rotary mechanism

Abstract

A rotary mechanism including a rotor assembly having a plurality of piston members distributed about its periphery, and a rotary member in peripheral engagement with the rotor assembly. The rotary member ( 7 ) includes a plurality of piston receiving formations in its periphery for receiving the piston members, whereby during rotation of the rotor assembly the piston members move into and out of the piston receiving formations, and a plurality of conduits arranged to connect peripheral portions of the rotary member to an interior portion thereof. The rotary mechanism includes a flow separation device having an inlet port for receiving fluid into the rotary mechanism and an outlet port for enabling fluid to exit the rotary mechanism, a first passageway for connecting the inlet port with the interior side of at least one of the conduits formed in the rotary member and a second passageway for connecting the outlet port with the interior side of at least one of the conduits formed in the rotary member.

1 . A rotary mechanism arranged to propel fluid and/or to be driven by a fluid, said rotary mechanism including:
 a rotor assembly having a plurality of piston members distributed about its periphery;   a rotary member in peripheral engagement with the rotor assembly, said rotary member having a plurality of piston receiving formations in its periphery for receiving the piston members, the arrangement being such that during rotation of the rotor assembly the piston members move into and out of the piston receiving formations, and a plurality of conduits arranged to connect peripheral portions of the rotary member to an interior portion thereof;   a flow separation device including an inlet port for receiving fluid into the rotary mechanism and an outlet port for enabling fluid to exit the rotary mechanism, a first passageway for connecting the inlet port with the interior side of at least one of the conduits formed in the rotary member and a second passageway for connecting the outlet port with the interior side of at least one of the conduits formed in the rotary member wherein the arrangement is such that, in use, the action of withdrawing the piston members from the piston receiving formations draws fluid into the rotary mechanism from the fluid inlet; and   wherein the rotary member is rotatable relative to the flow separation device and at least some of the rotary member conduits periodically align with the first and second passageways formed in the flow separation device thereby enabling the fluid received from the inlet to flow outwards towards a first peripheral portion of the rotary member, wherein it is transported to a second peripheral portion of the rotary member by the rotor assembly, and for the fluid to flow away from the second peripheral portion of the rotary member to the outlet port, wherein the flow separation device is constructed and arranged to separate the incoming and outgoing flows.   
     
     
         2 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the input port is arranged substantially parallel to the axis of the rotary member and/or rotor assembly. 
     
     
         3 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the output port is arranged substantially parallel to the axis of the rotary member and/or rotor assembly. 
     
     
         4 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow separation device is arranged to direct the incoming fluid towards the rotor assembly such that the incoming fluid impinges on the rotor assembly in a substantially tangential direction in the direction of rotation of the rotor assembly. 
     
     
         5 . A rotary mechanism according  claim 1 , wherein the piston receiving formations are substantially U-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . A rotary mechanism according  claim 1 , wherein the piston receiving formations include at least one pair of substantially parallel sides. 
     
     
         7 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein each piston comprises a body having a substantially cylindrical or substantially spherical portion. 
     
     
         8 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the geometry of the piston members and the piston receiving formations is such that interaction between pistons and the piston receiving formations periodically accelerates and decelerates the rotary member. 
     
     
         9 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor assembly includes 1 to 20 piston members. 
     
     
         10 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the nominal ratio between the number of piston members and the number of piston receiving formations in the range is 4:1 to 1:4. 
     
     
         11 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor assembly includes a support member for supporting each of the piston members, the arrangement being such that the piston members are located about the periphery of the support member and are arranged to rotate with the support member about a first axis, wherein at least one of the piston members is arranged to rotate relative to the support member about a second axis. 
     
     
         12 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , including a plurality of rotor assemblies in peripheral engagement with the rotary member. 
     
     
         13 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow separation device includes a plurality of inlet ports and/or a plurality of outlet ports. 
     
     
         14 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow separation device includes at least one inlet port and/or one outlet port that is connected to a plurality of apertures formed in the flow separation device that are arranged to communicate with the rotary member conduits. 
     
     
         15 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 1 , including a gear set for synchronising the rotation of the rotor assembly and the rotary member. 
     
     
         16 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 15 , wherein said gear set includes a first gear pair comprising first and second gear elements, wherein each of said first and second gear elements includes meshing zones and non-meshing zones formed in its periphery and the first gear element is arranged to rotate with the second gear element; and a second gear pair including third and fourth gear elements, wherein each of the third and fourth gears elements includes a plurality of meshing zones and non-meshing zones formed in its periphery and the third gear element is arranged to rotate with the fourth gear element; wherein the first and second gear pairs are in meshing engagement such that the first gear element meshes with the third gear element and the second gear element meshes with the fourth gear element, and drive between the first and second gear pairs is transmitted alternately between the first and third gears and the second and fourth gears. 
     
     
         17 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein for each of the first and second gear elements, the non-meshing zones are arranged alternately with the meshing zones, the first and second gear elements are arranged substantially co-axially such that the meshing zones of the first gear element are rotationally offset from the meshing zones of the second gear element. 
     
     
         18 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second gear elements includes a central portion and a plurality of lobes distributed around the periphery of the central portion, wherein each lobe includes a peripheral portion having meshing means formed therein. 
     
     
         19 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 18 , wherein the periphery of each lobe is substantially part elliptical. 
     
     
         20 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein for each of the third and fourth gear elements the non-meshing zones are arranged alternately with the meshing zones, the third and fourth gear elements are arranged substantially co-axially such that the meshing zones of the third gear element are rotationally offset from the meshing zones of the fourth gear element. 
     
     
         21 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 20 , wherein each of the third and fourth gear elements includes concave portions formed in its periphery, wherein alternate concave portions including meshing means formed therein. 
     
     
         22 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 21 , wherein the concave portions are substantially part elliptical. 
     
     
         23 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein the meshing means include involute gear teeth. 
     
     
         24 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein maximum acceleration occurs at the handover of meshing engagement from at least one of the first and third gear elements to the second and fourth gear elements and from the second and fourth gear elements to the first and third gear elements. 
     
     
         25 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein the minimum speed occurs at the handover of meshing engagement from at least one of the first and third gear elements to the second and fourth gear elements and from the second and fourth gear elements to the first and third gear elements. 
     
     
         26 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein the maximum speed occurs when either the first or second gear element pair is fully engaged. 
     
     
         27 . A rotary mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein the first and second gear pairs are arranged such that the second gear element meshes with the fourth gear element before the first gear element fully disengages the third gear element. 
     
     
         28 - 49 . (canceled)