Air compressor

Abstract

A reciprocating piston air compressor has a first cylinder assembly, a second cylinder assembly, and a plurality intake valves and exhaust valves associated with each of the cylinder assemblies. Each cylinder assembly has a cylinder bore and a piston disposed in the cylinder bore. Each cylinder bore has a first end having a circumference defining an area. Each piston has a first end having a circumference defining an area. The valves associated with the first cylinder assembly are disposed within the circumference of the bore and/or the piston. The valves associated with the second cylinder assembly are disposed partially within and partially outside of the circumference of the bore and/or the piston.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reciprocating piston air compressor, having:
 a first cylinder assembly having a first cylinder head, a first cylinder bore having a volume, a first piston disposed in the first cylinder bore, a surface disposed around the first cylinder bore and facing the first cylinder head, and a volume between the surface and the first cylinder head, the first cylinder bore having a first end facing the first cylinder head, the first end of the first cylinder bore having a circumference defining an area and the first piston having a first end facing the first cylinder head, the first end of the first piston having a circumference defining an area;   at least first and second intake valves and at least first and second exhaust valves in the first cylinder head, the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the first cylinder head positioned above the first end of the first cylinder bore and within the circumference of the first end of the first cylinder bore;   a second cylinder assembly having a second cylinder head, a second cylinder bore having a volume less than the volume of the first cylinder bore, a second piston disposed in the second cylinder bore, a surface disposed around the second cylinder bore and facing the second cylinder head, and a volume between the surface and the second cylinder head, the second cylinder bore having a first end facing the second cylinder head, the first end of the second cylinder bore having a circumference defining an area and the second piston having a first end facing the second cylinder head, the first end of the second piston having a circumference defining an area; and   at least first and second intake valves and at least first and second exhaust valves in the second cylinder head, the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the second cylinder head positioned above the first end of the second cylinder bore partially within the circumference of the first end of the second cylinder bore and partially outside the circumference of the first end of the second cylinder bore.   
     
     
         2 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein between about 0.1% and about 5.0% of the surface area of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves facing the first end of the second cylinder bore are positioned inside the circumference of the first end of the second cylinder bore. 
     
     
         3 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the circumference of the first end of the first cylinder bore is smaller than the circumference of the first end of the second cylinder bore. 
     
     
         4 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the first cylinder head has a valve element having a surface facing the first cylinder bore, and wherein the total area of the surfaces of the valve elements of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves facing the first cylinder bore is between about 25% and about 85% of the area of the first end of the first piston. 
     
     
         5 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the total area of the surfaces of the valve elements of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves facing the first cylinder bore is about 73.37% of the area of the first end of the first piston. 
     
     
         6 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the second cylinder head has a valve element having a surface facing the second cylinder bore, and wherein the total area of the surfaces of the valve elements of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves facing the second cylinder bore is between about 25% and about 280% of the area of the first end of the second piston. 
     
     
         7 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the total area of the surfaces of the valve elements of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves facing the second cylinder bore is about 265% of the area of the first end of the second piston. 
     
     
         8 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head and the number of exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is the same. 
     
     
         9 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is greater than the number of exhaust valves in the first cylinder head. 
     
     
         10 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is less than the number of exhaust valves in the first cylinder head. 
     
     
         11 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the second cylinder head and the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head is the same. 
     
     
         12 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the second cylinder head is greater than the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         13 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the second cylinder head is less than the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         14 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is equal to the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         15 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is greater than the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         16 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is less than the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         17 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is equal to the number of intake valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         18 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is greater than the number of intake valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         19 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is less than the number of intake valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         20 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is equal to the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         21 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is greater than the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         22 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of intake valves in the first cylinder head is less than the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         23 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is equal to the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         24 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is greater than the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         25 . The reciprocating air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is less than the number of exhaust valves in the second cylinder head. 
     
     
         26 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the compression ratio is about 2.5 to 1 to about 5.1 to 1. 
     
     
         27 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 26 , wherein the compression ratio is about 3.3 to 1 to about 4.3 to 1. 
     
     
         28 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the intake or exhaust valves in at least one of the first cylinder head and the second cylinder head is a reed valve. 
     
     
         29 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the intake or exhaust valves in at least one of the first cylinder head and the second cylinder head is a channel valve. 
     
     
         30 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the intake or exhaust valves in at least one of the first cylinder head and the second cylinder head is a disc valve. 
     
     
         31 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the intake or exhaust valves in at least one of the first cylinder head and the second cylinder has a spring and wherein the compression to force ratio of the spring is about 0.04921 inch of compression per pound of force applied to about 0.08202 inch of compression per pound of force applied. 
     
     
         32 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the first cylinder head is between 4 and 8. 
     
     
         33 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the total number of intake valves and exhaust valves in the second cylinder head is between 4 and 8. 
     
     
         34 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the area of the first end of the first piston is between about 3 square inches and about 14.0 square inches. 
     
     
         35 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the intake valves or at least one of the exhaust valves in the first cylinder head has a valve element having a surface facing the first cylinder bore, and wherein the area of the surface of the valve element facing the first cylinder bore is between about 1 square inches and about 17.5 square inches. 
     
     
         36 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the intake valves or at least one of the exhaust valves in the second cylinder head has a valve element having a surface facing the second cylinder bore, and wherein the area of the surface of the valve element facing the second cylinder bore is between about 1 square inches and about 17.5 square inches. 
     
     
         37 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , further including a gasket located between either the surface of the first cylinder assembly and the first cylinder head or the surface of the second cylinder assembly and the second cylinder head and wherein the thickness of the gasket is between about 0.0220 inch and about 0.0378 inch. 
     
     
         38 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 37 , wherein the thickness of the gasket is between about 0.0275 inch and about 0.0315 inch. 
     
     
         39 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the volume between the surface of the first cylinder assembly and the first cylinder head is between about 0.2 cubic inches and about 0.4 cubic inches. 
     
     
         40 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 39 , wherein the volume between surface of the first cylinder assembly and the first gasket head is about 0.33 cubic inches. 
     
     
         41 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the volume between surface of the second cylinder assembly and the second cylinder head is between about 0.2 cubic inches and about 0.4 cubic inches. 
     
     
         42 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 41 , wherein the volume between surface of the second cylinder assembly and the second cylinder head is about 0.33 cubic inches. 
     
     
         43 . A reciprocating piston air compressor, having:
 a first cylinder assembly having a first cylinder head, a first cylinder bore having a volume, a first piston disposed in the first cylinder bore, the first cylinder bore having a first end facing the first cylinder head, the first end of the first cylinder bore having a circumference defining an area;   at least first and second intake valves and at least first and second exhaust valves in the first cylinder head, the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the first cylinder head positioned above the first end of the first cylinder bore and within the circumference of the first end of the first cylinder bore;   a second cylinder assembly having a second cylinder head, a second cylinder bore having a volume, a second piston disposed in the second cylinder bore, the second cylinder bore having a first end facing the second cylinder head, the first end of the second cylinder bore having a circumference defining an area; and   at least first and second intake valves and at least first and second exhaust valves in the second cylinder head, the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the second cylinder head positioned above the first end of the second cylinder bore partially within the circumference of the first end of the second cylinder bore and partially outside the circumference of the first end of the second cylinder bore.   
     
     
         44 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 43 , wherein the volume of the second cylinder bore is less than the volume of the first cylinder bore. 
     
     
         45 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 43 , wherein between about 0.1% and about 5.0% of the surface area of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves facing the first end of the second cylinder bore are positioned inside the circumference of the first end of the second cylinder bore. 
     
     
         46 . A reciprocating piston air compressor, having:
 a first cylinder assembly having a first cylinder head, a first cylinder bore having a volume, a first piston disposed in the first cylinder bore, the first piston having a first end facing the first cylinder head, the first end of the first piston having a circumference defining an area;   at least first and second intake valves and at least first and second exhaust valves in the first cylinder head, the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the first cylinder head positioned above the first end of the first cylinder bore and within the circumference of the first end of the first piston;   a second cylinder assembly having a second cylinder head, a second cylinder bore having a volume, a second piston disposed in the second cylinder bore, the second piston having a first end facing the second cylinder head, the first end of the second piston having a circumference defining an area; and   at least first and second intake valves and at least first and second exhaust valves in the second cylinder head, the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves in the second cylinder head positioned above the first end of the second cylinder bore partially within the circumference of the first end of the second piston and partially outside the circumference of the first end of the second piston.   
     
     
         47 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 46 , wherein the volume of the second cylinder bore is less than the volume of the first cylinder bore. 
     
     
         48 . The reciprocating piston air compressor according to  claim 46 , wherein between about 0.1% and about 5.0% of the surface area of the first and second intake valves and the first and second exhaust valves facing the first end of the second cylinder bore are positioned inside the circumference of the first end of the second piston.