US 4,696,630 AGranted

Scroll compressor with a thrust reduction mechanism

AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

InventorsHirotsugu Sakata, Shigemi Nagatomo, Makoto Hayano, Mitsuo Hatori

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Abstract

In a scroll compressor for compressing gas a scroll unit having stationary and orbiting scroll members with interfitting spiroidal wraps is hermetically enclosed in a housing. During operation, a compression chamber defined between the scroll chambers is given a high pressure, and the space in the housing below the orbiting scroll member is given a low pressure atmosphere. A motor housed in the low pressure atmosphere rotates a drive shaft. This drive shaft causes the orbiting scroll member to orbit. A passage is provided in the orbiting scroll member to connect the low pressure atmosphere and the compression chamber. A thrust reduction mechanism is supported by the housing in the low pressure atomophere. The thrust reduction mechanism receives the pressure of the compression chamber via the passage.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A scroll compressor with a thrust reduction mechanism for compressing gas, said scroll compressor comprising:

(a) a sealed housing having a discharge port and a suction port;
(b) scroll compressing means located between the discharge and suction ports, said scroll compressing means including a stationary scroll member and an orbiting scroll member defining a compressing chamber therebetween which communicates with the discharge port, whereby, during operation, a lower pressure fluid is introduced from the suction port into said sealed housing to fill it with the lower pressure fluid and part of the fluid in said sealed housing is introduced into the compression chamber, compressed therein, and discharged from the discharge port through the discharge outlet;
(c) means arranged in said sealed housing to cause said orbiting scroll member to orbit, thereby compressing the fluid introduced into the compression chamber;
(d) connecting means penetrating said orbiting scroll member to communicate the compression chamber with the inside of said sealed housing;
(e) pressure receiving means provided in said sealed housing adjacent said orbiting scroll member in position to be exposed to the lower pressure fluid, said pressure receiving means receiving compressed fluid from the compression chamber through said connecting means, whereby, during operation, the compressed fluid in said pressure receiving means gives a thrust load to said orbiting scroll member, thereby partially compensating for the force exerted on said orbiting scroll member by the compression chamber;
(f) a frame fixed to said sealed housing to transmit the thrust load to said sealed housing, said frame supporting said pressure receiving means, whereby, during operation, the thrust load applied to said pressure receiving means is transmitted to said sealed housing through said frame;
and
(g) supporting means for preventing said pressure receiving means from orbiting together with said orbiting scroll member.

5 more elements

A scroll compressor with a thrust reduction mechanism for compressing gas, said scroll compressor comprising:

(a) a sealed housing having a discharge port and a suction port;
(b) scroll compressing means located between the discharge and suction ports, said scroll compressing means including a stationary scroll member and an orbiting scroll member defining a compression chamber therebetween which communicates with the discharge port, whereby, during operation, a lower pressure fluid is introduced from the suction port into said sealed housing to fill it with the lower pressure fluid and part of the fluid in said sealed housing is introduced into the compression chamber, compressed therein, and discharged from the discharge port through the discharge outlet;
(c) means arranged in said sealed housing to cause said orbiting scroll member to orbit, thereby compressing the fluid introduced into the compression chamber;
(d) connecting means penetrating said orbiting scroll member to communicate the compression chamber with the inside of said sealed housing;
(e) circular pressure receiving means adjacent said orbiting scroll member having a thrust-transmitting surface provided in said sealed housing in position to be exposed to the lower pressure fluid, said circular pressure receiving means receiving compressed fluid from the compression chamber through said connecting means, whereby, during operation, the compressed fluid in said circular pressure receiving means gives a thrust load to said orbiting scroll member, thereby partially compensating for the force exerted on said orbiting scroll member by the compression chamber, said circular pressure receiving means having a outer peripheral surface and a central axis eccentric to the center of said orbiting scroll member;
and
(f) a frame fixed to said sealed housing to transmit the thrust load to said sealed housing, said frame comprising a thrust-receiving surface in surface-to-surface contact with the thrust-transmitting surface of said circular pressure receiving means to therebetween prevent said pressure receiving means from orbiting in spite of the motion of said orbiting scroll member and an inner peripheral surface which is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of sad pressure receiving means, whereby, during operation, the thrust load applied to said circular pressure receiving means is transmitted to said sealed housing through said frame.

4 more elements

A scroll compressor for compressing refrigerant, said scroll compressor comprising:

(a) a housing having a discharge port and a suction port;
(b) scroll compressing means located between said discharge and suction ports, said scroll compressing means including:
(i) a stationary scroll member having an end plate, a stationary wrap extending vertically to said end plate, and a discharge outlet opened at a starting end of said stationary wrap and communicating with said discharge port and
(ii) an orbiting scroll member having an end plate and an orbiting wrap extending vertically to the end plate of said orbiting scroll member and meshing with the stationary wrap of said stationary scroll member,
(iii) the stationary wrap and the end plate of said stationary scroll member together with the orbiting wrap and the end plate of said orbiting scroll member defining a compression chamber therebetween,
whereby, during operation, a lower pressure gas is introduced from the periphery of said stationary and orbiting wraps to said compression chamber and discharged from said discharge outlet and a side of the end plate of said orbiting scroll member opposed to said compression chamber is subjected to a low pressure atmosphere;
(c) drive means arranged in the low pressure atmosphere inside said housing, said drive means including a drive shaft attached to said housing for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, said drive shaft having an axial end adjacent to but spaced from said end plate of said orbiting scroll member;
(d) means for communicating the lower pressure gas to the space between said drive shaft and said end plate of said orbiting scroll member;
(e) rotation transmission means for transmitting rotation of said drive shaft to said orbiting scroll member to cause said orbiting scroll member to orbit;
(f) a frame fastened to said housing and to the periphery of the end plate of said stationary scroll member on the surface on which said stationary wrap extends, said frame having a bearing hole in which said drive shaft is fitted and further comprising a thrust-receiving surface;
(g) Oldham coupling means provided between said frame and said orbiting scroll member for supporting said orbiting scroll member;
(h) connecting means provided in said orbiting scroll member, said connecting means connecting said compression chamber and said low pressure atmosphere within said housing;
(i) pressure receiving means having an annular channel formed therein, said annular channel being disposed between said frame and said orbiting scroll member radially outwardly of said drive shaft for receiving the pressure of said compression chamber via said connecting means, said pressure receiving means comprising a thrust-transmitting surface in surface-to-surface contact with said thrust-receiving surface of said frame to thereby prevent said pressure receiving means from orbiting in spite of the motion of said orbiting scroll member;
and
(j) lubrication oil connecting means provided inside said drive shaft for connecting the bottom of said housing with the space between said drive shaft and said frame and with the space between said rotation transmission means and said orbiting scroll member.

12 more elements

A scroll compressor with a thrust reduction mechanism for compressing gas, said scroll compressor comprising:

(a) a housing having a discharge port and a suction port;
(b) scroll compressing means located between the discharge and suction ports, said scroll compressing means including:
(i) a stationary scroll member having an end plate, a stationary wrap extending vertically to the end plate, and a discharge outlet formed in the end plate and communicating with said discharge port and
(ii) an orbiting scroll member having an end plate and an orbiting wrap extending vertically to the end plate of said orbiting scroll member and meshing with the stationary wrap of said stationary scroll member,
(iii) the stationary wrap and the end plate of said stationary scroll member together with the orbiting wrap and end plate of said orbiting scroll member defining a compression chamber therebetween,
whereby, during operation, a lower pressure gas is introduced from said suction port in to said housing to fill it with the lower pressure gas and part of the gas in said housing is introduced into said compression chamber from the periphery of said stationary and orbiting wraps, compressed, and discharged from said discharge port through said discharge outlet;
(c) driving means including a drive shaft arranged in said housing, said drive shaft having an axial end adjacent to but spaced from the end plate of said orbiting scroll member;
(d) means for communicating the lower pressure gas to the space between said drive shaft and the end plate of said orbiting scroll member;
(e) rotation transmission means for transmitting rotation of said drive shaft to said orbiting scroll member to cause said orbiting scroll member to orbit;
(f) connecting means penetrating said orbiting scroll member from a first side thereof which defines said compression chamber to a second side thereof which, during operation, is exposed to the lower pressure gas;
(g) a pressure receiving means having an annular channel formed therein, said annular channel being radially outwardly spaced from said drive shaft and facing the second side of said orbiting scroll member, said pressure receiving means comprising a thrust-transmitting surface, said pressure receiving means receiving the compressed gas in said compression chamber through said connecting means, whereby, during operation, the compressed gas in said pressure receiving means gives a thrust load to the end plate of said orbiting scroll member and to said pressure receiving means to separate them;
and
(h) a frame fixed to said housing to transmit the thrust load to it, said frame comprising a thrust-receiving surface in surface-to-surface contact with the thrust-transmitting surface of said pressure receiving means to thereby prevent said pressure receiving means from orbiting in spite of the motion of said orbiting scroll member, whereby, during operation, the thrust load applied to said pressure receiving means is transmitted to said housing through said frame.

10 more elements

A scroll compressor with a thrust reduction mechanism for compressing gas, said scroll compressor comprising:

(a) a sealed housing having a discharge port and a suction port;
(b) scroll compressing means located between the discharge and suction ports, said scroll compressing means including a stationary scroll member and an orbiting scroll member defining a compression chamber therebetween which communicates with the discharge port, whereby, during operation, a lower pressure fluid is introduced from the suction port into said sealed housing to fill it with the lower pressure fluid and part of the fluid in said sealed housing is introduced into the compression chamber, compressed therein, and discharged from the discharge port through the discharge outlet;
(c) means arranged in said sealed housing to cause said orbiting scroll member to orbit, thereby compressing the fluid introduced into the compression chamber;
(d) connecting means penetrating said orbiting scroll member to communicate the compression chamber with the inside of said sealed housing;
(e) pressure receiving means comprising a thrust-transmitting surface provided in said sealed housing in position to be exposed to the lower pressure fluid, said pressure receiving means adjacent said orbiting scroll member receiving compressed fluid from the compression chamber through said connecting means, whereby, during operation, the compressed fluid in said pressure receiving means gives a thrust load to said orbiting scroll member, thereby partially compensating for the force exerted on said orbiting scroll member by the compression chamber;
and
(f) a frame fixed to said sealed housing to transmit the thrust load to said sealed housing, said frame comprising a thrust-receiving surface in surface-to-surface contact with the thrust-transmitting surface of said pressure receiving means to thereby prevent said pressure receiving means from orbiting in spite of the motion of said orbiting scroll member, whereby, during operation, the thrust load applied to said pressure receiving means is transmitted to said sealed housing through said frame.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/903,872Filed 2 Sep 1986 · continuation
Priority: JP 58-18049930 Sep 1983
Granted: 29 Sep 1987
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F04C 28/28
Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids: safety arrangements;…
F04C 29/0021
Component parts, details or accessories of pumps or pumping installations, not provided for in groups F04C18/00 - F04C28/00: systems for the…
F04C 29/023
Lubrication ; Lubricant separation: lubricant distribution through a hollow driving shaft
F04C 2270/72
Safety, emergency conditions or requirements: preventing reverse rotation