Modular swash plate compressor

Abstract

A modular swash plate compressor is disclosed generally comprising a housing and a swash plate disposed in the housing. Typically, the housing includes a cylinder block with a plurality of piston channels therein, and a plurality of pistons are slidably disposed in the piston channels and are coupled to the swash plate, which is mounted on a drive shaft. The drive shaft is selected from a plurality of drive shafts, each of which is designed for a different type of vehicle and all of which can disposed in the housing and a channel in the swash plate. The housing is mounted to a mounting flange selected from a plurality of mounting flanges, each of which is designed for a different type of vehicle and all of which can be fastened to the housing.

1 . A modular swash plate compressor, comprising: 
 a compressor housing;    a swash plate disposed in said housing, said swash plate having a channel therein;    a drive shaft disposed in said housing and said channel, said drive shaft being configured to operate with a particular type of vehicle; and    a mounting flange fastened to said housing, said flange being configured to mount the compressor to the particular type of vehicle;    wherein said housing and said swash plate are adapted to receive any one of said drive shaft and at least one other drive shaft configured to operate with at least one other type of vehicle; and    wherein said housing is adapted to be mounted to any one of said mounting flange and at least one other mounting flange configured to mount the compressor to the at least one other type of vehicle.    
   
   
       2 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said housing has a first end and a second end, and wherein said mounting flange is fastened to the first end of said housing, further comprising a mounting cover fastened to the second end of said housing, said mounting cover being configured for the particular type of vehicle, wherein said housing is adapted to be mounted to any one of said mounting cover and at least one other mounting cover configured for the at least one other type of vehicle.  
   
   
       3 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said compressor housing comprises: 
 a swash plate housing fastened to said mounting flange; and    a cylinder block fastened to said swash plate housing.    
   
   
       4 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said mounting flange has a first set of fastener holes, said swash plate housing has a second set of fastener holes axially aligned with the first set of fastener holes, and said cylinder block has a third set of fastener holes axially aligned with the first and second sets of fastener holes, further comprising a plurality of fasteners, each of which is disposed in one of the holes in each of the first, second, and third sets of fasteners holes.  
   
   
       5 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said housing has at least one piston channel therein, further comprising: 
 at least one piston disposed in the at least one piston channel and coupled to said swash plate;    an actuator disposed in said housing, said actuator having a cam with an aperture axially aligned with the channel in said swash plate, said cam being rotatable with any one of said drive shaft and at least one other drive shaft configured to operate with the at least one other type of vehicle, and, in a first position, exerts a force on said swash plate appropriate to retain said swash plate in a position perpendicular to the channel in the swash plate such that said at least one piston remains idle, and, in a second position, exerts a force on said swash plate appropriate to to pivot said swash plate, thereby causing reciprocal motion of said at least one piston within the piston channel.    
   
   
       6 . A modular swash plate compressor, comprising: 
 a compressor housing;    a swash plate disposed in said housing, said swash plate having a channel therein;    a drive shaft selected from a plurality of drive shafts, each of which is configured to operate with a different type of vehicle, disposed in said housing and said channel; and    a mounting flange selected from a plurality of mounting flanges, each of which is configured to mount the compressor to a different type of vehicle, fastened to said housing.    
   
   
       7 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said housing has a first end and a second end, and wherein said mounting flange is fastened to the first end of said housing, further comprising a mounting cover selected from a plurality of mounting covers, each of which is configured for a different type of vehicle, fastened to the second end of said housing.  
   
   
       8 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said compressor housing comprises: 
 a swash plate housing fastened to said mounting flange; and    a cylinder block fastened to said swash plate housing.    
   
   
       9 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said mounting flange has a first set of fastener holes, said swash plate housing has a second set of fastener holes axially aligned with the first set of fastener holes, and said cylinder block has a third set of fastener holes axially aligned with the first and second sets of fastener holes, further comprising a plurality of fasteners, each of which is disposed in one of the holes in each of the first, second, and third sets of fasteners holes.  
   
   
       10 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said housing has at least one piston channel therein, further comprising: 
 at least one piston disposed in the at least one piston channel and coupled to said swash plate;    an actuator disposed in said housing, said actuator having a cam with an aperture axially aligned with the channel in said swash plate, said cam being rotatable with any one of the plurality of drive shafts, and, in a first position, exerts a force on said swash plate appropriate to retain said swash plate in a position perpendicular to the channel in the swash plate such that said at least one piston remains idle, and, in a second position, exerts a force on said swash plate appropriate to to pivot said swash plate, thereby causing reciprocal motion of said at least one piston within the piston channel.    
   
   
       11 . A modular swash plate compressor, comprising: 
 a plurality of mounting flanges, each of which is configured to mount the compressor to a different type of vehicle;    a compressor housing adapted to be mounted to any one of said mounting flanges;    a swash plate disposed in said housing, said swash plate having a channel therein; and    a plurality of drives shafts, each of which is configured to operate with a different type of vehicle, wherein said housing and said swash plate are adapted to receive any one of said drive shafts.    
   
   
       12 . A method of assembling a modular swash plate compressor, the method comprising: 
 providing a compressor housing;    disposing a swash plate having a channel therein in the compressor housing;    selecting a drive shaft from among a plurality of drive shafts, each of which is configured to operate with a different type of vehicle;    disposing the selected drive shaft in the housing and the channel in the swash plate;    selecting a mounting flange from among a plurality of mounting flanges, each of which is adapted to mount the compressor to a different type of vehicle; and    fastening the housing to the selected mounting flange.    
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising fastening the mounting flange to a vehicle.  
   
   
       14 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the housing has a first end and a second end, and wherein the step of fastening includes fastening the first end of the housing to the mounting flange, the method further comprising: 
 selecting a mounting cover from among a plurality of mounting covers, each of which is configured for a different type of vehicle; and    fastening the selected mounting cover to the housing.    
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising fastening the mounting cover to a vehicle.  
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the housing comprises a swash plate housing and a cylinder block; wherein the step of fastening the compressor housing to the mounting flange includes fastening the swash plate housing to the cylinder block.  
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said mounting flange has a first set of fastener holes, said swash plate housing has a second set of fastener holes axially aligned with the first set of fastener holes, and said cylinder block has a third set of fastener holes axially aligned with the first and second sets of fastener holes, wherein the step of fastening includes disposing a plurality of fasteners into the first, second, and third sets of fasteners holes.