Wobble Plate Compressor Dry Piston Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable oxygen concentrators face challenges in minimizing size, weight, and noise while maintaining effective oxygen delivery, as traditional compressors use viscous lubricants and generate significant vibration and noise.
Innovation Solution
A wobble plate compressor design with double-headed pistons and a dry system that eliminates the need for viscous lubricants, utilizing a wobble plate mechanism to reduce noise and vibration, and a constant velocity joint to improve energy efficiency, integrated into a portable oxygen concentrator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional compressors with viscous lubricants are used, then compression function is achieved, but air flow path contamination and weight increase occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the viscous lubricant system entirely from the compressor design, extracting the harmful element that causes air flow path contamination. The wobble plate compressor is designed to operate without lubricants, eliminating the source of contamination while maintaining compression functionality through the wobble plate mechanism and dry compression chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional piston-crank mechanism with a wobble plate mechanism. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for viscous lubricants in the connection between moving parts, as the wobble plate design allows for lubricant-free operation while achieving the same compression function, thereby preventing air flow path contamination.
2Reliability
If traditional compressors are used, then compression function is achieved, but vibration and noise increase occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a wobble plate mechanism that creates dynamic motion patterns different from traditional compressors. The wobble plate's angular movement combined with piston reciprocation produces smoother operation with reduced vibration and noise, while maintaining effective compression function. The dynamic design allows for better balance and reduced mechanical shocks.
3Volume of moving object
If compressor size is reduced for portability, then portability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional crankshaft-piston mechanism with a wobble plate mechanism that reduces mechanical complexity and friction losses. This substitution improves mechanical efficiency, allowing the compressor to maintain smaller size while reducing power consumption through more efficient energy transfer and reduced mechanical losses.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If oil-less compression is implemented, then air flow path cleanliness is improved, but mechanical complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the wobble plate mechanism with the piston assembly into an integrated unit. The wobble plate is directly connected to the piston rods, combining the motion conversion function with the compression function in a single mechanical assembly. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining oil-less operation for clean air flow path.
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 provides a compact, lightweight, low-noise, and low-power oxygen concentrator that effectively delivers concentrated oxygen without the drawbacks of traditional compressors, enhancing portability and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
The wobble plate has at least one distal attachment member and is coupled to the axle so that the distal attachment member reciprocates upon rotation of the axle
Implementation Method 2
The assembly tool includes a second magnetic element configured to magnetically attract the first magnetic element of the at least one connecting rod to bias the at least one connecting rod to a predetermined position
Data Source
AI summary
An oxygen concentrator includes a wobble plate compressor having one or more double-headed pistons and cylinders. A wobble plate of the compressor does not spin as an axle rotates, but orbitally tilts relative to the axle, thereby causing the double-headed pistons to move within the respective cylinders.