Compressor Assembly for an Apparatus for Inflating and/or Repairing Inflatable Items or Products as Needed

The invention relates to a compressor assembly (1) for an apparatus (100) for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products as needed, in particular vehicle tires. The compressor assembly (1) comprises a first compressor unit (2) having a compressed air outlet (5) via which the air compressed by the first compressor unit (2) is supplied. The compressor assembly (1) further comprises at least one further second compressor unit (3, 4) having a compressed air outlet (6, 7) via which the air compressed, in particular as needed, by the second compressor unit (3, 4) is supplied as compressed air. The first compressor unit (2) and the at least one second compressor unit (3, 4) are fluidly switched in parallel.

The present invention relates generally to tire repair kits and, in particular, to apparatuses for dispensing tire sealants from a container by way of a compressed air source.

Tire sealants or sealing liquids for quickly repairing inflatable items or products are known as such. The liquid is introduced into the product or item for repair by means of compressed air, in particular by means of a compressor, penetrates all holes or slits in the product or item, and hardens through contact with air, thereby quickly sealing the product or item.

Such sealing liquids are widely used for the rapid repair of tires. The following description relates to these circumstances. However, the description is purely exemplary, is focused on clarity, and is not intended to be limiting.

Spare tires for vehicles raise a number of well-known problems, not the least of which are their notable size and weight. In particular, when the spare tire is accommodated inside the vehicle, the capacity of the trunk is noticeably reduced, and the tire is difficult to loosen or remove, in particular when the trunk is full.

Therefore, for passenger cars, so-called tire repair kits have become common, which are used instead of a spare tire.

This is a built-in kit for repairing and inflating tires comprising a small compressor and a container for a sealing liquid, wherein this built-in kit can be easily accommodated in a special compartment or in the trunk of the car.

In addition to the noticeable size and weight reduction, the repair of a tire in the event of a flat tire has been proven to be faster and easier: unlike changing the vehicle tire, the compressor can be easily connected to a power outlet on the vehicle, wherein the container for the sealing liquid is then connected to the compressor as well as to the valve of the tire in order to carry out the repair.

Compressed air is forced into the container with the sealing liquid by means of the compressor, and the sealing liquid is then pumped into the defective tire via a valve through the corresponding rising pipes. Thereafter, the valve can be switched so that the tire can now be inflated by means of the compressor. Standard functions from the prior art are such that either only air is pumped, for example in order to inflate balls or air mattresses, or an air pressure control is carried out. In the repair function, the prior art is designed such that the sealant input and the air occurs in one pass.

As already stated, such tire repair kits have become common, in particular in passenger cars. The use of conventional tire repair kits is problematic for larger vehicles, for example vans or commercial trucks, with an allowable total weight of up to 7.5 t.

Such vehicles are typically equipped with tires having a relatively high tire volume. For a repair of such a vehicle tire having a high tire volume, the tire repair kits known from the prior art and designed for passenger cars can only be used to a limited extent, because the compressor of the known tire repair kits is not configured to fill a high tire volume at a relatively high pressure in a relatively short time.

In principle, it would be conceivable to increase the compressor in a conventional tire repair kit for passenger cars, in order to thus inflate vehicle tires with a high tire volume even in a relatively short time. However, enlarging the compressor would result in a noticeable increase in the size and weight of the tire repair kit.

Accordingly, the problem addressed by the invention is to further develop a tire repair kit of the aforementioned type such that it can be flexibly implemented for passenger car tires and truck tires, while keeping the size and weight of the entire apparatus as low as possible.

This problem is solved in particular by the subject-matter of independent claim1, which relates to a special compressor assembly for an apparatus for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products, in particular vehicle tires, as needed.

Advantageous further developments of the compressor assembly according to the invention are specified in the dependent claims2to11.

The invention further relates to an apparatus, in particular one configured as a tire repair kit, for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products as needed, in particular vehicle tires, as specified in the parallel claim12, wherein advantageous further developments of the apparatus configured as a tire repair kit are specified in the dependent claims13to15.

Accordingly, the invention relates in particular to a compressor assembly for an apparatus for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products, in particular vehicle tires, as needed, wherein the compressor assembly comprises a first compressor unit for the compression of air, in particular as needed. The first compressor unit comprises a compressed air outlet via which the air that is compressed, in particular as needed, by the first compressor unit is supplied or suppliable as compressed air.

The compressor assembly according to the invention is characterized in particular in that, in addition to the first compressor unit, the compressor assembly comprises at least one further second compressor unit for the compression of air, in particular as needed, wherein the second compressor unit comprises a compressed air outlet via which the air that is compressed, in particular as needed, by the second compressor unit is supplied or suppliable as compressed air.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, it is provided that the first compressor unit and the at least one second compressor unit of the compressor assembly are fluidly switched in parallel, or fluidly switchable in parallel as needed. The compressor assembly further comprises a manifold to which the compressed air outlet of the first compressor unit and the compressed air outlet of the at least one second compressor unit are fluidly connected or connectable.

The advantages achievable with the solution according to the invention are obvious: due to the fact that the compressor assembly comprises compressor units that are switched or switchable in parallel, the flow rate of the compressor assembly can be easily increased, namely by switching on one of the at least two compressor units. By switching the respective compressor units on and off, an incremental regulation of the flow is achievable, in particular.

In this way, a compressor assembly is provided that is configured so as to inflate vehicle tires with a high tire volume at a relatively high pressure in a relatively short time despite having a compact design. At the same time, the compressor assembly is also suitable as a “classic” compressor for tire repair kits for passenger car tires.

A further advantage of the compressor assembly according to the invention can be seen in that the failure, functional, and operational safety of the compressor assembly is increased by the provision of a plurality of redundantly operable compressor units. The functional redundancy achieved thereby aims to ensure that, if a compressor unit fails, the at least one further compressor unit can still provide compressed air for the manifold of the compressor assembly.

According to implementations of the compressor assembly according to the invention, it is provided that a connecting element, in particular configured as a T-piece, is associated with the compressed air outlet of the first compressor unit. This connecting element, in particular configured as a T-piece, comprises a first connector fluidly connected or connectable to the compressed air outlet of the first compressor unit and a cable harness fluidly connected or connectable to the first connector, having an upstream second connector and a downstream third connector.

It is similarly helpful in this context that the compressed air outlet of the second compressor unit is likewise associated with a connecting element, in particular one that is configured as a T-piece, wherein the connecting element comprises a first connector fluidly connected or connectable to the compressed air outlet of the second compressor unit and a cable harness fluidly connected or connectable to the first connector, having an upstream second connector and a downstream third connector.

This configuration has the advantage that the individual compressor units can be modularly connected to one another.

For example, it is conceivable that the upstream second connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the first compressor unit is configured so as to form, via a coupling element, in particular a quick-action coupling element, a fluid connection with the downstream third connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the at least one second compressor unit.

Alternatively or in addition thereto, it can be provided that the upstream second connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the second compressor unit is configured so as to form via a coupling element, in particular a quick-action coupling element, a fluid connection with the downstream third connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the first compressor unit.

In this way, a series of more than two compressor units is also fluidly switchable in parallel.

For example, it is conceivable that the compressor assembly comprises a first second compressor unit and at least one second second compressor unit, wherein the upstream second connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the first second compressor unit is configured so as to form via a coupling element, in particular a quick-action coupling element, a fluid connection with the downstream third connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the at least one second second compressor unit.

Alternatively or in addition thereto, it can be provided that the upstream second connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the at least one second second compressor unit is configured so as to form, via a coupling element, in particular a quick-action coupling element, a fluid connection with the downstream third connector of the connecting element associated with the compressed air outlet of the first second compressor unit.

In the aforementioned design variants, it is advantageous that the coupling element, which is in particular configured as a quick-action coupling element, is configured in a self-sealing manner such that it closes, in particular automatically, when no corresponding connector of a connecting element of a compressed air outlet of an adjacent compressor unit is connected to the corresponding connector of the connecting element.

With respect to the manifold of the compressor assembly, it is provided according to the embodiments of the present invention that the manifold is formed at least in regions by the cable harness of the connecting element associated with the first compressor unit, said cable harness being fluidly connected to the cable harness of the connecting element associated with the at least one second compressor unit.

In order to be able to guarantee a redundant operation of the individual compressor units, it is provided according to a further aspect of the invention that the compressed air outlet of the first compressor unit is associated with a non-return valve, which is configured so as to permit a flow from the at least one second compressor unit in the direction of the manifold, wherein, upon reversing the flow direction, the non-return valve automatically closes and preferably also automatically opens when the flow direction is permitted.

In the same way, it is advantageous that the compressed air outlet of the at least one second compressor unit is also associated with a corresponding non-return valve, which is configured so as to permit a flow from the at least one second compressor unit in the direction of the manifold, wherein, upon reversing the flow direction, the non-return valve automatically closes and preferably also automatically opens when the flow direction is permitted.

According to implementations of the compressor assembly according to the invention, it is provided that the individual compressor units are actuatable separately from one another. For this purpose, the compressor assembly preferably comprises a corresponding control device, which is configured so as to control the first compressor unit and the at least one second compressor unit, in particular separately from one another.

According to further developments of this embodiment, it is provided that, for the operation of the first compressor unit, it is connected or connectable to a power supply, in particular an in-vehicle power supply, wherein, for the operation of the at least one second compressor unit, it is connected or connectable to the power supply, in particular the in-vehicle power supply.

In this embodiment, it is provided in particular that the control device is preferably configured so as to, depending in particular on the available capacity of the in particular in-vehicle power supply and/or depending in particular on the available performance of the in particular in-vehicle power supply, preferably automatically and more preferably optionally automatically, actuate the first compressor unit and/or the at least one second compressor unit.

In other words, in this configuration, the control device preferably automatically detects whether one and the same in-vehicle power supply can be utilized in order to operate the individual compressor units of the compressor assembly. An overloading of the in particular in-vehicle power supply is thus ruled out.

The first compressor unit and the at least one second compressor unit are preferably each in particular modular in design. It is helpful here that the first compressor unit and the at least one second compressor unit are accommodated in a common housing of the tire repair kit or the apparatus for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products as needed.

According to configurations of the compressor assembly according to the invention, it is provided that the first compressor unit is configured as a compressor with a piston compressor having a reciprocating piston pump unit.

In the same way, it is conceivable that the at least one compressor unit is configured as a compressor with a piston compressor having a reciprocating piston pump unit.

A reciprocating piston pump is a displacement pump for conveying fluids, in which the displacer (piston) performs a lifting motion, i.e., a straight-line (translational) motion.

Of course, other configurations of the compressor units are also conceivable, for example as an in-line pump, as a vibration pump, oscillating armature pump, or oscillating piston pump, or as an axial piston pump or radial piston pump.

The invention further relates to a compressor assembly for an apparatus, in particular configured as a tire repair kit, for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products as needed, in particular vehicle tires.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises in particular a compressor assembly of the aforementioned type according to the invention as well as a container with a sealing liquid, in particular with a tire sealant.

In this context, it is provided in particular that, as needed, a compressed air outlet of the manifold fluidly connected or connectable to the manifold of the compressor assembly is connected or connectable to the container or, in particular, directly to the inflatable item or product via an inlet valve.

For example, it is conceivable in this context that the apparatus further comprises a switching device, in particular a manually actuatable one, which is arranged fluidly between the compressor assembly and the sealing liquid container and is configured so as to optionally establish a fluid connection between the compressed air outlet of the manifold of the compressor assembly and the sealing liquid container or a fluid connection between the compressed air outlet of the manifold of the compressor assembly and the inflatable item or product, in particular via a corresponding inlet valve of the inflatable item or product.

According to implementations of the apparatus, configured in particular as a tire repair kit, it is provided that it comprises a housing in which the compressor assembly and the sealing liquid container are accommodated at least partially or in regions.

In particular, the apparatus according to the invention is configured as a tire repair kit for passenger car or truck tires and comprises a connector, which is fluidly connected or connectable as needed in a downstream direction directly to the compressed air outlet of the manifold of the compressor assembly or fluidly to an outlet of the sealing liquid container.

The apparatus100according to the invention for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products, in particular vehicle tires, as needed according to FIG.1or according toFIG.2comprises a housing18. This housing preferably consists substantially of an accommodating bowl and a cover. In the accommodating bowl, functional elements are provided in corresponding openings/cutouts. On the one hand, this is a switch21for switching the apparatus100on and off, a manometer (not shown inFIG.1andFIG.2) for measuring the pressure built up by a compressor assembly described below, a pressure release button for discharging excess pressure, and a rotary knob of a switching device17for actuating a corresponding valve.

The apparatus100configured as a tire repair kit according toFIG.1andFIG.2further comprises a connecting tube19via which a compressed air outlet14of a manifold8of a compressor assembly1of the apparatus100or an outlet16of a sealing liquid container15of the apparatus100is connectable to the tire valve of a tire to be inflated or repaired (not shown in the drawings).

Furthermore, the apparatus100according toFIG.1orFIG.2comprises a power connector20having a cigarette connector coupling element, via which the apparatus100can be galvanically connected to an in particular in-vehicle power supply (vehicle battery) as needed.

A compressor assembly1is accommodated in the housing18of the apparatus100, as shown schematically for example inFIG.3. The compressor assembly1comprises a plurality of separate compressor units2,3,4, which are each modular in design.

Furthermore, the assembly shown inFIG.3toFIG.6, which is accommodated at least partially or in regions in the housing18of the apparatus100, comprises a sealing liquid container15.

The compressor assembly1of the assembly shown for example inFIG.3comprises a first compressor unit2for the compression of air, in particular as needed, wherein the first compressor unit2comprises a compressed air outlet5via which the air that is compressed, in particular as needed, by the first compressor unit2is supplied or suppliable as compressed air.

The compressor assembly1according to the assembly shown for example inFIG.3, further comprises two further (second) compressor units3,4, which are also configured so as to compress air, in particular as needed. The two second compressor units3,4are each associated with a compressed air outlet6,7, via which the air that is compressed, in particular as needed, by the compressor units3,4is supplied or suppliable as compressed air.

For example, the compressor assembly1shown inFIG.3is characterized in that the individual compressor units2,3,4are fluidly switched in parallel.

Further, the compressor assembly1comprises a manifold8to which the compressed air outlet5of the first compressor unit2, the compressed air outlet6of the second compressor unit3, and the compressed air outlet7of the third compressor unit4are fluidly connected or connectable.

Specifically, as can be seen in particular in the side view according toFIG.4and the aerial view according toFIG.5, the compressed air outlet5of the second compressor unit2is likewise associated with a connecting element9configured as a T-piece, wherein the connecting element9comprises a first connector fluidly connected or connectable to the compressed air outlet5of the first compressor unit2and a cable harness10fluidly connected or connectable to the first connector, having an upstream second connector11and a downstream third connector12.

In the same way, a corresponding connecting element9is associated with the second compressor unit3as well as with the third compressor unit4.

As can also be seen in particular from the illustrations inFIG.4andFIG.5, the upstream second connector11of the connecting element9associated with the compressed air outlet5of the first compressor unit2is fluidly connected to the downstream third connector12of the compressed air outlet6of the second compressor unit3via a coupling element13, which is in particular configured as a quick-action coupling element.

Moreover, the second upstream connector11of the connecting element9associated with the compressed air outlet6of the second compressor unit3is fluidly connected to the downstream third connector12of the compressed air outlet7of the third compressor unit4via a coupling element13.

In this way, the individual compressor units2,3,4of the compressor assembly1are fluidly switched in parallel.

Although not set forth in detail in the drawings, it is helpful in this context that the coupling element13, which is in particular configured as a quick-action coupling element, is configured in a self-sealing manner such that it closes, in particular automatically, when no corresponding connector (third connector12, second connector1[1]) of the connecting element9of a compressed air outlet5,6,7of an adjacent compressor unit2,3,4is connected to the corresponding connector (second connector11, third connector12) of the connecting element9.

In the exemplary embodiment of the compressor assembly1according to the invention shown in the drawings, it is provided that the manifold8of the compressor assembly1is formed at least in regions by the cable harnesses10of the corresponding connecting elements9of the compressor units2,3,4, said cable harnesses being fluidly connected to one another.

Although not explicitly shown in the drawings, it is advantageous that the compressed air outlet5,6,7of the corresponding compressor unit2,3,4is associated with a respective non-return valve, which is configured so as to permit a flow from the corresponding compressor unit2,3,4in the direction of the manifold8, wherein, upon reversing the flow direction, the non-return valve automatically closes and preferably also automatically opens (only) when the flow direction is permitted.

Preferably, the compressor assembly1is associated with a control device not shown in the drawings, which is configured so as to actuate the individual compressor units2,3,4of the compressor assembly, in particular separately from one another.

In this context, it is conceivable in particular that the respective compressor units2,3,4are connected or connectable to an in particular in-vehicle power supply. The control device is configured in particular so as to, depending in particular on the available capacity of the power supply and/or depending in particular on the available performance of the power supply, preferably automatically actuate the individual compressor units2,3,4of the compressor assembly1.

In the embodiments shown in the drawings, the respective compressor units are configured as compressors with a piston compressor having in particular a reciprocating piston pump unit.

In addition to the compressor assembly1, the assembly shown inFIG.3toFIG.6comprises a sealing liquid container15, i.e., a container holding a sealing liquid, in particular a tire sealant. Here, it is provided in particular that, as needed, a compressed air outlet of the manifold8fluidly connected or connectable to the manifold8of the compressor assembly1is connected or connectable to the sealing liquid container15or, in particular, directly to the inflatable item or product via an inlet valve.

From the illustrations inFIG.3toFIG.5, it can further be seen that the apparatus100comprises for this purpose a switching device17, in particular a manually actuatable one, which is arranged fluidly between the compressor assembly1and the sealing liquid container15and is configured so as to optionally establish a fluid connection between the compressed air outlet14of the manifold8of the compressor assembly1and the sealing liquid container15or a fluid connection between the compressed air outlet14of the manifold8of the compressor assembly1and the inflatable item or product (in particular via an inlet valve of the inflatable item or product).

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but results when all of the features disclosed herein are considered together.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1Compressor assembly2First compressor unit3Second compressor unit4Third compressor unit5Compressed air outlet of the first compressor unit6Compressed air outlet of the second compressor unit7Compressed air outlet of the third compressor unit8Manifold of the compressor assembly9Connecting element10Cable harness of the connecting element11Second (upstream) connector of the cable harness of the connecting element12Third (downstream) connector of the cable harness of the connecting element13Coupling element14Compressed air outlet of the manifold of the compressor assembly15Sealing liquid container16Outlet of the sealing liquid container17Switching device18Housing19Connecting tube20Power connector21Switch100Apparatus for inflating and/or repairing inflatable items or products as needed, or tire repair kit