Patent ID: 6607371
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: F01C

Abstract:
An expansible chamber is apparatus comprising:a stator housing; a shaft and bearings rotating within the stator housing and having a cylindrical rotor fixed to the shaft for concentric rotation about the shaft rotation axis; the cylindrical rotor having at least one axial end and having at least one continuous groove in the rotor axial end, with the groove having a radially inward surface and a radially outward surface, having constant width from any point on the radially inward surface to its nearest point on the radially outward surface and having constant axial depth; the groove having a plurality of constant radial distance sectors where the radial distance from the rotation axis to a groove center is constant and having a pluraity of transitional radial distance sectors where the radial distance from the rotation axis to a groove center is variable; the rotor rotating with its axial end in close proximity to an axial stator face of the housing, and the stator having a land ring with an end face, where the land ring is axially concentric with the rotation axis and extends into the rotor groove to form a close proximity seal between the land ring end face and the axial end face of the groove, where the land ring divides the rotor groove into an inner groove chamber and an outer groove chamber and always forms tolerance seals at the constant radius sectors of the rotor groove on the radially inward surface and on the radially outward surface of the rotor groove; at least one abutment that further divides the groove in an approximately circumferential direction by providing a radially oriented surface that fits the rotor groove cross section and that is allowed to move approximately radially to accommodate the position of the rotor groove as the groove rotates and as the radial distance from the groove center to the rotation axis moves inward or outward during the transitional radius sectors, the abutment being allowed to move on a projection from the axial stator face at a radial distance from the rotation axis that is approximately equal to the radial distance of a center of the land ring from the rotation axis and being free to be moved by a fluid that flows in the groove; one slot in the land ring for each abutment, with each abutment located in its own abutment slot; and an intake port and a discharge port, located on opposite sides of the abutment, such that the port boundaries are defined by the abutment and such distance around the axis of rotation as allowed by the length of constant radius of the groove on either side such that the ports do not communicate with each other.