# US 2019/0170129 A1 · Proportional air flow delivery control for a compressor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170129 A1 - Document ID: US20190170129A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/272,688 - Filed: 2019-02-11 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-30 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Benjamin Gene Peotter; Mark E. Peters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170129A1 ## CPC - F04B 35/002: {driven by internal combustion engines} - F04B 49/03: by means of valves - F04B 49/225: {with throttling valves or valves varying the pump inlet opening or the outlet opening} - 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) ## Abstract Provided herein are systems that enable proportional air flow delivery control for an air compressor. One system includes a pneumatic air compression system having a flow control member and being adapted to receive inlet air and to compress the inlet air to produce compressed air. The system also includes a pneumatic flow control system including a proportional control valve having a proportionally variable activation state. Varying the activation state of the proportional control valve regulates a pressure acting on the flow control member to regulate the flow of the compressed air produced by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner, and further regulates a power demand placed on the engine by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A service pack system, comprising: an engine; a pneumatic air compression system driven by the engine and comprising a flow control member and being configured to receive inlet air and to compress the inlet air to produce compressed air; and a pneumatic flow control system comprising a proportional control valve having a proportionally variable activation state, wherein varying the activation state of the proportional control valve regulates a pressure acting on the flow control member to regulate the flow of the compressed air produced by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner, and further regulates a power demand placed on the engine by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the proportional control valve comprises an electronically activated variable solenoid valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flow control member comprises an inlet valve control piston, and comprising a control piston pressure transducer configured to measure a pressure acting on the inlet valve control piston. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic flow control system comprises a controller configured to control operation of the proportional control valve to position the proportional control valve between a fully open position and a full closed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flow control member comprises an inlet valve control piston, and the pneumatic air compression system comprises an inlet valve configured to be actuated by the inlet valve control piston. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the inlet valve comprises a proportional valve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) They system of claim 5, comprising a compressor air end coupled to the inlet valve and configured to receive air from the inlet valve and to compress the received air to a higher pressure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising a manual pressure release valve configured to be opened by an operator to release an internal pressure of the pneumatic air compression system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic air compression system comprises a minimum pressure check valve configured to prohibit the compressed air from exiting the pneumatic air compression system when the pressure of the compressed air is below a predetermined pressure level. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising an air pressure gauge coupled to the pneumatic air compression system and comprising a display configured to display the pressure level within the pneumatic air compression system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the proportional control valve is configured to be positioned in an open position or a closed position to enable a remotely located controller to remotely set the pressure regulation set point for the service pack system. ### Claim 12 A service pack system, comprising: an engine; a pneumatic air compression system driven by the engine and configured to produce compressed air from inlet air, wherein the pneumatic air compression system comprises: an inlet valve; and an inlet valve control piston configured to actuate the inlet valve via pressure within the inlet valve control piston; a pneumatic flow control system comprising a proportional control valve having a proportionally variable activation state; and a controller configured to vary the activation state of the proportional control valve to regulate the pressure within the inlet valve control piston to proportionally regulate a position of the inlet valve to regulate the flow of the compressed air produced by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner, and to regulate a power demand placed on the engine by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising a bleed down orifice coupled to the inlet valve control piston and to the pneumatic flow control system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the proportional control valve comprises an electronically activated variable solenoid valve. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising an air pilot line configured to route pilot air pressure and flow to the pneumatic flow control system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising a control piston pressure transducer configured to measure a pressure acting on the inlet valve control piston and to communicate the measured pressure to the controller. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the inlet valve comprises an electronically activated variable solenoid valve. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising a compressor air end coupled to the inlet valve and configured to receive air from the inlet valve and to compress the received air to a higher pressure. ### Claim 19 A service pack system, comprising: an engine; a pneumatic air compression system driven by the engine and comprising a flow control member and being configured to receive inlet air and to compress the inlet air to produce compressed air; and a pneumatic flow control system comprising a manual control valve having a proportionally variable activation state, wherein varying the activation state of the proportional control valve regulates a pressure acting on the flow control member to regulate the flow of the compressed air produced by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner, and to further regulate a power demand placed on the engine by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the manual control valve comprises a needle valve. ### Claim 21 A service pack system, comprising: an engine; a pneumatic air compression system driven by the engine and comprising an inlet valve, wherein the pneumatic air compression system is configured to receive inlet air and to compress the inlet air to produce compressed air; and a pneumatic flow control system comprising a proportional control valve having a proportionally variable activation state and being coupled to the inlet valve, wherein varying the activation state of the proportional control valve regulates a position of the inlet valve to regulate the flow of the compressed air produced by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner, and to further regulate a power demand placed on the engine by the pneumatic air compression system in a variable manner. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the proportional control valve comprises an electronically activated variable solenoid valve.