is made possible by the favorable transmission ratio between the elliptical wheels 209a, 209b of said first transmission elements 209 with respect to the transmission ratio existing simultaneously between the elliptical wheels 210a, 210b (Figure 19). This is why the blades 206a, 206b integral with the second rotor 206 undergo only a slight acceleration in the direction of rotation of said first pair of blades 205a, 205b integral with the first rotor 205. As soon as the blade 205a has reached the dead stop in correspondence to the discharge port 104 (Figure 18), the cycle will repeat itself with the blades 205a, 206a inverted.

The invention offers important advantages.

Firstly, a device for converting energy according to this invention can limit the loss of energy typical of motors and pumps made according to the prior art, and provide a high thermodynamic output.

Advantageously, a device for converting energy according to the invention is simple to build. In particular, such a device is able to receive a torque through a mechanical shaft (when the device functions as a "pump") or to deliver a drive torque to the mechanical shaft itself (if the device functions as a "motor"), without connecting said shaft to moving mechanical parts producing reciprocating linear motion, contrary to the internal combustion piston motors described in the prior art.

Another advantage of a device built according to the invention is that it is quiet and generates little vibration, since it does not have moving parts with reciprocating motion.

Advantageously, a device for converting energy according to the invention is reliable and cheap to build.

Claims

1. Device (l ;100) for converting energy, characterized by the fact that it includes a combination of the following parts: a stator (2; 102) having at least one inlet duct (3; 103) and at least one outlet duct (4; 104) to allow the introduction and expulsion of a working fluid; a first rotor (5;205) rotatable fastened to a support pin (7; 107) connected to the stator (2; 102); a second rotor (6;20ό) rotatable fastened to said support pin (7; 107) connected to the stator (2; 102); at least a first blade (5a;205a,205b) solidly connected to said first rotor

(5;205) and mobile by rotation inside the stator (2; 102) subsequent to the rotation of said first rotor (5;205); at least a second biade (6a;206a,206b) solidly connected to said second rotor (6;206) and mobile by rotation inside the stator (2; 102) subsequent to the rotation of said second rotor (6;206), said first and second blade interacting with the working fluid present inside the stator; a mechanical shaft (8; 108); first transmission elements (9;209) to connect said first rotor (5;205) to said mechanical shaft (8; 108); second transmission elements (10;210) to connect said second rotor

(6;206) to said mechanical shaft (8; 108), said first and second transmission elements (9,10;209,210) being configured in such a way as to generate variable transmission ratios between the mechanical shaft (8; 108) and each of said rotors (5,6;205,206), so that a preestablished angular speed of the mechanical shaft (8;108) corresponds simultaneously to different angular speeds of the rotors (5,6;205,206) and therefore of the blades (5a,6a;205a,205b,206a,206b) solidly connected to them.

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second transmission elements (9,10;209,210) includes at least one pair of noncircular gears, a first of said gears being solidly connected to a corresponding rotor (5,ό;205,206) and a second of said gears being solidly splined onto said mechanical shaft (8; 108) and kinematically connected to said first gear.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein said pair of noncircular gears includes elliptical wheels.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein said pair of noncircular gears includes a first elliptical wheel (9a,10a;209a,210a) and a second elliptical wheel (9b,10b;209b,210b), said first elliptical wheel being solidly connected to a corresponding rotor (5,6;205,206) and said second elliptical wheel being solidly onto said mechanical shaft (8; 108).

5. Device according to any of the previous claims, wherein the noncircular gears of said first transmission elements (9;209) are coupled to each other with an angular phase displacement of approximately 90° - 180° from the noncircular gears of said second transmission elements (10;210) ,

6. Device according to any of the previous claims, wherein each blade (5a, 6a; 205a, 205b, 206a, 206b) has an essentially trapezoidal transversal section.

7. Device according to any of the previous claims, wherein said stator (2; 102) is essentially cylindrical and has an essentially circular transversal section.

8. Device according to claim 4, wherein the elliptical wheels (9a,

10a;209a,210a) connected to said first and second rotor (5,6;205,206) and the elliptical wheels (9b, 10b;209b,210b) connected to said mechanical shaft (8; 108) are eccentrically splined onto the respective rotors and to the mechanical shaft.

9. Device according to claim 1 , including two pair of blades

(205a,205b,206a,206b), a first pair of blades (205a,205b) being solidly connected to said first rotor (205) and a second pair of blades (206a,206b) being solidly connected to said second rotor (206).

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the blades (205a,205b,206a,206b) of each pair are arranged in a position that is diametrically opposed to the rotor (205,206) to which they are connected.

11. Device according to any of the claims 9 or 10, wherein the blades (205a,205b) of said first pair cooperate with the blades (206a,206b) of said second pair to delineate, during the rotation of the blades themselves inside the stator (102), four chambers (102a,102b,102c,102d) having a variable volume after the coming together and moving apart of the blades (205a,205b,206a,206b) during their rotation, said chambers being respectively named intake, compression, expansion and discharge.

12. Device according to claim 1 1, wherein the working fluid introduced into the stator (102) through said inlet duct (103) includes air and is collected in said intake chamber (102a), said device also including means for injecting fuel (105) connected to the stator (102) and operatively active inside said intake chamber (102a) to create a fuel-air mixture.

13. Device according to claims 1 1 or 12, including an ignition means to ignite said fuel-air mixture, said ignition means being connected to the stator (102) and operatively active inside said compression chamber (102b).

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein said ignition means includes at least one electrical spark plug (106).

15. Device according to any of the previous claims, including a flow 5 control valve (115) installed in said inlet duct (103) to partialize the flow rate of the working fluid.

16. Device according to claim 4, wherein the elliptical wheels (9a,10a;209a,210a) connected to said first and second rotor (5,6;205,206) and the elliptical wheels (9b,10b;209b, 210b) connected to said mechanical shaft iu (8; 108) are splined in their center onto their respective rotors and to the mechanical shaft (8; 108).

17. Device according to claim 2, wherein said pair of noncircular gears includes wheels eccentrically splined onto the corresponding rotation pins.

18. Device according to claim 2, wherein said pair of noncircular 15 gears includes one elliptical wheel and one eccentrically splined wheel.

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