U.S. patent application number 12/070411 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-19 for compressor for tire inflating combination.
Invention is credited to Wen-San Chou.
Application Number | 20080145245 12/070411 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39527468 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080145245 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chou; Wen-San |
June 19, 2008 |
Compressor for tire inflating combination
Abstract
An air compressor device includes a piston slidably engaged in a
cylinder housing and having an outer peripheral groove formed by a
base peripheral surface and two side surfaces, to form an outer
opening and an inner recess, a motor is coupled to the piston to
move the piston in the cylinder housing in reciprocating action,
and a sealing ring is engaged in the outer peripheral groove of the
piston, for making an air tight seal between the cylinder housing
and the piston. The sealing ring includes a peripheral channel to
form a base segment, an inner leg and an outer leg, the outer leg
is extended out of the outer opening of the piston, for slidably
engaging with a tilted or inclined inner peripheral surface of the
cylinder housing, even when the piston is tilted relative to the
cylinder housing.
Inventors: |
Chou; Wen-San; (Tainan
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQ.
90 JOHN STREET, THIRD FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
39527468 |
Appl. No.: |
12/070411 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11022349 |
Dec 22, 2004 |
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12070411 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
417/415 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 35/04 20130101;
B29L 2030/00 20130101; B29C 73/166 20130101; F04B 35/01 20130101;
F04B 39/0005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/415 |
International
Class: |
F04B 35/00 20060101
F04B035/00 |
Claims
1. An air compressor assembly comprising: a cylinder housing
including a chamber formed therein and defined by an inner
peripheral surface, said inner peripheral surface of said cylinder
housing being tilted from one end to the other to form a
frustum-shaped chamber, a piston slidably engaged in said cylinder
housing, said piston including an outer peripheral groove formed
therein and defined by a base peripheral surface and two side
surfaces, to form an outer opening and an inner recess, a motor for
coupling to said piston, to move said piston in said cylinder
housing in reciprocating action, and a sealing ring engaged in said
outer peripheral groove of said piston, for slidably engaging with
said tilted inner peripheral surface of said cylinder housing, and
for making an air tight seal between said cylinder housing and said
piston, said sealing ring including a peripheral channel formed in
an upper portion thereof, to form a base segment, an inner leg and
an outer leg, said inner leg being engaged in said inner recess of
said piston, and said outer leg being extended out of said outer
opening of said piston, for slidably engaging with said tilted
inner peripheral surface of said cylinder housing, even when said
piston is tilted relative to said cylinder housing.
2. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
outer leg of said sealing ring includes a flat surface formed in a
free end portion thereof, and parallel to said base segment
thereof.
3. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said
outer leg of said sealing ring includes an inclined surface formed
in said free end portion thereof, and formed beside said flat
surface thereof.
4. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
piston includes a pathway formed therein for air flowing purposes,
and includes a spring blade attached to block said pathway thereof
when said piston is moved relative to said cylinder housing in a
compressing stroke, said spring blade is forced to open said
pathway of said piston when said piston is moved relative to said
cylinder housing in a returning stroke.
5. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
motor includes a spindle having a pinion attached thereto, a gear
rotatably engaged with said pinion, for allowing said gear to be
rotated and driven by said motor via said pinion, an eccentric
member attached to said gear, and a shaft attached to said
eccentric member and offset from an axle of said gear, and coupled
to said piston via a piston rod.
6. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
motor includes a fan device attached thereto and rotated and driven
by said motor to generate cooling air.
7. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 5 further
comprising a base holder, a casing disposed in base holder, and
said gear is rotatably received and engaged in said casing, and
engaged with said pinion.
8. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
cylinder housing includes an outlet tube provided thereon, and
passage formed therein and communicating with said outlet tube,
said outlet tube includes a first outlet port formed therein for
coupling to a hose, a second outlet port provided therein for
coupling to a pressure gauge, and a third outlet port provided
therein for coupling to a relief valve.
9. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said
third outlet port of said outlet tube includes an inclined valve
seat provided therein, and an inner thread formed therein for
threading with a cap, said cap includes a bore formed therein and
communicating with said outlet tube and said cylinder housing, for
relieving over-pressurized air.
10. The air compressor assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said
relief valve includes a valve element slidably engaged in said
outlet tube, and engageable with said valve seat of said outlet
tube, and a spring member engaged between said valve element and
said cap, for biasing said valve element to engage with said valve
seat of said outlet tube.
Description
[0001] The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/022,349, filed 22 Dec. 2004, pending
and to be abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a tire inflating
combination, and more particularly to a tire inflating combination
including an air compressor assembly having an improved sealing
ring for facilitating a sliding engagement between a piston and a
cylinder housing which includes an inclined inner peripheral
surface.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Various kinds of typical air compressors have been developed
and comprise a piston slidably engaged within a cylinder housing
and movable relative to the cylinder housing in a reciprocating
action, to pump air and/or to generate pressurized air, for
inflating tires, or the like.
[0006] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,918 to Kumai et al., and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,725 to Chou disclose two typical air
compressors each comprising a piston slidably engaged with an inner
peripheral surface of a cylinder housing, and a sealing ring
engaged between the cylinder housing and the piston, for making an
air tight seal between the cylinder housing and the piston.
[0007] In these typical air compressors, the piston is solidly
secured to the piston rod, and will be moved in concert with the
piston rod, and thus will be tilted relative to the cylinder
housing when the piston rod is driven by a motor. However, the
sealing ring may be disengaged from the cylinder housing when the
piston is moved to bottom or outer end of the cylinder housing, due
to tilting or inclined status of the piston rod relative to the
cylinder housing, such that the sealing ring may not be used to
suitably make an air tight seal between the cylinder housing and
the piston.
[0008] In addition, the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder
housing is straight and may not be suitably made an air tight seal
between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder housing and
the sealing ring of the piston.
[0009] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the compressors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a tire inflating combination including an air compressor assembly
having an improved sealing ring for facilitating a sliding
engagement between a piston and a cylinder housing which includes
an inclined inner peripheral surface, and for suitably making an
air tight seal between the cylinder housing and the piston.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided an air compressor assembly comprising a base holder, a
casing disposed in base holder, a cylinder housing including a
chamber formed therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface,
and including an outlet tube provided thereon, and a passage formed
therein and communicating with the outlet tube, the outlet tube
including a first outlet port formed therein for coupling to a
hose, a second outlet port provided therein for coupling to a
pressure gauge, and a third outlet port provided therein for
coupling to a relief valve, the inner peripheral surface of the
cylinder housing being tilted from one end to the other to form a
frustum-shaped chamber, a piston slidably engaged in the cylinder
housing, the piston including an outer peripheral groove formed
therein and defined by a base peripheral surface and two side
surfaces, to form an outer opening and an inner recess, the piston
including a pathway formed therein for air flowing purposes and
including a spring blade attached to block the pathway thereof when
the piston is moved relative to the cylinder housing in a
compressing stroke, the spring blade being forced to open the
pathway of the piston when the piston is moved relative to the
cylinder housing in a returning stroke, a motor for coupling to the
piston, to move the piston in the cylinder housing in reciprocating
action, the motor including a spindle having a pinion attached
thereto, a gear rotatably received and engaged in the casing and
rotatably engaged with the pinion for allowing the gear to be
rotated and driven by the motor with the pinion, an eccentric
member attached to the gear, and a shaft attached to the eccentric
member and offset from an axle of the gear and coupled to the
piston with a piston rod, the motor including a fan device attached
thereto and rotated and driven by the motor to generate a cooling
air, and a sealing ring engaged in the outer peripheral groove of
the piston, for slidably engaging with the tilted inner peripheral
surface of the cylinder housing, and for making an air tight seal
between the cylinder housing and the piston, the sealing ring
including a peripheral channel formed in an upper portion thereof,
to form a base segment, an inner leg and an outer leg, the inner
leg being engaged in the inner recess of the piston, and the outer
leg being extended out of the outer opening of the piston, for
slidably engaging with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder
housing, even when the piston is tilted relative to the cylinder
housing, and the outer leg of the sealing ring including a flat
surface formed in a free end portion thereof and parallel to the
base segment thereof, and including an inclined surface formed in
the free end portion thereof and formed beside the flat surface
thereof,
[0012] The third outlet port of the outlet tube includes an
inclined valve seat provided therein, and an inner thread formed
therein for threading with a cap, the cap includes a bore formed
therein and communicating with the outlet tube and the cylinder
housing, for relieving over-pressurized air.
[0013] The relief valve includes a valve element slidably engaged
in the outlet tube, and engageable with the valve seat of the
outlet tube, and a spring member engaged between the valve element
and the cap, for biasing the valve element to engage with the valve
seat of the outlet tube.
[0014] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a tire inflating combination
including an air compressor assembly;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines
2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the air compressor
assembly for the tire inflating combination;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a partial exploded view of the air compressor
assembly;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines
5-5 of FIG. 3;+
[0020] FIGS. 6, 7 are partial cross sectional views similar to FIG.
5, illustrating the operation of the air compressor assembly;
[0021] FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial plan view of a piston for the
air compressor assembly;
[0022] FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial plan view similar to FIG. 8,
illustrating the operation of the air compressor assembly;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a further enlarged partial plan view of the
piston for the air compressor assembly;
[0024] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a sealing ring for the piston
of the air compressor assembly;
[0025] FIG. 12 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines
12-12 of FIG. 11;
[0026] FIG. 13 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines
13-13 of FIG. 4;
[0027] FIG. 14 is a partial cross sectional view similar to FIG.
13, illustrating the operation of a safety valve or relief valve
for the air compressor assembly;
[0028] FIG. 15 is a partial plan view illustrating a plug for
coupling the air compressor assembly to an electric power
source;
[0029] FIG. 16 is an enlarged partial plan view illustrating a
conductor device of the plug for coupling to the electric power
source; and
[0030] FIG. 17 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the
conductor device of the plug.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0031] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a
tire inflating combination 1 in accordance with the present
invention comprises an air compressor assembly 10 for generating
pressurized air to pump or to inflate tires 90 or the like. A
sealant container 91 may further be provided and coupled between
the air compressor assembly 10 and the tire 90, for selectively
supplying sealant into the tire 90.
[0032] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a bladder or a receptacle
92 is disposed or engaged in the sealant container 91, and includes
a chamber 93 formed or provided therein for receiving sealant that
is provided to be selectively supplied into the tire 90. The
receptacle 92 includes a mouth 94 having a film or cap 95 attached
thereto, to enclose or to seal the chamber 93 thereof, and to
prevent the sealant from flowing out of the receptacle 92 of the
sealant container 91.
[0033] It is preferable that the mouth 94 of the receptacle 92 is
coupled to the air compressor assembly 10 via a control valve 96,
which may be selectively opened or actuated to allow the
pressurized air generated by the air compressor assembly 10 to flow
into the mouth 94 of the receptacle 92 before flowing or supplying
into the tire 90.
[0034] The pressurized air may force to open the cap 95, to blow
and to supply the sealant into the tire 90. A check valve 97 may
further be provided and coupled between the air compressor assembly
10 and the sealant container 91 or the receptacle 92, for limiting
the sealant to flow into the tire 90 only, and to prevent the
sealant from flowing backward from the tire 90 into the sealant
container 91 or the receptacle 92.
[0035] As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the air compressor assembly 10
includes a base holder 11, a cover 12 attached onto the base holder
11, to form or define a chamber 13 in the base holder 11 or between
the base holder 11 and the cover 12, and includes a motor 14
disposed in the chamber 13 of the base holder 11 and having a
pinion 16 attached to a spindle 15 thereof, for rotating or driving
the pinion 16.
[0036] A fan device 17 may further be provided and attached to the
motor 14, for being rotated or driven by the motor 14 to generate
cooling or heat dissipating air. A casing 18 may further be
provided and disposed in the chamber 13 of the base holder 11, and
a gear 19 may be rotated received or engaged in the casing 18, and
engaged with the pinion 16, for allowing the gear 19 to be rotated
or driven by the motor 14 via the pinion 16.
[0037] A weight or an eccentric member 20 is attached to the gear
19, and preferably secured to the axle 21 of the gear 19, and a
shaft 22 is attached to the eccentric member 20 and offset from the
axle 21 of the gear 19, such that the shaft 22 is located or
arranged eccentrically relative to the eccentric member 20 and the
axle 21 of the gear 19.
[0038] A cylinder housing 25 is also disposed in the chamber 13 of
the base holder 11, and includes a chamber 26 formed or provided
therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface 27, and includes
a passage 28 formed or provided in one end 29 thereof, for coupling
to or for communicating with an outlet tube 30, the inner
peripheral surface 27 is inclined or tilted from the one end 29
toward the other end or the free end portion of the cylinder
housing 25 for forming a frustum-shaped inner peripheral surface 27
and/or a frustum-shaped chamber 26. The outlet tube 30 includes an
outlet port 31 formed or provided therein for coupling to the tire
90 or to the sealant container 91 with a hose 98.
[0039] The outlet tube 30 further includes another outlet port 32
formed or provided therein for coupling to a pressure gauge 34
(FIG. 3), for example, and further includes a further outlet port
33 formed or provided therein for coupling to a safety valve, a
relief valve 40 (FIGS. 3-4 and 13-14), or the like, for air
relieving purposes, and for preventing the outlet tube 30 and the
cylinder housing 25 from being over-pressurized.
[0040] For example, as shown in FIGS. 13-14, the outlet port 33 of
the outlet tube 30 includes an inclined peripheral surface or valve
seat 35 formed or provided therein, and includes an inner thread 36
formed or provided in the outer portion thereof for threading with
a cap 37 which includes a bore 38 formed therein and communicating
with the outlet tube 30 and the cylinder housing 25, for allowing
over-pressurized air to flow out or to relieve from the outlet tube
30 and the cylinder housing 25.
[0041] The safety valve or relief valve 40 includes a valve element
41 slidably engaged in the outlet tube 30, and engageable with the
inclined peripheral surface or valve seat 35 of the outlet tube 30,
for selectively enclosing or blocking the outlet tube 30, and a
spring member 42 engaged between the valve element 41 and the cap
37, for biasing the valve element 41 to engage with the inclined
peripheral surface or valve seat 35 of the outlet tube 30. The
spring member 42 includes a predetermined spring biasing force or
resilience to allow air of a predetermined air pressure to flow out
through the outlet tube 30 against the spring member 42.
[0042] As shown in FIGS. 4-12, a piston 50 is slidably received or
engaged in the cylinder housing 25, and coupled to the shaft 22 of
the eccentric member 20 or of the gear 19, to allow the piston 50
to be caused to move or to slide in the cylinder housing 25 in
reciprocating action, by the motor 14 via the pinion 16 and the
gear 19 and the shaft 22.
[0043] The piston 50 includes a pathway 52 formed therein for air
flowing purposes, and includes a spring blade 53 attached to top
thereof, and arranged to block or to shield the pathway 52 thereof
when the piston 50 is moved toward the passage 28 of the cylinder
housing 25 or toward the outlet tube 30 (FIG. 7) in a compressing
stroke or process. The spring blade 53 may also be forced to open
the pathway 52 of the piston 50 when the piston 50 is moved away
from the passage 28 of the cylinder housing 25 or away from the
outlet tube 30 (FIG. 6) in a returning stroke or process.
[0044] The piston 50 further includes a peripheral groove 54 formed
in the outer peripheral portion thereof, and defined by a base
peripheral surface 55 and two outwardly opened or inclined side
surfaces 56, 57, to form or define a wider outer opening 58 in the
outer peripheral portion thereof and a narrower inner recess 59,
best shown in FIGS. 8-10, and further includes a sealing ring 60
engaged in the peripheral groove 54 thereof, as shown in FIGS.
4-12.
[0045] As also shown in FIGS. 8-12, the sealing ring 60 includes a
peripheral channel 61 formed in the upper and middle portion
thereof, to form or define a bottom or base segment 62, an inner
leg 63 and an outer leg 64, in which the inner leg 63 is provided
in a radially inner portion of the sealing ring 60, for
force-fitting in the narrower inner recess 59 of the piston 50, and
the outer leg 64 is provided in a radially outer portion of the
sealing ring 60, for slightly extending out of the wider outer
opening 58 of the piston 50.
[0046] For example, the outer leg 64 of the sealing ring 60
includes a flat surface 65 formed in the outer or free end portion
66 thereof, and preferably parallel to the bottom or base segment
62 thereof (FIG. 12), and further includes an inclined surface 67
also formed in the outer or free end portion 66 thereof, and formed
beside or adjacent to the flat surface 65 thereof. The outer leg 64
of the sealing ring 60 is provided for slidably engaging with the
inclined or tilted inner peripheral surface 27 of the cylinder
housing 25 (FIGS. 5-7) and for suitably making an air tight seal
between the inclined or tilted inner peripheral surface 27 of the
cylinder housing 25 and the sealing ring 60 of the piston 50.
[0047] In operation, as shown in FIGS. 5-7, when the piston 50 is
forced to move or to slide in the cylinder housing 25 in
reciprocating action, by the motor 14 via the pinion 16 and the
gear 19 and the shaft 22, the piston 50 may be slightly inclined or
tilted relative to the cylinder housing 25. The outer leg 64 that
is slightly extended out of the wider outer opening 58 of the
piston 50 may be slidably engaged with the inner peripheral surface
27 of the cylinder housing 25, to make a suitable air tight seal
between the piston 50 and the cylinder housing 25 even when the
piston 50 is inclined or tilted relative to the cylinder housing
25.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 15-17, a coupler or a plug 70 may
further be provided for coupling the air compressor assembly 10 to
an electric power source of vehicles (not shown) or the like, to
energize the air compressor assembly 10. For example, the plug 70
may be coupled to the motor 14 of the air compressor assembly 10
via an operating switch 71 which may thus be used to control or to
actuate the motor 14 of the air compressor assembly 10.
[0049] The plug 70 includes a plug body 72 having a central
electrode 73 provided or disposed therein, and a case or peripheral
electrode 74 attached to the plug body 72 and having two or more
conductor arms 75 provided thereon or extended therefrom, for
allowing the central electrode 73 and the conductor arms 75 of the
case or peripheral electrode 74 to be suitably coupled to the
electric power source of the vehicles or the like.
[0050] Accordingly, the air compressor in accordance with the
present invention includes an improved sealing ring for
facilitating a sliding engagement between a piston and a cylinder
housing which includes an inclined inner peripheral surface, and
for suitably making an air tight seal between the cylinder housing
and the piston.
[0051] 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.
* * * * *