Air inlet control for air compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10514029-B2
Application number	US-201615044944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Feb 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

An air compressor system operably coupled to a power supply including an air storage tank and an air pump including an air manifold having an inlet configured to receive ambient air. The air pump is fluidly coupled to the air storage tank. The air compressor system also includes a motor having a first current level provided by the power supply to operate the air pump, a valve member in fluid communication with the inlet of the air manifold, and a controller operable to move the valve member to either increase or decrease a rate of ambient air traveling into the manifold. The controller monitors the first current level of the motor to change the rate of ambient air traveling into the manifold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air compressor system operably coupled to a power supply, the air compressor system comprising:
an air storage tank;
an air pump including an air manifold having an inlet configured to receive ambient air, the air pump fluidly coupled to the air storage tank;
a motor configured to receive electrical current from the power supply to operate the air pump;
a valve member in fluid communication with the inlet of the air manifold; and
a controller including a first predetermined current threshold and a second predetermined current threshold of the motor, the second predetermined current threshold being greater than the first predetermined current threshold;
wherein the controller is configured to move the valve member to increase a rate of ambient air traveling into the manifold when the electrical current received by the motor is below the first predetermined current threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to move the valve member to decrease the rate of ambient air traveling into the manifold when the electrical current received by the motor is above the second predetermined current threshold.

2. The air compressor system of claim 1 , wherein the controller defaults the valve member in a position to substantially block fluid communication between the ambient air and the air manifold.

3. The air compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising a gear system that couples the controller to the valve member.

4. The air compressor system of claim 3 , wherein the valve member is coupled to a first drive gear and the controller is coupled to a second drive gear, and wherein a clutch is positioned between the first and second drive gears.

5. The air compressor system of claim 4 , wherein the clutch allows relative rotational movement between the first and second drive gears.

6. The air compressor system of claim 5 , wherein the clutch is coupled to a first intermediate gear and a second intermediate gear, and wherein the first drive gear engages the first intermediate gear and the second drive gear engages the second intermediate gear.

7. The air compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising a shaft connecting the valve member to the controller.

8. The air compressor system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to maintain a position of the valve member when the electrical current is between the first and second predetermined current thresholds.

9. The air compressor system of claim 8 , wherein the position of the valve member is less than a fully open position of the valve member.

10. The air compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising a frame supporting the air storage tank, the air pump, the motor, the valve member, and the controller, wherein the frame enables transportation of the air compressor system to different locations.

11. The air compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising a fitting in fluid communication with the air storage tank, wherein the fitting is configured to be selectively coupled to one of a plurality of tools.

12. An air compressor system operably coupled to a power supply, the air compressor system comprising:
an air storage tank;
an air pump including an air manifold having an inlet configured to receive ambient air, the air pump fluidly coupled to the air storage tank;
a motor operable at an angular velocity and a current level to operate the air pump;
a valve member in fluid communication with the inlet of the air manifold; and
a controller operable to move the valve member to either increase or decrease a rate of ambient air traveling into the manifold, the controller monitoring the angular velocity and the current level of the motor to change the rate of ambient air traveling into the manifold.

13. The air compressor system of claim 12 , wherein the controller defaults the valve member in a position to substantially block fluid communication between the ambient air and the air manifold.

14. The air compressor system of claim 12 , further comprising a gear system that couples the controller to the valve member.

15. The air compressor system of claim 14 , wherein the valve member is coupled to a first drive gear and the controller is coupled to a second drive gear, and wherein a clutch is positioned between the first and second drive gears.

16. The air compressor system of claim 15 , wherein the clutch allows relative rotational movement between the first and second drive gears.

17. The air compressor system of claim 16 , wherein the clutch is coupled to a first intermediate gear and a second intermediate gear, and wherein the first drive gear engages the first intermediate gear and the second drive gear engages the second intermediate gear.

18. The air compressor system of claim 12 , further comprising a shaft connecting the valve member to the controller.

19. The air compressor system of claim 12 , wherein the controller includes a first predetermined current threshold and a second predetermined current threshold of the motor, wherein the second predetermined current threshold is greater than the first predetermined current threshold, wherein the controller is configured to move the valve member to increase the rate of ambient air traveling into the air manifold when the angular velocity of the motor reaches a predetermined threshold amount and the current level is less than the first predetermined current threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to move the valve member to decrease the rate of ambient air traveling into the air manifold when the angular velocity of the motor reaches the predetermined threshold amount and the current level is greater than the second predetermined current threshold.

Assignees

• Ac Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd
• Tti Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd

Inventors

• Suarez Joseph

Classifications

• F04B39/123

  Fluid connections · CPC title

• F04B39/00

  Component parts, details, or accessories, of pumps or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids, not otherwise provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B25/00 - F04B37/00 · CPC title

• F04B39/10

  Adaptations or arrangements of distribution members · CPC title

• F04B49/06

  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) · CPC title

• F04B2203/0202

  Voltage · CPC title