Air pump

Abstract

An air pump is provided that is configured to move and compress air into an air storage vessel at high pressure. The air pump is operable to move large volumes of air against low resistance for rapid filling of an air storage vessel.

1 . An air pump configured to allow for movement of air to and from an air storage tank comprising:
 a housing having at least one stem passing therethrough, the stem configured to reciprocate along its longitudinal axis within the housing;   at least two air pistons located within respective air piston bores within the housing, each of the air pistons connected to the at least one stem and   configured to reciprocate, along the longitudinal axis of the at least one stem, within its respective air piston bore, each air piston bore comprising a first air line fluidly connecting the air piston bore to the air storage tank and at least one second air line fluidly connecting the air piston bore to an adjacent air piston bore.   
     
     
         2 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator for moving the at least one stem along its longitudinal axis within the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the first air line is configured to allow passage of air from the air piston bore to the air storage tank when the air leaving the air piston bore is of equal or greater pressure than the air in the air storage tank. 
     
     
         4 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , comprising three pistons located within three adjacent piston bores. 
     
     
         5 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a hydraulic piston. 
     
     
         6 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the air pump comprises two separate sets of at least two air pistons, each set connected to and located on opposing ends of a stem. 
     
     
         7 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the air pump includes three air pistons, the second air piston having a smaller diameter relative to the first and the third air piston having a smaller diameter relative to the second. 
     
     
         8 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , comprising a pair of stems, each operable to move within the housing, each stem including two or more air pistons connected thereto and a hydraulic piston located at one end thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The air pump according to  claim 8 , wherein the pair of stems are configured to move within the housing in opposing direction to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The air pump according to  claim 8 , wherein the pair of stems are configured to move within the housing in an offset arrangement. 
     
     
         11 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each air piston bore comprises at least one air line fluidly connected to ambient air. 
     
     
         12 . The air pump according to  claim 2 , wherein the actuator is a mechanical link. 
     
     
         13 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each air piston bore comprises two or more air lines fluidly connecting adjacent air piston bores. 
     
     
         14 . The air pump according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the air lines includes at least one control valve. 
     
     
         15 . An air pump configured to allow for movement of air to and from an air storage tank comprising:
 a housing having a first and second stem passing therethrough, each of the stems configured to reciprocate along their longitudinal axis within the housing;   a first air piston connected to the first stem and received within a first air piston bore located within the housing, the first air piston being operable to reciprocate within the first air piston bore along the longitudinal axis of the first stem;   a second air piston connected to the first stem and received within a second air piston bore located within the housing, the second air piston being operable to reciprocate within the second air piston bore along the longitudinal axis of the first stem;   a first air line, fluidly connecting the first piston bore to the air storage tank;   a second air line, fluidly connecting the first piston bore to the second piston bore; and   a third air line fluidly connecting the second piston bore to the air storage tank;   a third air piston connected to the second stem and received within a third air piston bore located within the housing, the third air piston being operable to reciprocate within the third air piston bore along the longitudinal axis of the second stem;   a fourth air piston connected to the second stem and received within a second air piston bore located within the housing, the fourth air piston being operable to reciprocate within the second air piston bore along the longitudinal axis of the second stem;   a fourth air line, fluidly connecting the third piston bore to the air storage tank;   a fifth air line, fluidly connecting the third piston bore to the fourth piston bore; and   a sixth air line fluidly connecting the fourth piston bore to the air storage tank   
     
     
         16 . The air pump according to  claim 15 , further comprising at least one actuator, for moving at least one of the first and second stem along its respective longitudinal axis within the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The air pump according to  claim 15 , further comprising a first and a second actuator, the first actuator for moving the first stem along its respective longitudinal axis within the housing and the second actuator for moving the second stem along its respective longitudinal axis within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . A method for moving and compressing air using an air pump comprising a series of air pistons fluidly connected to each other and to an air storage tank, the method comprising:
 (a) moving air between adjacent air pistons within the air pump; and   (b) allowing air to flow from each air piston to the air storage tank when the air pressure of the air leaving the air piston is equal to or exceeds the pressure in the air storage tank.