Abstract:
A portable air compressor including an air tank configured to store compressed air. The portable air compressor further includes a compressor unit coupled to the air tank including compressor components for compressing air, and a housing having a base disposed generally between the compressor components and the air tank. The base has a concave recess extending at least partially around a circumference of the compressor unit. The portable air compressor further includes a power cord for supplying power to the compressor components. The power cord is receiveable around the circumference of the compressor unit in the recess for storage.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/258,927, filed Nov. 23, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to air compressors and, more particularly, to portable air compressors. Air compressors include compressor units for compressing air and storage tanks for storing the compressed air for later use. Air compressors are often used at work sites, for example to power pneumatically-operated tools. Currently used air compressors are often large, heavy, bulky, and difficult to transport by hand. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In one aspect, the invention provides a portable air compressor. The portable air compressor includes an air tank configured to store compressed air. The portable air compressor includes a compressor unit coupled to the air tank including compressor components for compressing air, and a housing having a base disposed generally between the compressor components and the air tank. The base has a concave recess extending at least partially around a circumference of the compressor unit. The portable air compressor includes a power cord for supplying power to the compressor components. The power cord is receiveable around the circumference of the compressor unit in the recess for storage. 
         [0004]    In another aspect, the invention provides a portable air compressor. The portable air compressor includes an air tank configured to store compressed air. The portable air compressor includes a compressor unit in fluid communication with the air tank and including a housing having a concave recess extending at least partially around a circumference of the compressor unit. The housing further includes compressor components for compressing air for storage in the air tank. The compressor components are stored in the housing. The portable air compressor further includes a power cord for supplying power to the compressor components. The power cord is receiveable around the circumference of the compressor unit in the recess for storage. 
         [0005]    In yet another aspect, the invention provides a portable air compressor. The portable air compressor includes an air tank having a curved tank surface for storing compressed air and compressor components in fluid communication with the air tank for providing compressed air to the air tank. The portable air compressor includes a housing for storing the compressor components and engageable with the air tank. The housing includes a base having a contact surface shaped to complement the curved tank surface of the air tank, and a recess formed about a circumference of the housing. The portable air compressor includes a power cord for supplying power to the compressor components. The power cord is receiveable in the recess for storage. 
         [0006]    Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a portable air compressor having an air tank and a compressor unit according to one construction of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is rear perspective view of the portable air compressor shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a detail view of a front foot and a rear foot of the portable air compressor shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a detail view of the front foot of the air compressor shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a detail view of the rear foot of the air compressor shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of the compressor unit shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
       [0013]    Before any constructions of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other constructions and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIGS. 1-6  illustrate an air compressor  10  according to one construction of the invention. The illustrated air compressor  10  is a portable air compressor that is transportable between worksites (e.g., construction sites, garages, etc.). The air compressor  10  provides a source of compressed air for performing various tasks such as operating pneumatic power tools, filling vehicle tires, or the like. In the illustrated construction, the air compressor  10  is designed as a relatively compact unit that is movable around a worksite by a single user. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the portable air compressor  10  includes an air tank  20  for storing and dispensing compressed air or other fluid. The illustrated air tank  20  has a generally flattened shape with a circular cross-section, such as a generally flattened cylindrical shape, a flattened spherical or torso spherical shape, etc. (e.g., a “pancake” style air tank). The air tank  20  may have other shapes in other constructions, such as elongated cylindrical, round, spherical, etc. The air tank may include supports  60  extending from the air tank for at least partially supporting the air compressor on a support surface, e.g., the ground or floor. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 and 6 , the portable air compressor  10  includes a compressor unit  12 . The compressor unit  12  is fluidly and mechanically coupled to the air tank  20 . The compressor unit  12  includes a housing  15 , a control assembly  25  ( FIG. 1 ), and compressor components  27  ( FIG. 1 ) supported inside the housing  15  for compressing the air. An example of the illustrated compressor components  27  include such as a motor/compressor assembly, whereby the motor drives the compressor. In some constructions, the compressor may be, for example, a reciprocating compressor, a rotary screw compressor, a rotary vane compressor, or the like. In other constructions, other suitable compressors may be employed. In the illustrated construction, the motor is an electric motor (e.g., an AC motor), but may be another type of motor in other constructions. 
         [0017]    A power cord  30  extends from the housing  15  of the compressor unit  12  and electrically connects the compressor components  27  to a source of power for powering the motor to drive the compressor. The power cord  30  may be any length. For example, the power cord  30  may be about 3 feet or longer, such as about 6 feet long. The power cord  30  includes a plug  35 , and the plug  35  includes a connector  40 , such as a generally U-shaped or C-shaped prong, or clip, for coupling to an intermediate portion of the power cord  30  for storage. 
         [0018]    The control assembly  25  is supported by the housing  15  and positioned to be readily visible and accessible by the user for adjusting the output pressure from the air tank  20  for different applications (e.g., for pneumatic power tools requiring different operating pressures) and may include one or more pressure display gauges. The housing  15  also includes a handle  65  for a user to grasp and move the air compressor  10  and/or the compressor unit  12 . 
         [0019]    As shown in detail in  FIGS. 3-6 , the housing  15  is supported on the air tank  20  by a base  49  extending from the housing  15  and disposed generally between the compressor components  27  and the air tank  20 . In the illustrated construction, the base  49  includes four feet  50 , but one, two, three, five or more feet may be employed in other constructions. In yet other constructions, the base  49  may be a single continuous piece extending from the housing  15  (e.g., a generally circumferential base) or may be embodied as two or more rails extending from the housing  15  (e.g., extending along opposite sides of the bottom of the housing  15 ). The base  49  is arranged generally around a bottom side of the compressor unit  15  that generally faces the air tank  20  and includes a concavity  55 , or recess (e.g., a concave recess), for receiving the power cord  30  wrapped around an outer circumference of the base  49 . An air hose (not shown) may also be wrapped around the concavity  55 . The concavity  55  extends at least partially around the circumference of the housing  15  (e.g., around the base  49 ), which should be understood to mean that the concavity  55  may be continuous around the housing  15  (e.g., forming a generally circular concave recess around the housing  15 ) or may include multiple discrete portions around the housing  15  collectively forming the concavity  55  (e.g., as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6  where the recess is formed collectively by the feet  50  arranged generally about the circumference of the compressor unit  12 ). Preferably, the concavity  55  includes at least three or more discrete portions arranged circumferentially around the compressor unit  12 . In the illustrated construction, the concavity is generally coaxial with a central axis A ( FIG. 2 ) of the air tank  20  such that the cord  30  may be wrapped generally around the central axis A. 
         [0020]    In other constructions, the concavity  55  may be positioned anywhere on the housing  15 . For example, the concavity  55  may be disposed in an outer circumferential area  21  ( FIG. 2 ), or perimeter, of the housing  15 , such as above the base  49 , for receiving the cord  30  and/or the air hose (not shown) wrapped therearound. As such, the concavity  55  may be spaced from the base  49 . In other constructions, the concavity  55  may have other orientations about the housing  15 . Furthermore, the housing  15  includes indicia  54 , such as a symbol or image of a cord and/or a hose, text indicative or a cord and/or a hose, etc., to indicate to an operator that the power cord  30  and/or the air hose (not shown) may be wrapped around the outer circumference of the base  49 . The indicia  54  may be disposed on or near the concavity  55 . 
         [0021]    In some constructions, the base  49  engages the air tank  20  in a manner such that the feet  50  are pre-loaded against the air tank  20  to reduce vibrations between the air tank  20  and the compressor unit  12 . In such constructions, the compressor unit  12  is secured to the air tank  20  by way of a bracket (not shown) tight enough to hold the compressor unit  12  in the pre-loaded condition against the air tank  20 . In other constructions, the base  49  may be spaced from the air tank  20  to define a gap (not shown) between the base  49  and the air tank  20 . The gap (not shown) would have a width smaller than a diameter of the power cord  30  to prevent the power cord  30  from slipping between the base  49 , or feet  50 , and the air tank  20 . 
         [0022]    In the illustrated construction, the base  49  (e.g., each foot  50 ) includes a contact surface  57  ( FIGS. 4-5 ) engaging the air tank  20  and shaped to complement a contour of a tank surface  52  of the air tank  20 . Thus, in the illustrated construction, the contact surface  57  is non-planar and has a curvature that generally follows the tank surface  52  engaged therewith. 
         [0023]    The base  49  is preferably formed from a flexible or elastic material, such as a polymeric material, which allows the base  49  to be pre-loaded against the air tank  20 . For example, the base  49  may be formed from polypropylene. In some constructions, the base  49  may be formed of other suitable material, such as rubber or the like. The base  49  may be formed from a separate material, or the same material, as a remainder of the housing  15 . 
         [0024]    In operation, the user wraps the power cord  30  and/or the compressed air hose around the base  49 , e.g., the feet  50 , of the compressor unit  12  for storage as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . If the power cord 30 is about 6 feet long, the power cord  30  may wrap around the feet  50  at the base about 2 to 3 times. Additionally, the user may clip the plug  35  to the power cord  30  by way of the connector  40  to stow the loose end of the power cord  30  securely. 
         [0025]    When the compressor unit  12  and the air tank  20  are coupled, the base  49  supports the compressor unit  12  on the air tank  20 . The flexibility of the base  49  allows the base  49 , e.g., the feet  50 , to flex and/or expand outwards when coupled to the air tank  20  so that the base  49  is preloaded to dampen vibrations and increase stability of the housing  15  when the air compressor  10  is in use. Furthermore, this flexion of the base  49  provides a substantially gapless connection to the air tank  20  such that the power cord  30  is inhibited from getting stuck in a gap or stuck between the compressor unit  12  and the air tank  20 , thus facilitating ease of storage. Also, the need for dedicated cord-storage prongs extending from the housing  12  or the tank  20  is avoided. 
         [0026]    Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred constructions, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described.