Boosting device

Abstract

A boosting device is provided with a drive unit which is driven under the action of energization, and a boosting mechanism which is connected to the drive unit and which boosts and outputs a pressurized fluid. The boosting mechanism comprises a rotating body which is connected to a drive shaft of a drive source and includes a slope portion, and four pistons opposing the rotating body and disposed moveably in an axial direction. The pistons are sequentially and continuously pushed in the axial direction by means of the slope portion of the rotating body, whereby the pressurized fluid is compressed and boosted in a boosting chamber. The pressurized fluid that has been boosted in the boosting chamber is discharged out of an output port through a discharge passageway when an exhaust check valve is opened.

1 . A boosting device that includes a body having a supply port and an output port and that is configured to increase a pressure of a pressure fluid supplied from the supply port and to output the boosted pressure fluid from the output port, the boosting device comprising:
 a driving source that is provided in the body and that is rotationally driven under an action of energization;   a rotating body coupled to a rotating shaft of the driving source and having a slope that is inclined with respect to an axis line of the rotating shaft; and   a plurality of pistons disposed to be movable in an axial direction with respect to boosting chambers in the body and each having an end that abuts on the slope,   wherein the plurality of pistons are sequentially urged in the axial direction by the slope under an action of rotation of the rotating body, so as to compress and boost the pressure fluid in the boosting chambers.   
     
     
         2 . The boosting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pistons are arranged along a circumferential direction on a circumference about an axis line of the body, and disposed inside an outer circumferential surface of the rotating body in a radial direction. 
     
     
         3 . The boosting device according to  claim 1 , wherein an end of each of the pistons that abuts on the rotating body is formed substantially in a hemispherical shape. 
     
     
         4 . The boosting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the boosting chambers are each provided with a switching mechanism for establishing communication with the supply port when the pressure fluid is supplied and establishing communication with the output port when the pressure fluid is discharged. 
     
     
         5 . The boosting device according to  claim 4 , wherein the switching mechanism includes:
 a first switching valve that opens only when the pressure fluid is supplied; and   a second switching valve that opens only when the pressure fluid is discharged.   
     
     
         6 . The boosting device according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second switching valves rests and closes under a resilient action of a spring, and opens under a pressing action by the pressure fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The boosting device according to  claim 2 , wherein an end of each of the pistons that abuts on the rotating body is formed substantially in a hemispherical shape.