Integrated compressor muffler

Abstract

A compressor with internal noise abatement. The pulsations inherent in the cyclic compression and expansion of the gas in a piston-actuated compressor create acoustic energy that produces unwanted noise. Those pulsations are damped in a single unique tapered muffler chamber internal to the compressor.

1 . A gas compressor comprising:
 a compression chamber;   an egress conduit communicating with a cooling circuit;   a housing formed by joining a plurality of housing components including a first housing component having a first tapered chamber cavity that opens onto a peripheral section of said first housing component and a second tapered chamber cavity that opens onto a peripheral section of said second housing component; and   a single tapered muffler chamber defined by said first and second tapered chamber cavities upon the mating of said first and second housing components on said peripheral sections in a preferred orientation, said single tapered muffler chamber having a first end and a second end, the volume of said single tapered muffler chamber decreasing from said first end to said second end, said first end communicating with said compression chamber, and said second end communicating with said egress conduit.   
   
   
       2 . A compressor as in  claim 1  wherein the volume of said single tapered muffler chamber increases from said first end to said second end. 
   
   
       3 . A compressor as in  claim 1  wherein said single tapered muffler chamber is integral to one of said housing components. 
   
   
       4 . A compressor as in  claim 3  wherein the volume of said single tapered muffler chamber increases from said first end to said second end. 
   
   
       5 . A gas compressor comprising:
 a compression chamber;   an egress conduit communicating with a cooling circuit;   a housing having a tapered chamber cavity that opens onto a peripheral section of said housing; and   a single tapered muffler chamber defined by said tapered chamber cavity upon the sealing of said tapered chamber cavity with a sealing plate, said single tapered muffler chamber having a first end and a second end, the volume of said single tapered muffler chamber decreasing from said first end to said second end, said first end communicating with said compression chamber, and said second end communicating with said egress conduit.   
   
   
       6 . A compressor as in  claim 5  wherein the volume of said single tapered muffler chamber increases from said first end to said second end. 
   
   
       7 . A compressor as in  claim 5  wherein said single tapered muffler chamber is integral to said housing. 
   
   
       8 . A compressor as in  claim 7  wherein the volume of said single tapered muffler chamber increases from said first end to said second end.