Patent Grant
10527041
This application is a ยง 371 of International Application No. PCT/KR2015/009000 filed Aug. 27, 2015 and claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0073005 filed May 26, 2015.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a compressor with an oil return unit, and more particularly, to a compressor having a unit for returning oil mixed with refrigerant to be discharged out of the compressor, to an internal space of the compressor.
Generally, air conditioning (A/C) apparatuses for cooling or heating passenger compartments are installed in vehicles. Such an air conditioning apparatus includes, as a configuration for a cooling system, a compressor, which compresses low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant drawn from an evaporator into a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous state, and transfers it to a condenser.
Compressors are classified into a reciprocating compressor which compresses refrigerant using reciprocating motion of a piston, and a rotary compressor which performs rotational motion to compress refrigerant. According to a drive force transmission method, reciprocating compressors are classified into a crank type in which drive force is transmitted by a plurality of piston using a crank, a swash plate type in which drive force is transmitted by a rotating shaft provided with a swash plate, and so forth. Rotary compressors are classified into a vane rotary type which employs a rotary shaft and vane, and a scroll type which employs a turning scroll and a fixed scroll.
In compressors, as a compression unit is driven by rotating a rotor, refrigerant is compressed. In this regard, since movable parts of the compression unit including a rotating part such as the rotor repeatedly make friction with stationary parts, lubrication is necessarily required. Particularly, in the case of the scroll compressor, lubrication between the fixed scroll and the turning scroll is very important. To minimize power loss and prevent damage due to abrasion, friction between the fixed scroll and the turning scroll must be minimized, but to enhance compression efficiency, leakage of refrigerant between the fixed scroll and the turning scroll must also be minimized.
For this, hitherto, a method in which oil is mixed with refrigerant to lubricate mechanical friction portions in a compression chamber has been used. This method is efficient because an oil supply structure can be simplified, but is problematic in that some oil mixed with refrigerant is discharged out of the compressor and thus the amount of oil is reduced.
To overcome the foregoing problem, an oil separator is used along with the compressor. For a certain shape, the oil separator may be separately provided from the compressor. However, in the case of, e.g., a vehicle which cannot provide sufficient installation space, the oil separator may be integrally formed in a compressor housing. Typically, such an oil separator collects oil from refrigerant while colliding with the refrigerant discharged out of the compressor, and returns the collected oil to the compressor. When oil returned in this way is supplied into the compressor, oil must be supplied at an appropriate flow rate to desired parts of the compressor. However, due to this, there is a problem in that an oil supply passage is complex. Therefore, a method capable of efficiently supplying returned oil despite having a simple oil supply passage is required.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a compressor with an oil return unit capable of efficiently supplying returned oil into a compressor housing.
A compressor with an oil return unit in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention may include: a main housing; a turning scroll turnably mounted to the housing; a fixed scroll engaging with the turning scroll and forming a compression chamber; an auxiliary housing including a discharge space communicating with an outlet side of the fixed scroll, and a collection space in which oil collected in the discharge space is temporarily stored; an oil return passage formed in the fixed scroll and communicating with the collection space; and an oil supply passage formed in the main housing and communicating with the oil return passage, the oil supply passage being formed to diverge such that oil is supplied to at least two places.
In the compressor in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, a single oil passage may be formed in the fixed scroll, and another oil passage communicating with the above-mentioned oil passage may be formed in another component, e.g., the main housing, which is disposed to be parallel with the fixed scroll, wherein oil may be supplied to a plurality of places.
The main housing may have a suction space in which a rotating shaft is housed, and the oil supply passage may include a first oil supply passage communicating with the suction space.
A back pressure chamber may be formed between a rear surface of the turning scroll and a facing surface of the main housing, and the oil supply passage may include a second oil supply passage communicating with the back pressure chamber.
A pressure reducing unit may be provided in the oil return passage.
An installation space may be formed in the oil return passage so that the pressure reducing unit is disposed in the installation space, wherein the inner diameter of the installation space may be greater than that of an inlet of the oil return passage.
A refrigerant pressure at an outlet side of the first oil supply passage may be lower than a refrigerant pressure at an outlet side of the second oil supply passage.
A pressure reducing unit may be provided in the first oil supply passage.
An installation space may be formed in the first oil supply passage so that the pressure reducing unit is disposed in the installation space, wherein the inner diameter of the installation space may be greater than that of an outlet of the first oil supply passage.
The first and second oil supply passages may have a common inlet communicating with an outlet of the oil return passage.
A sealing unit for sealing the back pressure chamber may be provided between the turning scroll and the main housing, and the common inlet may be disposed outside the sealing unit with respect to a radial direction.
The pressure reducing unit may include an oil transfer member with an oil transfer groove formed in an outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member. The oil transfer groove may spirally extend in a longitudinal direction of the oil transfer member.
The oil transfer member may have a hydraulic space therein, and a communication hole communicating with the hydraulic space may be formed in an end of the oil transfer member.
Furthermore, the pressure reducing unit may further include a cover fitted over an outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member.
The pressure reducing unit may include an oil transfer member in which an oil transfer hole that spirally extends in the longitudinal direction is formed.
The oil transfer member may have a hydraulic space therein, and a communication hole communicating with the hydraulic space may be formed in an end of the oil transfer member.
The pressure reducing unit may include: an oil transfer member; and a cover fitted over an outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member, with an oil transfer groove formed in an inner surface of the cover, the oil transfer groove spirally extending in a longitudinal direction of the cover.
A sealing unit for preventing leakage of refrigerant between the fixed scroll and the main housing may be interposed between the fixed scroll and the main housing, and a through hole for communicating the oil return passage and the first oil supply passage with each other may be formed in the sealing unit.
The pressure reducing unit may be formed of material having a stiffness lower than that of the fixed scroll or the main housing.
A compressor with an oil return unit in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention may include: a main housing including a suction space in which a rotating shaft is housed; a turning scroll turnably mounted to the housing; a fixed scroll engaging with the turning scroll and forming a compression chamber; an auxiliary housing including a discharge space communicating with an outlet side of the fixed scroll, and a collection space in which oil collected in the discharge space is temporarily stored; a back pressure chamber formed in the main housing and applied with a pressure compressing the turning scroll to the fixed scroll; an oil return passage formed in the fixed scroll and communicating with the collection space, with a pressure reducing unit provided in the oil return passage; a first oil supply passage formed in the main housing and extending between the oil return passage and the suction space; pressure reducing units respectively provided in the oil return passage and the first oil supply passage; and a second oil supply passage diverging between the two pressure reducing units and communicating with the back pressure chamber.
The second oil supply passage may include an inlet formed in an end of the main housing.
A sealing unit for sealing the back pressure chamber may be provided between the turning scroll and the main housing, and the inlet may be disposed outside the sealing unit with respect to a radial direction.
An installation space may be formed in at least one of the oil return passage and the first oil supply passage so that the pressure reducing unit is disposed in the installation space, wherein a stepped portion may be formed on an end of the installation space.
The stepped portion may block movement of the pressure reducing unit so that the pressure reducing unit is disposed at a correct position.
A sealing unit for preventing leakage of refrigerant between the fixed scroll and the main housing may be interposed between the fixed scroll and the main housing, and a through hole may be formed in the sealing unit so that the oil return passage and the first oil supply passage communicate with each other through the through hole.
Furthermore, the pressure reducing unit may include an oil transfer member having an oil transfer groove that forms an oil transfer passage along with an inner surface of the main housing or the fixed scroll.
The oil transfer member may be configured such that some oil is drawn thereinto, and the oil transfer member is expanded toward the inner surface of the main housing or the fixed scroll by the pressure of the drawn oil.
The oil transfer member may be formed of material having a stiffness lower than that of the fixed scroll or the main housing
Furthermore, the pressure reducing unit may further include a cover fitted over an outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member.
The pressure reducing unit may include an oil transfer member in which an oil transfer hole that spirally extends in the longitudinal direction is formed.
The pressure reducing unit may include: an oil transfer member; and a cover fitted over an outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member, with an oil transfer groove formed in an inner surface of the cover, the oil transfer groove spirally extending in a longitudinal direction of the cover.
In an embodiment of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, a single return passage is formed in a fixed scroll, and a plurality of supply passage are formed in a main housing. Therefore, an oil supply passage can be simplified.
Furthermore, oil can be independently supplied to a back pressure chamber and a suction space by the plurality of supply passages, so that efficient oil supply is possible. Particularly, the present invention includes an oil supply passage that directly communicates with the back pressure chamber, thus making it possible to enhance lubrication performance in the back pressure chamber, compared to that of the conventional art in which oil is indirectly supplied to the back pressure chamber.
In addition, an additional pressure reducing unit is provided in the suction space, whereby oil can be supplied to a plurality of spaces having different pressures.
Moreover, the pressure reducing unit may include an oil transfer member or a cover. In this case, oil supply efficiency can be prevented from deteriorating due to damage to an oil transfer passage during a product assembly process.
Hereinafter, embodiments of a compressor with an oil return unit in accordance with the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
Referring to
A rotating shaft 112 coupled with the above-mentioned drive unit is disposed in the suction space 111. A counter mass 114 is fixed to an end of the rotating shaft 112 by a fastening pin 113 inserted into the end of the rotating shaft 112. The counter mass 114 is provided to offset vibrations generated by eccentric rotation of a turning scroll, which will be described later herein. An end of the counter mass 114 is coupled with a rear surface of the turning scroll 130 through a bearing 115.
In this embodiment, a back pressure chamber 116 is formed in an end (a left end in
A first oil supply passage 117 is formed in a lower portion of the main housing 110. The first oil supply passage 117 is formed such that a first end thereof is exposed out of an end of the main housing and a second end thereof communicates with the suction space 111. In detail, the exposed end functions as an inlet 117a for refrigerant. The end of the first oil supply passage 117 that is located at a position corresponding to the suction space functions as an outlet 117b. Therefore, refrigerant drawn into the inlet can be discharged into the suction space through the first oil supply passage 117.
A second oil supply passage 118 diverges from the inlet 117a. The second oil supply passage 118 extends from the inlet 117a to the back pressure chamber 116 and has an outlet 118a that communicates with the back pressure chamber 116. That is, the first and second oil supply passages have the common inlet 117a, but the outlets thereof are respectively disposed at positions corresponding to the suction space and the back pressure chamber. Thus, drawn refrigerant is divided and supplied to the suction space and the back pressure chamber. A pressure reducing unit 150, which will be described later herein, is disposed in the first oil supply passage 117. The pressure reducing unit 150 is configured to reduce the pressure of refrigerant drawn into the inlet 117a, to the pressure in the suction space. An installation space 119, in which the pressure reducing unit 150 is disposed, is formed in the first oil supply passage 117.
The insert space 119 is formed such that it communicates with the first oil supply passage 117 and an inner diameter thereof is greater than that of the outlet 117b. Due to this, a stepped portion 119a is formed in a downstream end of the installation space 119. That is, the installation space 119 extends, at a first end thereof, to the end of the main housing 110 while a second end thereof communicates with the outlet 117b, such that the pressure reducing unit 150 can be inserted into the insert space 119 from the end of the main housing 110. In this regard, the stepped portion 119a functions not only as a stopper enabling the pressure reducing unit to be disposed at a correct position, but also to cause an additional pressure reduction due to a reduced diameter when refrigerant that has passed through the pressure reducing unit 150 enters the outlet 117b.
A fixed scroll 120 is coupled to the left end of the main housing 110. The fixed scroll 120 includes a scroll 122 that engages with a scroll 132 of the turning scroll, and compression space is formed therebetween. An outlet 124 is formed in an approximately central portion of the fixed scroll 120 so that compressed refrigerant can be discharged out of the fixed scroll. An oil return passage 126, which communicates with the above-mentioned first oil supply passage 117, is formed in a lower portion of the fixed scroll 120. The oil return passage 126 extends between opposite ends of the fixed scroll. As shown in
The outlet 128b communicates with the inlet 117a of the first oil supply passage. The pressure reducing unit 50 is disposed in the oil return passage and reduces the pressure of oil to a pressure of a level greater than the pressure (hereinafter, a suction pressure) in the suction space. Therefore, the inlet 117a is applied with a pressure between a suction pressure and a discharge pressure, and this can be adjusted to correspond to a pressure required in the back pressure chamber.
A gasket 121 (refer to
The turning scroll 130 is disposed between the fixed scroll 120 and the main housing 110. As described above, the turning scroll 130 is configured to perform turning motion relative to the main housing 110. However, to prevent the turning scroll 130 from rotating on its own axis, the turning scroll 130 is coupled by a rotation prevention depression 134 and a guide pin 136.
The turning scroll must come into close contact with the fixed scroll at an appropriate pressure. For this, the turning scroll is mounted so as to be movable relative to the rotating shaft in the axial direction. The degree with which the turning scroll compresses the fixed scroll can be adjusted depending on the pressure applied to the back pressure chamber. Various pressures ranging from the suction pressure to the discharge pressure are applied to a left side surface of the turning scroll. To keep the balance with the pressures, an intermediate pressure between the suction pressure and the discharge pressure is applied to the back pressure chamber. Furthermore, to maintain the pressure in the back pressure chamber in an appropriate level, a sealing unit 138 is disposed to enclose the back pressure chamber.
The pressure applied to the back pressure chamber is formed by supplying some of the refrigerant, while being compressed by the compressor, into the back pressure chamber. For this, a back pressure passage is formed to pass through opposite ends of the turning scroll. Opposite ends of the back pressure passage respectively communicate with a compression chamber and the back pressure chamber.
An auxiliary housing 140 is disposed on a left end of the fixed scroll 120. The auxiliary housing provides a discharge space 142 which communicates with the outlet 124 through an intermediate passage 141 so that compressed refrigerant can be drawn into the discharge space 142. The compressed refrigerant drawn in this way is discharged out of the compressor through a discharge port (not shown). Communicating with the discharge port, an oil separator 144 is disposed in the discharge space 142.
The oil separator 144 has a hollow tubular shape and is disposed such that only one end thereof communicates with the discharge port Therefore, compressed refrigerant drawn into the discharge space collides with the oil separator and the inner surface of the discharge space until it is discharged out of the compressor through the discharge port. During this process, oil that has been mixed with the compressed refrigerant is separated from the refrigerant and thus remains in the discharge space.
Oil separated in this way is collected by its own weight in a collection space 145 which is formed in a lower portion the discharge space 142. The collection space 145 communicates with the oil return passage 126 through a return flow passage 148. Thereby, separated oil can be drawn into the oil return passage. The oil drawn in this way is distributed into the back pressure chamber and the suction space depending on a difference in pressure caused by the pressure reducing unit. In this regard, the oil may be supplied after foreign substances have been filtered out while the oil passes through a filter 146.
Hereinbelow, the operation of the embodiment will be described.
Refrigerant that is drawn from the suction space into the compression chamber is compressed along with oil before being discharged out of the compressor via the discharge space 142. During this process, some of the oil mixed with the refrigerant is separated in the auxiliary housing and collected in the collection space 145, and then drawn into the oil return passage 126 via the filter 146. Subsequently, the oil is reduced in pressure to a level similar to the pressure in the back pressure chamber while passing through the pressure reducing unit 150, and then is drawn into the first and second oil supply passages.
Some of the drawn oil is supplied into the suction space through the first oil supply passage, and the rest is supplied into the back pressure chamber through the second oil supply passage. In this way, oil is reduced in pressure to the suction pressure by the pressure reducing unit provided in the first oil supply passage and then is resupplied into the suction space. Therefore, oil having a desired pressure can be supplied to a required space in the compressor in such a way that a plurality of passages are formed and some of the passages are provided with the pressure reducing units.
Furthermore, the compressor is configured such that oil is distributed from a single oil return passage, rather than having a configuration in which passages are individually formed. Therefore, the internal structure of the compressor can be simplified, and the stiffness of the housing can be enhanced.
In addition, the inlet of the second oil supply passage is disposed outside the sealing unit with respect to a radial direction and is formed to pass through the interior of the main housing. Therefore, unlike the case where the oil supply passage is formed along the sealing unit, oil can be more reliably supplied to the back pressure chamber. Furthermore, using the two pressure reducing units, the compressor is configured such that the inlet of the second oil supply passage is disposed at a point at which an intermediate pressure is applied. Therefore, even though the inlet of the second oil supply passage is disposed outside the sealing unit with respect to the radial direction, there is no possibility of leakage.
The pressure reducing unit may have an arbitrary shape. That is, the pressure reducing unit may be embodied by reducing a cross-sectional area of a portion of the oil return passage or the oil supply passage. Alternatively, as shown in the drawings, the pressure reducing unit may be embodied by a separate pressure reducing unit installed in the passage.
Unlike the conventional art in which the inner surface of the passage through which oil passes is machined to have a predetermined shape and realize a reduction in pressure, the present invention is configured such that space for installation of the pressure reducing unit is formed and a pressure reducing unit which is separately manufactured is installed in the installation space. Therefore, in the present invention, the installation of the pressure reducing unit can be facilitated, and the process of manufacturing the compressor can be simplified.
The pressure reducing unit may be made of arbitrary material. For instance, the pressure reducing unit may be made of material having a stiffness lower than that of the material of a portion of the compressor in which the pressure reducing unit is disposed. In the present embodiment, the fixed scroll and the main housing may be made of cast iron or carbon steel. In this case, the pressure reducing unit may be made of material, e.g., resin or the like, having a stiffness lower than that of the fixed scroll or the main housing. As such, since the pressure reducing unit is formed to have a lower stiffness, the pressure reducing unit can be fixed, by force-fitting, in the installation space formed in the fixed scroll or the main housing.
Thereby, a separate fastening unit is not required, and a machining tolerance can be absorbed to some degree by deformation of the pressure reducing unit. Consequently, the manufacturing process can be simplified.
Referring to
Therefore, some oil is drawn into the internal space 153, that is, a hydraulic space, through the open end 151. The oil drawn in this way compresses the oil transfer member outward with respect to the radial direction, in other words, toward the inner surface of the installation space 128. Thereby, the oil transfer groove 152 that is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member 150 is brought into close contact with the inner surface of the installation space so that oil is prevented from crossing over the oil transfer groove (in the direction from the left to the right in
That is, after oil flowing through the first oil supply passage 117 reaches the oil transfer member 150, the oil moves along the oil transfer groove 152 and passes through the first oil supply passage 117. Because the oil transfer groove 152 is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical oil transfer member 150 in the same shape as that of a screw thread, the distance that oil moves is increased compared to that of the case where oil linearly passes through the oil supply passage 117. Thereby, the pressure of oil can be further reduced. The oil that is reduced in pressure in this way is supplied to the suction space, thus lubricating the rotating shaft or the drive unit.
Meanwhile, the pressure reducing unit may be embodied in the form shown in
The cover 154 is formed to have a tubular shape and is fitted over the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical oil transfer member 150. In this case, the oil transfer groove 152 formed in the outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member 150 is covered with the cover 154. Therefore, during an assembly process, the oil transfer groove 152 can be protected from colliding with an inlet edge or inner surface of the oil return passage or the oil supply passage that is formed in the fixed scroll or the main housing.
The inner diameter of the cover 154 is formed to be the same as the outer diameter of the oil transfer member 150 so that the outer edge of the oil transfer groove 152 comes into close contact with the inner surface of the cover 154. Therefore, as shown in
In the case where the cover 154 is made of rigid material, the tubular shape of the cover 154 is prevented from being deformed because of the high stiffness of the cover 154. Thus, the oil transfer member 150 can be easily fitted in a sliding manner into the cover 154, and the cover 154 can be easily fitted in a sliding manner into the oil supply passage 117 of the main housing 110. As shown in
In the case where the cover 154 is made of flexible material such as rubber, because it has a relatively high elasticity, the cover 154 can not only be closely fitted over the outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member 150 but can also be brought into close contact with the inner surface of the oil supply passage 117 of the housing and thus reliably fixed in the oil supply passage 117.
The pressure reducing unit may be modified in the form shown in
The oil transfer member 160 has a cylindrical shape and is longitudinally inserted into the oil supply passage 117 of the main housing 110. The oil transfer hole 162 is spirally formed in the longitudinal direction in the oil transfer member 160. Therefore, oil passes through the oil transfer member 160 while spirally moving along the oil transfer hole 162. In this case, since the distance that oil moves is increased compared to the case where oil linearly passes through the oil supply passage 117, the pressure of oil can be reduced.
Unlike the modification example shown in
An oil guide groove 164 is formed in a front end of the oil transfer hole 162. The oil guide groove 164 is formed to be larger than a cross-sectional area of the oil transfer hole 162 so that oil can be easily collected into and guided by the oil transfer hole 162. The oil transfer member 160 of the present modification example has the oil transfer hole 162 therein and therefore is able to reliably protect, even without using the separate cover 154, the passage formed by the oil transfer hole 162 from being damaged and clogged during the assembly process.
The pressure reducing unit may be modified in the form shown in
The oil transfer groove 174b is formed in the inner surface 174a of the cover 174 rather than being formed in the above-mentioned oil transfer member 150. The oil transfer member 172 has a smooth outer circumferential surface, and the oil transfer groove 174b having a screw thread shape is formed in the inner surface 174a of the cover 174. Therefore, the outer circumferential surface of the oil transfer member 172 and the oil transfer groove 174b of the cover 174 form an oil passage.
The oil transfer groove 174b of the cover 174 is spirally formed in the longitudinal direction of the cover 174. Therefore, oil passes through the oil transfer member 172 while spirally moving along the oil transfer hole 174b. In this case, since the distance that oil moves is increased compared to the case where oil linearly passes through the oil supply passage 117, the pressure of oil can be reduced.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2015-0073005 | May 2015 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2015/009000 | 8/27/2015 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2016/190490 | 12/1/2016 | WO | A |
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| 4332535 | Terauchi | Jun 1982 | A |
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| 20140023542 | Yamashita | Jan 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
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| 2002168183 | Jun 2002 | JP |
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| Entry |
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| International Search Report issued in PCT/KR2015/009000 dated Feb. 5, 2016. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180347568 A1 | Dec 2018 | US |
