Discharge manifold and mounting system for, and method of assembling, a hermetic compressor

A compressor assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a compressor mechanism drivingly coupled to an electric motor by means of a shaft, said compressor mechanism and motor disposed within said housing and said compressor mechanism receiving a fluid substantially at suction pressure;
• and
• a manifold attached to said housing and subdividing an interior of said housing into first and second discharge chambers, said manifold having an aperture into which is received a discharge gas discharged from said compressor mechanism disposed within said second discharge chamber, said manifold including a plurality of chutes;
• said compressor mechanism including a plurality of channels disposed on a peripheral surface and each channel positioned adjacent the respective chute, each said channel defining a generally arcuate profile extending between a pair of substantially planar axial end surfaces defining said compressor mechanism.

A compressor assembly comprising:

• a housing comprising a main section and an end section, said main and end sections of said housing including edges;
• a bearing support member extending across an interior of said housing and supported between said edges of said main and end sections of said housing, said bearing support member having portions projecting radially outward to support the compressor assembly;
• a compression mechanism disposed in said housing and comprising means for compressing the fluid from substantially suction pressure to substantially discharge pressure;
• an electric motor comprising a stator and a rotor disposed in said housing, an air gap is disposed between said stator and rotor;
• a shaft extending through said rotor and operatively coupling said rotor and said compressor mechanism;
• and
• an auxiliary bearing disposed about said shaft and supported by said bearing support member, said shaft rotatably supported by said auxiliary bearing.

A method of assembling a scroll compressor comprising the steps of:

• assembling a main bearing, an orbiting scroll and a non-orbiting scroll to form a compressor mechanism;
• providing a manifold having a planar surface disposed thereon;
• fastening the compressor mechanism to the planar surface of the manifold to provide perpendicularity of the planar surface respective of a longitudinal axis through a centerline of the main bearing;
• providing a main section of the housing having first and second planar edges respectively disposed on axial ends thereof such that corresponding surfaces of first and second planar edges are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal reference axis passing through the centerline of the housing;
• attaching a stator to the main section of the housing and aligning the stator therewith such that a centerline of an inner radial surface thereof is substantially aligned with the longitudinal centerline of the main section of the housing;
• inserting the compressor mechanism into the main section such that the planar surface of the manifold faces the stator and abuts the first planar edge of the main section of the housing;
• aligning the main bearing with the stator such that a centerline of an inner radial surface of the main bearing is aligned with the centerline of the inner radial surface of the stator;
• joining the planar surface of the manifold to the first planar edge of the main section;
• providing a bearing support member having a planar surface disposed thereon;
• fastening the auxiliary bearing to the bearing support member such that a centerline of an inner radial surface of the auxiliary bearing is substantially perpendicular respective of the planar surface of the bearing support member;
• providing a rotor coupled to a shaft and disposed within the main section of housing such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft and rotor are substantially coaxially positioned respective of the stator;
• connecting the auxiliary bearing on an end of the shaft;
• aligning the rotor within the stator such that the rotor and stator are separated by a substantially uniform and annular air gap;
• joining the planar surface of the bearing support member to the second planar edge of the main section of the housing;
• and
• joining a pair of end sections to the housing such that one of the pair of end sections is joined to the housing proximate the first planar edge and the other end section is joined to the second planar edge of the main section of the housing.