Fluid compressor

Abstract

A fluid compressor includes a housing; a compression chamber within the housing; a motor; a shaft that is rotated by the motor; and a piston assembly including at least two pistons directly connected to each other without any connecting rods. The piston assembly performs a reciprocating motion when acted on by the shaft such that the at least two pistons move within the compression chamber to compress a fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid compressor comprising:
 a housing;   a compression chamber within the housing;   a motor;   a shaft that is rotated by the motor; and   a piston assembly including at least two pistons directly connected to each other without any connecting rods, the piston assembly performing a reciprocating motion when acted on by the shaft such that the at least two pistons move within the compression chamber to compress a fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston assembly includes 2 pistons. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston assembly includes 4 pistons. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein each of the 4 pistons moves through a compression cycle simultaneously. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the motor is fixed directly to an inner surface of the outer housing. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein fluid enters the compression chamber through a first surface of the compression chamber and exits the compression chamber through a second surface of the compression chamber that is an opposite surface from the first surface. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the first surface is a surface of the at least one piston. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein fluid enters the compression chamber through a first surface of the compression chamber and exits the compression chamber through a second surface of the compression chamber that different from the first surface. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the first surface is a bottom surface of the compression chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of heat dissipation fins on an outer surface of the housing.   
     
     
         11 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of heat dissipation fins corresponds to a layer of stator laminate of the motor within the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a discharge volume muffles noise created within the compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an oil sump within a lower bearing that supports the shaft.   
     
     
         14 . The fluid compressor as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the oil sump has a slanted surface having an angle of approximately 25-35 degrees with a horizontal.