Pumps – With condition responsive pumped fluid control – Responsive to pump created drive motor condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-15
2001-07-10
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Pumps
With condition responsive pumped fluid control
Responsive to pump created drive motor condition
C417S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257838
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a gas compressor which can be switched between operation under load and operation in idle, and more particularly, a gas compressor of the type in which a suction chamber can be connected via at least one suction valve to a compression chamber and an outlet chamber can be connected via at least one outlet valve to the compression chamber.
A gas compressor of this type is disclosed, for example, in German patent DE 43 21 013 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,537), incorporated herein by reference.
Gas compressors of known construction generally include a compression chamber in which a movable compression element, i.e. a striking piston, alternately draws in the gas to be compressed and then compresses it. In order to achieve efficient performance in the output of compressed gas, the best utilization of the volume of the compression chamber is generally desirable. For this reason, it is general practice to keep the volume of the compression chamber remaining in the compression phase and which cannot be utilized, which is also referred to as the “dead space,” to a minimum.
When a gas compressor which is optimized in this manner is operated under load, a sufficient amount of compressed gas may be produced by the gas compressor even at relatively low rotational speeds. However, when the gas compressor is operated at a variable operating speed, for example, when connected to the drive engine of a vehicle, the output quantity may be undesirably great during extended operation at high rotational drive speeds, for example, when traveling on a super-highway. In such instances, the gas compressor has a relatively high power consumption, which results, among other things, in an undesirable heating of both the gas compressor itself and the compressed gas produced thereby. To overcome this situation, it is often not practical to switch the gas compressor to idle operation, because compressed gas is no longer produced in this operating mode.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to make it possible to reduce the power consumption occurring under certain operating conditions in a gas compressor under load operated at variable operating speed, and thereby also to reduce the temperatures that are produced in this manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with these and other objects of the invention, there is provided a gas compressor switchable between operation under load and operation in idle. The gas compressor includes a compression chamber, a suction chamber, an outlet chamber. At least one suction valve is provided, via which the suction chamber can be selectively connected to the compression chamber. In addition, at least one outlet valve is also provided, via which the outlet chamber can be selectively connected to the compression chamber. The gas compressor in accordance with the invention includes an auxiliary clearance volume and at least one auxiliary valve via which the auxiliary clearance volume can be connected to the compression chamber. The auxiliary valve is actuatable in response to an actuating signal which is derived from at least one of the operating magnitudes of the gas compressor occurring in operation under load or from a device connected to the gas compressor.
The invention provides the advantage of permitting the power consumption to be adapted to the current need for compressed gas in a gas compressor of any design, independently of the applicable operating principle applied, with the exception of dynamic type compressors. In addition, a rise in temperature of the gas compressor and the compressed gas due to dissipated energy can thus be avoided. The invention provides further advantage by reducing the occurrence of pressure surges and pulsation noises. By virtue of reduced vibration, the service life of the compressor is effectively extended.
It is yet another advantage of the invention that the actuating signal for actuating the auxiliary valve, which serves to connect the compression chamber to the auxiliary clearance volume, can be derived from a plurality of different operating magnitudes of the gas compressor, or from a device associated therewith, for example, a pressure medium installation supplied by the gas compressor which is connected to the gas compressor. In a preferred manner, a link between different operating magnitudes or operating states can also be effected thereby.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary valve is provided in the form of an elastic, deformable part of a seal installed in the gas compressor. The auxiliary valve can thus be produced with particular ease and economy. Furthermore, no additional labor is required for the assembly of the auxiliary valve.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5885060 (1999-03-01), Cunkelman et al.
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patent: 32 14 713 (1983-10-01), None
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patent: 43 21 013 (1995-01-01), None
Schlossarczyk Heinrich
Schonfeld Karl-Heinrich
Tiedemann Jens
Proskauer Rose LLP
Robinson Daniel
WABCO GmbH
Walberg Teresa
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