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A portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit has a compression cylinder having a piston that reciprocates in the cylinder. The piston is driven by an electric motor that is attached to an electrical circuit having a predeterminable current capacity. A manually controllable valv

A portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit has a compression cylinder having a piston that reciprocates in the cylinder. The piston is driven by an electric motor that is attached to an electrical circuit having a predeterminable current capacity. A manually controllable valve mechanism is mounted to an inlet to allow for the channeling of air into the compression cylinder. The manually controllable valve mechanism allows for control of the amount of air that the piston draws and compresses for each reciprocation. The amount of electric current used by the electric motor to drive the piston depends on the amount of air drawn and compressed. A user can therefore control the amount of electric current that the compressor unit uses by using the valve mechanism to control the amount of air that is drawn into the compression cylinder and compressed during each reciprocation of the piston.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit energizable by an electrical circuit having a limited amount of available electric current for the motor comprising: a portable air compressor including a compression cylinder having a piston mounted the

The invention claimed is: 1. A portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit energizable by an electrical circuit having a limited amount of available electric current for the motor comprising: a portable air compressor including a compression cylinder having a piston mounted therein to reciprocate in strokes along the length of said compression cylinder, the strokes comprising intake strokes which draw air into said compression cylinder and compression strokes which compress the air, an inlet to said compression cylinder which is the source of air that is drawn into said compression cylinder by said piston on each intake stroke as said piston reciprocates; an electric motor interconnected with said piston to cause said piston to reciprocate within said cylinder, said electric motor being connectable to an electrical circuit having a predeterminable maximum current level; and a manually controllable valve mechanism mounted to said inlet, said valve mechanism having a plurality of positions to which said valve mechanism can be manually adjusted, each said position allowing one of a plurality of amounts of air to be compressed to flow through said inlet during each intake stroke, an adjustment of said valve mechanism from one position to another varying the amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, thereby causing the amount of electric current used by said electric motor to drive said piston to vary the portion of the predeterminable maximum current level of said electrical circuit that is used by said electric motor. 2. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein the amount of electric current that is used by said electric motor increases when said valve mechanism is adjusted to cause the amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston to increase. 3. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein the amount of electric current that is used by said electric motor decreases when said valve mechanism is adjusted to cause the amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston to decrease. 4. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said valve mechanism includes a plurality of incremental positions, each said incremental position corresponding to one of a plurality of predeterminable amounts of air to flow through said inlet for each intake stroke, each predeterminable amount of air drawn through said inlet corresponding to a predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, each predeterminable amount of air that is compressed corresponding to one predeterminable current level from the electrical circuit that is used by said motor. 5. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism includes a filter, said filter being configured to remove particles from air that enters said air compressor unit through said valve mechanism. 6. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism can be hand operated to change position of the valve mechanism. 7. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism can be operated manually with a hand-operated electric control that uses electric current to change positions of said valve mechanism. 8. The portable electric motor driven air compressor unit of claim 1 in which: said manually controlled valve mechanism includes a plurality of incremental positions, each said incremental position corresponding to one of a plurality of predeterminable amounts of air to flow through said inlet, each predeterminable amount of air flowing through said inlet corresponding to a predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, each predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston corresponding to one predeterminable current level from said electrical circuit that is used by said motor; and a selector switch, said selector switch having a plurality of selection conditions, each said selection condition corresponding to an incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism, said valve mechanism being responsive to each of said plurality of selection conditions of said selector switch, said valve mechanism assuming an incremental position when said selection condition to which the incremental position of the valve mechanism is responsive is manually selected, thereby allowing for manual control of the incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism with said selector switch. 9. The portable electric motor driven air compressor unit of claim 1 further in which: said manually controlled valve mechanism includes a plurality of incremental positions, each said incremental position corresponding to one of a plurality of predeterminable amounts of air to flow through said inlet, each predeterminable amount of air flowing through said inlet corresponding to a predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each stroke of said piston, each predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each stroke of said piston corresponding to one predeterminable current level from said electrical circuit that is used by said motor; a plurality of solenoid controls, each said solenoid control having an ON condition and an OFF condition, each said solenoid control corresponding to one of said incremental positions of said manually controllable valve mechanism that corresponds to a predeterminable amount of air flow through said inlet, said manually controllable valve mechanism being responsive to said ON condition and said OFF condition of each said solenoid control, said manually controllable valve mechanism being configured to assume one of said incremental positions when a solenoid control corresponding to the same incremental position assumes an ON condition; and a selector switch, said selector switch having a plurality of selection conditions, each said selection condition corresponding to an incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism, each said solenoid control being responsive to one of said plurality of said selection conditions of said selector switch wherein each said solenoid control assumes an ON condition when said selection condition to which the solenoid control is responsive is manually selected, and each said solenoid control assumes an OFF condition when said selection switch assumes a condition to which the solenoid control is not responsive, thereby allowing for manual control of the incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism with said selector switch. 10. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said inlet includes an inlet chamber for receiving air before the air from said inlet enters said compression cylinder. 11. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said inlet includes an inlet chamber for receiving air before the air from said inlet enters said compression cylinder, said manually controllable valve mechanism being located at least partially within said inlet chamber. 12. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said inlet includes an inlet chamber for receiving air, said manually controllable valve mechanism being located at least partially within said inlet chamber, the air from said inlet passing from said inlet chamber through said manually controllable valve before entering said compression cylinder. 13. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 wherein said compressor includes a valve plate which separates said inlet chamber and said compression cylinder, said valve plate including an inlet hole between said inlet chamber and said compression cylinder to channel air from said inlet to said compression cylinder and said valve plate further including an inlet valve to prevent the movement of air from said compression cylinder back through said inlet when said piston compresses air with a compression stroke. 14. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 further comprising an outlet to receive air that has been compressed with said piston and to channel air out of said compression cylinder. 15. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 further comprising an outlet to channel air from said compression cylinder and to prevent the movement of air from said outlet back into said compression cylinder when said piston is not compressing air. 16. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 further comprising an outlet to channel air from said compression cylinder, said outlet having an outlet chamber to receive air that has been compressed in said compression cylinder. 17. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 further comprising: an outlet adjacent said compression cylinder to channel compressed air from said compression cylinder; and an air reservoir coupled to said outlet to receive and store compressed air. 18. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 comprising: said inlet including an inlet chamber to receive air before the air enters said compression cylinder, said inlet also including an inlet valve to channel air from said inlet to said compression cylinder and to prevent air from moving from said compression cylinder back through said inlet when said piston compresses air; an outlet to channel compressed air from said compression cylinder; an air reservoir to receive and store compressed air channeled through said outlet; a pilot valve responsive to the pressure of air that is stored within said air reservoir; and an inlet unloader responsive to said pilot valve and configured to keep said inlet valve in an open position when the pressure of air stored within said air reservoir is greater than a predetermined magnitude, thereby preventing said piston from compressing air in said compression cylinder. 19. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 1 further comprising: an outlet to channel, from said compression cylinder, air that has been compressed in said compression cylinder; an air reservoir to receive and store pressurized air that has been compressed and channeled through said outlet; and a pressure switch that is responsive to the pressure of air that is stored within said air reservoir, said electric motor being responsive to said pressure switch, said pressure switch being configured to allow said electric motor to cause said piston to reciprocate within said compression cylinder when the pressure within said air reservoir is less than a predetermined magnitude, said pressure switch being further configured to prevent said electric motor from causing said piston to reciprocate within said compression cylinder when the pressure within said air reservoir is greater than a predetermined magnitude. 20. A portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit energizable by an electrical circuit having a limited amount of available electric current for the motor comprising: a portable air compressor including a compression cylinder having a piston mounted therein to reciprocate in strokes along the length of said compression cylinder, the strokes comprising intake strokes which draw air into said compression cylinder and compression strokes which compress the air, an inlet to said compression cylinder which is the source of air that is drawn into said compression cylinder by said piston on each intake stroke as said piston reciprocates; an electric motor interconnected with said piston to cause said piston to reciprocate within said cylinder, said electric motor being connectable to an electrical circuit having a predeterminable maximum current level; and a manually controllable valve mechanism mounted to said inlet, said valve mechanism having a plurality of positions to which said valve mechanism can be manually adjusted, each said position allowing one of a plurality of amounts of air to be compressed to flow through said inlet during each intake stroke, an adjustment of said valve mechanism from one position to another varying the amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, thereby causing the amount of electric current used by said electric motor to drive said piston to vary the portion of the predeterminable maximum current level of said electrical circuit that is used by said electric motor; said valve mechanism being manually adjustable from at least one of said plurality of positions to another one of said plurality of positions to increase the amount of air available to be compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, thereby increasing the amount of electric current that is used by said electric motor, said valve mechanism being adjustable from at least one of said plurality of positions to another one of said plurality of positions to decrease the amount of air available to be compressed with each stroke of said piston, thereby decreasing the amount of electric current that is used by said electric motor. 21. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said valve mechanism includes a plurality of incremental positions, each said incremental position corresponding to one of a plurality of predeterminable amounts of air to flow through said inlet for each intake stroke, each predeterminable amount of air drawn through said inlet corresponding to a predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, each predeterminable amount of air that is compressed corresponding to one predeterminable current level from said electrical circuit that is used by said motor. 22. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism includes a filter, said filter being configured to remove particles from air that enters said air compressor unit through said valve mechanism. 23. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism can be hand operated to change position of the valve mechanism. 24. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism can be operated manually with a hand-operated electric control that uses electric current to change positions of said valve mechanism. 25. The portable electric motor driven air compressor unit of claim 20 further comprising: said manually controlled valve mechanism includes a plurality of incremental positions, each said incremental position corresponding to one of a plurality of predeterminable amounts of air to flow through said inlet, each predeterminable amount of air flowing through said inlet corresponding to a predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, each predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston corresponding to one predeterminable current level from said electrical circuit that is used by said motor; and a selector switch, said selector switch having a plurality of selection conditions, each said selection condition corresponding to an incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism, said valve mechanism being responsive to each of said plurality of selection conditions of said selector switch, said valve mechanism assumes an incremental position when said selection condition to which the incremental position of the valve mechanism is responsive is manually selected, thereby allowing for manual control of the incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism with said selector switch. 26. The portable electric motor driven air compressor unit of claim 20 in which: said manually controlled valve mechanism includes a plurality of incremental positions, each said incremental position corresponding to one of a plurality of predeterminable amounts of air to flow through said inlet, each predeterminable amount of air flowing through said inlet corresponding to a predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, each predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston corresponding to one predeterminable current level from said electrical circuit that is used by said motor; a plurality of solenoid controls, each said solenoid control having an ON condition and an OFF condition, each said solenoid control corresponding to one of said incremental positions of said manually controllable valve mechanism that corresponds to a predeterminable amount of air flow through said inlet, said manually controllable valve mechanism being responsive to said ON condition and said OFF condition of each said solenoid control, said manually controllable valve mechanism being configured to assume one of said incremental positions when a solenoid control corresponding to the same incremental position assumes an ON condition; and a selector switch, said selector switch having a plurality of selection conditions, each said selection condition corresponding to an incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism, each said solenoid control being responsive to one of said plurality of said selection conditions of said selector switch wherein each said solenoid control assumes an ON condition when said selection condition to which the solenoid control is responsive is manually selected, each said solenoid control assumes an OFF condition when said selection switch assumes a condition to which the solenoid control is not responsive, thereby allowing for manual control of the incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism with said selector switch. 27. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said inlet includes an inlet chamber to receive air before the air from said inlet enters said compression cylinder. 28. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said inlet includes an inlet chamber for receiving air before the air from said inlet enters said compression cylinder, said manually controllable valve mechanism being located at least partially within said inlet chamber. 29. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said inlet includes an inlet chamber for receiving air, said manually controllable valve mechanism being located at least partially within said inlet chamber, the air from said inlet passing from said inlet chamber through said manually controllable valve before entering said compression cylinder. 30. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 wherein said compressor includes a valve plate which separates said inlet chamber and said compression cylinder, said valve plate including an inlet hole between said inlet chamber and said compression cylinder to channel air from said inlet to said compression cylinder and an inlet valve to prevent the movement of air from said compression cylinder back through said inlet when said piston compresses air with a compression stroke. 31. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 further comprising an outlet to receive air that has been compressed with said piston and to channel air out of said compression cylinder. 32. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 further comprising an outlet to channel air from said compression cylinder and to prevent the movement of air from said outlet back into said compression cylinder when said piston is not compressing air. 33. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 further comprising an outlet to channel air from said compression cylinder, said outlet having an outlet chamber to receive air that has been compressed in said compression cylinder. 34. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 further comprising: an outlet adjacent said compression cylinder to channel compressed air from said compression cylinder; and an air reservoir coupled to said outlet to receive and store compressed air. 35. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 comprising: said inlet including an inlet chamber to receive air before the air enters said compression cylinder, said inlet also including an inlet valve to channel air from said inlet to said compression cylinder and to prevent air from moving from said compression cylinder back through said inlet when said piston compresses air; an outlet to channel compressed air from said compressed cylinder; an air reservoir to receive and store compressed air channeled through said outlet; a pilot valve responsive to the pressure of air that is stored within said air reservoir; and an inlet unloader responsive to said pilot valve and configured to keep said inlet valve in an open position when the pressure of air stored within said air reservoir is greater than a predetermined magnitude, thereby preventing said piston from compressing air in said compression cylinder. 36. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 20 further comprising: an outlet to channel, from said compression cylinder, air that has been compressed in said compression cylinder; an air reservoir to receive and store pressurized air that has been compressed and channeled through said outlet; and a pressure switch that is responsive to the pressure of air that is stored within said air reservoir, said electric motor being responsive to said pressure switch, said pressure switch being configured to allow said electric motor to cause said piston to reciprocate within said compression cylinder when the pressure within said air reservoir is less than a predetermined magnitude, said pressure switch being further configured to prevent said electric motor from causing said piston to reciprocate within said compression cylinder when the pressure within said air reservoir is greater than a predetermined magnitude. 37. A portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit energizable by an electrical circuit having a limited amount of available electric current for the motor comprising: a portable air compressor including a compression cylinder having a piston mounted therein to reciprocate in strokes along the length of said compression cylinder the strokes comprising intake strokes which draw air into said compression cylinder and compression strokes which compress the air, an inlet to said compression cylinder which is the source of air that is drawn into said compression cylinder by said piston on each intake stroke as said piston reciprocates; an electric motor interconnected with said piston to cause said piston to reciprocate within said cylinder, said electric motor being connected to an electrical circuit having a predeterminable maximum current level; a manually controllable valve mechanism mounted to said inlet, said valve mechanism having a plurality of positions to which said valve mechanism can be manually adjusted, each said position allowing one of a plurality of potential amounts of air to flow through said inlet during each intake stroke, an adjustment of said valve mechanism from one position to another varying the amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston thereby causing the amount of electric current used by said electric motor to drive said piston to vary the portion of the predeterminable maximum current level of said electrical circuit, a filter being configured to remove particles from air that enters said air compressor unit through said valve mechanism; said inlet including an inlet chamber for receiving air before the air enters said compression cylinder, said inlet also including an inlet hole having an inlet valve to channel air from said inlet to said compression cylinder and to prevent air from moving from said compression cylinder back through said inlet when said piston compresses air with a stroke of said piston; said valve mechanism having a plurality of positions, each said position allowing for one of a plurality of predeterminable amounts of air to flow through said inlet for each intake stroke, each predeterminable amount of air drawn through said inlet corresponding to a predeterminable amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston, each predeterminable amount of air that is compressed corresponding to one predeterminable current level from said electrical circuit that is used by said motor; the amount of electric current that is used by said electric motor increasing when said valve mechanism is adjusted so that the amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston increases, the amount of electric current that is used by said electric motor decreasing when said valve mechanism is adjusted so that the amount of air that is compressed with each compression stroke of said piston decreases; an outlet to receive air that has been compressed with said piston, said outlet including an outlet hole having an outlet valve to channel air from said compression cylinder and to prevent the movement of air from said outlet back into said compression cylinder when said piston is not compressing air, said outlet having an outlet chamber to receive air that has been compressed in said compression cylinder; and an air reservoir to receive and store air that has been compressed and channeled through said outlet. 38. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 37 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism can be hand operated to change positions of said valve mechanism. 39. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 37 wherein said manually controllable valve mechanism can be operated manually with a hand-operated electric control that uses electric current to change positions of said valve mechanism. 40. The portable electric motor driven air compressor unit of claim 37 in which each of said plurality of positions is an incremental position, said compressor unit further comprising: a plurality of solenoid controls, each said solenoid control having an ON condition and an OFF condition, each said solenoid control corresponding to one of said incremental positions of said manually controllable valve mechanism that corresponds to a predeterminable amount of air flow through said inlet, said manually controllable valve mechanism being responsive to said ON condition and said OFF condition of each said solenoid control, said manually controllable valve mechanism being configured to assume one of said incremental positions when a solenoid control corresponding to the same incremental position assumes an ON condition; and a selector switch, said selector switch having a plurality of selection conditions, each said selection condition corresponding to an incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism, each said solenoid control being responsive to one of said plurality of said selection conditions of said selector switch wherein each said solenoid control assumes an ON condition when said selection condition to which the solenoid control is responsive is manually selected, each said solenoid control assumes an OFF condition when said selection switch assumes a condition to which the solenoid control is not responsive, thereby allowing for manual control of the incremental position of said manually controllable valve mechanism with said selector switch. 41. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 37 comprising: a pilot valve responsive to the pressure of air that is stored within said air reservoir; and an inlet unloader responsive to said pilot valve and configured to keep said inlet valve in an open position when the pressure of air stored within said air reservoir is greater than a predetermined magnitude, thereby preventing said piston from compressing air in said compression cylinder. 42. The portable electric motor driven reciprocating air compressor unit of claim 37 further comprising a pressure switch that is responsive to the pressure of air that is stored within said air reservoir, said electric motor being responsive to said pressure switch, said pressure switch being configured to allow said electric motor to cause said piston to reciprocate within said compression cylinder when the pressure within said air reservoir is less than a predetermined magnitude, said pressure switch being further configured to prevent said electric motor from causing said piston to reciprocate within said compression cylinder when the pressure within said air reservoir is greater than a predetermined magnitude.