Orbital drive and fluid motor incorporating same

Claim 2

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said reacting gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith; a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; the respective meshing teeth of said reacting gear and said first orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; the respective meshing teeth of said output gear and said second orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; and means drivingly interconnecting and orienting said first and second orbiting gears for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis.

Claim 3

An orbital drive as recited in claim 1, said first orbiting gear having one more tooth than said reacting gear, and said second orbiting gear having one more tooth than said output gear.

Claim 4

An orbital drive as recited in claim 2, said first orbiting gear having a different number of teeth than said second orbiting gear.

Claim 5

An orbital drive as recited in claim 1, said first and second orbiting gears being fixed together with equal eccentricity to said output axis.

Claim 6

An orbital drive as recited in claim 1, the teeth of said reacting and output gears respectively cooperating with the teeth of the orbiting gears meshing in sliding contact therewith to form chambers which alternately expand and contract during rotation of the gears, together with means enclosing the ends of at least some of said chambers against fluid leakage and connecting the enclosed chambers alternately with fluid pressure conduit means for fluid pumping by said gears or fluid driving thereof.

Claim 7

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said reacting gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith; a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; the respective meshing teeth of said reacting gear and said first orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; the respective meshing teeth of said output gear and said second orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; means drivingly interconnecting said first and second orbiting gears for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; and a ring member rotatable about said output axis and having eccentric driving connection with said orbiting gears, whereby rotation of said ring member is accompanied by orbital motion of said orbiting gears about said output axis.

Claim 8

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said reacting gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith; a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; the respective meshing teeth of said reacting gear and said first orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; the respective meshing teeth of said output gear and said second orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; means drivingly interconnecting said first and second orbiting gears for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; and a ring member rotatable about said output axis and having eccentric driving connection with said orbiting gears, whereby rotation of said ring member is accompanied by orbital motion of said orbiting gears about said output axis.

Claim 9

An orbital drive as recited in claim 6, at least one of said orbiting gears being formed with a circular external surface, said ring member being formed with a circular internal opening eccentric to said output axis and cooperating with said circular external surface of said orbiting gear to form said eccentric driving connection.

Claim 10

An orbital drive as recited in claim 6, the teeth of said reacting and output gears respectively cooperating with the teeth of the orbiting gears meshing in sliding contact therewith so that said teeth form chambers which alternately contract and expand during rotation of said gears, said ring member being formed with arcuate ports arranged to connect said chambers alternately with fluid conduit means for exhausting fluid from said chambers or admitting fluid thereto, wheReby said gears form a fluid pump or motor.

Claim 11

An orbital drive as recited in claim 8, said ring member being formed with two arcuate ports each extending through an arc of less than 180* and being circumferentially spaced apart by two arcuate surface portions each of an arc length sufficient to completely cover at least one of said chambers to prevent direct communication between said ports through any tooth chamber.

Claim 12

An orbital drive as recited in claim 6, together with a further ring member having a circular opening, at least one of said orbiting gears having a circular peripheral surface received in relatively rotatable relation in said opening for joint orbital motion of said further ring member and said orbiting gears.

Claim 13

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said reacting gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith; a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; said first and second orbiting gears being drivingly interconnected and arranged for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; a ring member rotatable about said output axis and having eccentric driving connection with said orbiting gears, whereby rotation of said ring member is accompanied by orbital motion of said orbiting gears about said output axis; a further ring member having a circular opening, at least one of said orbiting gears having a circular peripheral surface received in relatively rotatable relation in said opening for joint orbital motion of said further ring member and said orbiting gears; together with a housing member formed with a circular internal surface concentric with said output axis and extending circumferentially about said further ring member in eccentric relation thereto, said further ring member being formed peripherally with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced cylinders, and a plurality of pistons received slidably and conformably in said cylinders for engagement with said internal surface to form a motor or pump operable with said orbital drive.

Claim 14

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said reacting gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith; a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; said first and second orbiting gears being drivingly interconnected and arranged for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; a ring member rotatable about said output axis and having eccentric driving connection with said orbiting gears, whereby rotation of said ring member is accompanied by orbital motion of said orbiting gears about said output axis; a further ring member having a circular opening, at least one of said orbiting gears having a circular peripheral surface received in relatively rotatable relation in said opening for joint orbital motion of said further ring member and said orbiting gears; together with a housing member formed with a circular internal surface concentric with said output axis and extending circumferentially about said further ring member in eccentric relation thereto, said further ring member being formed peripherally with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced cylinders, and a plurality of pistons received slidably and conformably in said cylinders for engagement with said internal surface to form a motor or pump operable with said orbital drive.

Claim 15

An orbital drive as recited in claim 11, said first-mentioned ring member being axially adjacent to said further ring member to overly said cylinders and being formed with arcuate ports arranged to connect said cylinders alternately with different fluid conduit means for exhausting or admitting fluid to said cylinders, said cylinders forming communication with said arcuate ports through an axial surface of said further ring member.

Claim 16

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said reacting gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith, a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; the respective meshing teeth of said reacting gear and said first orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; the respective meshing teeth of said output gear and said second orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; means drivingly interconnecting said first and sEcond orbiting gears for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; a ring member having a cylindrical opening eccentric in relation thereto, at least one of said orbiting gears having a cylindrical peripheral surface received in relatively rotatable relation in said opening for joint orbital motion of said ring member and said orbiting gears; a housing containing said gears; and means mounting said ring member in relation to said housing for angular motion about said output axis.

Claim 17

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said reacting gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith, a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; the respective meshing teeth of said reacting gear and said first orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; the respective meshing teeth of said output gear and said second orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; means drivingly interconnecting said first and sEcond orbiting gears for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; a ring member having a cylindrical opening eccentric in relation thereto, at least one of said orbiting gears having a cylindrical peripheral surface received in relatively rotatable relation in said opening for joint orbital motion of said ring member and said orbiting gears; a housing containing said gears; and means mounting said ring member in relation to said housing for angular motion about said output axis.

Claim 18

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith; a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; said first and second orbiting gears being drivingly interconnected and arranged for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; a ring member having a circular opening, at least one of said orbiting gears having a circular peripheral surface received in relatively rotatable relation in said opening for joint orbital motion of said ring member and said orbiting gears; a housing member formed with a circular internal surface concentric with said output axis and extending circumferentially about said ring member in eccentric relation thereto; said ring member being formed peripherally with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced cylinders; and a plurality of pistons received slidably and conformably in said cylinders for engagement with said internal surface to form a motor or pump operable with said orbital drive.

Claim 19

An orbital drive comprising a reacting externally-toothed gear; means stationarily supporting said gear on an output axis; an output externally-toothed gear; means supporting said output gear for rotation about said output axis; a first orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said first orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said reacting gear and meshing therewith; a second orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said second orbiting gear having a larger number of teeth than said output gear and meshing therewith; said first and second orbiting gears being drivingly interconnected and arranged for orbital motion of the axes thereof about said output axis; a ring member having a circular opening, at least one of said orbiting gears having a circular peripheral surface received in relatively rotatable relation in said opening for joint orbital motion of said ring member and said orbiting gears; a housing member formed with a circular internal surface concentric with said output axis and extending circumferentially about said ring member in eccentric relation thereto; said ring member being formed peripherally with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced cylinders; and a plurality of pistons received slidably and conformably in said cylinders for engagement with said internal surface to form a motor or pump operable with said orbital drive.

Claim 20

An orbital drive as set forth in claim 13 wherein said mounting means mounts said ring member for rotation about said output axis, wherein both of said orbiting gears have cylindrical peripheral surfaces recieved in relatively rotatable relation in cylindrical opening surfaces in said ring member, and further comprising means drivingly connected with said ring member and extending outside said housing for rotating said ring member about said output axis.

Claim 21

An orbital drive as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a third orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding and meshing with said output gear in eccentric relation thereto, said third orbiting gear having the same number of teeth as said second orbiting gear; a second reacting externally-toothed gear having the same number of teeth as said reacting gear; means stationarily supporting said second reacting gear on said output axis; and a fourth orbiting internally-toothed gear surrounding and meshing with said second reacting gear in eccentric relation thereto, said fourth orbiting gear having the same number of teeth as said first orbiting gear; the respective meshing teeth of said second reacting gear, output gear, third orbiting gear and fourth orbiting gear being formed relative to one another to maintain a continuous line of sliding contact therebetween; said second reacting gear and third and fourth orbiting gears being disposed in axially-displaced symmetrical relation to said reacting gear and first and second orbiting gears in a duplex arrangement, said third and fourth orbiting gears being disposed about said output axis with eccentricities 180* out of phase with the eccentricities of said first and second orbiting gears, whereby to increase the torque capacity and to balance the loading of said drive.

Claim 22

An orbital drive as set forth in claim 6, the teeth of said reacting and output gears respectively cooperating with the teeth of the orbiting gears meshing in sliding contact therewith to form chambers which expand and contract during rotAtion of said gears, said ring member being formed with a pair of arcuate ports respectively arranged to communicate continually with those chambers which are respectively expanding and contracting, means for connecting said ports in fluid communication, and means controlling fluid flow in said connecting means, whereby to control speed or braking of said drive.