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US 6,634,874 B2Granted
Scroll compressor with anti-reverse rotation clutch
AssigneeScroll Technologies
InventorsJames W. Bush, John R. Williams, Zili Sun, Carlos Zamudio, Jason Hugenroth, Gregory W. Hahn, Thomas R. Barito, Joseph T. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low cost protective clutch member is positioned adjacent an end of the drive shaft in a scroll compressor. The device is a thin washer having a tab which is selectively driven against the housing stop when the compressor is driven in a forward direction, but is movable into a notch in the shaft when the shaft is driven in a reverse direction. The tab prevents rotation of the shaft when in the notch.
Claims10
A scroll compressor comprising:
- a first scroll member having a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from the base;
- a second scroll member having a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from its base, said spiral wraps of said first and second scroll members interfitting to define compression chambers;
- a drive shaft for causing said second scroll member to orbit relative to said first scroll member, said drive shaft being normally driven in a first direction;
- and
- a device for allowing rotation of said drive shaft when driven in said first direction, but engaging said drive shaft to prevent rotation when driven in a second direction opposed to said first direction, said device including a clutch at a first axial location on said shaft, said clutch allowing rotation in only said first direction, and a second device positioned at a second axial location, axially spaced from said first axial location of said clutch, said second device resisting rotation of said shaft in said second direction to a greater extent than said second device resisting rotation of said shaft in said first direction.
2 more elements
A scroll compressor comprising:
- a first scroll member having a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from said base;
- a second scroll member having a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from said base, said wraps of said first and second scroll members interfitting to define compression chambers;
- a drive shaft for driving said second scroll member to orbit relative to said first scroll member in a first direction when said drive shaft is driven in a first direction;
- and
- a washer positioned in abutting contact with an end of said shaft remote from said first and second scroll members, said washer having a tab extending upwardly toward said shaft, said tab being movable with said washer between an actuated and a non-actuated position, said tab abutting a housing stop when in said non-actuated position, and said tab catching an opening in said shaft when in said actuated position, said washer being driven to move said tab to said non-actuated position when said shaft is driven in said first direction, and said washer being driven to move said tab to said actuated position when said shaft is driven in a second direction opposed to said first direction.
2 more elements
A scroll compressor comprising:
- a first scroll member having a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from the base;
- second scroll member having a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from its base, said spiral wraps of said first and second scroll members interfitting to define compression chambers;
- a drive shaft for causing said second scroll member to orbit relative to said first scroll member, said drive shaft being normally driven in a first direction;
- a device for allowing rotation of said drive shaft when driven in said first direction, but engaging said drive shaft to prevent rotation when driven in a second direction opposed to said first direction, said device including a clutch at a first axial location on said shaft, said clutch allowing rotation in only said first direction, and a second device positioned at a second axial location, axially spaced from said first axial location of said clutch, said second device resisting rotation of said shaft in said second direction;
- said second device is positioned against an end of said shaft remote from said first and second scroll members;
- said second device includes a washer applying a thrust force along said shaft;
- and
- said second device includes a tab which is movable within a housing, said tab abutting a stop on said housing when said shaft is driven in said first direction, and said tab being moved into a notch in said shaft when said shaft is driven in said second direction.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.