Vehicle air system having an indicator device and method
First Claim
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1. A compressed air system for commercial vehicles, the compressed air system comprising:
- a compressor;
an air dryer comprising a desiccant;
a purge reservoir comprising an indicator device;
a delivery port;
a check valve disposed between the purge reservoir and the delivery port that allows the flow of air from the purge reservoir to the delivery port and prevents flow of air from the delivery port to the purge reservoir; and
wherein the indicator device comprises a moisture-indicating material that is in contact with air within the purge reservoir.
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Abstract
Various compressed air systems for commercial vehicles are disclosed. In one embodiment, a compressed air system is provided that includes a compressor, an air dryer apparatus, a purge reservoir, and an indicator device. The indicator device comprises a moisture-indicating material that is in contact with the purge air within the purge reservoir.
42 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A compressed air system for commercial vehicles, the compressed air system comprising:
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a compressor; an air dryer comprising a desiccant; a purge reservoir comprising an indicator device; a delivery port; a check valve disposed between the purge reservoir and the delivery port that allows the flow of air from the purge reservoir to the delivery port and prevents flow of air from the delivery port to the purge reservoir; and wherein the indicator device comprises a moisture-indicating material that is in contact with air within the purge reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A compressed air system for commercial vehicles, the compressed air system comprising:
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a compressor; an air dryer comprising a desiccant; a purge reservoir comprising an indicator device; and wherein the indicator device comprises a moisture-indicating material that is in contact with air within the purge reservoir; and wherein the air dryer comprises a dryer housing and the purge reservoir is external to the dryer housing. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A compressed air system for commercial vehicles, the compressed air system comprising:
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a compressor; an air dryer comprising a desiccant; a purge reservoir; a delivery port; a check valve disposed between the purge reservoir and the delivery port that allows the flow of air from the purge reservoir to the delivery port and prevents flow of air from the delivery port to the purge reservoir; and wherein the purge reservoir comprises a means for monitoring the effectiveness of the desiccant of the dryer based on the moisture level of purge air that flows from the air dryer to the purge reservoir and from the purge reservoir to the air dryer. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A dryer apparatus for use in commercial vehicles, the dryer apparatus comprising:
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a housing; desiccant disposed within the housing; a purge reservoir internal to the housing, the purge reservoir comprising purge air that has passed through the desiccant; an indicator device comprising moisture-indicating material in communication with the purge air of the purge reservoir; a delivery port; and a check valve disposed between the purge reservoir and the delivery port that allows the flow of air from the purge reservoir to the delivery port and prevents flow of air from the delivery port to the purge reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of monitoring the moisture in the air of a vehicle air system, the method comprising:
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pressurizing a purge reservoir with purge air that has passed through a desiccant and passing the purge air into contact with a moisture-indicating material; depressurizing the purge reservoir and passing the purge air from the purge reservoir into contact with the desiccant. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A compressed air system for commercial vehicles, the compressed air system comprising:
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a compressor; a dryer apparatus; desiccant disposed within the dryer apparatus; a purge reservoir internal to the housing to receive purge air that has passed through the desiccant; an indicator device comprising moisture-indicating material in communication with the purge air of the purge reservoir and wherein the indicator device comprises a moisture-indicating material that visibly changes from a first color to a second color when air in the purge reservoir has a relative humidity level that is greater than about 15% and less than about 30. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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Specification