Compressor assembly

Details Compressor assembly Compressor assembly

1999-11-23

2001-02-27

Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)

Pumps

Motor driven

Including means for facilitating assembly or disassembly of...

C417S415000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06193475

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to piston pumps and compressors, and more particularly to a method of assembling the unit as a reliable and robust package, maintaining a low cost and easily assembled configuration.
Small-scale air compressors are often used to power nebulizers. A typical type of compressor for that purpose uses a wobble piston. Examples of such compressors are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,868, issued Jun. 8, 1976 to Arthur J. Droege, Sr. et al, for “Air Compressor” and U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,498, issued Jun. 27, 1989 to Roy J. Rozek, for “Diaphragm Compressor”.
In a typical compressor, a piston reciprocates in a cylinder sleeve to compress air. The piston is a plastic connecting rod having a piston end disposed in the cylinder sleeve, and a connecting end connected to an eccentric metal pin mounted to a shaft. As the shaft rotates, the connecting rod having a piston head disposed in a cylinder sleeve reciprocates to compress air. A valve head member in fluid communication with the cylinder sleeve feeds air into the cylinder through an intake port, and provides an escape for compressed air through an exhaust port, and ultimately to an outlet in the valve head member.
Typical compressor assemblies include a compressor housing fastened securely to the motor. A cylinder sleeve rests on the housing to accurately position the cylinder sleeve and corresponding valve plate at a fixed position relative to the motor shaft. The valve head member is routinely positioned on top of the cylinder sleeve, with a sealing gasket squeezed between the valve head member and cylinder sleeve. The valve head member is typically fastened in the position above the cylinder sleeve by screw type fasteners that project down into the housing. This type of configuration is normally complicated to assemble, and the gasket between the valve head member and cylinder sleeve is sometimes unreliable due to component tolerances and variations in the fasteners assembly. Therefore a need exists for a robust compressor that provides a reliable seal between component pales, yet is economical to produce and assemble.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a compressor assembly including a motor having a rotatable shaft, and a bracket attached to the motor. The bracket has fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the shaft, the fingers having ends with engagement surfaces. A connecting rod has a connecting end eccentrically connected to the shaft, and a piston end received in a cylinder sleeve supported by shelves projecting from the fingers and interposed between the fingers. A valve head member disposed above and in sealed engagement with the cylinder sleeve is interposed between the fingers, and the finger engagement surfaces retain the valve head member in sealed engagement with the cylinder sleeve.
The general objective of providing a compressor assembly which is easily assembled is accomplished by the bracket in which the cylinder sleeve and valve head member are positioned and retained without the use of tools.
The present invention also positions the cylinder in the correct position relative to the shaft by means of flexible support shelves under the cylinder sleeve. These shelves provide a constant force against the mating surface of the cylinder sleeve, forcing the valve plate surface against the adjacent head surface. The head is restrained by the finger engagement surfaces to prevent movement by any of the component parts. The force provided by the shelves provide a consistent force to squeeze the seal gasket and provide a leak free joint. The flexibility of the shelves provides a means to accommodate a greater tolerance in the appropriate components, thereby allowing those components to be economically produced.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 4127994 (1978-12-01), Niven
patent: 4400144 (1983-08-01), Drutchas et al.
patent: 4793775 (1988-12-01), Peruzzi
patent: 4822254 (1989-04-01), Prien et al.
patent: 4842498 (1989-06-01), Rozek et al.
patent: 5213025 (1993-05-01), Rozek
patent: 5493953 (1996-02-01), Bolthouse et al.
patent: 5584675 (1996-12-01), Steurer et al.
patent: 5718571 (1998-02-01), Rozek
patent: 5890879 (1999-04-01), Rozek
patent: 6056521 (2000-05-01), Leu et al.
patent: 6059542 (2000-05-01), Chou
patent: 6126410 (2000-10-01), Kung et al.

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