US 11,236,740 B2 · Sealed compressor and freezer device or refrigerator equipped with same

Abstract

Sealed container (102) houses electric unit (110) equipped with stator (114) and a rotor (116), and compression unit (112) disposed above electric unit (110). Compression unit (112) includes shaft (118) that includes main shaft portion (120) and eccentric shaft portion (122), and cylinder block (124). Compression unit (112) further includes connection portion (136) that connects piston (128) reciprocatively inserted into cylinder (130) and eccentric shaft portion (122), and a thrust bearing that supports a load of shaft (118) in a vertical direction. The thrust bearing includes an upper race in contact with a flange portion of shaft (118), a lower race in contact with a thrust surface of cylinder block (124), and a rolling element. An overall height of sealed container (102) is sized not to exceed a length six times larger than a diameter of piston (128).

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims8

Dependent claims

A sealed compressor comprising:

a sealed container that stores lubricating oil and contains an electric unit equipped with a stator and a rotor;
and
a compression unit disposed above the electric unit, wherein the compression unit comprises:
a shaft that includes a main shaft portion to which the rotor is fixed, and an eccentric shaft portion,
a cylinder block that includes a cylinder,
a piston reciprocatively inserted into the cylinder,
a connection portion that connects the piston and the eccentric shaft portion,
a main bearing provided in the cylinder block and supporting a load applied to the main shaft portion of the shaft in a radial direction, and
a thrust bearing that supports a load of the shaft in a vertical direction,
the thrust bearing is a rolling bearing that includes an upper race in contact with a flange portion of the shaft, a lower race in direct contact with a thrust surface of the cylinder block, a retainer, and a rolling element in contact with the upper race and the lower race, the retainer having a plurality of holes into which the rolling element is accommodated,
an overall height of the sealed container is sized not to exceed a length six times larger than a diameter of the piston,
at least half of an overall length of the main bearing is inserted into a bore formed at a center of the rotor,
wherein an upper end of the main shaft portion forms an expansion portion, the expansion portion having a larger diameter than a diameter of the main shaft portion,
wherein the retainer of the thrust bearing is freely fitted to an outside diameter side of the expansion portion, and the lower race is arranged below the expansion portion, and
wherein a length of the main bearing is set in a range from 1.5 times larger than the diameter of the piston to twice as large as the diameter of the piston.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description16,659 words

Summary3,158 words

#The present invention relates to a sealed compressor which includes a thrust ball for reducing a sliding loss, and a refrigerator or a freezer device equipped with this compressor.

#In the field of sealed compressors of this type, compact-size sealed compressors miniaturized from a viewpoint of space saving are known (for example, see PTL 1). There are also known sealed compressors whose shaft thrust bearing is constituted by a rolling bearing from a viewpoint of high efficiency (for example, see PTL 2).

#A conventional sealed compressor described in PTL 1 is initially described.

Brief description of the drawings25 figures

#FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a sealed compressor according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating a main part of a thrust bearing included in the sealed compressor according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 3A is a schematic view illustrating a normal state of a thrust ball bearing of the sealed compressor according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description12,850 words

#Exemplary embodiments according to the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a sealed compressor according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating a main part of a thrust bearing included in the sealed compressor according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3A, 3B are schematic views illustrating a condition of the thrust bearing in an inclined state of a shaft of the sealed compressor according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

#As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, lubricating oil 104 is stored in an inner bottom portion of sealed container 102. Compressor body 106 is internally suspended in sealed container 102 via suspension spring 108. Sealed container 102 is filled with R600a (isobutane) which is refrigerant gas having a low warming potential value.

Facts

Application

14/912,745Filed 27 Aug 2014

Priority

JP JP2013-1818643 Sep 2013

Published

US 2016/0201661 A114 Jul 2016

Granted

1 Feb 2022

Term ends

4 Feb 2036

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 526 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification10 codes

F04B 39/023
Characterised by the compressor type: hermetic compressors
F04B 9/045
The means being cams, eccentrics or pin-and-slot mechanisms: the means being eccentrics
F04B 17/03
Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors: driven by electric motors
F04B 39/0094
Component parts, details, or accessories, of pumps or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids, not otherwise provided for in, or of…:…

Timeline

3 Sep 2013Priority claimedJP JP2013-181864
27 Aug 2014Application filedUS 14/912,745
29 Feb 2016Assigned to Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
14 Jul 2016PublishedUS 2016/0201661 A1
6 Feb 2017Assigned to Panasonic Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
23 Jan 2018Assigned to Panasonic Appliances Refrigeration Devices Singaporeassignment of assignor's interest
1 Feb 2022GrantedUS 11,236,740 B2
20 Jun 2024Assigned to Panasonic Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
4 Feb 2036Term endsEstimated, includes 526 days of adjustment

Sealed compressor and freezer device or refrigerator equipped with same

Life of this patent

Sealed compressor and freezer device or refrigerator equipped with same

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims8

Description16,659 words

Drawings

Classification10 codes

Life of this patent

Description16,659 words