Patent Application
20080003111
Definitions
Fluid: The term “fluid” as is used herein in the specification and claims is intended to retain its accepted art and/or scientific definition. In this regard, the term “fluid” includes gases within its scope (in addition to liquids) and, therefore, a component described as being in fluid communication (or in fluid connection), is, in some circumstances, in gas-flow communication (or in gas-flow connection).
Air/gas: The term “air/gas” as used herein in the specification and claims is defined as a fluid in a gaseous state having neither independent shape nor volume. As non-limiting examples, the term “air/gas” includes within its scope atmospheric air, purified atmospheric air, purified nitrogen, various ratios of mixtures of nitrogen and oxygen and other such fluids in the gaseous state not otherwise specifically described herein.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description of various illustrative and non-limiting embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate like features
Referring now initially to
More specifically, vessel 3 is a high pressure air/gas reservoir which is configured to contain or store pressurized air/gas at pressures ranging typically from approximately zero to 6000 pounds per square inch or “psi” (higher capacity vessels are certainly contemplated, however). Attached to the opening in the neck of vessel 3 is a uniquely designed regulator 5 (e.g., attached to the vessel or bottle by mating screw threads). Regulator 5 is provided for accepting the high initial air/gas pressure from vessel 3 and releasing it at a comparatively low working or output air/gas pressure (e.g., typically between 0 and 125 psi). Although the reduction of pressure to a working air/gas pressure can occur in a single stage, in some embodiments, regulator 5 is constructed as a two stage regulator. In such a two stage embodiment, in a first step, the regulator converts the high initial pressure of stored air/gas in vessel 3 to an intermediate pressure at a first stage and, in a second step, converts or releases the air/gas at a further reduced pressure or working pressure at a second stage (e.g., the working pressure being selected from within a range of pressures suitable for operating a plurality of pneumatic tools). In preferred embodiments, whether employing a regulator of a single or dual stage type, an output pressure adjustment mechanism 7 is provided for tuning the output air/gas pressure to a pressure which is usable by the particular tool type to be used. For example, in at least one embodiment, adjustment mechanism 7 comprises a manually operated dial (e.g., displaying visual output pressure indicia) which can be turned or dialed to release a specific desired output air/gas pressure (e.g., 125 psi for a pneumatic nail gun, or higher psi's for an impact wrench or other more demanding tools). Moreover, in certain preferred embodiments, regulator 5 includes a fill port 15 via which air/gas vessel 3 can be filled/replenished with pressurized air/gas.
In order to facilitate convenient or ergonomic transmission of working gas pressures from pneumatic power supply system 1 to pneumatic tools, a flexible conduit 9 comprised of a length of high pressure tubing is provided. In preferred embodiments, such conduit 9 includes connectors at its opposite ends for connecting to air/gas output port 13 (of regulator 5) and to a pneumatic tool or other device at its opposite end, respectively. In preferred embodiments, at least one connector of conduit 9 is a universal fit or quick-connect/disconnect-type which is connectable to a wide range of pneumatic tool types. Alternatively, proprietary connector-types may be employed as such connector-types are developed or become well-known and used as the use of the herein-described system becomes more prolific.
Although various mechanism and/or methods for carrying or transporting system 1 are contemplated, in certain example embodiments, air/gas supply vessel 3 is carried by back or hip mounted systems (e.g., such a carried by shoulder straps or clipped to a belt). Such mechanisms or methods should not, of course, be construed as limiting the scope of the subject invention.
Turning now to
Although the embodiment described above employs drive belt trained about a pair of unequally sized “pulleys” (i.e., including flywheel 111) as a pump “drive” (the size relationship of the pulleys thus being in an approximately 1:5 ratio so that pump 113, at full operational speed, operates at or within its approximate optimized parameters i.e., at or below 1350-1400 pump cycles per minute, and preferably at or below 1380-1385 pump cycles per minute), alternative embodiments by which pump 113 is differently or alternatively driven are, of course, contemplated. In one such envisioned embodiment, motor 105 directly drives flywheel 111 without a separate pulley or drive belt being employed. In particular, such an embodiment is simpler in construction and reduces the overall number of working parts (however, due to the potential mechanical advantage lost, a larger or more robust motor or different pump type may need be employed).
Through diligent experimentation with various iterations of the above described compressor system, in addition to having evolved a uniquely compact and portable compressor which utilizes a simple construction and few mechanical parts, Applicant has discovered that particularly advantageous compressor performance can be achieved through the use of one or more structural variations of a heretofore unknown flywheel structure employing a specifically located and/or sized counterweight. In this regard, in preferred embodiments of the subject invention, a flywheel utilizing such a counterweight 129 is employed in the subject inventive compressor(s).
Specifically, as can be seen most clearly in
Still more specifically, counterweight 129 is located as described so that it provides a counterbalance to the force or resistance imparted by pump 113 on the flywheel as push and pull strokes of pump 113 are effected by the directional rotation of the flywheel (thought of differently, counterweight 129, in part, adds momentum to the flywheel to propel its rotation against the resistance of a push stroke of piston 121 into pump 113). In this regard, during a push stroke of piston 121, as the piston is being driven into the compression cavity to compress air/gas, the resistance of the air/gas being compressed impedes the stroke of the piston and thus the rotation of flywheel 111 (thus tending to decrease the rotational speed of the flywheel). Conversely, during a pull stroke of piston 121, the lack of air compression related resistance results in a piston stroke which is relatively unimpeded. As a result, as compared to during a push stroke, the rotational speed of flywheel 111 tends to increase. Nonetheless, alternating changes in rotational velocity of the flywheel are generally not desired and contribute to rapid part wear and mechanical breakdown and thus limit the upper operational speed of the pump (and thus the upper limit pressurization capabilities of the compressor).
Therefore, by locating counterweight 129 as shown in
Although, as described herein, the use of a counterweight, such as 129, offers or enables distinct and significant advantages to compressor performance or operation, alternative embodiments by which similar advantages are achieved are contemplated. For example, instead of using a counterweight on flywheel 111, a flywheel with increased mass as compared to a conventional flywheel could be utilized. In such manner, the increased momentum achieved by the use of a high mass flywheel should, in theory, substantially overcome the resistance of piston 121 as it compresses the air/gas (moreover, the lack of resistance during a “pull stroke” would not be comparatively sufficient, relative to the high mass flywheel, to impart significant increased rotational velocity). In sum, such a sufficiently massed flywheel should not experience significant/detrimental changes in velocity due to resistance and non-resistance of piston 121 during push and pull strokes, respectively.
In addition to the above described advantages, certain embodiments of compressor 101 employ filtration systems comprising one or more filter types such as for drying and/or cleaning air/gas (or, in certain embodiments employing so-called molecular sieves, isolating one gas molecule type from another). Referring now again to
As is detailed most clearly in
In exemplar embodiments of filtration system 135, the entire filter system is generally hermetically sealed but permits air/gas flow through its connections to line 128 and line 141 and selectively via vent port 145 as desired (as will be described in the text which follows). Thus, when compressor 101 is operated to manufacture pressurized air/gas, such air/gas is flowed through both desiccant filter 137 and coalescent 139 at generally full system pressures. In such manner, condensation (e.g., water condensation) and/or particulate matter is filtered from the air/gas flowed through the filter system (e.g., thus resulting in clean, dry air/gas).
In an example operation to fill an air/gas vessel, then, a vessel 3 is first connected to fill port 151 via a conventional or proprietary valve type connection (e.g., at fill port 15, see
In certain particularly preferred embodiments, compressor 101 additionally includes an auto-shut-off switch (not shown) which functions to shut down compressor 101 upon detection of a pre-selected pressurization or fill pressure. During a fill operation in embodiments which employ such auto-shutoff features, then, as compressed air/gas fills vessel 3, pressure gauge 143 (see
In certain preferred embodiments, after a desired fill pressure is achieved, compressor 101 is shut down either automatically as described immediately above, or manually by operation of switch 131. Thereafter, before disconnecting vessel 3 from fill port 151, vent port 145 (e.g., operated by thumbscrew or similar mechanical mechanism) is opened and residual pressurized air/gas purges from the vent port and simultaneously causes the desiccant and coalescent filters to purge collected/filtered condensation and particulate matter, respectively.
In still further alternative embodiments, it has been determined through certain additional innovation and experimentation, that employing a cooling system to cool pump 113 during compressor operation substantially improves the performance of compressors such as those described herein principally by reducing wear rates of internal pump parts. Thus, as an optional feature in certain compressors such as illustrated as preferred embodiments in
As illustrated in various views in
More specifically, and in example operation of system 201 during compressor operation, as pump 203 is actuated, coolant fluid (or gas) is first drawn from reservoir 205 into and through internal conduits of pump 203 and then, afterwards, flowed into pump 113 via coolant ingress line 207. As coolant enters pump 113, it circulates within shell housing 123 along the length of and proximal piston 121 (e.g., via a conduit circumferentially surrounding piston 121) thereby absorbing/adsorbing heat generated by the piston during pump 113 operation. After circulating within the internal components of pump 113, the coolant is then caused to exit or flow from pump 113 (by continued operation of pump 203) via coolant egress line 211 whereby it is transmitted to radiator 215 (e.g., of conventional radiator construction). After passing through radiator 215 where heat “carried” by the coolant is substantially removed or reduced (e.g., actively or passively), the coolant is returned to reservoir 205 via coolant return path 213 (e.g., for recirculation through the coolant system). Alternative methods and mechanisms for cooling pump 113 during operation are, of course, envisioned.
Compressor 101 is believed to be particularly advantageous when used in combination with portable pneumatic power systems such as described herein (or as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,128), i.e., because when used with such described systems, the combined compressor/power supply system far surpasses conventional direct-compressor-driven pneumatic tool systems known in the art. Nevertheless, compressor 101 is capable of producing clean, dry compressed air/gas for many other end uses. Moreover, compressors such as described herein exhibit significant performance improvements over known compressors. In this regard, compressor 101 is capable of filling large air/gas supply vessels with high air/gas pressures all the while having a heretofore unknown compact and simple structural design. In particular, compressor 101's compact and lightweight structure allows it to be uniquely portable for a compressor with such high performance compression capabilities. Furthermore, certain embodiments of compressor 101, relative to known compressors, are remarkably simply in structural design. In this regard, in preferred embodiments, compressor 101 utilizes a single drive belt 115 to minimize maintenance and extend longevity, does not require the changing and discarding of oil, does not require gas, oil, or filters, and/or generally uses no parts which are vulnerable to rusting or degradation. Certain additional embodiments (alternatively, or in combination with the immediately previously described improvements), exhibit low operational noise levels (typically about 55 dBA or less), are virtually maintenance-free, operate on standard power/electrical sources (e.g., 110-volt electrical power), do not emit toxic fumes or exhaust, and/or are self-cleaning (e.g., because moisture and dust particles are purged from the system at the conclusion of each use such as described above).
Once given the above, non-limiting disclosure, many other features, modifications, and improvements will become apparent to the skilled artisan. Such other features, modifications, and improvements are therefore considered to be part of this invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims:
This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/780,236, entitled GAS COMPRESSOR and co-invented herewith and hereby incorporates such application, in its entirety, by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,128, entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USING A LIGHTWEIGHT PORTABLE AIR/GAS POWER SUPPLY and co-invented herewith, is further incorporated in its entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60780236 | Mar 2006 | US |
