Compressor

Abstract

A compressor includes a cylinder assembly in a V4 configuration. A crankshaft of the compressor has a main shaft and first and second eccentric bodies. The two eccentric bodies drive four pistons.

1 . A compressor for compressing gas, comprising:
 first, second, third and fourth cylinders, wherein a central axis of the first cylinder is parallel with a central axis of the second cylinder and a central axis of the third cylinder is parallel with the central axis of the fourth cylinder, wherein axes of the first and second cylinders are oriented at an angle with respect to the axes of the third and fourth cylinders to form a V4 cylinder configuration;   first, second, third and fourth pistons disposed in the first, second, third and fourth cylinders;   a crankshaft having a main shaft and only two eccentric driving bodies that drive the first, second, third, and fourth pistons.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor of  claim 1  wherein an angle formed between the axes of the first and second cylinders and the axes of the third and fourth cylinders is ninety degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor of  claim 1  further comprising a head assembly that routes gas compressed in the first cylinder to the second cylinder, gas compressed in the second cylinder to the third cylinder, and gas compressed in the third cylinder to the fourth cylinder. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor of  claim 1  wherein the first cylinder has a first diameter, the second cylinder has a second diameter, the third cylinder has a third diameter, and the fourth cylinder has a fourth diameter, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter, the second diameter is larger than the third diameter, and the third diameter is larger than the fourth diameter. 
     
     
         5 . A compressor for compressing a gas, comprising:
 a cylinder assembly having a first cylinder having a first diameter, a second cylinder having a second diameter, a third cylinder having a third diameter, and a fourth cylinder having a fourth diameter, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter, the second diameter is larger than the third diameter, and the third diameter is larger than the fourth diameter, wherein the first cylinder is in-line with the second cylinder, wherein third cylinder is in-line with the fourth cylinder, wherein the first and second cylinders form and angle of approximately ninety degrees with respect to the third and fourth cylinders such that the cylinder assembly is a V4 configuration;   first, second, third and fourth pistons received in the first, second, third, and fourth cylinders respectively;   first, second, third, and fourth drive rods arranged to move the first, second, third, and fourth pistons in the first, second, third, and fourth cylinders;   a crankshaft having a main shaft that includes a crank axis about which the crankshaft rotates, wherein the crankshaft includes first and second circular connecting rod driving bodies that extend radially outward from and are eccentric to the crank axis, wherein the first and third drive rods are rotatably connected to the first circular connecting rod driving body such that rotation of the first circular connecting rod body about the crank axis reciprocates the first and third drive rods and wherein the second and fourth drive rods are rotatably connected to the second circular connecting rod driving body such that rotation of the second circular connecting rod body about the crank axis reciprocates the second and fourth drive rods;   a gas inlet for providing a source of gas to the first cylinder, a first gas flow passage for providing the gas from the first cylinder to the second cylinder, a second gas flow passage for providing the gas from the second cylinder to the third cylinder, a third gas flow passage for providing the gas from the third cylinder to the fourth cylinder, and a gas outlet for providing the gas out of the compressor in a compressed state.   
     
     
         6 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the first and second circular connecting rod driving bodies are the only connecting rod driving bodies of the crankshaft. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the connecting rod driving bodies each consist of a single continuous cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the connecting rod driving bodies each consist of a single continuous cylinder integrally formed with the main shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the first connecting rod driving body abuts the second connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor of  claim 7  wherein the first connecting rod driving body abuts the second connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         11 . The compressor of  claim 8  wherein the first connecting rod driving body abuts the second connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         12 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the first connecting rod driving body is connected to the second connecting rod driving body only at an area of overlap between the first connecting rod driving body and the second connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         13 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the first connecting rod driving body is connected to the second connecting rod driving body by a circular disk disposed between the first connecting rod driving body and the second connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         14 . The compressor of  claim 13  wherein the circular disk is centered on the crank axis. 
     
     
         15 . The compressor of  claim 14  wherein an outer circumference of the circular disk extends outward of the outer circumference of both of the first and second connecting rod driving bodies. 
     
     
         16 . The compressor of  claim 8  wherein the first connecting rod driving body is connected to the second connecting rod driving body by a circular disk that is integrally formed with and disposed between the first connecting rod driving body and the second connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         17 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the first piston comprises a wobble piston. 
     
     
         18 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the second piston comprises a guide member pivotably connected to the second drive rod and a compression member that is separate from the guide member disposed in the second cylinder. 
     
     
         19 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein the guide member engages the compression member to force the compression member toward a head end of the second cylinder during a compression stroke of the second drive rod. 
     
     
         20 . The compressor of  claim 19  wherein pressurized gas forced into the second cylinder by the first piston forces the compression member toward a crank end of the second cylinder during a charging stroke of the second drive rod. 
     
     
         21 . The compressor of  claim 5  wherein a first bearing support portion of the crankshaft has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the first circular connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         22 . A compressor for compressing a gas, comprising:
 a cylinder assembly having a first cylinder having a first diameter, a second cylinder having a second diameter, a third cylinder having a third diameter, and a fourth cylinder having a fourth diameter, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter, the second diameter is larger than the third diameter, and the third diameter is larger than the fourth diameter, wherein the first cylinder is in-line with the second cylinder, wherein third cylinder is in-line with the fourth cylinder;   first, second, third and fourth pistons received in the first, second, third, and fourth cylinders respectively;   first, second, third, and fourth drive rods arranged to move the first, second, third, and fourth pistons in the first, second, third, and fourth cylinders;   a crankshaft having a main shaft that includes a crank axis about which the crankshaft rotates, wherein the crankshaft includes first and second circular connecting rod driving bodies that extend radially outward from and are eccentric to the crank axis, wherein the first circular connecting rod driving body abuts the second circular connecting rod driving body, wherein the first and third drive rods are rotatably connected to the first circular connecting rod driving body such that rotation of the first circular connecting rod body about the crank axis reciprocates the first and third drive rods and wherein the second and fourth drive rods are rotatably connected to the second circular connecting rod driving body such that rotation of the second circular connecting rod body about the crank axis reciprocates the second and fourth drive rods;   a gas inlet for providing a source of gas to the first cylinder, a first gas flow passage for providing the gas from the first cylinder to the second cylinder, a second gas flow passage for providing the gas from the second cylinder to the third cylinder, a third gas flow passage for providing the gas from the third cylinder to the fourth cylinder, and a gas outlet for providing the gas out of the compressor in a compressed state.   
     
     
         23 . The compressor of  claim 22  wherein the first and second circular connecting rod driving bodies are the only connecting rod driving bodies of the crankshaft. 
     
     
         24 . The compressor of  claim 22  wherein the connecting rod driving bodies each consist of a single continuous cylinder. 
     
     
         25 . The compressor of  claim 22  wherein the connecting rod driving bodies each consist of a single continuous cylinder integrally formed with the main shaft. 
     
     
         26 . The compressor of  claim 22  wherein the first connecting rod driving body is connected to the second connecting rod driving body only at an area of overlap between the first connecting rod driving body and the second connecting rod driving body. 
     
     
         27 . The compressor of  claim 22  wherein the first piston comprises a wobble piston. 
     
     
         28 . The compressor of  claim 22  wherein the second piston comprises a guide member pivotably connected to the second drive rod and a compression member that is separate from the guide member disposed in the second cylinder. 
     
     
         29 . The compressor of  claim 22  wherein the guide member engages the compression member to force the compression member toward a head end of the second cylinder during a compression stroke of the second drive rod. 
     
     
         30 . The compressor of  claim 29  wherein pressurized gas forced into the second cylinder by the first piston forces the compression member toward a crank end of the second cylinder during a charging stroke of the second drive rod.