A rotor for a rotary internal combustion engine with a first face seal biased axially outwardly away from the first end face has opposed curled ends abutting a first end seal of a respective one of the adjacent apex portions, and a second face seal biased axially outwardly away from the second end face has opposed curled ends abutting a second end seal of a respective one of the adjacent apex portions. A rotary internal combustion engine and a method of sealing chambers of a Wankel engine are also discussed.

A rotor for a rotary internal combustion engine with a first face seal biased axially outwardly away from the first end face has opposed curled ends abutting a first end seal of a respective one of the adjacent apex portions, and a second face seal biased axially outwardly away from the second end face has opposed curled ends abutting a second end seal of a respective one of the adjacent apex portions. A rotary internal combustion engine and a method of sealing chambers of a Wankel engine are also discussed.

There is provided a free rotary fluid machine including: a main body which is provided in a hollow cylindrical shape, and has an elliptical inner circumferential surface; a rotor which is provided in the main body, and rotates about the same rotation center as the main body; tip seals which are provided at one side of the rotor so as to be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the main body; and blades which are provided between the tip seals provided adjacent to each other, and supported by the tip seals, in which the blade has one end surface that faces the inner circumferential surface of the main body, and the other end surface that is opposite to one end surface, and centers of radii of curvature of one end surface and the other end surface are positioned at the same side. As described above, a space formed among the inner circumferential surface of the main body, the rotor, and the tip seal is sealed by the auxiliary tip seal, and as a result, it is possible to reduce friction between the tip seal and the main body and to prevent a leak of an introduced working fluid.

There is provided a free rotary fluid machine including: a main body which is provided in a hollow cylindrical shape, and has an elliptical inner circumferential surface; a rotor which is provided in the main body, and rotates about the same rotation center as the main body; tip seals which are provided at one side of the rotor so as to be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the main body; and blades which are provided between the tip seals provided adjacent to each other, and supported by the tip seals, in which the blade has one end surface that faces the inner circumferential surface of the main body, and the other end surface that is opposite to one end surface, and centers of radii of curvature of one end surface and the other end surface are positioned at the same side. As described above, a space formed among the inner circumferential surface of the main body, the rotor, and the tip seal is sealed by the auxiliary tip seal, and as a result, it is possible to reduce friction between the tip seal and the main body and to prevent a leak of an introduced working fluid.

An internal combustion engine includes one or more pairs of non-meshing, externally timed rotors disposed within a housing in an expander module and a compressor module. Each rotor includes a cylindrical, center main body including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an elongate portion extending between the ends and a first peripheral surface portion and a second peripheral surface portion and a bore extending through a center of the main body from the first end to the to second end. The rotors each have a groove extending along outer peripheral edge portions of the rotor. A pair of tip seals is disposed in the grooves. A pair of apex seals is disposed on the first peripheral surface portion and the second peripheral surface portion and an axially floating end plate is disposed at an end of the housing.

An internal combustion engine includes one or more pairs of non-meshing, externally timed rotors disposed within a housing in an expander module and a compressor module. Each rotor includes a cylindrical, center main body including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an elongate portion extending between the ends and a first peripheral surface portion and a second peripheral surface portion and a bore extending through a center of the main body from the first end to the to second end. The rotors each have a groove extending along outer peripheral edge portions of the rotor. A pair of tip seals is disposed in the grooves. A pair of apex seals is disposed on the first peripheral surface portion and the second peripheral surface portion and an axially floating end plate is disposed at an end of the housing.

A sliding contact assembly includes a first surface and a second surface. The second surface of the sliding contact assembly is configured to slide over the first surface, and at least a portion of the second surface contacts the first surface to form at an interface between the first surface and the second surface. The sliding contact assembly also includes a plurality of textures on the portion of the second surface that contacts the first surface. A density of the plurality of textures is not uniform over the portion of the second surface that contacts the first surface. The sliding contact assembly can include apex seal to housing interfaces in rotary engines, roller to roller interfaces, roller to housing interfaces, bearing to surface interfaces, etc.

A pump comprises a housing, with an interior defining a rotor path, an inlet formed in the housing at a first position on said rotor path, an outlet formed in the housing at a second position on said rotor path spaced from said first position. A rotor is rotatable in the housing with a first surface that seals against the housing. A second surface is formed on said rotor circumferentially spaced from said first surface and forms a chamber that travels around said rotor path to convey fluid from the inlet to the outlet. A resilient seal formed with the housing is located on the rotor path to prevent fluid flow from said outlet to said inlet past the seal. A passage may be provided to supply fluid to an under surface of the seal at a pressure that acts to urge the seal against the rotor.

A housing assembly for a rotary engine, has: a rotor housing having an inner face facing a rotor cavity, a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; a first side housing secured to the first side, and a second side housing secured to the second side, the rotor cavity bounded axially between the first side housing and the second side housing; and a seal received within a groove at an interface between the rotor housing and the first side housing, the groove located outwardly of the inner face and overlapping a peripheral section of the first side housing, the seal having: an elastomeric member compressed between the peripheral section and the rotor housing; and a metallic member disposed inwardly of the elastomeric member, the metallic member in contact with both of the peripheral section of the first side housing and the rotor housing.

A pump assembly comprises an inlet, an outlet and a housing having an inlet aperture in fluid connection with the inlet, and an outlet aperture in fluid connection with the outlet. A rotor located within the housing is shaped to form with an interior surface of the housing a chamber. On rotation of the rotor, the chamber conveys fluid from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture. The housing carries a seal located in the inlet and urged into contact with the rotor to prevent the passage of fluid past the rotor from the outlet to the inlet. Center lines of the inlet and the outlet are parallel to one another. The outlet can be formed by linear movement of a mold core.