Pumps – Motor driven
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-12
2001-03-06
Freay, Charles G. (Department: 3745)
Pumps
Motor driven
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196811
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a contraction machine, hereafter contraction engine, pump or pump system including two(2) rigid spaced apart elements mutually connected by at least one piston/cylinder system, which piston/cylinder system receives an operational medium. At least one of the spaced apart elements being displaceably mounted in the direction of displacement of the piston/cylinder system.
The German patent 30 26 864 describes an evaporation machine, using the power of expansion of an expanding material when liquid is being added, as mechanical energy. The known evaporation engine comprises a vessel containing expansion elements, conduit fittings and the work-performing medium enclosing the expanding elements. Water and air are alternatingly fed through valves to the expanding elements. The water flows cyclically into the expanding elements through the conduit fittings and the through the valve. The expanding elements expand and transmit pressure and an increase in volume to the work-performing medium being guided through the conduit fitting and through the valve in order to do work. While this known evaporation engine can make use of both the heat in the ambient air and waste heat, the cost of drying the expanding material on the other hand is comparatively high.
The German patent 28 57 109 discloses an engine equipped with contractile, ion-separating means. These means are folded plates rigidly suspended at one end to a stationary, rigid power supply and connected at the other end to a displaceable network. An ion-rich liquid and an ion-poor liquid are alternatingly made to pass over the plates which thereby alternatingly contract and expand. This alternating power of contraction and expansion is transmitted to a mechanically displaceable element. Because the plates are affixed, they disadvantageously require guidance.
The German patent 709 701 discloses apparatus generating mechanical energy using a revolving belt made of a swellable material and by evaporating a liquid.
Apparatus generating mechanical power are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,544 comprising revolving belts of which one part is heated while the other part is cooled.
German patent 33 36 406 discloses apparatus generating mechanical heat from heat, wherein a liquid is pumped to-and-for between deforming and hence volume-variable hollow spheres.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,558 concerns an engine converting thermal into mechanical energy by periodically freezing and melting a liquid in a cylinder.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is to create an improved contraction engine of the initially cited kind having improved, more compact design and higher efficiency.
This problem is solved by the invention.
Solutions include the inventive contraction engine, pump or pump system including two(2) rigid spaced apart elements mutually connected by at least one piston/cylinder system, which piston/cylinder system receives an operational medium. At least one of the spaced apart elements being displaceably mounted in the direction of displacement of the piston/cylinder system.
At least one operational element is mounted between and connected to the two(2) rigid spaced apart elements. The operational element is operatively connected to the fitting for the intake and exhaust of a liquid. The fitting may likewise intake and/or exhaust water vapor. The at least one operational element expands upon intake of liquid and/or water vapor and the at least one operational element contracts upon exhaust of liquid and/or water vapor. When the at least one operational element contracts it implements a power stroke. There are intake and exhaust conduits for the operational medium which is in the piston/cylinder system and that are connected to the respective cylinder(s) of the piston/cylinder system.
Further inventive solutions include the provision of the rigid elements in the form of plates, plaiting, fabric material or grids or lattices.
The inventive expansible and contractile operational element may be in the form of strands, fibers, folded plates, coils or fiber coils.
The inventive contraction engine may include a spherical shell (
41
) or a closed cylindrical shell (
52
) of which the casings (
42
) consist of an expansible and contractile material and are lined on the inside with an impermeable, elastic, inert sleeve (
43
) and which are filled with an operational medium (
44
). This operational medium communicates through a connection conduit (
45
) mounted in and sealed from the casing to an intake and exhaust conduit (
46
,
47
) of the operational medium, and is operationally connected with a fitting for the intake and exhaust of liquid and/or intake and exhaust of water vapor. The shells expand upon receiving liquid and/or water vapor and contract upon exhaust of liquid and/or reduction of water vapor and thereby implement a power stroke during contraction.
The contraction engine may include an expansible and contractile endless belt (
62
) guided around two rotatable rollers (
63
,
64
) each set in the same direction of rotation by a one-way directional device (
65
,
66
). Each of the belt segments (
67
,
68
) is alternatingly moistened (
70
) and dried (
72
) between the rollers, the moistening to expand one belt segment (
67
or
68
) and the drying to contract the other belt segment (
68
or
67
) always being simultaneous. The contraction of the belt segment thus being used to generate mechanical energy.
Mere ambient heat suffices to operate the contraction engines of the invention and accordingly they are advantageously used in dry and hot climates which allow generating practically continuously power without resort to non-solar energy.
A piston/cylinder system of the invention between the plates connected by the operational elements allows great compactness; at the same time this configuration allows automatic plate guidance.
The invention is elucidated below in relation to the attached drawing showing illustrative embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3986354 (1976-10-01), Erb
patent: 3994132 (1976-11-01), Jackson
patent: 4150544 (1979-04-01), Pachter
patent: 4186558 (1980-02-01), Kuo
patent: 4448027 (1984-05-01), Hsu
patent: 4584842 (1986-04-01), Tchernev
patent: 5622482 (1997-04-01), Lee
patent: 709 701 (1941-07-01), None
patent: 28 57 109 (1980-12-01), None
patent: 30 26 864 (1982-02-01), None
patent: 33 36 406 (1984-04-01), None
patent: 1543115 (1990-02-01), None
Weka Praxishandbuch/Neue Konstruktionsmöglichkeiten Mit Kunststoffen Durch Schnelle Und Sichere Werkstoffauswahl, Chapter 8, pp. 208, 209, 189, and 328, Table of Contents for vols. 1-5, Fachverlag für technische Führungskräfte, Augsburg, Germany, Oct. 1996.
Kunststoff-Taschenbuch, Pabst, Franz, et al., title page, unnumbered page indicating sections of handbook, p. 433, 436-439, 442-445, Carl Hanser Verlag, München [Munich], 26thEdition, 1995, ISBN 3-446-17855-4.
Kunstostoff-Lexikon, Brandrup, J., et al., pp. 426-429, Carl Hanser Verlag, München [Munich], ISBN 3-446-15176-1, 1992.
Freay Charles G.
Hasse High Pressure Engineering
Shlesinger & Arkwright & Garvey LLP
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