Vehicle Air Compressor With Crankcase-Integrated Pneumatic Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle air compressors face issues such as excessive oil carryover leading to increased engine oil consumption and pollution, high power consumption resulting in carbon emissions, carbon deposition, and short service life, along with design constraints that hinder compact integration due to unloading mechanisms increasing the compressor height.
Innovation Solution
Integrate the unloading device components to the crankcase, featuring a simplified valve seat plate with symmetric unloading through holes and control units, reducing overall height and potential leakage points, while using stamped or laser-cut steel plates for cost-effectiveness and modularity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If an unloading mechanism is added to the valve seat plate, then the air compressor can achieve energy saving and emission reduction, but the overall height of the air compressor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unloading mechanism components (unloading valve plates, control cavities, control channels) are integrated into the crankcase structure, merging multiple functions into a single component. This eliminates the need for a separate unloading mechanism housing, thereby reducing the overall height of the air compressor while maintaining the energy-saving unloading function.
Solution Approach 2:
The unloading mechanism is redesigned to utilize the horizontal space within the crankcase rather than extending vertically. The control cavities are disposed on two sides of the crankcase, and the unloading valve plates are positioned within the crankcase depth, effectively using three-dimensional space optimization to reduce the vertical height dimension.
2Loss of energy
If a vertically actuated unloading mechanism is added to the cylinder head, then the air compressor can achieve unloading function, but the height of the air compressor increases and the unloading effect is poor
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a vertically actuated unloading mechanism that pushes upward from below, this patent uses a horizontally actuated mechanism where control pressure applied to the control cavities causes the unloading valve plates to move horizontally within the crankcase, opening or closing the unloading through holes. This inversion of the actuation direction eliminates the height increase while improving unloading effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The unloading mechanism is actuated by control pressure (pneumatic control) rather than mechanical vertical actuation. The control channel delivers control pressure to the control cavities, which then actuate the unloading valve plates through pressure differential, achieving superior unloading effect without increasing compressor height.
3Reliability
If the valve seat plate structure is simplified with integrated unloading through holes, then the number of leakage locations is reduced and reliability is improved, but the design complexity of the valve seat plate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unloading through holes are integrated directly into the valve seat plate, merging the unloading function with the existing valve seat structure. This eliminates the need for separate unloading ports and reduces the number of potential leakage locations, thereby improving reliability while the modular design keeps the complexity manageable.
4Length of stationary object
If unloading device components are integrated to the crankcase, then the overall height is reduced and manufacturing cost is lowered, but the integration complexity of the crankcase design increases
Solution Approach 1:
The crankcase is designed to serve multiple functions: it houses the piston assembly, serves as the structural base, and integrates the unloading mechanism components (control cavities, control channels, unloading valve plates). This multi-functionality approach consolidates the design into a single integrated component, reducing overall height and part count, while the modular integration strategy maintains ease of manufacture.
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
The solution reduces the overall height of the air compressor, enhances reliability, minimizes leakage, and lowers costs, while being applicable to various vehicle air compressors, thus addressing the compact design and efficiency challenges.
Implementation Method 1
the control unit is controlled, by air pressure from the control channel, to be in a first state in which the unloading valve plate is located in the first position or a second state in which the unloading valve plate is located in the second position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A vehicle air compressor, including a valve seat plate (3) and an unloading device. The valve seat plate (3) is provided with two groups of unloading through holes (31A, 31B) respectively connected to two compression cylinder bodies of a crankcase (1). The unloading device includes: a control channel; two unloading valve plates (4A, 4B) each having a first position in which the unloading through holes (31A, 31B) are opened and a second position in which the unloading through holes (31A, 31B) are closed; a first channel (21) in communication with the two groups of unloading through holes (31A, 31B); and two control cavities (C) and two control units (13) disposed in the control cavities (C), respectively, each of the control units (13) being connected to one of the unloading valve plates (4A, 4B). The two control cavities (C) are each in communication with the control channel, the control unit (13) is controlled, by air pressure from the control channel, to be in a first state in which the unloading valve plate (4A, 4B) is located in the first position or a second state in which the unloading valve plate (4A, 4B) is located in the second position.