Hydraulic power translating device

Claim 2

A bi-directional power translating device of the gerotor type having a casing with a cylindrical chamber, inner and outer gerotor elements rotatably positioned in said chamber with a clearance space between the chamber wall and the outer periphery of the outer gerotor element, a pair of casing ports connectable to pressure and tank respectively, passage means in said casing interconnecting said casing ports and including flow passages to fluid ports associated with the gerotor elements, means for delivering a flow of fluid to said clearance space in either direction of operation including a fluid inlet to said clearance space and generally in line with a line through the axis of rotation of the inner gerotor element and the pivot axis of the outer gerotor element, a fluid outlet from the clearanCe space through which fluid passes and which is diametrically opposed to said fluid inlet, each of said fluid inlet and outlet being connected to said passage means, and means to connect the fluid inlet to whichever of the casing ports that receives pressure fluid and the fluid outlet to the other casing port.

Claim 3

A bi-directional hydraulic motor of the gerotor type comprising, a casing having a pair of ports, an inner gear element and an outer gear element rotatably mounted in said casing with said outer gear element eccentrically mounted relative to the inner gear element whereby a series of fluid chambers are defined between said gears and with said gears having their teeth interrelated at two cross-over areas wherein fluid communication is blocked between said fluid chambers at either side of said cross-over areas, a pair of kidney-shaped fluid ports intermediate said cross-over areas, and means subjecting the exterior of said outer gear element where the outer gear element is a minimal distance from the casing to a fluid pressure to obtain radial balance thereof upon start-up to free the outer gear element for rotation relative to the case and to balance said outer gear element during rotation, said means including a single fluid pressure inlet and a diametrically opposed single fluid outlet externally of the outer gear to provide a restricted fluid flow path with flow in the direction of outer gear element rotation to said fluid outlet and extending around the exterior or the outer gear element from a location in advance of said point where the outer gear is a minimal distance from the case to a location beyond said point, and means connecting said fluid pressure inlet to both of said casing ports with flow communicating only to the casing port receiving pressure fluid.

Claim 4

A bi-directional hydraulic motor of the gerotor type comprising, a casing having a pair of ports, an inner gear element and an outer gear element rotatably mounted in said casing with said outer gear element eccentrically mounted relative to the inner gear element whereby a series of fluid chambers are defined between said gears and with said gears having their teeth interrelated at two cross-over areas wherein fluid communication is blocked between said fluid chambers at either side of said cross-over areas, a pair of kidney-shaped fluid ports intermediate said cross-over areas, and means subjecting the exterior of said outer gear element where the outer gear element is a minimal distance from the casing to a fluid pressure to obtain radial balance thereof upon start-up to free the outer gear element for rotation relative to the case and to balance said outer gear element during rotation, said means including a single fluid pressure inlet and a diametrically opposed single fluid outlet externally of the outer gear to provide a restricted fluid flow path with flow in the direction of outer gear element rotation to said fluid outlet and extending around the exterior or the outer gear element from a location in advance of said point where the outer gear is a minimal distance from the case to a location beyond said point, and means connecting said fluid pressure inlet to both of said casing ports with flow communicating only to the casing port receiving pressure fluid.

Claim 5

A bi-directional hydraulic motor as defined in claim 2 wherein said last mentioned means includes a pair of check valves positioned in the flow path to either side of the fluid inlet.

Claim 6

A bi-directional power translating device comprising, a casing with a cylindrical chamber, partially meshing inner and outer gear elements rotatably mounted in said chamber with a clearance space between a wall of said chamber and the outer periphery of said outer gear element, said gear elements being eccentrically related to define a series of fluid chambers and with said gear elements having their teeth interrelated at two cross-over areas wherein fluid communication is blocked between said fluid chambers at either side of the cross-over areas, a pair of kidney-shaped fluid ports in said casing intermediate said cross-over areas, a pair of flow passages connected to respective ones of said ports, a fluid pressure inlet to said clearance space circumferentially located intermediate said fluid ports and connected to said flow passages, a fluid pressure outlet from said clearance space diametrically opposed to said pressure inlet and connected to said flow passages, and valve means for placing only one of said flow passages in communication with said fluid pressure inlet and the other flow passage in communication with said fluid pressure outlet.

Claim 7

A bi-directional power translating device comprising, a casing with a cylindrical chamber, partially meshing inner and outer gear elements rotatably mounted in said chamber with a clearance space between a wall of said chamber and the outer periphery of said outer gear element, said gear elements being eccentrically related to define a series of fluid chambers and with said gear elements having their teeth interrelated at two cross-over areas wherein fluid communication is blocked between said fluid chambers at either side of the cross-over areas, a pair of kidney-shaped fluid ports in said casing intermediate said cross-over areas, a pair of flow passages connected to respective ones of said ports, a fluid pressure inlet to said clearance space circumferentially located intermediate said fluid ports and connected to said flow passages, a fluid pressure outlet from said clearance space diametrically opposed to said pressure inlet and connected to said flow passages, and valve means for placing only one of said flow passages in communication with said fluid pressure inlet and the other flow passage in communication with said fluid pressure outlet.

Claim 8

A power translating device as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve means is pressure responsive.

Claim 9

A power translating device as defined in claim 5 wherein said valve means includes first and second pairs of check valves with one pair of preventing flow from said clearance space and between said flow passages and the other pair permitting flow from said clearance space but blocking flow between said flow passages.

Claim 10

A bi-directional hydraulic motor of the gerotor type comprising, a casing, an inner gear element and an outer gear element rotatably mounted in said casing with said outer gear element eccentrically mounted relative to the inner gear element whereby a series of fluid chambers are defined between said gears and with said gears having their teeth interrelated at two cross-over areas wherein fluid communication is blocked between said Fluid chambers at either side of said cross-over areas, a pair of kidney-shaped fluid ports intermediate said cross-over areas, a pair of flow passages connected one to each of said fluid ports, and means subjecting the exterior of said outer gear element where the outer gear element is a minimal distance from the case to a fluid pressure whereby the outer gear element is supported for rotation relative to the case, said means including a single fluid pressure inlet and a diametrically opposed single fluid outlet externally of the outer gear element to provide a restricted fluid flow path with flow in the direction of outer gear element rotation to said fluid outlet and extending around the exterior of the outer gear element and with both said fluid inlet and fluid outlet connected to said flow passages, and valve means to connect the flow passage having pressure fluid to said fluid pressure inlet and the fluid pressure outlet to the other flow passage.

Claim 11

A bi-directional hydraulic motor of the gerotor type comprising, a casing, an inner gear element and an outer gear element rotatably mounted in said casing with said outer gear element eccentrically mounted relative to the inner gear element whereby a series of fluid chambers are defined between said gears and with said gears having their teeth interrelated at two cross-over areas wherein fluid communication is blocked between said Fluid chambers at either side of said cross-over areas, a pair of kidney-shaped fluid ports intermediate said cross-over areas, a pair of flow passages connected one to each of said fluid ports, and means subjecting the exterior of said outer gear element where the outer gear element is a minimal distance from the case to a fluid pressure whereby the outer gear element is supported for rotation relative to the case, said means including a single fluid pressure inlet and a diametrically opposed single fluid outlet externally of the outer gear element to provide a restricted fluid flow path with flow in the direction of outer gear element rotation to said fluid outlet and extending around the exterior of the outer gear element and with both said fluid inlet and fluid outlet connected to said flow passages, and valve means to connect the flow passage having pressure fluid to said fluid pressure inlet and the fluid pressure outlet to the other flow passage.

Claim 12

A bi-directional hydraulic motor as defined in claim 7 wherein passage means including said flow passages extend through said casing between casing ports connectable to a source of pressure and to tank, and the valve means includes a pair of pressure responsive check valves positioned in said passage means to either side of said fluid inlet and responsive to pressure whereby either of said casing ports may supply pressure fluid and provide by-directional operation.

Claim 13

A bi-directional hydraulic motor as defined in claim 8 wherein said valve means includes a second pair of check valves to connect said fluid outlet to whichever of the casing ports is connected to tank.