Check Valve for a Refrigerant Compressor

Check valve (10) for a refrigerant compressor (20) comprising a valve housing (30) having a bottom section (34) with a bottom opening (36) enabling a flow of refrigerant into and out of a valve chamber (56) arranged within the valve housing (30), said valve chamber (56) extending between the bottom section (34) and a stroke limiter (54) arranged at a distance from said bottom section (34), a valve element (72) arranged in the valve chamber (56) and being moveable in said valve chamber (56) between said bottom section (34) and said stroke limiter (54),

• the valve element (72) in a closing position is abutting on a sealing surface (74) of the bottom section (34) and prevents a flow of refrigerant out of said valve chamber (56) through said bottom opening (36) and in an opening position the valve element (72) is abutting on a stop surface (76) of said stroke limiter (54) wherein in the opening position of the valve element (72) a flow of refrigerant after having entered the valve chamber (56) leaves the valve chamber (56) through at least one outlet passage (94, 114) wherein the at least one outlet passage (94, 114) comprises at least one flow accelerating passage (92) and therein provides a flow region of reduced refrigerant pressure (P2) with respect to the refrigerant pressure (P1) within the valve chamber (56) and wherein at least one connection channel (102) extending in said stroke limiter (54) comprises an opening (104) arranged close to the flow region of reduced refrigerant pressure (P2) for capturing the reduced refrigerant pressure (P2) and for transferring said reduced refrigerant pressure (P2) to an opening (106) arranged in an area of the stop surface (76) of the stroke limiter (54) on order to support retaining of the valve element (72) in its opening position.