GB2038949A

GB2038949A - Compressor

Info

Publication number: GB2038949A
Application number: GB7900759A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: MATOBA T
Current assignee: MATOBA T
Priority date: 1979-01-09
Filing date: 1979-01-09
Publication date: 1980-07-30

Abstract

A reciprocating compressor including a cylinder 6, piston 3 provided in the cylinder, and electromagnetic means for reciprocating the piston 3 in the cylinder 6, such means including a permanent magnet 1 coupled to the piston 3 and a pair of electromagnets 12, 12' provided adjacent the permanent magnet 1 on opposing sides thereof. In use the electromagnets are energised by a source of alternating power to cause the permanent magnet 1 to be attracted and repelled to reciprocate the piston in the cylinder 6. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Compressor 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to compressors and more particularly to compressors used in air conditioning systems.

2. Prior Art Prior art compressors for air conditioning systems for use in both households and vehicles are operated by an electric motor, internal combustion engine, etc. Such compressors require a large amount of electricity consumption or utilize an excessive amount of horse power in proportion to the amount of energy required so that the power of the electric motor or internal combustion engine is markedly down.

Especially, the compressor for air conditioning in vehicles is operated by transmitting the engine rotational power to the compressor with a belt.

For this reason, if it is installed on a vehicle with a small amount of horse power, it causes not only overheating or stalling but also unacceptably reduces the engine power. Also, the operating cost for the vehicle increases in proportion to the amount of fuel consumed and such prior art compressors cause the vehicle to consume a lot more fuel.

Summary of the Invention Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a compressor which is inexpensive and demands a small amount of energy consumption.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compressor which requires a small amount of space in proportion to the capacity of the compressor.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a compressor which is not driven directly by a motor.

In keeping with the principles of the present invention, the objects are accomplished by an unique compressor of the reciprocating type having a cylinder and a piston in the cylinder. The compressor includes a permanent magnet coupled to the piston and an electromagnet for alternately repelling and attracting the permanent magnet whereby the piston is caused to reciprocate in the cylinder.

Brief Description of the Drawings The above mentioned features and objects of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a compressor in accordance with the teachings of the present invention with the cylinder mounted on one axis line; Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates the electrical connection of the electromagnets with the battery power source; Figure 4 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the compressor in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; and Figure 5 illustrates a third embodiment of a compressor in accordance with the teachings of the present invention utilizing a ring-shaped electromagnet.

Detailed Description of the Invention Referring more particularly to the figures, shown in Figure 1 is one embodiment of a compressor in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In Figure 1, the two cylinders of the compressor are arranged on a single axis. The compressor includes a permanent magnet disc 1 having a bolt 2 projecting from the center thereof in both directions and a gas passage hole 2'. Pistons 3 and 3' having check valves 4 are provided in the cylinders 6 and 6'.

The piston 3 and 3' are coupled by means of piston rod 5 to bolt 2 provided in the center of the permanent magnet disc 1. Piston 3 and 3' together with cylinders 6 and 6' form compression chambers 7.

An electromagnet mounting space 8 is provided in the center of the compressor around and adjacent the disc 1. Furthermore, within the compressor is provided reciprocating space 9 for the disc 1. The compressor chamber 7, electromagnet mounting space 8 and the reciprocating space 9 for the magnetic disc 1 all communicate with each other and would form one chamber if the pistons 3 and 3', piston rod 5 and permanent magnet disc 1 were removed.

A pressure valve 10 is provided in the head of cylinders 6 and 6' and a gas intake hole 11 is provided in the wall of the compressor.

Electromagnets 12 and 12' are provided in the electromagnet mounting space 8 and are fixed on a ring 1 5 which is located on the periphery of the electromagnet mounting space 8 and airtightly supported on a bolt arm 14 passing through a passageway 1 3 provided parallel to the axis of the cylinders 6 and 6'. A passage for the coolant is provided between the ring 1 5 and the electromagnets 12 and 12' and the piston rod 5 (see Figure 5).

A buffer 1 6 made from a plastic or hard rubber is provided adjacent the electromagnet 12 and is supported on the interior rim 17 of ring 15. A spring 1 8 is interposed between the buffer 1 6 and the interior rim 1 7.

Flanged cylinder retaining heads 1 9 and 19' are provided on both ends of the compressor and a concave portion 20 is provided in the cylinder retaining heads 19 and 19'. At the central part of the concave portion 20 is formed a gas chamber 21 which covers pressure valves 10. Gas chamber 21 is coupled to a gas pipe 22. The cylinder retaining heads 1 9 and 19' are coupled together by means of bolts 23 and the compressor is inserted at both ends into the concave portion 20. Contact electrodes 24 and 24' connect to the electromagnet 12 and 12'.

The other ends of electrodes 24 and 24' connect to brushes 27 which are in contact with a polarity alternation drum 26 turned by a motor 25 (see Figure 3).

The polarity alternation drum 26 contains an even number of polar plates 28 and 28' which are partially inlaid in four rows on the alternation drum 26. The polar plate 28 and 28' are connected to a power source 30 by means of a switch 29. The alternation drum 26 together with the plates 28 and brushes 27 form a source of alternating current for the electro-magnets 12 and 12'. In addition. the motor 25 is provided with a fan 34 which blows dust away from the polar plates 28 and 28', brushes 27 and at the same time cools the alternation drum 26. In addition, the compressor is provided with heatproof and oil-proof seals 33 which provide airtight connection between the parts.

In operation, when the switch 29 is closed, power is supplied to the motor 25 and to the polar plates 28 and 28' of the alternating drum 26. As the motor 25 turns, power is alternately supplied from the power source 30 to the electromagnets 12 and 12' as a result of the alternating connections between the brushes 27 and the power source 30 caused by the rotating alternating drum 26 with the alternatingly connected together polar plates 28 and 28' provided thereon.

When the switch 29 is first closed, the power supplied via the alternating drum 26, polar plates 28 and 28' and brushes 27 cause the electric power to be provided to the electrodes 24 and 24'. The electric power provided to electrodes 24 and 24' are of opposite polarity. As a result, the electromagnets 12' may be of the same polarity as the magnetic disc 1 and therefore repel the disc 1 while the electromagnets 12 may be of opposite polarity as the magnetic disc 1 and attract it. As a result, the compressor will achieve the situation shown in Figure 1.

When the alternating drum 26 has rotated sufficiently that a new polar plate 28 or 28-3 contacts the brushes 27, the polarity of the power applied to the electrodes 24 and 24' reverses.

Accordingly, the electromagnets 12 now will be of the same polarity as the disc 1 and repel it while the electro-magnets 12' will be of the opposite polarity as the disc 1 and attracted. As a result, the disc together with the piston 3 and 3' will reciprocate by means of the above described motion in operation and the gas will be compressed.

Referring to Figure 4, shown therein is a second embodiment of a compressor in accordance with the teachings o-F the present invention. In the second embodiment, the essential parts are substantially the same as those described in the first embodiment except that in this embodiments the two pistons and cylinders are not provided along a single axis. It should be apparent that in this embodiment a plurality of pistons and cylinders could be provided circumferentially in a compressor. Since in this embodiment, the two pistons and cylinders are not provided along a single axis, a support pin 31 is coupled to the center of the disc 1 and is provided at one end with thread to form a bolt 2 which connects the disc 1 to the piston rod 5.

Since the remainder of the elements of this second embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, like elements are given like reference numerals and a description of their interconnection in operation is omitted.

Referring to Figure 5, shown therein is a third embodiment of a compressor in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In Figure 5, if it is desirable to eliminate the plurality of electromagnets 12 and 12-3, a single ringshaped electromagnet 12 or 12' could be utilized.

By means of utilizing a single electromagnet, the construction can be greatly simplified. In all of the manners, the compressor of Figure 5 is substantially the same as the above described embodiments and like elements are given like reference numerals and the description of their interconnection of operation is omitted.

From the above, it is apparent that the compressor of the present invention has certain advantages. These advantages include economical operation since the compressor requires less power consumption because the reciprocating motion of the piston is created by magnetic attraction and repulsion; engine power is not utilized to power the present invention and therefore economy of operation of the engine is increased and the engine is not overworked to cause overheating and stalling; since the compressor is not driven by the engine, it can be utilized on small vehicles with an engine of small horse power; the compressor is light weight and small in size and therefore, space restrictions are minimal and the compressor can be utilized with a wider variety of vehicles; the compressor is more efficient because there is no mechanical loss of power by converting the rotating motion of the engine into reciprocating motion of the piston; and the cost is one third to one quarter of the prior art reciprocating compressors due to the simple construction of the compressor of the present invention.

While the above description has been given in terms of the alternating signal being supplied by the alternating drum 26, it would be possible to use any alternating source of power such as an electric circuit, electromechanical device, It should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the above described embodiments are merely illustrative of but a few of the many possible specific embodiments which represent the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A reciprocating compressor having at least one cylinder and at least one piston provided in said cylinder and a means for reciprocating said piston in said cylinder, said means for reciprocating said piston in said cylinder comprising: at least one permanent magnet coupled to said piston; at least one pair of electromagnets provided adjacent said permanent magnet on opposing sides; and a source of alternating power for said electromagnets for alternately causing said permanent magnet to be attracted and repelled whereby said piston is caused to reciprocate in said cylinders

2. A compressor according to Claim 1 wherein said permanent magnet is disc shaped.

3. A compressor according to Claim 2 wherein said permanent magnet is coupled to said piston by a piston rod.

4. A compressor according to Claim 3 wherein there are at least two pistons and cylinders.

5. A compressor according to Claim 4 wherein said cylinders are provided on one axis.

6. A compressor according to Claim 5 wherein said permanent magnet disc is coupled to both pistons.

7. A compressor according to Claim 6 wherein said source of alternating power comprising: an alternating drum, a source of electric power, a plurality of plates provided on said drum, said plates being alternately coupled to said source of electric power; a motor for rotating said drum; and a plurality of brushes alternately engaging with said plurality of plates, said brushes being coupled to said electromagnets.

8. A compressor according to Claim 4 wherein said cylinders are provided in parallel on separate axis.

9. A compressor according to Claim 8 wherein said source of alternating power comprising: an alternating drum; a source of electric power; a plurality of plates provided on said drum, said plates being alternately coupled to said source of electric power; a motor for rotating said drum; and a plurality of brushes being coupled to said electromagnets.