Rotating scroll apparatus with axially biased scroll members

A fluid apparatus comprised of:

• a hermetic shell including a high pressure portion;
• a first scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell, said first scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed in said end plate, and a shaft of diameter D on said end plate, said shaft having a plan view area defined by said diameter D, said plan view area exposed to high pressure in said high pressure portion of said hermetic shell for biasing said first scroll member;
• a second scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell, said second scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed on said end plate for interleaving engagement with said upstanding involute portion of said first scroll member, and a shaft of diameter I on said end plate, said shaft having a plan view area defined by said diameter I;
• means for biasing said second scroll member end plate toward said first scroll member end plate;
• means for driveably rotating said first scroll member shaft;
• and
• means for rotatably supporting said second scroll member shaft.

A fluid apparatus comprised of:

• a hermetic shell including a high pressure portion;
• a first scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell, said first scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed in said end plate, and a shaft of diameter D on said end plate, said shaft having a plan view area defined by said diameter D, said plan view area exposed to high pressure in said high pressure portion of said hermetic shell;
• a second scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell, said second scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed on said end plate for interleaving engagement with said upstanding involute portion of said first scroll member, and a shaft of diameter I on said end plate, said shaft having a plan view area defined by said diameter I;
• means for directly compliantly connecting said first and second scroll end plates for biasing said second scroll member end plate toward said first scroll member end plate;
• means for driveably rotating said first scroll member shaft;
• and
• means for rotatably supporting said second scroll member shaft.

A fluid apparatus comprised of:

• a first scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed on said end plate, and a drive shaft on said end plate, said drive shaft having a diameter D with a plan view area exposed to fluid at a pressure for pressure balancing said first scroll member, said first scroll member further including two extension members at radially opposite ends of said end plate extending generally parallel to said upstanding invoulte portion, said extension members having a drive key portion;
• a second scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed on said end plate for interleaving engagement with said upstanding involute portion of said first scroll member, two oppositely disposed idler drive keys, and an idler shaft on said end plate said idler shaft having a diameter I;
• means for biasing said second scroll member end plate;
• means for driveably rotating said first scroll member shaft;
• and
• means for simultaneously rotating said second scroll member.

A fluid apparatus comprised of:

• a hermetic shell having a first portion with a first axis of generation C.sub.1 and a second portion with a second axis of generation C.sub.2 ;
• a first scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed on said end plate, and a drive shaft on said end plate, said drive shaft having a diameter D, said first scroll member further including two extension members at radially opposite ends of said end plate extending generally parallel to said upstanding involute portion, said extension members having a drive key portion, said first scroll member shaft having a parallel, non-concentric axis of rotation A with respect to said first axis of generation C.sub.1 ;
• a second scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed of end plate for interleaving engagement with said upstanding involute portion of said first scroll member, two oppositely disposed idler drive keys, an idler shaft on said end plate said idler shaft having a diameter I, said second scroll member shaft further having a parallel, non-concentric axis of rotation B with respect to said second axis of rotation C.sub.2 ;
• means for biasing said second scroll member end plate;
• means for rotatably supporting said second scroll member shaft disposed in said second portion of said hermetic shell;
• means for driveably rotating said first scroll member shaft disposed in the first portion of said hermetic shell;
• and
• means for simultaneously rotating said second scroll member.

A fluid apparatus comprised of:

• a hermetic shell including a first portion with a first axis of generation C.sub.1 and a second portion with a second axis of generation C.sub.2 ;
• a first scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell, said first scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed on said end plate, said end plate further including two radially opposed extension members, said extension members extending generally parallel to said upstanding involute portion, and a shaft of said end plate, said shaft having a parallel axis of rotation A with said first axis of generation C.sub.1 and further having an axial bore defining a discharge aperture;
• a compression plate secured to said extension members;
• a second scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell between said first scroll end plate and said compression plate, said second scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute portion disposed on said end plate for interleaving engagement with said upstanding involute portion of said first scroll member, said end plate further including a shaft having a parallel axis of rotation B with said second axis of generation C.sub.2, said shaft of said second scroll member further including an axial bore;
• means for biasing said second scroll member end plate from said first scroll member compression plate;
• a motor for driveably rotating said first scroll member shaft;
• means for adjustment of flank clearance between said involute portion of said first scroll member and said involute portion of said second scroll member;
• and
• means for rotatably supporting said second scroll member shaft.

A fluid compressor for compressing a fluid from a section pressure to a relatively higer discharge pressure, said fluid compressor comprised of:

• a hermetic shell including a first portion with a cylindrical lip generated about a first axis of generation C.sub.1 and a second portion with a cylindrical shoulder generated about a second axis of generation C.sub.2, said hermetic shell having a common axis C including the respective axes of generation C.sub.1 and C.sub.2, said first portion and said second portion being positionable about said common axis C during assembly of said hermetic shell;
• a first scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell, said first scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute wrap disposed on said end plate, said end plate further including two extension members extending generally parallel to said upstanding involute portion, and a drive shaft of diameter D on said end plate, said drive shaft having an axis of rotation A parallel to said first axis of generation C.sub.1 and further having an axial bore defining a discharge gallery;
• a compression plate secured to said extension members;
• a second scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell between said first scroll end plate and said compression plate, said second scroll member having an end plate with an upstanding involute wrap of said first scroll member, two radially opposed idler drive keys, said end plate also including two clearance slots, and a pressure transmission bore, said end plate further including an idler shaft of diameter I having an axis of rotation B parallel to said axis of generation C2 and to the axis of rotation A of said drive shaft;
• an annular ring having four slots for engaging said extension members and said idler drive keys;
• a spring biasingly connecting said second scroll member end plate and said first scroll member compression plate;
• a motor in said first portion of said hermetic shell, said motor connected to said drive shaft;
• and
• an annular lower bearing housing rotatably supporting said idler shaft.

A scroll compressor apparatus for compressing a fluid from a suction pressure to a relatively higher discharge pressure, said scroll compressor comprised of:

• a drive scroll member having an end plate, and upstanding involute wrap disposed on said end plate, said end plate further including two radially opposed extension members extending generally parallel to said upstanding first involute portion, each said extension member further having a drive key portion and a retainer portion, and a drive shaft of diameter D on said end plate, said drive shaft having an axis of rotation A and further having an axial bore defining a discharge gallery;
• a compression plate secured to and extending between said retainer portions of said extension members;
• an idler scroll member between said drive scroll end plate and said compression plate, said idler scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding second involute wrap disposed on said end plate for interleaving engagement with said upstanding involute wrap of said drive scroll member, said end plate also including two radially opposed idler drive keys radially outside of said involute wrap, said end plate further including an idler shaft of diameter I having an axis of rotation B;
• a spring biasingly connecting said idler scroll member end plate and said compression plate;
• a hermetic shell including a first, discharge pressure portion with a cylindrical lip generated about a first axis of generation C.sub.1 and a second, suction pressure portion with cylindrical shoulder generated about a second axis of generation C.sub.2, said suction pressure portion further having said drive and idler scroll members disposed therein, said hermetic shell having a common axis C including the respective axes of generation C.sub.1 and C.sub.2, said hermetic shell further including means for adjusting flank clearance between said first involute wrap and said second involute wrap comprised of a first offset of the axis of rotation A of said first scroll member shaft from said first axis of generation C.sub.1, and a second substantially larger offset of the axis of rotation B of said second scroll member shaft from said second axis of generation C.sub.2, whereby said first and second portions of said hermetic shell are positionable during assembly of said hermetic shell to define a maximum orbit between said first scroll member and said second scroll member comprised of the sum of said offsets and to define a minimum orbit between said drive scroll member and said idler scroll member comprised of the difference of said offsets, said hermetic shell further including a central frame portion defining a lubricant reservoir in said discharge pressure portion and an aperture for accepting said drive shaft, said central frame portion having a bore defining a lubricant passage;
• a motor disposed in said discharge pressure portion of said hermetic shell, said motor having a rotor and a stator defining an annular space therebetween for the passage of lubricant, said rotor connected to said drive shaft;
• and
• an annular lower bearing housing in said suction pressure portion, said lower bearing housing having a bearing therein, said bearing rotatably supporting said idler shaft, said lower bearing housing and said idler shaft further cooperating to define a pressure balance chamber.

A refrigeration system for circulating refrigerant in closed loop connection comprised of:

• a condenser for condensing refrigerant to liquid form;
• an expansion valve for receiving liquid refrigerant from said condenser and expanding the refrigerant;
• an evaporator for receiving liquid refrigerant from said expansion valve and evaporating the refrigerant;
• and
• a compressor for receiving expanded refrigerant from said evaporator and compressing the refrigerant, said compressor comprised of:
• a hermetic shell including a first portion with a cylindrical lip generated about a first axis of generation C.sub.1 and a second portion with cylindrical shoulder generated a second axis of generation C.sub.2, said hermetic shell having a common axis C including the respective axes of generation C.sub.1 and C.sub.2, said first portion and said second portion being positionable about said common axis C during assembly of said hermetic shell;
• a first scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell, said first scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute wrap disposed on said end plate, said end plate further including two extension members extending generally parallel to said upstanding involute portion, and a drive shaft of diameter D on said end plate, said drive shaft having an axis of rotation A parallel to said first axis of generation C.sub.1 and further having an axial bore defining a discharge gallery;
• a compression plate secured to said extension members;
• a second scroll member disposed in said hermetic shell between said first scroll end plate and said first scroll compression plate, said second scroll member having an end plate, an upstanding involute wrap disposed on said end plate for interleaving engagement with said upstanding involute wrap of said first scroll member, two radially opposed idler drive keys, said end plate also including two clearance slots, and a pressure transmission bore, said end plate further including an idler shaft of diameter I having an axis of rotation B parallel to said second axis of generation C.sub.2 and the axis of rotation A of said drive shaft;
• an annular ring having four slots for engaging said extension members and said idler drive keys;
• a spring biasingly connecting said second scroll member end plate and said first scroll member compression plate;
• a motor in said first portion of said hermetic shell, said motor connected to said drive shaft;
• and
• an annular lower bearing housing rotatably supporting said idler shaft.