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US 6,290,468 B1Granted
Variable displacement compressor
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
InventorsKeiichi Kato, Hirotaka Kurakake, Taku Adaniya, Satoshi Inaji
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable displacement compressor has a housing, which defines a crank chamber, a suction chamber, and a discharge chamber. A bleed passage connects the crank chamber to the suction chamber, which allows gas to flow from the crank chamber to the suction chamber. A release valve, which is a reed valve, is located in the bleed passage. The release valve varies the opening of the bleed passage in accordance with the difference between the pressure in the crank chamber and the pressure in the suction chamber. This can prevent the pressure in the crank chamber from excessively increasing.
Claims20
A variable displacement compressor comprising:
- a housing including a cylinder bore, a crank chamber, a suction chamber, and a discharge chamber;
- a piston accommodated in the cylinder bore;
- a drive shaft rotatably supported in the housing;
- a drive plate coupled to the piston for converting rotation of the drive shaft to reciprocation of the piston, the drive plate being tiltably supported on the drive shaft, wherein the drive plate moves between a maximum inclination and a minimum inclination in accordance with the pressure in the crank chamber, wherein the inclination of the drive plate determines the piston stroke and the displacement of the compressor;
- a pressure control mechanism for controlling the pressure in the crank chamber to change the inclination of the drive plate;
- a control passage for connecting the crank chamber to a selected chamber in the compressor;
- and
- a reed valve located in the control passage, wherein the reed valve varies the opening of the control passage in accordance with the difference between the pressure in the crank chamber and the pressure in the selected chamber, which limits the pressure in the crank chamber.
5 more elements
A variable displacement compressor comprising:
- a housing including a cylinder bore, a crank chamber, a suction chamber, and a discharge chamber;
- a piston accommodated in the cylinder bore;
- a drive shaft rotatably supported in the housing;
- a drive plate coupled to the piston for converting rotation of the drive shaft to reciprocation of the piston, the drive plate being tiltably supported on the drive shaft, wherein the drive plate moves between a maximum inclination and a minimum inclination in accordance with the pressure in the crank chamber, wherein the inclination of the drive plate determines the piston stroke and the displacement of the compressor;
- a pressurizing passage for connecting the discharge chamber to the crank chamber;
- a control valve located in the pressurizing passage, which controls a flow of gas from the discharge chamber to the crank chamber through the pressurizing passage;
- a bleed passage that always connects the crank chamber to the suction chamber, which allows gas to flow from the crank chamber to the suction chamber;
- and
- a reed valve located in the bleed passage, wherein the reed valve is closed to limit the flow of the gas in the control passage if the difference between the pressure in the crank chamber and the pressure in the suction chamber is smaller than a predetermined value, and the reed valve is opened to increase the flow of the gas in the bleed passage if the difference between the pressure in the crank chamber and the pressure in the suction chamber is greater than the predetermined value.
6 more elements
A variable displacement compressor comprising:
- a housing including a cylinder bore, a crank chamber, a suction chamber, and a discharge chamber;
- a piston accommodated in the cylinder bore;
- a drive shaft rotatably supported in the housing;
- an urging member that urges the drive shaft in the axial direction, which regulates the axial movement of the drive shaft;
- a drive plate coupled to the piston for converting rotation of the drive shaft to reciprocation of the piston, the drive plate being tiltably supported on the drive shaft, wherein the drive plate moves between a maximum inclination and a minimum inclination in accordance with the pressure in the crank chamber, wherein the inclination of the drive plate determines the piston stroke and the displacement of the compressor, wherein the pressure in the crank chamber applies an axial force to the drive plate to press the drive shaft in the axial direction when the drive plate is located at the minimum inclination;
- a pressurizing passage for connecting the discharge chamber to the crank chamber;
- a control valve located in the pressurizing passage, which controls a flow of gas from the discharge chamber to the crank chamber through the pressurizing passage;
- a pressure release passage for connecting the crank chamber to the suction chamber, which allows gas to flow from the crank chamber to the suction chamber;
- and
- a reed valve located in the release passage to control the openings of the release passage, wherein the reed valve limits the pressure in the crank chamber such that the axial force cannot move the drive shaft against the force of the urging member.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.