Rotary expansible chamber devices – Working member has planetary or planetating movement – Helical working member – e.g. – scroll
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-28
2003-08-12
Denion, Thomas (Department: 3748)
Rotary expansible chamber devices
Working member has planetary or planetating movement
Helical working member, e.g., scroll
C418S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604923
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to scroll compressors for refrigeration units. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system, method, and apparatus to minimize the amount of debris contacting the sides of a moveable scroll in a scroll compressor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Scroll compressors are well known in the art. Scroll compressors are used in refrigeration systems to compress coolant as part of a cooling process. A typical scroll compressor is comprised of two scrolls.
FIG. 1
illustrates a typical scroll compressor
100
utilized in the prior art. The first scroll is a stationary scroll
105
and is physically mounted to a base. A moveable scroll
110
moves in a path between the walls of the stationary scroll
105
. As the moveable scroll
110
moves, it tightly contacts the stationary scroll at numerous locations, trapping gas coolant in pockets between the locations at which the moveable scroll
110
contacts the stationary scroll. As the moveable scroll
110
moves in the path between the walls of the stationary scroll
105
, the contact points move, pushing the coolant gas trapped between the contact points progressively closer to the center of the scroll compressor
100
. As the coolant moves closer to the center, it becomes more compressed, since the pockets continually shrink. As the coolant becomes more and more compressed, its temperature increases. As the compressed coolant gas reaches the center, the pressure becomes so great that the coolant typically liquefies. Once the coolant reaches the center, it is pumped into coils of a cooling system.
The liquid coolant then flows through the coils, where it dissipates heat. After the high pressure liquid coolant has completely flowed through the coils, it reaches an expansion valve, through which it may flow. The expansion valve is similar to a small hole. On one side of the expansion valve is the high pressure liquid coolant, and on the other side is a low pressure area. Once in the low pressure area, the liquid coolant immediately boils and its temperature drops substantially, to a temperature suitable for cooling. The chilled coolant gas may then flow through pipes in the low pressure area until it again reaches the scroll compressor
100
, and the process may repeat itself
Typical scroll compressors
100
utilize moveable scrolls
110
and stationary scrolls
105
formed of the same material, or of similar materials having similar hardness. However, using materials of the same or similar hardness can be problematic. For example, if debris falls into the scroll compressor
100
, into a space between the moveable scroll
110
and the stationary scroll
105
, the debris can damage the scroll compressor
100
.
FIG. 2
illustrates a sectional view of a typical moveable scroll
110
in the prior art. The moveable scroll
110
typically has a flat top and a flat bottom. Such a design results in a relatively short lifetime because if debris falls into the scroll compressor
100
, it may damage either the moveable scroll
110
or the stationary scroll
105
as it falls down into the space between the scrolls and down to the bottom of the scroll compressor
100
. Debris with sharp edges that become trapped on the flat surface on the top of bottom of the moveable scroll may cut through the stationary scroll
105
or the moveable scroll
110
and cause leakage. Also, if debris falls on top of the moving scroll, the debris will typically fall off the top and down into the scroll compressor, causing damage and shortening the scroll compressor's usable lifetime.
Also, some moveable scrolls in the art also do not form a tight seal between the top and bottom of the moving scroll and the stationary scroll. This can result in leakage of coolant from the scroll compressor
100
.
Accordingly, the scroll compressors
100
in the prior art are all relatively inefficient because they allow too much debris to fall down into the space between the moving scroll and the stationary scroll. As a result, scroll compressors in the art have relatively short useful lifetimes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3537713 (1970-11-01), Matthews et al.
patent: 3965697 (1976-06-01), Beierwaltes
patent: 4148494 (1979-04-01), Zelahy et al.
patent: 4199308 (1980-04-01), McCullough
patent: 4564343 (1986-01-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5035589 (1991-07-01), Fraser et al.
patent: 6193487 (2001-02-01), Ni
patent: 02086979 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 02245490 (1990-10-01), None
patent: 06042472 (1994-02-01), None
Denion Thomas
Intel Corporation
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Trieu Theresa
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