Valve plate and head cover assembly

Abstract

A head assembly for a multi-cylinder compressor or pump having a first cylinder and a second cylinder includes a valve plate that has a first cylinder portion, a second cylinder portion, and a third portion positioned therebetween. The valve plate further including a valve plate face with a first aperture extending through the first cylinder portion and a second aperture extending through the second cylinder portion. The head assembly also includes a head cover having a head cover face, and at least one wall extending from one of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a channel. The head cover being couplable to the valve plate such that the channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a chamber extending between and enclosing the first and second apertures of the valve plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-cylinder compressor or pump, comprising:
 a first cylinder housing including a first bore and a second cylinder housing including a second bore;   a motor having a drive shaft;   a first piston coupled to the drive shaft and received in the first bore and a second piston coupled to the drive shaft and received in the second bore;   a valve plate including a first cylinder portion, a second cylinder portion, and a third portion positioned between the first cylinder portion and the second cylinder portion, the valve plate further including a valve plate face with a first aperture extending through the first cylinder portion and a second aperture extending through the second cylinder portion, wherein the first cylinder portion of the valve plate is coupled to the first cylinder housing and the second cylinder portion of the valve plate is coupled to the second cylinder housing such that the first aperture is in fluid communication with the first bore and the second aperture is in fluid communication with the second bore;   a head cover including a head cover face; and   at least one wall extending from one of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a channel, wherein the head cover is coupled to the valve plate such that the channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a chamber extending between and enclosing the first aperture of the first cylinder portion and the second aperture of the second cylinder portion of the valve plate.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 1 , wherein the valve plate is coupled to the first and second cylinder housings by a plurality of bosses of the first and second cylinder housings. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 2 , wherein the head cover is coupled to the valve plate via fasteners. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 1 , wherein one of the valve plate and the head cover defines an intake port. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 1 , wherein one of the valve plate and the head cover defines an exhaust port. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first cylinder housing defines a second chamber and the second cylinder housing defines a third chamber, wherein a third aperture extends through the first piston such that the second chamber is in fluid communication with the first bore and a fourth aperture extends through the second piston such that the third chamber is in fluid communication with the second bore. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 1 , wherein the valve plate face further includes a third aperture extending through the first cylinder portion and a fourth aperture extending through the second cylinder portion, wherein the at least one wall forms a second channel with the one of the valve plate face and the head cover face, wherein the second channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a second chamber extending between and enclosing the third aperture and the fourth aperture when the valve plate and the head cover are coupled together. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one wall forms a third channel with the one of the valve plate face and the head cover face, wherein the third channel cooperates with the other of valve plate face and the head cover face to form a third chamber when the valve plate and the head cover are coupled together, and wherein the third chamber is positioned between the first chamber and the second chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 8 , wherein the third chamber is at least partially lined with a sound dampening medium. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-cylinder compressor or pump of  claim 1 , wherein the valve plate further includes a third aperture extending through the first cylinder portion in fluid communication with the first bore and a fourth aperture extending through the second cylinder portion in fluid communication with the second bore, wherein the at least one wall forms a second channel and a third channel with the one of the valve plate face and the head cover face, wherein the second channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a second chamber and the third channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a third chamber, wherein the third aperture is positioned in and enclosed by the second chamber and the fourth aperture is positioned in and enclosed by the third chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A head assembly for a multi-cylinder compressor or pump having first and second cylinders, comprising:
 a valve plate including a first cylinder portion, a second cylinder portion, and a third portion positioned between the first cylinder portion and the second cylinder portion, the valve plate further including a valve plate face with a first aperture extending through the first cylinder portion and a second aperture extending through the second cylinder portion;   a head cover including a head cover face; and   at least one wall extending from one of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a channel, wherein the head cover is configured for coupling to the valve plate such that the channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a chamber extending between and enclosing the first aperture of the first cylinder portion and the second aperture of the second cylinder portion of the valve plate.   
     
     
         12 . The head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a groove is defined by one of the valve plate face and the head cover face, and wherein the at least one wall cooperates with the groove. 
     
     
         13 . The head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein one of the valve plate and the head cover defines an intake port. 
     
     
         14 . The head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein one of the valve plate and the head cover defines an exhaust port. 
     
     
         15 . The head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the valve plate further includes a third aperture extending through the first cylinder portion and a fourth aperture extending through the second cylinder portion, wherein the at least one wall forms a second channel with the one of the valve plate face and the head cover face, wherein the second channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a second chamber extending between and enclosing the third aperture and the fourth aperture when the valve plate and the head cover are coupled together. 
     
     
         16 . The head assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one wall forms a third channel with the one of the valve plate face and the head cover face, wherein the third channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a third chamber when the valve plate and the head cover are coupled together, and wherein the third chamber is positioned between the first chamber and the second chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The head assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the third chamber is at least partially lined with a sound dampening medium. 
     
     
         18 . The head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first cylinder portion of the valve plate face further includes a third aperture extending through the first cylinder portion of the valve plate and a fourth aperture extending through the second cylinder portion, wherein the at least one wall forms a second channel and a third channel with the one of the valve plate face and the head cover face, wherein the second channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a second chamber and the third channel cooperates with the other of the valve plate face and the head cover face to form a third chamber when the valve plate and the head cover are coupled together, and wherein the third aperture is positioned in and enclosed by the second chamber and the fourth aperture is positioned in and enclosed by the third chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one wall is integrally formed as one piece with the one of the valve plate and the head cover. 
     
     
         20 . A multi-cylinder compressor or pump, comprising:
 a first cylinder housing defining a first bore and a second cylinder housing defining a second bore; and a head assembly couplable to the first and second cylinder housings, the head assembly including a valve plate and a head cover configured to cooperate to form a chamber in fluid communication with the first and second bores with the valve plate positioned over both the first and second bores.   
     
     
         21 . The head assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one wall is independently formed from the one of the valve plate face and the head cover face.