Piston assembly for reducing the temperature of a compressor cup seal
AssigneeRespironics, Inc.
InventorRobert W. Murdoch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A piston assembly for a compressor that reduces the temperature experienced by a compressor cup seal during operation of the compressor. The piston assembly includes a piston sleeve having a top portion and an interior. A valve plate is supported by the top of the piston sleeve. A compressor head includes a compressor head plate, which is offset from the valve plate. The offset between the compressor head plate and the valve plate defines a cooling chamber. The interior of the piston sleeve communicates with the interior of the compressor head via openings defined in the valve plate and the compressor head plate and conduit associated with these opening and traversing the cooling chamber.
Claims19
A piston assembly in a compressor, comprising:
- a piston sleeve having a top portion;
- a valve plate supported by the top portion of the piston sleeve and having a first valve plate opening defined therein;
- a compressor head having a compressor head plate offset from the valve plate such that a cooling chamber is defined between the compressor head plate and the valve plate, the compressor head plate having a first compressor head opening defined therein, wherein the cooling chamber is open to ambient atmosphere;
- and
- a conduit traversing the cooling chamber to communicate gas between the valve plate opening and the compressor head opening.
A piston assembly of a compressor, comprising:
- a piston sleeve having a top portion;
- a valve plate supported by the top portion of the piston sleeve and having a first valve plate opening defined therein;
- a compressor head having a compressor head plate offset from the valve plate such that a cooling chamber is defined between the compressor head plate and the valve plate, the compressor head plate having a first compressor head opening defined therein;
- a conduit traversing the cooling chamber to communicate gas between the valve plate opening and the compressor head opening;
- and
- an insulating barrier disposed within the cooling chamber for reducing conduction of heat from the compressor head plate to the valve plate.
A piston assembly of a compressor, comprising:
- a piston sleeve having a top portion;
- a valve plate supported by the top portion of the piston sleeve and having a first valve plate opening and a second valve plate opening defined therein;
- a compressor head having a compressor head plate offset from the valve plate such that a cooling chamber is defined between the compressor head plate and the valve plate, the compressor head plate having a first compressor head opening and a second compressor head plate opening defined therein;
- a conduit traversing the cooling chamber to communicate gas between the valve plate opening and the compressor head opening;
- an intake conduit fluidly connecting the first compressor head plate opening with the first valve plate opening;
- and
- an exhaust conduit fluidly connecting the second compressor head plate opening with the second valve plate opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.