Rotary expansible chamber devices – Methods
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-28
2001-05-08
Vrablik, John J. (Department: 3748)
Rotary expansible chamber devices
Methods
C418S055400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227827
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a scroll compressor, and more particularly to a scroll compressor of an air conditioner used in automobile or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional scroll compressor comprises, as shown in
FIG. 6
, a rear casing
32
having an opening at the front side, and a front cover
31
placed in its opening. A movable scroll
34
, a fixed scroll
39
, and a rotation preventive mechanism
36
are disposed in the rear casing,
32
. An outer circumference of the fixed scroll
39
contacts with an inner circumference of the rear casing
32
. The movable scroll
34
is placed between the front cover
31
and the fixed scroll
39
in order to swivel while contacting with the surface of the fixed scroll
39
. The rotation preventive mechanism
36
is placed between the movable scroll
34
and the front cover
31
in order to allow the swivel motion only while preventing rotation of the movable scroll
34
. A suction chamber
46
for sucking a refrigerant and a discharge chamber
47
for discharging the refrigerant are mutually partitioned through the fixed scroll
39
. A suction port
32
c
for sucking the refrigerant is formed in an outer wall of the rear casing
32
of the suction chamber
46
. A discharge port
32
d
for discharging the refrigerant is formed in the outer wall of the rear casing
32
of the discharge chamber
47
. A first seal member
41
having an O-ring
41
is placed between the inner circumference
32
a
of the rear casing
32
and the fixed scroll
39
. This first seal member
41
seals between the fixed scroll
39
and the rear casing
32
. It is thus completely sealed between the suction chamber
46
and discharge chamber
47
. A plurality of mounting bases
32
b
for mounting on a vehicle or other mechanical structure are integrally disposed on the outer wall of the rear casing
32
. The front cover
31
has a clutch mounting section
31
c
. A shaft
40
is installed so as to cooperate with the movable scroll
34
, and this shaft
40
penetrates through the clutch mounting section
31
c
, and has its leading end exposed outside. An electromagnetic clutch
38
is installed outside of the clutch mounting section
31
c
, and is coupled to the shaft
10
. The front cover
31
is coupled to the rear casing
32
through a second seal member
45
, by using bolt
44
or other bonding member. The second seal member
45
seals between the front cover
31
and rear casing
32
, and by this seal member
45
, the suction chamber
46
and the outside are completely isolated.
Thus, a pressure vessel sealing mutually between the suction pressure and atmospheric pressure was constituted by using the first seal member
41
and second seal member
45
.
Such conventional compressor, however, required two seal members, that is, the first seal member
41
for sealing between the suction chamber
46
and the discharge chamber
47
, and the second seal member
45
for sealing between the suction chamber
46
and the outside, and the compressor assembling process was complicated, and the manufacturing cost was high.
It is an object of the invention to present a scroll compressor that is easier to assemble and is lower in manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The sealing method of the scroll compressor of the invention is a sealing method of a scroll compressor which comprises:
(a) a cylindrical front casing having a bottom, an opening, and an inner circumference,
(b) a rear cover fitted to the inner circumference to cover the opening,
(c) a fixed scroll having an end plate fitted to the inner circumference, a fitting portion fitted concentrically to the rear cover, and a spiral blade,
(d) a movable scroll engaged with the fixed scroll to swivel in a specified radius of swivel, and
(e) a rotation preventive mechanism for preventing rotation of the movable scroll to permit swivel motion only.
The sealing method is characterized by forming a recess in the butt junction of the end plate and the rear cover by assembling the fixed scroll and the rear cover, fitting a seal member to the recess, and assembling the fixed scroll and rear cover fitting the seal member into the front casing, and sealing both between the suction pressure and discharge pressure, and between the discharge pressure and atmospheric pressure.
A scroll compressor for compressing refrigerant of the invention comprises:
(a) a front casing having an inner circumference, a bottom and an opening,
(b) a fixed scroll disposed in the front casing,
(c) a movable scroll disposed between the bottom and the fixed scroll,
(d) a rear cover disposed to cover the opening,
(e) a suction chamber surrounded by the inner circumference, fixed scroll, and rear cover,
(f) a discharge chamber surrounded by the inner circumference, fixed scroll, and rear cover, and
(g) a seal member.
The fixed scroll has a first fitting portion and a first outer circumference fitted to the inner circumference, the rear cover has a second fitting portion, and a second outer circumference fitted to the inner circumference, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion form a mutually joined butt junction, the seal member is disposed at the butt junction so as to contact with the first fitting portion, second fitting portion and the inner circumference, and the seal member seals between the suction chamber and the discharge chamber, and between the outside of the rear cover and the discharge chamber.
Preferably, the butt junction forms a recess surrounded by the first outer circumference, second outer circumference, and inner circumference, and the seal member is disposed in the recess.
Preferably, the recess has a nearly triangular shape.
In this constitution, the pressure in the suction chamber composed of the front casing and fixed scroll, the pressure in the discharge chamber composed of the fixed scroll and rear cover, and the atmospheric pressure are partitioned by one seal member disposed in the recess, so that the scroll compressor can be easily sealed and assembled.
Moreover, by using one seal member only, the scroll compressor can be sealed, so that the manufacturing cost may be saved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4411604 (1983-10-01), Terauchi
patent: 5569028 (1996-10-01), Yamamura et al.
patent: 63-158594 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 09166095 (1997-06-01), None
Iwasa Makoto
Ogawa Nobuaki
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Ratner & Prestia
Vrablik John J.
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