Rotary expansible chamber devices – Working member has planetary or planetating movement – Helical working member – e.g. – scroll
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2001-03-13
Vrablik, John J. (Department: 3746)
Rotary expansible chamber devices
Working member has planetary or planetating movement
Helical working member, e.g., scroll
C464S103000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200115
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotation preventing mechanism used to support a driving mechanism such as a scroll compressor and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ball coupling as a rotation preventing mechanism for improving the assembling properties thereof when it is mounted on a structural member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, scroll type compressors include a pair of scroll members which confront each other and execute a turning motion in which the rotation of one of the scroll members about its own axis is prevented with respect to the other. One of the pair of scroll members is a stationary swirl member fixed to a housing or the like and the other is a movable swirl member driven by a driving mechanism while its rotation on its own axis is prevented by a rotation preventing mechanism.
The rotation preventing mechanism of the conventional scroll type compressors is disposed on the side (back surface) of the movable swirl member which is opposite to the side thereof confronting the stationary swirl member in order to prevent the rotation of the movable swirl member on its axis. The movable swirl member executes a relative circular motion in confrontation with the stationary swirl member.
The conventional rotation preventing mechanism is composed of a ball coupling, and a pair of rings and a pair of thrust races are formed as separate members. The pair of rings accommodate thrust balls
71
therebetween and the thrust races are disposed outside the rings. One of the rings to fixed to the inner wall of a front housing by a pin together with one of the thrust races, whereas the other of the rings is fixed to the back surface of the movable scroll member by a pin together with the other of the thrust races.
However, the thrust races as the components of the ball coupling of the conventional scroll type compressor have a drawback that they are gradually deformed because they are subjected to the thrust load of the movable scroll member through the thrust balls when the compressor is operated.
Each of the thrust races according to prior art is composed of an annular steel sheet member having a rectangular cross section. Conventionally, the thrust race is subjected to heat treatment to increase the strength thereof. However, the inside of the race sheet member of the thrust race remains as a residual austenite phase as it is, while the surface phase of the race sheet member is transformed to martensite.
Therefore, the scroll type compressor has a drawback that when it is operated, the volume of the austenite phase remaining at the central portion of the thrust race is expanded when the austenite phase is transformed to the martensite phase, whereby the thrust race is deformed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a ball coupling capable of improving the durability of products such as a scroll type compressor and the like using a ball coupling as a rotation preventing mechanism in the operation thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a scroll type compressor with a long service life which uses the rotation preventing mechanism having improved durability.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a scroll type compressor for compressing and discharging refrigerant drawn in by executing a turning motion by one of a pair of scroll members disposed in confrontation with the other while preventing the rotation of the one of the scroll members on its axis with respect to the other by a rotation preventing mechanism. In the scroll type compressor, the rotation preventing mechanism consists substantially of a ball coupling. The ball coupling comprises a first annular race section having a thrust ball transfer surface formed on one surface thereof, a second annular race section having a ball transfer surface formed on one surface thereof confronting the one surface of the first race section, and thrust balls interposed between the first and second race sections. In the rotation preventing mechanism, at least one of the first and second race sections has a cross sectional shape such that the central portion of the other surface thereof confronting the one surface is recessed.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotation preventing mechanism which consists substantially of a ball coupling. The ball coupling comprises a first annular race section having a thrust ball transfer surface formed on one surface thereof, a second annular race section having a ball transfer surface formed on one surface thereof confronting the one surface of the first race section, and thrust balls interposed between the first and second race sections. In the rotation preventing mechanism, at least one of the first and second race sections has a cross sectional shape such that the central portion of the other surface thereof confronting the one surface is recessed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3647268 (1972-03-01), Haines
patent: 4160629 (1979-07-01), Hidden et al.
patent: 4259043 (1981-03-01), Hidden et al.
patent: 4325683 (1982-04-01), Miyazawa
patent: 4406600 (1983-09-01), Terauchi et al.
patent: 4457676 (1984-07-01), Hiraga
patent: 4468181 (1984-08-01), Sakamoto
patent: 4472120 (1984-09-01), McCullough
patent: 4474543 (1984-10-01), Hiraga et al.
patent: 4492543 (1985-01-01), Iimori et al.
patent: 4527963 (1985-07-01), Terauchi
patent: 4545746 (1985-10-01), Sugimoto et al.
patent: 4589828 (1986-05-01), Sato et al.
patent: 4626179 (1986-12-01), Terauchi
patent: 4645435 (1987-02-01), Sugimoto
patent: 4934909 (1990-06-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5102315 (1992-04-01), Terauchi et al.
patent: 5221198 (1993-06-01), Izumi et al.
patent: 5423663 (1995-06-01), Fukui
patent: 5435706 (1995-07-01), Matsumoto et al.
patent: 5738504 (1998-04-01), Kitano
patent: 5758978 (1998-06-01), Satoda et al.
patent: 5911566 (1999-06-01), Terauchi et al.
patent: 5915933 (1999-06-01), Iizuka et al.
patent: 5938418 (1999-08-01), Iizuka
patent: 1960216 (1971-06-01), None
patent: 0123407 (1984-10-01), None
patent: 2455196 (1980-11-01), None
patent: 59-183090 (1984-10-01), None
patent: 63-61790 (1988-03-01), None
patent: 63-154878 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 63-179185 (1988-07-01), None
patent: 63-266214 (1988-07-01), None
patent: 6477779 (1989-03-01), None
patent: 1219377 (1989-09-01), None
patent: 01271679 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 2308990 (1990-12-01), None
patent: 5126040 (1993-05-01), None
patent: 05087131 (1993-06-01), None
patent: 533811 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 7019249 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 093106585 (1997-02-01), None
patent: 881409 (1980-02-01), None
Improvement of Scroll Compressor for Vehicle Air Conditioning Systems—Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.. 1997.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Sanden Corporation
Vrablik John J.
LandOfFree
Scroll type compressor and rotation preventing mechanism... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Scroll type compressor and rotation preventing mechanism..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Scroll type compressor and rotation preventing mechanism... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2505562