Scroll compressor with captured thrust washer
AssigneeBITZER Kuehlmaschinenbau GmbH
InventorsKenneth D. Heusler, Ronald J. Duppert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A load transmittal apparatus transfers an axial load to a thrust surface during operation of a scroll compressor.
Claims13
A scroll compressor including a load transfer apparatus, the compressor including a rotating shaft and a stationary lower bearing member, the load transfer apparatus comprising:
- a central cylindrical hub defined by the stationary lower bearing member, wherein the central hub defines an opening;
- a cylindrical bearing configured to seat in the opening, with the cylindrical bearing further configured to receive one end of the shaft;
- and
- a thrust washer disposed in the opening of the central hub and captured axially within the lower bearing member by the cylindrical bearing, wherein an axial load along the centerline of the shaft transmits to the stationary lower bearing member through the thrust washer.
A method for transferring axial loading from a rotating shaft in a scroll compressor to a stationary lower bearing member of the scroll compressor, with the rotating shaft having an axial load including the mass of the shaft, a motor rotor, and counterweights of the scroll compressor plus electrical induced load caused by misalignment of the motor rotor and a motor stator, the method comprising:
- depositing a thrust washer at the bottom of an opening in a central cylindrical hub defined by the stationary lower bearing member;
- inserting a cylindrical bearing into the opening in the central cylindrical hub;
- pressing the cylindrical bearing into the opening axially until the bearing captures the thrust washer into position axially in the opening;
- and
- inserting an end of the shaft into the cylindrical bearing in the opening defined in the central cylindrical hub,
- wherein the axial load on the shaft along the centerline of the shaft is transmitted to the stationary lower bearing member through the thrust washer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.