The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-247702 filed on Sep. 26, 2008 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-247703 filed on Sep. 26, 2008 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scroll compressor, and particularly to the layout position of a balancer for balancing a centrifugal force generated by an eccentric shaft portion of a rotating shaft and an orbiting scroll, and to a lubricating oil passage extending toward a needle bearing for eccentrically driving a hub portion of the orbiting scroll. In addition, the present invention relates to a scroll compressor used in connected with an engine, and particularly to an oil passage for connection between the exterior of the scroll compressor and a central oil passage formed in a rotating shaft.
2. Description of Background Art
A configuration wherein a needle bearing for supporting a hub portion of an orbiting scroll is disposed at a central portion of a rotating shaft in a scroll compressor, and balancers are disposed on both sides of the needle bearing are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-89473 (FIG. 1). In this configuration, the balancers are provided on the inside of the orbiting scroll, so that they are located close to the rotating shaft and the balancers are enlarged in size in the axial direction. With this configuration, the formation of an oil passage or passages is complicated in the case of attempting to externally supply the needle bearing with a lubricating oil.
An example of an oil passage for connection between the exterior of a scroll compressor having a rotating shaft set vertical and a central oil passage formed in the rotating shaft is shown, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-54784 (FIG. 1). However, the scroll compressor pertaining to the present invention is a scroll compressor having a horizontal rotating shaft which is used in connection with an engine having a horizontal crankshaft. Therefore, an oil passage applied to a vertical rotating shaft as in the above-mentioned document cannot be adopted in the scroll compressor pertaining to the present invention.
There is a need to provide a simple structure by which an oil passage for externally supplying a lubricating oil to each bearing inside a scroll compressor can be provided without complicating the shape of the scroll compressor.
It is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to render a scroll compressor compact and to facilitate the supply of a lubricating oil by improving layout of a balancer(s) and layout of an oil passage(s).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a scroll compressor includes:
a stationary scroll formed with a scroll wrap;
an orbiting scroll formed with a scroll wrap;
a rotating shaft for putting the orbiting scroll into an orbiting motion;
a rotating bearing for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft on the stationary scroll;
an orbiting scroll bearing which is provided at an eccentric shaft portion of the rotating shaft and by which a central portion of the orbiting scroll is orbitably supported; and
a coupling for transmitting a torque of a driving shaft to the rotating shaft;
wherein the orbiting scroll bearing is disposed at a central portion of the rotating shaft, and
the coupling is provided with a balancer.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a scroll compressor includes positioning members for restricting an axial thrust of the orbiting scroll bearing that are disposed on both sides of the orbiting scroll bearing, and an oil passage provided at an axis of the rotating shaft communicates with the positioning members.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the balancer is formed in an annular shape, and is fitted on an outer periphery of the coupling.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the eccentric shaft portion is provided with a lightening hole along the axial direction thereof, and the balancer is provided on the opposite side of the rotating shaft from the eccentric shaft portion.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the balancer is disposed on the outside of the stationary scroll. Therefore, the balancer can be disposed to be spaced from the rotating shaft. Further, since the balancer is provided to be integral with the coupling, the layout of the compressor including the balancer and the coupling can be made compact.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thrust of the orbiting scroll bearing can be easily restricted by the positioning members. In addition, by the structure in which the oil passage provided at the axis of the rotating shaft communicates with the positioning members, an easy supply of a lubricating oil can be achieved.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the positioning of the balancer relative to the coupling is facilitated, and the rotating mass of the rotating shaft can be increased.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rotating shaft and the balancer can be reduced in weight.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a scroll compressor includes:
a stationary scroll formed with a scroll wrap;
an orbiting scroll formed with a scroll wrap;
a rotating shaft for putting the orbiting scroll into an orbiting motion;
a rotating bearing for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft on the stationary scroll; and
an orbiting scroll bearing which is provided at an eccentric shaft portion of the rotating shaft and by which a central portion of the orbiting scroll is orbitably supported;
wherein the stationary scroll is provided at an outside surface thereof with a rib extending radially from a support portion of the rotating bearing, and the rib is formed therein with an oil passage through which a central oil passage formed in the rotating shaft is connected to the exterior.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a space is provided surrounded by the stationary scroll, the rotating shaft, the rotating bearing interposed between the stationary scroll and the rotating shaft. An oil seal is provided at one side surface of the rotating bearing interposed between the stationary scroll and the rotating shaft. The space communicates on one side thereof with the central oil passage in the rotating shaft. In addition, the space communicates on the other side thereof with the oil passage formed in the rib of the stationary scroll. A set plate for restricting the position of the rotating bearing in an axial direction is further provided at the other side surface of the rotating bearing, and an oil seal for covering the other side surface of the rotating bearing is held by the set plate.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the scroll compressor is connected to an engine;
the rotating shaft of the scroll compressor is connected to a crankshaft of the engine through a coupling;
the central oil passage in the rotating shaft opens at a shaft end on the side opposite to the engine connection side; and
a lubricating oil is supplied to the shaft end opening of the central oil passage in the rotating shaft through the oil passage formed in the rib of the stationary scroll on the side opposite to the engine connection side.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the oil passage for connection between the central oil passage in the rotating shaft and the exterior is formed by utilizing the rib formed in the stationary scroll. Therefore, the oil passage for supplying a lubricating oil to the orbiting scroll bearing and the like can be easily formed, without complicating the shape of the stationary scroll.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the space defined by the stationary scroll, the rotating shaft, the rotating bearing, and the oil seal provided at one side surface of the rotating bearing is utilized as a lubricating oil passage, so that the rotating bearing is lubricated. In addition, the rotating bearing is positioned assuredly by the set plate. Moreover, by the structure in which the oil seal at the other side surface of the rotating bearing is held by the set plate, leakage of the lubricating oil from the rotating bearing can be prevented using a simple configuration.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the oil passage opening in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft is formed, in view of the fact that in the case where the scroll compressor and the engine are connected to each other through a coupling, it is difficult to form an oil passage, opening in the axial direction, at a shaft end on the engine side of the rotating shaft. When it is attempted to use this oil passage so as to supply a lubricating oil into the central oil passage in the rotating shaft, it is necessary to raise the oil pressure so as to overcome a centrifugal force exerted from the rotating shaft being rotated. Where the central oil passage is opened at a shaft end on the side opposite to the engine connection side and the lubricating oil is supplied into the central oil passage through the shaft end opening. However, no centrifugal force is exerted on the lubricating oil during the supply. Therefore, the lubricating oil can be supplied into the central oil passage, without complicating the structure and at a low oil pressure.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
The scroll compressor 1 is connected to the rear end of the crankshaft 3 through a coupling 12. The scroll compressor 1 is a device by which cleaned air from an air cleaner is taken in through an intake pipe 13 and an intake port 14 into the inside of the device (scroll compressor 1), is thereby compressed, and the thus compressed clean air is fed out to a throttle body of the power unit 2 through a discharge port 15 and a discharge pipe 16 which are provided at a central portion. In other words, the scroll compressor 1 is used as a supercharger.
A shell body of the scroll compressor 1 is composed of a pair of stationary scrolls 17, 18. An orbiting scroll 19 is mounted between the stationary scrolls 17, 18 facing each other. The stationary scroll 17 on the front side is fixed to a fixing portion of the power unit 2, and the stationary scroll 18 on the rear side is fixed to the front-side stationary scroll 17. The front-side stationary scroll 17 is composed of a flat plate portion 17a, and a scroll wrap (spiral blade) 17b erected from one side of the flat plate portion 17a. Similarly, the rear-side stationary scroll 18 is composed of a flat plate portion 18a, and a scroll wrap 18b erected from one side of the flat plate portion 18a. The pair of stationary scrolls 17 and 18 face each other, with their scroll wraps 17b and 18b on the inner side. The flat plate portions 17a and 18a on the outer sides function also as a housing of the scroll compressor 1. The orbiting scroll 19 is provided with scroll wraps 19b on the front and rear sides of a flat plate portion 19a thereof, and is provided with a boss portion 19c at a central portion thereof. The scroll wraps 19b of the orbiting scroll 19 are assembled so as to mesh with the scroll wraps 17b, 18b of the stationary scrolls 17, 18 and to be capable of an orbiting motion.
The scroll compressor 1 is provided with a single first rotating shaft 21 at a central portion thereof, and with three second rotating shafts 22 in a peripheral portion thereof. The rotating shafts 21, 22 have eccentric shaft portions 21a, 22a parallel to the rotating shafts 21, 22, respectively. The first rotating shaft 21 is rotatably supported by a ball bearing 23 and a needle bearing 24. The eccentric shaft portion 21a of the first rotating shaft 21 makes contact with the inner periphery of the boss portion 19c at the center of the orbiting scroll 19 through tandem type needle bearings 25, so as to support the orbiting scroll 19 and to eccentrically drive the latter. The second rotating shaft 22 is rotatably supported on the front-side stationary scroll 17 through tandem type ball bearings 26. The eccentric shaft portion 22a of the second rotating shaft 22 is eccentrically driven with an outer periphery portion of the orbiting scroll 19 supported by the function of tandem type ball bearing 27. By the functions of the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22, the orbiting scroll 19 is made to orbit around the rotational axis of the first rotating shaft 21. In other words, the orbiting scroll 19 is made to revolve without rotating. In addition, a central oil passage 40 is bored in the first rotating shaft 21, whereas a lightening hole 46 is bored in the eccentric shaft portion 21a.
Each of the stationary scroll wrap 17b and the orbiting scroll wrap 19b is formed in the shape of an involute curve, and makes contact with the flat plate portion 19a, 17a of the mating scroll through a seal member 28 (
The rear portion bearing portion 31 at the rear end of the first rotating shaft 21 is provided therein with the rib-strut portion oil passage 33 which has been shown in
An oil seal 66 is provided on the stationary scroll 17 side of the ball bearing 23, and there is formed a space 68 which is surrounded by the stationary scroll 17, the rotating shaft 21, the ball bearing 23, and the oil seal 66. On the rotating shaft 21 side, the space 68 communicates with the oil passage 44 leading to the first rotating shaft front portion ball bearing 23; on the outer periphery side, the space 68 communicates with the rib portion oil passage 45. On the driven coupler 49 side of the ball bearing 23, a set plate 67 for restricting the position of the ball bearing 23 in the axial direction is mounted through a mounting bolt 70. An oil seal 69 for covering the driven coupler 49 side of the ball bearing 23 is held by the set plate 67. While the space 68 serves as a passage for the lubricating oil, leakage of the lubricating oil therefrom is prevented, since the oil seals 66 and 69 are provided respectively on both sides of the ball bearing 23.
As has been detailed above, the present embodiment yields the following effects.
Since the balancer is disposed on the outside of the stationary scroll, the balancer can be disposed to be spaced from the rotating shaft; further, since the balancer is provided to be integral with the coupling, layout of the compressor inclusive of the balancer and the coupling can be made compact.
(2) By the positioning members, thrusts of the orbiting scroll bearings can be easily restricted. Moreover, the structure in which the oil passage provided at the axis of the rotating shaft communicates with the positioning members enables easy supply of the lubricating oil to the positioning members.
(3) Positioning with respect to the coupling is facilitated, and the rotating mass of the rotating shaft can be increased.
(4) Since the eccentric shaft portion is formed therein with the lightening hole and the balancer is provided on the opposite side of the rotating shaft from the eccentric shaft portion, the rotating shaft and the balancer can be reduced in weight.
In addition, as has been detailed above, the present embodiment yields the following effects.
Since the oil passage for connection between the central oil passage in the rotating shaft and the exterior is formed by utilizing the rib formed as part of the stationary scroll, oil passages for supplying the lubricating oil to the orbiting scroll bearing and the like can be easily formed, without complicating the shape of the stationary scroll.
Since the space defined by the stationary scroll, the rotating shaft, the rotating bearing, and the oil seal provided at one side surface of the rotating bearing is utilized as an oil passage, the rotating bearing is lubricated. In addition, the rotating bearing is positioned assuredly by use of the set plate. Moreover, by the structure in which the oil seal at the other side surface of the rotating bearing is held by the set plate, leakage of the lubricating oil from the rotating bearing can be prevented using a simple configuration.
Since the central oil passage is opened at the shaft end on the side opposite to the engine connection side and the lubricating oil is supplied into the central oil passage through the shaft end opening, no centrifugal force is exerted on the lubricating oil during the supply. Therefore, the lubricating oil can be supplied into the central oil passage, without complicating the structure and at a low oil pressure.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2008-247702 | Sep 2008 | JP | national |
2008-247703 | Sep 2008 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4734020 | Inaba et al. | Mar 1988 | A |
4824346 | Hiraga et al. | Apr 1989 | A |
4874302 | Kobayashi et al. | Oct 1989 | A |
5040958 | Arata et al. | Aug 1991 | A |
6109897 | Haga | Aug 2000 | A |
7121816 | Matsushima | Oct 2006 | B2 |
7207788 | Sato | Apr 2007 | B2 |
20070178001 | Minekawa et al. | Aug 2007 | A1 |
20070231175 | Suefuji et al. | Oct 2007 | A1 |
20070292293 | Fujita et al. | Dec 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
7-54784 | Feb 1995 | JP |
2002-89473 | Mar 2002 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20100080722 A1 | Apr 2010 | US |