Scroll compressor with reduced separating force between fixed and orbiting scroll members
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorAlexander Lifson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scroll compressor has structure in the tips of at least one of its wraps that reduces a force separating the scroll wraps. In one embodiment, the structure includes recesses formed in the tip such that low pressure fluid is tapped across the surface between the tip and the opposed scroll base. The low pressure fluid reduces the separating force between the scroll wrap. Separating walls may be formed to define separate recesses. In a second embodiment, an intermediate pressure fluid is tapped into a groove. Again, the low pressure reduces the separating force component across the scroll wrap. This invention is particularly valuable in the type of scroll wraps having thick wraps.
Claims6
A scroll compressor comprising:
- a non-orbiting scroll having a scroll wrap extending from a base for a wrap height;
- an orbiting scroll having a scroll wrap extending from a base for a wrap height, and intermitting with said non-orbiting scroll wrap, said orbiting scroll being provided with a drive to move it relative to said non-orbiting scroll, said non-orbiting and said orbiting scrolls together defining a plurality of pressure chambers between said orbiting and non-orbiting scroll wraps, higher pressure chambers being defined on a first side of said scroll wraps, and lower pressure chambers defined on a second side of said scroll wraps and between opposed scroll wraps;
- and
- said scroll wraps having tips facing said base of the other of said scroll wraps, said tips of at least one of said non-orbiting and orbiting scrolls being provided with a recess extending into a face of said tip for a depth that is less than said wrap height, said recess reducing the overall separating force between said tip of said at least one of said non-orbiting and orbiting scrolls and said base of the other of said scrolls, said recess extending along said wrap in a first direction, and a tap extending from said recess to said second side to communicate lower pressure to said recess, said tap extending for a circumferential distance that is less than the circumferential distance of said recess, and said tap extending in a direction which is non-parallel to the direction of said recess.
A scroll compressor comprising:
- a non-orbiting scroll having a scroll wrap extending from a base for a wrap height;
- an orbiting scroll having a scroll wrap extending from a base for a wrap height, and interfitting with said non-orbiting scroll wrap, said orbiting scroll being provided with a drive to move it relative to said non-orbiting scroll, said non-orbiting and said orbiting scrolls together defining a plurality of pressure chambers between said orbiting and non-orbiting scroll wraps, higher pressure chambers being defined on a first side of said scroll wraps, and lower pressure chambers defined on a second side of said scroll wraps and between opposed scroll wraps;
- and
- said scroll wraps having tips facing said base of the other of said scroll wraps, said tips of at least one of said non-orbiting and orbiting scrolls being provided with a recess extending into a face of said tip for a depth that is less than said wrap height, said recess communicating with a tap, said tap extending from said second side of said wrap, and at a location spaced toward said base from said tip, said tap extending through said wrap to communicate fluid from said second side to said recess, said tap extending for a circumferential distance that is less than a circumferential distance of said recess, said tap and said recess together reducing the separating force between said orbiting and non-orbiting scroll by tapping refrigerant from said second side to said recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.