Variable capacity compressor
AssigneeTecumseh Products Company
InventorBilly B. Hannibal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable capacity compressor for refrigeration systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps comprising an outer casing having a lubricant sump in the lower portion thereof, a crankcase internally spring mounted within the outer casing and having a pair of parallel, vertical crankshafts rotatably supported therein, wherein the crankshafts are arranged in side-by-side relationship, and at least two expansible chamber pumps, which may be piston, rotary or screw type, driven by the crankshafts. A pair of independently controlled electric motors have their rotors drivingly connected to the crankshafts, and in one embodiment of the invention, the motors have a common stator with two independently controlled sets of windings. In a further embodiment, two crankcases are provided, sharing a common lubricant sump.
Claims12
A refrigeration compressor comprising:
- an outer housing having a lubricant sump in the lower portion thereof,
- a single integral crankcase supported within said outer housing for limited movement relative thereto so as to at least partially isolate vibration and movement of said crankcase from said outer housing,
- a pair of crankshafts rotatably supported in said crankcase, said crankshafts being generally parallel to each other and disposed in side-by-side relationship.
- at least two fluid pump means driven respectively by said crankshafts, each of said pump means including a suction chamber and a discharge chamber rigidly connected to said crankcase,
- fluid inlet and outlet means for providing refrigerant flow to and from said pump means, said fluid inlet and outlet means including at least one of a refrigerant suction conduit and a refrigerant discharge conduit within said housing connected commonly to said suction chambers or said discharge chambers, respectively,
- a pair of independently controlled electric motor means respectively for rotating said crankshafts, and
- means for pumping lubricant from said sump to lubricate the compressor.
An outer housing having a lubricant sump in the lower portion thereof,
- a single integral crankcase supported within said outer housing for limited movement relative thereto so as to at least partially isolate vibration and movement of said crankcase from said outer housing,
- a pair of crankshafts rotatably supported in said crankcase, said crankshafts being generally parallel to each other and disposed in side-by-side relationship,
- at least two fluid pump means driven respectively by said crankshafts, each of said pump means including a suction chamber and a discharge chamber rigidly connected to said crankcase,
- fluid inlet and outlet means for providing refrigerant flow to and from said pump means,
- one of a suction muffler and a discharge muffler commonly connected to said suction chambers or said discharge chambers, respectively, by conduit means, said one muffler, conduit means and crankcase forming a rigid assembly moving as a unit in said outer housing,
- a pair of independently controlled electric motor means respectively for rotating said crankshafts, and
- means for pumping lubricant from said sump to lubricate the compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.