Hydraulic device

Claim 2

In a hydraulic device having fluid displacement means including an internally toothed stator and an externally toothed rotor having less teeth than said stator and being in meshing engagement therewith for relative orbital and rotational movement with respect thereto to form alternately expanding and contracting fluid pockets between the teeth thereof, a work input-output shaft connected to said fluid displacement means for joint rotation therewith and a pair of fluid connections in communication with said fluid pockets, the improvement of commutation means for directing fluid between said fluid connections and said fluid pockets in timed relation to the relative movement of said fluid displacement means comprising a commutator valve connected to said fluid displacement means for orbital and rotational movement therewith and having a radial wall facing said fluid pockets, means forming a series of ports in said radial wall in a circular pattern having a diameter related to the pitch diameter of said stator, each of said pairs anD each of said ports in said pairs being mutually angularly spaced and the number of said pairs being equal to the number of teeth of said rotor, and means for communicating one of said ports in each of said pairs of ports with one of said fluid connections and the other of said ports in each of said pairs with the other of said fluid connections.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said commutator valve further comprises means forming an inner peripheral wall, an outer peripheral wall and passages communicating one of said ports of each of said pairs with one of said peripheral walls and the other of said ports of each of said pairs with the other said peripheral wall.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said outer peripheral wall communicates with one of said fluid connections and said inner peripheral wall forms a central opening communicating with the other of said fluid connections.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said commutator valve is connected in fixed assembly to said rotor for joint movement therewith.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said device further comprises wall means forming a chamber adjacent said fluid displacement means and wherein said commutator valve is disposed within said chamber and comprises an inner peripheral wall forming a central opening through said valve, and outer peripheral wall disposed in spaced relation to said chamber wall and passages communicating one of said ports of each of said pairs of ports with one of said peripheral walls and the other of said ports of each of said pairs with the other of said peripheral walls, said chamber between said chamber wall and said outer peripheral wall communicating with one of said fluid connections and said central opening of said valve communicating with the other of said fluid connections.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said stator and said rotor comprise radial walls in sliding and in fixed relation respectively with said radial wall of said commutator valve.

Claim 8

A hydraulic device comprising a housing, a rotor-stator gearset in said housing, the rotor member of which has one tooth less than the stator member and is movable orbitally and rotationally relative to the stator member to provide expanding and contracting fluid pockets between the teeth thereof, a work input-output shaft connected for joint rotation to the rotational member of said gearset, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and fluid commutation means comprising means forming a valve chamber in said housing, a commutator valve member disposed within said chamber and having a radial wall facing said fluid pockets, means connecting said commutator valve and said gearset for rotational and orbital movement in mutually timed relation, means forming a series of angularly spaced ports in said radial wall numbering at least twice the number of rotor teeth, and means communicating some of said ports with one of said fluid connections and other of said ports with the other of said fluid connections for directing fluid into the expanding fluid pockets and out of the contracting fluid pockets.

Claim 9

A hydraulic device comprising a housing, a rotor-stator gearset in said housing, the rotor member of which has one tooth less than the stator member and is movable orbitally and rotationally relative to the stator member to provide expanding and contracting fluid pockets between the teeth thereof, a work input-output shaft connected for joint rotation to the rotational member of said gearset, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and fluid commutation means comprising means forming a valve chamber in said housing, a commutator valve member disposed within said chamber and having a radial wall facing said fluid pockets, means connecting said commutator valve and said gearset for rotational and orbital movement in mutually timed relation, means forming a series of angularly spaced ports in said radial wall numbering at least twice the number of rotor teeth, and means communicating some of said ports with one of said fluid connections and other of said ports with the other of said fluid connections for directing fluid into the expanding fluid pockets and out of the contracting fluid pockets.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said ports are arranged on said radial wall in a circular pattern about the axis of rotation of said commutator valve.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said ports are arranged on said radial wall in a circular pattern with alternate ones of said ports communicating with one of said fluid connections and the other ports communicating with the other of said fluid connections.

Claim 12

The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said ports are arranged in pairs disposed in radially angularly spaced relation corresponding to the radially angular spacing of the teeth of said rotor.

Claim 13

A hydraulic device comprising an axial housing having a pair of gear members disposed therewith including an internally toothed statoR and an externally toothed rotor within the stator and movable orbitally and rotationally relative thereto to provide alternately expanding and contracting fluid pockets therebetween, a work input-output shaft mounted for rotation on said housing, intermediate shaft means interconnecting said rotor and said work input-output shaft for joint rotation, means in said housing including a cylindrical wall and a radial wall forming a chamber adjacent said gear members, a disc-shaped commutator valve in said chamber having a pair of radial walls one of which abuts said gear members and the other of which abuts said chamber radial wall, an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall forming a central aperture extending axially therethrough, a plurality of ports formed in said one radial wall of said valve and arranged in a circular pattern in radially angularly spaced pairs equal in number to the number of teeth of said rotor, means interconnecting said rotor and said commutator valve for joint orbital and rotational movement, passage means communicating one port of each of said pairs to said inner peripheral wall and the other port of each said pair to said outer peripheral wall, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and means communicating one of said fluid connections with said valve aperture and the other fluid connection to said chamber radially outwardly of said outer peripheral wall of said commutator valve.

Claim 14

A hydraulic device comprising an axial housing having a pair of gear members disposed therewith including an internally toothed statoR and an externally toothed rotor within the stator and movable orbitally and rotationally relative thereto to provide alternately expanding and contracting fluid pockets therebetween, a work input-output shaft mounted for rotation on said housing, intermediate shaft means interconnecting said rotor and said work input-output shaft for joint rotation, means in said housing including a cylindrical wall and a radial wall forming a chamber adjacent said gear members, a disc-shaped commutator valve in said chamber having a pair of radial walls one of which abuts said gear members and the other of which abuts said chamber radial wall, an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall forming a central aperture extending axially therethrough, a plurality of ports formed in said one radial wall of said valve and arranged in a circular pattern in radially angularly spaced pairs equal in number to the number of teeth of said rotor, means interconnecting said rotor and said commutator valve for joint orbital and rotational movement, passage means communicating one port of each of said pairs to said inner peripheral wall and the other port of each said pair to said outer peripheral wall, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and means communicating one of said fluid connections with said valve aperture and the other fluid connection to said chamber radially outwardly of said outer peripheral wall of said commutator valve.

Claim 15

The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein said commutator valve is disposed between said work input-output shaft and said rotor and said intermediate shaft means comprises a shaft part extending through said commutator valve aperture.

Claim 16

The invention as defined in claim 11 and including means forming a pair of work-cylinder fluid connections in said housing, and means forming a cylindrical bore in said housing in axial alignment with said work input-output shaft and said stator and in fluid communication with said fluid-connections, said intermediate shaft means comprising a tubularly shaped fluid directional control valve in said bore and an intermediate shaft part, said shaft part being connected to said rotor and to said control valve for joint rotation and said control valve being connected to said work input-output shaft for limited relative axial and rotational movement therewith, and means formed in said cylindrical bore and in said fluid directional control valve for controlling the direction of fluid flow between said fluid connections and said gear members, said commutator valve being disposed between said control valve and said gear members.

Claim 17

The invention as defined in claim 13 wherein said shaft part extends through the aperture formed in said commutator valve.

Claim 18

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said commutator valve further comprises means forming an inner peripheral wall, an outer peripheral wall and passages communicating one of said ports of each of said pairs with one of said peripheral walls and the other of said ports of each of said pairs with the other said peripheral wall.

Claim 19

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said outer peripheral wall communicates with one of said fluid connections and said inner peripheral wall forms a central opening communicating with the other of said fluid connections.

Claim 20

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said commutator valve is connected in fixed assembly to said rotor for joint movement therewith.

Claim 21

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said device further comprises wall means forming a chamber adjacent said fluid displacement means and wherein said commutator valve is disposed within said chamber and comprises an inner peripheral wall forming a central opening through said valve, and outer peripheral wall disposed in spaced relation to said chamber wall and passages communicating one of said ports of each of said pairs of ports with one of said peripheral walls and the other of said ports of each of said pairs with the other of said peripheral walls, said chamber between said chamber wall and said outer peripheral wall communicating with one of said fluid connections and said central opening of said valve communicating with the other of said fluid connections.

Claim 22

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said stator and said rotor comprise radial walls in sliding and in fixed relation respectively with said radial wall of said commutator valve.

Claim 23

A hydraulic device comprising a housing, a rotor-stator gearset in said housing, the rotor member of which has one tooth less than the stator member and is movable orbitally and rotationally relative to the stator member to provide expanding and contracting fluid pockets between the teeth thereof, a work input-output shaft connected for joint rotation to the rotational member of said gearset, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and fluid commutation means comprising means forming a valve chamber in said housing, a commutator valve member disposed within said chamber and having a radial wall facing said fluid pockets, means connecting said commutator valve and said gearset for rotational and orbital movement in mutually timed relation, means forming a series of angularly spaced ports in said radial wall numbering at least twice the number of rotor teeth, and means communicating some of said ports with one of said fluid connections and other of said ports with the other of said fluid connections for directing fluid into the expanding fluid pockets and out of the contracting fluid pockets.

Claim 24

A hydraulic device comprising a housing, a rotor-stator gearset in said housing, the rotor member of which has one tooth less than the stator member and is movable orbitally and rotationally relative to the stator member to provide expanding and contracting fluid pockets between the teeth thereof, a work input-output shaft connected for joint rotation to the rotational member of said gearset, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and fluid commutation means comprising means forming a valve chamber in said housing, a commutator valve member disposed within said chamber and having a radial wall facing said fluid pockets, means connecting said commutator valve and said gearset for rotational and orbital movement in mutually timed relation, means forming a series of angularly spaced ports in said radial wall numbering at least twice the number of rotor teeth, and means communicating some of said ports with one of said fluid connections and other of said ports with the other of said fluid connections for directing fluid into the expanding fluid pockets and out of the contracting fluid pockets.

Claim 25

The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said ports are arranged on said radial wall in a circular pattern about the axis of rotation of said commutator valve.

Claim 26

The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said ports are arranged on said radial wall in a circular pattern with alternate ones of said ports communicating with one of said fluid connections and the other ports communicating with the other of said fluid connections.

Claim 27

The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said ports are arranged in pairs disposed in radially angularly spaced relation corresponding to the radially angular spacing of the teeth of said rotor.

Claim 28

A hydraulic device comprising an axial housing having a pair of gear members disposed therewith including an internally toothed statoR and an externally toothed rotor within the stator and movable orbitally and rotationally relative thereto to provide alternately expanding and contracting fluid pockets therebetween, a work input-output shaft mounted for rotation on said housing, intermediate shaft means interconnecting said rotor and said work input-output shaft for joint rotation, means in said housing including a cylindrical wall and a radial wall forming a chamber adjacent said gear members, a disc-shaped commutator valve in said chamber having a pair of radial walls one of which abuts said gear members and the other of which abuts said chamber radial wall, an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall forming a central aperture extending axially therethrough, a plurality of ports formed in said one radial wall of said valve and arranged in a circular pattern in radially angularly spaced pairs equal in number to the number of teeth of said rotor, means interconnecting said rotor and said commutator valve for joint orbital and rotational movement, passage means communicating one port of each of said pairs to said inner peripheral wall and the other port of each said pair to said outer peripheral wall, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and means communicating one of said fluid connections with said valve aperture and the other fluid connection to said chamber radially outwardly of said outer peripheral wall of said commutator valve.

Claim 29

A hydraulic device comprising an axial housing having a pair of gear members disposed therewith including an internally toothed statoR and an externally toothed rotor within the stator and movable orbitally and rotationally relative thereto to provide alternately expanding and contracting fluid pockets therebetween, a work input-output shaft mounted for rotation on said housing, intermediate shaft means interconnecting said rotor and said work input-output shaft for joint rotation, means in said housing including a cylindrical wall and a radial wall forming a chamber adjacent said gear members, a disc-shaped commutator valve in said chamber having a pair of radial walls one of which abuts said gear members and the other of which abuts said chamber radial wall, an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall forming a central aperture extending axially therethrough, a plurality of ports formed in said one radial wall of said valve and arranged in a circular pattern in radially angularly spaced pairs equal in number to the number of teeth of said rotor, means interconnecting said rotor and said commutator valve for joint orbital and rotational movement, passage means communicating one port of each of said pairs to said inner peripheral wall and the other port of each said pair to said outer peripheral wall, a pair of fluid connections formed in said housing, and means communicating one of said fluid connections with said valve aperture and the other fluid connection to said chamber radially outwardly of said outer peripheral wall of said commutator valve.

Claim 30

The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein said commutator valve is disposed between said work input-output shaft and said rotor and said intermediate shaft means comprises a shaft part extending through said commutator valve aperture.

Claim 31

The invention as defined in claim 11 and including means forming a pair of work-cylinder fluid connections in said housing, and means forming a cylindrical bore in said housing in axial alignment with said work input-output shaft and said stator and in fluid communication with said fluid-connections, said intermediate shaft means comprising a tubularly shaped fluid directional control valve in said bore and an intermediate shaft part, said shaft part being connected to said rotor and to said control valve for joint rotation and said control valve being connected to said work input-output shaft for limited relative axial and rotational movement therewith, and means formed in said cylindrical bore and in said fluid directional control valve for controlling the direction of fluid flow between said fluid connections and said gear members, said commutator valve being disposed between said control valve and said gear members.

Claim 32

The invention as defined in claim 13 wherein said shaft part extends through the aperture formed in said commutator valve.