Swash plate-type compressors

Abstract

A swash plate-type compressor includes a housing having a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinder bores formed therethrough. The cylinder block encloses a crank chamber, a suction chamber, and a discharge chamber. The compressor also includes a drive shaft rotatably supported by the housing, a plurality of pistons positioned within a corresponding one of the cylinder bores, and a swash plate rotatably mounted on the drive shaft. The compressor further includes a discharge path formed between the crank chamber and the suction chamber. Moreover, the compressor includes a check valve positioned within the discharge path. The check valve is adapted to open the discharge path when a first pressure in the crank chamber is greater than a second pressure in the suction chamber and to close the discharge path when the first pressure is less than or equal to the second pressure. Consequently, a refrigerant within the crank chamber is discharged into the suction chamber when the first pressure is greater than the second pressure. Nevertheless, the refrigerant within the suction chamber is not discharged into the crank chamber when the first pressure is less than or equal to the second pressure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.