抄録
The TriTec Power Unit (TPU) is a clever and simple design, utilizing many parts commonly available today. It will cost less to manufacture and occupy less space than a conventional motor, especially when it displaces the need for a gearbox and/or clutches. It is very flexible; its cylinders can be configured in several basic designs: radial, opposing, and top-mounted. The TPU can be scaled upward to very large sizes and for very heavy-duty applications. Due to the interchangeability of parts, the TPU will have lower maintenance and inventory expenses. The TPU can be employed in remote areas that may lack advanced technical expertise. It may operate in harsh environments that are hostile to other motor technologies. It is also very flexible in terms of fuel sources; theTPU can be designed to operate on positive pressure such as compressed air or steam, and it can also be powered electrically.
The essence of the TPU is based on two powerful mechanical principles, the power of the wedge and the lever. The heart of the TPU is its tri-lobed transmitter which converts linear mechanical force into rotary motion. The transmitter provides more than four times as much leverage as a crank from the same piston stroke and produces three power strokes per revolution per piston. The result is an engine that can produce torque at the moment of rotation and attain peak power at a minute fraction of the cycle. Work is performed more efficiently and at much lower RPM than conventional motors or engines. Initial prototypes and computer modeling confirmed the design to have as much as 50% mechanical efficiency advantage over the traditionally designed crank-type air motor.
