Quote:
Originally Posted by bbraden
Ok, I've got lots to learn about this stuff so here's my first question:
How are you going to move the center axis of the cylinders? I think that I understand your idea fairly well. I understand that as long as the ends of all of the cylinders are aligned centrally with the total rotating "hub" (as long as the piston rods are connected to the hub) there is no mechanical advantage for the power pistons so that there is no rotation of the hub. Once you move the axis of the cylinders to one side or the other, you will create higher pressures in cylinders which move closer to the hub, which creates rotation in that direction. If you reversed the axis to the other side, it will effectively reverse the entire rotation. Is this right?
If so, how will you move the axis arm itself? Would hydraulic cylinders move it from one side to the other?
|
At the bottom of the first post in this thread are two pictures of the non functional model built 3 years ago to demonstrate the motion of the journal. The only rotating portion of the model is the outermost part, outside of the black shaded area where the four locating pins are positioned.
The original design used a shaft through an offset hole in the enlarged axle that was externally adjusted to accomplish the stroke position changes.
There are no connecting rods. The cylinders rotate around the adjustable journal while the pistons are connected to the four outer pins.
Hydraulic pressure applies force to the face of the journal and to the outer rim of the hub. Think of a wheel bolted to this assembly using the same 4 outer pin locations as the lugs for attaching the rim and tire.
The pressure applied through the hydraulic fluid has no relief when the journal is centered in the hub. Moving the journal to either side of the centered neutral position produces force on the outer pins which results in wheel rotation.
The adjustment of the journal can be accomplished by several different methods. The specifics of that operation are still a point of refinement and potential future patents. The rest of the design has been published and reviewed so any disclosure of that part of the design is not something that would affect the issuance of a patent, or future patent applications related to additional refinements.
As long as the patent is issued (within a few months), it would be difficult for another design to be patented as long as it would not be rejected as being
"obvious to someone educated in the art"
This broad stroke of rejection criteria is very difficult to work around for any competing design that used the basic configuration shown in the photos. The ultimate test of patent ability is novelty over existing designs.
The initial review has been approved as passing the novelty threshold. The second round is detail corrections in the document itself. These are things like having the same number identifying two separate components in the drawings, an error on the part of the attorney.
The initial review accepted 5 of 6 of the original claims. This is almost unheard of in patent applications involving mechanical designs since you have to have novelty over anything that existed before.
regards
Mech
edit:
I added a photo (crude rough pencil drawing) of an exploded view of the pump-motor. As you can see it has very few parts. Bearings are not illustrated in the drawing and the hub and axle are already existing on any vehicle.