The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 19, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 24, 1997
John T Gunn, Charlotte, NC (US);
William H Harden, Yadkinville, NC (US);
Don John Gerhardt, Clemmons, NC (US);
Other;
Abstract
A gas compressor includes a compression module, an adjustable inlet valve for precisely controlling the supply of a compressible gas to the compression module, and a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of the gas discharged from the compression module. The gas compressor also includes an internal combustion engine for driving the compression module, the internal combustion engine having a cooling system including an engine coolant, a coolant sensor for sensing a temperature of the engine coolant, the coolant sensor being in signal sending relation with the electronic control module, a fuel control device for controlling the amount of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine and an electronic control module (ECM) having a memory and a logic routine for controlling operation of the compressor. The ECM has a set point speed for the engine and a set point minimum coolant temperature for the engine stored in the memory. The ECM is in communication with the coolant sensor for receiving the sensed temperature of the engine coolant. The ECM is also in communication with the pressure sensor for receiving the sensed discharge pressure and comparing the discharge pressure to a set point discharge pressure range stored in the memory. The ECM generates a signal for positioning the adjustable inlet valve so that the discharge pressure remains within the set point pressure range. A method for controlling the gas compressor includes executing a compressor start routine including the steps of opening the fuel control device for supplying fuel to the engine, and accelerating the engine to the set point speed stored in the memory of the electronic control module. After the internal combustion engine reaches the set point speed, the ECM executes the compressor load routine including sensing an actual temperature of the engine coolant and comparing the actual temperature of the engine coolant to the set point minimum coolant temperature; and opening the adjustable inlet valve after the actual engine coolant temperature is at least equal to the set point minimum coolant temperature, wherein the position of the adjustable inlet valve is controlled by the ECM.