Machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors

Abstract

A machine for compressing gases and vapors includes a housing base containing an internal raceway, a spinning rotor containing a plurality of hollow cylinders, a plurality of spherical balls serving as positive displacement pistons which roll atop a housing base raceway and which reciprocate within the rotor cylinders, a static center rod containing intake and exhaust ports and a plurality of magnets providing rotational torque to the rotor, which are driven by an AC or DC motor during operation. A preferred embodiment includes the step(s) of gas or vapor intake, compression and exhaust within each rotor cylinder through a cycle during which the ball pistons reciprocate into and out of each cylinder while rolling atop the housing raceway. A preferred embodiment includes compression of gas and vapor occurring quietly, efficiently, with low mechanical vibration and in any physical orientation of the machine.

1 . A machine for compressing gasses and vapors comprising:
 a housing consisting of a base and a cover;   a housing that when assembled comprises a hermetically sealed cavity;   a spinning rotor that contains a plurality of hollow cylinders;   a plurality of solid spherical balls that serve as positive displacement pistons and which roll on the housing base internal raceway while reciprocating into and out of the rotor cylinders;   a center rod containing gas or vapor intake and exhaust ports;   a plurality of magnets that provide rotational torque to the rotor and which are driven by a magnetically coupled motor;   a motor that drives the rotor during operation using alternating electrical current (A/C) or direct electrical current (D/C);   a gas or vapor intake conduit; and   a gas or vapor exhaust conduit.   
   
   
       2 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said housing base is fabricated of metals, plastics or other suitable rigid materials and may take the shape of a rectangle or right circular cylinder having a raceway concentrically nested on its inside surface; and which is mechanically coupled to said housing cover also fabricated of metals, plastics or other suitable rigid materials to form a hermetically sealed cavity. 
   
   
       3 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said rotor is fabricated of metals, plastics or other suitable combinations of rigid materials and may take the shape of a right circular cylinder or ellipsoid; and contains a plurality of right circular hollow cylinders each having a port penetration in its base, in which gas or vapor is compressed by the operation of the machine. 
   
   
       4 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said solid spherical balls serve as ball pistons fabricated of metal plastic or other suitable rigid materials which are operably coupled to said housing base raceway and operably disposed within said rotor cylinders; and are the means of mechanically compressing gas or vapor within the machine. 
   
   
       5 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said center rod is a non-moving element within the machine that is comprised of hollow ports in the form of slots, holes or valved openings which are in hydraulic communication with said rotor cylinders and supply uncompressed gas or vapor to the machine; and exhaust compressed gas or vapor from the machine for use by external devices or processes. 
   
   
       6 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 4  further comprising a plurality of magnets that are mechanically coupled to said rotor circumference and serve to transfer rotational torque to said rotor thereby providing a means for mechanical compression of gas or vapor. 
   
   
       7 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 6  further comprising a motor that is magnetically coupled to said plurality of magnets and produces rotational torque using electrically generated alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) to effect to compression of gas or vapor. 
   
   
       8 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 7  further comprising a micro-electronic control circuit that provides variable AC or DC to said motor and provides for the control of the mass rate at which gas or vapor is compressed. 
   
   
       9 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said gas or vapor intake conduit is fabricated or metal or plastic tube and is hydraulically coupled to said center rod; and through which uncompressed gas or vapor is supplied to the machine from an external device or process. 
   
   
       10 . A machine for compressing gasses and vapors as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said gas or vapor exhaust conduit is fabricated or metal or plastic tube and is hydraulically coupled to said center rod; and through which compressed gas or vapor is supplied from the machine from an external device or process. 
   
   
       11 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors comprising:
 a housing consisting of a base and a cover;   a housing that when assembled is hermetically sealed;   a housing base that contains an internal raceway;   a spinning rotor that contains a plurality of hollow cylinders;   a plurality of solid spherical balls that serve as positive displacement pistons and which roll on the housing base internal raceway while reciprocating into and out of the rotor cylinders;   a center rod containing gas or refrigerant vapor intake and exhaust ports;   a plurality of magnets that provide rotational torque to the rotor and are driven by a magnetically coupled motor;   a magnetically coupled motor that drives the rotor during operation using alternating electrical current (A/C) or direct electrical current (D/C);   an integrated micro-controller that enable variable speed compressor operation;   a gas or refrigerant vapor intake conduit; and   a gas or refrigerant vapor exhaust conduit also comprising the steps of drawing into the machine a continuous stream of vapor or gas from an external source, compressing the vapor or gas within the machine to a pressure higher than that of its pressure upon entering the machine and delivering the compressed material to an external device in vapor or gaseous form.   
   
   
       12 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said motor generates rotational torque using AC or DC that is transferred to said plurality of magnets that are mechanically coupled to said rotor thereby producing rotation of rotor within said hermetically sealed cavity. 
   
   
       13 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising the step(s) of drawing gas or vapor into said rotor cylinders through an intake cycle during which said ball pistons, operably disposed within rotor cylinders, reciprocate outward from rotor center through centrifugal force while rolling atop said housing base raceway causing a vacuum within each rotor cylinder. 
   
   
       14 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said vacuum is the means by which uncompressed gas or vapor is drawn into said machine as each rotor cylinder base port position corresponds to that of said center pin intake port. 
   
   
       15 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising the step(S) of compressing gas or vapor within said rotor cylinders through a compression cycle during which said ball pistons, operably disposed within rotor cylinders, reciprocate inward from rotor center through mechanical force while rolling atop said housing raceway. 
   
   
       16 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising the step(s) of exhausting compressed gas or vapor from said rotor cylinders to an external device or process through an exhaust cycle during which each rotor cylinder base port position corresponds to that of said center pin exhaust port. 
   
   
       17 . A machine for compressing gasses and refrigerant vapors as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said intake, compression and exhaust of gas and vapor occurs quietly, efficiently, with low mechanical vibration and in any physical orientation of the machine.