Controlled stroke electrodynamic oscillating motor compressor

Claim 2

In an apparatus wherein a movable mass is arranged with gas spring means to form an oscillating system with an oscillating driving means, the combination with such apparatus comprising: means responsive to the amplitude of oscillation of said oscillating system for varying the natural frequency of said oscillating system by varying the stiffness of said gas spring means, said means including port means operative to communicate said gas spring means with a source of fluid at higher pressure whenever the amplitude of oscillation exceeds a predetermined normal operating level, said port means being so selected, arranged and shaped that the area thereof which is disposed in communication with said source of fluid at higher pressure increases non-slidably with increase in oscillation amplitude beyond said predetermined normal operating level.

Claim 3

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said oscillating driving means is an electrodynamic oscillating motor.

Claim 4

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said port means comprises a plurality of openings.

Claim 5

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said port means comprises one or more openings of generally triangular configuration.

Claim 6

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said port means comprises one or more groups of openings, each group including a plurality of openings.

Claim 7

The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein at least some of said openings are of different cross sectional area.

Claim 8

The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein each group of openings includes a first opening of small cross-sectional area and an opening of larger cross-sectional area spaced-apart from the first opening in the direction of increase in oscillation amplitude beyond said predetermined normal operating level.

Claim 9

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said movable mass includes a fluid compressing means.

Claim 10

The apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein said fluid compressing means is a piston.

Claim 11

The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said port means are controlled by the position of said piston.

Claim 12

The apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein said fluid compressing means is a piston arranged to facilitate within a cylinder and wherein said port means are disposed in said piston and controlled by the position of said piston in said cylinder.

Claim 13

The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said port means comprises one or more openings of a generally triangular configuration.

Claim 14

The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said port means comprises a plurality of openings.

Claim 15

The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said port means comprises one or more groups of openings, each group including a plurality of openings.

Claim 16

The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein each group of openings includes an opening of a first cross-sectional area and a second opening of a larger cross-sectional area spaced from said first opening in the direction of increase in oscillation amplitude beyond said predetermined level.

Claim 17

The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said oscillating driving means is an electrodynamic oscillator motor.

Claim 18

In an apparatus wherein a movable mass is arranged with gas spring means to form an oscillating system with an oscillating driving means, the combination with such apparatus comprising: a. piston means coupled to and adapted to be driven by said oscillating driving means; and b. means responsive to the position of said piston means for controlling the amplitude of oscillation of said oscillating system, said means including first port means carried by said piston means and being operative to communicate said gas spring means with a source of gas at higher pressure whenever said piston means exceeds a predetermined normal operating stroke position so tha fluid flows from said source into said gas spring means increasing the pressure therein and the stiffness thereof, said port means being so selected, arranged and shaped that the area thereof which is disposed in communication with said source of fluid at higher pressure increases non-linearly with increase in oscillation amplitude beyond said predetermined normal operating position.

Claim 19

In an apparatus wherein a movable mass is arranged with gas spring means to form an oscillating system with an oscillating driving means, the combination with such apparatus comprising: a. piston means coupled to and adapted to be driven by said oscillating driving means; and b. means responsive to the position of said piston means for controlling the amplitude of oscillation of said oscillating system, said means including first port means carried by said piston means and being operative to communicate said gas spring means with a source of gas at higher pressure whenever said piston means exceeds a predetermined normal operating stroke position so tha fluid flows from said source into said gas spring means increasing the pressure therein and the stiffness thereof, said port means being so selected, arranged and shaped that the area thereof which is disposed in communication with said source of fluid at higher pressure increases non-linearly with increase in oscillation amplitude beyond said predetermined normal operating position.

Claim 20

The apparatus recited in claim 17 wherein said gas spring means comprises a pair of oppositely disposed enclosed cavities and second porting means carried by said piston means are operative to interconnect said enclosed cavities at the midstroke position of said piston means to equalize the pressures in said cavities and establish a centering reference.

Claim 21

The apparatus recited in claim 17 wherein said first port means comprises a plurality of openings.

Claim 22

The apparatus recited in claim 17 wherein said first port means comprises one or more openings of a generally triangular configuration.

Claim 23

The apparatus recited in claim 17 wherein said oscillating driving means is an electrodynamic oscillating motor.

Claim 24

In a compressor wherein piston means coupled to and adapted to be driven within a selectively valved working cylinder by an electrodynamic oscillating motor substantially in synchronism with an A-C power source and oppositely disposed enclosed volumes of gas acting as resilient means coact with said piston means and with said motor to form a mechanical resonant system having a natural frequency approximately equal to the frequency of said A-C power source and including means responsive to the position of said piston for controlling the force output of said motor to provide stable operation over varying compressor load conditions by varying the natural frequency of said resonant system and which means includes first port means communicating said enclosed volumes of gas with each other at an intermediate stroke position of said piston to equalize the gas pressures in said enclosed volumes during operation and second port means communicating one of said enclosed volumes of gas with a source of gas at higher pressure whenever said piston exceeds a predetermined normal operating stroke position so that gas flows from said source into said enclosed volume increasing the gas pressure therein and effecting an increase in the stiffness of the resilient means and thereby increasing the resonant frequency of said mechanical resonant system, the combination with said compressor of: said second port means shaped to effect an non-linear increase in gas flow from said source of fluid at higher pressure to said enclosed volume of gas as a function of increase in piston travel beyond said predetermined normal operating stroke position.

Claim 25

In a compressor wherein piston means coupled to and adapted to be driven within a selectively valved working cylinder by an electrodynamic oscillating motor substantially in synchronism with an A-C power source and oppositely disposed enclosed volumes of gas acting as resilient means coact with said piston means and with said motor to form a mechanical resonant system having a natural frequency approximately equal to the frequency of said A-C power source and including means responsive to the position of said piston for controlling the force output of said motor to provide stable operation over varying compressor load conditions by varying the natural frequency of said resonant system and which means includes first port means communicating said enclosed volumes of gas with each other at an intermediate stroke position of said piston to equalize the gas pressures in said enclosed volumes during operation and second port means communicating one of said enclosed volumes of gas with a source of gas at higher pressure whenever said piston exceeds a predetermined normal operating stroke position so that gas flows from said source into said enclosed volume increasing the gas pressure therein and effecting an increase in the stiffness of the resilient means and thereby increasing the resonant frequency of said mechanical resonant system, the combination with said compressor of: said second port means shaped to effect an non-linear increase in gas flow from said source of fluid at higher pressure to said enclosed volume of gas as a function of increase in piston travel beyond said predetermined normal operating stroke position.

Claim 26

The apparatus recited in claim 22 wherein said second port means comprises a plurality of openings.

Claim 27

The apparatus recited in claim 22 wherein said second port means comprises one or more openings of generally triangular configuration.