Extended compressor operation for auxiliary air supply
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsRonald P. Maloney, Steven R. Coleman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine air supply system includes a primary air circuit and a secondary air circuit and a single compressor for supplying compressed air to both circuits. In an embodiment, the compressor is a reciprocating piston compressor having a primary air circuit including a compression chamber of the compressor and a secondary air circuit including a crankcase chamber of the compressor. In an aspect, the compressor may be a multi-cylinder compressor.
Claims20
A machine having a plurality of air-operated systems including at least one primary system and at least one secondary system, the machine comprising:
- at least one air tank for containing a supply of compressed air for providing compressed air to the at least one primary system;
- and
- a compressor for supplying compressed air to the at least one air tank, the compressor being a reciprocating piston compressor having a primary air circuit including a compression chamber of the compressor and a secondary air circuit including a crankcase chamber of the compressor.
A machine air supply system for providing compressed air to two or more air-operated features of a machine, the air supply system including:
- a primary air circuit for providing compressed air to one of the two or more air-operated features of the machine;
- and
- a secondary air circuit for providing compressed air to another of the two or more air-operated features of the machine, wherein the primary air circuit and the secondary air circuit share a single compressor while operating at different air pressures.
A method for managing an air supply in a machine having a high-pressure air circuit and a secondary air circuit having a lower pressure than the high-pressure air circuit, the high-pressure air circuit and the secondary air circuit being driven by a single compressor, the method comprising:
- sensing a pressure in the high-pressure air circuit to establish a first sensed pressure;
- holding open a first intake valve on the compressor if the sensed pressure exceeds a first deactivation threshold, and releasing the first intake valve if the sensed pressure is less than a first activation threshold;
- sensing a pressure in the secondary air circuit to establish a second sensed pressure;
- and
- holding open a second intake valve on the compressor if the sensed pressure exceeds a second deactivation threshold, and releasing the second intake valve if the sensed pressure is less than a second activation threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.