Filter Device for Air Compressor

The present invention generally relates to air compressors, more particularly to a filter device integrated with a support stand for the driving motor of an air compressor.

Air compressors or inflators are mainly used as a source of compressed air for pneumatic tools in workplaces or for general household repairs. They are also the primary equipment for inflating car tires or various inflatable objects.

Regarding the working principle of air compressors or inflators, they primarily operate by having an internal motor directly drive a crankshaft, causing it to rotate. This rotation then drives a connecting rod that makes the piston move up and down in a reciprocating motion, thereby changing the volume of the cylinder and compressing and discharging pressurized air. During the entire compression process, due to the change in cylinder volume, the compressed air passes through a one-way valve mechanism (check valve) and is output through an air nozzle via a hose, allowing it to inflate the desired object.

Observing conventional small to medium-sized air compressors or inflators (such as portable inflators or tabletop inflators), they are equipped with stands located at the front and rear positions of the air compressor. These stands ensure the stable placement of the air compressor. However, these conventional stands do not have any additional functions, and such air compressors lack filters for dust, grit, and moisture. Consequently, if moisture, grit, or dust in the air enters the cylinder of the air compressor or inflator, it inevitably causes wear between the piston and the cylinder wall. Furthermore, if moisture enters the cylinder, it will likely cause rust between the piston and the cylinder wall, significantly reducing the lifespan of the inflator.

Therefore, the main issue the present invention aims to solve is how to ingeniously convert the conventional stand, which is solely used for stabilizing the placement of air compressors or inflators, into a component that can filter dust, grit, and moisture from the external air. This innovation aims to effectively enhance the overall lifespan of the air compressor or inflator while considering manufacturing costs.

A major objective of the present invention is to provide a filter device for an air compressor, where the air compressor includes a driving motor and a cylinder assembly. The filter device includes a base member and a cover member. The base member has a back side and a front side. The back side of the base member is for sealing and connecting to a rear end of the driving motor. The front side of the base member is provided with a housing space surrounded with a side wall. The base member has multiple exhaust holes located on an interior bottom surface of the housing space. The exhaust holes communicate with the driving motor's interior. At least one filtering material is placed inside the housing space. The cover member is joined to the base member to seal the housing space. At least one side of the cover member is provided multiple air intake grooves. The air intake grooves correspond to the side wall of the housing space, creating gaps between the cover member and the side wall of the housing space, allowing external air to enter the housing space through the air intake grooves.

When the air compressor starts, external air will be forcibly drawn through the filter device, providing a forced air intake function. The external air passes through the air intake grooves, filtering material, and exhaust holes into the driving motor. At this point, the air inside the driving motor has been filtered and simultaneously cools the driving motor. The filtered air inside the driving motor is then conveyed out by the cylinder assembly as pressurized air.

The main technical feature of the present invention lies in the filter device's forming an integrated structure with the support stand of the air compressor that connects to the rear end of the driving motor of the air compressor. The filter device can effectively filter out dust, grit, and moisture from the air, effectively preventing these contaminants from entering the driving motor and cylinder assembly of the air compressor, which could otherwise cause damage and rust to the driving motor and cylinder assembly. This significantly enhances the lifespan of the air compressor, reduces manufacturing costs, and makes it suitable for various harsh environments (e.g., the air compressor can be used in deserts, on beaches, in high humidity like in rain forests, etc.).

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The filter device of the present invention is applied to a small-size air compressor carried with a vehicle or for DIY use. As shown in, the filter deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention is primarily integrated with a support standof the air compressorand joins to the rear end of a driving motorof an air compressor. The air compressorincludes at least one driving motorand at least one cylinder assembly. The front end of the driving motoris connected to the cylinder assembly. The cylinder assemblyis equipped with at least one air outlet, which allows the cylinder assembly, operated by the driving motor, to discharge compressed air from the air outlet. The various details of the air compressor, such as the gear set, connecting rod, and piston, are not the technical features of the present invention and therefore are not elaborated on here.

The filter deviceincludes a base memberand a cover member.

The base memberhas a back side and a front side. The back side of the base memberis for sealing and connecting to the rear end of the driving motor. The front side of the base memberis provided with a housing spacesurrounded with a side wall (not numbered). The base memberhas multiple exhaust holeslocated on the interior bottom surface of the housing space. These exhaust holescommunicate with the interior of the driving motor. Additionally, at least one or more filtering materialsare placed inside the housing space. When two or more types of filtering materialsare used, they can either be of the same material or of different materials.

Additionally, the base memberhas multiple lock holesaround the outer periphery of the housing space. These multiple lock holesare used to secure the base memberto a support standthrough multiple screwsfor the stable placement of the air compressor.

The cover memberis joined to the base memberto seal the housing space. At least one side of the cover memberis provided with multiple air intake grooves(as shown in). The air intake groovescorrespond to the top of the side wall of the housing space, creating gaps between the cover memberand the side wall of the housing space(as shown in), allowing external air to enter the housing spacethrough the air intake grooves.

The back side of the base memberis further provided with a shaft positioning seat. This shaft positioning seatcorresponds to the rotor shaftof the driving motor, allowing the end of the rotor shaftto be placed into the shaft positioning seatto ensure the stable rotation of the rotor shaft.

As described above, when the air compressorstarts (i.e., when the driving motorstarts), external air will be forcibly drawn into the housing spacethrough the air intake grooves, providing a forced air intake function. The air then passes through one or more types of filtering materialfor filtration. Finally, the filtered air enters the driving motorthrough multiple exhaust holes. At this point, the air inside the driving motorhas been filtered and simultaneously cools the driving motor. The filtered air inside the driving motoris then conveyed out through the air outletby the cylinder assemblyas pressurized air. In this way, using the filtering materialinstalled in the base membercan effectively filter out dust, grit, and moisture from the air, preventing them from entering the driving motorand cylinder assemblyof the air compressor, which could otherwise cause wear, damage, and rusting of the driving motorand cylinder assembly.

Therefore, the main technical feature of the present invention lies in the filter device's forming an integrated structure with the support standof the air compressorthat connects to the rear end of the driving motorof the air compressor. The filter devicecan effectively filter out dust, grit, and moisture from the air, effectively preventing these contaminants from entering the driving motorand cylinder assemblyof the air compressor, which could otherwise cause damage and rust to the driving motorand cylinder assembly. This significantly enhances the lifespan of the air compressor, reduces manufacturing costs, and makes it suitable for various harsh environments (e.g., the air compressor can be used on beaches, by the sea, in high humidity, etc.).

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claims of the present invention.