The invention relates to a vacuum pump for a motor vehicle, comprising a pump housing surface, on which a noise reduction hood delimiting a sound damping volume is mounted. The invention is characterized in that a multi-functional decoupling element is located between the pump housing surface and the noise reduction hood, said element carrying out a sealing function and a valve function in addition to a sound decoupling function.

A vane pump includes: a casing forming a pump chamber therein; a rotor arranged inside the casing to rotate eccentrically with respect to the casing; and a plurality of vanes configured to rotate with the rotor and slide on an inner side surface of the casing. At least one of Formula (1): l≤(b/a)×k and Formula (2): l≤(c/a)×j is satisfied, where “a” represents a height of the pump chamber, “b” represents a height of the rotor, “c” represents a height of the vane in a rotation axis direction of the rotor, and where “l” represents a linear expansion coefficient of the casing in the rotation axis direction, “k” represents a linear expansion coefficient of the rotor in the rotation axis direction, and “j” represents a linear expansion coefficient of the vane in the rotation axis direction.

A compressor includes: a compression mechanism to compress a refrigerant; an electric motor to drive the compression mechanism; and a container to contain the compression mechanism, the electric motor, the refrigerant, and the lubricating oil. A rotor of the electric motor includes: a rotor core including a plurality of steel sheets laminated with a first gap in between; and a first permanent magnet inserted in a magnet insertion hole of the rotor core. The rotor core includes: a flow channel which is located inward from the magnet insertion hole in a radial direction of the rotor core and through which the refrigerant and the lubricating oil flow; and a first guide part to guide the lubricating oil flowing through the flow channel to the first gap when the rotor rotates.

A compressor includes a rotary shaft, a front rotor including a front rotor surface, an intermediate wall portion including a first wall surface opposed to the front rotor surface in an axial direction, and a vane that is inserted into a vane groove formed in the intermediate wall portion and is moved in the axial direction with rotation of the front rotor. The vane includes a first vane end that is an end in the axial direction and contacts the front rotor surface. The first vane end is curved so as to be convex toward the front rotor surface and extends in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The front rotor surface includes a front curving surface curved in the axial direction so as to be displaced in the axial direction in accordance with its angular position.

A vane pump includes: a casing forming a pump chamber therein; a rotor arranged inside the casing to rotate eccentrically with respect to the casing; and a plurality of vanes configured to rotate with the rotor and slide on an inner side surface of the casing. At least one of Formula (1): I(b/a)k and Formula (2): I(c/a)j is satisfied, where a represents a height of the pump chamber, b represents a height of the rotor, c represents a height of the vane in a rotation axis direction of the rotor, and where I represents a linear expansion coefficient of the casing in the rotation axis direction, k represents a linear expansion coefficient of the rotor in the rotation axis direction, and j represents a linear expansion coefficient of the vane in the rotation axis direction.

A compressor includes a rotary shaft, a rotating body, which rotates together with the rotary shaft, and a fixed body, which does not rotate together with the rotary shaft. The rotating body has a rotating body surface, and the fixed body has a fixed body surface facing the rotating body surface in the axial direction. The compressor includes a vane, which is inserted in a vane groove provided in the rotating body, and a compression chamber, which is defined by the rotating body surface and the fixed body surface. The vane includes a vane body, which is inserted in the vane groove, and a tip seal, which is movable in the axial direction relative to the vane body.

A compressor includes a rotary shaft, a rotating body, a fixed body, a vane, and a compression chamber. The vane has a vane end that contacts the surface of fixed body. The fixed body surface includes two curved surfaces. The curved surface includes a convex surface and a concave surface. The convex surface has a convex surface inner end and a convex surface outer end. The curvature of the convex surface inner end is greater than the curvature of the convex surface outer end. The concave surface has a concave surface inner end and a concave surface outer end. The curvature of the concave surface inner end is greater than the curvature of the concave surface outer end.

Prime movers are provided that can include: a pair of cylindrical members about a center rod, a fixed member about the center rod between the pair of cylindrical members; wherein the pair of cylindrical members rotate with the center rod in relation to the fixed member; a housing extending between the cylindrical members; and a plurality of chambers between the opposing bases of the cylindrical members and the fixed member. Methods for rotating members in relation to a fixed member are also provided. The methods can include rotating a pair of cylindrical members in relation to a fixed member about a center rod along a shared axis within a housing extending between the pair of cylindrical members.

A compressor includes a rotary shaft, a housing in which a suction port through which a suction fluid is drawn in and a discharge port through which a compression fluid is discharged are formed, and that houses the rotary shaft, and compression chambers. The suction fluid is drawn into the compression chambers. Respective volumes of the compression chambers are periodically changed with rotation of the rotary shaft. The phases of volume changes of the compression chambers are mutually shifted. The compressor includes a communication mechanism switched between a communicating state in which the compression chambers communicate with each other, and a non-communicating state in which the compression chambers do not communicate with each other.

Electricity generators are provided that can include: members having opposing bases that include chambers to facilitate the conversion of source energy to mechanical energy with one of the members rotating in relation to another of the members and a housing about the rotating member. Generator components can be operably engaged to the housing and rotating member to generate electricity. Methods for generating electricity are also provided. The methods can include: rotating a first cylindrical member in relation to a fixed second member about a center rod along a shared axis within a housing; and generating electricity between conductive components along both the sidewalls of the first cylindrical member and the housing.