Other

The Rovac Corporation

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

Thomas C Edwards

Amir L Ecker

Wayne C Shank

John Stewart Glen

A controlled-clearance sealing compressor device that provides precision rotor centering directly with respect to the stator housing, vane centering with respect to rotor (not the stator) and the dynamic balance design of the gliders required for practical single and dual vane devices. The devices uses roller bearings to control the radial position of the vane and control rods or pins are used to control axial positioning of the vane, its 'centralization' with respect to the rotor and the endplates. The positive displacement rotary vane compressors and vacuum pumps have friction reduction, efficiency enhancement and exceedingly long operating life as a result of the non-contact gas sealing of the process gas within the rotary vane compressors and vacuum pumps. In an embodiment the positive displacement compressing device is used in transportation vehicles.

Controlled-clearance sealing compressor devices

A system of determining an impairment level of a vehicle operator and preventing operation of the vehicle in an impaired state and method of using the same that comprises a key portion to initiate the starting of the vehicle, an electrical source to power the system, a random pattern generator, a display, a user input to allow the user to attempt to replicate the generated random pattern, a processor that compares data from the user input to the generated random pattern to determine if the input sufficiently matches the generated random pattern, and an access preventing feature disabling the key portion from starting the vehicle unless the processor determines the user input sufficiently matches the generated random pattern.

System and method for deterring impaired vehicle operation

A valving system for reversing flow in a compressing device. The reversible compressor includes a reversible drive motor for reversing a rotational direction of a rotor, a first and second port located in a left and right side of a stator, respectively, and a first and second manifold located on a right a left side of said reversible compressor, the first and said second manifold includes a corresponding first and second inlet valve moveable between an open and closed position. A valving system between said first and said second manifold switches one of the first and second inlet valve to an open position to open a corresponding first or the second port for directional flow corresponding to the rotational direction of the rotor. In a first embodiment the valving system is a pressure-actuated control element and in a second embodiment the valving system includes a solenoid.

Reversible valving system for use in pumps and compressing devices

A rotating fuel cell has a mounting with bearing means defining a rotary axis. A shaft with a longitudinally-extending bore is supported for rotation on the bearings. At least one PEM fuel cell assembly is mounted on the shaft and insulated therefrom, and also has a gas passageway in register with a radially-extending port in the shaft. Connections are provided for admitting hydrogen gas to the hollow bore. Air (oxygen) is supplied to the exterior of the PEM fuel cell assembly. The shaft and the PEM fuel cell assembly is rotated about the axis.

Rotating fuel cell

A rotary vane apparatus where the rotor has a rotational axis and carries at least one vane which is supported by a vane guide apparatus for rotation about a stator axis which is spaced from the rotor axis a preselected amount and where both the rotor and vane have axial flat surfaces which are rotated adjacent to stationary flat surfaces of a stator or stator endplates, the invention provides axial adjustment of the vane with respect to the flat surface of the stator endplates and independently provides an adjustment of the rotor end surfaces with respect to the stator end surfaces.

Single-degree-of-freedom controlled-clearance univane&trade; fluid-handling machine

A single vane gas displacement apparatus comprises a stator housing with a right cylindrical bore enclosing an eccentrically mounted rotor which also has a radial slot in which is movably radially positioned a single vane. The vane is tethered to antifriction vane guide assemblies concentric with the housing bore. Then vane has a preselected center of gravity located proximate to the housing bore axis. An option is to have a port in said vane for ducting high-pressure gas to the inlet side to react against the rotor slot to reduce vane contact therewith.

High speed UniVane fluid-handling device

A non-contact vane-type fluid-displacement machine includes a stator housing having an annular interior surface defining an interior bore and a rotor supported in an eccentric position in the interior bore of the stator housing relative to the annular interior surface thereof to undergo rotation relative to the stator housing about a central rotational axis. The rotor has at least one slot radially defined therein relative to the rotational axis. The machine also has at least one vane disposed in radial slot of the rotor. The vane is mounted to the rotor to undergo reciprocable movement in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the rotor such that an outer tip portion of the vane is maintained in a non-contacting substantially sealed relationship with the interior surface of the stator housing. Improved features of the machine relate to an arrangement of multiple discharge valves in the stator housing of the machine.

Non-contact vane-type fluid displacement machine with multiple discharge

A non-contact vane-type fluid-displacement machine includes a stator housing having an annular interior surface defining an interior bore and a rotor supported in an eccentric position in the interior bore of the stator housing relative to the annular interior surface thereof to undergo rotation relative to the stator housing about a central rotational axis. The rotor has a plurality of slots radially defined therein relative to the rotational axis. The machine also has a plurality of vanes disposed in the radial slots of the rotor. The vane is mounted to the rotor to undergo reciprocable movement in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the rotor such that an outer tip portion of the vane is maintained in a non-contacting substantially sealed relationship with the annular interior surface of the stator housing. Improved features of the machine, which relate to rotor and vane positioning, include a pair of thin compliant lubricous discs employed at opposite ends of the rotor, trepanned formations on the rotor end surfaces balancing the pressure on the vanes carried in slots of the rotor, and the vanes on the rotors being self-forming self-dimensioning composite assemblies.

Non-contact vane-type fluid displacement machine with rotor and vane

A non-contact vane-type fluid-displacement machine includes a stator housing having an annular interior surface defining an interior bore and a rotor supported in an eccentric position in the interior bore of the stator housing relative to the annular interior surface thereof to undergo rotation relative to the stator housing about a central rotational axis. The rotor has at least one slot radially defined therein relative to the rotational axis. The machine also has at least one vane disposed in radial slot of the rotor. The vane is mounted to the rotor to undergo reciprocable movement in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the rotor such that an outer tip portion of the vane is maintained in a non-contacting substantially sealed relationship with the interior surface of the stator housing. Improved features of the machine relate to a plurality of low profile vane guide assemblies for positioning the vanes of the machine.

Non-contact vane-type fluid displacement machine with consilidated vane

A non-contact vane-type fluid-displacement machine includes a stator housing having an annular interior surface defining an interior bore and a rotor supported in an eccentric position in the interior bore of the stator housing relative to the annular interior surface thereof to undergo rotation relative to the stator housing about a central rotational axis. The rotor has at least one slot radially defined therein relative to the rotational axis. The machine also has at least one vane disposed in radial slot of the rotor. The vane is mounted to the rotor to undergo reciprocable movement in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the rotor such that an outer tip portion of the vane is maintained in a non-contacting substantially sealed relationship with the interior surface of the stator housing. Improved features of the machine relate to a lubricant separator and sump arrangement incorporated in the stator housing of the machine.

Non-contact vane-type fluid displacement machine with lubricant

A non-contact rotary vane gas expanding apparatus functions to convert controlled expansion of gas under pressure to rotary motive power. The gas expanding apparatus includes a stator housing, a rotor supported in the stator housing to undergo rotation relative thereto with the rotor having an output member thereon, a plurality of vanes disposed in a plurality of radial slots defined in the rotor and being circumferentially spaced from one another and radially reciprocable relative to the rotor such that outer tip portions of the vanes are maintained in non-contacting substantially sealed relation with the stator housing, a plurality of gas receiving pockets defined in the rotor adjacent to trailing sides of the radial slots and of the outer tip portions of the vanes with reference to the direction of rotation of the rotor relative to the stator housing, and a plurality of formations defined in the stator housing to effectuate the transfer of gas under pressure through the stator housing to successive ones of the gas receiving pockets to enable the expansion of the pressurized gas therein to cause rotation of the rotor and the output member therewith. The non-contact rotary vane gas expanding apparatus can be utilized in a rotary motive power production system in conjunction with a source of thermal energy, a closed flow circuit, and a control arrangement defining fluid pressure transfer paths connected to the gas expanding apparatus for enabling the system to automatically develop the optimum thermal conversion efficiency by automatically matching the pressure ratio thermally generated across the gas expanding apparatus with the pressure ratio thermally generated in the closed flow circuit.

Non-contact rotary vane gas expanding apparatus

A non-contact vane-type fluid-displacement machine includes a stator housing having an annular interior surface defining an interior bore and a rotor supported in an eccentric position in the interior bore of the stator housing relative to the annular interior surface thereof to undergo rotation relative to the stator housing about a central rotational axis. The rotor has at least one slot radially defined therein relative to the rotational axis. The machine also has at least one vane disposed in radial slot of the rotor. The vane is mounted to the rotor to undergo reciprocable movement in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the rotor such that an outer tip portion of the vane is maintained in a non-contacting substantially sealed relationship with the interior surface of the stator housing. Improved features of the machine relate to a suction flow check valve assembly for use in the inlet of the stator housing of the machine.

Non-contact vane-type fluid displacement machine with suction flow check

A single rotating vane gas compressor comprising a casing having a longitudinal bore with end plate means. A generally right cylindrical rotor is eccentrically for rotation within the bore; it carrier within a radial slot thereof a vane freely slidable in a radial direction. The radial travel of the vane is controlled by the vane being pivotally mounted on an axle the two ends of which are held by the inner race of a bearing means positioned in the end plate means.

Rotary univane gas compressor

A fluid displacement machine of the vane type which can be operated as a compressor or motor utilizes a cylindrical rotor equipped with one or more tethered sliding vanes wherein the rotor and vane set is rotatably located eccentrically inside an internal conforming casing profile between opposing endplates to define enclosed variable volume compartments. [Each vane is fitted on opposite sides eith tethers which are pivotally-mounted remotely from the vane tips. The tethers engage, through anti-friction means, circular annuli located within the endplates which are eccentric with the hollow casing profile.] Anti-friction tether-to-annuli means are used, one in the form of freely-rotating caged roller bearings interposed between the tethers and the respective internal annuli, and another in the form of tethers equipped with trunnioned bearings which directly engage these internal annular surfaces. [Combinations of these anti-friction vane tethering means are also disclosed, including a compressor with a twin roller tether arrangement and one with a variable speed roller bearing retainer. The vane tethers engage both internal peripheries of the endplate annuli for the purpose of providing positive bi-axial radial vane motion control, and the profile of the casing is defined such that the tips of the positive motion-controlled vanes remain in an exceedingly close yet substantially frictionless sealing relationship with the conforming hollow casing.] A circular casing interior profile is achieved by placing the center of the vane tip radius at the exact coincidence with the glider axle center and making the tip radius equal to the difference in the radii of the stator and the radius of the path of the glider axle centerline less the rotor offset from the stator center. A compressor can be provided with an oil separator in the discharge line or with a discharge valve to reduce noise and increase operating efficiency over a larger temperature range. Alternatively, a volunteer oiling system can be employed to circulate lubricant continuously. For lower costs machines, low friction sliding surfaces can be ussed in lieu of the ball bearings or a semi-lubricated ring can be substituted to provide a permanent lubricant change.

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Rockledge, FL, United States of America

Thomas C Edwards