Inlet guide vane assembly

Abstract

An inlet guide vane assembly having a plurality of pivoting vanes interconnected with a mechanism useful to move the vanes between positions. The vanes can be connected via a series of links and reciprocating hinges which together transmit motion from a drive vane to a number of driven vanes without the need for a sync ring. Motion received by a drive vane is transmitted via a first link to a reciprocating hinge, where the reciprocating hinge is capable of both pivoting and moving in a reciprocating manner along a path. The reciprocating hinge can also be coupled with a second link which transmits motion imparted from the drive vane via the first link to a driven vane. The driven vane is connected via another second link to another reciprocating hinge, which in turns transmits further motion via another first link to another driven vane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an inlet guide vane device having a plurality of vanes, one the plurality of vanes being a drive vane and the other of the plurality of vanes being driven vanes, each of the drive vane and a driven vanes project radially into a flow stream, the drive vane and the driven vanes structured as variable vanes that pivot about their respective rotational axes to change a cross sectional area of the inlet guide vane through which the flow stream traverses, the drive vane coupled to at least one of the driven vanes through a reciprocating hinge, the reciprocating hinge connected to the drive vane through a first link and connected to the at least one of the driven vanes through a second link such that rotation of the drive vane about its axis causes motion of the reciprocating hinge through action of the first link, and the motion of the reciprocating hinge causes actuation of the at least one of the driven vanes through action of the second link, wherein the drive vane is capable of causing sympathetic motion of the driven vane without a circumferentially extending synchronization ring.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which further includes a plurality of connection rods, and a plurality of first links, reciprocating hinges, and second links distributed in a repeating pattern around the inlet guide vane device, the pattern including: connection rod connected to first link connected to reciprocating hinge connected to second link connected to connection rod connected to second link connected to reciprocating hinge connected to first link. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of connection rods includes a plurality of first connection rods and a plurality of second connection rods, the plurality of first connection rods shorter than the plurality of second connection rods, the connection rod of the drive vane being one of the plurality of first connection rods. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the repeating pattern is connected to the plurality of driven vanes and only a single drive vane, wherein the reciprocating hinge includes a bearing, and which further includes means for guiding the bearing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein within the pattern the first recited reciprocating hinge is located on an opposing side of the at least one driven vane relative to the second recited reciprocating hinge. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a connection rod extends through an opening of the at least one driven vane in a direction transverse to the rotational axis of the at least one driven vane. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a hinge point of the connection rod and second link form a larger moment arm about the at least one driven vane than a moment arm formed by the hinge point of the connection rod and the first link about the drive vane. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the opening is a through-opening extending from one side of the driven vane, and wherein the first link includes a relatively constant width as well as a length, the length longer than the width, and wherein the first link includes an end that is bent along its length. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 an inlet guide vane assembly including:
 a drive vane structured to receive a torque to generate movement in the drive vane and thereby change a cross sectional area of a flow path of the inlet guide vane assembly; 
 a first link connected to the drive vane and structured to move in response to pivoting motion of the drive vane; 
 a reciprocating hinge connected to the drive vane via the first link, the reciprocating hinge structured to receive motion from the first link and rotate about an axis oriented in a radial direction of the inlet guide vane assembly and to translate in an axial direction of the inlet guide vane assembly; 
 a second link connected to the reciprocating hinge and structured to move in response to the rotation and translation of the reciprocating hinge; and 
 a driven vane connected to the reciprocating hinge via the second link, the driven vane structured to receive a torque from movement of the second link to cause rotation of the driven vane and thereby change a cross sectional area of the flow path of the inlet guide vane assembly. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the driven vane moves in response to movement of the drive vane without need of a circumferentially translating ring that synchronizes movement. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , the reciprocating hinge having a pivoting member slidably received in a guide. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where the guide is a bearing guide structured to capture a bearing of the reciprocating hinge, the bearing permitting pivoting motion of the reciprocating hinge constrained by the bearing guide. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the bearing is a ball bearing. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the bearing guide includes a grooved feature within which the bearing is captured, and wherein the grooved feature provides for a reciprocating path traversed by the reciprocating hinge, the reciprocating path extending in a line that extends parallel to an internal flow space of the inlet guide vane device in which the flow stream traverses. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a connection rod extends through an opening of the drive vane in a direction transverse to the rotational axis of the drive vane, and wherein the first link is connected to the connection rod through a pivoting connection. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein another connection rod extends through an opening of the at least one driven vane in a direction transverse to the rotational axis of the driven vane, and wherein the second link is connected to the another connection rod through a pivoting connection. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the second link extends in a straight line, and wherein the first link includes a bend located closer to an end of the second link connected to the drive vane than to an end of the second link connected to the reciprocating hinge. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 providing torque to a drive vane disposed within an inlet guide vane assembly for an air compressor;   rotating a reciprocating hinge about a radial axis and translating the reciprocating hinge in a direction of a bulk flow of the inlet guide vane assembly as a result of receiving force from the drive vane via a first link; and   pivoting a driven vane as a result of receiving force from the reciprocating hinge via a second link.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the reciprocating hinge is a first reciprocating hinge located on a first side of the driven vane, and which further includes a second reciprocating hinge located on a second side of the driven vane, wherein the first reciprocating hinge and the second reciprocating hinge axially translate out of phase with each other such that axial forward motion in the first reciprocating hinge results in axial rearward motion in the second reciprocating hinge. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first link is coupled via a hinge connection to a connection rod installed in an opening of the drive vane, and which further includes pivoting the first link about the hinge connection as a result of movement of the drive vane. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , which further includes sliding a bearing of the reciprocating hinge within a groove of a bearing guide. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the bearing is a ball bearing, and which further includes rotating an inner race of the ball bearing relative to an outer race of the ball bearing. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , which further includes a plurality of driven vanes, first links, reciprocating hinges, and second links.