Patent ID: 12234822

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows an end view of the interior of a compressor. The compressor has a housing1. The housing has a prismatic interior chamber with a base of the shape of two partially overlapping circles110A and110B. The inner surface of the housing1, i.e., the side surface of the prismatic interior chamber, has two sections100A and100B. The word “prismatic” does not mean that the base of a prismatic body must be a polygon made of straight line segments; instead, a prismatic shape may have a base made of combinations of curve segments (i.e., arcs) and straight line segments or combinations of only curve segments. For example, a cylinder is prismatic. In an embodiment, both sections100A and100B are major arc sections of cylindrical surfaces. The cylindrical surfaces may have the same diameter. BecauseFIG.1is an end view, both sections100A and100B appear major arcs of a circle. The compressor may have a first rotor2A and a second rotor2B rotatably fit in the prismatic interior chamber. The first rotor2A is configured to rotate around an axis OA and the second rotor2B is configured to rotate around an axis OB. The axis OA may be the axis of the section100A and the axis OB may be the axis of the section100B.

The first rotor2A and the second rotor2B are both prismatic in shape.FIG.2shows an end view of one of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B. Namely,FIG.2shows the shape of the base of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B. In an embodiment, the bases of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B have the same shape. In an embodiment, the bases of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B are identical. In an embodiment, a side surface200A of the first rotor2A and a side surface200B of the second rotor2B are identical. In an embodiment, the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B are identical. The base of the first rotor2A or the second rotor2B has a plurality of sections shown inFIG.2. Two of the sections are circular arcs201and202that are concentric. The common center of the circular arcs201and202are on the rotational axis OA or OB. The circular arcs201and202may have the same central angle A1. The circular arc201has a smaller radius than the circular arc202. The circular arc202joins, at its ends respectively, circular arc203and circular arc203A. Both the circular arc203and circular arc203A are among the sections of the base. The circular arc203and circular arc203A are identical in shape. The circular arc203joins another of the sections, which is circular arc204A. The circular arc203A joins another of the sections, which is circular arc204. The circular arc204and the circular arc204A join the circular arc201. The circular arc204and the circular arc204A are identical in shape. The circular arc203and the circular arc204are concentric at point F and have the same central angle A3. The circular arc203has a smaller radius than the circular arc204. The circular arc203A and the circular arc204A are concentric at point E and have the same central angle A2. The circular arc203A has a smaller radius than the circular arc204A. In an embodiment, each of the circular arcs described above is tangent to its immediate neighboring circular arcs. Namely, each of the circular arcs described above and its immediate neighboring circular arc have the same slope at their joint. In an embodiment, the radii of the circular arcs described above have the relationship of R1+R2=R3+R4=L140. L140is the distance between the axis OA and the axis OB shown inFIG.1. R1is the radius of the circular arc201. R2is the radius of the circular arc202. R3is the radius of the circular arc203and the radius of the circular arc203A. R4is the radius of the circular arc204and the radius of the circular arc204A. In an embodiment, R3may approach zero. In an embodiment, the base of the first rotor2A or the second rotor2B has multiple pairs of circular arcs. In each pair, the circular arcs are concentric with each other and have the same central angle. In each pair, the circular arcs may be opposite and defined by the same pair of diameters. In an embodiment, the sums of the radii of the circular arcs of the respective pairs are the same.

FIGS.3A-3Fshow locations of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B relative to the sections100A and100B, as the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B rotate around axis OA and axis OB respectively inside the prismatic interior chamber. The circular arc202forms a seal with the section100A or the section100B. The circular arc202may have the same radius as the section100A or the section100B. The circular arc202of the first rotor2A and the circular arc201of the second rotor2B form a seal. The circular arc202of the second rotor2B and the circular arc201of the first rotor2A form a seal. Enclosed spaces, such as enclosed spaces211A,212A,211B and212B, form between the section100A or the section100B, the side surface200A of the first rotor2A, and the side surface200B of the second rotor2B during rotation of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B. Specifically, the enclosed space211A and the enclosed space212A are formed by the section100A, the side surface200A and the side surface200B; the enclosed space211B and the enclosed space212B are formed by the section100B, the side surface200A and the side surface200B.

The volumes of the enclosed spaces211A,212A,211B and212B change during rotation of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B. For example, the enclosed spaces211A and211B periodically form, contract, and essentially disappear (by being reduced to almost nothing or a minimum volume, e.g., enclosed space211A disappearing as shown inFIGS.3C and3D); the enclosed spaces212A and212B periodically form, expand, and disappear (by the seals breaking, e.g., enclosed space212B disappearing as shown inFIGS.3E and3F). The enclosed spaces211A and211B can be used as compression chambers to compress and/or increase pressure of fluid therein and discharge the fluid through opening140A and opening140B respectively. The opening140A and opening140B may be on an end wall of the house1. The enclosed spaces212A and212B can be used as intake chambers to draw fluid to be compressed through opening130A and opening130B respectively. The opening130A and opening130B may be on an end wall of the house1.

When the enclosed spaces212A and212B start forming (e.g.,FIG.3Dshowing the enclosed space212B starts forming), the opening130A and the opening130B are not respectively connected to the enclosed spaces212A and212B yet. The first rotor2A and the second rotor2B may respectively have notches221A and221B on a side to allow fluid to flow into the enclosed spaces212A and212B from other places in the prismatic interior chamber. For example, as shown inFIG.3D, the notch221B allows fluid to flow into the enclosed space212B that just starts forming, from the portion of the prismatic interior chamber not occupied by the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B.

FIG.4is a section view through a plane spanned by the axes OA and OB, according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the compressor has a first shaft3A and a second shaft3B, the first rotor2A is fixedly connected to the first shaft3A, and the second rotor2B is fixedly connected to the second shaft3B. The first shaft3A and the second shaft3B may respectively have a first crankshaft301A and a second crankshaft301B. The first crankshaft301A and the second crankshaft301B have identical eccentric distance respectively with the axes OA and OB. The compressor may have a drive plate5rotatably connected to the first crankshaft301A and the second crankshaft301B. The driving plate5keeps the distance between the center line of the first crankshaft301A and the center line of the second crankshaft301B equal to the distance L140between the axes OA to OB, as shown inFIG.4. The first rotor2A, the second rotor2B, the first shaft3A, and the second shaft3B are configured to keep the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B synchronized. Namely, during rotation of the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B, their angles relative to a plane130through the axes OA and OB are equal. The first shaft3A and the second shaft3B may respectively have counterweight parts302A and302B on the opposite side of the first crankshaft301A and the second crankshaft301B respectively. The first rotor2A and the second rotor2B may have pocket231A and231B respectively to reduce vibration during rotation. In an embodiment, the center of mass of the first rotor2A is on the axis OA and the center of mass of the second rotor2B is on the axis OB.

The compressor may have a driving box6secured to the housing1. A driving shaft4is rotatably connected to the driving box6through a housing bearing. The driving shaft4rotatably connects to the driving plate5through a crankshaft401. The eccentric distance between centers of the driving shaft4and the crankshaft401equals the eccentric distance from the centers of the first crankshaft301A and the second crankshaft301B to the centers of the first shaft3A and the second shaft3B respectively. When the driving shaft4rotates around its center, the crankshaft401drives the driving plate5and the first crankshaft301A and the second crankshaft301B, and in turn the first shaft3A and the second shaft3B and the first rotor2A and the second rotor2B. The driving shaft4may have a counterweight part402at the opposite side of the crankshaft401.

The opening140A and the opening140B may each have a check valve7B (e.g., a reed valve) outside the prismatic interior chamber to prevent the pressurized fluid flowing back in after the compression process finishes.

FIG.5is the end view of the connection among the first crankshaft301A, the second crankshaft301B and the driving shaft4. O4is the axis of the driving shaft4. The driving box6is omitted inFIG.5for clarity. The driving plate5may have 3 bearing housings. A bearing housing center O2A is concentric with the first crankshaft301A, a bearing housing center O2B is concentric with the second crankshaft301B, a bearing housing center O2C is concentric with the crankshaft401. The driving plate5has an orbiting motion when the driving shaft4rotates.

In relation to the claims, it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one,” or “at least one portion” are used to preface a feature there is no intention to limit the claim to only one such feature unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim.

The descriptions above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Thus, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims set out below.