Compressor housing integrated with a dryer and method of air intake and exhaust

Abstract

The application relates to the field of automobile technology, and particularly discloses a compressor shell integrated device with a drier and an air intake and exhaust method, which comprises a compressor shell, a drier shell, a check valve, two metal diaphragms with filter velvet, an adsorbent, an exhaust valve, a compression spring, a rotary ring, a bevel gear and a speed reduction motor. The application significantly reduces the structural complexity of an air drier, reduces the number of parts, reduces the structural complexity of the parts, simplifies the part assembly process, and reduces the cost. Meanwhile, the application can improve the accuracy, reliability and service life of the overpressure protection valve and the exhaust valve, the cost of using the speed reduction motor is lower than that of using an electromagnetic valve, and the mechanical driving advantage is that the valve is always fully opened until the end of the exhaust process, and the exhaust function is more stable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive technology, specifically relating to an integrated device for a compressor housing with a dryer and its intake and exhaust methods. Background Technology

[0002] Automotive air spring systems require a supply of compressed air, which is provided by an air compressor. The air compressor draws air from the atmosphere, compresses it to a certain pressure level, and then supplies it to the air spring system. However, when the partial pressure of water vapor increases, the dew point in the compressed air also increases, which can cause moisture in the compressed air to condense in the air spring system. This condensation is unacceptable because moisture can impair the function of the air spring system, and at temperatures below freezing, it can even damage components such as the air springs, or cause the entire system to fail. The current solution is to install an air dryer downstream of the air compressor. The air is compressed, dried in the dryer, and then enters the air spring system.

[0003] Air drying is achieved through an adsorbent (such as silica gel desiccant) in the dryer. When compressed air passes through the adsorbent particles in the drying cylinder, the adsorbent will absorb the moisture in the compressed air. Since the capacity of the adsorbent to absorb moisture is limited, once the moisture in the adsorbent reaches saturation, the dryer loses its drying function. Therefore, the adsorbent needs to be dried and regenerated regularly.

[0004] The existing solution is that when the air spring system releases air, the dry compressed air in the system is not directly discharged into the atmosphere, but returns along the same path through the porous adsorbent particles in the drying cylinder, carrying away the moisture remaining in the adsorbent particles.

[0005] For current dryer designs used in air spring systems and their relative arrangement with the compressor, please refer to patent specification EP1233183B1. In this design, the connection port between the dryer and the air spring system, as well as functional integrated components such as the exhaust valve and solenoid valve, are located on the same side of the dryer. When the dried compressed air is released from the air spring system, it needs to first flow through the adsorbent to remove the moisture in the adsorbent, and then return to flow through the exhaust valve to be discharged into the atmosphere. Therefore, a relatively complex air guiding channel design is required inside the dryer.

[0006] Furthermore, patent specification EP1233183B1 describes a method for guiding dry gas using a drying cylinder. The dry air is first guided through adsorbent particles inside the drying cylinder, and then flows to the exhaust valve through a small gap between the cylinder and the dryer housing. The disadvantages of this design are twofold: first, it requires an additional component (the drying cylinder) within the dryer; second, the drying cylinder must be fitted with the dryer with very high precision.

[0007] Another drawback of the existing technology is that the overpressure protection exhaust valve function is integrated into the dryer. To achieve the exhaust and overpressure protection functions, the exhaust valve is kept closed by a simple compression spring.

[0008] There are two requirements here. First, the compression spring must withstand a specific directional force so that the exhaust valve will automatically open when the pressure inside the dryer exceeds the set pressure value. Second, the system must be strictly sealed during normal operation to prevent accidental leakage. Therefore, there are very strict requirements for the manufacturing tolerances of the exhaust valve and the reverse profile inside the dryer housing.

[0009] Due to cost considerations, plastic is currently used for the dryer housing in applications. However, compared to metal, plastic has higher manufacturing tolerances and exhibits relatively strong expansion and contraction characteristics when ambient temperature and humidity change. Changes in the shape of the dryer housing alter the fit tolerance with the exhaust valve, thus changing the adhesion / friction value between the exhaust valve and the dryer housing. This will cause fluctuations in the opening pressure of the exhaust valve when it acts as an overpressure protection valve. If the opening pressure increases excessively, the system is at risk of damage, such as the bursting of individual components.

[0010] Another drawback is that integrating the exhaust valve and overpressure protection valve can lead to unstable pressure relief behavior. To actively control the exhaust valve, compressed air from the air spring system is delivered to the enlarged cross-section of the exhaust valve via a solenoid valve, increasing the pressure on the exhaust valve and causing it to act on the compression spring of the overpressure protection valve, opening it. As pressure is released from the system, the force holding the valve in the open position gradually decreases.

[0011] On the other hand, the restoring force of a compression spring depends only on its deformation. Therefore, the valve opens quickly at the beginning and then closes gradually. However, we would prefer the opposite. Initially, the valve should open slowly; otherwise, the large pressure differential would result in extremely high noise levels. Once the pressure differential decreases, the valve can be further opened to its maximum opening diameter to ensure a larger flow rate. Another drawback of spring-controlled exhaust valves is that the pressure in the system can never be completely released.

[0012] Other drawbacks lie in the use of solenoid valves. On one hand, their rigidity design requires very high stiffness because they must remain closed even under high system pressures. On the other hand, this high stiffness demands high starting force, thus requiring high current to open. This current must be maintained throughout the pressure release process, resulting in high-temperature input to the valve. Since automotive applications must ensure normal operation at high ambient temperatures, this necessitates limiting the switching time of the solenoid valve or increasing its size. Due to safety considerations, the switching time limitation can only be achieved within a limited range, leading to the high cost of solenoid valves. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated device for a compressor housing with a dryer and its intake and exhaust methods, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0014] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0015] A compressor housing integrated device with a dryer includes:

[0016] Compressor housing, dryer housing, check valve, two metal diaphragms with filter floss, adsorbent, exhaust valve, compression spring, rotary ring, bevel gear and geared motor.

[0017] Preferably, an air inlet is provided on the inner side of the compressor housing, a connection port is provided at the end of the dryer housing away from the compressor housing, and an exhaust port is provided on the outer wall of the compressor housing.

[0018] Preferably, the metal membranes are symmetrically distributed in two groups on the inner side of the dryer shell, and the adsorbent is filled between the two groups of metal membranes.

[0019] A method for intake and exhaust of air from a compressor housing with a dryer, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0020] S1. Close the exhaust valve. The compressor piston inside the compressor housing inputs compressed air into the dryer through the air inlet. The dryer contains granular adsorbent. The compressed air passes through the adsorbent particles, and its moisture is absorbed by the adsorbent. The dried air enters the air spring system through the connection port. After the compressed air in the air spring system reaches the required level, the compressor stops working and the check valve closes to prevent air from flowing back into the compressor.

[0021] S2. When the required compressed air in the air spring system decreases, the compressed air needs to be released. The exhaust valve must be activated. The exhaust valve is kept closed by the compression spring. When it is opened, the geared motor drives the rotary ring through the bevel gear. The rotary ring and the exhaust valve each have a helical geometry, which can rotate up to 360°. When the geared motor rotates the rotary ring through the bevel gear, the helical geometry of the rotary ring presses on the helical geometry of the exhaust valve. The force generated acts on the compression spring, causing the exhaust valve to open. When the compressed air is discharged from the air spring system, the dry air in the air spring system flows back to the dryer through the connection port. It passes through the adsorbent particles, carrying away the moisture in the adsorbent, drying and regenerating the adsorbent. Then it is discharged into the atmosphere through the exhaust port.

[0022] S3. By resetting the geared motor, the exhaust valve closes again, and the system can be pressurized again.

[0023] Prioritize the use of a geared motor as the actuator for the exhaust valve.

[0024] Preferred, the exhaust and overpressure protection valves are installed on the compressor housing, so that the gas connection to the air spring system and the exhaust port of the exhaust valve are located on the upstream and downstream sides of the air dryer.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0026] This invention significantly reduces the structural complexity of air dryers, reduces the number of parts, reduces the structural complexity of parts, simplifies the assembly process of parts, and reduces costs.

[0027] This invention moves the exhaust valve to the compressor housing, making it easier to ensure tight tolerances between the exhaust valve and the surrounding housing. This ensures functionality and prevents unnecessary compressed air loss because the aluminum material of the compressor housing is more suitable for high-precision machining and assembly requirements than the plastic material of the dryer housing. Firstly, aluminum is easier to manufacture with smaller tolerances; secondly, aluminum is much less susceptible to dimensional fluctuations caused by environmental factors than plastic. Therefore, this invention improves the accuracy, reliability, and service life of the overpressure protection valve and the exhaust valve.

[0028] This invention achieves better valve opening performance through a geared motor with gears and a rotary ring. In this configuration, the valve opens only slightly at the start of the exhaust process and then opens further as the pressure drops. This reduces exhaust noise while maintaining the same exhaust speed, significantly improving user comfort. Furthermore, the geared motor has the advantage of not requiring a holding voltage, meaning it is better at preventing overheating than a solenoid valve. Additionally, the geared motor is less expensive than a solenoid valve, and the mechanical actuation ensures the valve remains fully open until the exhaust process is complete, resulting in more stable exhaust functionality. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional view of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the air intake function of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air intake function of the present invention.

[0032] In the diagram: 1. Compressor housing; 2. Dryer housing; 3. Check valve; 4. Metal diaphragm; 5. Adsorbent; 6. Exhaust valve; 7. Compression spring; 8. Rotary ring; 9. Bevel gear; 10. Gear motor; 11. Air inlet; 12. Connection port; 13. Exhaust port. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] Example 1:

[0035] Please see Figure 1 - Figure 3 As shown, a compressor housing integrated device with a dryer includes:

[0036] 1. Compressor housing; 2. Dryer housing; 3. Check valve; 4. Two metal diaphragms with filter floss; 5. Adsorbent; 6. Exhaust valve; 7. Compression spring; 8. Rotary ring; 9. Bevel gear; and 10. Gear motor.

[0037] Depend on Figure 1 It can be seen that an air inlet 11 is provided on the inner side of the compressor housing 1, a connection port 12 is provided at the end of the dryer housing 2 away from the compressor housing 1, an exhaust port 13 is provided on the outer wall of the compressor housing 1, two sets of metal diaphragms 4 are symmetrically distributed on the inner side of the dryer housing 2, an adsorbent 5 is filled between the two sets of metal diaphragms 4, an exhaust valve 6 is provided on the inner side of the compressor housing 1, a geared motor 10 is provided on the inner side of the dryer housing 2, a bevel gear 9 is fixedly connected to the output end of the geared motor 10, and the outer walls of the compressor housing 1 and the dryer housing 2 are connected.

[0038] A method for intake and exhaust of air from a compressor housing with a dryer includes the following steps:

[0039] S1. Close the exhaust valve 6. The compressor piston 14 in the compressor housing 1 inputs compressed air into the dryer 2 through the air inlet 11. The dryer 2 contains particulate adsorbent 5. The compressed air passes through the adsorbent particles, and its moisture is absorbed by the adsorbent 5. The dried air enters the air spring system through the connection port 12. After the compressed air in the air spring system reaches the required level, the compressor stops working, and the check valve 3 closes to prevent air from flowing back into the compressor.

[0040] S2. When the required compressed air in the air spring system decreases, the compressed air needs to be released. The exhaust valve 6 must be activated. The exhaust valve 6 is kept closed by the compression spring 7. When it is opened, the geared motor 10 drives the rotary ring 8 through the bevel gear 9. The rotary ring 8 and the exhaust valve 6 each have a helical geometry, which can rotate up to 360°. When the geared motor 10 rotates the rotary ring 8 through the bevel gear 9, the helical geometry of the rotary ring 8 presses on the helical geometry of the exhaust valve 6. The force generated acts on the compression spring 7, causing the exhaust valve 6 to open. When the compressed air is discharged from the air spring system, the dry air in the air spring system flows back to the dryer through the connection port 12, passes through the adsorbent 5 particles, and carries away the moisture in the adsorbent, so that the adsorbent is dried and regenerated. Then it is discharged into the atmosphere through the exhaust port 13.

[0041] S3. By resetting the reduction motor 10, the exhaust valve 6 is closed again, and the system can be pressurized again.

[0042] As can be seen from the above, this invention achieves several objectives through a novel structure and the use of alternative components. One important objective is to simplify the airflow within the dryer, thereby reducing the number and complexity of the components used. Another objective is to move the critical functional surfaces of the overpressure valve and exhaust valve to the compressor housing, which, being made of aluminum, makes it easier to maintain tight manufacturing tolerances. Furthermore, this approach offers the advantage of concentrating technically complex functions into a single component, significantly reducing the complexity of all other parts.

[0043] Using a geared motor as the actuator for the exhaust valve improves pressure release performance, which reduces noise during the release process and thus improves the noise characteristics of the exhaust. Finally, geared motors are more resistant to temperature fluctuations and are not limited in operating time like solenoid valves.

[0044] Overall, the purpose of this invention is to simplify the dryer and compressor housing of the air spring compressor, reduce material and manufacturing costs, make the pressure relief and exhaust function more stable and controllable, reduce pressure relief noise, and improve the reliability and comfort of use.

[0045] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A compressor housing integrated device with a dryer, characterized in that, include: The compressor housing (1), dryer housing (2), check valve (3), two metal diaphragms with filter fibers (4), adsorbent (5), exhaust valve (6), compression spring (7), rotary ring (8), bevel gear (9), and geared motor (10) are provided. An air inlet (11) is provided on the inner side of the compressor housing (1), a connection port (12) is provided at the end of the dryer housing (2) away from the compressor housing (1), and an exhaust port (13) is provided on the outer wall of the compressor housing (1). The metal diaphragms (4) are symmetrically distributed in two groups on the inner side of the dryer housing (2), and the adsorbent (5) is filled between the two groups of metal diaphragms (4). The exhaust valve (6) is provided on the inner side of the compressor housing (1), the geared motor (10) is provided on the inner side of the dryer housing (2), the bevel gear (9) is fixedly connected to the output end of the geared motor (10), and the outer walls of the compressor housing (1) and the dryer housing (2) are connected.

2. A method for intake and exhaust of air from a compressor housing with a dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Close the exhaust valve (6). The compressor piston (14) in the compressor housing (1) inputs compressed air into the dryer housing (2) through the air inlet (11). The dryer housing (2) contains particulate adsorbent (5). The compressed air passes through the adsorbent particles, and its moisture is absorbed by the adsorbent (5). The dried air enters the air spring system through the connection port (12). After the compressed air in the air spring system reaches the required level, the compressor stops working, and the check valve (3) closes to prevent air from flowing back into the compressor. S2. When the required compressed air in the air spring system decreases, the compressed air needs to be released. The exhaust valve (6) must be activated. The exhaust valve (6) is kept closed by the compression spring (7). When it is opened, the geared motor (10) drives the rotary ring (8) through the bevel gear (9). The rotary ring (8) and the exhaust valve (6) each have a spiral geometry, which can rotate up to 360° of their respective components. When the geared motor (10) rotates the rotary ring (8) through the bevel gear (9), the spiral geometry of the rotary ring (8) presses on the spiral geometry of the exhaust valve (6), and the force generated acts on the compression spring (7), causing the exhaust valve (6) to open. When the compressed air is discharged from the air spring system, the dry air in the air spring system flows back to the dryer through the connection port (12), passes through the adsorbent (5) particles, takes away the moisture in the adsorbent, dries and regenerates the adsorbent, and then discharges into the atmosphere through the exhaust port (13). S3. By resetting the geared motor (10), the exhaust valve (6) is closed again, and the system can be pressurized again.

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