Fluid handling – Convertible
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-07
2004-12-28
Rivell, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Convertible
C137S461000, C137S517000, C137S56100R, C137S565180, C137S883000, C251S149600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06834666
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compressed air outputting apparatus for outputting compressed air of a compressor supplying compressed air to a tool driven by compressed air.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus of outputting compressed air in a compressor for supplying a high pressure exclusive pneumatic tool driven in a high air pressure region and a low pressure exclusive pneumatic tool driven in a low pressure region, with compressed air at pressures suitable for the respective exclusive pneumatic tools.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a general portable air compressor for supplying compressed air to a tool driven by compressed air, there is stored compressed air at pressure of, for example, 10 through 30 kg/cm
2
produced by a compressing portion thereof driven by a motor in a tank and the compressed air is adjusted to pressure used by the tool by a reducing valve attached to the tank and supplied to a side of the tool via connecting means of a quick coupling unit or the like.
As a compressed air tool, there are a generally known a low pressure tool used at pressure equal to or lower than 10 kg/cm
2
and a high pressure tool used at high pressure equal to or higher than 10 kg/cm
2
for, for example, downsizing the tool or making the tool carry out high function operation. In order to be able to use the low pressure tool and the high pressure tool by one compressor, there is known a constitution in which compressed air at high pressure equal to or higher than 30 kg/cm
2
is stored in a tank, the tank is attached with a reducing valve exclusively used for low pressure (normal pressure) and a reducing valve exclusively used for high pressure, the respective reducing valves are connected with sockets of coupling units exclusively used for the low pressure tool and exclusively used for the high pressure tool and the respective tools can be supplied with compressed air at respectively adjusted pressures. Further, in order to prevent the two kinds of tools from being supplied with compressed air at inappropriate pressure by erroneous connection, there are used fluid couplings which are not compatible to each other in connecting to the tank of the compressor, further, also with regard to the reducing valves attached to the tank of the compressor, there are used the reducing valves for high pressure and for low pressure having different maximum output pressures such that compressed air at high pressure cannot erroneously be supplied to the low pressure tool. Further, according to the reducing valve used exclusively for low pressure, the maximum output pressure is restricted such that an upper limit of a pressure range used in the low pressure tool is not exceeded thereby.
According to the above-described compressor, both of the high pressure tool and the low pressure tool can be used, further, respective pieces of the two tools can simultaneously be used, the two tools can be connected via the exclusive sockets which are not compatible to each other and therefore, erroneous connection is eliminated and a phenomenon such as destruction of the low pressure tool or a deterioration in the function of the high pressure tool can be prevented.
As mentioned above, as a compressed air tool, there are a generally known a low pressure pneumatic tool used at pressure equal to or lower than 10 kg/cm
2
and a high pressure pneumatic tool used at high pressure equal to or higher than 10 kg/cm
2
for, for example, downsizing the tool or making the tool carry out high function operation. According to the low pressure pneumatic tool and the high pressure pneumatic tool, there are used fluid coupling units which are not compatible to each other in connecting to a supply source of compressed air such that compressed air at inappropriate pressure is not supplied by erroneous connection.
For example, as shown by JP-A-4-298691, there is known a constitution in which in order that a low pressure tool and a high pressure tool can be used by one compressor, compressed air at high pressure equal to or higher than 30 kg/cm
2
is stored in a tank, the tank is attached with a reducing valve used exclusively for low pressure and a reducing valve used exclusively for high pressure, the respective reducing valves are connected with sockets of quick coupling units exclusive for a low pressure pneumatic tool and a high pressure pneumatic tool and compressed air at pressures adjusted by the respective reducing valves is supplied to the respective tools. In this case, according to the reducing valve used exclusively for low pressure, a maximum output pressure is restricted to prevent from exceeding an upper limit of a pressure range used in the low pressure pneumatic tool.
According to the above-described compressor, both of the high pressure pneumatic tool and the low pressure pneumatic tool can be used. Further, respective pieces of the two tools can simultaneously be used, and the two tools can be connected via the exclusive sockets which are not compatible to each other. Therefore, erroneous connection is eliminated and a phenomenon such as destruction of the low pressure tool or a deterioration in the function of the high pressure tool can be prevented.
However, in order to use two pieces of either of the low pressure tool or the high pressure tool by the above-described compressor, it is necessary to newly install a unit of the exclusive reducing valve and the exclusive socket, or attach a plurality of pieces of sockets in parallel to the low pressure reducing valve or the high pressure reducing valve. In the former case, when respective two pieces of the high pressure tools and the low pressure tools are simultaneously used, it is necessary to install a total of four pieces of the reducing valves of respective two pieces of the high pressure reducing valves and the low pressure reducing valves. Further, in the latter case, although there may be provided two pieces, in total, of a single piece of the reducing valve, pressure supplied to the two tools used at low pressure or high pressure stays the same. Accordingly, when operation is carried out at pressures different for the respective tools, for example, when operation capable of being carried out at low pressure such as building an inner wall by one piece of a nailing machine and operation needing comparatively large striking force for an operated body of a pillar, a foundation or the like by other nailing machine, even the same low pressure tool cannot be used by setting adjusted pressure suitable for respective operation.
Further, according to an apparatus shown in JP-A-4-298691, the similar problem arises. That is, according to the apparatus of outputting compressed air of a compressor, in order to simultaneously use two pieces of either of the low pressure pneumatic tools or the high pressure pneumatic tools, it is necessary to newly install respectively exclusive units of reducing valves and sockets, or attach a plurality of pieces of sockets in parallel to the low pressure reducing valve or the high pressure reducing valve. That is, when two pieces of the high pressure tools are simultaneously used, two pieces of sockets for high pressure are needed. When two pieces of low pressure tools are used, two pieces of sockets for low pressure are needed. In consideration of using respective two pieces of the low pressure tools and the high pressure tools, it is necessary to install a total of four pieces of sockets and these must be arranged along an outer face of the compressor and therefore, there is constituted a factor of hampering to downsize formation of the compressor. Further, there are used sockets used respectively exclusively for high pressure and low pressure, which are not compatible to each other and outlooks of which are formed substantially in the same shape. Therefore, when a plug attached to a hose connected to the side of the tool is connected, the plug may be operated to connect to a wrong socket. Since the sockets are not compatible to eac
Hanagasaki Hiroshi
Kuraguchi Kazuhiko
Murayama Katsuhiko
Murayama Keijiro
Takemura Hajime
Max Co. Ltd.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Rivell John
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