Fluid machine

Abstract

There is disclosed a fluid machine which, in one embodiment comprises a motor ( 10 ), the motor ( 10 ) comprising a shaft ( 12 ) rotatable about a main shaft axis ( 14 ); a sleeve ( 16 ) located around the shaft ( 12 ) and having a main sleeve axis ( 18 ) offset from the main shaft axis ( 14 ), the sleeve ( 16 ) being movably mounted on the shaft ( 12 ) such that, in use, the main sleeve axis ( 18 ) follows a path extending around the main shaft axis ( 14 ); and wherein the motor ( 10 ) further comprises means ( 20 ) for converting movement of a fluid through the motor ( 10 ) to a rotational motion of the shaft ( 12 ) via said movement of the sleeve ( 16 ). There is also disclosed a pump ( 100 ) of similar structure, but having converting means ( 120 ) for converting a rotational motion of a shaft ( 112 ) to movement of a fluid through the pump ( 100 ) via movement of a sleeve ( 116 ), and a clutch ( 200 ) also of similar structure, but having converting means ( 220 ) for converting a rotational motion of a sleeve ( 216 ) to a rotational motion of a shaft ( 212 ).

1 . A fluid machine comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis, the shaft being hollow to allow the passage of fluid therethrough;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis; and    wherein the machine further comprises means for allowing one of converting movement of a fluid through the machine to a rotational motion of the shaft via said movement of the sleeve, a rotational motion of the shaft to movement of a fluid through the machine via said movement of the sleeve, a rotational motion of the sleeve to a rotational motion of the shaft and a rotational motion of the shaft to a rotational motion of the sleeve, respectively.    
     
     
         2 . A fluid machine comprising a clutch, the clutch comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis, the shaft being hollow to allow the passage of fluid therethrough;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis; and    wherein the clutch further comprises means for converting a rotational motion of the sleeve to a rotational motion of the shaft.    
     
     
         3 . A fluid machine comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis;    wherein the machine further comprises means for allowing one of converting movement of a fluid through the machine to a rotational motion of the shaft via said movement of the sleeve, a rotational motion of the shaft to movement of a fluid through the machine via said movement of the sleeve, a rotational motion of the sleeve to a rotational motion of the shaft and a rotational motion of the shaft to a rotational motion of the sleeve, respectively, the converting means comprising at least one piston mounted in a cylinder for transferring a force between the sleeve and the shaft, the at least one cylinder including a separate inlet and outlet, and wherein the inlet is connected in a closed loop to the outlet through the cylinder for providing a defined volume of fluid; and    a manifold connecting the outlet to the inlet of the at least one cylinder, with at least one fluid flow restriction therein, to create a restriction to flow through the at least one cylinder, to increase back pressure of fluid in the at least one cylinder to cause the at least one piston to exert a gripping force on the sleeve.    
     
     
         4 . A fluid machine comprising a clutch, the clutch comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis; and    wherein the clutch further comprises means for converting a rotational motion of the sleeve to a rotational motion of the shaft, the converting means comprising at least one piston mounted in a cylinder for transferring a force between the sleeve and the shaft, the at least one cylinder including a separate inlet and outlet, and wherein the inlet is connected in a closed loop to the outlet through the cylinder for providing a defined volume of fluid; and    a manifold connecting the outlet to the inlet of the at least one cylinder, with at least one fluid flow restriction therein, to create a restriction to flow through the at least one cylinder, to increase back pressure of fluid in the at least one cylinder to cause the at least one piston to exert a gripping force on the sleeve.    
     
     
         5 . A fluid machine as claimed in either of claims  3  or  4 , wherein the manifold further comprises two fluid flow restrictions provided in parallel, one of which creates a greater restriction to flow than the other, and a valve for directing flow through a selected flow restriction, to exert a desired gripping force on the sleeve.  
     
     
         6 . A fluid machine comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis; and    wherein the machine further comprises means for allowing one of converting movement of a fluid through the machine to a rotational motion of the shaft via said movement of the sleeve, a rotational motion of the shaft to movement of a fluid through the machine via said movement of the sleeve, a rotational motion of the sleeve to a rotational motion of the shaft and a rotational motion of the shaft to a rotational motion of the sleeve, respectively.    
     
     
         7 . A fluid machine comprising a motor, the motor comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis; and    wherein the motor further comprises means for converting movement of a fluid through the motor to a rotational motion of the shaft via said movement of the sleeve.    
     
     
         8 . A fluid machine comprising a pump, the pump comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis; and    wherein the pump further comprises means for converting a rotational motion of the shaft to movement a fluid through the pump via said movement of the sleeve.    
     
     
         9 . A fluid machine comprising a clutch, the clutch comprising: 
 a shaft rotatable about a main shaft axis;    a sleeve located around the shaft and having a main sleeve axis offset from the main shaft axis, the sleeve being movably mounted on the shaft such that, in use, the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis; and    wherein the clutch further comprises means for converting a rotational motion of the sleeve to a rotational motion of the shaft.    
     
     
         10 . A fluid machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the main sleeve axis follows a path extending around the main shaft axis without the sleeve rotating about its own axis.  
     
     
         11 . A fluid machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the machine further comprises a housing for receiving the shaft.  
     
     
         12 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the shaft is selectively rotatable in the housing.  
     
     
         13 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the shaft is selectively rotatable both within the housing and together with the housing.  
     
     
         14 . A fluid machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shaft is hollow to allow the passage of fluid therethrough.  
     
     
         15 . A fluid machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shaft includes an eccentric portion on which the sleeve is movably mounted, the eccentric portion having an axis located substantially coaxially with the main sleeve axis.  
     
     
         16 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the eccentric portion is integral with the shaft.  
     
     
         17 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the eccentric portion is formed as a separate member for coupling to the shaft.  
     
     
         18 . A fluid machine as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a bearing mounted between the shaft and the sleeve to allow rotation of the shaft relative to the sleeve.  
     
     
         19 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the bearing comprises a bearing ring mounted on the shaft.  
     
     
         20 . A fluid machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the converting means comprises at least one piston mounted in a cylinder for transferring a force between the sleeve and the shaft.  
     
     
         21 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 20 , when dependent on  claim 10 , wherein the at least one piston is disposed radially in the housing.  
     
     
         22 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the at least one piston is disposed on a radius centred on the main shaft axis.  
     
     
         23 . A fluid machine as claimed in either of  claims 20  to  21 , wherein the machine comprises at least three pistons spaced substantially equidistantly around the shaft.  
     
     
         24 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the machine comprises at least seven pistons.  
     
     
         25 . A fluid machine as claimed in any one of claims  20  to  24 , wherein the/each cylinder is provided in a wall of the housing and an end cap is secured to the housing to define a piston chamber.  
     
     
         26 . A fluid machine as claimed in any one of  claims 20  to  25 , wherein the converting means further comprises a load transmitting member coupled to the/each piston.  
     
     
         27 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the load transmitting member comprises a gudgeon pin rotatably mounted to the/each piston, the gudgeon pin being substantially cylindrical, and including a shaped face for abutting an outer surface of the sleeve.  
     
     
         28 . A fluid machine as claimed in any one of  claims 20  to  27 , wherein the/each cylinder includes a combined fluid inlet/fluid outlet for allowing fluid to be supplied to and exhausted from the cylinder.  
     
     
         29 . A fluid machine as claimed in any one of  claims 20  to  27 , wherein the/each cylinder includes a separate inlet and outlet, and wherein the inlet is connected in a closed loop to the outlet through the cylinder for providing a defined volume of fluid.  
     
     
         30 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 29 , further comprising a manifold connecting the outlet to the inlet of the/each cylinder, with at least one fluid flow restriction therein, to create a restriction to flow through the/each cylinder, to increase back pressure of fluid in the/each cylinder to cause the at least one piston to exert a gripping force on the sleeve.  
     
     
         31 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the manifold further comprises two fluid flow restrictions provided in parallel, one of which creates a greater restriction to flow than the other, and a valve for directing flow through a selected flow restriction, to exert a desired gripping force on the sleeve.  
     
     
         32 . A fluid machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fluid machine further comprises valve means for regulating the flow of fluid through the machine.  
     
     
         33 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the valve means further comprises a rotary valve assembly coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith, for selectively supplying and exhausting fluid to and from the/each cylinder.  
     
     
         34 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the rotary valve assembly includes a fluid inlet, fluid outlet and at least one piston communication port for selective communication with the/each cylinder.  
     
     
         35 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 34  when dependent on  claim 23 , wherein the rotary valve assembly includes a piston communication port associated with each cylinder.  
     
     
         36 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the rotary valve assembly further comprises a rotary valve mounted in part of a housing of the fluid machine, for rotation with the shaft, whereby, in use, rotation of the rotary valve selectively allows fluid communication between each piston communication port and a respective inlet\outlet of each cylinder.  
     
     
         37 . A fluid machine as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the rotary valve allows selected communication ports to be open for fluid communication with respective ones of the cylinders, and selected ones of the fluid communication ports to be closed to prevent communication with respective ones of the cylinders, and whereby, in use, as the rotary valve rotates, the valve selectively opens and closes respective fluid communication ports in series.  
     
     
         38 . A fluid machine assembly comprising at least two fluid machines as defined in any preceding claim.  
     
     
         39 . A method of converting movement of a fluid to a rotational motion of a shaft via movement of a sleeve using the fluid machine of  claim 1 ,  3 ,  6 ,  7 , or any one of  claims 10  to  37  when dependent on  claim 1 ,  3 ,  6  or  7 .  
     
     
         40 . A method of converting rotational motion of a shaft to movement of a fluid via movement of a sleeve, using the fluid machine of  claim 1 ,  3 ,  6  or  8  or any one of claims  10   37  when dependent on  claim 1 ,  3 ,  6  or  8 .  
     
     
         41 . A method of converting a rotational motion of a sleeve to a rotational motion of a shaft using the fluid machine of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  6  or  9  or any one of  claims 10  to  37  when dependent on  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  6  or  9 .  
     
     
         42 . A method of converting a rotational motion of a shaft to a rotational motion of a sleeve using the fluid machine of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  6  or  9  or any one of  claims 10  to  37  when dependent on  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  6  or  9 .