Air Compressor with Oil Pump Inlet Strainer and Bypass Valve
AssigneeWabtec Holding Corp.
InventorJeffrey Hritz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air compressor with oil pump inlet strainer bypass features includes a bypass valve assembly in fluid communication with the air compressor crankcase to provide lubricating oil to the dynamic compressor components, or simply to the air compressor. The bypass valve assembly includes a valve housing defining an interior chamber and an oil strainer screen engaged with the valve housing to filter the lubricating oil entering the interior chamber. A bypass valve is in fluid communication with the interior chamber and includes a valve body having a bypass port and an indicator port. An optional suction tube is connected to the bypass port on the valve body. An indicator assembly is connected to the indicator port on the valve body.
Claims20
An air compressor, comprising:
- a crankcase;
- and
- a bypass valve assembly in fluid communication with the crankcase to provide lubricating oil to the crankcase, the bypass valve assembly comprising:
- a valve housing defining an interior chamber;
- an oil strainer screen engaged with the valve housing to filter the lubricating oil entering the interior chamber;
- a bypass valve in fluid communication with the interior chamber and comprising a valve body having a bypass port and an indicator port;
- a suction tube connected to the bypass port on the valve body;
- and
- an indicator assembly connected to the indicator port on the valve body;
- and
- wherein the bypass valve opens to permit lubricating oil to enter the interior chamber via the suction tube without passing through the oil strainer screen when a predetermined differential pressure across the oil strainer screen is reached.
A bypass valve assembly for providing lubricating oil to an air compressor, comprising:
- a valve housing defining an interior chamber;
- an oil strainer screen engaged with the valve housing to filter the lubricating oil entering the interior chamber;
- a bypass valve in fluid communication with the interior chamber and comprising a valve body having a bypass port and an indicator port;
- a suction tube connected to the bypass port on the valve body;
- and
- an indicator assembly connected to the indicator port on the valve body;
- and
- wherein the bypass valve opens to permit lubricating oil to enter the interior chamber via the suction tube without passing through the oil strainer screen when a predetermined differential pressure across the oil strainer screen is reached.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.