# US 2008/0187447 A1 · Air compressor

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- Number: US 2008/0187447 A1
- Document ID: US20080187447A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/023,522
- Filed: 2008-01-31
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-05
- Assignees: Black & Decker Inc.
- Inventors: Craig R. Steinfels; Scott D. Craig
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187447A1

## CPC

- F04B 35/06: Mobile combinations
- F04B 41/02: having reservoirs
- Y10T 137/86051: Compressed air supply unit
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An air compressor package that includes a pancake air tank, which has a pair of convex tank members that are coupled to one another about an equator of the pancake air tank, a motor and a compressor that is driven by the motor. The compressor is coupled in fluid communication with the pancake air tank. The motor and the compressor are arranged relative to the pancake air tank such that a plane taken through the equator of the pancake air tank passes through the motor and the compressor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An air compressor package comprising:
a pancake air tank having a pair of convex tank members that are coupled to one another about an equator of the pancake air tank;
a motor; and
a compressor that is driven by the motor, the compressor being coupled in fluid communication with the pancake air tank;
wherein the motor and the compressor are arranged relative to the pancake air tank such that a plane taken through the equator of the pancake air tank passes through the motor and the compressor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The air compressor package of claim 1, wherein the plane passes through a rotational axis of the motor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The air compressor package of claim 2, wherein the compressor includes a compressor pulley and the plane passes through a rotational axis of the compressor pulley.

### Claim 4

An air compressor package comprising:
a pancake air tank having a pair of convex tank members that are coupled to one another about an equator of the pancake air tank;
a handle coupled to the pancake air tank, the handle having a widened C-shape;
a motor; and
a compressor driven by the motor, the compressor being coupled in fluid communication with the pancake air tank;
wherein the motor and the compressor are disposed between the pancake air tank and the handle.

### Claim 5

An air compressor package comprising:
a pancake air tank having a pair of convex tank members that are coupled to one another about an equator of the pancake air tank;
a handle coupled to the pancake air tank, the handle including a first handle portion and a second handle portion;
a housing coupled to the pancake air tank and the handle, the housing defining an internal cavity and at least partially shrouding the pancake air tank and the handle;
a motor housed in the internal cavity of the housing;
a compressor driven by the motor, the compressor being housed in the internal cavity of the housing and being in fluid communication with the pancake air tank; and
a manifold assembly coupled in fluid communication with the pancake air tank, the manifold assembly including a gauge, a regulator and an outlet coupling;
wherein the air compressor package has a first operating position in which the equator of the pancake air tank is positioned vertically and the first portion of the handle is generally parallel to a first surface on which the air compressor package is positioned, wherein the air compressor package has a first hand-carried transport position in which the first portion of the handle is adapted to be engaged by a single hand of a user to transport the air compressor package such that the first portion of the handle is disposed above the pancake air tank, wherein the air compressor package has a second hand-carried transport position in which the second portion of the handle is adapted to be engaged by the single hand of the user to transport the air compressor package such that the second portion of the handle is disposed above the pancake air tank, and wherein the second transport position is rotated by an angle of about 90 degrees from the first transport position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The air compressor package of claim 5, wherein the air compressor package has a second operating position in which the equator of the pancake air tank is positioned horizontally.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The air compressor package of claim 5, wherein the handle has a widened C-shape.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The air compressor package of claim 5, wherein the housing defines a front exterior surface and wherein the gauge and the regulator are located within the housing such that the gauge and the regulator do not contact the first surface when the front exterior surface is positioned in contact with the first surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The air compressor package of claim 5, wherein the housing defines a pocket into which the outlet coupling is disposed.