U.S. patent application number 09/908923 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-23 for compressor having an improved valved piston device.
Invention is credited to Chou, Wen San.
Application Number | 20030017067 09/908923 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33133104 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030017067 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chou, Wen San |
January 23, 2003 |
COMPRESSOR HAVING AN IMPROVED VALVED PISTON DEVICE
Abstract
A compressor includes a piston slidably received in a chamber of
a housing and having an annular groove for receiving a sealing
ring, and having one or more conduits and having a number of
openings communicating with the annular groove of the piston. The
piston includes an inclined peripheral surface having a lower
diameter greater the sealing ring for forcing the sealing ring to
engage with the housing, and having an upper diameter less than
that of the sealing ring for loosely receiving the sealing ring. A
spring blade may selectively block the conduits of the piston.
Inventors: |
Chou, Wen San; (Tainan,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Wen San Chou
No. 15, Lane 833, Wen Hsien Road
Tainan
704
TW
|
Family ID: |
33133104 |
Appl. No.: |
09/908923 |
Filed: |
July 20, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/553 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 39/0016
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/553 |
International
Class: |
F04B 053/12; F04B
039/10 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A valved piston device for a compressor, said valved piston
device comprising: a) a housing including a chamber formed therein,
b) a piston slidably received in said chamber of said housing, said
piston including an outer peripheral portion having an annular
groove formed therein and defined by an inclined inner peripheral
surface, and including an upper portion having a plurality of
openings formed therein and communicating with said annular groove
of said piston, and c) a sealing ring received in said annular
groove of said piston, said inclined inner peripheral surface of
said piston including a lower portion having a diameter greater
than that of said sealing ring for forming a lower portion of said
annular groove of said piston and for forcing said sealing ring to
engage with said housing, and including an upper portion having a
diameter less than that of said sealing ring for forming an upper
portion of said annular groove of said piston and for loosely
receiving said sealing ring in said upper portion of said annular
groove of said piston, said openings of said piston being
communicating with said annular groove of said piston and being
communicating with said chamber of said housing when said sealing
ring is loosely received in said upper portion of said annular
groove of said piston.
2. The valved piston device according to claim 1, wherein said
housing includes a tube extended outward therefrom and includes a
passage formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said
housing and communicating with said tube, for allowing the air in
said chamber of said housing to be forced to flow through said
passage of piston and to flow through said tube when said piston is
moved toward said tube.
3. The valved piston device according to claim 1, wherein said
piston includes a plate disposed on top thereof, and means for
securing said plate to said piston for defining said upper portion
of said piston.
4. The valved piston device according to claim 1, wherein said
piston further includes at least one conduit formed therein and
communicating with said chamber of said housing with an
environment, and a spring blade for selectively blocking said at
least one conduit of said piston and for allowing the air to flow
through said at least one conduit of said piston and to flow into
said chamber of said housing when said piston is moved in a
direction away from said housing.
5. The valved piston device according to claim 4, wherein said
spring blade includes a first end secured to said piston and
includes at least one arm extended therefrom for blocking said at
least one conduit of said piston.
6. The valved piston device according to claim 4, wherein said
spring blade includes a middle portion secured to said piston and
includes at least one arm extended therefrom for blocking said at
least one conduit of said piston.
7. The valved piston device according to claim 4, wherein said
spring blade includes a center portion secured to said piston and
includes at least one arm extended radially therefrom for blocking
said at least one conduit of said piston.
8. The valved piston device according to claim 1, wherein said
piston further includes a plurality of conduits formed therein and
arranged in a circle and communicating with said chamber of said
housing with an environment, and a spring blade for selectively
blocking said conduits of said piston and for allowing the air to
flow through said conduits of said piston and to flow into said
chamber of said housing when said piston is moved in a direction
away from said housing.
9. The valved piston device according to claim 8, wherein said
spring blade includes a circular shape having a center portion
secured to said piston and having a peripheral portion for blocking
said conduits of said piston.
10. The valved piston device according to claim 1, wherein said
openings of said piston are opened toward a radially outer
peripheral portion of said piston.
11. A valved piston device for a compressor, said valved piston
device comprising: a) a housing including a chamber formed therein,
b) a piston slidably received in said chamber of said housing, said
piston including an outer peripheral portion having an annular
groove formed therein, c) a sealing ring received in said annular
groove of said piston, said piston further including at least one
conduit formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said
housing with an environment, and a spring blade for selectively
blocking said at least one conduit of said piston and for allowing
the air to flow through said at least one conduit of said piston
and to flow into said chamber of said housing when said piston is
moved in a direction away from said housing.
12. The valved piston device according to claim 11, wherein said
spring blade is secured to said piston and includes at least one
arm extended therefrom for blocking said at least one conduit of
said piston.
13. The valved piston device according to claim 11, wherein said
spring blade includes a circular shape having a center portion
secured to said piston and having a peripheral portion for blocking
said at least one conduit of said piston.
14. The valved piston device according to claim 11, wherein piston
includes an inclined inner peripheral surface for defining said
annular groove thereof, and includes an upper port ion having a
plurality of openings formed therein and communicating with said
annular groove of said piston.
15. The valved piston device according to claim 14, wherein said
inclined inner peripheral surface of said piston includes a lower
portion having a diameter greater than that of said sealing ring
for forming a lower portion of said annular groove of said piston
and for forcing said sealing ring to engage with said housing, and
includes an upper portion having a diameter less than that of said
sealing ring for forming an upper portion of said annular groove of
said piston and for loosely receiving said sealing ring in said
upper portion of said annular groove of said piston, said openings
of said piston are communicating with said annular groove of said
piston and communicating with said chamber of said housing when
said sealing ring is loosely received in said upper portion of said
annular groove of said piston.
16. The valved piston device according to claim 14, wherein said
piston includes a plate disposed on top thereof, and means for
securing said plate to said piston for defining said upper portion
of said piston.
17. The valved piston device according to claim 14, wherein said
openings of said piston are opened toward a radially outer
peripheral portion of said piston.
18. The valved piston device according to claim 11, wherein said
housing includes a tube extended outward therefrom and includes a
passage formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said
housing and communicating with said tube, for allowing the air in
said chamber of said housing to be forced to flow through said
passage of piston and to flow through said tube when said piston is
moved toward said tube.
19. A valved piston device for a compressor, said valved piston
device comprising: a) a housing including a chamber formed therein,
b) a piston slidably received in said chamber of said housing, said
piston including a plurality of conduits formed therein and
arranged in a circle and communicating with said chamber of said
housing with an environment, and c) a spring blade for selectively
blocking said conduits of said piston and for allowing the air to
flow through said conduits of said piston and to flow into said
chamber of said housing when said piston is moved in a direction
away from said housing, said spring blade including a circular
shape having a center portion secured to said piston and having a
peripheral portion for blocking said conduits of said piston.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a compressor, and more
particularly to a compressor having an improved valved piston
device.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical compressors comprise a piston slidably received in a
piston housing and a sealing ring solidly engaged on the piston and
engaged between the piston and the piston housing. The pistons of
the typical compressors have no valves provided therein, such that
the typical piston or the sealing ring may be easily damaged. In
addition, a number of valve members are required for controlling
the air into and out of the piston housing.
[0005] The applicant had developed various kinds of valved pistons,
and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,887, to Chou, and U.S. Pat. No.
6,095,758, to Chou, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,725, to Chou, and
comprise a complicated valved piston device for the compressors
that may not be easily manufactured and assembled together and that
may not be effectively operated.
[0006] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the convent ional
compressors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a compressor including a piston device having a sealing ring
loosely engaged therein for preventing the sealing ring from
solidly engaging with the piston housing and for preventing the
piston from being easily damaged.
[0008] The other objective of the present invention is to provide a
compressor including a piston device having a number of openings
and an annular groove formed therein for loosely receiving the
sealing ring and for allowing the openings to be communicated with
the environment when the sealing ring is loosely received in the
annular groove of the piston device.
[0009] The further objective of the present invention is to provide
a compressor including a piston device having a spring blade for
blocking a conduit and for allowing the air to flow into the
cylinder housing only and for preventing the air from flowing out
of the cylinder housing.
[0010] The still further objective of the present invention is to
provide a compressor including a piston device having a spring
blade for blocking a number of conduits, and having a sealing ring
received in an inclined outer annular groove of the piston, for
forming a double security structure.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a valved piston device for a compressor, the valved piston
device comprising a housing including a chamber formed therein, a
piston slidably received in the chamber of the housing, the OS
piston including an outer peripheral portion having an annular
groove formed therein and defined by an inclined inner peripheral
surface, and including an upper portion having a plurality of
openings formed therein and communicating with the annular groove
of the piston, and a sealing ring received in the annular groove of
the piston. The inclined inner peripheral surface of the piston
includes a lower portion having a diameter greater than that of the
sealing ring for forming a lower portion of the annular groove of
the piston and for forcing the sealing ring to engage with the
housing, and includes an upper portion having a diameter less than
that of the sealing ring for forming an upper portion of the
annular groove of the piston and for loosely receiving the sealing
ring in the upper portion of the annular groove of the piston, the
openings of the piston are communicating with the annular groove of
the piston and communicating with the chamber of the housing when
the sealing ring is loosely received in the upper portion of the
annular groove of the piston.
[0012] The housing includes a tube extended outward therefrom and
includes a passage formed therein and communicating with the
chamber of the housing and communicating with the tube, for
allowing the air in the chamber of the housing to be forced to flow
through the passage of piston and to flow through the tube when the
piston is moved toward the tube.
[0013] The piston includes a plate disposed on top thereof, and
means for securing the plate to the piston for defining the upper
portion of the piston.
[0014] The piston further includes at least one conduit formed
therein and communicating with the chamber of the housing with an
environment, and a spring blade for selectively blocking the
conduit of the piston and for allowing the air to flow through the
conduit of the piston and to flow into the chamber of the housing
when the piston is moved in a direction away from the housing.
[0015] The spring blade includes a first end or a middle or a
center portion secured to the piston and includes at least one arm
extended therefrom for blocking the conduit of the piston.
[0016] The conduits may be arranged in a circle in the piston. The
spring blade includes a circular shape having a center portion
secured to the piston and having a peripheral portion for blocking
the conduits of the piston.
[0017] The openings of the piston may be opened toward a radially
outer peripheral portion of the piston.
[0018] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a valved piston device
for a compressor in accordance with the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of
FIG. 3;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a top plane schematic view of the valved
piston;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view showing a cylinder
housing and a valved piston slidably engaged in the cylinder
housing;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4,
illustrating the sliding engagement of the valved piston in the
cylinder housing;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view illustrating another
embodiment of the valved piston;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a partial exploded view illustrating a further
embodiment of the valved piston;
[0026] FIGS. 8 and 9 are top plane schematic views illustrating two
still further embodiments of the valved piston;
[0027] FIG. 10 is a partial exploded view illustrating a still
further embodiment of the valved piston;
[0028] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 11-11 of
FIG. 12;
[0029] FIG. 12 is a top plane schematic view of the valved piston
as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11; and
[0030] FIGS. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 are top plane schematic
views illustrating seven still further embodiments of the valved
piston.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0031] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a
valved piston device for a cylinder or an actuator or an air
compressor in accordance with the present invention comprises a
cylinder housing 3 including a chamber 30 (FIG. 4) formed therein
for slidably receiving a piston 1 therein. The housing 3 includes a
passage 31 formed therein for communicating the chamber 30 of the
housing 3 with a tube 32 which may direct or guide or introduce the
pressurized air or compressed air out of the cylinder housing 3.
The piston 1 includes a rod 11 extended therefrom and extended
outward of the housing 3 and having an orifice 12 formed therein
for coupling to and for being driven by a motor (not shown), and
for allowing the piston 1 to be moved along the housing 3 in a
reciprocating action by the motor (not shown). The driving of the
piston 1 along the housing 3 has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,655,887, to Chou, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,758, to Chou, and U.S.
Pat. No. 6,135,725, to Chou, which are taken as a reference for the
present invent ion.
[0032] The piston 1 includes an annular groove 13 formed in the
outer peripheral portion for receiving a sealing ring 2 therein,
and formed or defined by an inner peripheral surface 16 that is
inclined or tilted relative to the longitudinal direction or axis
of the piston rod 11 and the piston 1. The sealing ring 2 is
provided for making an air tight seal between the piston 1 and the
housing 3. The inclined inner peripheral surface 16 of the piston 1
includes a lower peripheral portion having a diameter greater than
that of the sealing ring 2, for forcing the sealing ring 2 radially
outward to engage with the housing 3 and to make an air tight or a
water tight seal with the housing 3 (FIG. 5). The inclined inner
peripheral surface 16 of the piston 1 includes an upper peripheral
portion 18 having a diameter less than that of the sealing ring 2
(FIG. 4), for loosely receiving the sealing ring 2, and for
allowing the sealing ring 2 to be disengaged from the housing
3.
[0033] The piston 1 includes an upper portion 10 having three or
more openings 14 formed therein and communicating the annular
groove 13 of the piston 1 with the chamber 30 of the housing 3.
Particularly, the three or more openings 14 are arranged in a
circle that has a diameter less than that of the upper peripheral
portion 18 of the inclined inner peripheral surface 16 of the
piston 1, but has a diameter greater than that of the sealing ring
2, best shown in FIGS. 2, 4. 5, for allowing the air in the chamber
30 of the housing 3 to flow out through the openings 14 and the
annular groove 13 of the piston 1 and to flow bypass the sealing
ring 2 and then to flow out of the housing 3 when the sealing ring
2 is loosely received in the upper portion of the annular groove
13, best shown in FIG. 4. Relatively, the air may also flow through
the annular groove 13 and the openings 14 of the piston 1 and then
may flow bypass the sealing ring 2 and then may flow into the
chamber 30 of the housing 3 when the sealing ring 2 is loosely
received in the upper portion of the annular groove 13.
[0034] In operation, the piston 1 may be moved up and down along
the housing 3 in a reciprocating action by the typical motor (not
shown). When the piston 1 is moved in an active direction, i.e.,
moved toward the tube 32, the sealing ring 2 is forced toward the
lower portion 17 of the inclined inner peripheral surface 16 of the
piston 1 and thus may be forced to engage with the housing 3 such
that the air in the chamber 30 of the housing 3 may be forced into
the tube 32 through the passage 31 (FIG. 5). When the piston 1
moves downward or away from the tube 32, the air may flow into the
chamber 30 of the housing 3 via the annular groove 13 of the piston
1 and the notches 14 of the piston 1. The air may then be forced
into the tube 32 again when the piston 1 is forced toward the tube
32 again. The air may thus be effectively forced through the tube
32 without the other valve members.
[0035] It is to be noted that the formation or the provision of the
openings 14 that are arranged in a circle in the piston 1 may
facilitate the evenly flowing of the air bypass the sealing ring 2,
even when the sealing ring 2 is unevenly received in the annular
groove 13 of the piston 1 and when the sealing ring 2 blocks some
of the openings 14 of the piston 1.
[0036] Referring next to FIG. 6, the piston 1 may include a screw
hole 101 formed therein, and a plate 19 having the openings 14
formed therein and having an aperture 102 formed in the middle
portion thereof for receiving a fastener 104 which may be threaded
with the screw hole 101 of the piston 1 and which may secure the
plate 19 onto the top of the piston 1, for forming the upper
portion 10 of the piston 1. A washer 103 may be engaged between the
plate 19 and the fastener 104.
[0037] Referring next to FIGS. 7-9, illustrated is another
embodiment of the valved piston device which includes the openings
14 that are opened toward the radially outer peripheral portion of
the upper portion 10 of the piston 1. The openings 14 may be
arranged parallel to each other (FIG. 8) or arranged radially and
opened radially outward (FIGS. 7, 9). The air may also flow through
the annular groove 13 and the openings 14 of the piston 1 and then
may flow bypass the sealing ring 2 and then may flow into the
chamber 30 of the housing 3 when the sealing ring 2 is loosely
received in the upper portion of the annular groove 13.
[0038] Referring next to FIGS. 10-19, illustrated are the other
embodiments of the valved piston device. The piston 1 includes one
conduit 20 (FIGS. 10. 11, 12, 16), or two conduits 20 (FIGS. 13,
17), or more conduits (FIGS. 14. 15, 18, 19) formed therein and
formed through the piston 1 for communicating the chamber 30 of the
housing 3 with the environment, and for allowing the air to flow
into and outward of the chamber 30 of the housing 3. The piston 1
includes one or more projections 21 provided or extended from the
upper portion 10 thereof. A valve blade or a spring blade 22
includes one end portion secured to the piston 1 with the
projections 21 (FIGS. 10, 11, 12, 16), and the other end for
biasing against the upper portion 10 of the piston 1 and for
blocking the conduits 20 of the piston 1 respectively and for
preventing the air to flow out of the cylinder housing 3 when the
piston 1 is moved away from the tube 32 (FIGS. 4, 5) and for
allowing the air to flow into the cylinder housing 3 when the
piston 1 is moved toward the tube 32 (FIGS. 4, 5).
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 13-15 and 17-19, the spring blade 22 may
include various kinds of shapes having a middle or a center portion
secured to the piston 1 with the projections 21, and having the
other portion, such as the peripheral portion for biasing against
the upper portion 10 of the piston 1 and for blocking the conduits
20 of the piston 1 respectively. For example, the spring blade 22
may include a circular shape (FIGS. 15, 19), or may include two
(FIGS. 13, 17) or more arms (FIGS. 14, 18) or extensions extended
therefrom for blocking the conduits 20 of the piston 1. In addition
to the conduits 20 of the piston 1, the piston 1 may further
include a number of openings 14 formed in the outer peripheral
portion thereof (FIGS. 16-19) for communicating with the annular
groove 13 of the piston 1 and for further communicating with the
environment.
[0040] Accordingly, the compressor includes a piston having a
loosely received sealing ring for preventing the piston from being
easily damaged.
[0041] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *