Pumps – Condition responsive control of drive transmission or pump... – Adjustable cam or linkage
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-17
2001-07-31
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Pumps
Condition responsive control of drive transmission or pump...
Adjustable cam or linkage
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267563
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a capacity control valve to a variable capacity type compressor in which a coolant is discharged from cylinder bores into a discharge chamber in a rear housing by reciprocating movements of pistons in the cylinder bores and is sucked from a suction chamber in the rear housing into the cylinder bores, while adjusting the pressure in a control pressure chamber, by the capacity control valve, to control the discharge capacity of the compressor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a variable capacity type compressor disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-338364, the discharge capacity is changed in accordance with a difference between the pressure in a crank chamber and a suction pressure in a suction pressure zone. The pressure in the crank chamber is adjusted by introducing the coolant from the discharge chamber as a discharge pressure zone to the crank chamber and delivering the coolant from the crank chamber to the suction chamber as a suction pressure zone. A solenoid valve for controlling the discharge capacity is provided in a pressure supply passage for supplying the coolant from the discharge chamber into the crank chamber. A valve element of the solenoid valve is biased to the valve-closing position when a solenoid is energized. It is adapted that a value of electric current fed to the solenoid valve is selected based on the comparison of a predetermined compartment temperature with a detected compartment temperature. The greater the difference between the predetermined compartment temperature and the detected compartment temperature, the greater the current value to be fed, whereby the degree of opening of the solenoid valve decreases. The smaller the degree of opening, the greater the inclination angle of a swash plate, whereby the discharge capacity increases.
The capacity controlling solenoid valve is mounted to a rear housing having the suction chamber and the discharge chamber formed therein, and is arranged to extend outward from the circumferential wall of the rear housing, and such an arrangement obstructs the mounting of the compressor to an object to which the compressor is to be mounted. Particularly, when the compressor is mounted to a vehicle as part of an air-conditioner, there is a limitation in space usable for mounting the compressor, so it is required that the outward extension of the solenoid valve from the circumferential wall of the rear housing is minimized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a variable capacity type compressor in which an outward extension of a volumetric control valve from a circumferential wall of a rear housing can be minimized.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a variable capacity type compressor comprising: a body comprising a cylinder block having cylinder bores, and a rear housing attached to said cylinder block and having a discharge chamber and a suction chamber for communication with said cylinder bores, said rear housing having a circumferential wall and an outer end surface on the side opposite from said cylinder block; pistons reciprocatingly arranged in the cylinder bores so that the movement of said piston toward said rear housing causes the coolant to be discharged from said cylinder bore into said discharge chamber and the movement of said piston away from said rear housing causes the coolant to be sucked from said suction chamber to said cylinder bore; a rotatable drive shaft having an axis; a motion transmitting device driven by said drive shaft for converting the rotational movement of the drive shaft into the reciprocating movement of the pistons; a control pressure chamber connected to a discharge pressure region by a coolant supply passage and to a suction pressure region by a coolant outlet passage; and a capacity control valve mounted to the rear housing in an inclined position relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rotatable drive shaft, said capacity control valve being arranged in one of said coolant supply passage and said coolant outlet passage to control the pressure in said control pressure chamber to thereby control the capacity of said compressor.
Such an inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve is effective for restricting the outward extension of the capacity control valve out of the circumferential wall.
Preferably, the variable capacity type compressor, further comprises a mounting member provided integral with, or on, said rear housing for mounting said compressor to an object to which said compressor is to be mounted, said mounting member being arranged along the outer end surface of said rear housing, said capacity control valve having a proximal end located near said circumferential wall of said rear housing and a distal end located close to the axis of the rotatable drive shaft, said capacity control valve being inclined so that the distance from said distal end to the outer end surface of said rear housing is greater than the distance from said proximal end to the outer end surface of said rear housing, and intersecting said mounting member, as viewed in the direction of the axis of said rotatable drive shaft.
An amount of insertion of the capacity control valve into the rear housing increases due to the structure allowing the capacity volumetric control valve to intersect the mounting member. This structure contributes to suppress the extension of the capacity control valve out of the circumferential wall of the rear housing.
Preferably, said mounting member perpendicularly intersects said axis of said rotatable drive shaft and a part of said capacity control valve is arranged under said mounting member.
The mounting member intersecting the axis of rotation at a right angle divides the outer end surface of the rear housing into generally equal two portions. Such a mounting member dividing the outer end surface of the rear housing into the generally two portions makes it particularly difficult to provide a sufficient space for inserting the capacity control valve into the rear housing. The inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve is effective for providing a sufficient space for inserting the capacity control valve into the rear housing with the mounting member intersecting the axis of rotation at a right angle.
Preferably, the variable capacity type compressor further comprises a straight coolant suction passage arranged in the rear housing and connected to the suction chamber, said coolant suction passage being arranged on one side of said mounting member, said capacity control valve being arranged on the other side of said mounting member.
Preferably, said suction chamber is formed at a radially central region in the rear housing and said discharge chamber encircles said suction chamber, and wherein said capacity control valve comprises a valve member, an electrical drive means for said valve member, and a pressure sensitive device having a pressure sensitive chamber communicating with said suction chamber, and a pressure sensitive member displaceable in response to the pressure variation in said pressure sensitive chamber, said pressure sensitive device being arranged on the side of said distal end of said capacity control valve, said pressure sensitive device functioning so that the pressure in said pressure sensitive chamber converges to a pressure value corresponding to the driving force of said electrical drive means. The electrical drive means preferably comprises a solenoid.
The inclined arrangement of the volumetric control valve allows the distal end of the volumetric control valve to largely extend into the suction chamber and a pressure-sensitive opening, which communicates the pressure-sensitive chamber with the suction chamber, to enlarge. Such an enlarged pressure-sensitive opening enhances the sensitivity of the pressure-sensitive means.
Preferably, the variable capacity type compressor further compris
Kawaguchi Masahiro
Kimura Kazuya
Kumazawa Shingo
Yamada Kiyohiro
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
Patel Vinod D.
Walberg Teresa
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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