Abstract:
A vane machine for expansion or compression of gases, air, engine exhaust, vapors or a mixture thereof, includes a housing with a cylindrical space having inlet and outlet ports, a shaft offset in parallel or eccentric relative to a central housing axis and first and second circular discs on the shaft mutually offset in parallel. Slides are guided by the circular discs and displaceable in direction of an inner housing wall. Vane cells are formed by two neighboring slides and an adjoining region of the wall and volumes of the vane cells in vicinity of the inlet and outlet ports differ. To obtain reliability and efficiency, each circular disc has a plurality of circular arcuate slots, each slide can have a circular arc shape on an end facing the housing, and the circular arcuate part of each slide moves into circular arcuate slots of first and second circular discs.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a vane machine for the expansion or compression of gaseous media, such as air, exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, vaporous media or a mixture thereof. 
     A vane machine is known from DE 201 17 224 U1. So that the expansion profile can be better adapted to thermal requirements and so that a vane machine can be produced with low production costs, a vane machine with vane cell units is proposed, which has cell volumes increasing and decreasing in size in the direction of rotation. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object on which the invention is based is to specify a reliable and efficient vane machine. 
     This object is achieved by means of the features of the independent claim. Advantageous developments are the subject matter of the dependent claims. 
     The vane machine according to the invention serves for the expansion or compression of gaseous media, such as, in particular, air, exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine with a temperature of up to 500° C., vaporous media or a mixture thereof. The housing has a cylindrical space and also an inlet port and an outlet port in the cylindrical space and a shaft displaced in parallel or arranged eccentrically with respect to the center axis of the housing. Furthermore, the vane machine has at least one first and one second circular disk, arranged so as to be offset in parallel with respect to one another on the shaft, and slides guided by the circular disks and displaceable in the direction of the inner wall of the housing, a vane cell being formed in each case by the participation of two adjacent slides of the adjacent region of the inner wall of the housing, and the volume of the vane cells in the region of the inlet port differing from the volume of the vane cells in the region of the outlet port. According to the invention, there is provision for each of the circular disks to have a plurality of circular-arcuate slots. Each of the slides has a circular-arcuate configuration at least at its end facing the housing of the vane machine. The circular-arcuate part of each slide moves in at least one circular-arcuate slot of a first circular disk and in a circular-arcuate slot of a second circular disk. 
     In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, each slide is guided in each case by at least two holding arms on a portion of a circular path and in at least two of the circular-arcuate slots. 
     The measures according to the invention make it possible to implement a vane machine which has a multiplicity of slides and therefore a multiplicity of chambers in a very confined space. Reliable guidance, without a tilting of the slides in the slots, is nevertheless ensured. 
     In a refinement of the invention, there is provision for the vane machine to have a compensating device which deflects each of the slides in the direction of the inner wall of the housing. This is achieved in that that end of the slide which faces the inner wall of the housing, despite its rotation about the eccentric axis of rotation of the shaft, describes a circular path about the center axis of the vane machine. 
     In a development of the vane machine according to the invention, there is provision for the compensating device to be dimensioned in such a way that that end of the slide which faces the inner wall of the housing slides closely, but contactlessly, past the inner wall of the housing of the vane machine. 
     In a refinement of the invention, there is provision for each of the slides to be provided with a guide arm and for the guide arm to have a guide bolt. The guide bolt is aligned with that end of the slide which faces the inner wall of the housing. The guide bolt rests, at its end facing away from the guide arm, in the single connecting rod bore of a connecting rod. 
     In a development of the invention, there is provision for the connecting rod to be provided with a connecting rod foot which is guided between the outermost and the innermost face of a circular ring. 
     In a refinement of the invention, there is provision for the compensating device to have a circular disk fastened on the eccentric shaft, and the circular ring. The circular ring is connected mechanically to the circular disk in such a way that the center of the circular ring lies on the center axis of the vane machine. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, there is provision for the circular disk and the circular ring to be connected mechanically to one another via one or more step-shaped connecting elements. 
     What can be achieved in a technically simple way by these measures according to the invention is that the slides slide contactlessly past the inside of the outer wall of the housing of the vane machine at a predetermined distance from said inside. The distance is preferably dimensioned such that only insignificant pressure compensation occurs via the gap between the slide and outer wall. 
     In a preferred refinement of the invention, there is provision for the holding arms of a first slide to be in each case fastened rotatably on the first side of the circular disks and for the holding arms of the second slide, directly adjacent to the first slide, to be in each case fastened rotatably on the second side of the circular disks. 
     The slides can thereby be brought together more closely, so that the dimensions of the vane machine can be further reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The vane machine according to the invention is described in more detail below by means of an exemplary embodiment, using drawings which are not necessarily true to scale. The same reference symbols denote identical or identically acting elements. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a first part view of the vane machine according to the invention in a diagrammatic illustration; 
         FIG. 2  shows the rear side of one of the circular disks illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in a diagrammatic illustration; 
         FIG. 3  shows a slide device with a circular-arcuate slide of  FIG. 1  in a diagrammatic illustration in more detail; 
         FIG. 4  shows a diagrammatic longitudinal section in the region between the two slides illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a diagrammatic section through a vane machine according to the invention in the region of a circular disk; 
         FIG. 6  shows a diagrammatic section through the vane machine according to the invention in the region of a centrically arranged circular ring; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a compensating device according to the invention with the centrically arranged circular ring. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The part view  100 , illustrated in  FIG. 1 , of the vane machine  500  according to the invention in a perspective illustration and in diagrammatic form shows a shaft  101  arranged eccentrically in the vane machine illustrated below, a first circular disk  102  and a second circular disk  103 . The first and the second circular disk  102  and  103  are identical and are “lined up”, spaced apart, on the shaft  101 . They are in each case fastened (not illustrated) fixedly in terms of rotation on the shaft  101 .  FIG. 1  illustrates by way of example only two slides  104  and  105  of twelve identical slides. 
       FIG. 2  shows the rear side  200  of the second circular disk  103  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The circular disk  103  has slots  201  to  212  which are in each case closed toward the center of the circular disk and open toward the margin of the circular disk. The slots are in each case circular-arcuate and have the same dimensions. The twelve slots  201  to  212  are distributed uniformly on the circular disk  103 , that is to say a slot in the circular disk  103  for receiving in each case an identical, likewise circular-arcuate slide or a slide of circular-arcuate cross section  104 ,  105 , etc. is provided every 30 degrees. The circular disk  103  has at its center a bore  220  for receiving the shaft  101 . In each case a bore  231  to  242  for fastening in each case a holding arm  110  etc. rotatable about the respective bore is provided between two circular-arcuate slots  201 ,  202 , etc. The bores  231  to  242  have in each case the same diameter and run parallel to the bore  220 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the circular-arcuate slide  104  or the slide device  300  of  FIG. 1  in a diagrammatic illustration in more detail. All the other slides or slide devices which are not illustrated in  FIG. 1  and are guided in the circular-arcuate slots  202  to  212  correspond to the slide  104  or the slide device  300 , that is to say all the slides or slide devices are identical. The slide  104  or slide device  300  is guided between two adjacent circular-arcuate slots  212 , located at the same height, of the circular disks  102  and  103  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Three hook-shaped or elbowed holding arms  110 ,  310  and  320  are articulated at the first end on the circular-arcuate slide  104 . At the end facing away from the circular-arcuate slide  104 , the holding arms  110 ,  310  and  320  have in each case a through bore  301  which runs parallel to the slide  104  and which is pierced in each case by a round guide bar  330   b . The center of each of the bores  301  and that end of the slide  104  which faces away from the holding arms  110 ,  310  and  320  are such that an imaginary radius vector r emanating from the center axis  501  of the vane machine  500  ends exactly at that end of the slide  104  which faces away from the holding arms  110 ,  310  and  320 . 
       FIG. 1  illustrates by way of example a single holding arm  110  which has a hook-shaped or elbowed form and which is fastened at its first end to the slide  104 . The second end of the holding arm  110  has a bore  301  which has the same diameter as the bores  231  to  242 . The guide bar  330   b , which has a circular cross section, engages through the bores  240  and  301 . When the vane machine  500  is in operation, the slide  104  moves around the guide bar  330   b  and along a portion of a circular path, the center of which lies in the center axis of the guide bar  330   b . The slide  104  is guided along the portion of the circular path by the holding arms  110 ,  310 ,  320 , etc. (cf.  FIG. 3 ) and, because of the holding arms, moves, without tilting, in the circular-arcuate slots  212 , etc. (cf.  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The same also applies correspondingly to the other slides in a similar way. 
       FIG. 4  shows a diagrammatic longitudinal section  400 , parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft  101 , in the region between the two slides  104  and  105  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     On account of the holding arms, the slide  104  moves, without tilting, in the circular-arcuate slots  212  of the circular disks  102 ,  103  and of further circular disks  401  and  402  not illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The circular disks  401  and  402  are identical to the circular disks  102  and  103 . The holding arms  110 ,  310  and  320  illustrated in  FIG. 3  are provided on the slide  104 . At their end facing away from the slide  104 , the holding arms  110 ,  310  and  320  have in each case the bore  301 , not illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The bores  301  of the holding arms  110 ,  310 ,  320  are penetrated by the guide bar  330   b . The guide bar  330   b  absorbs the forces of the slide and, furthermore, penetrates the bore  240  of the circular disk  103  and the corresponding bores in the circular disks  102 ,  401  and  402 . 
     The slide  105 , on account of the corresponding holding arms (not illustrated), moves, without tilting, in the circular-arcuate slots  211  of the circular disks  102 ,  103  and the circular disks  401  and  402 . Holding arms  110   a ,  310   a  and  320   a  corresponding to the slide  104  are provided on the slide  105 . At their end facing away from the slide  105 , the holding arms  110   a ,  310   a  and  320   a  have in each case the bore  301 , not illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The bores  301  not illustrated in  FIG. 4 , of the holding arms  110   a ,  310   a ,  320   a  are penetrated by the guide bar  330   c . The guide bar  330   c , furthermore, penetrates the bore  239  of the circular disk  103  and the corresponding bores in the circular disks  102 ,  401  and  402 . 
     Furthermore,  FIG. 4  also illustrates completely or partially slides  410  and  420  and their holding arms. These correspond to the slides and holding arms already described. 
     It is particularly clear from  FIG. 4  that, with a shaft  101  of appropriate length, the vane machine  500  according to the invention can also be extended in the longitudinal direction in a highly flexible way and can therefore be adapted in a simple way to the mechanical power actually to be furnished. This is achieved by lining up a corresponding number of spaced-apart circular disks on the shaft  101  and by selecting slides of corresponding length. Furthermore, the mechanical power to be furnished by the vane machine according to the invention can be adapted in a flexible way to the actual requirements by enlarging or reducing the diameter of the circular disks and/or by increasing or reducing the number of slides on the circular disks. 
     The slides are not exposed to any flank load on account of the holding arms used. This, in conjunction with the clearance of the slides in the circular-arcuate slots, lowers the wear and consequently increases the service life and the efficiency. 
       FIG. 5  shows a diagrammatic section through a vane machine  500  according to the invention transversely to the shaft  101  in the region of the circular disk  103  illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the vane machine  500 , the circular disk  103 , circular-arcuate slides  104  to  115  which are located with clearance in circular-arcuate slots  201  to  212  (partially illustrated), the holding arms  310 ,  320   a , etc. of the circular-arcuate slides  104 ,  105 , etc. in the region of the circular disk  103 , the shaft  101  arranged eccentrically in the vane machine, the axis of rotation  106  of the shaft  101 , the center axis  501  of the vane machine  500 , the guide bars  330   b  to  330   m , the outer wall  505  and the inner wall  506  of the vane machine  500  with ducts for oil lubrication and sealing for the circular-arcuate slides  104 ,  105 , etc. 
     The twelve holding arms  310 ,  320   a , etc., illustrated in  FIG. 5 , of the twelve slides  104  to  115  are located alternatively above and below the circular disk  103 . This also applies correspondingly to the holding arms and the slides  104  to  115  in the region of the circular disk  102  and the further circular disks  401  and  402 , as indicated in  FIG. 4  (the guide bars  330   d ,  330   c ,  330   b  and  330   m  illustrated in  FIG. 4  are in actual fact not located in the same sectional plane, but lie in different planes, as can directly be seen particularly from  FIG. 2 ). What is advantageously achieved thereby is that even directly adjacent slides and their holding arms do not impede one another during the movement of the associated slides and therefore a large number of slides can be provided on the circular disks. This makes it possible to have a vane machine of small build with compact dimensions, but with a large number of expansion or compression chambers which are formed in each case between two directly adjacent slides, the adjoining outer wall  505  and the adjoining inner wall  506  of the vane machine  500 . 
     A gas or gas mixture flowing into the inlet port  510  of the vane machine  500  rotates the circular disks and the circular-arcuate slides which are guided by them, the concave side of which points in each case in the direction of the inflowing gas or gas mixture, and at the same time drives the shaft  101  in order to perform mechanical work or to generate electrical work (not illustrated). On account of the eccentric arrangement of the shaft  101  in relation to the center axis  501  of the vane machine  500 , the distance between the inner wall  506  and the outer wall  505  of the vane machine  500  increases. Consequently, the volume enclosed between two adjacent slides on the way from the inlet port  510  to the outlet port  520  is enlarged, and the gas or gas mixture is expanded on its way. The slides and their holding arms at the same time pivot in each case along a portion of a circular path, about the guide bar assigned to them and come to bear against the inside of the outer wall  505 . 
     How the slides  104  to  115  are brought closely to the inside of the outer wall  506 , but without touching it, is described below with reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  7 . A close, but contactless, guidance of the slides against the inside of the outer wall  506  is important in order to allow an undisturbed friction-free rotation of the circular disks, along with low pressure losses via the gap between the inside of the outer wall  506  and the respective slides toward the pressure chamber which is next in the direction of rotation. A pressure chamber is located in each case between two adjacent slides. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the slide devices  300  according to the invention have, furthermore, a guide arm  340  which is attached to the elbowed part of the holding arm  320  and the second end  350  of which is in alignment with the end of the slide  104 . Between the slide  105  and the guide arm is located the separation plate  601 , illustrated in  FIG. 6 , which closes the vane machine  500  toward one end.  FIG. 6  shows a diagrammatic section  600  through the vane machine  500  according to the invention in the region of a centrically arranged circular ring  701 . Furthermore, a further separation plate (not illustrated) is provided at the other end of the slide  104  or else at the other ends of the other sides. Like the other slides according to the invention, the slide  104  has a circular-arcuately rounded end  360 . The guide arm  340  has at its second end  350  a bore (not illustrated) in which the first end of a guide bolt  365  is located. The other end of the guide bolt  365  having a circular cross section is located in a bore of a connecting rod  370  said bore being located at the second end of the connecting rod  370 . The center axis of the guide bolt  365  is at the same distance r from the center axis  501  of the vane machine  500  or from the center of the housing M housing  as the center axis of the circular-arcuately rounded end  360  of the slide  104 , the center axis of the circular-arcuately rounded end  360  and the center axis of the guide bolt  365  being aligned with one another, that is to say lying at the same height. 
     In order to impart to the slide  104  or its rounded end  360  and correspondingly to the further slides according to the invention a centric movement along the inside of the outer wall  505  of the vane machine  500 , even though the slides  104 , etc. run on circular disks  102 ,  103 ,  401  and  402  etc. arranged eccentrically in the vane machine  500 , a compensating device  700  is provided according to the invention. 
     The compensating device  700 , illustrated in  FIG. 7  has four compensating arms  710 ,  720 ,  730  and  740 . Each of the compensating arms has a bore (not illustrated) at its two ends. Located in the first bore of the holding arm  710  is a holding pin  750  which connects the holding arm  710  mechanically to the circular disk  103 . The circular disk  103  has a first bore (not illustrated) for receiving the other end of the holding pin  750 . The center of the first bore is at a distance r 1  from the center axis of the eccentric shaft  101 . 
     Located in the second bore of the holding arm  710  is the first end of a further holding pin  760 , the other end of which is inserted in a first bore (not illustrated) of a circular ring  701 . The center of the first bore of the circular ring  701  is at a distance r 2  from the center of the ring. Correspondingly, the holding arms  720 ,  730  and  740  connect, via holding pins  770 ,  780 ;  790 ,  795 ;  796 ,  797  assigned to them, the circular disk  103  to the circular ring  701 , so that the circular ring  701  rotates at the same angle of rotation as the circular disk  103 , the circular disk  103  rotating about the eccentric axis of rotation  106  of the shaft  101  and the circular ring  701  rotating about the center axis  501  of the vane machine  500 . 
     The foot  390  of the connecting rod  370  is supported on the ring surface of the circular ring  701 , the longitudinal clearance (not illustrated) allowing a limited tangential movement of the foot  390  on the surface of the circular ring  701 , and the foot  390  otherwise following the surface of the circular ring  701 , on which surface the foot  390  is supported both outwardly and inwardly. The connecting rod  370  consequently imparts to the rounded end  360  of the slide  104  a movement about the center axis  501  of the vane machine  500 , and the rounded end  360  of the slide  104  remains at a predetermined distance from the inside of the outer wall  505 . The same applies correspondingly to the other slides on account of the identically acting other connecting rods which, however, have not been given reference symbols in  FIG. 6  for the sake of clarity. By virtue of the identically acting other connecting rods, the individual centrifugal forces of the slides act counter to one another and therefore for the most part cancel one another. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 
     
         
           100  part view of the vane machine according to the invention 
           101  shaft arranged eccentrically with respect to the center axis of the vane machine 
           102  circular disk 
           103  circular disk 
           104  to  115  slides of circular-arcuate cross section 
           106  axis of rotation of the shaft  101   
           110  one of a plurality of elbowed holding arms of the slide  104   
           200  the rear side of the second circular disk  103  illustrated in  FIG. 1   
           201  to  212  circular-arcuate slots for the complete or partial reception of one of the slides in each case 
           220  bore of the circular disk for the rotationally fixed reception of the shaft  101   
           231  to  242  bore in each case for fastening a holding arm  110  rotatable about the respective bore 
           300  slide device 
           301  through bores running parallel to the slide  104  through the holding arms of the slide 
           310  elbowed holding arm 
           320  elbowed holding arm 
           330   b  to  330   m  guide bars of the slides 
           340  guide arm 
           350  second end of the guide arm 
           360  circular-arcuately rounded end of each slide 
           365  guide bolt 
         r the radial distance between the centric center axis  501  of the vane machine or of the housing of the vane machine and the center axis of the circular-arcuately rounded end  360  of the slide 
           370  connecting rod 
           390  foot of the connecting rod 
         r′ the radial distance between the center of the circular ring  701  and the surface of the circular ring on which the foot of the connecting rod lies 
           400  diagrammatic longitudinal section, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft  101 , in the region between the two slides  104  and  105  illustrated in  FIG. 1   
           401  circular disk 
           402  circular disk 
           410  slide 
           420  slide 
           500  vane machine 
           501  center axis of the vane machine 
           505  outer wall of the vane machine 
           506  inner wall of the vane machine 
           510  inlet port of the vane machine 
           520  outlet port of the vane machine 
           600  diagrammatic section through the vane machine according to the invention in the region of a centrically arranged circular ring  701   
           601  separation plate 
           700  compensating device 
           701  circular ring 
         r 1  the radial distance between the center axis of the eccentrically arranged shaft  101  and the center of the bore in the circular disk  103  for receiving the holding pin  750   
         r 2  the radial distance between the center axis of the centrically arranged circular ring  701  and the center of the bore in the circular ring  701  for receiving the holding pin  760   
           710  compensating arm 
           720  compensating arm 
           730  compensating arm 
           740  compensating arm 
           750  holding pin 
           760  holding pin 
           770  holding pin 
           780  holding pin 
           790  holding pin 
           795  holding pin 
           796  holding pin 
           797  holding pin