Oil return tube aligned over motor protector in scroll compressor
AssigneeScroll Technologies
InventorsChong Yeow Oo, Zili Sun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scroll compressor is provided with an oil return tube having an outlet for directing oil toward a motor protector for an electric motor. The oil supply tube is positioned to be at an angle relative to the drive axis of a shaft driven by the electric motor. This ensures that the outlet of the oil supply tube can be properly positioned relative to the electric motor. Under normal conditions, an adequate flow of refrigerant will pull the oil from the oil supply tube and away from the motor protector. However, should there be an inadequate flow of refrigerant within the sealed compressor, the oil will contact the motor protector, which in turn may stop operation of the electric motor.
Claims9
A sealed compressor comprising:
- a sealed housing including a suction tube for delivering a suction refrigerant into a suction chamber in said sealed housing;
- an electric motor mounted within said suction chamber, said electric motor driving a shaft;
- a motor protector mounted adjacent said electric motor, said motor protector being operable to stop operation of said electric motor if said motor protector senses an undesirably high temperature;
- a compressor pump unit, said compressor pump unit being provided with a supply of lubricant, said shaft driving said compressor pump unit to compress a refrigerant;
- an oil return tube for returning lubricant from said compressor pump unit downwardly into said sealed housing, said oil return tube being positioned such that oil flowing outwardly of said oil return tube will contact said motor protector;
- and
- said oil return tube having an outlet at an angle that is non-parallel and non-perpendicular to a drive axis of said shaft, such that oil leaving said outlet of said oil return tube is initially directed in a direction that is non-parallel and non-perpendicular to a drive axis of said shaft.
A sealed compressor comprising:
- a sealed housing including a suction tube for delivering a suction refrigerant into a suction chamber in said sealed housing;
- an electric motor mounted within said suction chamber, said electric motor driving a shaft;
- a motor protector mounted adjacent said electric motor, said motor protector being operable to stop operation of said electric motor if said motor protector senses an undesirably high temperature;
- a compressor pump unit, said compressor pump unit being provided with a supply of lubricant, said shaft driving said compressor pump unit to compress a refrigerant, said compressor pump unit incorporating a crankcase;
- an oil return tube for returning lubricant from said compressor pump unit downwardly into said sealed housing, said oil return tube being positioned such that oil flowing outwardly of said oil return tube will contact said motor protector;
- said oil return tube being integrally cast into said crankcase to be positioned to return oil onto said motor protector, at least under some conditions;
- said compressor pump unit being a scroll compressor pump unit;
- and
- said oil return tube extending at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular angle relative to a drive axis of said electric motor, such that oil leaving said outlet of said oil return tube is initially directed in a direction that is non-parallel and non-perpendicular to a drive axis of said shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.