Claims
- 1. Co-rotating scroll apparatus comprising:
- a shell having a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion, said suction pressure portion defining a lubricant sump and said discharge pressure portion defining a lubricant sump;
- a first bearing surface;
- a second bearing surface;
- a first scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said first scroll member being mounted for rotation in said first bearing surface;
- a second scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said second scroll member being mounted for rotation in said second bearing surface, the wraps of said first and said second scroll members being interleaved;
- means for causing the rotation of one of said scroll members;
- means for drivingly coupling said first and said second scroll members for concurrent rotation;
- means for lubricating said first bearing surface and said second bearing surface; and
- means, including a pressure plate having a pressure responsive surface, for pressure biasing said second scroll member toward said first scroll member, said pressure plate defining an aperture, the edge of said aperture being chamfered so that lubricant impinging upon it is deflected onto said pressure responsive surface.
- 2. The scroll apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for pressure biasing said second scroll member towards said first scroll member includes a seal disposed between said end plate of said second scroll member and said pressure responsive surface, said seal having an interface portion in moving contact with said pressure responsive surface, lubricant deflected onto said pressure responsive surface by said chamfered edge lubricating said interface portion of said seal.
- 3. The scroll apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said seal is disposed between the end plate of said second scroll member and said pressure responsive surface, said seal cooperating with said end plate of said second scroll member to define a sealed pressure chamber into which a fluid at a pressure greater than suction pressure is communicated, said seal being configured so that the interface portion of said seal is in non-sealing contact with said pressure responsive surface.
- 4. The scroll apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said seal is an annular seal generally H-shaped in cross section so as to include a pair of legs connected by a span, said span being solid so that the area above said span and between said legs cooperates with said second scroll member to define said sealed pressure chamber, said legs comprising said interface portion of said seal and being in non-sealing contact with said pressure responsive surface.
- 5. The scroll apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said second bearing surface is lubricated by lubricant communicated from said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell.
- 6. The scroll apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for lubricating said second bearing surface includes a lubricant passage in flow communication with said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell and with said second bearing surface, at least a portion of the lubricant which lubricates said second bearing surface impinging on said chamfered surface subsequent to having lubricated said second bearing surface.
- 7. Co-rotating scroll apparatus comprising:
- a shell having a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion, said suction pressure portion defining a lubricant sump and said discharge pressure portion defining a lubricant sump;
- a first bearing surface;
- a second bearing surface;
- a first scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said first scroll member being mounted for rotation in said first bearing surface;
- a bearing housing, said second bearing surface being disposed in said bearing housing, said bearing housing integrally defining a lubricant passage in flow communication with said second bearing surface;
- a second scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said second scroll member being mounted for rotation in said second bearing surface, the wraps of said first and said second scroll members being interleaved;
- means for causing the rotation of one of said scroll members;
- means for drivingly coupling said first and said second scroll member for rotation;
- means for lubricating said first bearing surface; and
- means for lubricating said second bearing surface, said means for lubricating said second bearing surface including a generally circumferential lubricant passage at least partially defined by said shell and said bearing housing, said circumferential lubricant passage being in flow communication with said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell and with said lubricant passage integrally defined by said bearing housing, said bearing housing having a surface which is in circumferential abutment with a surface of said shell, discharge pressure acting on said bearing housing to urge said surface of said bearing housing into sealing abutment with said surface of said shell so as to form a seal between said discharge pressure portion and said suction pressure portion of said shell.
- 8. Co-rotating scroll apparatus comprising:
- a shell having a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion, said suction pressure portion defining a lubricant sump and said discharge pressure portion defining a lubricant sump;
- a first bearing surface;
- a second bearing surface;
- a first scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said first scroll member being mounted for rotation in said first bearing surface;
- a second scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said second scroll member being mounted for rotation in said second bearing surface, the wraps of said first and said second scroll members being interleaved;
- means for causing the rotation of one of said scroll members;
- means for driving the coupling said first and said second scroll members; and
- means for lubricating said second bearing surface, said means for lubricating said second bearing surface including means disposed in said suction pressure portion of said shell and driven by said second scroll member, for pumping lubricant, unassisted by discharge pressure, from said lubricant sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell to said second bearing surface.
- 9. Co-rotating scroll apparatus comprising:
- a shell having a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion, said suction pressure portion defining a lubricant sump and said discharge pressure portion defining a lubricant sump;
- a first bearing surface;
- a second bearing surface;
- a first scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said first scroll member being mounted for rotation in said first bearing surface;
- a second scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said second scroll member being mounted for rotation in said second bearing surface, the wraps of said first and said second scroll members being interleaved;
- means for causing the rotation of one of said scroll members;
- means for drivingly coupling said first and said second scroll member; and
- means for lubricating said second bearing surface, said means for lubricating said second bearing surface including a lubricant passage at least partially defined by said shell, said lubricant passage being in flow communication with said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell and with said second bearing surface, said lubricant passage being circumferential of said shell and cooperating in the formation of a circumferential seal between said suction pressure portion and said discharge pressure portion of said shell.
- 10. Co-rotating scroll apparatus comprising:
- a shell having a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion, said suction pressure portion defining a lubricant sump and said discharge pressure portion defining a lubricant sump;
- a first bearing surface;
- a second bearing surface;
- a first scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said first scroll member being mounted for rotation in said first bearing surface;
- a second scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said second scroll member being mounted for rotation in said second bearing surface, the wraps of said first and said second scroll members being interleaved, the end plate of said first scroll member defining an annular lubricant collection groove in a surface thereof which is opposite the surface from which the involute wrap of said first scroll members extends, said annular groove being exposed to said suction pressure portion of said shell, the end plate of said first scroll member further defining a passage therethrough, said passage communicating between said lubricant collection groove and the surface of the end plate from which the involute wrap of said first scroll member extends, at least a portion of the lubricant in said apparatus being urged centrifugally outward within the suction pressure portion of said apparatus and entering and passing through said groove and said passage.
- 11. The scroll apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said passage opens onto the surface of said end plate from which the involute wrap of said first scroll member extends at a location which is radially outward of the wrap of said first scroll member.
- 12. Co-rotating scroll apparatus comprising:
- a shell having a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion, said suction pressure portion defining a lubricant sump and said discharge pressure portion defining a lubricant sump;
- a first bearing surface;
- a second bearing surface;
- a first scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said first scroll member being mounted for rotation in said first bearing surface;
- a second scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said second scroll member being mounted for rotation in said second bearing surface, the wraps of said first and said second scroll members being interleaved, the end plate of said first scroll member defining, in a first surface thereof, an annular lubricant collection groove open to the suction pressure portion of said shell and, in a second surface thereof, an opening in flow communication with said groove, said second surface being the surface of the end plate of said first scroll member from which the involute wrap of the first scroll member extends, at least a portion of the lubricant which lubricates said first bearing surface entering said suction pressure portion of said shell and said lubricant collection groove, said lubricant portion being exposed, in its travel from said first bearing surface to said groove, to the interior of said suction pressure portion of said shell;
- a motor for causing the rotation of one of said scroll members; and
- means for drivingly coupling said first and said second scroll members.
- 13. The scroll apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said opening in said second surface of said first scroll member is located radially outward of the involute wrap of said first scroll member.
- 14. The scroll apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the radially outer periphery of said groove projects above the plane of the surface of said first scroll member end plate in which said groove is defined.
- 15. The scroll apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said scroll apparatus includes a frame separating said suction pressure portion from said discharge pressure portion of said shell, said frame defining a recess, the surface of said first scroll end plate in which said groove is defined being juxtaposed said frame, said projecting edge of said groove extending into said recess in said frame so that any lubricant urged radially outward toward said groove, after having first been delivered from said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell to said first bearing surface, is unable to avoid entry into said groove other than by entering said recess defined in said frame and passing around said projecting outer periphery of said groove.
- 16. Co-rotating scroll apparatus comprising:
- a shell, said shell having at least a first shell portion and a second shell portion and defining a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion, each of said discharge pressure portion said suction pressure portion defining a lubricant sump;
- a frame disposed in said shell, said frame at least partially defining a boundary between said suction pressure portion and said discharge pressure portion of said shell;
- a first bearing surface;
- a second bearing surface;
- a first scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said first scroll member being mounted for rotation in said first bearing surface;
- a second scroll member having an end plate from which an involute wrap extends, said second scroll member being mounted for rotation in said second bearing surface, the wraps of said first and said second scroll members being interleaved;
- means for causing the rotation of one of said scroll members;
- means for drivingly coupling said first and said second scroll members;
- means for pressure biasing at least one of said first and said second scroll members toward the other of said first and said second scroll members; and
- means for lubricating said first bearing surface and said second bearing surface with lubricant from said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell, said means for lubricating including a lubricant passage at least partially defined by at least two of said first shell portion, said second shell portion and said frame, said lubricant passage being in flow communication with said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell and with said second bearing surface.
- 17. The scroll apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said second scroll member includes a shaft, said shaft being rotatably carried in said second bearing surface, said shaft having an end face, lubricant being communicated from said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell through said lubricant passage so as to act on said end face of said shaft to pressure bias said second scroll member towards said first scroll member.
- 18. The scroll apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said frame defines a first lubricant passage and a second lubricant passage, said first lubricant passage being in flow communication with said lubricant passage at least partially defined by at least two of said first shell portion, said second shell portion and said frame and said second lubricant passage being in flow communication with said first bearing surface, both of said first and said second lubricant passages defined by said frame being in flow communication with said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell.
- 19. The scroll apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said lubricant passage which is at least partially defined by at least two of said first shell portion, said second shell portion and said frame is a passage which is at least partially circumferential of said shell.
- 20. The scroll apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising a lower frame, said lower frame being in flow communication with and at least partially defining said passage which is at least partially circumferential of said shell, said lower shell further defining an integral lubricant passage in flow communication with said passage which is at least partially circumferential of said shell and with said second bearing surface.
- 21. The scroll apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said frame is a central frame and further comprising a lower frame disposed in said suction pressure portion of said shell, said lower frame integrally defining a passage between said lubricant passage which is at least partially defined by at least two of said first shell portion, said second shell portion and said central frame and said second bearing surface.
- 22. The scroll apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said second bearing housing is an integral portion of said lower frame and wherein said second scroll member includes a shaft rotatably carried in said second bearing surface, said second scroll member shaft and said second bearing housing cooperating to define a space in flow communication with said lubricant passage defined by said lower frame.
- 23. The scroll apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said frame is a central frame, said central frame defining a first and a second lubricant passage, said first lubricant passage communicating between said sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell and said first bearing surface, and further comprising a lower frame, said lower frame defining a lubricant passage in flow communication with said second bearing surface, said lubricant passage in said lower frame being in flow communication, through said lubricant passage which is at least partially defined by at least two of said first shell portion, said second shell portion and said central frame, with said second lubricant passage in said central frame.
- 24. The scroll apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said lubricant passage which is at least partially defined by at least two of said first shell portion, said second shell portion and said central frame is a passage circumferential of said shell.
- 25. The scroll apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said shell, said lower frame and said central frame all cooperate in the definition of said circumferential lubricant passage.
- 26. The scroll apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said lower frame has a surface which is in circumferential abutment with a surface of said shell, discharge pressure acting on said lower frame to urge said surface of said lower frame into sealing abutment with said surface of said shell so as to form a seal between said discharge pressure portion and said suction pressure portion of said shell, the abutment of said surface of said lower frame with said surface of said shell axially positioning said lower frame with respect to said shell.
- 27. The scroll apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said first shell portion and said second shell portion are hermetically connected.
- 28. The scroll apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said first shell portion includes means for clampingly attaching said lower frame to said central frame.
- 29. The scroll apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said first shell portion has a plurality of tabs, said tabs engaging said lower frame in a clamp-like manner so as to attach and position said lower frame with respect to said central frame and wherein said second shell portion defines said surface of said shell which is in sealing abutment with said lower frame, the abutment of said lower frame and said second shell portion positioning said second shell portion for attachment to said first shell portion.
- 30. The scroll apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said means for pressure biasing at least one of said first and said second scroll members toward the other of said first and said second scroll members includes means for defining a pressure responsive surface and a seal member disposed between said pressure responsive surface and the end plate of said second scroll member.
- 31. The scroll apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said second bearing surface is disposed in said lower frame, said lubricant passage defined by said lower frame being in flow communication with said second bearing surface.
- 32. The scroll apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said second scroll member defines a lubricant passage, said lubricant passage defined by said second scroll member being in flow communication with said lubricant passage defined by said lower frame.
- 33. The scroll apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said pressure responsive surface defines an aperture and wherein said means for defining said pressure responsive surface comprises a pressure plate.
- 34. The scroll apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the edge of said aperture defined by said pressure responsive surface is chamfered so that lubricant impinging upon it is deflected onto said pressure responsive surface.
- 35. The scroll apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the end plate of at least one of said first and said second scroll members defines a passage therethrough, at least a portion of the lubricant in said apparatus being urged centrifugally outward within said suction pressure portion of said shell and entering and passing through said passage so as to lubricate the tip of the involute wrap of the other scroll member.
- 36. The scroll apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising means, driven by said second scroll member, for pumping lubricant from said lubricant sump in said discharge pressure portion of said shell, unassisted by discharge pressure, to said second bearing surface.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/125,684, filed Sep. 22, 1993.
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Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
125684 |
Sep 1993 |
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