Orbiting Valve For A Reciprocating Pump

Abstract

For pumps, compressors, and air or hydraulic motors with multiple cylinders such as swashplate or nutating type pumps and compressors with axial pistons arranged about a central axis, a orbit valve is connected through an eccentric and bearing to the shaft and caused to orbit around an axis of the shaft by rotation of the shaft. Grooves in the orbit valve surface alternately connect a port in each cylinder with a fixed intake and an exhaust port in the valve plate ties for optimal performance without depending on pressure differential otherwise needed to open and close passive flapper or poppet-type valves. The orbiting motion provides direct acting valve action for intake and exhaust functions with much slower relative motion and far less friction than a rotating valve of similar size.

1 . In a reciprocating pump, compressor, air motor or hydraulic motor having multiple cylinders, multiple cylinder ports, multiple pistons, a rotatable shaft, a housing having at least one exhaust port and one intake port therein, a partition having at least one exhaust port or one intake port therein, and at least one of said cylinder ports therein an eccentric and an orbit valve, wherein said shalt is coupled to said eccentric, and said eccentric is coupled to said orbit valve, said orbit valve comprising:
 a plurality of cavities therein;   a first fluid porting position in which a first cavity of said plurality of cavities is in fluid communication with a first one of said cylinder ports from said plurality of cylinder ports, said first cavity also in fluid communication with said at least one intake or exhaust port in said partition, a second cavity from said plurality of cavities obstructed from fluidly communicating with said first cylinder port and obstructed from fluidly communicating with said at least one intake or exhaust port in said partition;   a second fluid porting position wherein a second cavity from said plurality of cavities is in fluid communication with said first cylinder port, said first cavity obstructed from fluid communication with said first cylinder port, said second cavity in fluid communication with either said exhaust port or intake port in said housing; said second cavity obstructed from fluid communication with said at least one exhaust or intake port in said partition; and   wherein said orbit valve moves from said first fluid porting position to said second fluid porting position along an orbit path, during rotation of said shaft, and wherein said at least one exhaust port or one intake port, and at least one cylinder port are on a same side of the orbit valve.   
   
   
       2 . The pump, compressor, air motor or hydraulic motor of  claim 1  wherein said orbit valve further comprises a first facing surface and a second facing surface oppositely oriented from said first facing surface; and
 wherein said second cavity extends into said first facing surface without passing through said second facing surface.   
   
   
       3 . Wherein said orbit valve further comprises:
 a first facing surface and an oppositely oriented second facing surface; and   wherein said second cavity extends into said first facing surface and passes through said second facing surface to provide a through aperture passing through said orbit valve.   
   
   
       4 . A reciprocating pump, compressor, air motor or hydraulic motor having multiple pistons that reciprocate in cylinders arranged about a center axis, and a wall having at least one port per cylinder that communicates with a volume of the cylinder that is varied by the reciprocation of the piston in the cylinder the improvement comprising:
 an orbit valve rotatably connected to an eccentric on the central drive shaft for substantially orbiting about the center axis, the orbit valve having cavities in a side of the valve that faces the wall, the wall has at least one intake port between two cylinders that communicates with the cylinder ports through at least one of the cavities in the valve, and at least one exhaust port between two cylinders to provide intake and exhaust of fluid in timed sequence with the stroke of the pistons as the cavities pass over the appropriate cylinder port and the intake or exhaust ports as the valve orbits against the wall.   
   
   
       5 . The improvement of  claim 4 , wherein the cavities are annular grooves located concentrically with respect to each other and centered about the center axis of the valve and the valve is free to rotate without its angular orientation affecting the interconnections of the cylinder ports with the appropriate intake and exhaust ports. 
   
   
       6 . The improvement of  claim 4 , wherein the cavities are predominately segments of an arc and have a discrete length for interconnecting between specific cylinder ports arid specific intake and exhaust ports and the disk is inhibited from rotating relative to the pump or motor housing by use of a resilient member. 
   
   
       7 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein an axial spring bias force is provided between the orbiting valve and the housing. 
   
   
       8 . The improvement of  claim 4 , wherein a sufficient number of cavities and ports are provided to interconnect a combination of pressure and vacuum cylinders provided within the same pump or motor. 
   
   
       9 . In a reciprocating pump, compressor, air motor or hydraulic motor having multiple cylinders, multiple cylinder ports, multiple pistons, a rotatable shaft, a housing having at least one exhaust port and one intake port therein, a partition having at least one exhaust port or one intake port therein, and at least one of said cylinder parts therein an eccentric and an orbit valve, wherein said shaft is coupled to said eccentric, and said eccentric is coupled to said orbit valve, said orbit valve comprising:
 a plurality of cavities therein;   a first fluid porting position in which a first cavity of said plurality of cavities is in fluid communication with a first one of said cylinder polls from said plurality of cylinder ports, said first cavity also in fluid communication with said at least one intake or exhaust port in said partition, a second cavity from said plurality of cavities obstructed from fluidly communicating with said first cylinder port and obstructed from fluidly communicating with said at least one intake or exhaust port in said partition;   a second fluid porting position wherein a second cavity from said plurality of cavities is in fluid communication with said first cylinder port, said first cavity obstructed from fluid communication with said first cylinder port, said second cavity in fluid communication with either said exhaust port or intake port in said housing; said second cavity obstructed from fluid communication with said at least one exhaust or intake port in said partition; and   wherein said orbit valve moves from said first fluid porting position to said second fluid porting position along an orbit path, during rotation of said shaft, said orbit valve bas a first surface and an oppositely facing second surface, and only one of said surfaces abuts up against a surface having a port therein.