Scroll type compressor with lubricating system

A scroll type compressor comprising:

• a housing comprising a front end plate and a cup shaped casing;
• an inner chamber formed between an inner wall of said cup shaped casing and said front end plate;
• a fluid inlet port formed in said housing, said fluid inlet port having a first opening through which a fluid is admitted into said fluid inlet port and a second opening into said inner chamber, said fluid inlet port further having an aperture in a wall thereof, said aperture positioned between said first and second openings, said aperture having an upper edge and a lower edge;
• a fixed scroll fixedly disposed within said inner chamber and having a first circular end plate from which a first wrap extends into said inner chamber of said housing, said first circular end plate dividing said inner chamber into an intake chamber and a discharge chamber;
• an orbiting scroll disposed within said inner chamber, said orbiting scroll having a second circular end plate from which a second wrap extends, said first and second wraps interfitting at an angular and radial offset to make a plurality of line contacts to define at least one pair of sealed off fluid pockets;
• a driving mechanism operatively connected to said orbiting scroll to effect the orbital motion of said orbiting scroll while preventing rotation of said orbiting scroll;
• a step portion fixed to said lower edge of said aperture in said inner wall of said fluid inlet port and projecting substantially perpendicular to said inner wall of said fluid inlet port and thus substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow through said inlet port for separating lubricant from fluid flowing into said inlet port;
• a first lubricant passageway formed through said cup shaped casing and opening to said aperture in said inner wall of said inlet port;
• and
• a second lubricant passageway formed through said front end plate and connecting said first lubricant passageway with a shaft seal cavity formed in said front end plate.

In a scroll type compressor including a housing adapted to rotatably support a drive shaft, said housing including a front end plate and a cup shaped casing, an inner chamber formed between an inner wall of said cup shaped casing and said front end plate, a fixed scroll fixedly disposed within said inner chamber and having an end plate from which a first wrap extends, an orbiting scroll disposed within said inner chamber having an end plate from which a first wrap extends, said first and second wraps interfitting at an angular and radial offset to make a plurality of line contacts to define at least one pair of sealed off fluid pockets, said fixed scroll end plate dividing the inner chamber of said cup shaped casing into a discharge chamber and a suction chamber, a driving mechanism opertively connected with said orbiting scroll to effect the orbiting motion of said orbiting scroll while preventing the rotation of said orbiting scroll, said driving mechanism rotatably supported within said housing, and a lubricating system for the scroll type compressor, the improvement wherein said lubricating system comprises:

• an inlet port formed in said housing for introducing an oil misted fluid into said suction chamber of the scroll compressor, said fluid inlet port having a first opening through which fluid is admitted, a second opening to said inner chamber, and an aperture formed in a sidewall of said fluid inlet port, said aperture positioned between said first and second openings, said aperture having an upper edge and a lower edge;
• a step portion fixed to said lower edge of said aperture and projecting from an inner wall of said inlet port for separating oil from the oil misted suction fluid prior to the fluid entering said inner chamber, said step portion having a flange fixed to and perpendicular to the end of said step portion, one end of said flange abutting said step portion so that said flange is directed away from said inner chamber;
• and
• passageway means for conveying the separated oil to lubricate the rotating elements of the scroll compressor, said passageway means opening to said aperture in said fluid inlet port.