CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Stage Application pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application PCT/US2018/048841, filed on Aug. 30, 2018, and published as WO 2019/177659 on Sep. 19, 2019, which claims priority to International Patent Publication No. PCT/US2018/022672, filed on Mar. 15, 2018, and published as WO 2019/177613 on Sep. 19, 2019, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to apparatuses for converting linear motion to rotational motion and vice versa, and more particularly a multiple-rodrack assembly for motion conversion.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Apparatuses for converting linear motion to rotational motion or rotational motion to linear motion are typically used in systems such as internal combustion engines, pumps and compressors, as well as various other applications. For example, internal combustion engines typically generate rotational motion by burning gasoline, oil, or other fuel with air to produce linear motion of pistons, and translating the linear motion of the pistons to rotational motion to rotate a power shaft. In addition, internal combustion engines typically involve undesirably high fuel consumption.

A need exists for an apparatus providing more efficient linear-to-rotational motion conversion and/or rotational-to-linear motion conversion, and increased transfer of power during linear-to-rotational motion conversion.

Constant velocity engine designs and technologies are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,327,819, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY

A motion conversion apparatus is disclosed. The motion conversion apparatus comprises at least one set including a rodrack assembly between two gearshaft member end sections, and a gearshaft member mid section between the two gearshaft member end sections. The rodrack assembly comprises a first gear connection member and two guide members. The gearshaft member mid section comprises a second gear connection member configured to engage with the first gear connection member. The two gearshaft member end sections each comprise a guiding surface arrangement configured to contact the two guide members. The rodrack assembly is configured to provide rotation of the gearshaft member mid section about a rotational axis by reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly along a first spatial dimension orthogonal to the rotational axis, and/or the gearshaft member mid section is configured to provide reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly along the first spatial dimension by rotational motion of the gearshaft member mid section about the rotational axis. The guiding surface arrangement is configured to simultaneously contact each of the two guide members during at least a portion of the reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly.

