Rotary fluid reaction device having hinged vanes

摘要

A fluid reaction device 10 is provided having a rotor 90 with vanes 92 pivotably connected thereto. The device 10 includes an entrance 30 for elevated pressure fluid and an outlet 40 for discharge of the fluid after contacting the rotor 90. The elevated pressure fluid passes from the entrance 30, into a high pressure chamber 80. The high pressure chamber 80 is in contact with inlet ports 74 accessing a cylinder 72 within the device 10. The cylinder 72 supports the rotor 90 with a rotational axis M of the rotor 90 off center with respect to a central axis N of the cylinder 72. The elevated pressure fluid causes the rotor 90 and an attached output shaft 97 to rotate. The rotor 90 includes a trunk 24 with a plurality of posts 93 extending therefrom and with vanes 92 connected to the posts 93 through hinges 94. The vanes 92 can pivot from a first position collapsed against the trunk 24 to a second position spaced away from the trunk 24. The vanes 92 thus can contact a cylindrical wall 78 of the cylinder 72 while the rotor 90 rotates. Exhaust ports 76 are spaced from the inlet ports 74 and provide communication with a low pressure chamber 82 which exhausts low pressure fluid to the outlet 40.