Air compressor

Abstract

To provide an air compressor having good air intake efficiency.SOLUTION: A cylinder 110 includes a piston passage 110a. The piston passage includes a rear end and a front end. The piston 120 includes a piston part 122 and a rod part 124. The piston part is positioned in the piston passage and includes an annular groove 122a. The rod part is connected to the piston part via the rear end. A piston ring 130 is provided on the annular groove. A first part 132 of the piston ring is positioned on a first side part 1221 of the piston part, and a second part 134 of the piston ring is positioned at a second side part 1222 of the piston part. A drive unit is coupled to the rod part, and adapted to drive the piston part to reciprocate between the front end and the rear end with the rod part. Since a width W1 of the first side part of the annular groove is greater than a width W2 of the second side part of the annular groove, the first part of the piston ring is movable along the reciprocation of the piston part in a width direction of the annular groove.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to air compressors, and more particularly to piston air compressors. [Background technology]

[0002] The vehicle-mounted air compressor can be used with a tire sealant bottle to repair or inflate vehicle tires, or can inflate vehicle tires without a tire sealant bottle. The air compressor may be a piston air compressor. When the piston portion of the piston advances within the cylinder, the piston ring surrounding the piston portion contacts the cylinder inner wall. As the piston advances, the space within the cylinder gradually decreases, compressing the air within the cylinder. The check valve at the front end of the cylinder is pushed open by the high-pressure air, allowing the high-pressure air to be output through the check valve. When the piston portion retreats within the cylinder, the space within the cylinder gradually increases, decreasing the internal air pressure. The piston portion tilts due to the swing of the piston rod portion, creating a gap between the piston ring and the cylinder inner wall. This allows air outside the cylinder to be drawn into the cylinder from the rear end and compressed the next time the piston advances, creating a continuous cycle.

[0003] However, when the piston part retracts within the cylinder as described above, the degree to which the cylinder part tilts due to the swinging of the rod part is limited, so it is difficult to further increase the gap between the piston ring and the inner wall of the cylinder, and it is difficult to improve the intake efficiency of the cylinder. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention provides an air compressor with good intake efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The air compressor of the present invention includes a cylinder, a piston, a piston ring, and a drive unit. The cylinder has a piston passage. The piston passage has opposing rear and front ends. The piston includes a piston portion and a rod portion. The piston portion is located within the piston passage and has an annular groove. The rod portion is connected to the piston portion via the rear end. A piston ring is disposed in the annular groove. A first portion of the piston ring is located on a first side of the piston portion, and a second portion of the piston ring is located on a second side of the piston portion. The drive unit is coupled to the rod portion and is adapted to drive the piston portion to reciprocate between the front and rear ends using the rod portion. The width of the first side of the annular groove is wider than the width of the second side of the annular groove, allowing the first portion of the piston ring to move along the width direction of the annular groove as the piston portion reciprocates.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the piston portion moves along the direction from the front end to the rear end, the gap between the first portion of the piston ring and the inner wall of the piston passage increases as the first portion moves along the width direction of the annular groove.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the rod portion described above has an eccentric shaft portion and is connected to the drive unit via the eccentric shaft portion, and when viewed in the axial direction of the eccentric shaft portion, the first side portion and the second side portion are two sides that face each other radially of the piston portion.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the piston portion moves in the direction from the front end to the rear end, the eccentric shaft portion and the first side portion are located on the same side of the central axis of the piston passage.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned annular groove has a first inner wall and a second inner wall, the first inner wall and the second inner wall facing each other in the width direction of the annular groove, the first inner wall being located between the second inner wall and the front end, and a gap between the first portion of the piston ring and the inner wall of the piston passage increasing as the first portion moves from the second inner wall to the first inner wall.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the annular groove mentioned above increases gradually from the second side to the first side.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the piston portion has a top surface facing the front end, the annular groove has a first inner wall and a second inner wall, the first inner wall and the second inner wall facing each other in the width direction of the annular groove, the first inner wall being located between the second inner wall and the front end, and the first inner wall being inclined toward the top surface.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second portion of the piston ring is fixed in the annular groove.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first portion of the above-mentioned piston ring is adapted to move along the width direction of the annular groove due to a friction force between the inner wall of the piston passage and the first portion.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first portion of the piston ring is adapted to move along the width direction of the annular groove due to a pressure difference between the rear end and the front end.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the piston passage described above has a bevel at the rear end, so that the inner diameter of the rear end of the piston passage gradually increases outward from the piston passage.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the piston portion and the rod portion are pivotally connected to each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] Based on the above, in the air compressor of the present invention, the annular groove of the piston part is designed to have two sides with different widths, so that the piston ring has a movement space in the relatively wide part of the annular groove, and when the piston part retracts, the movement of the piston ring increases the gap between the piston ring and the inner wall of the piston passage, thereby improving the intake efficiency of the cylinder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1A] 1A-1C illustrate different operating states of an air compressor in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] 1A-1C illustrate different operating states of an air compressor in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the air compressor of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the air compressor of FIG. 1B. [Figure 3] FIG. 2C is a partial enlarged view of the air compressor of FIG. 2B. [Figure 4A] 1A-1D are cross-sectional views of an air compressor in different operating states according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] 1A-1D are cross-sectional views of an air compressor in different operating states according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4C] 1A-1D are cross-sectional views of an air compressor in different operating states according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4D] 1A-1D are cross-sectional views of an air compressor in different operating states according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an air compressor according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating different operating states of an air compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views of the air compressors of FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively. Referring to FIGS. 1A to 2B, an air compressor 100 according to this embodiment is, for example, an in-vehicle air compressor used to provide high-pressure air necessary for inflating and / or repairing vehicle tires, although the present invention is not limited thereto. The air compressor 100 includes a cylinder 110, a piston 120, a piston ring 130, and a drive unit 140. The cylinder 110 has a piston passage 110a, which has opposing rear and front ends E1 and E2. The piston 120 includes a piston portion 122 and a rod portion 124. The piston portion 122 is located within the piston passage 110a and has an annular groove 122a that surrounds the central axis A1 of the piston portion 122. The rod portion 124 is connected to the piston portion 122 via the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a. The piston ring 130 is made of, for example, rubber or other elastic sealing material and is provided in the annular groove 122a of the piston portion 122 and surrounds the central axis A1 of the piston portion 122.

[0020] The drive unit 140 is, for example, a motor, and is coupled to the rod portion 124 of the piston 120. Specifically, the air compressor 100 further includes a gear set 150, which is provided in the extension housing 1101 of the cylinder 110 and includes a first gear 152 and a second gear 154. The first gear 152 and the drive unit 140 are provided coaxially and engage with the second gear 154, and an eccentric shaft portion 1241 (for example, a shaft hole) of the rod portion 124 is eccentric with respect to the center of the second gear 154 and is pivotally connected to a pillar body 1541 of the second gear 154, thereby achieving coupling between the drive unit 140 and the rod portion 124. Based on this, the drive unit 140 drives the gear set 150 so that the eccentric shaft portion 1241 of the rod portion 124 moves to surround the center of the second gear 154, thereby driving the rod portion 124 to move the piston portion 122 back and forth between the front end E2 and the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a.

[0021] 2A and 2B. Accordingly, in the operating state shown in FIG. 2A, the piston portion 122 of the piston 120 advances in the piston passage 110a of the cylinder 110 along the direction D1 toward the front end E2 of the piston passage 110a. The piston ring 130 around the piston portion 122 contacts the inner wall of the piston passage 110a. The space within the piston passage 110a gradually decreases as the piston portion 122 advances, compressing the air within the piston passage 110a. When the air pressure within the piston passage 110a increases sufficiently with the advancement of the piston portion 122, the high-pressure air resists the elastic force of the check spring 1102 and pushes open the check valve 1103 at the front end of the cylinder 110 along the direction D1, thereby allowing the high-pressure air to be output through the check valve 1103.

[0022] Conversely, in the operating state shown in FIG. 2B , the piston portion 122 of the piston 120 retreats within the piston passage 110a of the cylinder 110 along direction D2 toward the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a, the space within the piston passage 110a gradually increases, the internal pressure drops until it becomes lower than atmospheric pressure (i.e., lower than the atmospheric pressure of the external environment), and the piston portion 122 tilts due to the oscillation of the rod portion 124 of the piston 120, creating a gap between the piston ring 132 and the inner wall of the piston passage 110a, whereby air F outside the cylinder 110 is drawn into the piston passage 110a from the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a and compressed the next time the piston portion 122 moves forward, and this air F circulates continuously.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the air compressor of FIG. 2B. Referring to FIG. 3, the piston portion 122 has a first side portion 1221 and a second side portion 1222. When viewed in the axial direction of the eccentric shaft portion 1241 (shown in FIG. 2B), the first side portion 1221 and the second side portion 1222 are two side portions that face each other in the radial direction of the piston portion 122, as shown in FIG. 3. The first portion 132 of the piston ring 130 is located on the first side portion 1221 of the piston portion 122, and the second portion 134 of the piston ring 130 is located on the second side portion 1222 of the piston portion 122. The width W1 of the annular groove 122a at the first side portion 1221 is larger than the width W2 of the second side portion 1222 of the annular groove 122a, allowing the first portion 132 of the piston ring 130 to move along the width direction of the annular groove 122a as the piston portion 122 reciprocates. The second portion 134 of the piston ring 130 is fixed, for example, in the annular groove 122a.

[0024] As described above, in the air compressor 100 of this embodiment, the annular groove 122a of the piston portion 122 is designed to have two sides with different widths. Based on this, the piston ring 130 has movement space in the relatively wide portion of the annular groove 122a, and when the piston portion 122 retracts, the movement of the piston ring 130 increases the gap G between the piston ring 130 and the inner wall of the piston passage 110a, thereby improving the intake efficiency of the cylinder 110.

[0025] The structure and operation of the air compressor 100 of this embodiment will be more clearly explained below.

[0026] 3, in detail, the annular groove 122a of this embodiment has a first inner wall S1 and a second inner wall S2, the first inner wall S1 and the second inner wall S2 facing each other in the width direction of the annular groove 122a, and the first inner wall S1 is located between the second inner wall S2 and a front end E2 (shown in FIG. 2B) of the piston passage 110a, and the first portion 132 of the piston ring 130 can move between the first inner wall S1 and the second inner wall S2. In addition, the piston portion 122 has a top surface 122b, which faces the front end E2 of the piston passage 110a, and the central axis A1 of the piston portion 112 is perpendicular to the top surface 122b. The second inner wall S2 of the annular groove 122a is horizontal to the top surface 122b, and the first inner wall S1 of the annular groove 122a is inclined toward the top surface 122b, causing the width of the annular groove 122a to gradually increase from the second side 1222 to the first side 1221, so that the annular groove 122a has a relatively wide width W1 at the first side 1221, as described above.

[0027] When the piston portion moves along direction D2 from the front end E2 to the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a, the eccentric shaft portion 1241 of the rod portion 124 and the first side portion 1221 of the piston portion 122 are positioned on the same side of the central axis A2 of the piston passage 110a, causing the piston portion 122 to be in the inclined state shown in Figures 2B and 3. As a result, when the piston portion 122 moves along direction D2, the gap G between the first portion 132 of the piston ring 130 and the inner wall of the piston passage 110a increases as the first portion 132 moves from the second inner wall S2 to the first inner wall S1 along the width direction of the annular groove 122a.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first portion 132 of the piston ring 130 can move from the second inner wall S2 to the first inner wall S1 as described above by being moved by the airflow and / or by the frictional force between the inner wall of the piston passage 110a and the first portion 132. Specifically, when the piston portion 122 moves along the direction D2, the pressure difference between the rear end E1 and the front end E2 of the piston passage 110a causes the air F to move in the direction from the rear end E1 to the front end E2, and as a result, the first portion 132 of the piston ring 130 is moved by the airflow to the first inner wall S1 of the annular groove 122a along the width direction of the annular groove 122a. Also, in the process of moving the piston 120 from the state of FIG. 2A to the state of FIG. 2B, when the first portion 132 of the piston ring 130 still contacts the inner wall of the piston passage 110a and the piston part 122 has already started to move in the direction D2, the frictional force between the inner wall of the piston passage 110a and the first portion 132 can move the first portion 132 along the width direction of the annular groove 122a toward the first inner wall S1 of the annular groove 122a.

[0029] 4A to 4D are cross-sectional views of an air compressor according to another embodiment of the present invention in different operating states. The air compressor 100A in FIGS. 4A to 4D differs from the air compressor 100 of the previous embodiment in that the piston passage 110a of the air compressor 100A has a slope T at its rear end E1, causing the inner diameter of the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a to gradually increase outward from the piston passage 110a. Therefore, when the piston 122 moves along the direction D2 to the state shown in FIG. 4C, a gap is formed between the slope T at the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a and the piston ring 130, further improving the intake efficiency of the cylinder 110. Furthermore, if the check valve 1103 at the front end of the cylinder 110 fails to seal properly, causing high-pressure air from the pneumatic equipment to enter the cylinder 110 through the check valve 1103 and generate high pressure, the gap between the inclined surface T at the rear end E1 of the piston passage 110a and the piston ring 130 will further discharge the high-pressure air out of the cylinder 110, as shown in Figure 4D. Thus, the next time the piston 120 moves forward in direction D1, the piston 120, drive unit 140, gear set 150, etc. will not be damaged by the impact of the high-pressure air inside the cylinder 110. The other arrangements and operations of the air compressor 100A in Figures 4A to 4D are the same as or similar to those of the air compressor 100 of the previously described embodiment, and will not be described again here.

[0030] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an air compressor according to another embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the air compressor 100B of Figure 5 and the air compressor 100A of the previously described embodiment is that the piston portion 122' and the rod portion 124' of the piston 120' of the air compressor 100B are pivoted to each other along a rotation axis A3 and can rotate relative to each other during operation. The other arrangements and operations of the air compressor 100B of Figure 5 are the same as or similar to those of the air compressor 100A of the previously described embodiment, and will not be described again here.

[0031] To summarize the above, in the air compressor of the present invention, the annular groove of the piston section is designed to have two sides of different widths. This allows the piston ring to move through a relatively wide portion of the annular groove. When the piston section retracts, the piston ring moves, increasing the gap between the piston ring and the inner wall of the piston passage, thereby improving the cylinder's intake efficiency. Furthermore, the piston passage has a slope at its rear end, which gradually increases the inner diameter of the rear end of the piston passage toward the outside of the piston passage. This creates a gap between the slope at the rear end of the piston passage and the piston ring when the piston section moves to the rear end of the piston passage, further improving the cylinder's intake efficiency. [Industrial Applicability]

[0032] The present invention provides an air compressor applicable to vehicle tire inflation and / or repair equipment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 100, 100A, 100B: Air compressor 110: Cylinder 1101: Extended Housing 1102: Check spring 1103: Check valve 110a: Piston passage 120, 120': Piston 122, 122': Piston section 1221: First side 1222: Second side 122a: Annular groove 122b:Top surface 124, 124': Rod section 1241: Eccentric shaft part 130: Piston ring 132: Part 1 134:Second part 140: Drive unit 150: Gear set 152: 1st gear 154: 2nd gear 1541: Column A1, A2: center axis A3: Reverse axis D1, D2: direction E1: Backend E2: Front-end F: empty G: Gap R: Return direction S1: 1st inner wall S2: 2nd inner wall T: slope W1, W2: width

Claims

1. a cylinder having a piston passageway, the piston passageway having opposite rear and front ends; a piston including a piston portion and a rod portion, the piston portion being located within the piston passage and having an annular groove, and the rod portion connecting to the piston portion through the rear end; a piston ring disposed in the annular groove, a first portion of the piston ring located on a first side of the piston portion and a second portion of the piston ring located on a second side of the piston portion; a drive unit coupled to the rod portion and adapted to drive the piston portion by the rod portion to reciprocate between the front end and the rear end; and Including, a width of the annular groove at the first side portion is wider than a width of the annular groove at the second side portion, so that the first portion of the piston ring can move in the width direction of the annular groove in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the piston portion; Air compressor.

2. When the piston portion moves in a direction from the front end to the rear end, a gap between the first portion of the piston ring and an inner wall of the piston passage increases as the first portion moves in a width direction of the annular groove.

2. The air compressor of claim 1.

3. the rod portion includes an eccentric shaft portion and is coupled to the drive unit via the eccentric shaft portion, and when viewed in an axial direction of the eccentric shaft portion, the first side portion and the second side portion are two side portions that face each other in a radial direction of the piston portion.

2. The air compressor of claim 1.

4. When the piston portion moves in a direction from the front end to the rear end, the eccentric shaft portion and the first side portion are located on the same side of a central axis of the piston passage.

4. The air compressor of claim 3.

5. the annular groove has a first inner wall and a second inner wall, the first inner wall and the second inner wall facing each other in a width direction of the annular groove, the first inner wall being located between the second inner wall and the front end, and a gap between the first portion of the piston ring and an inner wall of the piston passage increasing as the first portion moves from the second inner wall to the first inner wall; 2. The air compressor of claim 1.

6. the width of the annular groove gradually increases from the second side to the first side; 2. The air compressor of claim 1.

7. the piston portion has a top surface, the top surface facing the front end; the annular groove has a first inner wall and a second inner wall, the first inner wall and the second inner wall facing each other in a width direction of the annular groove, the first inner wall being located between the second inner wall and the front end, and the first inner wall being inclined toward the top surface; 2. The air compressor of claim 1.

8. the second portion of the piston ring is fixed in the annular groove; 2. The air compressor of claim 1.

9. the first portion of the piston ring is adapted to move along the width direction of the annular groove by a frictional force between an inner wall of the piston passage and the first portion; 2. The air compressor of claim 1.

10. the first portion of the piston ring is adapted to move along a width direction of the annular groove due to a pressure difference between the rear end and the front end.

2. The air compressor of claim 1.

11. The piston passage has a slope at the rear end, so that the inner diameter of the rear end of the piston passage gradually increases outward from the piston passage.

2. The air compressor of claim 1.

12. The piston portion and the rod portion are pivotally connected to each other.

2. The air compressor of claim 1.

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