Air compressor and air suction device

Abstract

To provide an air compression device which can introduce a sufficient quantity of air to a suction side even if the ventilation resistance of a main filter at the suction side is increased, and an air absorption device.SOLUTION: An air compression device 1 comprises a compressor 10, a casing 12, a main intake port filter 16 and an opening / closing mechanism part 21. The compressor 10 compresses sucked air, and discharges the same. The casing 12 accommodates the compressor 10 therein, and has a main intake port 15 and an auxiliary intake port 20 for introducing air which is sucked by the compressor 10. The main intake port filter 16 filters air which is introduced into the main intake port 15. The opening / closing mechanism part 21 releases the auxiliary intake port 20 when a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the casing 12 reaches a prescribed value or higher, and makes air at the outside of the casing 12 flow into the casing 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air compression device and an air suction device. [Background technology]

[0002] In railway vehicles, compressed air is used as a drive source for door opening and closing devices, braking devices, etc. For this reason, railway vehicles are equipped with air compressors for generating compressed air (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Some air compression devices used in railroad cars have a compressor housed in a casing and mounted on the car. The casing is formed with an intake port for introducing air to be sucked in by the compressor, and an intake filter is attached to the intake port for removing dust and other particles mixed in the outside air. The discharge portion of the compressor arranged inside the casing is connected to an external compressed air tank through a pipe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-152744 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In conventional air compression devices, the amount of air intake required by the compressor is greatly restricted when the intake filter attached to the intake port of the casing becomes clogged with dust, when a large foreign object such as a vinyl bag adheres to the intake filter, when snow or ice accumulates on the intake filter, etc. This results in an increased load on the compressor, an increase in the amount of heat generated by the compressor, and a delay in filling the compressed air tank with air due to a lack of intake air.

[0006] The present invention provides an air compressor and an air suction device that can introduce sufficient air to the suction side even when the airflow resistance of the main filter on the suction side increases. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An air compression device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a compressor that compresses and discharges intake air, a casing that houses the compressor and has a main intake port and an auxiliary intake port for introducing the air intake by the compressor, a main intake port filter that filters the air introduced into the main intake port, and an opening / closing mechanism that opens the auxiliary intake port when a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing reaches a predetermined value or greater, thereby allowing air outside the casing to flow into the casing, and the auxiliary intake port is located at a position where an upstream portion of the air flow does not communicate with the main intake port filter. The casing is provided with a cover portion that covers the auxiliary air intake from the outside of the wall that forms the main air intake of the casing and forms an opening that opens vertically downward, and the opening is provided independently from the main air intake.

[0008] With the above configuration, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing does not reach a predetermined value, the opening and closing mechanism closes the auxiliary intake port. In this case, outside air is sucked into the intake section of the compressor through the main intake port filter. On the other hand, when the airflow resistance of the main intake port filter section increases and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the opening and closing mechanism opens the auxiliary intake port. In this case, outside air is sucked into the intake section of the compressor through the auxiliary intake port. Therefore, even if the airflow resistance of the main intake port filter section increases, sufficient air can be introduced into the intake side of the compressor.

[0009] The opening and closing mechanism includes a lid body that is movable between an open position where the auxiliary intake port is open and a closed position where the auxiliary intake port is closed, and a restricting portion that restricts the lid body to the closed position, and is disposed inside and outside the casing. The above The pressure adjusting unit may further comprise a restricting unit that releases the restriction when the pressure difference becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0010] The restricting portion may be a spring that applies an elastic force to the lid body toward the closed position.

[0011] A stopper member may be provided which prevents the lid from opening further when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing exceeds the predetermined value and the displacement of the lid in the opening direction exceeds a predetermined amount.

[0012] The opening and closing mechanism includes a cover that is movable between an open position where the auxiliary intake port is opened and a closed position where the auxiliary intake port is closed, and a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is calculated based on at least one of the pressure inside the casing, the discharge flow rate of the compressor, and the heat generation amount of the compressor. The above a detector for detecting whether the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; The above The configuration may further include an actuator that moves the lid to an open position when it detects that the predetermined value is exceeded.

[0013] The detector detects a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the casing based on at least one of a discharge flow rate and a heat generation amount of the compressor. The above The compressor has an intake air introduction section that draws in air that has flowed into the inside of the casing, and an introduction section filter that filters the air that is drawn in through the intake air introduction section. Even if the actuator operates in a direction to open the cover, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is The above An introduction filter alarm may be provided which, when the detection that the predetermined value or more is continued, notifies the deterioration of the ventilation function of the introduction filter.

[0015] The auxiliary air intake may be provided with an auxiliary filter having a lower collection performance than the main air intake filter.

[0016] The vehicle may further include an opening alarm that notifies the user that the auxiliary intake port has been opened by the opening / closing mechanism.

[0017] Inside the casing, there is a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing. The aboveWhen the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the outside air that has flowed into the inside of the casing through the main intake filter is sent to the compressor as cooling air, and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is The above A cooling fan may be provided to send, when the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, outside air that has flowed into the casing through the auxiliary air intake port opened by the opening / closing mechanism, to the compressor as cooling air.

[0018] The casing may be adapted to be mounted underneath a body of a railway vehicle.

[0019] It is desirable that the intake side of the auxiliary intake port be open and face in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the railway vehicle.

[0022] An air suction device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a suction machine that sucks in air, a casing that houses the suction machine and has a main suction port and an auxiliary suction port for introducing the air sucked by the suction machine, a main suction port filter that filters the air introduced into the main suction port, and an opening / closing mechanism that opens the auxiliary suction port when a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing reaches a predetermined value or greater, thereby allowing air outside the casing to flow into the casing, and the auxiliary suction port is disposed at a position where an upstream portion of the air flow does not communicate with the main suction port filter. The casing is provided with a cover portion that covers the auxiliary suction port from the outside of the wall that forms the main suction port of the casing and forms an opening that opens vertically downward, and the opening is provided independently from the main suction port.

[0023] With the above configuration, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the opening / closing mechanism closes the auxiliary suction port. In this case, outside air is sucked into the suction section of the suction machine through the main suction port filter. On the other hand, when the airflow resistance of the main suction port filter increases and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the opening / closing mechanism opens the auxiliary suction port. In this case, outside air is sucked into the suction section of the suction machine through the auxiliary suction port. Therefore, even if the ventilation function of the main suction port filter is reduced, sufficient air can be introduced into the suction side of the suction machine. Effect of the Invention

[0026] The above air compressor has an inlet filter of When the airflow resistance increases significantly, the opening and closing mechanism opens the auxiliary air intake but Because it is open, sufficient air can be introduced into the intake side of the compressor. In addition, the above-mentioned air suction device has a main suction port filter of When the air flow resistance increases significantly, the opening and closing mechanism opens the auxiliary suction port. but Because it is open, sufficient air can be introduced into the intake side of the aspirator. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of a railway vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic plan view of a railway vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a side view of an air compression device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a front view of an air compression device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the air compressing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to a portion V in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an operating state of an air compression device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an operating state of an air compression device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an operating state of an air compression device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an operating state of an air compression device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an operating state of the air compression device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an operating state of the air compression device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a schematic partial cross-sectional side view of an air compression device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, the same reference numerals are used to designate common parts, and some overlapping descriptions will be omitted.

[0029] <Railway vehicles> FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a railway vehicle 100 equipped with an air compression device 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the air compressors 1 are provided below a car body 100a of a railway vehicle 100, for example, two of them. In the following description, the direction in which the railcar 100 travels is referred to as the "traveling direction," and the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction is referred to as the "car width direction." Additionally, "upper" and "lower" refer to the upper and lower sides of the railcar 100 when placed on the rails 103 (see FIG. 2).

[0030] The air compressor 1 draws in outside air and generates compressed air for use in the railway vehicle 100. That is, the compressed air generated by the air compressor 1 is used to operate pneumatic equipment such as a brake device and a door opening and closing device mounted on the railway vehicle 100.

[0031] Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of a railway vehicle 100 showing the arrangement of the air compression device 1. In Fig. 2, the air compression device 1, rails 103 (track) on which the railway vehicle 100 runs, and sleepers 102 are shown by two-dot chain lines. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the two air compressors 1 are arranged side by side in the front and rear along the traveling direction of the vehicle, but the number of air compressors 1 mounted may be one.

[0032] <Air Compression Device of First Embodiment> Fig. 3 is a side view of the air compressor 1 of the first embodiment as seen from the traveling direction, and Fig. 4 is a front view of the same air compressor 1 as seen from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Also, Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view cut along the vehicle width direction) of a portion of the air compressor 1 corresponding to part V in Fig. 3. The air compressor 1 includes a compressor 10 that compresses and discharges the intake air, a cooling fan 11 that sends cooling air to the compressor 10, and a casing 12 that houses the compressor 10 and the cooling fan 11. The casing 12 of this embodiment includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped casing body 13 having an opening 9 (see FIG. 5) on one end side in the vehicle width direction, and an end cover 14 that is detachably attached to the end of the casing body 13 on the opening 9 side. The opening 9 of the casing body 13 is disposed near the upper part of the wall on one end side of the casing body 13. A main intake port 15 that opens vertically downward is formed between the wall on one end side of the casing body 13 and the end cover 14. A main intake port filter 16 that filters the air (outside air) introduced into the casing 12 through the main intake port 15 is attached to the main intake port 15.

[0033] The compressor 10 is driven by an electric motor (not shown). The type (structure) of the compressor 10 may be, for example, a scroll type. The compressor 10 of this embodiment has a compressor body 10A that compresses and discharges the intake air, and an intake air introduction section 10B that is connected to the intake side of the compressor body 10A and that draws in the air that has flowed into the inside of the casing 12. An introduction section filter 17 that filters the air that has been drawn in through the intake port 10Ba of the intake air introduction section 10B is installed inside the intake air introduction section 10B. A discharge pipe 19 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) that is connected to an external compressed air tank 18 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) is connected to the discharge side of the compressor body 10A.

[0034] An auxiliary air intake 20 having a horizontally long rectangular shape is formed in the end face of the end cover 14 near the upper part. The auxiliary air intake 20 penetrates the wall of the casing body 13 at a position facing the opening 9. The auxiliary air intake 20 can introduce outside air into the casing 12. An opening / closing mechanism 21 that opens and closes the auxiliary air intake 20 is attached to the end cover 14.

[0035] The opening / closing mechanism 21 includes a cover 22 that can move between an open position where the auxiliary intake port 20 is open and a closed position where the auxiliary intake port 20 is closed, and a spring 23 that applies an elastic force to the cover 22 toward the closed position. The cover 22 includes a horizontally elongated rectangular plate 22a that is slightly larger than the auxiliary intake port 20, and a seal member 22b attached to the peripheral edge of the plate 22a. The upper edge of the cover 22 is rotatably supported on the upper edge of the auxiliary intake port 20 of the end cover 14 inside the casing 12. The cover 22 is rotatably attached to the end cover 14 by a hinge 24. The hinge 24 has the spring 23 that applies an elastic force to the cover 22 assembled around a support shaft 24a that extends along the upper side of the auxiliary intake port 20. In this embodiment, the spring 23 is configured by a torsion spring.

[0036] Lid 22 receives the elastic force of spring 23, and seal member 22b on the peripheral edge of plate material 22a comes into tight contact with the periphery of auxiliary intake port 20. Lid 22 thereby closes auxiliary intake port 20 from inside casing 12. The air pressure inside casing 12 acts on the surface of lid 22 facing the inside of casing 12, and the air pressure outside casing 12 (outside air) acts on the surface of lid 22 facing auxiliary intake port 20. Lid 22 opens and closes auxiliary intake port 20 depending on the balance between the pressure difference between the inside and outside of casing 12 and the pressing force of spring 23.

[0037] In a situation (normal situation) in which the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 has not increased above a predetermined value, the opening / closing mechanism 21, which is equipped with a lid 22 and a spring 23, closes the auxiliary intake port 20 with the lid 22 receiving the elastic force of the spring 23. If, from this state, the main intake port filter 16 becomes clogged, or large foreign objects adhere to it, or snow or ice accumulates, causing the airflow resistance of the main intake port filter 16 to increase and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 to increase above a predetermined value, the lid 22 of the opening / closing mechanism 21 opens the auxiliary intake port 20. In this embodiment, the spring 23 of the hinge 24 constitutes a restricting portion that restricts the lid body 22 to the closed position. The spring 23 releases the restriction of the lid body 22 at the closed position when the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the casing 12 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0038] A stopper member 25 is attached to the lower edge of the auxiliary intake port 20 of the end cover 14, in the casing 12, to restrict excessive displacement of the lid body 22 in the opening direction. The stopper member 25 has a locking claw 25a that is bent in a substantially L-shape in the direction of the rotation track of the lid body 22 at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the wall of the end cover 14 where the auxiliary intake port 20 is formed. A part of the locking claw 25a is positioned within the rotation track of the lid body 22. When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 becomes greater than a predetermined value and the displacement of the lid body 22 in the opening direction exceeds a predetermined amount, the stopper member 25 restricts further opening displacement of the lid body 22 by the locking claw 25a abutting the lower edge of the lid body 22.

[0039] Further, the end cover 14 (casing 12) is provided with a cover portion 26 that covers the periphery of the auxiliary air intake 20 from the outside of the end cover 14 and opens vertically downward. The cover portion 26 covers the front of the auxiliary air intake 20 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, as well as the upper and left and right sides (sides in the traveling direction), and is provided with an opening portion 26a on the lower side that opens vertically downward. When the auxiliary air intake 20 is opened by the lid body 22, outside air is introduced into the inside of the casing 12 through the opening portion 26a of the cover portion 26 and the auxiliary air intake 20.

[0040] Here, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the cooling fan 11 arranged inside the casing 12 sends outside air that has flowed into the inside of the casing 12 through the main intake port filter 16 to the compressor 10 as cooling air. When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 increases to or exceeds a predetermined value due to clogging of the main intake port filter 16 or the like, the cooling fan 11 sends outside air that has flowed in from the auxiliary intake port 20 that is opened by the opening / closing mechanism 21 to the compressor 10 as cooling air.

[0041] In the air compressor 1 of this embodiment, the suction sides of the main air intake 15 and the auxiliary air intake 20, which take in outside air into the casing 12, open so as to face in a direction approximately perpendicular to the traveling direction of the railway vehicle 100. In other words, the suction side of the main air intake 15 opens so as to face vertically downward, and the suction side of the auxiliary air intake 20 opens vertically downward through the opening 26a of the cover portion 26.

[0042] <Operation of the air compressor> FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the operating state of the air compressor 1 in a normal state (when the airflow resistance of the main intake port filter 16 is less than a predetermined value). When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the opening / closing mechanism 21 closes the auxiliary intake port 20, as shown in Fig. 6. When the compressor 10 and the cooling fan 11 are operated in this state, the air outside the casing 12 (outside air) is subjected to their suction force, passes through the main intake port filter 16, and is introduced into the casing 12. The air introduced into the casing 12 is sucked into the compressor body 10A from the intake introduction part 10B of the compressor 10, pressurized by the compressor body 10A, and discharged as compressed air. The compressed air discharged from the compressor body 10A passes through the discharge piping 19 and fills the compressed air tank 18.

[0043] As described above, while the air compressor 1 is operating, outside air passes through the main intake filter 16 and is introduced into the casing 12, so that relatively large dust particles mixed in the outside air are removed by the main intake filter 16. In addition, dust particles that pass through the meshes of the main intake filter 16 and enter the inside of the casing 12 are removed by the introduction filter 17 provided in the intake introduction section 10B of the compressor 10. The introduction filter 17 has finer mesh than the main intake filter 16 .

[0044] In addition, a portion of the air that has passed through the main intake filter 16 and introduced into the casing 12 is sent as cooling air to the compressor 10 by the cooling fan 11. This allows the compressor 10 to be cooled by the relatively low-temperature outside air. As a result, the temperature rise of the compressor 10 is suppressed, and the compression performance of the compressor 10 is maintained at a good level.

[0045] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air compressor 1, showing an operating state when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 increases to a predetermined value or more. When the airflow resistance of the main intake filter 16 increases, the introduction of outside air into the casing 12 through the main intake 15 is hindered. As a result, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 gradually increases, and when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 exceeds a predetermined value, the pressure difference overcomes the elastic force of the spring 23 as shown in FIG. 7, and the cover 22 of the opening and closing mechanism 21 is pushed open. As a result, the auxiliary intake 20 of the casing 12 is opened by the cover 22, and outside air is sucked into the compressor body 10A from the intake introduction part 10B of the compressor 10 through the auxiliary intake 20. The compressed air generated in the compressor body 10A is filled into the compressed air tank 18 through the discharge piping 19.

[0046] When the auxiliary air intake 20 is forced open by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 as described above, outside air flows directly into the casing 12 through the auxiliary air intake 20. However, at this time, the outside air flows into the auxiliary air intake 20 through the opening 26a of the cover part 26 that opens vertically downward (see Figures 3 and 4), so dust mixed in the outside air is less likely to enter the inside of the cover part 26. 6 and 7, an auxiliary filter 35 may be installed in the auxiliary air intake 20. It is preferable that the auxiliary filter 35 used here has a coarser mesh than the main air intake filter 16. 6 and 7, an opening detection sensor 30 may be provided to detect that the lid 22 is open, and an opening notification device 31 may be activated when the opening detection sensor 30 detects that the lid 22 is open. The opening notification device 31 may be anything that can notify the driver or vehicle manager that the lid 22 is open, and may be, for example, a lamp, a chime, a buzzer, or the like.

[0047] Also, a part of the air introduced into the casing 12 through the auxiliary intake port 20 is sent as cooling air to the compressor 10 by the cooling fan 11. As a result, the compressor 10 is cooled by the outside air, which has a relatively low temperature.

[0048] <Advantages of the First Embodiment> As described above, in the air compressor 1 of this embodiment, when the airflow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 increases and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 exceeds a predetermined value, the auxiliary air intake 20 of the casing 12 is opened by the opening / closing mechanism 21, so that sufficient air can be introduced into the intake side of the compressor 10. Therefore, when the air compressor 1 of this embodiment is employed, even if the airflow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 increases, it is possible to suppress an increase in the load on the compressor 10 due to a shortage of intake air and a delay in filling the compressed air tank 18 with air.

[0049] In the air compressor 1 of this embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism 21 includes a lid 22 that can move between an open position and a closed position, and a restricting portion (spring 23) that restricts the lid 22 to the closed position. When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, the restricting portion (spring 23) releases the restriction of the lid 22 from the closed position. For this reason, when the air compressor 1 of this embodiment is employed, the auxiliary air intake 20 can be opened when the air flow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 increases, without using a large-scale device such as an actuator. In this embodiment, the spring 23 is used as a restricting portion that restricts the lid body 22 to the closed position, but the restricting portion is not necessarily limited to the spring 23. For example, the restricting portion that restricts the lid body 22 to the closed position may be formed of a fragile member that breaks when a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied thereto. In addition, in this embodiment, the cover body 22 rotates around the support axis 24a of the hinge 24 to open and close the auxiliary air intake port 20, but the cover body 22 may also be slid along the wall surface of the casing 12 to open and close the auxiliary air intake port 20.

[0050] However, in the air compression device 1 of this embodiment, the regulating portion is composed of the spring 23 that applies an elastic force to the cover body 22 toward the closed position. Therefore, if the ventilation of the main intake filter 16 is temporarily reduced due to the accumulation of snow or the like, the cover body 22 can naturally return to its original closed position when the ventilation of the main intake filter 16 is restored. Furthermore, when the spring 23 is used as the regulating portion, the pressure at which the lid 22 starts to open can be easily adjusted by adjusting the initial load of the spring 23, for example.

[0051] Furthermore, the air compressor 1 of this embodiment is provided with a stopper member 25 that restricts further opening of the lid body 22 when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 becomes greater than a predetermined value and the displacement of the lid body 22 in the opening direction becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. Therefore, excessive opening displacement of the lid body 22 can be restricted by the stopper member 25. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it is possible to avoid the lid body 22 interfering with other members in the casing 12 when the auxiliary intake port 20 is opened, and to prevent damage to the lid body 22 and other members.

[0052] Furthermore, in the air compressor 1 of this embodiment, a cover part 26 that covers the auxiliary intake port 20 from the outside of the casing 12 is attached to the casing 12, and an opening part 26a of the cover part 26 opens vertically downward. Therefore, when the auxiliary intake port 20 is opened by the cover body 22, it is possible to prevent dust, snow, etc. mixed in the outside air from directly entering the auxiliary intake port 20 as much as possible.

[0053] Furthermore, in the air compressor 1 of this embodiment, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the cooling fan 11 in the casing 12 sends the outside air that has flowed into the casing 12 through the main intake filter 16 to the compressor 10 as cooling air. When the ventilation resistance of the main intake filter 16 increases and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the cooling fan 11 in the casing 12 sends the outside air that has flowed into the inside of the casing 12 through the auxiliary intake 20 to the compressor 10 as cooling air. For this reason, when the ventilation resistance of the main intake filter 16 increases due to clogging or the like, a sufficient amount of outside air that has flowed in through the auxiliary intake 20 can be blown to the compressor 10 by the cooling fan 11. Therefore, when the air compression device 1 of this embodiment is adopted, even if the air flow resistance of the main intake filter 16 increases, the compressor 10 can be reliably cooled by outside air, and a decrease in the performance of the compressor 10 due to heat generation by the compressor 10 can be suppressed.

[0054] Furthermore, since the air compression device 1 of this embodiment is mounted below the car body 100a of the railway vehicle 100, the casing 12 and the air introduced therein can be efficiently cooled by utilizing the wind generated when the railway vehicle 100 is moving.

[0055] Furthermore, in the air compression device 1 of this embodiment, the suction side of the auxiliary air intake 20 opens in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the railcar 100. Therefore, when the auxiliary air intake 20 is opened while the railcar 100 is traveling, it is possible to efficiently prevent dust, snow, and the like from entering the auxiliary air intake 20 due to the traveling wind.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown by the dotted line in Figures 6 and 7, if an auxiliary filter 35 with lower collection performance than the main intake filter 16 is installed in the auxiliary intake 20 of the casing 12, it is possible to more reliably prevent external dust from entering the casing 12 through the auxiliary intake 20 when the auxiliary intake 20 is opened.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, if an open alarm 31 is provided to notify that the auxiliary air intake 20 has been opened by the opening / closing mechanism 21, the driver or railway manager can be quickly notified that the main air intake filter 16 needs to be inspected, replaced, cleaned, etc.

[0058] <Air Compressor of Second Embodiment> Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are schematic cross-sectional views of the air compressing device 101 of the second embodiment. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the operating state of the air compressing device 101 when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is less than a predetermined value, and Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the operating state of the air compressing device 101 when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. The air compressor 101 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the air compressor 1 of the first embodiment, except for the configuration of the opening and closing mechanism unit 121 that opens and closes the auxiliary intake port 20 of the casing 12. Therefore, hereinafter, the configuration of the air compressor 101 will be described mainly with respect to the opening and closing mechanism unit 121.

[0059] The opening / closing mechanism 121 includes a lid 22 that can move between an open position where the auxiliary intake port 20 is open and a closed position where the auxiliary intake port 20 is closed, a pressure sensor 41 that detects the pressure inside the casing 12, and an electric motor 40 that moves the lid 22 to the open position when the pressure sensor 41 detects a detection value indicating that the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 has reached a predetermined value or more. The lid 22 is rotatably supported by the casing 12, and is rotated by the driving force of the motor 40. The motor 40 is controlled by a control device 42.

[0060] The pressure sensor 41 can detect an increase in the airflow resistance of the main intake port filter 16. In other words, when the airflow resistance of the main intake port filter 16 increases due to clogging or the like, the pressure inside the casing 12 gradually decreases with the increase in the airflow resistance. Therefore, an increase in the airflow resistance of the main intake port filter 16 can be determined by checking whether the pressure inside the casing 12 is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

[0061] The motor 40 constitutes an actuator that moves the cover 22 between the closed position and the open position. In this embodiment, the motor 40 constitutes the actuator, but the actuator is not limited to the motor 40 and may be a hydraulic actuator or a pneumatic actuator.

[0062] In addition, the control device 42 is connected to the open alarm 31. When the pressure sensor 41 detects that the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 has reached a predetermined value or more and the signal is input to the control device 42, the control device 42 controls the motor 40 to operate the lid body 22 in the opening direction and also activates the open alarm 31. This makes it possible to notify the driver or the vehicle manager that the auxiliary air intake port 20 has been opened.

[0063] <Operation of the air compressor> As long as the pressure sensor 41 does not detect an increase in the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 (the pressure difference becoming equal to or greater than a predetermined value), the opening and closing mechanism unit 14 continues to operate as shown in FIG. 121 blocks auxiliary intake port 20. When compressor 10 and cooling fan 11 are operated in this state, air outside casing 12 (outside air) is subjected to their suction force, passes through main intake port filter 16, and is introduced into casing 12. The air introduced into casing 12 is sucked into compressor body 10A from intake introduction section 10B of compressor 10, pressurized by compressor body 10A, and discharged as compressed air. The compressed air discharged from compressor body 10A passes through discharge piping 19 and is filled into compressed air tank 18.

[0064] As mentioned above, the air compressor101 While the main intake filter 16 is operating, relatively large dust particles mixed in the outside air are removed by the main intake filter 16. Dust particles that pass through the meshes of the main intake filter 16 and enter the inside of the casing 12 are removed by the intake filter 17 provided in the intake introduction section 10B of the compressor 10.

[0065] A portion of the air that has passed through the main intake filter 16 and introduced into the casing 12 is sent as cooling air to the compressor 10 by the cooling fan 11. This allows the compressor 10 to be cooled by the relatively low-temperature outside air. As a result, the temperature rise of the compressor 10 is suppressed, the compression performance of the compressor 10 is maintained well, and the compressed air tank 18 can be filled with compressed air quickly.

[0066] When pressure sensor 41 detects an increase in the pressure difference between the inside and outside of casing 12 (the pressure difference becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined value), motor 40 of opening / closing mechanism 121 moves lid 22 to the open position under the control of control device 42, as shown in Fig. 9. As a result, auxiliary intake port 20 of casing 12 is opened by lid 22, and outside air is sucked into compressor body 10A from intake introduction section 10B of compressor 10 through auxiliary intake port 20. Compressed air generated in compressor body 10A is filled into compressed air tank 18 through discharge piping 19.

[0067] Also, a part of the air introduced into the casing 12 through the auxiliary intake port 20 is sent as cooling air to the compressor 10 by the cooling fan 11. As a result, the compressor 10 is cooled by the outside air, which has a relatively low temperature.

[0068] <Effects of the second embodiment> As described above, in the air compression device 101 of this embodiment, when the airflow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 increases and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 exceeds a predetermined value, the auxiliary air intake 20 of the casing 12 is opened by the opening / closing mechanism 121, so that sufficient air can be introduced into the intake side of the compressor 10. Therefore, when the air compression device 101 of this embodiment is employed, even if the airflow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 increases, it is possible to suppress an increase in the load on the compressor 10 due to a shortage of intake air and a delay in filling the compressed air tank 18 with air.

[0069] In particular, in the air compressor 101 of this embodiment, an increase in the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 (the pressure difference becoming equal to or greater than a predetermined value) is detected by a detector (pressure sensor 41), and the actuator (motor 40) can open the lid 22 based on the detection result. Therefore, when the air compressor 101 of this embodiment is employed, the auxiliary air intake 20 can be quickly and reliably opened by the actuator (motor 40) when the air flow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 increases.

[0070] In addition, the air compression device 101 of this embodiment is provided with an open alarm 31 that notifies that the auxiliary intake 20 has been opened by the opening / closing mechanism unit 121, so that the driver or railway manager can be quickly notified that the main intake filter 16 needs to be inspected, replaced, cleaned, etc.

[0071] <Air Compressor of Third Embodiment> 10 and 11 are schematic cross-sectional views of an air compressor 201 according to a third embodiment. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an operating state of the air compressor 201 when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is less than a predetermined value, and Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an operating state of the air compressor 201 when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The air compressor 201 of this embodiment has a similar configuration to the air compressor 101 of the second embodiment, except for the configuration of a control system of the opening / closing mechanism 121 that opens and closes the auxiliary intake port 20 of the casing 12. For this reason, the configuration of the air compressor 201 will be described below, focusing on the differences from the air compressor 101 of the second embodiment.

[0072] The opening / closing mechanism 121 includes a lid 22 that can move between an open position where the auxiliary intake port 20 is open and a closed position where the auxiliary intake port 20 is closed, a temperature sensor 44 that detects the temperature of the compressor body 10A of the compressor 10, and an electric motor 40 that moves the lid 22 to the open position when the temperature sensor 44 detects a detection value indicating that the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is a predetermined value or more. It is preferable that the temperature sensor 44 is not directly fixed to the compressor body 10A, but is attached to a portion inside the casing 12 near the compressor body 10A. The motor 40 is controlled by a control device 42. When the temperature sensor 44 detects a detection value indicating that the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is a predetermined value or more, the control device 42 controls the motor 40 to move the lid 22 to the open position (opens the auxiliary intake port 20).

[0073] The opening / closing mechanism 121 of this embodiment differs from that of the second embodiment in that a temperature sensor 44 is employed as a detector for determining whether the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. When the airflow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 increases, the amount of outside air introduced into the casing 12 decreases, and the suction load of the compressor 10 increases, resulting in heat generation in the compressor main body 10A. In this embodiment, focusing on this, it is determined whether the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (whether the airflow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 has increased to or greater than a predetermined value) based on the temperature of the compressor main body 10A (the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 44).

[0074] Incidentally, as a cause of heat generation in the compressor body 10A of the compressor 10, in addition to an increase in the ventilation resistance of the main intake filter 16, an increase in the ventilation resistance of the introduction filter 17 of the intake air introduction section 10B of the compressor 10 is also considered. For this reason, in the air compression device 201 of this embodiment, when the cover 22 is moved to the open position by the motor 40 (when the auxiliary intake 20 is opened), the control device 42 judges whether the detection value of the temperature sensor 44 has fallen below a predetermined value (a value indicating an increase in the ventilation resistance of the main intake filter 16). Here, when the detection value of the temperature sensor 44 has not fallen below the predetermined value (when the detector continues to detect an increase in the ventilation resistance of the main intake filter 16), the control device 42 activates the introduction filter alarm 46 that notifies the deterioration of the ventilation function of the introduction filter 17.

[0075] In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 44 is used as a detector for determining whether the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (whether the airflow resistance of the main air intake filter 16 has increased to or greater than a predetermined value). However, instead of the temperature sensor 44, it is also possible to use a flow rate sensor 48 (see the two-dot chain lines in Figures 10 and 11) that detects the discharge flow rate of the compressor 10. In other words, the airflow resistance of the air intake filter 16 is increase In this case, the discharge flow rate of the compressor 10 decreases as the intake resistance increases, so that by detecting the change in the discharge flow rate using the flow sensor 48, it is possible to determine whether the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing 12 is a predetermined value or more (whether the air flow resistance of the main intake filter 16 portion has increased to a predetermined value or more).

[0076] <Effects of the third embodiment> As described above, the air compressing device 201 of this embodiment has a basic configuration similar to that of the air compressing device 101 of the second embodiment, and therefore can provide basic effects similar to those of the second embodiment.

[0077] Furthermore, in the air compression device 201 of this embodiment, when the detector (temperature sensor 44 or flow rate sensor 48) continues to detect a value indicating an increase in ventilation resistance even after the motor 40 (actuator) moves the lid body 22 to the open position, the control device 42 activates the introduction filter alarm 46. Therefore, when the air compression device 201 of this embodiment is employed, it is possible to notify the driver or vehicle manager that the ventilation function of the introduction filter 17 has decreased, without adding a dedicated detector for detecting the decrease in the ventilation function of the introduction filter 17.

[0078] <Air Compressor of Fourth Embodiment> FIG. 12 is a schematic partial cross-sectional side view of an air compressing device 301 according to the fourth embodiment. The air compression device 301 of this embodiment includes a compressor body 10A of the compressor 10 that compresses and discharges the intake air, and an intake air introduction section 310B of the compressor 10 that introduces air into the compressor body 10A. A compressed air tank 18 is connected to the discharge side of the compressor body 10A via a discharge pipe 19. The intake air introduction section 310B has a main intake air introduction port 50 and an auxiliary intake air introduction port 51, and an introduction section filter 17 that filters the air introduced into the main intake air introduction port 50 is disposed downstream of the main intake air introduction port 50. An opening and closing mechanism section 321 is provided in the auxiliary intake air introduction port 51.

[0079] The opening / closing mechanism 321 includes a cover 52 that can move between an open position where the auxiliary intake air inlet 51 is open and a closed position where the auxiliary intake air inlet 51 is closed. The opening / closing mechanism 321 closes the cover 52 when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the intake air inlet 310B is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value. 52 When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the intake air introduction part 310B becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the cover 52 The auxiliary intake inlet 51 is opened by the lid 52 The mechanism of the opening / closing mechanism 321 for moving the opening / closing mechanism 321 to the open position and the closed position may be the same as that of the opening / closing mechanism 21, 121 of the first to third embodiments.

[0080] <Operation of the air compressor> When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the intake air introduction section 310B is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value (when the airflow resistance of the introduction section filter 17 is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value), the cover 52 of the opening / closing mechanism section 321 closes the auxiliary intake air introduction port 51. When the compressor body 10A operates in this state, the outside air is subjected to a suction force from the compressor body 10A, and the outside air is introduced into the intake air introduction section 310B through the introduction section filter 17. The air introduced into the intake air introduction section 310B is pressurized by the compressor body 10A and discharged as compressed air. The compressed air discharged from the compressor body 10A passes through the discharge piping 19 and fills the compressed air tank 18.

[0081] On the other hand, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the intake air introduction section 310B reaches or exceeds a predetermined value (when the ventilation resistance of the introduction section filter 17 reaches or exceeds a predetermined value), the cover 52 of the opening / closing mechanism section 321 opens the auxiliary intake air introduction port 51. If the operation of the compressor body 10A continues in this state, outside air is sucked into the compressor body 10A through the auxiliary intake air introduction port 51. Then, the compressed air generated by the compressor body 10A passes through the discharge piping 19 and fills the compressed air tank 18.

[0082] <Effects of the Fourth Embodiment> As described above, in the air compression device 301 of this embodiment, when the ventilation resistance of the introduction filter 17 increases and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the intake air introduction part 310B becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the auxiliary intake air introduction port 51 is opened by the opening / closing mechanism part 321, so that sufficient air can be introduced into the intake side of the compressor main body 10A. Therefore, when the air compression device 301 of this embodiment is employed, even if the ventilation resistance of the introduction filter 17 increases, it is possible to suppress an increase in the load on the compressor 10 due to a shortage of intake air and a delay in filling the compressed air tank 18 with air.

[0083] <Embodiment of Air Suction Device> Although the embodiments of the air compression device have been described above, by changing the compressor 10 of each of the above embodiments to a suction device, a suction device that is not intended to supply compressed air to a supply target can be obtained. The embodiment of the suction device can be obtained by replacing the terms of each of the above embodiments of the air compression device as follows. The suction device of each embodiment obtained in this way can obtain the same effects as each of the above embodiments of the air compression device.

[0084] <Embodiments of the air suction device corresponding to the first to third embodiments> Compressor 10 → Suction machine 10 Main intake port 15 → Main suction port 15 Auxiliary intake port 20 → Auxiliary suction port 20 Main intake filter 16 → Main suction filter 16

[0085] <Embodiment of the air suction device corresponding to the fourth embodiment> Compressor 10 → Suction machine 10 Compressor body 10A → Suction machine body 10A Intake air introduction section 310B → Suction introduction section 310B Main intake inlet 50 → Main suction inlet 50 Auxiliary intake inlet 51 → Auxiliary suction inlet 51

[0086] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1,101,201,301...air compression device, 10...compressor, 10A...compressor body, 10B...intake introduction section, 11...cooling fan, 12...casing, 15...main intake port, 16...main intake port filter, 17...inlet section filter, 20...auxiliary intake port, 21...opening / closing mechanism section, 22...lid body, 23...spring (regulating section), 25...stopper member, 26...cover section, 31...opening alarm, 35...auxiliary filter, 40...motor (actuator), 41...pressure sensor (detector), 44...temperature sensor (detector), 46...inlet section filter alarm, 48...flow rate sensor (detector), 50...main intake port, 51...auxiliary intake port, 100...railroad vehicle, 100a...car body, 310B...intake introduction section, 321...opening / closing mechanism section

Claims

1. A compressor that compresses and discharges the intake air; a casing that houses the compressor and has a main intake port and an auxiliary intake port for introducing air to be sucked by the compressor; a main air intake filter for filtering air introduced into the main air intake; an opening / closing mechanism that opens the auxiliary air intake port when a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, thereby allowing air outside the casing to flow into the casing; Equipped with The auxiliary air intake is disposed at a position where an upstream portion of the air flow does not communicate with the main air intake filter, a cover portion is provided in the casing, the cover portion covering the auxiliary air intake port from the outside of a wall of the casing that forms the main air intake port and forming an opening portion that opens downward in a vertical direction; An air compression device, wherein the opening is provided separately and independently from the main intake port.

2. The opening and closing mechanism includes: a cover body movable between an open position where the auxiliary intake port is open and a closed position where the auxiliary intake port is closed; a restricting portion that restricts the cover body to the closed position, the restricting portion releasing the restriction when a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value; The air compression device of claim 1 .

3. The air compressing device according to claim 2 , wherein the restricting portion is a spring that applies an elastic force to the cover body toward the closed position.

4. 4. The air compression device according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a stopper member that restricts further opening of the lid body when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing becomes greater than the predetermined value and the displacement of the lid body in the opening direction becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

5. The opening and closing mechanism includes: a cover body movable between an open position where the auxiliary intake port is open and a closed position where the auxiliary intake port is closed; a detector that detects whether a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is equal to or greater than the predetermined value based on at least one of the pressure inside the casing, the discharge flow rate of the compressor, and the heat generation amount of the compressor; an actuator that moves the lid to an open position when the detector detects that the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the casing is equal to or greater than the predetermined value; The air compression device of claim 1 .

6. the detector detects whether or not a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the casing is equal to or greater than the predetermined value based on at least one of a discharge flow rate and a heat generation amount of the compressor; The compressor includes: an intake air introduction section that draws in air that has flowed into the inside of the casing; an introduction filter that filters the air taken in through the intake introduction portion; 6. The air compression device according to claim 5, further comprising an inlet filter alarm that notifies of a decrease in the ventilation function of the inlet filter when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing continues to be detected as being equal to or greater than the predetermined value even when the actuator operates in a direction to open the lid.

7. The air compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary air intake is provided with an auxiliary filter having a lower collection performance than the main air intake filter.

8. The air compression device according to claim 1 , further comprising an opening alarm that notifies the user that the auxiliary intake port has been opened by the opening / closing mechanism.

9. 9. The air compression device according to claim 1, wherein a cooling fan is disposed inside the casing for sending outside air that has flowed into the casing through the main intake filter to the compressor as cooling air when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value, and for sending outside air that has flowed into the casing through the auxiliary intake port opened by the opening and closing mechanism to the compressor as cooling air when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

10. 10. The air compression device according to claim 1, wherein the casing is mounted below a body of a railway vehicle.

11. 11. The air compression device according to claim 10, wherein the intake side of the auxiliary intake port opens in a direction perpendicular to the running direction of the railcar.

12. A suction machine for sucking air; a casing for accommodating the suction machine therein and having a main suction port and an auxiliary suction port for introducing air to be sucked by the suction machine; a main suction port filter for filtering air introduced into the main suction port; an opening / closing mechanism that opens the auxiliary suction port when a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the casing becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, thereby allowing air outside the casing to flow into the casing; Equipped with The auxiliary suction port is disposed at a position where an upstream portion of the air flow does not communicate with the main suction port filter, a cover portion is provided in the casing, the cover portion covering the auxiliary suction port from the outside of a wall forming the main suction port of the casing and forming an opening portion that opens downward in a vertical direction; The opening is provided separately and independently from the main suction port.

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