Air Compressor Piston Motion Resistance Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air compressors face difficulties in smooth piston motion due to high back force from compressed air and increased motion resistance at top dead center, leading to inefficient air compression and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a detachable air storage container with a primary and auxiliary air chamber, where the cylinder features a tubular connection portion with a central hole for additional air storage and a slanted bottom to reduce motion resistance and maintain air-tightness, allowing smoother piston movement and controlled air pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the air storage container is formed integrally with the cylinder, then the structure is simplified, but the mounting of the compression spring and plug becomes difficult and the plug movement is restricted due to back force from compressed air
Solution Approach 1:
The air storage container is separated from the cylinder, allowing independent assembly and disassembly. The plug and compression spring can be mounted separately in the air storage container without interfering with cylinder operations, resolving the mounting difficulty while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design.
2Productivity
If the piston body reaches TDC, then the compression stroke is completed, but the motion resistance increases sharply and the reciprocating motion is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary air chamber acts as an intermediary space between the cylinder and the air storage container. It stores additional compressed air and provides a pressure buffer that reduces the sudden back force on the piston at TDC, thereby reducing motion resistance and enabling smoother reciprocating motion.
3Productivity
If the compressed air flows immediately into the air storage container, then the air storage is efficient, but the air pressure transferred to the object may be too high causing safety concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary air chamber provides a cushioning effect by storing additional compressed air before it enters the main air storage container. This pre-compression buffer prevents sudden pressure surges and regulates the air pressure transferred to objects, eliminating over-pressure safety hazards while maintaining efficient air storage.
4Ease of manufacture
If the top wall of the cylinder has the same thickness as the peripheral wall of the air storage container, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the auxiliary air chamber cannot be effectively formed
Solution Approach 1:
The top wall of the cylinder is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a thicker portion that forms the auxiliary air chamber. This local variation in wall thickness creates the necessary volume for the auxiliary chamber while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity through a straightforward molding or machining process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces piston motion resistance, ensuring smoother operation and preventing over-pressure issues, thus enhancing air compression performance and safety by utilizing a detachable air storage system with a primary and auxiliary air chamber.
Implementation Method 1
A cap is mounted at the cylinder by bolts for closing the opening of the air storage container. However, the mounting of the compression spring and the plug is difficult, and the compressed air in the air storage container exerts considerable back force on the plug, which may cause the plug difficult movement.
Implementation Method 2
In operation, the motor can drive the transmission mechanism to have a piston body conduct reciprocating motion in the cylinder to produce compressed air in the cylinder
Implementation Method 3
the compressed air in the air storage container exerts considerable back force on the plug, which may cause the plug difficult movement
Data Source
AI summary
An improved air compressor includes a cylinder with a piston body and an air storage container. The air storage container can be detachably mounted to the cylinder to define a primary air chamber, and an auxiliary air chamber which can reduce the motion resistance of the piston body, so that the piston body can conduct reciprocating motion in the cylinder more smoothly. Furthermore, the cylinder has an open bottom that is divided into two halves according to a central vertical line (Y) of the cylinder, wherein one half of the open bottom is horizontal while the other half of the open bottom is slanted. When the piston body reaches the bottom dead center, the head of the piston body will be entirely within the cylinder and thus keep air-tight with the cylinder. Therefore, the performance of compressing air and the operational safety can be increased.