1. A pneumatic motor comprising:
a stator;
a rotor disposed such as to define a gap between the rotor and the stator, and disposed for rotation with respect to the stator, the rotor having openings extending in a radial direction of the rotor; and
a plurality of vanes disposed in the openings, respectively, each of the vanes being moveable in the radial direction within the respective opening thereof between a contact position, wherein the vane contacts the stator, and a non-contact position, wherein the vane does not contact the stator, wherein the rotor is configured for rotation with respect to the stator by air flow against the vanes, and wherein each of the vanes includes a portion that is permanently located in the gap and does not retract into the respective opening thereof.
2. A pneumatic motor according to claim 1, wherein each opening extends in a radial direction of the rotor, an axial direction of the rotor, and an orthogonal direction, the orthogonal direction being orthogonal to the radial direction and to the axial direction, and wherein, for each of the vanes, the portion that is permanently located in the gap and does not retract into the respective opening thereof has an extent in the orthogonal direction different from an extent in the orthogonal direction of a portion of the vane that is not permanently located in the gap.
3. A pneumatic motor according to claim 1, wherein the portion that is permanently located in the gap and does not retract into the respective opening thereof is a branch portion.
4. A pneumatic motor according to claim 1, wherein the vanes are configured for sealing contact with the stator under pressure from the air flow, wherein an edge of a transverse portion of the vanes forms a sealing contact with the stator.
5. A pneumatic motor according to claim 1, wherein as each vane passes a point where the gap has a minimum radial extent, such that the rotor passes most closely to the stator, the vane contacts both the rotor and the stator.
6. A pneumatic motor comprising:
a stator;
a rotor disposed such as to define a gap between the rotor and the stator, and disposed for rotation with respect to the stator, the rotor having a plurality of openings, each opening extending in a radial direction of the rotor, an axial direction of the rotor, and an orthogonal direction, the orthogonal direction being orthogonal to the radial direction and to the axial direction; and
a plurality of vanes disposed in the openings, respectively, each of the vanes being moveable in the radial direction within the respective opening thereof between a contact position, wherein the vane contacts the stator, and a non-contact position, wherein the vane does not contact the stator, wherein the rotor is configured for rotation with respect to the stator by air flow against the vanes, and wherein a cross-section of any of the vanes taken in a radial-orthogonal plane consists of a first portion having a first orthogonal extent and a second portion having a second orthogonal extent different from the first orthogonal extent, the second portion being located at only one radial end of the first portion.
7. A pneumatic motor according to claim 6, wherein the second portion is located at only a radially outward end of the first portion.
8. A pneumatic motor according to claim 6, wherein the first portion is a straight beam portion and the second portion is a branch portion.
9. A pneumatic motor according to claim 6, wherein the cross-section has a T-shape
10. A pneumatic motor according to claim 6, wherein the cross-section has a Y-shape
11. A pneumatic motor according to claim 6, wherein the vanes are configured for sealing contact with the stator under pressure from the air flow, wherein an edge of a transverse portion of the vanes forms a sealing contact with the stator.
12. A pneumatic motor according to claim 6, wherein as each vane passes a point where the gap has a minimum radial extent, such that the rotor passes most closely to the stator, the vane contacts both the rotor and the stator.
13. A pneumatic motor comprising:
a stator;
a rotor disposed such as to define a gap between the rotor and the stator, and disposed for rotation with respect to the stator, the rotor having openings extending in a radial direction of the rotor; and
a plurality of vanes disposed in the openings, respectively, each of the vanes being moveable in the radial direction within the respective opening thereof between a contact position, wherein the vane contacts the stator, and a non-contact position, wherein the vane does not contact the stator, wherein the rotor is configured for rotation with respect to the stator by air flow against the vanes, and wherein each of the vanes includes a magnetic portion.
14. A pneumatic motor according to claim 13, wherein the magnetic portion is located at a radially outward location on the vane.
15. A pneumatic motor according to claim 13, wherein the magnetic portion is located at or near a position on the vane that contacts the stator.
16. A pneumatic motor according to claim 13, wherein as each vane passes a point where the gap has a minimum radial extent, such that the rotor passes most closely to the stator, the vane contacts both the rotor and the stator.
17. A pneumatic motor according to claim 13, wherein any of the stator, rotor and vanes are made of nylon.
18. A pneumatic motor according to claim 13, wherein the stator comprises a material subject to magnetic attraction or repulsion by the magnetic portion of the vane.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. An opto-coupler package, comprising:
a first integrated circuit comprising
a silicon based LED; and
a threshold detector circuit electrically coupled to the LED;
a second integrated circuit comprising
a light detector configured to detect light from the LED; and
a switch control circuit electrically coupled to the light detector;
a first pin electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit;
a second pin electrically coupled to the second integrated circuit;
a transparent insulator disposed between the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit; and
an encapsulant encasing the first integrated circuit, the second integrated circuit and the transparent insulator.
2. The package of claim 1, wherein the LED is a silicon PN junction LED.
3. The package of claim 2, wherein the light detector is a Schottky barrier diode.
4. The package of claim 1, wherein the threshold detector circuit is configured to turn on the LED when a voltage signal exceeds a voltage threshold value.
5. The package of claim 4, wherein the threshold detector circuit is configured to turn on the LED when a current signal exceeds a current threshold value.
6. An opto-coupler package, comprising:
a first integrated circuit comprising
a silicon based LED; and
a threshold detector circuit electrically coupled to the LED;
a second integrated circuit spaced apart from the first integrated circuit, the second integrated circuit comprising
a light detector configured to detect light from the LED; and
a switch control circuit electrically coupled to the light detector; and
optical linking means providing an optical link between the LED on the first integrated circuit and the light detector on the second integrated circuit.
7. The package of claim 6, wherein the optical linking means is an optical fiber.
8. The package of claim 6, wherein the optical linking means is a transparent light pipe.
9. The package of claim 6, wherein the LED is a silicon PN junction LED.
10. The package of claim 9, wherein the light detector is a Schottky barrier diode.
11. The package of claim 6, wherein the threshold detector circuit is configured to turn on the LED when a voltage signal exceeds a voltage threshold value.
12. The package of claim 6, wherein the threshold detector circuit is configured to turn on the LED when a current signal exceeds a current threshold value.