Driven Vane Compressor

Abstract

A rotary vane device comprising a rotor and a vane positioned in a pumping chamber in a housing for rotation about respective eccentric axes, wherein the rotor has a rotor slot in which the vane is positioned, characterized by the vane being driven and the rotor following the vane.

1 . A rotary vane device comprising:
 a housing including a pumping chamber having an axis and flow passages for flow of fluid to and from the pumping chamber;   a rotor eccentrically positioned in the pumping chamber and supported in the housing for rotation about an axis eccentric to the pumping chamber axis whereby a variable volume space is formed between a radially outer surface of the rotor and a radially inner surface of the housing, the rotor having a radially extending slot opening to the radially outer surface of the rotor;   a vane drive member supported in the housing for rotation about the pumping chamber axis; and   a vane disposed in the rotor slot and coupled to the vane drive shaft independently of the rotor for rotation with the vane drive member about the pumping chamber axis, the vane having a radially outer end adjacent the radially inner surface of the housing and a side wall for engaging an opposed side wall of the rotor slot while permitting relative radial movement between the vane and the rotor slot, whereby rotation of the vane about the chamber axis will rotatably drive the rotor about the rotor axis within the chamber while the vane moves radially relative to rotor.   
   
   
       2 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein vane drive member includes a drive shaft coaxial with the pumping chamber axis, and the vane is fixedly joined to the shaft and extends radially from the shaft. 
   
   
       3 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor slot increases in width going from a radially outer end of the slot to a radially inner end of the slot, for accommodating relative pivotal movement of the vane relative to the side wall of the slot when the vane is rotatably driven about the pumping chamber axis. 
   
   
       4 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 2 , wherein the vane is attached to the drive shaft by a pair of axially spaced apart vane supports fixed to the drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft, and the vane extends axially between the vane supports. 
   
   
       5 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 2 , wherein the housing has axially spaced apart side walls defining respective axial ends of the pumping chamber, and the drive shaft has opposite axial ends supported by bearings in the side walls, respectively. 
   
   
       6 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 2 , wherein the vane is radially outwardly spaced from the drive shaft. 
   
   
       7 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor has opposite ends thereof supported by respective bearings in the housing. 
   
   
       8 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 7 , wherein each bearing includes an inner race, an outer race and anti-friction elements between the inner and outer races. 
   
   
       9 . A rotary vane device comprising a rotor and a vane positioned in a pumping chamber in a housing, wherein the rotor has a rotor slot in which the vane is positioned, characterized by the vane being driven and the rotor following the vane. 
   
   
       10 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor slot increases in width going from a radially outer end of the slot to a radially inner end of the slot, for accommodating relative pivotal movement of the vane relative side wall of the slot when the vane is rotatably driven about the pumping chamber axis. 
   
   
       11 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing has axially spaced apart side walls defining respective axial ends of the pumping chamber, and the rotor and vane are rotatably supported by respective eccentrically disposed bearings in each side wall. 
   
   
       12 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , comprising a seal member at the radially outer end of the vane for sealingly engaging the radially inner surface of the housing. 
   
   
       13 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a stator plate having a through bore forming the pumping chamber, and opposite end plates closing the ends of the pumping chamber. 
   
   
       14 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vane and rotor are about equal in longitudinal length 
   
   
       15 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor and vane are each rotationally balanced. 
   
   
       16 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radially outer end of the vane is convexly curved concentrically with the pumping chamber axis. 
   
   
       17 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radially inner surface of the housing is curved concentrically around the pumping chamber axis. 
   
   
       18 . A rotary vane device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radially outer surface of the rotor is curved concentrically around the rotor axis.