Non-Coaxial Multi-Axial Rotating Mechanism

Abstract

A mechanism whereby fluid can be pumped by the addition of mechanical power to a shaft, or conversely, shaft power may be extracted from a fluid by forcing a fluid through the device, or allowing an expansion of fluid to occur, thereby producing power. The mechanism consisting of four basic components: A housing with a cylindrical interior cavity; a vane mounted concentric with the interior cavity, and having a radius such that the end of the vane touches or nearly touches the cylindrical cavity walls as the device rotates; a cylindrical hub that is smaller than the interior cavity diameter, and mounted parallel with the vane, but offset from the vane so that one side of the hub is continuously tangent, or nearly tangent with the interior of the interior housing cavity; a seal that allows the vane to move by translation and rotation relative to the cylindrical hub while preventing fluid movement between one side of the vane and the other. Since fluid flow is restricted at the tangent contact line between the two cylindrical surfaces, and fluid flow is also restricted at the tip of the vane, the device produces two fluid volumes that change volume as the mechanism rotates.

1 . A rotating mechanism capable of pumping fluid from one port to another by application of power to a shaft, comprising
 a) a housing having a predominantly cylindrical internal cavity containing;   b) a hub that is predominantly cylindrical having a length which approximately equals the internal length of the housing cavity and having a diameter which is smaller than the internal diameter of the housing cavity but having a diameter which is greater than half the internal diameter of the housing cavity, where   c) the hub is located off center of the internal housing cavity such that the exterior of the hub and interior of the housing cavity are approximately tangent, thereby effectively reducing fluid flow at the tangent interface and;   d) a vane having an axial length which approximately equals the internal length of the housing cavity that is located coaxial with the internal housing cavity which is supported on one or both ends by a bearing in the housing , and said vane having a radius approximately equal to or slightly less than the internal radius of the housing cavity, and;   e) a seal having an axial length which approximately equals the internal length of the housing cavity which has a slot suitable for passing the vane through the seal thereby allowing the vane to rotate and slide relative to the hub while maintaining separation of the fluid on either side of the vane, and   f) said hub having cavities suitable for allowing said vane and seal to move within said hub so as to not produce a mechanical interference of the mechanism sufficient to be deleterious to rotation of the device.   
     
     
         2 . A rotating mechanism as defined in  claim 1  which is capable of extracting power from a fluid and converting said power to mechanical power at a shaft.