Air compressor and vehicle having an air compressor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an air compressor comprising a cylinder head and a valve seat plate and a deboosting system, characterized in that the deboosting system comprises: a mounting base having a piston cavity extending in a vertical direction of the air compressor inside the mounting base, the mounting base extending from the cylinder head into the valve seat plate; an upper piston assembly movably arranged in the piston cavity in the vertical direction and capable of receiving a deboosting control signal; a lower piston assembly movably arranged in the piston cavity in the vertical direction and coaxially arranged below the upper piston assembly, an integrated air intake and deboosting cover sheet fixedly connected to a lower end of the lower piston assembly for selectively opening or closing an air intake passage arranged on the valve seat plate. The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle having an air compressor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of engine accessory technology, and in particular to an air compressor and a vehicle having an air compressor. Background Technology

[0002] Air compressors are core components of the braking systems of commercial vehicles, responsible for providing high-pressure gas. During operation, air compressors automatically switch between two operating modes: "loaded inflation" and "unloaded idling," based on the air pressure in the storage tank. This prevents system overpressure, reduces energy consumption, and extends equipment life. Currently, the industry commonly uses unloading systems to switch between these two operating modes.

[0003] Traditional unloading systems typically include components such as unloading valves, unloading pistons, and springs, which are arranged independently in the valve seat plate from the intake valves. The basic working principle of this unloading system is as follows: when the air tank pressure is below the set value, the air compressor normally draws in and compresses gas, supplying air to the air tank; when the air tank pressure reaches the upper limit, a control gas signal enters the unloading system and pushes the unloading piston against the spring force, thereby causing the unloading valve to open the unloading channel, and the air compressor enters an unloading idling state; after the air tank pressure drops and the control gas signal is released, the unloading piston resets under the spring force, and the air compressor resumes its loaded air-compressing state.

[0004] Because most components of the unloading system (unloading valve plate, unloading piston, and spring) are located inside the valve seat plate, especially in multi-cylinder air compressors, the valve seat plate has a large surface area and therefore requires a large lateral installation space. Consequently, the air compressor cylinder head, particularly in the lateral direction, may interfere with the space of the customer equipment. In this situation, adjusting the air compressor cylinder head is difficult, costly, and inflexible. Moreover, in the unloaded state, the existing unloading system has a long gas flow path and high resistance, and the air compressor still consumes a significant amount of energy; therefore, energy-saving performance needs improvement.

[0005] Furthermore, the traditional unloading system and intake valve plate are two separate components, resulting in a large number of parts, complex casting and machining processes for the valve seat plate, and high production and assembly costs. In addition, most existing unloading intake ports are located on the crankcase. If the unloading intake port needs to be moved to the cylinder head according to customer requirements, significant modifications to the relevant molds and structures are required, leading to high adjustment costs and hindering rapid response to customer needs.

[0006] Therefore, how to optimize the spatial layout, simplify the structure, improve interface flexibility, reduce manufacturing costs and enhance energy-saving effects of the unloading system without sacrificing functionality is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an air compressor with a compact structure, small space occupation, few parts and low manufacturing cost, and a corresponding vehicle with an air compressor.

[0008] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides an air compressor, including a cylinder head, a valve seat plate, and an unloading system, characterized in that the unloading system comprises: a mounting base having a piston chamber located therein extending vertically along the air compressor, the mounting base extending from the cylinder head into the valve seat plate; an upper piston assembly movably disposed vertically in the piston chamber and capable of receiving an unloading control signal; and a lower piston assembly movably disposed vertically in the piston chamber and coaxially with the upper piston assembly below it. The air compressor is arranged in a ground-mounted manner, with an integrated intake and unloading cover plate fixedly connected to the lower end of the lower piston assembly. This cover plate is used to selectively open or close the intake passage provided on the valve seat plate. When the air compressor is under load, the lower piston assembly drives the integrated intake and unloading cover plate to close the intake passage after intake is completed. When the air compressor is under unloading, the upper piston assembly moves downward after receiving an unloading control signal, pushing the lower piston assembly and the integrated intake and unloading cover plate downward, and keeping the intake passage open.

[0009] Therefore, instead of the traditional transverse arrangement, by coaxially integrating the upper and lower piston assemblies vertically within the piston cavity of the mounting base extending from the cylinder head to the valve seat plate, the lateral space of the cylinder head can be greatly saved, the cylinder head volume significantly reduced, interference with other engine components avoided, and the overall engine weight reduced. By setting an integrated intake and unloading cover plate fixedly connected to the lower end of the lower piston assembly, it simultaneously functions as both an intake valve plate and an unloading valve plate. Under load, it moves with the lower piston assembly to control the opening and closing of the intake passage, and under unloading, it remains open to allow for low-resistance internal reciprocating gas circulation without overcoming exhaust valve plate resistance, further reducing unloading energy consumption. Furthermore, using a single integrated cover plate instead of two separate components reduces the number of parts, simplifies the valve seat plate machining structure, and lowers manufacturing costs and assembly time. The mounting base, continuously extending from the cylinder head to the valve seat plate, provides an integrated guiding space for the upper and lower piston assemblies and ensures the stability and sealing of reciprocating movement.

[0010] In some embodiments, the upper piston assembly includes an upper piston, a high-elasticity spring, and an upper seal; the lower piston assembly includes a lower piston, a low-elasticity spring, and a lower seal; the elastic force of the high-elasticity spring is greater than the elastic force of the low-elasticity spring. Thus, under load, only the lower piston assembly can respond to negative pressure and actuate, while under unload conditions, the upper and lower piston assemblies can move in tandem to achieve automatic switching between the two modes without interference.

[0011] In some embodiments, the spring force of the low-elasticity spring is less than the negative pressure generated when the air compressor cylinder draws in air, while the spring force of the high-elasticity spring is greater than the negative pressure generated when the air compressor cylinder draws in air. Therefore, under load, the negative pressure inside the cylinder can only overcome the low-elasticity spring to open the intake passage and cannot drive the upper piston downwards; under unload, the high-pressure gas of the control signal can overcome the high-elasticity spring to trigger unloading, ensuring selective response in both states.

[0012] In some embodiments, the upper piston is configured as a T-shaped piston with a partition in the piston chamber, and the high-elasticity spring is disposed between the piston head of the upper piston and the partition; and / or the lower piston is configured as a T-shaped piston with a sleeve in the piston chamber, and the low-elasticity spring is disposed between the piston head of the lower piston and the sleeve. The T-shaped piston, in conjunction with the partition or sleeve, provides a stable mounting and limiting structure for the spring, ensuring that the spring remains axially aligned and preventing misalignment or jamming, while also making the overall structure more compact.

[0013] In some embodiments, the sleeve is configured as a spring seat that is screwed into the piston cavity of the mounting base from below via a thread. By adjusting the screw-in depth, the pre-compression of the low-elasticity spring can be precisely controlled to adapt to different operating conditions without replacing the spring; it also facilitates disassembly and maintenance, reducing maintenance costs.

[0014] In some embodiments, the air compressor further includes a cover plate disposed above the upper piston assembly, the cover plate having an unloading air inlet. Therefore, the unloading air inlet can be flexibly arranged with the cover plate, eliminating the need for complex channels in the crankcase or cylinder head, thereby reducing machining difficulty and improving the convenience of customer customization.

[0015] In some embodiments, the cover plate, together with the cylinder head, forms a control signal channel. This allows the unloading intake port to be positioned at any location on the cover plate, and the control signal gas can be guided to the piston chamber via the channel between the cover plate and the cylinder head without drilling holes in the cylinder head, simplifying the machining and sealing structure.

[0016] In some embodiments, the mounting base of the unloading system is integrally formed with the cylinder head. This reduces the number of parts, eliminates the need for connectors and seals between the mounting base and the cylinder head, lowers assembly costs and leakage risks, and improves the overall rigidity and strength of the cylinder head.

[0017] In some embodiments, the air compressor further includes: a crankcase, in which a piston is reciprocally disposed in a cylinder of the crankcase; and a cylinder head connected to the crankcase, the cylinder head including the cylinder head and the valve seat plate, the valve seat plate being disposed between the cylinder head and the crankcase. This layered structure allows the unloading system to be installed between the cylinder head and the valve seat plate, and the integrated intake and unloading covers can be directly opposite the intake passage, resulting in a short air path, fast response, and compact structure.

[0018] In some embodiments, the air compressor is a multi-cylinder air compressor, and each cylinder of the multi-cylinder air compressor is equipped with the unloading system. Under unloading conditions, the gas in each cylinder can be interconnected through its respective intake channel, realizing low-resistance gas circulation between the multiple cylinders, which can further reduce unloading energy consumption. At the same time, independent control of each cylinder can improve the redundancy and reliability of the system.

[0019] In some embodiments, a crankshaft and connecting rod are arranged in the crankcase, wherein the piston is connected to the connecting rod, and the crankshaft drives the piston to reciprocate within the cylinder of the crankcase via the connecting rod to achieve intake and compression. This crank-connecting rod mechanism is a mature and reliable transmission solution that can smoothly convert the rotational motion of the engine into the reciprocating linear motion of the piston, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the air compressor and providing a reliable working foundation for the unloading system.

[0020] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides a vehicle that includes an air compressor according to this disclosure as described above.

[0021] In some embodiments, the vehicle is configured as a commercial vehicle.

[0022] The vehicle according to the second aspect of this disclosure has the same advantages as the air compressor according to the first aspect of this disclosure and vice versa, which will not be elaborated here. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 A perspective view of an air compressor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A sectional view of an air compressor; Figure 2A Show Figure 2 A partial sectional view of the air compressor; Figure 3A Showing the inhalation phase Figure 1 A sectional view of an air compressor; Figure 3B Showing the inhalation phase Figure 1Another cross-sectional view of the air compressor; Figure 4 Showing the unloading phase Figure 1 A sectional view of an air compressor; Figure 5 Show Figure 1 A partial perspective view of an air compressor; Figure 6 A perspective view of an exemplary unloading system for an air compressor according to the prior art is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be presented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below; in fact, the embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure more complete and to fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide further additional embodiments.

[0025] It should be understood that the same reference numerals denote the same elements in all the accompanying drawings. For clarity, the dimensions of certain features may be modified in the drawings.

[0026] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. All terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or structures may not be described in detail.

[0027] As mentioned earlier, existing air compressor unloading systems have several shortcomings. First, in terms of structural layout, traditional unloading systems are usually arranged laterally in the valve seat plate, resulting in a large air compressor cylinder head volume. This easily leads to spatial interference with other components on the customer's engine, and also makes adjustment difficult, costly, and inflexible. Second, most existing unloading intake ports are fixed on the crankcase, making it impossible to flexibly adjust them to the customer's required position (such as the cylinder head). This results in high adjustment costs and hinders rapid response to customer needs. Furthermore, traditional unloading systems and intake valve plates are two independent components, leading to a large number of parts, complex casting and machining processes for the valve seat plate, and high production and assembly costs.

[0028] In view of this, this disclosure proposes to change the unloading system from a horizontal arrangement to a vertical arrangement to fully utilize the original height space of the cylinder head. Here, the piston assembly can be vertically positioned inside the cylinder head, thereby freeing up the horizontal installation space of the cylinder head. Simultaneously, the intake valve plate and the unloading valve plate can be integrated into an "integrated intake and unloading cover plate," which can be fixedly connected to the piston assembly and simultaneously perform both intake control and unloading control functions. Furthermore, by adding a cover plate, the unloading intake port can be positioned at any location on the cover plate or cylinder head according to customer requirements, requiring only a change in the cover plate shape or simple mold modification.

[0029] The air compressor with an unloading system disclosed herein can be applied not only to commercial vehicles (especially their braking systems) but also to the field of construction machinery, providing on-demand air supply for pneumatic control to reduce overall fuel consumption; it can also be applied to the rail transit field, significantly reducing energy waste while ensuring braking safety through intelligent sleep and wake-up mechanisms; it can also be applied to the industrial manufacturing field, achieving precise air supply in intermittent air usage scenarios to improve energy efficiency; in addition, it can be applied to the shipbuilding and marine engineering field to optimize the energy consumption performance of deck pneumatic equipment; and it can even be extended to medical air supply systems, maintaining constant pressure output and reducing long-term operating costs through frequency conversion regulation.

[0030] To facilitate the description of the technical solution of the present invention, in this specification, with reference to the posture of the air compressor being normally installed on the vehicle with the cylinder head facing upward and the crankcase facing downward, the following directional terms are defined: "vertical direction" refers to the direction along which the air compressor cylinder head and crankcase are arranged opposite each other, that is, the height direction of the air compressor; "lateral direction" refers to the horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and in particular includes the length direction and width direction of the air compressor.

[0031] First refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 This diagram shows a perspective view of an exemplary unloading system for an air compressor according to the prior art. By utilizing the unloading system, for example when the air reservoir pressure in a vehicle is sufficient, the air compressor can enter an unloading state (i.e., an unloading idling operation mode), thereby reducing engine load and saving fuel consumption. In other words, the air compressor can utilize the unloading system to achieve "on-demand air supply," thus significantly reducing energy consumption.

[0032] The unloading system of this air compressor includes a valve seat plate 1. The valve seat plate 1 has a piston chamber 6. A piston assembly is installed inside the piston chamber 6. This piston assembly consists of a threaded plug 7, an O-ring 8, a piston body 9, an O-ring 10, a compression spring 11, and a guide rod 12. The guide rod 12 is located on one side of the piston body 9, and the compression spring 11 is fitted onto the guide rod 12. The O-ring 8 and O-ring 10 are respectively installed at the front and rear ends of the piston body 9. The threaded plug 7 is installed at the front port of the piston chamber 6.

[0033] The valve seat plate 1 is also provided with an unloading hole 2 and a guide groove 14. An unloading valve plate 3, used to close or open the unloading hole 2, is hinged to the valve seat plate 1 at one end via a pin 13, and connected to a valve plate pin (not shown) at the other end. The valve plate pin is connected to the unloading valve plate 3 at its top end and passes through the guide groove 14 to connect to the piston assembly at its bottom end. The valve seat plate 1 is also provided with a pneumatic signal passage 5 and a cotter pin 4. The pneumatic signal passage 5 connects an air reservoir (not shown) to the front section of the piston chamber 6 for transmitting pneumatic signals. The cotter pin 4 is used to limit or fix related components.

[0034] In the loaded state (i.e., the loaded air-inflating operation mode), the unloading valve plate 3 closes the unloading orifice 2. Gas enters the air compressor and, after compression, enters the relevant systems of the vehicle through the exhaust port, thus establishing pressure normally. In the unloaded state, when the gas pressure in the relevant systems of the vehicle reaches the set value, a small amount of high-pressure gas is drawn from the air reservoir as a signal gas, which enters the front section of the piston chamber 6 through the pneumatic signal passage 5. This signal gas pushes the piston body 9 to move backward, and through the valve plate pin, it drives the unloading valve plate 3 to rotate around the pin shaft 13, opening the unloading orifice 2 to allow gas to be discharged, thereby achieving unloading and energy saving. When the signal gas is removed, the piston body 9 returns to its original position under the action of the compression spring 11, and through the valve plate pin, it drives the unloading valve plate 3 to close the unloading orifice 2, thus switching back to the loaded state.

[0035] In this prior art solution, the unloading valve plate 3, the piston assembly, and the intake valve plate (not shown) are all arranged laterally in the valve seat plate 1. Therefore, this unloading system has a large lateral extension, thus occupying a large lateral installation space.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , 2A , Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an air compressor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A sectional view of an air compressor; Figure 2A Show Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of an air compressor. In this embodiment, the air compressor is constructed as a two-cylinder air compressor. However, it is also conceivable that the air compressor could also be constructed as a single-cylinder or multi-cylinder air compressor. The air compressor may include a cylinder head 20 and a valve seat plate 30. The cylinder head 20 and the valve seat plate 30 may form the cylinder head or part of the cylinder head of the air compressor. The air compressor may also include a crankcase 50 (also referred to as a cylinder block). A piston 51 is reciprocally arranged in a cylinder of the crankcase 50. A crankshaft and connecting rod (not shown) may also be arranged in the crankcase. The connecting rod is connected to the piston 51, and the crankshaft can drive the piston 51 to reciprocate within the cylinder of the crankcase 50 via the connecting rod to achieve intake and compression.

[0037] The air compressor according to embodiments of this disclosure may further include an unloading system 100. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the unloading system 100 provided in this embodiment may include a mounting base 110, an upper piston assembly 120, a lower piston assembly 130, and an integrated suction and unloading cover 140.

[0038] The mounting base 110, serving as a support and housing structure for the unloading system 100, extends downward from the cylinder head 20 of the air compressor to the valve seat plate 30, and forms within it a piston chamber 111 extending vertically along the air compressor. This piston chamber 111 provides guide space for the reciprocating movement of the upper piston assembly 120 and the lower piston assembly 130.

[0039] The upper piston assembly 120 is movably disposed on the upper part of the piston chamber 111 in a vertical direction. The upper piston assembly 120 is connected to an external unloading control air circuit and can receive unloading control signals (i.e., high-pressure gas) from, for example, an air reservoir or a control unit. When the unloading control signal is applied to the upper piston assembly 120, the upper piston assembly 120 can move downward, thereby triggering the switching of the unloading state.

[0040] The lower piston assembly 130 is movably disposed vertically at the lower part of the piston chamber 111, and can be located below and coaxially arranged with the upper piston assembly 120. When the air compressor is not running, the upper piston assembly 120 and the lower piston assembly 130 can be axially positioned to contact each other. Under load, the lower piston assembly 130 can move away from or towards the upper piston assembly 120 according to the negative pressure generated in the cylinder. When the upper piston assembly 120 is driven downward by an unloading control signal, the upper piston assembly 120 can push the lower piston assembly 130 downward together.

[0041] The integrated intake and unloading cover 140 can be fixedly connected to the lower end of the lower piston assembly 130, for example, by tightening bolts, so that it can move synchronously with the movement of the lower piston assembly 130. The integrated intake and unloading cover 140 can be disposed at the intake passage of the valve seat plate 30, opposite to the intake passage, for selectively opening or closing the intake passage. The integrated intake and unloading cover 140 can simultaneously perform two functions: when the air compressor is under load, it functions as an intake valve to control the opening and closing of the intake passage; when the air compressor is unloaded and idling, it functions as an unloading valve (i.e., a Reed valve) to keep the intake passage open to allow internal gas circulation.

[0042] like Figure 3A and 3BAs shown, when the air compressor is under load (i.e., normal air pumping), the piston 51 of the air compressor moves downward, generating negative pressure in the cylinder. This negative pressure is transmitted to the underside of the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 through the intake passage on the valve seat plate 30. This negative pressure causes the lower piston assembly 130 and the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 to move downward together, thereby opening the intake passage and allowing external gas to enter the cylinder to complete the intake process. As gas enters, the negative pressure in the cylinder gradually decreases. When the negative pressure decreases to the same level as the return force of the low-elasticity spring, the lower piston assembly 130 can return upward and drive the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 upward until the intake passage is closed again. At this time, the lower piston assembly 130 can contact the upper piston assembly 120 again, thus ending the intake process. Subsequently, when the piston 51 compresses the gas upward, it can press the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 tightly against the intake passage to prevent high-pressure gas backflow.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, when the air compressor is in the unloaded state, the air tank is full, and the external control system can input an unload control signal (i.e., high-pressure gas) to the unload system 100 through the unload inlet 41. This high-pressure gas can enter the upper part of the piston chamber 111, act on the upper end of the upper piston assembly 120, and thus push the upper piston assembly 120 downward. The upper piston assembly 120 can then push the lower piston assembly 130 downward. More specifically, if the lower piston assembly 130 is in a separated state from the upper piston assembly 120, the upper piston assembly 120 can first move downward a certain distance to contact the lower piston assembly 130 before pushing it downward; if the lower piston assembly 130 is in contact with the upper piston assembly 120, the upper piston assembly 120 can directly push it downward. Then, the lower piston assembly 130 can drive the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 fixedly connected to its lower end to move downward synchronously, so that the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 remains away from the intake passage, that is, the intake passage remains continuously open.

[0044] For the dual-cylinder air compressor in the illustrated embodiment, when the air compressor enters the loaded state and begins normal air pumping, the piston movements of the first and second cylinders are 180 degrees out of phase, resulting in opposite pressure states within the two cylinders. Therefore, when the first cylinder is in its intake stroke, the negative pressure generated within it can drive the corresponding lower piston assembly 130 downwards, thus separating it from the corresponding upper piston assembly 120. Simultaneously, the second cylinder is in its compression stroke, and the positive pressure within it can push the corresponding lower piston assembly 130 upwards, maintaining contact with the upper piston assembly 120. When an external unloading control signal arrives, requiring the air compressor to switch from the loaded state to the unloaded state, the upper piston assemblies 120 of all cylinders can be synchronously pushed downwards. During this process, for the first cylinder, which was previously in a separated state, the upper piston assembly 120 needs to move downwards a certain "free stroke" distance before contacting the lower piston assembly 130 and then continuing to push it downwards to open the intake passage. For the second cylinder, which was previously in a contact state, the upper piston assembly 120 directly contacts the lower piston assembly 130 and immediately pushes it downwards. This adaptive initial state achieved by utilizing the phase difference between the two cylinders ensures the reliability and synchronicity of the unloading action.

[0045] In this configuration, the intake passages of the two cylinders are interconnected. When the piston 51 on one side compresses upwards, the gas in that cylinder enters the downward-moving cylinder on the other side through the interconnected intake passage; conversely, the gas circulates back and forth between the two cylinders without overcoming the resistance of the exhaust valve plate. Therefore, the air compressor performs almost no work, achieving low-energy unloading operation. When unloading is complete, the unloading control signal stops input, the high-pressure gas in the upper part of the piston chamber 111 is discharged, the upper piston assembly 120 can return to its original position, and the lower piston assembly 130 can also return to its original position, causing the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 to re-close the intake passage, allowing the air compressor to return to the loaded state.

[0046] For a single-cylinder air compressor, when the piston moves upward within the cylinder, it no longer compresses the gas to be discharged through the exhaust valve. Instead, it pushes the gas in the cylinder through an open intake passage to a buffer chamber, for example, pre-set within the cylinder head 20. When the piston moves downward within the cylinder, the gas in the buffer chamber can be drawn back into the cylinder through the same intake passage. In this way, the gas can circulate back and forth between the cylinder and the buffer chamber without overcoming the resistance of the exhaust valve, thus achieving low-energy unloading operation.

[0047] Therefore, in the air compressor according to this disclosure, by coaxially arranging the upper piston assembly 120 and the lower piston assembly 130 in the vertical direction within the piston chamber 111 of the mounting base 110, the unloading system 100 can be changed from a traditional lateral arrangement to vertical integration inside the cylinder head, thereby greatly saving the lateral arrangement space of the cylinder head, significantly reducing the cylinder head volume, avoiding spatial interference with other engine components, and reducing the overall weight of the air compressor. By providing an integrated intake and unloading cover 140 fixedly connected to the lower end of the lower piston assembly 130, this integrated intake and unloading cover 140 simultaneously functions as both an intake valve and an unloading valve (moving with the lower piston assembly 130 under load to control the opening and closing of the intake passage, and moving downwards with the upper piston assembly 120 and the lower piston assembly 130 under unloading while keeping the intake passage continuously open). This enables low-resistance reciprocating gas circulation without overcoming exhaust valve resistance, thus further reducing unloading energy consumption. Simultaneously, this integrated intake and unloading cover 140 replaces two separate components as a single unit, reducing the number of parts, simplifying the machining structure of the valve seat plate 30, and lowering manufacturing costs and assembly time. Furthermore, the design of the mounting base extending from the cylinder head to the valve seat plate provides continuous guide space for the upper and lower piston assemblies, ensuring the stability and reliability of the operation.

[0048] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, particularly referring to Figure 2A The upper piston assembly 120 may include an upper piston 121, a high-elasticity spring 122, and an upper seal 123. The upper piston 121 is movably disposed on the upper part of the piston chamber 111 of the mounting base 110; the high-elasticity spring 122 may be disposed on the upper piston 121 to provide an upward restoring force; the upper seal 123 is used to ensure the airtightness between the upper piston 121 and the piston chamber 111. The lower piston assembly 130 may include a lower piston 131, a low-elasticity spring 132, and a lower seal 133. The lower piston 131 is movably disposed on the lower part of the piston chamber 111, located below the upper piston 121 and coaxially arranged with the upper piston 121; the low-elasticity spring 132 may be disposed on the lower piston 131 to provide an upward restoring force; the lower seal 133 is used to ensure the airtightness between the lower piston 131 and the piston chamber 111.

[0049] Here, the spring force of the high-elasticity spring 122 is greater than that of the low-elasticity spring 132. By setting high-elasticity and low-elasticity springs with different spring forces, differentiated responses of each piston assembly can be achieved under load and unload conditions: under load, only the lower piston assembly can move to ensure normal intake; under unload, the upper and lower piston assemblies can move in tandem to open the unloading channel. This two-stage spring configuration allows the unloading system to automatically switch operating modes based on pressure signals without requiring complex external control. It features a simple structure, reliable response, and ensures that the two states do not interfere with each other.

[0050] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the elastic force of the low-elasticity spring 132 can be less than the negative pressure generated when the air compressor cylinder draws in air, and the elastic force of the high-elasticity spring 122 can be greater than the negative pressure generated when the air compressor cylinder draws in air. This design of elastic force difference enables the following: Under load, the negative pressure generated by the intake air in the cylinder can overcome the low-elasticity spring 132 with smaller elasticity, driving the lower piston 131 and the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 to move downward to open the intake passage, but cannot overcome the high-elasticity spring 122 with larger elasticity, so the upper piston 121 remains stationary; when the negative pressure in the cylinder is equal to the elasticity of the low-elasticity spring 132, the lower piston 131 can move upward to reset under the action of elasticity and drive the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 to close the intake passage; under unloading, the high pressure generated by the external unloading control signal can overcome the elasticity of the high-elasticity spring 122, pushing the upper piston 121 to move downward, thereby pushing the lower piston 131 and the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 to move downward synchronously, keeping the intake passage open.

[0051] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, particularly referring to Figure 2A The upper piston 121 can be constructed as a T-type piston. A T-type piston refers to a piston with a larger diameter piston head and a smaller diameter piston rod, forming an overall "T" shape. This structural design allows the piston head to provide a larger pressure-bearing surface, facilitating the reception of the pressure from the unloading control gas, while the piston rod can pass through other components to transmit motion. A partition 112 can be provided in the piston chamber 111 of the mounting base 110. This partition 112 can be constructed as a generally annular protrusion or stepped structure, thereby dividing the piston chamber 111 into an upper section and a lower section. A through hole is formed in the center of the partition 112 for the piston rod of the upper piston 121 to pass through. A high-elasticity spring 122 can be sleeved on the piston rod of the upper piston 121 and arranged between the piston head of the upper piston 121 and the partition 112. Specifically, the upper end of the high-elasticity spring 122 abuts against the lower surface of the piston head of the upper piston 121, and the lower end of the high-elasticity spring 122 abuts against the upper surface of the partition 112. When the unloading control signal (i.e., high-pressure gas) acts on the upper surface of the piston head of the upper piston 121, the upper piston 121 can overcome the elastic force of the high-elasticity spring 122 and move downward. The piston rod extends downward through the central through hole of the partition 112, and at the same time, the high-elasticity spring 122 is compressed. When the unloading control signal disappears, the compressed high-elasticity spring 122 can release its elastic force and push the upper piston 121 upward to reset.

[0052] Similarly, the lower piston 131 can also be constructed as a T-shaped piston, with a larger diameter piston head and a smaller diameter piston rod. This T-shaped structure allows the piston head of the lower piston 131 to provide a stable spring contact surface, while the piston rod can be used for fixed connection with the integrated intake and unloading cover 140. A sleeve 113 can be provided in the piston chamber 111. The sleeve 113 is cylindrical and fixedly installed on the inner wall or bottom of the piston chamber 111, with a through hole in its center for the piston rod of the lower piston 131 to pass through. The sleeve 113 serves both as the lower end contact surface of the low-elasticity spring 132 and as a guide for the movement of the lower piston 131. The low-elasticity spring 132 can be sleeved on the piston rod of the lower piston 131 and arranged between the piston head of the lower piston 131 and the sleeve 113. Specifically, the upper end of the low-elasticity spring 132 abuts against the lower surface of the piston head of the lower piston 131, and the lower end of the low-elasticity spring 132 abuts against the upper surface of the sleeve 113. When the negative pressure in the cylinder acts on the lower piston 131 through the integrated intake and unloading cover 140, the lower piston 131 can overcome the elastic force of the low-elasticity spring 132 and move downward. The piston rod extends downward through the central through hole of the sleeve 113, driving the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 to move downward synchronously to open the intake passage. At the same time, the low-elasticity spring 132 is compressed. When the negative pressure in the cylinder disappears or is insufficient to overcome the elastic force, the compressed low-elasticity spring 132 can release its elastic force, pushing the lower piston 131 upward to reset, and driving the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 to close the intake passage.

[0053] The aforementioned T-type piston design, combined with a separator or sleeve, provides a stable mounting and limiting structure for both high- and low-elasticity springs. The piston head of the T-type piston serves as the spring's support surface, while the separator or sleeve acts as the spring's contact surface, ensuring the spring remains axially aligned during compression and reset, thus preventing spring misalignment or jamming. Simultaneously, this structure confines the spring's arrangement space between the piston head and the separator / sleeve, resulting in a more compact overall structure and facilitating the vertical integration of the unloading system within the cylinder head.

[0054] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, particularly referring to Figure 2AThe sleeve 113 can be constructed as an independent spring seat, which can be screwed into the piston chamber 111 of the mounting base 110 from below via a threaded connection. Specifically, the outer wall of the spring seat can be provided with external threads, and the inner wall of the lower end of the piston chamber 111 can be provided with matching internal threads. The screw-in depth can be adjusted by rotating the spring seat. By adjusting the screw-in depth of the spring seat, the pre-compression of the low-elasticity spring 132 can be precisely controlled, thereby adjusting its initial elasticity to adapt to the matching requirements of different working conditions or different models of air compressors. Therefore, the pre-compression of the low-elasticity spring can be precisely adjusted to adapt to different working conditions through the threaded connection of the spring seat, without the need to replace the spring, thus improving the versatility and flexibility of the product. At the same time, the design of the spring seat screwing in from below facilitates disassembly and maintenance, and the coaxial arrangement with the piston chamber ensures good spring alignment, avoids misalignment and jamming, and improves the reliability of operation.

[0055] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, particularly referring to Figures 2 to 5 The air compressor may also include a cover plate 40. The cover plate 40 may be disposed above the upper piston assembly 120 and cover the upper opening of the mounting base 110. The cover plate 40 may be provided with an unloading inlet 41. This unloading inlet 41 can be used to communicate with an external unloading control air path to introduce high-pressure gas, for example from an air reservoir or control unit, into the unloading system 100 to trigger a switch in the unloading state.

[0056] Unlike traditional solutions where the unloading air intake is fixedly located in the crankcase, the unloading air intake 41 in this embodiment can be positioned at any location on the cover plate 40 or cylinder head 20 according to customer needs. Specifically, by changing the shape design of the cover plate 40 (e.g., arranging the unloading air intake 41 on the side, top, or end of the cover plate 40), or by performing simple mold modification on the cylinder head 20, the position and orientation of the unloading air intake 41 can be flexibly adjusted to adapt to the piping layout requirements of different vehicle models or different engine compartments.

[0057] Therefore, the arrangement of the unloading intake port 41 is no longer limited by the fixed structure of the crankcase. It can be flexibly set at any position on the cover plate 40 or cylinder head 20 according to customer requirements. It can be achieved simply by changing the shape of the cover plate 40 or making simple mold modifications to the cylinder head 20. This can significantly reduce the cost and cycle of customer customization and effectively avoid business losses caused by mismatched interface positions.

[0058] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, particularly referring to Figures 2 to 4The cover plate 40, together with the cylinder head 20, can form a control signal channel 42. Specifically, the lower surface of the cover plate 40 and / or the upper surface of the cylinder head 20 can be provided with corresponding grooves or channels. When the cover plate 40 and the cylinder head 20 are assembled together, these grooves or channels can be connected to form a closed channel for guiding the unloading control signal (i.e., high-pressure gas) introduced by the unloading intake port 41 to the upper part of the piston chamber 111 of the mounting base 110, thereby acting on the upper piston assembly 120.

[0059] With this mating structure, the unloading intake port 41 does not need to be directly connected to the piston chamber 111, but can be set at any position on the cover plate 40. High-pressure gas can be guided to the target position through the channel formed between the cover plate 40 and the cylinder head 20. This design allows for more flexible arrangement of the unloading intake port 41, while avoiding complex drilling operations on the mounting base 110 or cylinder head 20.

[0060] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, particularly referring to Figures 2 to 4 The mounting base 110 of the unloading system 100 can be integrally formed with the cylinder head 20. That is, structures such as the piston chamber 111 and the partition 112 are directly machined onto the solid material of the cylinder head 20, rather than being manufactured separately and then assembled. This reduces the number of parts, eliminates the connecting bolts and seals between the mounting base 110 and the cylinder head 20, simplifies the assembly process, and lowers manufacturing costs. Furthermore, it eliminates the assembly interface and sealing requirements between the two, effectively avoiding the risk of high-pressure gas leakage from the joints, and improving the overall reliability and sealing performance of the unloading system. In addition, the integrated design enhances the rigidity and strength of the cylinder head 20, eliminating the possibility of relative movement or vibration loosening between the mounting base 110 and the cylinder head 20, ensuring stable operation even under high engine vibration conditions. Simultaneously, since there is no need for separate mold making and machining of the mounting base 110, mold costs and machining processes can be reduced accordingly, further lowering production costs and facilitating mass production and market promotion.

[0061] When assembling the unloading system 100 of this embodiment, the following sequence can be followed: First, the upper piston 121, seal 123, and high-elasticity spring 122 can be installed inside the cylinder head 20 from above; then, the cover plate 40 can be installed on top of the cylinder head 20 in a sealing manner; next, the lower piston 131, seal 133, and low-elasticity spring 132 can be installed inside the cylinder head 20 from below; after that, the sleeve 113, which is configured as a spring seat, can be screwed into the bottom of the cylinder head 20 and the valve seat plate 30 can be assembled; finally, the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 can be placed on the bottom of the valve seat plate 30 and the bolts can be tightened to complete the assembly.

[0062] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, as described above, the air compressor may further include a crankcase 50, and a piston 51 is reciprocally arranged in a cylinder within the crankcase 50. A cylinder head may be connected to the crankcase 50, and the cylinder head includes a cylinder head 20 and a valve seat plate 30, with the valve seat plate 30 disposed between the cylinder head 20 and the crankcase 50. Through this layered structure, the unloading system 100 is installed between the cylinder head 20 and the valve seat plate 30, and the integrated intake and unloading cover 140 is positioned opposite to the intake passage on the valve seat plate 30, enabling direct control of the cylinder's intake and unloading. This results in a compact structure, short air path, and fast response.

[0063] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the air compressor can be a multi-cylinder air compressor (such as a twin-cylinder air compressor), and each cylinder can be equipped with a separate unloading system 100. The unloading inlet of each unloading system can be arranged independently or share the same control air path. In the unloading state, the gas in each cylinder can be interconnected through its respective inlet channel to achieve low-resistance gas circulation between multiple cylinders, thereby further reducing unloading energy consumption. At the same time, the unloading of each cylinder can be controlled independently, thereby improving the redundancy and reliability of the system.

[0064] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, as described above, a crankshaft and connecting rod may be arranged in the crankcase 50, and a piston 51 may be connected to the connecting rod. The crankshaft can drive the piston 51 to reciprocate within the cylinder of the crankcase 50 via the connecting rod to achieve intake and compression. This transmission structure is a mature and reliable crank-connecting rod mechanism, which can convert the rotational motion of the engine into the reciprocating linear motion of the piston, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the air compressor and providing a stable working foundation for the unloading system 100.

[0065] This disclosure also proposes a vehicle that may include the air compressor according to this disclosure as described above. Because the air compressor employs a vertically integrated unloading system within the cylinder head and integrated intake and unloading covers, the vehicle can achieve a more compact engine compartment layout, thereby reducing the risk of spatial interference between the air compressor and surrounding components. Simultaneously, the low-resistance internal gas circulation under unloading conditions effectively reduces the air compressor's unloading energy consumption, thereby reducing engine load and overall vehicle fuel consumption, resulting in better fuel economy and carbon emission performance.

[0066] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the vehicle can be configured as a commercial vehicle, such as a truck, bus, or construction machinery vehicle. Commercial vehicles are typically equipped with pneumatic braking systems, air suspension systems, and other air-using devices, making them highly dependent on air compressors and operating for long periods. Using the aforementioned air compressor can further reduce unloading energy consumption, thereby significantly improving fuel economy; simultaneously, the reduction in cylinder head volume facilitates a compact powertrain layout for commercial vehicles, and the flexible adjustment of the unloading air intake position also facilitates matching with pipeline interfaces of different vehicle platforms, resulting in greater market adaptability.

[0067] In summary, compared with the prior art, the air compressor according to this disclosure has at least the following advantages: First, by integrating the upper piston assembly and the lower piston assembly coaxially in the vertical direction inside the cylinder head, replacing the traditional transverse arrangement, the transverse and longitudinal space of the cylinder head is greatly saved, the cylinder head volume is significantly reduced, spatial interference with other engine components is effectively avoided, and the overall weight of the machine is reduced. Second, by setting an integrated intake and unloading cover plate fixedly connected to the lower end of the lower piston assembly, this integrated intake and unloading cover plate simultaneously performs the functions of an intake valve plate and an unloading valve plate. Under load, it moves with the lower piston assembly to control the opening and closing of the intake passage. Under unloading, it remains open to allow the gas to circulate internally with low resistance, eliminating the need to overcome the resistance of the exhaust valve plate, thus further reducing unloading energy consumption. At the same time, one component replaces two independent components, reducing the number of parts, simplifying the processing structure of the valve seat plate, and reducing manufacturing costs and assembly time. In addition, the unloading air inlet can be flexibly set at any position on the cover plate or cylinder head according to customer needs. It can be achieved simply by changing the shape of the cover plate or by simple mold modification, which greatly improves the market adaptability and customer customization capabilities of the product. The design of the mounting base and cylinder head as an integral part further reduces the number of parts, eliminates the risk of leakage at the assembly interface, and improves the reliability and sealing performance of the system.

[0068] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this specification include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “containing” used in this specification indicate the presence of the claimed feature but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features. The term “and / or” used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items. The terms “between X and Y” and “between approximately X and Y” used in this specification should be interpreted as including both X and Y. The term “between approximately X and Y” used in this specification means “between approximately X and approximately Y,” and the term “from approximately X to Y” used in this specification means “from approximately X to approximately Y.”

[0069] In the specification, when an element is described as being "on," "attached," "connected," "coupled," or "in contact" with another element, the element can be directly located on, attached to, connected to, coupled to, or in contact with the other element, or there may be intermediate elements present. Conversely, when an element is described as being "directly" located on, directly attached to, directly connected to, directly coupled to, or directly in contact with another element, no intermediate elements are present. In the specification, the description of a feature being arranged "adjacent" to another feature can mean that a feature has a portion overlapping with the adjacent feature or a portion located above or below the adjacent feature.

[0070] In the specification, spatial relation terms such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," "back," "high," and "low" describe the relationship between one feature and another in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that spatial relation terms include not only the orientation shown in the drawings but also the different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, when the device in the drawings is inverted, a feature previously described as "below" other features can now be described as "above" other features. The device can also be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), in which case the relative spatial relationships will be explained accordingly.

[0071] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0072] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0073] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and not to limit them. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this disclosure. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. This disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air compressor, comprising a cylinder head (20), a valve seat plate (30), and an unloading system (100), characterized in that, The unloading system (100) includes: Mounting base (110) having a piston chamber (111) located therein extending in the vertical direction of the air compressor, the mounting base (110) extending from the cylinder head (20) into the valve seat plate (30); The upper piston assembly (120) is movably disposed in the piston chamber (111) in the vertical direction and is capable of receiving unloading control signals; The lower piston assembly (130) is movably disposed in the piston chamber (111) in the vertical direction and is arranged coaxially with the upper piston assembly (120) below the upper piston assembly (120). An integrated intake and unloading cover (140) is fixedly connected to the lower end of the lower piston assembly (130) and is used to selectively open or close the intake passage provided on the valve seat plate (30). When the air compressor is under load, the lower piston assembly (130) drives the integrated intake and unloading cover (140) to close the intake passage after intake is completed; when the air compressor is under unloading, the upper piston assembly (120) moves downward after receiving the unloading control signal, pushing the lower piston assembly (130) together with the integrated intake and unloading cover (140) to move downward, and keeping the intake passage open.

2. The air compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper piston assembly (120) includes an upper piston (121), a high-elasticity spring (122), and an upper seal (123). The lower piston assembly (130) includes a lower piston (131), a low-elasticity spring (132), and a lower seal (133). The elastic force of the high-elasticity spring (122) is greater than that of the low-elasticity spring (132).

3. The air compressor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic force of the low-elasticity spring (132) is less than the negative pressure generated when the air compressor cylinder draws in air, and the elastic force of the high-elasticity spring (122) is greater than the negative pressure generated when the air compressor cylinder draws in air.

4. The air compressor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper piston (121) is constructed as a T-shaped piston, and a partition (112) is provided in the piston chamber (111). The high-elasticity spring (122) is arranged between the piston head of the upper piston (121) and the partition (112); and / or The lower piston (131) is constructed as a T-shaped piston, and a sleeve (113) is provided in the piston chamber (111). The low-elasticity spring (132) is arranged between the piston head of the lower piston (131) and the sleeve (113).

5. The air compressor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sleeve (113) is configured as a spring seat that is screwed into the piston chamber of the mounting base (110) from below by threads.

6. The air compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air compressor also includes a cover plate (40) which is disposed above the upper piston assembly (120) and has an unloading air inlet (41).

7. The air compressor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cover plate (40) together with the cylinder head (20) constitutes a control signal channel (42).

8. The air compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting base (110) of the unloading system (100) is integrally formed with the cylinder head (20).

9. The air compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air compressor also includes: The crankcase (50) and piston (51) are reciprocally arranged in the cylinder of the crankcase (50); A cylinder head connected to the crankcase, the cylinder head including the cylinder head (20) and the valve seat plate (30), and the valve seat plate (30) being arranged between the cylinder head (20) and the crankcase (50).

10. The air compressor according to claim 9, characterized in that, The air compressor is a multi-cylinder air compressor, and each cylinder of the multi-cylinder air compressor is equipped with the unloading system (100).

11. The air compressor according to claim 9, characterized in that, A crankshaft and a connecting rod are arranged in the crankcase. The piston (51) is connected to the connecting rod. The crankshaft drives the piston to reciprocate within the cylinder of the crankcase (50) via the connecting rod to achieve intake and compression.

12. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including the air compressor according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, characterized in that, The vehicle is a commercial vehicle.

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