Vertical compressor assembly for motor vehicles

Abstract

 A compressor assembly (1) for motor vehicles is disclosed, comprising: a compressor (3); a silencer (5); optionally a cooling radiator (9); and a protection cover (7) that covers the other components, which are placed one above the other in a vertical arrangement, in order to find, starting from the ground level, first the compressor (3), then the silencer (5) and finally the cover (7), and thereby realising a compact unit with reduced encumbrance to be installed on a motor vehicle, particularly a truck.

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a compressor assembly, and in particular to a compressor assembly of the vertical type to be used in motor vehicles, particularly in trucks.

[0002] Compressor assemblies are known in the art and find particular application in trucks as accessories in order to pressurize the reservoir for transporting powdery and granulated products (sand, sugar, cement, cereals, etc.) and then allow the pneumatic discharge of such products. Compressor assemblies of this type, that are nowadays known, are realised and installed in a parallel way to the vehicle chassis. However, given the large compressor encumbrance, especially along its length (about 80 cm), there occur serious problems in the parallel application to the chassis: in fact, a traditional compressor assembly substantially comprises a compressor driven by a belt, a silencer and a cooling radiator (the so-called "intercooler"), wherein all these components are placed one beside the other and are protected by an external grid in order to prevent a user or an installer from getting in contact with moving parts. The final compressor assembly that is made is rather bulky, and in particular its overall dimension on its length equal to 80 cm often prevents its application, since it should be installed reducing the gas oil tank capacity in order to make room for the compressor itself. Similar problems occur with tool-holder cases, etc. whose space is reduced by the compressor assembly when installed.

[0003] Object of the present invention is solving the above prior-art problems, by providing a compressor assembly of reduced sizes in its length (not greater than 50 cm) and that provides the same performance as of similar prior art compressors. The compressor assembly of the invention is realised in such an arrangement as to be able to be installed perpendicularly (and not in parallel) to the vehicle chassis, in which all its main component parts are placed one above the other and are protected by an external protection cover. Such arrangement, in addition to saving space, allows an easy installation, and an easy removal as well, of the compressor assembly, for example in order to subject it to service or maintenance interventions.

[0004] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by a vertical compressor assembly as claimed in Claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are claimed in the dependent Claims.

[0005] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the external structure of a preferred embodiment of the compressor assembly of the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a schematic front view of the compressor assembly in Fig. 1;
• Figure 3 is an internal perspective view of the compressor assembly of the invention that points out its main components and their position;
• Figure 4 is a side view of the compressor assembly in Fig. 3; and
• Figure 5 is an electric diagram of the compressor assembly of the present invention.

[0006] With reference to the Figures, a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment of the compressor assembly of the present invention is shown: it will be obvious to the skilled people in the art, upon reading the present description, that numerous variations and modifications can be made to the described compressor assembly, that all fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed in the enclosed Claims.

[0007] The compressor assembly 1 for motor vehicles of the invention first of all comprises at least one compressor 3, for example of the CS80/1 or GD T3 type manufactured by Company GHH-RAND. In order to realise the inventive arrangement of the compressor assembly 1, the compressor 3 is free from the usual motion transmitting belt that can be found in prior art compressors: in this case, the compressor 3 receives its actuation from at least one joint 11 with angular transmission (for example with powers that are equal to 85 CV and 105 CV), that is connected to a coupling joint 13 to the shaft 15 of the compressor 3 itself.

[0008] The compressor assembly 1 further comprises at least one silencer 5 that is operatively connected to the compressor 3 and is placed above it with respect to the ground. The compressor 3-silencer 5 assembly is placed inside a protection cover 7 in order to realise a basic arrangement that is vertically very compact and thereby provides a high installation ease.

[0009] Finally, optionally but preferably, the compressor assembly 1 further comprises at least one cooling radiator ("intercooler") 9, equipped with a fan 10, that is also placed inside the protection cover 7 and is vertically placed above the silencer 5 with respect to the ground. The cooling radiator 9 is operatively connected to the silencer 5 and the compressor 3 in order to realise a final compressor assembly 1 that is covered and vertically compact like the previous one.

[0010] As shown in particular in Fig.s 2, 3 and 4, display and control means 21 are placed on the external cover 7, in a known way, for the correct operating management of the compressor assembly 1, and such means interact with an electric command and control circuit 15, contained into the same box housing the means 21, which electric circuit 15 substantially comprises, as shown in Fig. 5:

• sensor means B1 for measuring air temperature;
• signalling means H1, H2 of air and temperature refrigeration insertion, in which H1 is an operation control light that becomes green-coloured when air refrigeration is inserted, while H2 is a temperature indicator that turns on the instruments;
• an insertion relay K1 (at 24 V) for the fan 10 controlled by a motor M1;
• indicator means P1, S1 of compressed air temperature;
• electronic means U1 for adjusting the venting; and
• adjustment means R1 (of the PCU 10 type) of the number of revolutions.

[0011] The electric circuit 15 further comprises a 25A fuse F1 placed in the battery compartment (not shown).

[0012] The compressor assembly 1 of the invention, in its shown and described arrangement, is therefore adapted to be installed on a truck next to the fuel tank placed on the main longitudinal member of the truck, providing a minimum overall dimension in its width (not longer than 0.5 meters) and thereby allowing not to lose a lot of capacity of the fuel tank beside which it is placed upon installation.

[0013] A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, that is applied to the motor vehicle field, and in particular to trucks. Obviously, the present invention can be applied to any motor and vehicle field in which space savings, and reductions of production, maintenance and service costs are of a major importance.

Claims

1. Compressor assembly (1) for motor vehicles comprising:

- at least one compressor (3);

- at least one silencer (5) operatively connected to said at least one compressor (3); and

- at least one protection cover (7) that covers said at least one compressor (3) and said at least one silencer (5) protecting them from external interferences,

characterised in that, inside said at least one protection cover (7), said at least one silencer (5) is vertically placed above said at least one compressor (3) with respect to the ground.

2. Compressor assembly (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises at least one cooling radiator (9), said at least one cooling radiator (9) being placed inside said at least one protection cover (7) and being vertically placed above said at least one silencer (5) with respect to the ground, said at least one cooling radiator (9) being operatively connected to said at least one silencer (5) and said at least one compressor (3) in order to realise a compressor assembly (1) with cover (7) in a vertical arrangement.

3. Compressor assembly (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said at least one compressor (3) receives its actuation from at least one joint (11) with angular transmission, said at least one joint (11) being connected at a coupling joint (13) to a shaft (15) of the compressor (3).

4. Compressor assembly (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that it is equipped with an electric circuit (15) comprising:

- sensor means (B1) for measuring air temperature;

- signalling means (H1, H2) of air and temperature refrigeration insertion;

- an insertion relay (K1) for a fan (10) controlled by a motor (M1);

- indicator means (P1, S1) of compressed air temperature;

- electronic means (U1) for adjusting a venting; and

- adjustment means (R1) of the number of revolutions.

5. Compressor assembly (1) according to any one of the previous Claims, characterised in that said compressor assembly (1) is adapted to be installed on a truck next to a fuel tank placed on a main longitudinal member of the truck.

Drawing