Patent Grant
7144229
The present invention relates to a hermetic electric compressor for use in freezing and refrigerating equipment or a room air-conditioner. It more particularly relates to an oiling and lubricating system for supplying lubricating oil reserved in a hermetic shell to rotating and sliding parts in the hermetic electric compressor by a centrifugal force of a rotation of a crankshaft.
Recently, there has been a strong demand for reduction in power consumptions and noise in a hermetic electric compressor for use in a domestic freezer and refrigerator or a room air-conditioner. For a reduction in power consumptions and a noise, an inverter-driven compressor is operated at a lower rotational speed (e.g. approx. 1,800 revolutions per minute (rpm) for a domestic refrigerator).
On the other hand, many lubricating oil pump systems for a hermetic electric compressor utilize a centrifugal force resulting from a rotation of a crankshaft because a lubricating oil reserved in the bottom of a hermetic shell is pumped up to upper sliding parts However, because the centrifugal force is proportional to the square of a rotational speed of a crankshaft, a power of pumping up oils is smaller as a rotational speed is lower. This causes a serious problem in the operation at a lower rotational speed.
A prior art is described hereinafter.
One of conventional hermetic electric compressors is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 1987-44108.
Inside of the crankshaft 505, a slanting channel 511 having a relatively small diameter extends from the bottom end of the crankshaft 505 to the bottom end of a bearing 506. The slanting channel is opened to the outer periphery of the crankshaft 505 by a first lateral hole 512. A spiral groove 513 is formed on a portion of the crankshaft 505 inside of the bearing 506. The bottom end of the spiral groove is in communication with the lateral hole 512. At the top end of the spiral groove, the bottom end of a longitudinal hole 514 provided in an eccentric shaft 508 is opened to a thrust bearing sliding on a surface 515. At the same time, the bottom end of the longitudinal hole 514 intersects a second lateral hole 516. In other words, the crankshaft 505 is constituted so that the holes 512 and 516 are opened directly to the outer surface of the crankshaft 505. Additionally, at a bottom end 517 of the crankshaft 505, the slanting channel 511 is opened to a lubricating oil 518.
In the constitution of such a prior art, the lubricating oil in the slanting channel 511 that directly extends from the bottom end of the crankshaft 505 diagonally to the top is immediately decentered by the centrifugal force only on the inner surface of the slanting channel 511 on the outer peripheral side, in a position slightly above the oil level of the lubricating oil 518 reserved in the lower portion of the compressor 500. Therefore, a force of lifting the lubricating oil is excellent. However, the ascending current 519 shown by the arrow, i.e. the lubricating oil that has been sucked through the opening surface of the slanting channel 511 at the bottom end of the crankshaft 505, is separated into the branches 520 and 521 each shown by the arrow. The branch 520 is moved upwardly by the centrifugal force. The branch 521 flows through the opening surface of the slanting channel 511 out of the slanting channel 511. This branch 521 merges with the ascending current 519 sucked through the opening surface of the slanting channel 511 and flows into the slanting channel 511 again to repeat short circuits. Repeating the short circuits is a major factor of the loss in the amount of the lubricating oil 518 flowing into the slanting channel 511. Further, because the centrifugal force is smaller at a lower rotational speed of the crankshaft 505, the rate of the branch 521 flowing out of the slanting channel 511 increases. This causes a drawback of delivering an insufficient amount of the lubricating oil to the sliding part in the upper portion.
Another hermetic electric compressor constituted to increase a centrifugal force for sucking an oil is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,220. However, this prior art has a complicated path of lubricating oil and a complicated constitution, and thus requires a large number of components. This causes problems of unstable supply of a lubricating oil and poor workablity in assembling.
Still another conventional hermetic electric compressor is disclosed in WO00/01949 Publication. This compressor employs a mechanical oil pump system in which the viscosity effect of lubricating oil pumps up a lubricating oil along a spiral groove between a stator having the spiral groove in the outer peripheral, surface thereof and a rotating sleeve. This system is highly reliable in ensuring an amount of supplied oil in a low-speed range (1,200 to 1,800 rpm). However, the constitution is extremely complicated and requires a larger number of components in comparison with an oil pump system using a centrifugal force. Therefore, this mechanical oil pump system has drawbacks of an expensiveness and a poor workability in assembling.
The present invention solves these conventional problems and aims to provide a simple lubricating oil pump system for a hermetic electric compressor that is capable of efficiently pumping up lubricating oil even at a low-speed rotation and has an excellent workablity in assembling.
A hermetic electric compressor of the present invention has the following constitutions: an electric motor including a stator and a rotor; a compressing element for compressing refrigerant by a rotation of a crankshaft fixed to the rotor of the electric motor; and a hermetic shell for housing the electric motor and the compressing element and including a reservoir for storaging a lubricating oil. The crankshaft is consisted of at least a main crankshaft, and a eccentric crankshaft for driving the compressing element. The hermetic electric compressor further includes an oil pump for supplying the lubricating oil in the sump to the main crankshaft and the eccentric crankshaft by a rotation of the crankshaft. The oil pump is constituted to have (i) a slanting channel inside of the main crankshaft that has a predetermined length from the bottom end of the main crankshaft immersed in the sump and inclines with respect to the center axis of the main crankshaft, (ii) a throttle provided at the bottom end of the main crankshaft and having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the slanting channel, (iii) a communicating passage provided at the top end of the slanting channel, (iv) a spiral groove in communication with the communicating passage, provided in the outer periphery of the main crankshaft, and (v) a through hole in communication with the spiral groove, provided in the eccentric crankshaft.
Because of this constitution, the centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the crankshaft is exerted on the lubricating oil at the bottom end of the main crankshaft surrounded by the throttle and the throttle receives the downward force. This increases the upward force resulting from the centrifugal force and moves the lubricating oil upwardly in the slanting channel. Further, because the incline of the slanting channel effectively lifts the head of the lubricating oil, a force of delivering a large amount of oil can be obtained.
Additionally, because the crankshaft is operated at rotational speeds ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 rpm, the power input of the compressor is minimized. Together with a stable lubrication, an operation at the low power consumption is allowed.
Further, the ratio of the distance from the most bottom end of the main crankshaft to the center of the communicating passage to the diameter of the main crankshaft in the area housing the slanting channel is set to E. The ratio of the maximum length from the center axis of the main crankshaft to the outer diameter of the slanting channel to the diameter of the main crankshaft is set to F. The relation between the ratios E and F is set to be shown by the following equation:
F≧0.166E2−0.683E+1.44
Setting the ratios to satisfy the above equation optimizes the dimensions of the oil pump and thus provides an oil pump maximizing the utilization of the centrifugal force. Thus, a delivering force of a large amount oil can be obtained even in operation at a low speed revolution.
As for the throttle, a disk-shaped cap is inserted in and engaged with the bottom end of the main crankshaft. Thus, the material cost is low and the throttle can be assembled without positioning the cap by mistake.
Additionally, the ratio of the diameter of the slanting channel to the diameter of the inlet port provided at the center of the throttle is set to 1:0.25 to 0.5. This provides an oil pump in which an amount of supplied oil can be changed in the range of high-speed operation while the amount of supplied oil in the range of low-speed operation is kept a maximum. Thus, an appropriate amount of supplied oil can be obtained in operation at each rotational speed.
Further, a divider shaped like a flat plate is inserted in and engaged with the slanting channel. The divider prevents oil from slipping in the slanting channel and ensures stable lubrication especially in operation at low rotational speeds.
The divider is shaped like a vertically symmetrical flat plate. The divider has a semi-circular notch in substantially the center at least at the bottom end. The divider also has a press fit portion in which the width of almost the longitudinal center is larger than those of the top and bottom ends. The semi-circular notches provided at the both ends of the divider keeps the ratio of two divided openings of the inlet port in the throttle unchanged even when the bottom end of the divider is displaced from the center of the throttle. Increasing the width of the portion in the vicinity of the longitudinal center allows the divider to be inserted from any of the top and bottom ends thereof and prevents the divider from curving, thus increasing the workablity in assembling.
Further, a step is provided in a position in the direction of the depth of the slanting channel from the bottom end thereof. The distance from the bottom end of the slanting channel to the step is equal to the length of the divider. This constitution allows the slanting channel to be manufactured at a plurality of processes and thus increases an accuracy of finishing. Additionally, when the divider is inserted into the slanting channel, the edge of the divider at the top end thereof is held by the step in the slanting channel. This allows assembling without positioning the divider by mistake.
Further, the compressor is constituted so that a conical portion is formed at the top end of the slanting channel and at least a part of the communicating passage intersects the conical portion. This constitution can thicken the portion of the crankshaft above the communicating passage and thus prevent a corrosion (a phenomenon of breakage at the bottom of a spiral groove developing into a large hole that occurs in a thin portion) likely to occur in this portion.
Further, the compressor is provided a vent communicating passage for communication between the slanting channel and the outer peripheral surface of the main crankshaft and opened to the space in the hermetic shell. This constitution increases the height from the oil level to the center of the vent communicating passage and thus decreases the amount of lubricating oil flowing out of the vent communicating passage. As a result, the amount of lubricating oil to be pumped up can relatively be increased.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First Exemplary Embodiment
A hermetic electric compressor body 1 is constituted to house an electric motor 3 comprising a stator 3a and a rotor 3b, and a compressing unit 6 integrated a compressing mechanism 4 by a cylinder block 5 in upper and lower hermetic shell 2. A main crankshaft 7a of a crankshaft 7 is supported by a bearing 8 of a cylinder block 5. Coupled to an eccentric crankshaft 7b in the upper portion of the crankshaft 7 is a connecting rod 10. Coupled to the connecting rod 10 is a piston 13 for sliding via a piston-pin 11 in a cylinder 12. A valve plate 14 includes a suction port, suction valve, discharge port and discharge valve (each not shown). A cylinder head 15 is partitioned to have a suction chamber and a discharge chamber (each not shown) inside thereof. The cylinder head 15 is coupled to a suction muffler 16. A lubricating oil 30 is reserved in the bottom portion of a hermetic shell 2.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Next, an operation of the hermetic electric compressor in this constitution is described.
F≧0.166E2−0.683E+1.44 (1)
F=0.166E2−0.683E+1.44 (2)
F<0.166E2−0.683E+1.44 (3)
These results show that the compressor should be designed so that the ratio E and F satisfy the Equation (1), in order to ensure an amount of supplied oil of 40 ml/min.
In this exemplary embodiment, the ratio E ranges from 2 to 3. When the ratio E is smaller than 2, there is almost no allowance for the length (approx. 10 to 20 mm) to which the rotor 3b is fitted in the lower portion of the main crankshaft 7b. Thus, this is not a realistic design. On the other hand, when the ratio E is larger than 3, the pump head is too high to ensure a sufficient amount of supplied oil in the range of low-speed operation (1,200 to 1,800 rpm).
In this exemplary embodiment, the ratio F ranges from 0.77 to 0.9. When the ratio F is smaller than 0.77, the centrifugal force to provide an oil delivering force cannot be obtained and a sufficient amount of supplied oil cannot be ensured in the range of low-speed operation (1,200 to 1,800 rpm). On the other hand, when the ratio F is larger than 0.9, a thickness between the outer peripheral of the main crankshaft 7a and the slanting channel 19 is smaller than 1 mm. Therefore, when a compressive load is imposed, chips or cracks may develop in the portion having a small thickness.
Consequently, in order to design a lubricating system of the crankshaft 7 capable of performing compressing operation even in the low-speed operation, it is desirable to set the ratio E to the range of 2 to 3, the ratio F to the range of 0.77 to 0.9, and use the Equation (1) as the relation between the ratio E and the ratio F.
Generally, a temperature of the compressing mechanism 4 comprising the piston 13 and the cylinder 12 is higher than that of the lubricating oil 30 scattered from the top end of the eccentric crankshaft 7b of crankshaft 7. Therefore, in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an amount of the lubricating oil 30 sprayed onto the compressing mechanism 4 increases and thereby the cooling effect is fully exerted on the compressing mechanism 4. This inhibits a wear and tear of the surface of the sliding part and improves a reliability. Additionally, because a temperature rise of the gas sucked into the compressing mechanism 4 is inhibited, the efficiency of the hermetic electric compressor can be improved.
Second Exemplary Embodiment
As shown in
U is a diameter of the slanting channel 19. X is a diameter of the inlet port 29 provided at the center of the throttle 17. The ratio of the diameter X to the diameter U of slanting channel 19 is set to G (G=X/U).
In the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a material of the cap 31 is an ordinary steel stock represented by SS or SK material. The cap 31 is shaped like a disk by punching the steel stock, and press-fitted along the inner periphery of the extended tubular part 18. Thus, the cap 31 can be realized at low cost and with high workability. Additionally, a step formed by a difference in a diameter between the extended tubular part 18 and the slanting channel 19 allows a stable assembling without positioning misregistration of the cap 31 when the cap 31 is press-fitted.
As for the material of cap 31, the same effect can be obtained by the use of inexpensive non-ferrous metal, plastic material, or the like, instead of the ordinary steel stock.
Next,
As a diameter of the inlet port 29 formed at the center of the throttle 17 is larger, the amount of supplied oil decreases both in high-speed operation and low-speed operation. The reason is why the capability of receiving the downward force generated by the centrifugal force decreases and the loss in the amount of the lubricating oil 30 flowing into slanting channel 19 increases.
On the other hand, in the operation at 4,320 rpm, the amount of supplied oil remarkably decreases as the ratio G is smaller than 0.43. The reason is why the stronger centrifugal force in high-speed operation increases the force of delivering the lubricating oil 30 upwardly, and thus the amount of the lubricating oil 30 sucked through the inlet port 29 cannot follow the amount of lubricating oil 30 to be lifted. Such a tendency of the amount of supplied oil to remarkably decrease with a decrease in the ratio G is confirmed in an operation at rotational speeds more than 3,000 rpm. On the contrary, the amount of lubricating oil 30 sucked through the inlet port 29 is relatively small in the range of low-speed operation. Therefore, there is a wider range in which the amount of lubricating oil 30 sucked through the inlet port 29 can follow the amount of lubricating oil 30 to be lifted. Thus, it is considered that such a range of the ratio G is wider in low-speed operation. The phenomenon of an existence of the range of the ratio G in which an amount of supplied oil is flat in the range of low-speed operation is confirmed at rotational speeds less than 1,800 rpm.
As described above, in the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the diameter of the slanting channel 19 to the diameter of the inlet port 29 provided at the center of the throttle 17 is 2.0 to 4.0. This constitution can provide an oil pump capable of changing an amount of supplied oil in the range of high-speed operation while maintaining the amount of supplied oil in the range of low-speed operation maximum. Especially when a remarkably large amount of the lubricating oil 30 is discharged from the top end face of the eccentric crankshaft 7b in the upper portion of the crankshaft 7 in the range of high-speed operation, a noise may be caused by splashing the lubricating oil 30, depending on a thickness, a material, or a shape of the hermetic shell 2 or a shape of cylinder block 5. However, in the second exemplary embodiment, the selection of an adequate ratio G from the range of 0.25 to 0.5 can set an amount of supplied oil appropriate for each number of revolutions in operation and prevent the noise problem caused by splashing the lubricating oil 30 especially in the range of high-speed operation.
Third Exemplary Embodiment
An extended tubular part 18 is formed at the bottom of a main crankshaft 7a. The slanting channel 19 is a passage for lubricating an oil provided from the top end of the extended tubular part 18. The inner diameter of the slanting channel 19 includes the center of the extended tubular part 18. A divider 26 is shaped like a thin flat plate that is press-fitted into the slanting channel 19. The divider 26 has a semi-circular notch 27 at each of the top and bottom ends thereof. The divider 26 is formed symmetrically at the upper and lower sides so that it can be inserted from any of top and bottom ends. The divider 26 has a press fit portion 28 in which substantially an intermediate portion of the divider is formed slightly wider. The diameter of the slanting channel 19 is decreased stepwise at least once from the top end of the extended tubular part 18 so that the slanting channel has at least one step. There is a step 19b, a boundary between a first-step slanting channel 19a having the largest diameter in the slanting channel 19 and a second-step slanting channel. The first-step slanting channel 19a is formed to be as high as divider 26.
The lubricating oil 30 that has flown into the slanting channel 19 moves upwardly while it rotates according to the rotation of the crankshaft 7. However, because the viscosity of the lubricating oil 30 serves as a resistance force against the rotation direction in the slanting channel 19, the rotational speed of the lubricating oil 30 in the slanting channel 19 tends to be smaller than the actual rotational speed of the crankshaft 7. Especially in the range of low-speed operation (1,200 to 1,800 rpm), the temperature rise of the lubricating oil 30 caused by the heat generated by the motor or a sliding is small and thus the viscosity of the lubricating oil 30 is kept relatively high. This makes a large difference in a rotational speed between the lubricating oil 30 and the crankshaft 7. Such a difference in rotational speed between the crankshaft 7 and the lubricating oil 30 in the slanting channel 19 largely affects and deteriorates an oil delivering force.
For the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the oil delivering force is improved by agitating up the lubricating oil 30 by stirring the divider 26 inserted into and engaged with the slanting channel 19. Thus, the rotational speed of the lubricating oil 30 that has flown into the slanting channel 19 is substantially the same as the actual rotational speed of the crankshaft 7 and sufficient oils is lifted even in the range of low-speed operation.
Because substantially semi-circular notches 27 are provided at both ends of the divider 26, the ratio of two divided openings of the inlet port in the throttle 17 is kept unchanged even if the divider 26 is displaced from the center of the throttle 17. The divider 26 also has the press fit portion 28 in which the width in the vicinity of the longitudinal center of the divider 26 is increased. The press fit portion 28 allows an easy insertion and fixation of the divider 26. The divider 26 can be assembled without an extremely small bend. Thus, the workablity in assembling is improved.
Additionally, the diameter of the slanting channel 19 is decreased stepwise at least once from the top end of the extended tubular part 18 so that the slanting channel 19 has at least one step. The depth of the first-step slanting channel 19a from the top end of the extended tubular part 18 is equal to the height of the divider 26. When the cap 31 is fitted into the extended tubular part 18, the cap 31 is brought into contact with the bottom end face of the divider 26 and a load may be imposed on the divider. Even in such a case, the edge 26a at the top end face of the divider 26 is restricted by the step 19b of the slanting channel 19. This allows assembling without positioning divider 26 by mistake.
Fourth Exemplary Embodiment
The main crankshaft 7 has the slanting channel 19, and a conical portion 33 at the top end of the slanting channel 19. The conical portion 33 has a ridge portion 33a. Further provided is a lower communicating passage 21 for further lifting the lubricating oil 30 in the slanting channel 19.
Now, the slanting channel 19 inclines from the lower portion to the upper portion of the main crankshaft 7 toward the outer peripheral side of the main crankshaft 7, in order to effectively lift up the head of the lubricating oil and ensure the amount of supplied oil in the low-speed operation range. For this reason, when the lower communicating passage 21 is consisted to penetrate the side inner wall of the slanting channel 19, the upper end portion of the slanting channel is the most thinnest because the upper end portion of the slanting channel 19 and the conical portion 33 are inevitably located above the lower communicating passage 21. Therefore, when a spiral groove (not shown) is formed upwardly from the lower communicating passage 21, a corrosion (a phenomenon of breakage at the lowest portion of the spiral groove developing into a large hole that occurs in a thin portion) may occur between the lowest portion of the spiral groove 20, the upper end of the slanting channel 19, and conical portion 33.
However, in the fourth exemplary embodiment, the lower communicating passage 21 or a part thereof is formed of the ridge portion 33a of the conical portion 33 at the top end of the slanting channel 19. Thus, in addition to ensuring an amount of supplied oil in the range of low-speed operation, a sufficient thickness is ensured in the portion above the lower communicating passage 21 of the main crankshaft 7. Therefore, even when the spiral groove 20 is formed, a corrosion in this portion can be prevented and the loss in manufacturing cost can be reduced.
Fifth Exemplary Embodiment
In the crankshaft 7, the main crankshaft 7a is supported by a bearing 8 of a cylinder block. The rotor 3b is shrink-fitted to the main crankshaft 7a. The main crankshaft 7a has the slanting channel 19 inside thereof. A vent communicating passage 25 for providing a communication between the slanting channel 19 and the outer peripheral surface of the crankshaft 7a is provided in a position of clearance 34 formed between the bottom end of the bearing 8 of the cylinder block and the top end of the rotor 3b.
In the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent an insufficient lubrication phenomenon in which gas retained in the slanting channel 19 causes a choke and hinders the lubricating oil 30 from going up, the gas retained in the slanting channel 19 can effectively be released from the vent communicating passage 25 through the clearance 34. Additionally, because the height from the oil sump to the center of the vent communicating passage 25 is sufficiently ensured, the rate of the amount of lubricating oil flowing out of the vent communicating passage 25 is decreased. This can ensure an amount of supplied oil sufficient to contribute to lubricate the sliding parts.
At least a part of the vent communicating passage 25 in the fifth exemplary embodiment extends to the sliding part comprising the main crankshaft 7a and the bearing 8. Beveling an outlet port 25a of the vent communicating passage 25 opened to the outer peripheral side of the main crankshaft 7a can prevent a shortage of oil film on the journal bearings comprising the bearing 8 of the cylinder block and the outer peripheral surface of the main crankshaft 7a.
Further, in order to release a gas from the slanting channel 19 and prevent a shortage of oil film on the journal bearing at the same time, it is desirable to set the diameter of the outlet port 25a to 3 to 6 mm and the bevel angle to 90° to 120°.
As described above, the present invention includes an oil pump. The oil pump comprises: a slanting channel formed in the lower portion of a main shaft and inclining from the lower portion to the upper portion thereof outwardly; a throttle formed at the bottom of the main shaft and having an inlet port of diameter smaller than the section of the slanting channel; and a lower communicating passage for providing communication between the bottom end of a spiral groove and the slanting channel. The centrifugal force resulting from a rotation of a crankshaft is exerted on lubricating oil at the bottom end of the main crankshaft surrounded by the throttle. The throttle receives the downward force generated by the centrifugal force. This increases the upward force and allows the lubricating oil to move upwardly in the slanting channel. Further, the incline of the slanting channel effectively lifts the head of the lubricating oil to provide a large oil delivering force. This can realize a hermetic electric compressor capable of efficiently pumping up the lubricating oil required even at low speeds of rotation.
The present invention can also provide a hermetic electric compressor having a simple constitution and thus excellent workablity in assembling.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-214997 | Jul 2001 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP02/07156 | 7/15/2002 | WO | 00 | 11/25/2003 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO03/008805 | 1/30/2003 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20040151604 A1 | Aug 2004 | US |
