The present disclosure relates to a compressor, and more particularly to a compressor having a bearing retention feature.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Scroll compressors are used in applications such as refrigeration systems, air conditioning systems, and heat pump systems to pressurize and, thus, circulate refrigerant within each system.
As the scroll compressor operates, an orbiting scroll member having an orbiting scroll member wrap orbits with respect to a non-orbiting scroll member having a non-orbiting scroll member wrap to make moving line contacts between flanks of the respective scroll wraps. In so doing, the orbiting scroll member and the non-orbiting scroll member cooperate to define moving, crescent-shaped pockets of vapor refrigerant. A volume of the fluid pockets decreases as the pockets move toward a center of the scroll members, thereby compressing the vapor refrigerant disposed therein from a suction pressure to a discharge pressure.
Scroll compressors may include a bearing housing that houses a drive bearing assembly. The drive bearing assembly often includes a steel-backed insert (e.g., press-fit) that can rotate relative to the bearing housing under certain severe operating conditions. This relative rotation often causes undesirable movement of the insert, and may eventually cause the insert to “walk out” of the bearing housing.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
A compressor constructed in accordance with one example of the present disclosure can include a shell, a hub, an insert, and at least one collar. The hub may be disposed within the shell and define an axis of rotation. The hub may include an axially extending aperture. The insert may be disposed within the aperture. The at least one collar may be disposed about the hub.
A compressor constructed in accordance with another example of the present disclosure can include a shell, a bearing housing, an insert, and at least one collar. The bearing housing may be disposed within the shell and include a central hub defining an axis of rotation. The central hub may include a first axially extending portion having a first wall thickness and a second axially extending portion having a second wall thickness. The insert may be concentrically disposed within the central hub. The at least one collar may be concentrically disposed about the second axially-extending portion.
A compressor constructed in accordance with yet another example of the present disclosure can include a shell, a support structure, an insert and at least one collar. The support structure may be disposed within the shell and include a central hub defining an axis of rotation. The central hub may include a first axially extending portion having a first outer diameter, and a second axially extending portion having a second outer diameter. The insert may be concentrically disposed within the central hub. The at least one collar may be concentrically disposed about the second axially-extending portion.
The drive shaft can be rotatably mounted within the insert.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, the arresting arrangement is an annular collar having an inner diameter, and the hub has a step portion configured on outer periphery thereof such that an outer diameter of the step portion is larger than the inner diameter of the annular collar for configuring interference fit between the annular collar and the step portion to urge the hub towards the insert to apply reinforcement on the insert.
In accordance with another embodiment, the arresting arrangement includes a tapered lock nut and a retaining ring, the insert is functionally coupled to the retainer ring having protruding legs that engage with inner periphery of the hub to configure interference fit between the hub and the retainer ring and the lock nut engages with threads formed on outer periphery of the hub to securely hold the retainer ring and accordingly the insert within the hub.
In accordance with still another embodiment, the arresting arrangement is a collar that press fits over the hub and urges the hub towards the insert to apply reinforcement on the insert, thereby restraining movement of the insert with respect to the hub.
In accordance with another embodiment, the arresting arrangement includes a step configured on an inside wall of the hub such that the insert snap fits into the step configured on inside wall of the hub, thereby restraining movement of the insert with respect to the hub.
The collar can be press-fit on the hub.
Generally, the insert is a cylindrical insert having an outer diameter, and the aperture has an inner diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter.
The insert can be press-fit within the aperture.
Further, the insert is operable to rotate within the aperture about the axis of rotation.
The hub may further include an axially extending recessed portion disposed about the aperture, and wherein the collar is disposed about the recessed portion.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
With reference to
The motor assembly 14 may include a motor stator 26, a rotor 28, and a drive shaft 30. The motor stator 26 may be press fit into the shell assembly 12. The rotor 28 may be press fit on the drive shaft 30 and may transmit rotational power to the drive shaft 30. The drive shaft 30 may rotate about an axis 31 and include an eccentric crank pin 32 drivingly engaging the compression mechanism 16. The drive shaft 30 may also include a lubricant passageway 34 extending therethrough and communicating with the lubricant sump 24.
The compression mechanism 16 may include an orbiting scroll member 36 and a non-orbiting scroll member 38. The non-orbiting scroll member 38 may be fixed to the bearing housing assembly 18 by a plurality of fasteners 39, such as threaded bolts or similar attachment features. The orbiting and non-orbiting scroll members 36, 38 include orbiting and non-orbiting spiral wraps 40, 42, respectively, that meshingly engage each other and extend from orbiting and non-orbiting end plates 41, 43, respectively. An Oldham coupling 44 may be keyed to the orbiting scroll member 36 and a stationary structure (e.g., the bearing housing assembly 18 or the non-orbiting scroll member 38) to prevent relative rotation between the orbiting and non-orbiting scroll members 36, 38 while allowing the orbiting scroll member 36 to move in an orbital path relative to the non-orbiting scroll member 38. Moving fluid pockets 46 are formed between the orbiting and non-orbiting spiral wraps 40, 42 that decrease in size as they move from a radially outer position to a radially inner position, thereby compressing the working fluid therein from the suction pressure to the discharge pressure.
The bearing housing assembly 18 may include a bearing insert 48, a bearing housing 50, and at least one bearing collar 52. While the bearing housing 50 is generally shown and described herein as the first or main bearing housing 50, the bearing housing 50 may also be a second or drive bearing housing 50a within the scope of the present disclosure. The bearing housing 50 may be formed from cast iron or any other suitable material and may include a central hub 54 defining an axially-extending aperture 55. In one configuration, the aperture 55 may have an inner diameter D1. As illustrated in
The first portion 56 may extend in the axial direction (relative to axis 31) from the bearing housing 50, and the second portion 58 may extend in the axial direction from the first portion 56. As illustrated, the first portion 56 may be substantially cylindrically shaped and define an outer diameter D2. The second portion 58 may be substantially cylindrically shaped and define an outer diameter D3.
The first portion 56 may have a first wall thickness T1 and the second portion 58 may have a second wall thickness T2. The second wall thickness T2 may be less than or equal to the first wall thickness T1. In one configuration, the second wall thickness T2 may be thirty to fifty percent less than the first wall thickness T1. In another configuration, the second wall thickness T2 may be approximately forty percent less than the first wall thickness T1. Accordingly, the second portion 58 may define a circumferential or annular recessed portion of the central hub 54, including an angled surface 60 extending between and connecting the first portion 56 and the second portion 58. As illustrated, the angled surface 60 may be tapered, chamfered or otherwise provide a radiussed transition between the first portion 56 and the second portion 58. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The bearing insert 48 may be concentrically mounted within the hub 54, and may rotatably support the drive shaft 30. The bearing insert 48 may be a substantially cylindrical steel sleeve having an outer diameter D4. The outer diameter D4 of the bearing insert 48 may be larger than the inner diameter D1 of the hub 54. Accordingly, mounting the bearing insert 48 within the hub 54 may create an interference fit, and generate a compressive force component F1, between the bearing insert 48 and the hub 54. For example, the outer diameter D4 of the bearing insert 48 may be between 0.05 and 0.15 millimeters larger than the inner diameter D1 of the hub 54. In one configuration, the outer diameter D4 is approximately 0.08 millimeters (3.2 mils) larger than the inner diameter D1. Accordingly, the bearing insert 48 may be press-fit (e.g., cold press) within the hub 54 by applying a force in the axial direction on either or both of the insert 48 and the hub 54.
The bearing collar 52 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material, and may be mounted annularly about the second portion 58 of the hub 54. While the bearing collar 52 is generally shown and described herein as being mounted annularly about the hub 54 of the bearing housing 50, it will also be appreciated that the bearing collar 52 may be mounted annularly about a hub located on another support structure within the compressor 10. For example, the with reference to
As illustrated, in one configuration, the bearing collar 52 may be a substantially cylindrical member defining an inner diameter D5. In one configuration the inner diameter D5 of the bearing collar 52 may be less than the outer diameter D3 of the second portion 58 of the hub 54, such that mounting the bearing collar 52 on the second portion 58 creates an interference fit between the bearing collar 52 and the second portion 58. It is also understood that the bearing collar 52 may be crimped or otherwise compressed onto the second portion 58, thus creating an interference fit between the bearing collar 52 and the second portion 58. In another method of assembling the bearing collar 52 and the hub 54, the diameter D5 of the bearing collar 52 may be increased by a heating process and/or the diameter D3 of the hub 54 may be reduced by a cooling process to allow the bearing collar 52 to be placed on the hub 54 without interference therebetween. Upon temperature equalization of the bearing collar 52 and the hub 54, an interference fit may be generated between the bearing collar 52 and the hub 54.
The interference fit between the bearing collar 52 and the second portion 58 of the hub 54 may generate a compressive force component F2 on the second portion 58 of the hub 54. The force component F2 may decrease the diameter D3 of the second portion 58 and decrease the inner diameter D1 of the hub 54, thus increasing the compressive force component F1 between the hub 54 and the bearing insert 48. The force component F2 on second portion 58 of the hub 54 may improve the retention of the bearing insert 48 within the hub 54. Accordingly, it will be understood that in one method of assembling the bearing housing assembly 18, the bearing insert 48 may be disposed within the hub 54 before the bearing collar 52 is disposed about the hub 54.
While the hub 54 is generally described herein as including first and second portions 56, 58, it will also be appreciated that in another configuration (
The materials of the hub 54 and the bearing collar 52 may influence the magnitude of forces F1 and F2. For example, constructing the bearing collar 52 from a material with a higher elastic modulus (e.g. steel) and constructing the hub 54 from a material with a lower elastic modulus (relative to the bearing collar 52) may increase the magnitude of the force component F2. Where space limits the thickness of bearing collar 52, a higher elastic modulus material may improve the retention of the bearing insert 48 within the hub 54.
As the drive shaft 30 rotates about the axis 31, it may apply a torque on the bearing insert 48, and urge the bearing insert 48 to rotate about the axis 31. A frictional force between the bearing insert 48 and the hub 54, generally associated with the first compressive force component F1, may resist movement of the bearing insert 48 relative to the hub 54. Introduction of the second compressive force component F2 may increases the first compressive force component F1, which in turn may operate to prevent the bearing insert 48 from rotating or otherwise moving relative to the hub 54.
The retainer ring 52 (as illustrated in
The tapered retainer ring 159 (as illustrated in
Referring to
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1835/MUM/2014 | Jun 2014 | IN | national |
This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/551,515, filed on Nov. 24, 2014, which claims the benefit and priority of Indian Patent Application No. 1835/MUM/2014, filed on Jun. 4, 2014, which claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/909,766, filed on Nov. 27, 2013. The entire disclosures of each of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61909766 | Nov 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14551515 | Nov 2014 | US |
Child | 15785241 | US |