A fluid motor including an inner race and an outer race is disclosed. The inner and outer races are configured to rotate about a substantially common axis. The motor also includes at least one fluid actuator configured to produce substantially linear motion as a function of selectively receiving pre
A fluid motor including an inner race and an outer race is disclosed. The inner and outer races are configured to rotate about a substantially common axis. The motor also includes at least one fluid actuator configured to produce substantially linear motion as a function of selectively receiving pressurized fluid. The fluid motor also includes at least one sprag configured to rotate the inner and outer races about the axis as a function of the substantially linear motion.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A fluid motor comprising: an inner race and an outer race, the inner and outer races configured to rotate about a substantially common axis; at least one fluid actuator configured to produce substantially linear motion as a function of selectively receiving pressurized fluid;
What is claimed is: 1. A fluid motor comprising: an inner race and an outer race, the inner and outer races configured to rotate about a substantially common axis; at least one fluid actuator configured to produce substantially linear motion as a function of selectively receiving pressurized fluid; and at least one sprag configured to rotate the inner and outer races about the axis as a function of the substantially linear; and at least one fluid path configured to communicate pressurized fluid from the fluid actuator to the at least one sprag. 2. The fluid motor of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of grooves disposed on each of an outer surface of the inner race and an inner surface of the outer race; and a plurality of ridges disposed on an outer surface of the at least one sprag. 3. The fluid motor of claim 1, wherein the at least one sprag is a first sprag and the fluid motor further includes a sprag assembly including the first sprag, a second sprag, and a first link operatively connected to the first and second sprags. 4. The fluid motor of claim 3, wherein: the fluid actuator includes first and second chambers configured to selectively receive pressurized fluid; and the first sprag is configured to rotate the inner and outer races as a function of the first fluid chamber selectively receiving pressurized fluid and the second sprag is configured to rotate the inner and outer races as a function of the second fluid chamber selectively receiving pressurized fluid. 5. The fluid motor of claim 4, wherein: the first sprag is further configured to rotate the inner and outer races in a first direction; and the second sprag is further configured to rotate the inner and outer races in a second direction, opposite the first direction. 6. The fluid motor of claim 1, wherein the at least one sprag is a plurality of sprags and the at least one fluid actuator is a plurality of fluid actuators, the fluid motor further including a plurality sprag assemblies each including a first and a second sprag operatively connected via a first link, wherein: each of the plurality of fluid actuators includes a piston defining first and second fluid chambers within a cylinder; each piston of the plurality of fluid actuators is operatively associated with a respective first link of a sprag assembly and configured to move the respective first link as a function of pressurized fluid selectively supplied to the first and second fluid chambers defined by the piston; each of the first sprags is configured to selectively transmit motion to the inner and outer races as a function of the pressurized fluid selectively supplied to first and second fluid chambers and movement of a respective first link. 7. The fluid motor of claim 1, further including a linkage operatively connected between the at least one fluid actuator and the at least one sprag and configured to translate the substantially linear motion of the at least one actuator to the at least one sprag. 8. The fluid motor of claim 7, wherein the linkage includes an adjustable lever arm configured to vary the amount of the substantially linear motion translated to the at least one sprag. 9. A method of producing rotary motion comprising: selectively supplying pressurized fluid to at least one fluid actuator to produce a reciprocal motion; selectively communicating pressurized fluid from the at least one fluid actuator to at least one sprag; selectively actuating the at least one sprag to substantially lock an inner race and an outer race for mutual rotation thereof; transferring the linear motion from the at least one fluid actuator to the inner and outer races via the at least one sprag to rotate the inner and outer race about an axis. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein: the at least one fluid actuator includes a first and a second fluid chamber therein; selectively supplying pressurized fluid includes selectively supplying pressurized fluid to the first and second fluid chambers; and transferring the linear motion includes moving a link operatively connected between the at least one fluid actuator and the at least one sprag. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one fluid actuator is a plurality of fluid actuators and the at least one sprag is a plurality of sprags, each one of the plurality of fluid actuators being operatively associated with at least two sprags, the method further including: selectively supplying pressurized fluid to a first fluid actuator to move a first one of the at least two sprags associated therewith in a first direction; and selectively supplying pressurized fluid to a second fluid actuator to move a first one of the at least two sprags associated therewith in the first direction. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein pressurized fluid is selectively supplied to the second fluid actuator after pressurized fluid is selectively supplied to the first fluid actuator. 13. The method of claim 11, further including selectively supplying pressurized fluid to the remaining plurality of fluid actuators, one after another, to move a first one of the at least two sprags associated with a respective one of the remaining plurality of fluid actuators in the first direction. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively supplying pressurized fluid to each of the plurality of fluid actuators establishes an actuation sequence and the method further includes performing a plurality of actuation sequences. 15. A fluid motor comprising: an inner and an outer race; a plurality of sprag assemblies disposed radially between the inner and outer races, each sprag assembly including a pair of sprags; a plurality of fluid actuator assemblies, each being operatively associated with one of the plurality of sprag assemblies and including a first piston defining first and second fluid chambers therein; a plurality of linkages, each linkage operatively associated with a respective sprag assembly and a fluid actuator assembly and connected to each of the pair of sprags of the associated sprag assembly and the first piston of the associated fluid actuator assembly; and a plurality of first fluid paths, each first fluid path being operatively associated with a respective sprag assembly and a fluid actuator assembly and configured to fluidly communicate one of the first or second fluid chambers of the associated fluid actuator with one of the pair of sprags of the associated sprag assembly. 16. The fluid motor of claim 15, further including a plurality of second fluid paths, each second fluid path being operatively associated with a respective sprag assembly and a fluid actuator assembly and configured to fluidly communicate the other one of the first or second fluid chambers of the associated fluid actuator assembly with the other one of the pair of sprags of the associated sprag assembly. 17. The fluid motor of claim 15, wherein pressurized fluid is selectively supplied to the first fluid chamber of one of the plurality of fluid actuator assemblies to selectively displace the first piston and selectively actuate the sprag fluidly communicated with the first fluid chamber selectively supplied with pressurized fluid. 18. The fluid motor of claim 15, further including at least nine sprag assemblies, nine fluid actuator assemblies, and nine linkage assemblies, wherein: pressurized fluid is selectively supplied to each one of the nine fluid actuator assemblies one after another to selectively actuate each one of the nine sprag assemblies one after another. 19. The fluid motor of claim 15, further including at least nine sprag assemblies, nine fluid actuator assemblies, and nine linkage assemblies, wherein: pressurized fluid is selectively supplied to at least one of the nine fluid actuators to selectively actuate at least one of the nine sprag assemblies and selectively achieve a plurality of drive ratios as a function of the quantity of fluid actuators that are selectively supplied with pressurized fluid. 20. The fluid motor of claim 15, wherein the plurality of fluid actuator assemblies and the plurality of sprag assemblies are circumferentially spaced around the inner race at substantially equal intervals. 21. The fluid motor of claim 15, wherein the inner and an outer races, the plurality of sprag assemblies, the plurality of fluid actuator assemblies, and the plurality of linkages establish an assembly operatively connected to an output device, the fluid motor further comprising: a plurality of additional assemblies each operatively connected to the output device. 22. The fluid motor of claim 15, wherein: one of the pair of sprags is configured to translate a first movement of the first piston of the associated fluid actuator assembly into a first rotational movement of the inner and outer races; the other one of the pair of sprags is configured to translate a second movement of the first piston of the associated fluid actuator assembly into a second rotational movement of the inner and outer races; and the first and second rotational movements are in opposite directions. 23. The fluid motor of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of linkages includes an adjustable lever arm connected between the first piston of the associated fluid actuator assembly and the pair of sprags of the associated sprag assembly. 24. The fluid motor of claim 15, wherein each fluid actuator assembly further includes: two fluid actuators, the first piston is operatively associated with one of the two fluid actuators; a second piston operatively associated with the other one of the two fluid actuators; and a pin operatively connected to both the first and second pistons.
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