Technical word for rotor shape
 

What is the technical name of the shape of the rotor in a rotary engine. I know its a stupid question, just wondering. Thanks

My first impulse was to go with triangle, but I know there is a much larger word that describes it much better.

The inside of the rotor housing is a peritrochoid shape, and the rotor is shaped to fit inside of it. I guess the rotor shape is best described as a Reuleaux triangle. Hopefully some of the advanced math folks on the forum can come up with a more accurate description.

Rotors are similar to, but not exactly, Reuleaux triangles. They are more flattened on the faces than a true Reuleaux triangle.

if you want to know about geometry then this is interesting reading.

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~kenn...n/chapter7.pdf

this paper gives some interesting insight into eccentricity ratio and some other cool things. evil aviator.. i believe that is an accurate description of the shape.

i don't know if this is very helpful, but you might want to see what organic chemists have to say about the shape of cyclopropane. i remember when i was taking orgo, the stress of the bond made it curve like a rotor. worth a shot, eh?

oh and monkhommey, thanks for that paper. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuleaux_triangle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epitrochoid

The rotor shape is called a 3-flanked Hypotrochoid, which is the inner envelope of a 2-lobe Peritrochoid. This according to Rotary Engine by Kenichi Yamamoto.

Blake wins.

trochoid rotors spinning in an epitrochoid curve.

Big.....Words...... Hurting...... Brain.........

Why not just call it an inflated triangle. :)

Edit: better yet, a triangle.... WITH BOOST!

i would say the description most likely to be understood by your friends is: "its like one of thsoe 3d doritos"