Cam Driven Piston Compressor

• US 20080219861A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobham Mission Systems Davenport Lss Inc.
• Original Assignee: Carleton Life Support Systems, Inc. (Cobham PLC)
• Inventors: Mickelson, Sammy K, Raleigh, Timothy T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,011,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/271
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 25/00 Multi-stage pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 27/1054 Actuating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/01 the means being mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/0094 crankshaft
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/042 the means being cams

Abstract

A cam driven piston compressor includes one or more cams powered by a motor, the cams being adapted to rotate through 360 degrees, and one or more cam followers, each of which is in contact with one of the cams. The compressor also includes one or more pistons wherein each of the pistons is attached to one of the cam followers, one or more cylinders wherein each of the cylinders encloses one of the pistons, and a compressor head in contact with the cylinders.

Claims

1. A cam driven piston compressor comprising:

a) at least one cam connected to a shaft of a motor and powered by said motor and adapted to rotate through 360 degrees, said cam having a contoured upper lip that includes an upper surface disposed at a varying height with respect to a perimeter of a base of said cam, said base lying in a plane orthogonal to said shaft, wherein said varying height of said upper surface of said contoured upper lip with respect to said perimeter of said base changes during a progression around said base at substantially three different rates;

b) at least one cam follower in contact with one of said at least one cam;

c) at least one piston wherein each of said at least one piston is attached to one of said at least one cam follower;

d) at least one cylinder wherein each of said at least one cylinder encloses one of said at least one piston; and

e) a compressor head in contact with each of said at least one cylinder.

2. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 1 wherein said varying height of said upper surface of said contoured upper lip comprises an upward sloped first region, followed in turn by an upward sloped second region having a shallower slope than said first region and by a downward sloped third region.

3. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one cam follower is a plurality of cam followers, each of said plurality of cam followers comprising:

a) a lower lip bearing positioned to make contact with a lower surface of said contoured upper lip;

b) at least one upper lip bearing positioned to make contact with an upper surface of said contoured upper lip;

c) an outer bearing positioned in a first slot in a housing of said axial cam compressor; and

d) an inner bearing positioned in a second slot in said housing.

4. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one piston is a plurality of pistons and said at least one cylinder is a plurality of cylinders;

wherein said pluralities of pistons and cylinders are of like number.

5. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 4 wherein at least two of said cylinders are of different diameter.

6. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 4 wherein said like number is three.

7. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 4 wherein the number of cylinders which would compress a gas at one time is equal to or greater than the number of cylinders that would not be compressing a gas.

8. A cam driven piston compressor comprising:

a) a plurality of cams mounted on a cam shaft of a motor and powered by said motor and adapted to rotate in parallel planes;

b) a cam follower in contact with each of said cams;

c) a piston attached to each cam follower;

d) a cylinder enclosing each piston; and

e) a compressor head in contact with each of cylinder.

9. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 8 comprising a plurality of cam followers, a plurality of pistons, and a plurality of cylinders;

wherein said pluralities of cam followers, pistons, and cylinders are of like number.

10. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 9 wherein at least two of said cylinders are of different diameter.

11. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 9 wherein said like number is three.

12. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 9 wherein the number of cylinders which would compress a gas at one time is equal to or greater than the number of cylinders that would not be compressing a gas.

13. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said plurality of cam followers includes a rotatable bearing that contacts each of said plurality of cams.

14. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 9 further including at least one spring contacting at least one cam follower for pressing said cam follower against a corresponding one of said plurality of cams.

15. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 14 wherein said at least one spring comprises three springs.

16. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 8 wherein said plurality of cams each has the same size and shape.

17. The cam driven piston compressor set forth in claim 16 wherein said plurality of cams comprises three cams oriented on said cam shaft at an angle of 120°

relative to one another.