Air dryer for a vehicle suspension system

Claim 2

An air dryer for a vehicle suspension system having an air compressor and an air pressure actuator, said air dryer comprising: a housing member; a first chamber formed in the housing member; a second chamber formed in the housing member; a desiccant material contained between the first and second chambers; a primary port connecting the first chamber to the air compressor; an exhaust port connecting the first chamber to atmosphere; a secondary port connecting the second chamber to the air pressure actuator; control valve provided in the exhaust port for selectively connecting the first chamber to the atmosphere; and a blotting member for absorbing moisture in the first chamber, the blotting member being contained in the first chamber, adjacent to the exhaust port, spaced from said desiccant material and clear of air passage through said primary port.

Claim 3

An air dryer for a vehicle suspension system having an air compressor and an air pressure actuator, said air dryer comprising: a housing member; a first chamber formed in the housing member; a second chamber formed in the housing member; a desiccant material contained between the first and second chambers; a primary port connecting the first chamber to the air compressor; an exhaust port connecting the first chamber to atmosphere; a secondary port connecting the second chamber to the air pressure actuator; a control valve provided in the exhaust port for selectively connecting the first chamber to the atmosphere; a blotting member for absorbing moisture in the first chamber, the blotting member being contained in the first chamber, adjacent to the exhaust port, spaced from said desiccant material and clear of air passage through said primary port; and a separator between the first chamber and the desiccant material, said separator defining a first air flow path between the primary port and the desiccant material, a second air flow path between the primary port and the exhaust port, and a third air flow path between the desiccant material and the exhaust port, said blotting member being spaced by the separating member from the desiccant material and located in said second and third flow paths.

Claim 4

An air dryer for a vehicle suspension system having an air compressor and an air pressure actuator, said air dryer comprising: a housing member; a first chamber formed in the housing member; a second chamber formed in the housing member; a desiccant material contained between the first and second chambers; a primary port connecting the first chamber to the air compressor; an exhaust port connecting the first chamber to atmosphere; a secondary port connecting the second chamber to the air pressure actuator; a control valve provided in the exhaust port for selectively connecting the first chamber to the atmosphere; a blotting member for absorbing moisture in the first chamber, the blotting member being contained in the first chamber, adjacent to the exhaust port, spaced from said desiccant material and clear of air passage through said primary port; and a separator between the first chamber and the desiccant material, said separator defining a first air flow path between the primary port and the desiccant material, a second air flow path between the primary port and the exhaust port, and a third air flow path between the desiccant material and the exhaust port, said blotting member being spaced by the separating member from the desiccant material and located in said second and third flow paths.

Claim 5

The air dryer recited in claim 2 wherein said separator comprises an apertured plate portion, a land portion projecting from one side of the plate portion to space the blotting member from the desiccant material, and passage means for establishing the second air flow path.

Claim 6

The air dryer recited in claim 3 wherein said passage means is defined by apertures in said plate portion bridging said land portion.

Claim 7

The air dryer recited in claim 3 wherein said passage means is defined by openings in said land portion.

Claim 8

The air dryer recited in claim 3 wherein said blotting member comprises air permeable and water absorbent material retained across said second air path by said land portion.

Claim 9

An air dryer for a vehicle suspension system having an air compressor and an air pressure actuator, said air dryer comprising: a housing member having an elongated peripheral wall and pair or radial and walls; a body of desiccant material contained in said housing between and spaced from said end walls to establish first and second chambers between opposite ends of said body and said end walls, respectively; a primary port connecting the first chamber to the air compressor; an exhaust port connecting the first chamber to atmosphere; a secondary port connecting the second chamber to the air pressure actuator; a control valve in the exhaust port for selectively connecting the first chamber to the atmosphere; means for defining in said first chamber, a first air flow path between the primary port and the desiccant material, a second air flow path between the primary port and the exhaust port, and a third air flow path between the desiccant material and the exhaust port, and a blotting member for absorbing moisture from air in said first chamber and from air flowing in said second air flow path.

Claim 10

An air dryer for a vehicle suspension system having an air compressor and an air pressure actuator, said air dryer comprising: a housing member having an elongated peripheral wall and pair or radial and walls; a body of desiccant material contained in said housing between and spaced from said end walls to establish first and second chambers between opposite ends of said body and said end walls, respectively; a primary port connecting the first chamber to the air compressor; an exhaust port connecting the first chamber to atmosphere; a secondary port connecting the second chamber to the air pressure actuator; a control valve in the exhaust port for selectively connecting the first chamber to the atmosphere; means for defining in said first chamber, a first air flow path between the primary port and the desiccant material, a second air flow path between the primary port and the exhaust port, and a third air flow path between the desiccant material and the exhaust port, and a blotting member for absorbing moisture from air in said first chamber and from air flowing in said second air flow path.

Claim 11

The air dryer recited in claim 7 wherein said means for defining said first, second and third flow paths comprises a separator having an apertured plate portion, a land portion projecting from one side of the plate portion to space the blotting member from the desiccant material, and passage means to establish the second air flow path.

Claim 12

The air dryer recited in claim 8 wherein the other side of said plate portion is flat and engages said body of desiccant material.

Claim 13

The air dryer recited in claim 8 comprising means for sealing the outer periphery of said separator to the peripheral wall of said housing.