Compressor comprising a compressed gas-assisted piston

Abstract

A compressor includes a cylinder and a piston moveable in an oscillating manner in the cylinder and having transverse play in relation to a movement direction. An end face of the piston delimits a compression chamber in the cylinder. A diameter of the piston reduces toward the end face.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . A compressor comprising:
 a cylinder; and   a piston moveable in an oscillating manner in the cylinder and having transverse play in relation to a movement direction,   wherein an end face of the piston delimits a compression chamber in the cylinder, and   wherein a diameter of the piston reduces toward the end face.   
   
   
       12 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the piston comprises:
 a first section that is adjacent to the compression chamber, wherein the first section includes the reducing diameter toward the end face; and   a guide section having a constant diameter.   
   
   
       13 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the piston comprises:
 a second section that faces away from the compression chamber,   wherein a diameter of the second section reduces toward a rear end face of the piston.   
   
   
       14 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the diameter of the piston continuously reduces toward the end face. 
   
   
       15 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein one of the diameter of the first section continuously reduces toward the end face of the piston and the diameter of the second section continuously reduces toward the rear end face of the piston. 
   
   
       16 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein a rate of change of the reducing diameter increases from a center of the piston to the end face. 
   
   
       17 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a rate of change of the reducing diameter increases from a center of the piston to the rear end face. 
   
   
       18 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the cylinder comprises:
 an inner wall which is devoid of supply bores for feeding compressed gas into a gap between the inner wall and the piston.   
   
   
       19 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the cylinder comprises:
 an inner wall having supply bores for feeding compressed gas such that a section of the piston facing the compression chamber is pressurized at a piston movement reversal point at which the compression chamber is at a maximum extent.   
   
   
       20 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the cylinder comprises: an inner wall, and
 wherein one of the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder includes a hard coating.   
   
   
       21 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the hard coating includes a carbide. 
   
   
       22 . The compressor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the piston is coupled to a magnetic armature that is driven in a magnetic alternating field parallel to the movement direction of the piston. 
   
   
       23 . A compressor having a gas bearing, the compressor comprising:
 a cylinder having an inner wall; and   a piston moveable in an oscillating manner in the cylinder in a movement direction that is parallel to the inner wall of the cylinder, the piston having transverse play in relation to the movement direction and being configured to be supported in the cylinder by a gas bearing separating the piston from the inner wall of the cylinder,   wherein an end face of the piston delimits a compression chamber in the cylinder, and   wherein a shape of the piston tapers toward the end face such that gas compressed in the compression chamber by movement of the piston is forced into a gap between the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder.