Patent Application
20250027487
The present invention relates to an air supply unit of a vehicle air suspension system, and in particular relates to an integrated air compressor.
As an important part of the active suspension system, air suspension mainly includes air compressor, air tank, different valves and compressed air pipelines. These components are connected by independent, non-space-saving pneumatic and electrical pipelines, which are not integrated or compact enough.
In particular, single-stage or two-stage compressor concepts with linear pistons are often used as air compressors in air supply devices for air suspension systems of motor vehicles. The air compressor described above is usually driven by an electric motor and includes a pump head made of plastic or die-cast aluminum; the single-stage air compressor has the obvious disadvantage that it has only one pump head and one pressure stage, resulting in a disadvantage that the inflation efficiency is low, so it is not widely in use. The two-stage compressor has two piston heads and two pressure stages, which increases the pumping efficiency, but the two pump heads are located on both sides of the radial direction of the motor drive shaft, which occupies a certain space and is not compact enough; On the other hand, both the single-stage as well as the two-stage air compressor described above need to be connected by lines having a certain length to the distributing valve unit and from there to the corresponding air spring, that is to say the distributing valve unit and the air compressor are connected by separate, non-space-saving pneumatic lines, in which case the individual components have to be laboriously connected.
Therefore, there is a need to have a better and efficient compressed air control device with a high pressure air output.
In one aspect, one embodiment discloses an air compressor. The air compressor comprises at least two separate cylinder housings, a pair of pistons, a motor, a pair of head members, and a distribution valve unit. Each cylinder housing may define a cylinder with an axis. The axes are parallel and spaced apart. The pair of pistons has each piston being reciprocable in a corresponding one of the cylinders so as to reciprocate along the axis of the corresponding cylinder to vary a working volume of the cylinder. The motor may be positioned between the two axes of the corresponding cylinders and drives the pistons so as to reciprocate the pistons. The pair of head members have each head member being fastened to a different one of the cylinder housings. The distribution valve unit may be positioned in between and next to the cylinder housings.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor may further comprise an air drier connected to and positioned next to the distribution unit.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises an air input unit configured to introduce air into the cylinder.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises an air output unit configured to move a compressed air out of the cylinder.
Optionally in any aspect, the motor is configured to connect to and positioned to be next to the distribution valve unit.
Optionally in any aspect, the motor comprise a brushless motor.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises a crank shaft, a connecting rod, and a piston head assembly.
Optionally in any aspect, the piston head assembly is configured to connect to one end of the connecting rod.
Optionally in any aspect, the motor further comprises a driving shaft, wherein the connecting rods connected to the driving shaft along both sides of an axis of the motor driving shaft.
In further another aspect, one embodiment discloses an air compressor. The air compressor comprises at least two separate cylinder housings, a pair of pistons, a motor. The at least two separate cylinder housings have each cylinder housing defining a cylinder with an axis. The axes are parallel and spaced apart. The pair of pistons with each piston is reciprocable in a corresponding one of the cylinders so as to reciprocate along the axis of the corresponding cylinder to vary a working volume of the cylinder. The motor has a driving shaft and positioned between the two axes of the corresponding cylinders and driving the pistons so as to reciprocate the pistons. The piston is connected to the driving shaft along both side of an axis of the motor driving shaft.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises a distribution valve unit positioned in between and next to the cylinder housings.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises a pair of head members with each head member being fastened to a different one of the cylinder housings.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises an air drier connected and positioned next to the distribution unit.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises an air input unit configured to introduce air into the cylinder.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor may further comprise an air output unit configured to release a compressed air out of the cylinder.
Optionally in any aspect, the motor may be configured to connect to and positioned to be next to the distribution valve unit.
In still further another aspect, one embodiment discloses an air compressor. The air compressor comprises at least two separate cylinder housings, a pair of pistons, a distribution valve unit. Each cylinder housing may define a cylinder with an axis. The axes are parallel and spaced apart. Each piston is reciprocable in a corresponding one of the cylinders so as to reciprocate along the axis of the corresponding cylinder to vary a working volume of the cylinder. The distribution valve unit positioned in between and next to the cylinder housings.
Optionally in any aspect, the air compressor further comprises a motor positioned between the two axes of the corresponding cylinders and driving the pistons so as to reciprocate the pistons.
Optionally in any aspect, the motor is configured to connect to and positioned to be next to the distribution valve unit.
In order to illustrate the technical solutions more clearly in the embodiments of the present disclosure or the exemplary techniques, the drawings to be used in the embodiments or the description of the exemplary embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only certain embodiments of the present disclosure, and other drawings may be obtained according to the structures shown in the drawings without any creative work for those skilled in the art.
The invention is not limited to the particular methodology, protocols, and reagents described herein because they may vary. Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms and any acronyms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the field of the invention. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are described herein. The technical means, creative features, objectives, and effects of the patent application may be easy to understand, the following embodiments will further illustrate the patent application. However, the following embodiments are only the preferred embodiments of the utility patent application, not all of them. Based on the examples in the implementation manners, other examples obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention. The experimental methods in the following examples are conventional methods unless otherwise specified. The materials used in the following examples can be obtained from commercial sources unless otherwise specified.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an air compressor for a source of compressed air on motor vehicles, and method for designing a more efficient reciprocating piston compressor.
The present disclosure relates to a two-cylinder piston compressor for generating compressed air. The piston compressor has a crankcase for rotatably mounting a crankshaft on which a number of connecting rods are rotatably mounted so as to run counter to one another. The number of connecting rods corresponds to the number of pistons with associated cylinders. Means is provided for generating a cooling air flow which passes through the interior of the crankcase as a result of a pumping effect caused by the movement cycle of the piston.
A piston compressor of the above type is used, for example, within a compressed air supply system of a utility vehicle or of a rail vehicle. When used in a utility vehicle, the compressed air generated by the piston compressor may also be utilized for operating the air spring system, as well as for operating the brake system. On account of the associated very high compressed air demand, two-stage piston compressors are usually used here, which are correspondingly of two-cylinder design. With two-cylinder piston compressors of the above type, the required compressed air demand can be generated within short periods of time.
The present disclosure relates to a two-cylinder piston compressor for generating compressed air. The piston compressor includes a crankcase having an interior, and a crankshaft rotatably mounted in the crankcase. Also included are two connecting rods mounted in the crankshaft and configured to run counter to one another. Further included are two cylinders mounted in the crankcase and a piston arranged at an end of each of the connecting rods and configured to run in a respective one of the two cylinders.
The present disclosure encompasses the technical teaching that, in order to assist the pumping effect, each piston operates in a separate chamber. The separate chambers are generated by separating means which are arranged in the crankcase and which surround the crankshaft, so that different pressure conditions are generated in the chambers.
Referring first to
In one embodiment, the air drier 120 may be above the distribution valve unit 130, for example.
The motor housing 140 may include an air opening 160 located at an outside surface of the distribution valve unit 130. The air opening 160 may help to introduce air into the air compressor 100.
The motor housing 140 may help protect the motor 210 from outside damages, preventing dust from getting into the motor 210. In one embodiment, the motor 210 may be an electric motor. An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate force in the form of torque applied on the motor's shaft.
Electric motors may be powered by direct current (DC) sources, such as from batteries, or rectifiers, or by alternating current (AC) sources, such as a power grid, inverters or electrical generators.
Electric motors may be classified by considerations such as power source type, construction, application and type of motion output. They can be powered by AC or DC, be brushed or brushless, single-phase, two-phase, or three-phase, axial or radial flux, and may be air-cooled or liquid-cooled.
The air compressor 100 further comprises an electronic control board 150. The electronic control board 150 lays parallel to and connects next to the air dryer 120, the distribution valve unit 130, the cylinder housings 110a and 110b, and the motor housing 140. The electronic control board 150 may control an operation of the air compressor 100. In this embodiment, an electronic control board 150 may be disposed on a coil side of a solenoid valve. This saves the length of the electrical connection between the solenoid and the electronic control board 150.
Still in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the pistons 270a and 270b are synchronously driven by the motor 210 via driving shaft 220, so that one piston 270a is driven to be in a compression state while the other piston 270b is driven to be in a suction state, vice versa. As shown in
Furthermore, the two cranks 230a and 230b are respectively held on the two shaft ends of the driving shaft 220, and the two connecting rods 260a and 260b are respectively fitted on the two crank connecting shafts 240a and 240b through bearings 250a and 250b, respectively. The axes of the two crank connecting shafts 240a and 240b are arranged eccentrically to the axis of the driving shaft 220, and the axes of the two crank connecting shafts are located on both sides of the axis of the driving shaft 220.
According to the eccentricity d shown in
Further in
The motor 210, a brushless motor, for example, may be positioned between the two axes B-B′ and C-C′ of the corresponding cylinders 290a and 290b and driving the pistons 270a and 270b so as to reciprocate the pistons 270a and 270b, respectively. The air compressor 100 further comprises a distribution valve unit 130 positioned in between and next to the cylinder housings 110a and 110b. In one embodiment, the air compressor 100 may further comprise an air drier 120 connected to and positioned next to the distribution valve unit 130.
In one embodiment, the air compressor 100 may further comprise an air input unit 282a and 282b configured to introduce air into the cylinders 290a and 290b, respectively. The air input unit 282a and 282b may further include an air inlet opening 160 as shown in
In one embodiment, the air compressor 100 may further comprise an air output unit 286a and 286b configured to move a compressed air out of the cylinders 290a and 290b. The air output unit 286a and 286b may further include gas valves 280a and 280b respectively. The gas valves 280a and 280b may further include springs 284a and 284b respectively. The pressure inside the cylinders 290a and 290b builds up so that the pressed air can push the valves 280a and 280b open and release the air out. When the pressure inside the cylinders 290a and 290b becomes low after releasing the pressed air out, the springs 282a and 282b will force the valves 280a and 280b, respectively, back to the original position.
The air compressor 100 further comprise crank shafts 230a and 230b, connecting rods 260a and 260b, and pistons 270a and 270b, respectively. The pistons 270a and 270b may be configured to connect to one end of the connecting rod 260a and 260b.
The motor 210 may further comprise a driving shaft 220. The driving shaft 220 may be supported by the bearings 250a and 250b, respectively. The two connecting rods 260a and 260b may be arranged along the axial direction of the motor driving shaft 220.
As shown in
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
The above shows and describes the basic principles, main features and advantages of the patent application. Those skilled in the industry should understand that the present patent application is not limited by the above-mentioned embodiments. The above-mentioned embodiments and the description are only preferred examples of the present patent application and are not intended to limit the present patent application, without departing from the present utility patent application. Under the premise of spirit and scope, the present utility patent application will have various changes and improvements, and these changes and improvements fall within the scope of the claimed utility patent application. The scope of protection claimed by the utility patent application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
