Pumps – With condition responsive control of coolant or lubricant
Patent
1996-08-28
1998-09-15
Freay, Charles G.
Pumps
With condition responsive control of coolant or lubricant
417 53, 4172222, 184 63, 184 617, 92154, F04B 3904
Patent
active
058070761
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a lubrication method and a lubrication controlling apparatus for a clutchless compressor, which impedes the circulation of a refrigerant in an external refrigerant circuit in response to signals sent from a controller.
BACKGROUND ART
A variable displacement swash plate type compressor described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 3-37378 does not employ an electromagnetic clutch that connects and disconnects an external drive source with a rotary shaft of the compressor for transmission of power. The omission of the electromagnetic clutch eliminates the discomfort of the impact caused when energizing or de-energizing the clutch, particularly in a vehicle. It also allows a reduction in the weight of the overall compressor and a decrease in costs.
In such clutchless compressors, there are problems concerning the amount of displacement when cooling is not required and frost forms in an evaporator provided in an external refrigerant circuit. The circulation of refrigerant should be impeded when cooling becomes unnecessary or when there is a possiblity of the formation of frost. The clutchless compressor described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 3-37378 impedes the circulation of the refrigerant in the external refrigerant circuit by stopping the refrigerant gas in the external refrigerant circuit from flowing into a suction chamber. The flow of the refrigerant gas from the external refrigerant circuit to the suction chamber is controlled by energizing or de-energizing an electromagnetic valve which serves as a refrigerant circulation impeding means.
Stopping the refrigerant gas in the external refrigerant circuit from flowing into the suction chamber of the compressor causes a decrease of the pressure in the suction chamber and completely opens a displacement control valve that reacts to the pressure in the suction chamber. The opened valve allows the discharged refrigerant gas in a discharge chamber to flow into a crank chamber and increases the pressure therein. Additionally, the pressure decrease in the suction chamber also decreases the suction pressure in cylinder bores. As a result, the difference between the pressure in the crank chamber and the suction pressure in the cylinder bores becomes great. This causes a swash plate to incline to a minimum inclining angle and results in minimizing the displacement. The minimized displacement minimizes the torque of the compressor and prevents a power loss when cooling is not required.
However, the clutchless compressor is constantly connected to the engine of the vehicle that it is mounted on. Thus, the clutchless compressor rotates when the engine is running. Therefore, the necessity to distribute lubricating oil inside the compressor is higher for clutchless compressors in comparison with compressors provided with a clutch.
In the compressor described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 3-37378, the refrigerant gas in the compressor circulates through a path defined by the cylinder chambers (cylinder bores), discharge chamber, crank chamber, and suction chamber. The lubricating oil contained in the circulating refrigerant gas lubricates the inside of the compressor. To ensure lubrication, the cross-sectional transit area of a passage, provided between the crank chamber and the suction chamber, is set within a certain range. However, there is no guarantee that a required amount of lubricating oil would be provided inside the compressor when lubricating oil is not flowing into the compressor from the external refrigerant circuit. Thus, there is no certainty that the required amount of lubricating oil would be provided inside the compressor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to insure adequate lubrication of the inside of a clutchless compressor. Accordingly, the invention is basically an apparatus for controlling lubrication of a clutchless compressor. The compressor is driven by a mechanical drive source to compress and recirculate refrigerant in a refrigerant cir
REFERENCES:
patent: 3844684 (1974-10-01), Kawamura
patent: 4862700 (1989-09-01), Suzuki
patent: 5173032 (1992-12-01), Taguchi et al.
patent: 5586870 (1996-12-01), Kawaguchi et al.
patent: 5603610 (1997-02-01), Kawaguchi et al.
Kawaguchi Masahiro
Michiyuki Takashi
Okada Masahiko
Sonobe Masanori
Suitou Ken
Freay Charles G.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
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