Rotary expansible chamber devices – Working member has planetary or planetating movement – Helical working member – e.g. – scroll
Utility Patent
1999-04-21
2001-01-02
Vrablik, John J. (Department: 3748)
Rotary expansible chamber devices
Working member has planetary or planetating movement
Helical working member, e.g., scroll
C418S069000, C192S056100, C464S037000
Utility Patent
active
06168402
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning apparatus for keeping a room environment in a comfortable state. More particularly the invention relates to a scroll-type compressor which is a constituent element of the air conditioning apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With an air conditioning apparatus, a compressor is provided as a constituent element of a refrigerant circuit. The compressor is for compressing a gas refrigerant forwarded from an indoor heat exchanger (or an outdoor heat exchanger), and discharging this as a high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant. Hence, at the time of cooling, even with the outside air temperature high, the refrigerant can discharge heat to the outdoor air through the medium of the outdoor heat exchanger, while at the time of heating, it can impart heat to the indoor air through the medium of the indoor heat exchanger. Moreover, refrigerant circulation involving discharging and/or imparting heat can be realized.
Various forms of compressor have been proposed, one form being the scroll-type compressor. This compressor is composed mainly of two parts, that is, a fixed scroll member and an orbiting scroll member, each provided with spiral wrap portions. These parts are assembled together such that the wraps of each are engaged with each other. The assembled condition is such that the orbiting scroll member and the fixed scroll member are made eccentric to each other by an orbit radius, and such that the spiral wraps engage with each other 180 degrees apart. The refrigerant is introduced into a space (compression chamber) between the engaged wraps. Compression of the refrigerant is realized corresponding to the compression chamber moving towards the center of the scrolls due to the orbiting scroll member being rotated eccentrically relative to the fixed scroll member, so that the volume gradually reduces.
A rotation shaft for transmitting rotation power is connected to the orbiting scroll member in the scroll-type compressor. The rotation shaft is connected to the orbiting scroll member with an eccentric condition of a central axis of the rotation shaft corresponding to the eccentric engagement of the orbiting scroll member and the fixed scroll member. Moreover, in particular with a vehicle air conditioning apparatus, the rotation shaft is connected to an engine belt via an electromagnetic clutch or the like to thereby transmit power to the rotation shaft.
With the scroll-type compressor described above, since the respective spiral wrap portions of the fixed scroll member and the orbiting scroll member have portions which rotate at relatively high speed and come into contact with each other, lubricating oil is always supplied. However, there can be the case where adhesion, i.e., seizing occurs between the fixed scroll member and the orbiting scroll member by way of their spiral wrap portions, due to the supply of lubricating oil stopping or some other reason as a result of a problem.
If seizing occurs between both members, the orbiting scroll member is unable to rotate, resulting in a large resistance to the force being imparted by the rotation shaft. As a result an overload is applied to the electromagnetic clutch so that the internal windings thereof burn out, and the engine belt slips. Moreover, in a worst case where the above situation becomes extreme, there may be a case where the engine belt is severed, or in a completely locked state, operation of the engine becomes impossible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide a scroll-type compressor which will not exert an undesirable influence on the power source of the rotation shaft, even if seizing occurs between the orbiting scroll member and the fixed scroll member.
To address the above problems, the present invention provides the following means. That is to say, the scroll-type compressor according to a first aspect to the invention comprises: a rotation shaft; an eccentric drive pin located on a part positioned away from a central axis of the rotation shaft; an orbiting scroll member to which power is transmitted from the rotation shaft via the eccentric drive pin; a fixed scroll member fitted to the orbiting scroll member such that spiral wraps of each are engaged with each other; and a power transmission mechanism having a function for transmitting power from the rotation shaft to the eccentric drive pin, and for idling the rotation shaft when the orbiting scroll member is unable to operate.
With the scroll-type compressor according to a second aspect of the invention, the power transmission mechanism couples the rotation shaft and the eccentric drive pin which are formed as separate bodies, and transmits power from the rotation shaft to the eccentric pin.
With the scroll-type compressor according to a third aspect of the invention, the power transmission mechanism comprises: a closed ended cylindrical member with grooves having a substantially semi-circular cross-section formed in an inner wall of a bore of the cylindrical member in a height direction thereof, and with the eccentric drive pin protrudingly provided at a position eccentric to the center of the closed end; a cylindrical resilient roller centrally provided on the closed end inside the bore of the closed ended cylindrical member; and rollers provided so as to be inscribed in the substantially semi-circular cross-section grooves, and so as to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the resilient roller, and projections formed at a tip of the rotation shaft are insertingly fitted so as to fill spaces between the rollers.
According to the present invention, when the orbiting scroll member is unable to be operated by the power transmission mechanism, the rotation shaft is idled. Hence there is no problem such as an overload being applied to the power source which transmits power to the rotation shaft.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3067597 (1962-12-01), Sauerbrey
patent: 5273409 (1993-12-01), Swain
patent: 661 560 (1987-07-01), None
patent: 0 643 224 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 621098 (1927-01-01), None
patent: 879 063 (1961-10-01), None
patent: 4-160230 (1992-06-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 008, No. 220 (M-330), Oct. 6, 1984, JP 59 103033, Jun. 14, 1984.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Vrablik John J.
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