# US 9,039,387 B2 · Supercharged compressor and method for controlling a supercharged compressor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,387 B2 - Document ID: US9039387B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/769,370 - Filed: 2010-04-28 - Published: 2010-10-28 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2007-10-29 - Assignees: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH - Applicants: Joerg Mellar - Inventors: Joerg Mellar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039387B2 ## CPC - F04B 49/16: by adjusting the capacity of dead spaces of working chambers - F04B 2201/0808: Size of the dead volume - F04B 2205/03: Pressure in the compression chamber - 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 A supercharged compressor and method of operating the compressor supplies a commercial vehicle with compressed air. The compressor includes a piston chamber, a dead space or clearance volume and a valve unit for switching the clearance volume. The valve element is configured such that the air volume supplied by the supercharged compressor can be reduced to a value that is different from zero by activating the clearance volume. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charged compressor for compressed air supply of a commercial vehicle, comprising: a piston chamber of the compressor; a dead space of the compressor; and a valve unit operatively configured for either connecting the piston chamber to an entire volume of the dead space or completely separating the piston chamber from the dead space, the valve unit being further operatively configured to reduce an air volume delivered by the charged compressor to a value different from zero by activating the dead space; wherein the valve unit comprises a two-stage operable valve having a closed state, a first open state having a first opened valve cross section, and a second open state having a second opened valve cross section that is larger than the first opened valve cross section, the dead space is completely separated from the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the closed state, the dead space is partially engaged and the entire volume of the dead space is connected with the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the first open state, the dead space is totally engaged and the entire volume of the dead space is connected with the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the second open state, and the closed state, the first open state and the second open state are steady states, the first open state being maintained when an operating parameter is between two predetermined control thresholds. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charged compressor according to claim 1, wherein the valve unit comprises a plurality of valves, at least one of which is individually operable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The charged compressor according to claim 1, wherein the air volume delivered by the charged compressor is reducible to zero by engaging the dead space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The charged compressor according to claim 1, further comprising a clutch operatively configured to disengage the compressor from an engine of the commercial vehicle. ### Claim 5 A commercial vehicle, comprising: an air supply system, the air supply system including a charged compressor for supplying compressed air for the commercial vehicle, the charged compressor comprising: a piston chamber of the compressor; a dead space of the compressor; and a valve unit operatively configured for either connecting the piston chamber to an entire volume of the dead space or completely separating the piston chamber from the dead space, the valve unit being further operatively configured to reduce an air volume delivered by the charged compressor to a value different from zero by activating the dead space; wherein the valve unit comprises a two-stage operable valve having a closed state, a first open state having a first opened valve cross section, and a second open state having a second opened valve cross section that is larger than the first opened valve cross section, the dead space is completely separated from the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the closed state, the dead space is partially engaged and the entire volume of the dead space is connected with the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the first open state, the dead space is totally engaged and the entire volume of the dead space is connected with the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the second open state, and the closed state, the first open state and the second open state are steady states, the first open state being maintained when an operating parameter is between two predetermined control thresholds. ### Claim 6 A method for controlling a charged compressor supplying compressed air to a commercial vehicle, the charged compressor including a piston chamber, a dead space, and a valve unit, the valve unit comprising a two-stage operable valve operatively configured to engage the dead space, wherein the two stage operable valve has a closed state, a first open state having a first opened valve cross section, and a second open state having a second opened valve cross section that is larger than the first opened valve cross section, the method comprising the acts of: delivering an air volume from the charged compressor; and controlling the valve unit to engage an entire volume of the dead space in order to reduce the air value delivered by the charged compressor to a value differing from zero by adjusting a cross section of the opened two-stage operable valve between the piston chamber and the dead space in two stages; wherein the dead space is partially engaged and the entire volume of the dead space is connected with the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the first open state, the dead space is totally engaged and the entire volume of the dead space is connected with the piston chamber when the valve unit is in the second open state, and the closed state, the first open state and the second open state are steady states, the first open state being maintained when an operating parameter is between two predetermined control thresholds. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the air volume is reduced to zero by engaging the dead space. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein at least one condition for engaging the dead space is fulfilled only during an acceleration phase of the commercial vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the act of controlling the valve unit to engage the dead space is carried out as a function of at least one of the following values: engine speed, turbocharger speed, charging pressure of a turbocharger, engine load, and an air requirement of the commercial vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising the act of engaging a clutch to disengage the charged compressor from an engine of the commercial vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein at least one condition for engaging the clutch is fulfilled only during an acceleration phase of the commercial vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the act of engaging the clutch is carried out as a function of at least one of the following values: engine speed, turbocharger speed, charging pressure of a turbocharger, engine load, and an air requirement of the commercial vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the act of engaging the clutch is carried out as a function of at least one of the following values: engine speed, turbocharger speed, charging pressure of a turbocharger, engine load, and an air requirement of the commercial vehicle.