Terminal assembly for compressor

Details Terminal assembly for compressor Terminal assembly for compressor

2003-01-22

2004-03-16

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Elongated member supporting connector at its extremity or...

C439S378000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06705892

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a compressor, and more particularly, to a terminal assembly for supplying electric power to a compressor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compressors are used for compressing a working fluid such as a refrigerant and can be classified into a reciprocating compressor and a linear compressor according to an operating manner of a motor unit providing power for the compression of the working fluid. The reciprocating compressor is operated in such a manner that a crankshaft is rotated by means of rotation of the motor unit and the rotation of the crankshaft is converted into a linear reciprocating motion of a piston via a connecting rod or the like. The linear compressor is operated in such a manner that the motor unit itself performs a linear reciprocating motion to directly drive the piston.
Meanwhile, electric power should be supplied from the outside to the motor unit in order to drive such a compressor.
FIG. 1
shows a general configuration of the reciprocating compressor for supplying external electric power to the compressor. Referring to the figure, a protector
12
is installed on an outer surface of a lower housing
10
constituting a part of a hermetic housing. The protector
12
is generally mounted on the lower housing
10
by means of spot welding. A terminal assembly
20
to be described later is mounted on the protector
12
. A plurality of terminals
13
are provided at the center of the protector
12
. The terminals
13
penetrate the lower housing
10
and are then electrically connected to additional connectors within the lower housing
10
.
The terminal assembly
20
mainly comprises a terminal board
21
, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) unit
25
inserted into and mounted on the terminal board
21
, and a fuse unit
29
inserted into and mounted on the terminal board
21
.
For reference, the PTC unit
25
is constructed to include its own terminals and a PTC device interposed between the terminals so that an electric current can be interrupted according to whether the PTC device operates or not. The PTC device is configured to operate in the following manner. When the electric current flows in the PTC device, the device radiates heat and its resistance is increased. Such an increase of the resistance results in interruption of the electric current. When the temperature of the PTC device is lowered after the interruption, its resistance is decreased and the electric current flows again within a predetermined time.
The terminal board
21
is formed with a first mounting portion
22
and a second mounting portion
24
on which the PTC unit
25
and the fuse unit
29
are mounted, respectively. The first and second mounting portions
22
,
24
are formed to penetrate the terminal board
21
so that portions of the PTC unit
25
and the fuse unit
29
can penetrate the terminal board and then be connected to the terminals
13
, respectively. An additional cover (not shown) is installed on the terminal board
21
to shield the PTC unit
25
and the fuse unit
29
.
In the meantime, there has been recently provided a terminal assembly capable of being used commonly for the reciprocating compressor and the linear compressor. That is, as shown in
FIGS. 2
a
to
3
b
, a terminal frame
31
constructed to be seated in the protector
12
is provided with a connector
33
electrically connected to the terminals
13
. Connection wires
34
for connecting the terminals
13
and the outside are connected to and installed in the connector
33
. The PTC unit, the fuse unit and the like are seated in the terminal frame
31
.
Further, a cover
40
is used to shield the terminal frame
31
. An inner surface of the cover
40
is formed with a restriction boss
42
for maintaining a state where the connector
33
is connected to the terminals
13
. The position of the restriction boss
42
approximately corresponds to the center of the connector
33
, as well shown in
FIG. 2
a.
Meanwhile, the terminal assembly
30
can be commonly used even for the linear compressor.
FIGS. 2
b
and
3
b
show a state where the terminal assembly
30
is used for the linear compressor.
Since the positions of the terminals
13
are changed in the linear compressor, the mounted position of the connector
33
is also changed. That is, as shown in
FIG. 2
b
, the connection wires
34
of the connector
33
extend out from an upper left portion of the terminal frame
31
and then lead downward. In other words, although the direction in which the terminal frame
31
of the terminal assembly
30
is mounted is the same, the direction of the connector
33
provided in the terminal frame
31
is changed.
However, there is the following problem in the aforementioned prior art.
One kind of terminal assembly
30
can be commonly used for the reciprocating compressor and the linear compressor in the prior art. If the terminal assembly
30
is used for the linear compressor, however, only the direction of the connector
33
installed in the terminal assembly is changed and thus the position of the restriction boss
42
for preventing detachment of the connector
33
is changed.
Therefore, in case of the linear compressor, if an external force is exerted to the connection wires
34
extending from the connector
33
or an impact generated upon transport of the compressor is exerted thereto, the connector
33
escapes from the terminals
13
as shown in
FIG. 3
b
. This is because the restriction boss
42
dose not correctly restrict the center of the connector
33
but restrict a position offset from the center of the connector
33
as shown in
FIG. 2
b.
In such a state, since the connection wires
34
are not electrically connected to the terminals
13
, there is a problem in that the compressor cannot be started.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problem in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal assembly of which a connector can be firmly installed therein even when being commonly used for a reciprocating compressor and a linear compressor.
According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the object, there is provided a terminal assembly for a compressor, comprising a protector with terminals electrically connected to parts within the compressor; a connector mounted on the terminals for performing electrical connection between the terminals and connection wires; a terminal frame which is mounted on an outer surface of a hermetic housing of the compressor and in which the connector is seated; and a cover which is mounted on the terminal flame for shielding parts installed in the terminal frame and has restriction bosses for restricting detachment of the connector. At least two restriction bosses are formed at a predetermined interval on the cover so as to press down opposite ends of the connector even when the connector is placed at a rotated position within the terminal frame.
The interval between the restriction bosses may be smaller than a width between the opposite ends of the connector.
When the cover is mounted on the terminal frame, the restriction bosses may come into contact with the connector at a maximum length of the restriction bosses.
According to the terminal assembly for the compressor of the present invention constructed as such, there is an advantage in that even while one kind of terminal assembly is commonly used for compressors in which the positions of terminals are set to be different from each other, an installation state of the terminal assembly can be more firmly maintained.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5885088 (1999-03-01), Brennan et al.
patent: 5919057 (1999-07-01), Kameyama
patent: 5993241 (1999-11-01), Olson et al.
patent: 6331122 (2001-12-01), Wu
patent: 6520686 (2003-02-01), Kiani

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