Air compressor

An improved air compressor includes a cylinder that is fitted with a piston body and defines at its top wall a plurality of exit holes which are approximately equal in diameter and can be regulated by plugs to enable the cylinder to communicate with an air storage container. The exit holes are normally sealed by the plugs with the assistance of compression springs when the air compressor is not in operation. The exit holes allow the compressed air produced in the cylinder to quickly enter the air storage container, so that the piston body can conduct reciprocating motion more smoothly and thus the performance of the air compressor can be increased.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an air compressor and, more particularly, to an improved air compressor which includes a cylinder being fitted with a piston body and defining a plurality of exit holes of approximately equal dimension, so that compressed air produced in the cylinder may quickly enter an air storage container, so that the piston body can conduct reciprocating motion more smoothly and thus the performance of the air compressor can be increased.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Currently, an air compressor basically has a cylinder which allows a piston body to conduct reciprocating motion therein to produce compressed air which can overcome a valve mechanism, so that the compressed air can flow through an exit hole of the cylinder to enter the inner space of an air storage container or an air tank. The air storage container is provided with outlets for delivering the compressed air to an object to be inflated.

In conventional air compressors, there is only one exit hole defined at the cylinder for communicating with the air storage container. The exit hole of the cylinder is controlled by a valve mechanism, which generally includes a plug and a compression spring, so that the exit hole can be opened or closed properly according to the pressure of the compressed air. In operation, the compressed air produced in the cylinder can overcome the compressive force of the compression spring to enter the inner space of the air compressor. However, the compressed air stored in the air storage container can exert a back force on the plug, thus restraining the plug being moved away from the exit hole. As a result, the piston body, which conducts reciprocating motion in the cylinder, will be subjected to greater resistance. Therefore, the piston body may not move smoothly in the cylinder, and thus the speed of inflating an object will become slow. Furthermore, the motor of the air compressor may become too hot, thus decreasing the performance of the motor. Even worse, the motor may be under the risk of burning out.

In view of the foregoing, the applicant intends to develop an improved air compressor which can solve the shortcomings of conventional air compressors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved air compressor, wherein a cylinder thereof defines a plurality of exit holes, through which a large amount of compressed air produced in the cylinder may enter an air storage container in a short time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved air compressor, wherein a cylinder thereof is fitted with a piston body and defines a plurality of exit holes of approximately equal dimension, so that a large amount of compressed air produced in the cylinder may enter an air storage container in a short time. Since the compressed air can quickly enter the air storage container, the piston body can conduct reciprocating motion more smoothly and thus the performance of the air compressor and the speed of inflating an object can be increased.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, an air compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown, which generally comprises a cylinder2fitted with a piston body14, and a main frame11for mounting a motor12which can rotate a gear13to drive the piston body14to conduct reciprocating motion for producing compressed air in the cylinder, which may enter an air storage container3provided with one or more outlets for supplying air to various devices. For example, the outlet31can be used for connecting with a pressure gauge30, the outlet33can be used for connecting with a relief valve32, and the outlet34can be connected with a hose for inflating an object (not shown).

Referring toFIGS. 2 through 7, the air compressor is designed in a way different from conventional technology. The cylinder2, which defines three exit holes4,5,6at its top wall21, is formed of a plastic material, integrally with the main frame11. The exit holes4,5,6are approximately equal in dimension. As shown inFIG. 3, the exit hole4is defined to have a diameter of (X), the exit hole5is defined to have a diameter of (Y), and the exit hole6is defined to have a diameter of (Z), wherein X=Y=Z; namely, the exit holes4,5,6have the same diameter. The exit holes4,5,6are regulated by a control mechanism to be opened or closed. The control mechanism includes a plurality of plugs7,8,9and a plurality of compression springs71,81,91, corresponding to plugs7,8,9. The compression springs71,81,91can urge the plugs7,8,9to seal the exit holes4,5,6, respectively (seeFIGS. 2, 4 and 7). The cylinder2has a tubular projection22formed on the top wall21. The tubular projection22is provided with a circular flange221at its outer surface and defines an annular groove222between the circular flange221and the top wall21. The air storage container3is provided with two opposite coupling means35(seeFIG. 5), each of which includes a base portion351extending outwardly from a bottom edge of the air storage container3, and an L-shaped holding portion352integrally formed at one end of the base portion351distal from the bottom edge of the air storage container3. Furthermore, the air storage container3is provided at an inner surface thereof with a plurality of columns37,38,39corresponding to the compression springs71,81,91. The column37has a base round portion371, a middle round portion372, and an end round portion373; the column38has a base round portion381, a middle round portion382, and an end round portion383; the column39has a base round portion391, a middle round portion392, and an end round portion393; wherein the diameter of the base round portion371,381or391is greater than that of the corresponding middle round portion372,382or392, and the diameter of the middle round portion372,382or392is greater than that of the corresponding end round portion373,383or393. The L-shaped holding portions352of the coupling means35of the air storage container3can be inserted into the annular groove222and engaged with the circular flange221, so that the air storage container3can be detachably assembled onto the cylinder2. As shown inFIG. 7, each of the compression springs71,81,91has one end forcing against the corresponding plug7,8or9, and has another end being fitted around the middle round portion372,382or392of the corresponding column and forcing against the base round portion371,381or391of the corresponding column. Each of the end round portions373,383,393of the columns37,38,39is located at a predetermined height above the corresponding plug so as to limit the movement of the corresponding plug.FIG. 1shows the air storage container3being assembled onto the cylinder2.

Referring toFIGS. 7 and 8, when the piston body14conducts reciprocating motion, the compressed air produced in the cylinder2can overcome the force of the compression springs71,81,91exerted on the plugs7,8,9, thus pushing the plugs7,8,9away from the exit holes4,5,6, respectively, so that the compressed air can flow into the inner space36of the air storage container3. Initially, since the compressed air can flow into the inner space36of the air storage container3simultaneously via the exit holes4,5,6, the air storage container3can be filled with a large amount of air in a short time. Later, since there is a large amount of air having entered the inner space36of the air storage container3, the air contained in the air storage container3can exert a greater back force on the plugs7,8,9compared to the air initially contained in the air storage container3. In other words, the piston body14may experience greater resistance in conducting reciprocating motion, and thus may cause the exit holes4,5,6more difficult to be opened. However, upon a decrease of the pressure of the air contained in the air storage container3, the back force exerted on the plugs7,8,9will decrease and this allows the compressed air produced in the cylinder2to quickly enter the inner space36of the air storage container3. Considering the operation of the air compressor as a whole, since the multiple exit holes allow the piston body14to conduct reciprocating motion more smoothly, the performance of the air compressor can be increased. Thus, the air compressor can inflate an object more quickly.

FIG. 9shows another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the tubular projection22is provided at its outer surface with two opposite lugs23each having an engagement section231. The L-shaped holding portions352of the two coupling means35can engage with the engagement sections231of the two lugs23, so that the air storage container3can be detachably assembled onto the cylinder2.

FIG. 10shows a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the tubular projection22is provided at its outer surface with two opposite lugs23each having an engagement section231. The L-shaped holding portions352of the two coupling means35can engage with the engagement sections231of the two lugs23, so that the air storage container3can be detachably assembled onto the cylinder2. Besides, each of the two coupling means35further includes an operation portion353, which is a resilient member and integrally formed at one end of the base portion351distal from the bottom edge of the air storage container3and located at a side of the base portion351opposite to the L-shaped holding portion352. As such, a user may depress the operation portions353to have the L-shaped holding portions352disengaged from the lugs23, so that the air storage container3can be dissembled from the cylinder2conveniently when maintenance is required.

FIG. 11shows a still further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the tubular projection22is provided at its outer surface with two opposite lugs23each having an engagement section231. The L-shaped holding portions352of the two coupling means35can engage with the engagement sections231of the two lugs23, so that the air storage container3can be detachably assembled onto the cylinder2. Besides, each of the two coupling means35further includes an operation portion354, which is a resilient member and extends from the L-shaped holding portion352in a direction opposite to the base portion351. As such, a user may pull the operation portions354outwardly from the cylinder2to have the L-shaped holding portions352disengaged from the lugs23, so that the air storage container3can be dissembled from the cylinder2easily when maintenance is required.

FIG. 12shows a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the tubular projection22is provided at its outer surface with two opposite lugs23each having an engagement section231. The tubular projection22is further provided at its outer surface with a first rectangular flange24which defines a plurality of first positioning holes240. The air storage container3is further provided at its bottom edge with a second rectangular flange355which defines a plurality of second positioning holes356corresponding to the first positioning holes240of the first rectangular flange24. In addition to the L-shaped holding portions352of the coupling means35being engaged with the engagement sections231of the lugs23, the first and second flanges24,355can be attached together by fasteners fitted through the first and second positioning holes240,356. As such, the air storage container3can be assembled onto the cylinder2more securely.

As a summary, the air compressor of the present invention has a breakthrough over the prior art in that the top wall21of the cylinder2defines a plurality of exit holes4,5,6, which are approximately equal in dimension and controlled by the plugs7,8,9to allow the compressed air produced in the cylinder2to quickly enter the inner space36of the air storage container3, so that the piston body14can conduct reciprocating motion more smoothly and thus the performance of the air compressor can be increased. These features render the air compressor of the present invention useful and inventive.