Axial movement restriction means for swash plate compressor and compressor assembly method

A piston type compressor comprising:

• a housing;
• a crank chamber formed in the housing;
• a drive shaft rotatably supported by the housing in the crank chamber, wherein the drive shaft has an end surface;
• a cylinder bore formed in the housing;
• a piston located in the cylinder bore, wherein the piston reciprocates between a top dead position and a bottom dead position;
• a valve plate located at an opposite side of the piston from the crank chamber;
• a swash plate connected with the piston to change the rotation of the drive shaft to reciprocation of the piston, wherein the swash plate integrally rotates with the drive shaft;
• a front restriction and a rear restriction located in the housing and for restricting a movement in the axial direction of the drive shaft, wherein the front restriction restricts the axial movement of the drive shaft in a forward direction, wherein the rear restriction restricts axial movement of the drive shaft in a rear direction;
• and
• a first clearance formed between the end surface of the drive shaft and the rear restriction when the movement of the drive shaft is restricted by the front restriction, wherein a second clearance is formed between the piston and the valve plate when the movement of the drive shaft is restricted by the front restriction and when the piston is in the top dead center position, wherein the first clearance is smaller than the second clearance.