Scroll compressor with a two-piece idler shaft and two piece scroll plates

A scroll plate for use in a scroll compressor, the scroll plate including a base and an involute extending generally perpendicularly from said base, the involute having a groove at an upper end and an elastomeric seal in said groove;

• said scroll plate being formed by the process of:
• forming a scroll base plate;
• forming an involute groove in the base;
• forming an involute to net shape, the involute having a wall, and opposed end surfaces on said wall;
• forming grooves in both of said opposed end surfaces of said involute such that said involute can be used in forming both a fixed scroll plate and an orbiting scroll plate;
• fixing said involute to said base plate, one of said end surfaces of said involute being received in said base plate groove, the other of said end surfaces of said involute defining said upper end of said involute;
• and
• inserting said elastomeric seal in said upper end groove.

A scroll compressor including a fixed scroll plate, an orbiting scroll plate, and an idler shaft extending between and connecting said scroll plates;

• said idler shaft having a first part and a second part;
• the first part being a one-piece unitary part including a base, a stem, and a shaft extending up from the stem, the first part having a axis of symmetry;
• the second part being secured to the first part and including a shaft;
• the second part having an axis of symmetry;
• the first and second parts being secured together such that the axis of symmetry of the first part is offset from the axis of symmetry of the second part;
• and
• each said scroll plate being made from a two piece assembly;
• the two piece assembly including a scroll base plate and an involute;
• the involute for said orbiting scroll plate and said fixed scroll plate being identical;
• said scroll plates being formed by the process of
• forming the scroll base plate;
• forming an involute groove in the base;
• forming an involute to net shape, the involute having a wall, and opposed end surfaces on said wall;
• forming grooves in said opposed end surfaces of said involute;
• fixing said involute to said base plate, one of said end surfaces of said involute being received in said base plate groove, the other of said end surfaces of said involute defining said upper end of said involute;
• and inserting an elastomeric seal in said upper end groove.

An idler shaft for use in a scroll compressor;

• the idler shaft consisting essentially a first part and a second part fixed directly to the first part;
• the first part and second parts being substantially identical and being a one-piece unitary parts;
• said first and second parts each including a base and a stem from the approximate center of the base;
• said first and second parts each having an axis of symmetry;
• the second part being base being fixed to the first part base such that the second part shaft extends away from the first part shaft and the axis of symmetry of the first part is offset from the axis of symmetry of the second part.