Air Compressor Cylinder With Second Pressure Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air compressors often produce excessively high pressure, which hinders the reciprocating motion of the piston and reduces the performance of compressing air, and there are concerns about operational security due to the piston's ability to escape from the cylinder.
Innovation Solution
The air compressor features a tubular projection on the top wall of the cylinder serving as a second pressure chamber, allowing part of the compressed air to enter this chamber, and an open bottom divided into horizontal and slanted halves to ensure the piston remains within the cylinder, enhancing gas-tightness and operational security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the piston compresses air to high pressure, then the air storage unit can store more compressed air, but the piston cannot conduct reciprocating motion smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single pressure chamber into two separate pressure chambers: a first pressure chamber for storing compressed air and a second pressure chamber for facilitating piston motion. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high pressure in the first chamber while the second chamber provides space for smooth piston reciprocation, resolving the contradiction between air storage capacity and piston operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to the pressure chamber configuration by forming a tubular projection extending upward from the top wall of the cylinder. The second pressure chamber is located in this upper region, creating a multi-level pressure chamber arrangement that enables both high pressure storage and smooth piston motion without compromising either function.
2Productivity
If the piston is allowed to move freely to compress air, then the compression performance can be improved, but the piston may escape from the cylinder
Solution Approach 1:
The open bottom of the cylinder is designed with asymmetric structure: one half is horizontal and the other half is slanted. This asymmetric configuration creates a geometric constraint that prevents the piston from escaping laterally while still allowing it to move freely for compression. The slanted portion acts as a mechanical stop that maintains operational security without hindering compression performance.
3Stress or pressure
If the top wall thickness is increased to contain high pressure, then the pressure containment can be improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the thickness of the top wall in the horizontal plane, the invention utilizes the vertical dimension by forming a tubular projection extending upward. The second pressure chamber is located in this vertical extension, which provides additional pressure containment capacity without increasing the horizontal footprint or overall device complexity. This vertical arrangement maintains a compact design while effectively containing high pressure.
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 the force required for the piston's motion, increases the smoothness of the reciprocating process, and maintains safe pressure levels for efficient air compression and enhanced operational security.
Implementation Method 1
a spring urged against the middle round portion of the valve plug or fitted around the middle round portion of the valve plug
Data Source
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AI summary
An air compressor includes an air storage unit defining a first chamber and a cylinder containing a piston body. The top wall of the cylinder is formed with a tubular projection defining a bore to serve as a second pressure chamber. When the piston head of the piston body is almost in contact with the top wall of the cylinder, part of the compressed air can enter the second pressure chamber, so that the piston body can conduct reciprocation motion more smoothly. Furthermore, the cylinder has an open bottom that is divided into two halves according to a central vertical line 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 is at BDC, the piston head will be entirely within the cylinder and thus keep gas-tight with the cylinder.