Rotary sliding vane compressor and blade therefor

Abstract

Disclosed is a blade for a rotary blade compressor. The blade has at least two section pieces, with any two adjacent section pieces being radially aligned with each other at a junction, wherein further there is a force applying means at said junction forcing the adjacent blade section pieces apart from each other in an axial direction. The edges of said blade will thereby be positioned to form a seal against the head plates of the compressor.

1 . A compressor blade for a rotary vane compressor having a rotor with blade receiving slots and a cylindrical housing having opposite head plates, said blade being substantially rectangular and having two opposed substantially radial sides and a first and a second opposed substantially axial sides, with said first side adaptable to being received in a slot of said rotor, said blade having at least two section pieces, with any two adjacent section pieces being radially aligned with each other at a junction, wherein the blade further comprises a force applying means at said junction forcing the adjacent blade section pieces apart from each other in an axial direction. 
     
     
         2 . The blade of  claim 1  wherein the force applying means exerts a force sufficient to keep each radial side in a sealing relationship with an adjacent head plate of the cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         3 . The blade of  claim 1  wherein the force applying means is located interior to the blade. 
     
     
         4 . The blade of  claim 3  wherein the force applying means is at least one compression spring. 
     
     
         5 . The blade of  claim 1  wherein the radially aligned section pieces are attached to each other by a combination joint comprising a lap joint that transitions into a butt joint, said butt joint being in the vicinity of the first axial side and said lap joint being in the vicinity of the second axial side. 
     
     
         6 . The blade of  claim 5  wherein the combination joint provides an air seal in all potential planes of air leakage flow. 
     
     
         7 . The blade of  claim 1  wherein said blade is self lubricating. 
     
     
         8 . A compressor blade for a rotary vane compressor having a rotor with blade receiving slots and a cylindrical housing having opposite head pieces, said blade being substantially rectangular and having two opposed substantially radial sides and two opposed substantially axial sides, with a first of said substantially axial sides being adaptable to being received in a slot of said rotor, said blade having at least two section pieces that are radially aligned with each other at a junction, wherein further the blade is self lubricating. 
     
     
         9 . The blade of  claim 8  which is manufactured from graphite or a composite graphite. 
     
     
         10 . The blade of  claim 8  further comprising means to automatically compensate for blade wear in an axial direction during operation within a rotary compressor. 
     
     
         11 . The blade of  claim 8  further comprising means to mechanically push the blade into the rotor slot during operation within a rotary compressor. 
     
     
         12 . A compressor blade for a rotary vane compressor having a rotor with blade receiving slots and a cylindrical housing having opposite head plates, said blade being substantially rectangular and having two opposed substantially radial sides and two opposed substantially substantially axial sides, with one substantially axial side adaptable to being received in a slot of said rotor, said blade having at least two section pieces and further being self-spreading so that said section pieces will spread apart from each other in an axial direction during operation without the need for a separate spreading device such as a spring. 
     
     
         13 . A rotary sliding blade compressor comprising: a housing defining a closed cavity having an inner cylindrical wall and a pair of spaced parallel end walls; a slotted rotor eccentrically positioned within said cavity to define with said cylindrical wall and said end walls a compression chamber; a plurality of blades slidably mounted in the slots of said rotor; means to rotate the rotor about an axis to move said blades generally radially of the rotor toward and in sealed engagement with said cylindrical wall during such rotation; inlet ports for a gas to be compressed and outlet ports for compressed gas communicating with said compression chamber; said blades being substantially rectangular and having two opposed substantially radial sides and a first and a second opposed substantially axial sides, with said first side adaptable to being received in a slot and said second side being adaptable to being in a sealing relationship with said inner cylindrical wall, said blades forming pockets between the wall and rotor which vary in volume as the rotor rotates, with at least one blade having at least two section pieces, wherein any two adjacent section pieces are radially aligned with each other at a junction, wherein further there is a force applying means at said junction forcing the adjacent blade section pieces apart from each other in an axial direction so that the each radial side of the blade is constantly in a sealing relationship with an adjacent end wall. 
     
     
         14 . The compressor of  claim 13  wherein the force applying means is located interior to the blade. 
     
     
         15 . The compressor of  claim 14  wherein the force applying means is at least one compression spring. 
     
     
         16 . The compressor of  claim 13  wherein the radially aligned section pieces are attached to each other by a lap joint that transitions into a butt joint, said butt joint being in the vicinity of the first axial side and said lap joint being in the vicinity of the second axial side. 
     
     
         17 . The compressor of  claim 13  wherein said at least one blade is self lubricating. 
     
     
         18 . The compressor of  claim 17  wherein at a predefined point of wear of said at least one blade there is a controlled leakage of air across the blade from one pocket to an adjacent pocket. 
     
     
         19 . The compressor of  claim 18  further comprising means to detect said controlled leakage of air.