Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Cupped reaction surface normal to rotation plane – Torque converters
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-06-19
Look, Edward K. (Department: 3745)
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Cupped reaction surface normal to rotation plane
Torque converters
C416S21300R, C416S22000A, C416S234000, C416S237000, C416S24100B, C416S243000, C416S24400R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247897
ABSTRACT:
For the purpose of this specification the term ‘vane’ includes a blade or a vane for devices such as fans of all types of description, propellers, turbines, generators, impellers and in fact any device or equipment which includes a vane or a blade element by which fluid may be driven, dissipated or diffused or by which fluid may drive a rotatable head or by which the device or equipment may itself be driven on land, water or air.
Conventional Vanes are flat sections which may be curved or profiled or casted or moulded in curved or profiled sections to induce propulsion. The conventional vanes generate limited fluid velocity and are required to rotate through circles of relative large diameters to effectively disperse fluid. In the conventional vanes only one surface is operative for cutting, ‘collecting’ and ‘throwing’ of the fluid. These vanes, particularly in the configuration as fan blades, need a free inlet and outlet for air and cannot work effectively if there is resistance. Hemispherical vanes have been used in anemometers (wind gauges) and in some turbines and also in pelton wheel applications. These vane work in a manner that only one vane at a time takes full impact of the fluid velocity and their operating axis is perpendicular to the velocity of the fluid. Again only one surface, typically, the concave surface is operative. Hitherto the hemispherical vanes have not been used for propulsion of air or fluid.
U.S Pat. No. 2,252,788 [spar N. A] discloses a cup vane for rotors used for generating power (reactive rotors). The vanes disclosed in this invention are also not suitable for propulsion. Also the design of the vane system requires extending the inner end of each vane to extend past the axis of rotation to enable formation of a connecting passage between the off and the on faces of adjacent vanes. The construction of these passages in cup-type calotte vanes proposed in the U.S. Patent is unpractical and very complicated.
This invention proposes vane system in which improved fluid dynamics is achieved, lower energy is consumed by the equipment or device, turbulence is minimized and the size of the equipment or of an assembly in which a plurality of vanes are fitted is made smaller. Consequently it is believed that there will also be reduction in the cost of the equipment and in running costs.
In accordance with this invention there is AN IMPROVED VANE SYSTEM comprising of two or more vanes being part of a spherical section related to a hub, characterised in that:
an operative concave surface being part of a spherical section;
an operative convex surface being part of a spherical section;
and the said vane having
an operative anterior lateral border with
an operative posterior lateral border having
a free superior tip and
an inferior edge related to a hub by which the vane is angularly displaced
around an axis.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the concave surface is the operative leading surface when the vane is angularly displaced in which case the vane body is an element of a propulsion system or an impeller system.
Alternatively, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention the concave surface is the operative trailing surface when the vane body is angularly displaced in which case the vane body is an element of a turbine or windmill.
In accordance with one embodiment of this invention the leading and trailing surfaces are sections of concentric hollow spheres and the body is uniformly thick.
In accordance with another embodiment of this invention the leading and trailing surfaces are sections of non concentric hollow spheres and the body is not uniformly thick such that the body of the vane is thinner at the free superior tip and thicker at the inferior edge related to the hub or vice versa.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention the superior tip is defined by the meeting of the operative anterior lateral and the operative posterior lateral borders.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the vane body is a section of one fourth or less than on fourth of a hollow sphere, this geometry allows the vane body to be complementary to the adjacent vane body when the vane bodies are mounted around a hub, to enable the system to perform optimally in a dynamic fluid state.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the vane is securely fitted to a hub on which it is angularly displaced. In the securely fitted embodiment the inferior edge of the vane body is profiled to contour a hub upon which it is bonded by a known bonding method such as welding. In accordance with another securely fitted embodiment of this invention, the vane body is provided at its inferior edge with apertures through which bolts, screws or other fixture means can pass through for securely fitting the vane body to the hub.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the vane body extends from a hub.
In one extending embodiment the vane may be formed from sheet metal, moulded, casted, extruded, sculpted, spark eroded, turned or otherwise made in one piece with the hub in which case the vane may be integral with the hub.
In another extending embodiment the vane body is mounted in a groove or slot complimentary with the inferior edge of the vane body and integrated with the hub by a bonding process.
The invention extends, in accordance with another aspect of this invention to a vane and hub assembly comprising a plurality of vanes in accordance with the first aspect of this invention; and
A hub to which the plurality of vanes are coupled.
The plurality of vanes may be similar in shape and size to each other or may be different.
The vanes may be integral or securely fitted to the hub.
Typically the vanes and hub assembly may comprise two vane on a single hub or as many as 36 to 48 vanes.
The hub may be cylindrical or may be profiled on its outer surface to be complimentary to the anterior surface of the vanes near the inferior edge of the vanes.
In the case of securely fitted vane and hub assemblies, the hub may be provided with grooves or slots complimentary to the inferior edge of the vanes. Flanges may be provided on the surface of the hub to provide main or additional support to the vanes in its mounted configuration on the hub. The flange may also be complimentary to the inferior edge and/or the posterior surface of the vanes.
The vanes may be positioned relative to the hub so that the axis of the vanes are parallel or inclined to the axis of the hub. Further the axis of the vanes may be aligned with or laterally displaced from the vertical plane containing the axis of the hub. Effectively the axis of the vanes may define a plane perpendicular or inclined to the plane containing the axis of the hub. Theoretically the inclination of the two axes may be as much as 80 degree forward or backward, but operationally an inclination between 15 to 60 degrees may be provided.
The effective centres of the hollow spheres of which the surfaces of the vane are sections may define a circle of predetermined radius which may vary depending upon the application of the vane and hub assembly. For example, operatively backward inclination and large radii cause higher velocities of fluid.
The hub diameters may also be varied to suit the application of the device.
In addition to slots or grooves provided on the hub, the hub may be notched to improve integration of the vane and the hub and achieve optimum fluid dynamics.
The vanes and hub may be of fabric, metal, wood, ceramic or of a synthetic polymeric material or a combination of all of the above.
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patent: 755426 (1904-03-01), Wood
patent: 2000720 (1935-05-01), Snyder et al.
patent: 2024700 (1935-12-01), Millar
patent: 2212041 (1940-08-01), Pfautsch
patent: 2240597 (1941-05-01), Whitefield
patent: 2252788 (1941-08-01), Sparr
patent: 3782857 (1974-01-01), Svilans
patent: 27 17 379 (1978-10-01), None
patent: 31 18648 A1 (1983-02-01), None
patent: 36 13434 A1 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 382724 (1908-02-01), None
patent: 2 549 761
Look Edward K.
Nguyen Ninh
Patel Dinesh
Sierra Patent Group Ltd.
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