초록 ▼

An engine for providing rotary power about an output shaft with a high power-to-weight ratio includes a plurality of flow guiding blades mounted on the inner surface of an annular thruster base. The flow guiding blades cooperate with the peripheral surface of a rotor for forming a plurality of ramje

An engine for providing rotary power about an output shaft with a high power-to-weight ratio includes a plurality of flow guiding blades mounted on the inner surface of an annular thruster base. The flow guiding blades cooperate with the peripheral surface of a rotor for forming a plurality of ramjet-like thrusters. The configuration of the flow guiding blades allows for optimization of the number of thrusters. The centrifugal forces generated by the rotating components is compensated by an annular reinforcement wall made with high strength materials allowing for downsizing of the rotor and associated components.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A rotary ramjet engine for producing an output power about an output shaft, said output shaft extending substantially along a shaft axis, said engine comprising: an annular shape thruster base defining a radially inwardly located thruster base inner surface and an opposed rad

What is claimed is: 1. A rotary ramjet engine for producing an output power about an output shaft, said output shaft extending substantially along a shaft axis, said engine comprising: an annular shape thruster base defining a radially inwardly located thruster base inner surface and an opposed radially outwardly located thruster base outer surface; the thruster base including at least one thruster extending substantially radially and inwardly from the thruster base inner surface; the thruster base being disposed for rotary motion along a substantially circular thruster path positioned in a rotary plane substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis, said thruster base being capable of generating a thruster torque about said shaft axis, said thruster base generating a thruster centrifugal force acting thereon when rotating along said thruster path; a mechanical thruster-to-shaft coupling means operatively coupled to both said thruster base and said output shaft for transmitting said thruster torque to said output shaft; a centrifugal force compensating and annular-shaped reinforcement wall operatively coupled to said thruster base for reacting to said centrifugal force and compensating for the latter so as to maintain said thruster base in said thruster path when said thruster base is rotated in said rotary plane; said annular-shaped reinforcement wall being a piece distinct from the thruster base and from the mechanical thruster-to-shaft coupling means; said annular-shaped reinforcement wall defining a radially inwardly located reinforcement wall inner surface; said annular-shaped reinforcement wall being so configured that at least a portion of said inner surface of the reinforcement wall is in abutting contact with said thruster base outer surface; said reinforcement wall including a one-dimensional carbon-based composite material, whereby said mechanical thruster-to-shaft coupling means and said centrifugal force compensating and annular-shaped reinforcement wall are allowed to perform their respective force transmitting and compensating function substantially independently from each other so as to substantially reduce the need for said mechanical thruster-to-shaft coupling means to react to and compensate for said centrifugal force. 2. An engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said mechanical thruster-to-shaft coupling means includes: a mechanical coupling component configured and sized for extending substantially radially between said output shaft and said thruster base; a coupling component-to-thruster attachment means for attaching said mechanical coupling component to said thruster base; a coupling component-to-shaft attachment means for attaching said coupling component to said output shaft. 3. An engine as recited in claim 2, wherein said thruster-to-shaft coupling means allows said thruster base and said mechanical coupling component to expand and retract substantially radially and substantially independently from each other. 4. An engine as recited in claim 2, wherein: said mechanical coupling component defines a radially innermost located coupling component inner edge and a radially outermost located coupling component outer edge; said coupling component-to-shaft attachment means allowing said shaft to be attached to said mechanical coupling component substantially adjacent to said coupling component inner edge; said coupling component-to-thruster attachment means allowing said thruster base to be attached to said mechanical coupling component substantially adjacent to said coupling component outer edge; said coupling component-to-thruster attachment means allowing said mechanical coupling component and said thruster base to rotate solidarly with each other while allowing for a relative radial movement between said coupling component outer edge and said thruster. 5. An engine as recited in claim 4, wherein said coupling component-to-thruster attachment means includes an inter-engaging tongue and groove combination extending between said coupling component outer edge and said thruster base, said tongue and groove combination being configured and sized for maintaining said tongue in operational contact with said groove while allowing relative movement between said tongue and said groove in a substantially radial direction and preventing relative movement between said tongue and said groove in other directions. 6. An engine as recited in claim 5, wherein said tongue extends substantially radially from said coupling component outer edge and said groove is formed in part of said thruster base. 7. An engine as recited in claim 5, wherein said tongue has a substantially parallelepiped-shaped tongue configuration and wherein said groove has a substantially complimentary parallelepiped shaped groove configuration. 8. An engine as recited in claim 2, wherein said mechanical coupling component includes a generally disc-shaped rotor defining a pair of opposed rotor side surfaces and a radially outermost rotor peripheral surface, said rotor defining a rotor rotational axis, said rotor rotational axis being in a substantially collinear relationship relative to said shaft axis, said rotor being rotatable about said rotor rotational axis. 9. An engine as recited in claim 8, wherein said coupling component-to-thruster attachment means includes: a tongue extending integrally and substantially radially from said rotor peripheral surface; a groove formed in part of said thruster base, said tongue and groove being configured and sized for maintaining said tongue in operational contact with said groove while allowing relative movement between said tongue and said groove in a substantially radial direction and preventing relative movement between said tongue and said groove in other directions. 10. An engine as recited in claim 8, wherein said rotor side surfaces are configured to reduce aerodynamical drag thereon when said rotor is rotated about said rotor rotational axis. 11. An engine as recited in claim 8, wherein the cross-sectional configuration of said rotor is dividable into a pair of rotor cross-section half portions, said rotor cross-section half portions being substantially symmetrically configured and positioned relative to said rotor rotational axis, each of said rotor cross-section half portions defining a half portion proximal region and an integrally extending half portion distal region located respectively radially proximally and distally relative to said rotor rotational axis, said half portion proximal region having a substantially frusto-triangular configuration tapering radially outwardly and said half portion distal region having a substantially rectangular configuration. 12. An engine as recited in claim 8 further comprising: a vacuum creating means fluidly coupled to said engine for creating at least a partial vacuum substantially adjacent at least a portion of at least one of said rotor side surfaces. 13. An engine as recited in claim 8, wherein: said rotor peripheral surface defines a rotor peripheral surface axial length in a direction substantially parallel to said rotor rotational axis; said thruster defines a thruster axial length in a direction substantially parallel to said shaft axis; said thruster axial length being greater than said rotor peripheral surface axial length. 14. An engine as recited in claim 8, wherein said rotor is provided with a rotor cooling channel extending at least partially therethrough, said rotor cooling channel defining a rotor cooling channel outlet end for discharging a cooling fluid substantially adjacent said rotor peripheral surface. 15. An engine as recited in claim 14 further comprising: a thruster base cooling channel extending at least partially through said thruster base, said thruster base cooling channel defining a thruster base cooling channel inlet end and a thruster base cooling channel outlet end, said thruster base cooling channel inlet end being in fluid communication with said rotor cooling channel outlet end and said thruster cooling channel outlet end being located adjacent said annular-shaped reinforcement wall for discharging said cooling fluid adjacent an interface between said thruster base outer surface and said annular-shaped reinforcement wall inner surface. 16. An engine as recited in claim 14, wherein said rotor cooling channel defines a rotor cooling channel inlet end located substantially adjacent said rotor rotational axis, said rotor inlet end being in fluid communication with the external environment adjacent said rotor rotational axis, said rotor cooling channel extending substantially radially between said rotor cooling channel inlet and outlet ends; whereby said rotor cooling channel allows a cooling fluid in the external environment adjacent said rotor cooling channel to be centrifugally pumped through said rotor cooling channel and discharged through said rotor cooling channel outlet end when said rotor is rotated about said rotor rotational axis. 17. An engine as recited in claim 16, wherein: said output shaft has a shaft cooling channel extending substantially longitudinally and at least partially therethrough, said shaft cooling channel being in fluid communication with a radially disposed shaft fluid discharge aperture; said rotor has a substantially centrally located shaft receiving aperture extending therethrough, said shaft receiving aperture being configured and sized for substantially fittingly receiving said output shaft; said rotor cooling channel inlet end leads into said shaft receiving aperture and is positionable in fluid communication with said shaft fluid aperture; whereby upon said rotor being rotated about said rotor rotational axis, said cooling fluid is pumped centrifugally through said shaft and rotor cooling channels. 18. An engine as recited in claim 8, wherein said rotor is made out of a carbon/carbon composite material coated with a substantially oxidation resistant coating. 19. An engine as recited in claim 18, wherein said oxidation resistant coating includes silicium carbide and tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate. 20. An engine as recited in claim 1 further comprising: a cooling means for cooling said reinforcement wall. 21. An engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said one-dimensional carbon-based composite material includes a matrix made of epoxy. 22. An engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said one-dimensional carbon-based composite material includes a matrix made of a polyimide. 23. An engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement wall is made out of coiled carbon fibers. 24. An engine as recited in claim 1, wherein: said mechanical thruster-to-shaft coupling means includes a generally disc-shaped rotor defining a pair of opposed rotor side surfaces and a radially outermost rotor peripheral surface, said rotor peripheral surface defining a rotor peripheral surface axial length in a direction substantially parallel to said rotor rotational axis; said thruster base defines a thruster base axial length in a direction substantially parallel to said shaft axis; said thruster base axial length being greater than said rotor peripheral surface axial length. 25. An engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one thruster is a shock wave compression thruster. 26. An engine as recited in claim 25, wherein said at least one thruster is a ramjet thruster.