US4954053A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Free-piston compressor with gas spring control
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1988-12-14
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Granted: 1990-09-04
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Expires: 2008-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A free-piston compressor which has a cylinder, a compressor piston disposed movably in the cylinder, thereby first and second chambers being formed in the cylinder, a low pressure pipe coupled to the first chamber through which pipe, low pressure fluid flows, a high pressure pipe coupled to the first chamber through which, high pressure fluid flows, two valves coupled between the low pressure and high pressure pipes, and the second chamber, a control device for controlling the two valves in a manner that a dead point position of the compressor piston is kept at a target point, and driving means for driving the compressor piston.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenichi Inoda
- 👤 Terumaru Harada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:38
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04B; F04B35/00; F02; F02G; F02G1/00; F02G1/04; F02G1/043; F02G1/0435; F02B; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A free-piston type compressor comprising: a cylinder; a compressor piston means, disposed movably in said cylinder, for dividing said cylinder into a spring chamber and a compression chamber and for compressing fluid contained in said compression chamber; low-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for introducing low-pressure fluid into said compression chamber; high-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for receiving high-pressure fluid from said compression chamber after its has been compressed by said compressor piston means; a first pipe fluidically connected between said low-pressure fluid flow means and said spring chamber; a first control valve disposed in said first pipe; a first check valve means, disposed in said first pipe, for preventing flow through said first pipe from said low-pressure fluid flow means to said spring chamber; a second pipe fluidically connected between said high-pressure fluid flow means and said spring chamber; a second control valve disposed in said second pipe; a second check valve means, disposed in said second pipe, for preventing flow through said second pipe from said spring chamber to said high-pressure fluid flow means; detecting means for detecting the dead space between said compressor piston and an end of said cylinder; and control means for controlling said control valves and to adjust one of the top-dead position and the bottom-dead position of said compressor piston to be at a predetermined location in said cylinder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
233 words
A free-piston type compressor comprising: a cylinder; a compressor piston means, disposed movably in said cylinder, for dividing said cylinder into a spring chamber and a compression chamber and for compressing fluid contained in said compression chamber; low-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for introducing low-pressure fluid into said compression chamber; high-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for receiving high-pressure fluid from said compression chamber after its has been compressed by said compressor piston means; a first pipe fluidically connected between said low-pressure fluid flow means and said spring chamber; a first control valve disposed in said first pipe; a first check valve means, disposed in said first pipe, for preventing flow through said first pipe from said low-pressure fluid flow means to said spring chamber; a second pipe fluidically connected between said high-pressure fluid flow means and said spring chamber; a second control valve disposed in said second pipe; a second check valve means, disposed in said second pipe, for preventing flow through said second pipe from said spring chamber to said high-pressure fluid flow means; detecting means for detecting the dead space between said compressor piston and an end of said cylinder; and control means for controlling said control valves and to adjust one of the top-dead position and the bottom-dead position of said compressor piston to be at a predetermined location in said cylinder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A free-piston type compressor as recited in claim 1, further comprising a free-piston type Stirling engine means for driving said compressor piston.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A free-piston type compressor as recited in claim 1, wherein said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high-pressure fluid flow means are fluidically connected together to form a fluid circuit; and said fluid circuit includes a condenser, an evaporator and an expansion valve therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
259 words
A free-piston type compressor comprising: a cylinder; a compressor piston means, disposed movably in said cylinder, for dividing said cylinder into a spring chamber and a compression chamber and for compressing fluid contained in said compression chamber; low-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for introducing low-pressure fluid into said compression chamber; high-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for receiving high-pressure fluid from said compression chamber after its has been compressed by said compressor piston means; a pipe fluidically connected between said spring chamber and one of said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high pressure fluid flow means; a pump disposed in said pipe; valve means for selectively switching between a first position in which said one of said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high pressure fluid flow means is located downstream of said pump and said spring chamber is located upstream of said pump, and a second position in which said one of said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high-pressure fluid flow means is located upstream of said pump and said spring chamber is located downstream of said pump; detecting means for detecting the dead space between said compressor piston and an end of said cylinder; and control means for controlling discharge of said pump and for switching said valve means between its first and second positions in accordance with a signal from said detecting means to adjust one of the top-dead position and the bottom-dead position of said compressor piston to be at a predetermined location in said cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
259 words
A free-piston type compressor comprising: a cylinder; a compressor piston means, disposed movably in said cylinder, for dividing said cylinder into a spring chamber and a compression chamber and for compressing fluid contained in said compression chamber; low-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for introducing low-pressure fluid into said compression chamber; high-pressure fluid flow means, connected to said compression chamber, for receiving high-pressure fluid from said compression chamber after its has been compressed by said compressor piston means; a pipe fluidically connected between said spring chamber and one of said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high pressure fluid flow means; a pump disposed in said pipe; valve means for selectively switching between a first position in which said one of said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high pressure fluid flow means is located downstream of said pump and said spring chamber is located upstream of said pump, and a second position in which said one of said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high-pressure fluid flow means is located upstream of said pump and said spring chamber is located downstream of said pump; detecting means for detecting the dead space between said compressor piston and an end of said cylinder; and control means for controlling discharge of said pump and for switching said valve means between its first and second positions in accordance with a signal from said detecting means to adjust one of the top-dead position and the bottom-dead position of said compressor piston to be at a predetermined location in said cylinder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A free-piston type compressor as recited in claim 4, further comprising a free-piston type Stirling engine means for driving said compressor piston.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A free-piston type compressor as recited in claim 4, wherein said low-pressure fluid flow means and said high-pressure fluid flow means are fluidically connected together to form a fluid circuit; and said fluid circuit includes a condenser, an evaporator and an expansion valve therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A free-piston type compressor as recited in claim 4, wherein said valve means comprises a four-way valve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A free-piston type compressor as recited in claim 4, wherein said valve means comprises a four-way, two-position valve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-03 | 1994-03-05 | 1994-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-09-03 | 1998-03-05 | 1998-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-09-03 | 2002-03-05 | 2002-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |