CAM DRIVEN PISTON COMPRESSOR APPARATUS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates generally to the field of compression and storage of fluids

and particularly to compression of gaseous matter. More specifically the present invention relates

to a compressor apparatus including at least one cylinder and piston assembly including a

cylinder having a cylinder head and a tubular cylinder side wall and a piston structure slidably retained within the tubular cylinder side wall, the cylinder head having an intake port fitted with

an intake valve for passing fluid into the cylinder from a fluid source and an output port fitted

with an output valve for passing fluid out of the cylinder such as to a fluid reservoir, valve

operating means, a rotatable cam structure in the form of a cam wheel having a cam structure

axle and radial cam protrusions in the form of cam arms positioned to periodically abut and

displace the piston structure inwardly toward the cylinder head, and rotational drive means

drivably connected to the rotatable cam wheel for rotatably driving the cam wheel and the cam arms about the cam wheel rotational axis, and a piston structure return means for displacing the

piston structure outwardly away from the cylinder head subsequent to each piston structure

inward displacement. The valve operating means opens the output valve and a cam arm abuts and

displaces the piston structure toward the cylinder head, driving fluid within the cylinder out of

the cylinder through the output port, and then the valve operating means closes the output valve

and opens the intake valve and the piston structure return means displaces the piston structure

outwardly, away from the cylinder head and the intake port, thereby drawing fluid through the

intake port into the cylinder from the fluid source, in a periodically repeating cycle. The cylinder

and piston assembly and cam wheel preferably are both fastened to an apparatus framework to

position them in operational relation with each other. The apparatus framework preferably includes an apparatus housing enclosing at least the cam wheel. The intake port optionally is

covered by an air filter retained within an air filter housing.

The number of cam arms provided on the cam structure determines the number of compression cycles the cylinder and piston assembly performs for each revolution of the cam

structure, and is selected to meet the requirements of the given application. A flywheel preferably

is provided adjacent the cam wheel and mounted to the cam wheel axle to provide smooth cam

rotation. The piston structure preferably includes a piston connected to a piston rod. The rotational drive means preferably includes an electric drive motor connected to the cam structure

with a belt and pulleys or other drive connection.

The number of cam arms on the cam structure preferably can be altered such that the volume of fluid compressed per cam structure revolution can be altered to accommodate any of a

wide variety of applications. Another variation of the present compressor apparatus includes a

plurality of cylinder and piston assemblies positioned and secured to the apparatus framework to extend radially and equidistantly from the cam structure to be operated by the cam arms in

sequence. Yet another variation of the compression apparatus includes multiple cam structure

and cylinder units. The cam structures preferably are cam wheels mounted on a common cam

structure axle and thus driven by a common motor drive means.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

There have long been compressors for compressing gaseous matter for storage or

immediate use. These prior compressors typically have included a cylinder and piston

combination driven by a motor or engine. A problem with these prior compressors has been that

they can produce only one compression per motor or engine revolution, limiting compression to a

specific rate which may or may not be suited for a given application. If a larger compression rate

is needed, a different and larger compressor must be located.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a compressor apparatus which can

compress a fluid at any of several different rates selectable for a given job or application, the

apparatus including a cam structure rotatably driven by drive means and at least one cylinder and

piston assembly driven through compression cycles by contact with at least one cam protrusion

on the rotating cam structure.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a compressor apparatus for

which a specific desired rate of fluid compression can be selected by: selecting the number of

cylinder and piston assembly compressions per revolution of motor drive means by altering the

number of cam protrusions on the rotating cam structure, or by selecting the number of cylinder

and piston assemblies operated with each revolution of the motor drive means, or by selecting the

number of cam structure and corresponding cylinder and piston assemblies, or by altering all

three variables as needed.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a compressor apparatus

with which such selections can be made automatically by computer program operated electric

switches.

It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a compressor apparatus

which is reliable, durable, requires is less electricity to operate, and economical to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may

be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.

A compressor apparatus is provided for compressing fluids, including a compression

vessel having a collapsible vessel internal space having an expanded size and a compressed size,

the compression vessel having intake structure for passing fluid into the vessel internal space

from a fluid source and output structure for passing fluid out of the vessel internal space; a

rotatable cam structure having a cam structure rotational axis and at least one radial cam

protrusion positioned to periodically abut the compression vessel and compress the vessel

internal space; a rotational drive mechanism drivably connected to the rotatable cam structure for

rotatably driving the cam structure and the cam protrusion about the cam structure rotational

axis; and a compression vessel expansion mechanism for expanding the vessel internal space to

its expanded size subsequent to each compression of the vessel internal space; so that

compression of the vessel internal space drives fluid within the vessel internal space out of the

vessel through the output structure, and then the compression vessel return mechanism expands

the vessel internal space, thereby drawing fluid through the intake structure into the vessel

internal space from the fluid source, in a repeating cycle.

The compression vessel preferably includes a cylinder and piston assembly having a

cylinder interior and the vessel internal space comprise the cylinder interior.

A compressor apparatus for compressing fluids is further provided, including at least one

cylinder and piston assembly including a cylinder having a cylinder head and a tubular cylinder

side wall and a piston structure slidably retained within the cylinder, the cylinder having an

intake port fitted with an intake valve for passing fluid into the cylinder from a fluid source and

an output port fitted with an output valve for passing fluid out of the cylinder; a valve operating

mechanism in operational relation with the intake valve and the output valve; a rotatable cam

structure having a cam structure rotational axis and at least one radial cam protrusion positioned

to periodically abut and displace the piston structure inwardly toward the cylinder head; a

rotational drive mechanism drivably connected to the rotatable cam structure for rotatably driving

the cam structure and the cam protrusion about the cam structure rotational axis; and a piston

structure return mechanism for displacing the piston structure outwardly and away from the cylinder head subsequent to each piston structure inward displacement; so that the valve

operating mechanism opens the output valve and the cam protrusion abuts and displaces the piston structure toward the cylinder head, driving fluid within the cylinder out of the cylinder

through the output port, and then the valve operating mechanism closes the output valve and

opens the intake valve and the piston structure return mechanism displaces the piston structure

outwardly, away from the cylinder head and the intake port, thereby drawing fluid through the

intake port into the cylinder from the fluid source, in a repeating cycle, as in any conventional

cylinder and piston operation.

The cylinder and piston assembly and the cam structure preferably are both fastened to an

apparatus framework to position the cylinder and piston assembly and the cam structure in

operational relation with each other. The apparatus framework preferably includes an apparatus

housing. The intake port preferably is covered by an air filter structure. The at least one cam

protrusion preferably is at least one cam arm and the cam structure preferably includes a cam

wheel having a cam wheel circumferential surface to which the at least one cam arm is mounted.

The compressor apparatus preferably additionally includes is a flywheel mounted to rotate in

unison with the cam structure to provide smooth cam structure rotation.

The piston structure preferably includes a piston connected to a piston rod extending out

of the cylinder opposite the cylinder head having a piston rod abutment end. The piston

preferably is fitted with at least one piston ring seated in a circumferential piston ring groove to

slide sealingly along the cylinder side wall. The cylinder preferably includes a cup-shaped cylinder bottom wall opposite the cylinder head with a central piston rod passing port for

funneling blow-by oil to the piston rod so that the piston rod is lubricated by the oil and carries

oil out of the cylinder with each cylinder and piston assembly cycle. The piston rod preferably

includes at least one oil receiving depression for receiving and retaining oil to carry oil out of the cylinder through the piston rod passing port.

The rotational drive mechanism preferably includes an electric drive motor connected to

the cam structure with a drive connection. The drive connection preferably includes a drive belt engaging a motor pulley mounted on the motor drive shaft and a cam structure pulley mounted

on a cam structure axle.

The piston structure return mechanism preferably includes a piston rod biasing spring mounted to be compressed between a framework. The piston rod biasing spring preferably is a

coil spring encircling the piston rod and having a progressively narrowing, conical configuration.

The piston structure return mechanism preferably includes a piston return lever pivotally

mounted on a lever fulcrum pin secured to the apparatus framework, having a return lever first

end engaging the piston structure and a return lever second end positioned for periodic

displacement by the at least one cam protrusion.

The cam protrusions may be fixed cams but preferably are selectively movable out of

rotational alignment with the piston structure so that a desired number of the cam protrusions can

be selected to displace the piston structure for each cam structure rotation; so that the volume of

fluid compressed per cam structure rotation can be altered to accommodate requirements of any

of a wide variety of applications. The where each cam arm includes an expanded mounting end

which fits engagingly into any of several cam arm channels each having an outwardly narrowing

arm engaging channel outward channel opening and extending laterally across the width of and

spaced periodically around the cam wheel circumferential surface; so that each cam arm is

slidably retained within a corresponding the cam arm channel. The cam wheel circumferential

surf ace preferably is sufficiently wide and the cam arm channels therefore sufficiently long that

one the cam arm can be slid to a first channel end of the given the cam arm channel and thus to a first side of the cam wheel circumferential surface to align with and abut the piston structure

during cam wheel rotation, and slid to a second channel end and thus to a second side of the cam

wheel circumferential surface to be out of registration with the piston structure during cam wheel rotation; so that a selected number of the cam arms can be slid to the first channel end to register with the piston structure as needed for a given apparatus application.

The cam arms preferably are each moved to one of the first side of the cam wheel

circumferential surface and the second side of the cam wheel circumferential surface by electro

magnets mounted adjacent opposing faces of the cam wheel and adjacent to the cam wheel

circumferential surface; so that activation of either the electro magnet pulls each immediately

adjacent cam arm to the adjacent the side of the cam wheel circumferential surface, and the given

the electro magnet can be activated and deactivated as the cam wheel is rotated by the drive

mechanism so that only selected cam arms are moved to a given side of the cam wheel

circumferential surface to provide a desired number of cam arms in registration with the at least

one cylinder and piston assembly associated with the cam wheel.

The compressor apparatus optionally includes several of the cylinder and piston

assemblies positioned to extend radially and equidistantly from the cam structure, so that the at least one cam protrusion abuts and displaces each piston structure in sequence with each the cam

structure rotation. The compressor apparatus optionally additionally or alternatively includes

multiple cam structure and cylinder units mounted on a common axle and thus driven by a

common motor drive mechanism, and individual clutches for each cam structure, so that only a

selected number of the cam structures rotate with the drive mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF-THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following discussion taken in conjunction with the following

drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the a preferred embodiment of the compressor apparatus with

the housing broken away to reveal the cam wheel, cam arms, and a cross-sectional view of the

cylinder and piston assembly. Piston return means shown in this FIGURE include the return

spring and return lever.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the compressor apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a close-up cross-sectional side view of the cylinder and piston assembly of

FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 but adding the preferred sliding

cam arm feature and showing some of the cam arms slid to a first channel ends to register with

the piston structure and other cam arms slid to second channel ends to be out of registration with

the piston structure opposing electro-magnets for moving the cam arms to selected first or second

channel ends are also shown.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the cam wheel having the cam arm channels of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the compressor apparatus of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a side view of the cam wheel of FIGURE 5 additionally showing the

preferred spring-loaded retaining protrusions for retaining the cam arms at their selected first or

second channel ends.

FIGURE 8 is an end view of the cam wheel of FIGURE 7, showing the preferred central

position of the retaining protrusions in the cam arm channels.

FIGURE 9 is a view as in FIGURE 1, except that a second cylinder and piston assembly is provided, to illustrate the option of providing two or more such assemblies on a given apparatus cam structure and cylinder unit.

FIGURE 10 is an end view of the apparatus of FIGURE 4, showing an optional second cam structure and cylinder unit, to illustrate the option of providing two or more such units in an

individual compressor apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein;

however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the

invention which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional

details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present

invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like characteristics and features of the present invention shown in the various FIGURES are designated by the same reference numerals.

First Preferred Embodiment

Referring to FIGURES 1-10, a compressor apparatus 10 is disclosed including at least

one cylinder and piston assembly 20 having a cylinder 22 having a cylinder head 24 and a tubular

cylinder side wall 26 and a piston structure 40 slidably retained within the cylinder side wall 26,

the cylinder head 24 having an intake port 32 fitted with an intake valve 34 for passing fluid into

the cylinder 22 from a fluid source FS and an output port 36 fitted with an output valve 38 for passing fluid out of the cylinder 22 such as to a fluid reservoir FR, valve operating means 50, a

rotatable cam structure 60 having a cam structure rotational axis A and at least one radial cam

protrusion 62 positioned to periodically abut and displace the piston structure 40 inwardly toward

the cylinder head 24 and rotational drive means 80 drivably connected to the rotatable cam

structure 60 for rotatably driving the cam structure 60 and the cam protrusion 62 about the cam

structure rotational axis A, and a piston structure return means 90 for displacing the piston

structure 40 outwardly away from the cylinder head 24 subsequent to each piston structure 40

inward displacement. As a result, such that the valve operating means 50 opens the output valve

38 and the cam protrusion 62 abuts and displaces the piston structure 40 toward the cylinder head

24, driving fluid within the cylinder 22 out of the cylinder 22 through the output port 36, and

then the valve operating means 50 closes the output valve 38 and opens the intake valve 34 and

the piston structure return means 90 displaces the piston structure 40 outwardly, away from the

cylinder head 24 and the intake port 32, thereby drawing fluid through the intake port 32 into the cylinder 22 from the fluid source FS, in a periodically repeating cycle. Cylinder head 24

preferably is an integral part of the cylinder 22, although it is contemplated that it be made

removable for servicing. Cylinder side wall 26 preferably is surrounded by heat fins 26a to

increase outer surface area and thus increase the dissipation of heat from compressing a fluid.

The cylinder and piston assembly 20 and cam structure 60 preferably are both fastened to an

apparatus framework 100 to position them in operational relation with each other. The apparatus

framework 100 preferably includes an apparatus housing 110. The intake port 32 optionally is covered by an air filter 122 retained within an air filter housing 124.

The number of cam protrusions 62 provided on the cam structure 60 determines the number of compression cycles the cylinder and piston assembly 20 performs for each revolution

of the cam structure 60, and is selected to meet the requirements of the given job or application.

The cam structure 60 preferably includes a cam wheel 70 having a cam wheel circumferential

surface 72 to which one or more cam protrusions 62 are mounted. The cam protrusions 62

preferably each include a radially extending cam arm mounted to the wheel circumferential

surface 72. A flywheel 130 preferably is provided beside the cam wheel 70 and mounted to the

cam wheel axle 74 to provide smooth cam structure 60 rotation.

The piston structure 40 preferably includes a piston 42 connected to a piston rod 44

extending out of the cylinder 22 opposite the cylinder head 24 and having a piston rod abutment

end 44a fitted with a piston rod abutment end spring-loaded ball bearing 48 to ride over cam

protrusions 62 with minimal friction and absorb the impact of abutting cam protrusions 62. The

piston rod 44 preferably is fixedly secured to the piston 42 to remain substantially parallel to the cylinder side wall 26. The piston 42 preferably is fitted with conventional piston rings 42a seated

in circumferential piston ring grooves 42b to slide sealingly along the cylinder side wall 26. The

cylinder 22 preferably has a cylinder bottom wall 28 opposite the cylinder head 24 with a central

piston rod passing port 18. Oil O lubricates the cylinder side wall 26 and is retained by the

cylinder bottom wall 28, which preferably is cup-shaped to gather the Oil O and funnel it toward

the piston rod 44. Oil O thus deposited on the piston rod 44 enters and is retained by a longitudinal series of oil gathering depressions 46 in the piston rod 44, preferably in the form of a

series of notches 46, and thus is carried by the piston rod 44 out of the cylinder 22. This mechanism removes blow-by oil O accumulated in the cylinder 22 and at the same time lubricates the piston rod 44 so that it moves through the port 18 in the cylinder bottom wall 28

with minimal friction.

The rotational drive means 80 preferably includes an electric drive motor 82 connected to

the cam structure 60 with a drive connection. The drive connection extends between the drive

motor 82 and the cam structure 60 and preferably takes the form of a drive belt 84 engaging a

motor pulley 86 mounted on the motor drive shaft 82a and a cam structure pulley 88 mounted on

a cam structure axle 74. The cam structure axle 74 preferably is mounted in bearings retained in

axle retaining members 102 and 104 which form part of the apparatus framework 100.

The piston structure return means 90 preferably is a piston rod biasing spring 92 mounted

to be compressed between a framework outer brace 106 and a framework inner brace 108 and

engaged by a return spring pin (not shown) passing through the piston rod 44. The piston rod

biasing spring 92 preferably is a coil spring encircling the piston rod 44 and preferably has a

progressively narrowing, conical configuration.

Alternatively or additionally the piston structure return means 90 is a piston return lever

94 rotatably mounted on a lever fulcrum pin 96 secured to the apparatus framework 100. See

FIGURE 3. A return lever first end 94a engages the piston structure 40 such as the piston rod 44 and a return lever second end 94b is periodically displaced by the cam protrusion 62 or cam

protrusions 62. Another alternative or additional piston return means 90 is a piston return solenoid coil 98 fitted around the piston rod 44 wired to a power source through a switch. When

activated, piston return solenoid coil 98 rapidly drives the piston rod 44 and piston 42 away from

the cylinder head 24.

The number of cam protrusions 62 on the cam structure 60 preferably can be altered such

that the volume of fluid compressed per cam structure 60 revolution can be altered to

accommodate any of a wide variety of applications. Where the cam protrusions 62 are cam arms

62, each cam arm 62 preferably has an expanded cam arm mounting end 64 which fits

engagingly into any of several cam arm channels 76 having outwardly narrowing arm engaging

channel outward ends 78 and extending laterally across the width of and spaced periodically

around the cam wheel circumferential surface 72 such that each cam arm 62 is slidably retained

within a corresponding cam arm channel 76. See FIGURES 4-6. The cam wheel circumferential

surface 72 preferably is sufficiently wide and the cam arm channels 76 therefore sufficiently long

that a cam arm 62 can be slid to a first channel end 76a of the given cam arm channel 76 and thus

to a first side of the cam wheel circumferential surface 72 to align and register with and abut the

piston structure 40, and slid to a second channel end 76b and thus to a second side of the cam

wheel circumferential surface 72 to be out of registration with the piston structure 40 during cam

structure 60 rotation. The cam arms 62 are retained against sliding out of their respective

channels 76 by a retaining clip 77 at the outward-most portion of each channel end 76a and 76b.

See FIGURE 5. As a result, a selected number of cam arms 62 can be slid into position to register with the piston structure 40 as needed for each given apparatus 10 application.

An outwardly biased spring-loaded retaining protrusion 66 is provided in the a recess in

the middle of each cam arm channel end 76a and 76b to obstruct movement of and thus retain the cam arm 62 in the channel 76 at either the first or second channel end 76a or 76b, respectively.

See FIGURES 7 and 8. The retaining protrusions 66 are outwardly rounded, and when sufficient

lateral force is applied to a given cam arm 62, such as be an electro-magnet 140 described below,

the retaining protrusion 66 is forced inwardly into its protrusion recess 66a by the cam arm 62 to

become flush with the channel 76 bottom wall, permitting the cam arm 62 to move over the

retaining protrusion 66 to the opposing channel end, and then the protrusion 66 is freed to spring

outwardly to Its initial retaining position.

The cam arms 62 preferably are moved to first or second cam wheel 70 sides by electro

magnets 140 mounted to the apparatus framework 100 on opposing sides of the cam wheel 70

adjacent the cam wheel 70 circumferential perimeter. A small air gap is provided between the

cam arms 62 and the electromagnets 140 so that cam arms 62 and electro magnets 140 never

touch each other. Activation of either electromagnet 140 pulls each immediately adjacent cam

arm 62 to the adjacent side of the cam wheel 70. The given electro magnet 140 are activated and

deactivated for only a fraction of a second as the cam wheel 70 is rotated by the drive motor 82

so that only selected cam arms 62 are moved to a given side of the cam wheel 70 to provide a

desired number of cam arms 62 in registration with the at least one cylinder and piston assembly

20 associated with the given cam wheel 70. Electric power delivered through a manual switch or a computer programmed controller (not shown) activates and deactivates one or the other electro

magnet 140 as needed. Many other cam protrusion 62 moving mechanisms are contemplated, and the electromagnets are merely illustrative.

Another variation of the present compressor apparatus 10 includes a plurality of cylinder

and piston assemblies 20 positioned and secured to the apparatus framework 100 to extend

radially and equidistantly from the cam structure 60. See FIGURE 9. The rotating cam protrusion

62 or cam protrusions 62 abut and displace each piston structure 40 in sequence with each cam

structure 60 rotation.

Yet another variation of the compression apparatus 10 includes multiple cam structure

and cylinder units 200. The cam structures 60 preferably are cam wheels 70 mounted on a

common axle and thus driven by a common rotation drive means 180 in the form of a motor. See

FIGURE 10. Individual clutch means 182 are provided for each cam structure 60 so that only a selected number of the cam structures 60 rotate with the drive means 180.

As an alternative to the one or more cylinder and piston structure assemblies 20, a

bellows or other collapsible vessel (not shown) may be provided.

While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms

or certain embodiments or modifications which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the

invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other

modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.