US 5,256,042 A · Bearing and lubrication system for a scroll fluid device

Abstract

A bearing and lubrication system for a sealed, integrated motor driven co-rotating scroll refrigerant compressor includes hydrostatic bearings and an independent motor driven lubricant supply pump for supplying lubricant to the hydrostatic bearings mounting in the housing. The housing is divided into a high-pressure section that receives compressed refrigerant and a low pressure section containing the involute scroll compressor wraps. Individual lubricant supply sumps are provided in the high and lower pressure housing sections for supplying lubricant to the compressor bearings. The lubricant pump is capable of drawing lubricant from one or both of the lubricant supply sumps. A lubricant level sensor associated with one of the low or high pressure housing sumps is provided to maintain a desired level of lubricant therein. The lubricant supply pump is controlled so that pressure is supplied to the hydrostatic bearings during compressor operation. The lubricant may be pressurized by compressed refrigerant in the high-pressure housing section for supply to the compressor bearings with or without operation of the lubricant supply pump.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A scroll fluid device comprising:

a housing;
a pair of intermeshing axially extending involute spiral wraps mounted in the housing for relative orbital movement about an orbit center without relative rotation to provide at least one periodically and cyclically varying volume fluid transport chamber movable radially between the wraps;
axially spaced wrap support plates having said involute wraps disposed on respective opposing facing sides of said plates;
synchronizer means for maintaining said wraps in a predetermined rotational phase relationship;
means for supplying fluid to an intake zone associated with the wraps and for conveying transported fluid away from the wraps;
fluid bearing means for reacting axial thrust and radial side loads generated during operation of the scroll fluid device, said bearing means including at least one hydrostatic bearing;
drive means in the housing for driving the wrap support plates in relative orbital motion;
and
means for supplying pressurized lubricant to said fluid bearing means, said means for supplying pressurized lubricant being separate and distinct from said fluid supplying means.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Bearing and lubrication system for a scroll fluid device

Life of this patent

Bearing and lubrication system for a scroll fluid device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24