Scroll compressor

Details Scroll compressor Scroll compressor

2000-12-15

2002-07-16

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

06419470

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present teachings relate to scroll compressors for compressing fluids, such as a refrigerant, and such scroll compressors may be utilized, for example, in air conditioning systems and refrigerating systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-312156 discloses a known scroll compressor. As shown in
FIG. 6
, the known scroll compressor includes a stationary scroll member
110
and a movable scroll member
120
. The movable scroll member
120
moves in an orbital motion about the stationary scroll member
110
. The stationary scroll member
110
has a volute wall
112
extending from a base plate
111
, and the movable scroll member
120
has a volute wall
122
extending from a base plate
121
. The scroll members
110
,
120
are arranged in such a manner that the respective volute walls
112
,
122
are proximally disposed with respect to each other and co-operate to compress a fluid. A plurality of compression chambers
114
are defined between the stationary scroll member
110
and the movable scroll member
120
. As the movable scroll member
120
orbits with respect to the stationary scroll member
110
, fluid is drawn into the compression chamber
114
and compressed as the compression chambers
114
shift toward the center of the scroll members
110
and
120
, thereby reducing the space within the compression chambers
114
.
In the known scroll compressor, a high pressure is generated in the compression chambers
114
as the fluid is compressed. The high pressure is exerted against the stationary scroll member
110
and the movable scroll member
120
. The pressure in the compression chamber
114
becomes higher as the compression chamber
114
shifts from the outer periphery toward the center of the scroll members. As a result, as shown in exaggerated form in
FIG. 6
, the movable scroll member
120
will deform so that its central section bulges towards to the right, as shown in FIG.
6
. Because the end face of the outer peripheral portion
113
of the movable scroll member
120
and the end face
123
of the stationary scroll member
110
will come into contact due to the deformation of the movable scroll member
120
, friction will be generated between the movable scroll member
120
and the stationary scroll member
110
. Therefore, power loss and seizing may be caused by this friction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present teachings is to provide an improved scroll compressor.
Because the movable scroll member of the known scroll compressor will deform as the pressure of the fluid in the compression chamber is increased, the known scroll compressor is prone to power loss and seizing when the compression chamber is under high pressure. Consequently, such problems are preferably overcome by the present teachings.
In one aspect of the present teachings, a scroll compressor may include a stationary scroll member, a movable scroll member and a plurality of compression chambers defined between the two scroll members. As the pressure in the compression chambers increases, the movable scroll member will deform. Therefore, end portions of the base plates of the scroll members are arranged and constructed to avoid contact when the movable scroll member deforms. Thus, by designing the end portions according to the present teachings, power loss and seizures can be avoided, thereby improving compression efficiency.
The end portions preferably comprise a contact avoiding structure, in which at least one of the end portions of the base plates of the scroll members has a shape that will avoid contact with the end portion of the other scroll member when the movable scroll member deforms. Although the contact avoiding structure may be relatively simple, it is effective to prevent contact between the end portion of the stationary scroll member and the end portion of the movable scroll member during operation under high pressure.
Such scroll compressors may preferably compress carbon dioxide (CO
2
) as a refrigerant. The pressure difference of CO
2
between its lower pressure and higher pressure may be, for example, more than 5 MPa (megapascal). That is, when the carbon dioxide is compressed, the compression chamber
114
will be subjected to a higher pressure than usual, and the movable scroll member
120
is likely to deform. However, even if the movable scroll member deforms, scroll compressors according to the present teachings can effectively prevent the movable scroll member
120
from contacting the stationary scroll member
110
.
For example, the scroll compressors may preferably be utilized in air conditioning systems and in refrigerating systems. More preferably, the scroll compressors may be utilized in automobile air conditioning systems.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4300875 (1981-11-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 4432708 (1984-02-01), Hiraga et al.
patent: 4435136 (1984-03-01), Terauchi et al.
patent: 4781550 (1988-11-01), Morishita et al.
patent: 5597296 (1997-01-01), Akazawa et al.
patent: 5791885 (1998-08-01), Fukuhara et al.
patent: 6129532 (2000-10-01), Kato et al.
patent: 55-46046 (1980-03-01), None
patent: 58-67902 (1983-04-01), None
patent: 5-312156 (1993-11-01), None
patent: 06-081781 (1994-03-01), None
patent: 11-094379 (1999-04-01), None

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