Variable capacity type compressor with inclined capacity control valve

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6267563
  • Patent Number
    6,267,563
  • Date Filed
    Monday, January 17, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 31, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A variable capacity type compressor includes a swash plate and pistons to effect compressing action. The tilting position of the swash plate is controlled by the pressure in a control pressure chamber into which a coolant in the discharge pressure region is introduced. The pressure in the control pressure chamber is controlled by a capacity control valve mounted to the rear housing in an inclined position relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rotatable drive shaft.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a capacity control valve to a variable capacity type compressor in which a coolant is discharged from cylinder bores into a discharge chamber in a rear housing by reciprocating movements of pistons in the cylinder bores and is sucked from a suction chamber in the rear housing into the cylinder bores, while adjusting the pressure in a control pressure chamber, by the capacity control valve, to control the discharge capacity of the compressor.




2. Description of the Related Art




In a variable capacity type compressor disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-338364, the discharge capacity is changed in accordance with a difference between the pressure in a crank chamber and a suction pressure in a suction pressure zone. The pressure in the crank chamber is adjusted by introducing the coolant from the discharge chamber as a discharge pressure zone to the crank chamber and delivering the coolant from the crank chamber to the suction chamber as a suction pressure zone. A solenoid valve for controlling the discharge capacity is provided in a pressure supply passage for supplying the coolant from the discharge chamber into the crank chamber. A valve element of the solenoid valve is biased to the valve-closing position when a solenoid is energized. It is adapted that a value of electric current fed to the solenoid valve is selected based on the comparison of a predetermined compartment temperature with a detected compartment temperature. The greater the difference between the predetermined compartment temperature and the detected compartment temperature, the greater the current value to be fed, whereby the degree of opening of the solenoid valve decreases. The smaller the degree of opening, the greater the inclination angle of a swash plate, whereby the discharge capacity increases.




The capacity controlling solenoid valve is mounted to a rear housing having the suction chamber and the discharge chamber formed therein, and is arranged to extend outward from the circumferential wall of the rear housing, and such an arrangement obstructs the mounting of the compressor to an object to which the compressor is to be mounted. Particularly, when the compressor is mounted to a vehicle as part of an air-conditioner, there is a limitation in space usable for mounting the compressor, so it is required that the outward extension of the solenoid valve from the circumferential wall of the rear housing is minimized.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object of the present invention is to provide a variable capacity type compressor in which an outward extension of a volumetric control valve from a circumferential wall of a rear housing can be minimized.




To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a variable capacity type compressor comprising: a body comprising a cylinder block having cylinder bores, and a rear housing attached to said cylinder block and having a discharge chamber and a suction chamber for communication with said cylinder bores, said rear housing having a circumferential wall and an outer end surface on the side opposite from said cylinder block; pistons reciprocatingly arranged in the cylinder bores so that the movement of said piston toward said rear housing causes the coolant to be discharged from said cylinder bore into said discharge chamber and the movement of said piston away from said rear housing causes the coolant to be sucked from said suction chamber to said cylinder bore; a rotatable drive shaft having an axis; a motion transmitting device driven by said drive shaft for converting the rotational movement of the drive shaft into the reciprocating movement of the pistons; a control pressure chamber connected to a discharge pressure region by a coolant supply passage and to a suction pressure region by a coolant outlet passage; and a capacity control valve mounted to the rear housing in an inclined position relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rotatable drive shaft, said capacity control valve being arranged in one of said coolant supply passage and said coolant outlet passage to control the pressure in said control pressure chamber to thereby control the capacity of said compressor.




Such an inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve is effective for restricting the outward extension of the capacity control valve out of the circumferential wall.




Preferably, the variable capacity type compressor, further comprises a mounting member provided integral with, or on, said rear housing for mounting said compressor to an object to which said compressor is to be mounted, said mounting member being arranged along the outer end surface of said rear housing, said capacity control valve having a proximal end located near said circumferential wall of said rear housing and a distal end located close to the axis of the rotatable drive shaft, said capacity control valve being inclined so that the distance from said distal end to the outer end surface of said rear housing is greater than the distance from said proximal end to the outer end surface of said rear housing, and intersecting said mounting member, as viewed in the direction of the axis of said rotatable drive shaft.




An amount of insertion of the capacity control valve into the rear housing increases due to the structure allowing the capacity volumetric control valve to intersect the mounting member. This structure contributes to suppress the extension of the capacity control valve out of the circumferential wall of the rear housing.




Preferably, said mounting member perpendicularly intersects said axis of said rotatable drive shaft and a part of said capacity control valve is arranged under said mounting member.




The mounting member intersecting the axis of rotation at a right angle divides the outer end surface of the rear housing into generally equal two portions. Such a mounting member dividing the outer end surface of the rear housing into the generally two portions makes it particularly difficult to provide a sufficient space for inserting the capacity control valve into the rear housing. The inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve is effective for providing a sufficient space for inserting the capacity control valve into the rear housing with the mounting member intersecting the axis of rotation at a right angle.




Preferably, the variable capacity type compressor further comprises a straight coolant suction passage arranged in the rear housing and connected to the suction chamber, said coolant suction passage being arranged on one side of said mounting member, said capacity control valve being arranged on the other side of said mounting member.




Preferably, said suction chamber is formed at a radially central region in the rear housing and said discharge chamber encircles said suction chamber, and wherein said capacity control valve comprises a valve member, an electrical drive means for said valve member, and a pressure sensitive device having a pressure sensitive chamber communicating with said suction chamber, and a pressure sensitive member displaceable in response to the pressure variation in said pressure sensitive chamber, said pressure sensitive device being arranged on the side of said distal end of said capacity control valve, said pressure sensitive device functioning so that the pressure in said pressure sensitive chamber converges to a pressure value corresponding to the driving force of said electrical drive means. The electrical drive means preferably comprises a solenoid.




The inclined arrangement of the volumetric control valve allows the distal end of the volumetric control valve to largely extend into the suction chamber and a pressure-sensitive opening, which communicates the pressure-sensitive chamber with the suction chamber, to enlarge. Such an enlarged pressure-sensitive opening enhances the sensitivity of the pressure-sensitive means.




Preferably, the variable capacity type compressor further comprises a front housing attached to said cylinder block on the side opposite from said rear housing, said front housing and said cylinder block forming said control pressure chamber, said motion transmitting device comprising a swash plate arranged in said control pressure chamber and axially movably and tiltably attached to said rotatable drive shaft, a rotor attached to said rotatable drive shaft and hinged to said swash plate to allow the swash plate to rotate with the rotatable drive shaft, and shoes arranged between the swash plate and the pistons.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a rear view of a compressor according to the first embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a sectional view of the compressor, taken along line II—II in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a side view of the main part of the compressor;





FIG. 4

is a sectional view of the compressor, taken along line IV—IV in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 5

is a sectional view of the compressor, taken along line V—V in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 6

is an enlarged sectional view of the compressor, taken along line VI—VI in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 7

is a sectional view of the discharge on-off valve; and





FIG. 8

is a sectional view of a compressor according to the second embodiment of the present invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




The first embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to

FIGS. 1

to


7


, which shows a variable capacity type compressor mounted to a vehicle.




As shown in

FIG. 2

, the variable capacity type compressor includes a body comprising a cylinder block


11


, a front housing


12


, and a rear housing


17


. A rotary shaft


13


is supported by the front housing


12


and the cylinder block


11


and receives a rotational driving force from the vehicle engine (not shown). The front housing


12


forms a control pressure chamber (crank chamber)


121


. A swash plate


14


is supported by the rotary shaft


13


in the control pressure chamber


121


so that the swash plate


14


is axially movable and tiltable with respect to the rotary shaft


130


. The swash plate


14


has a central hole


14




a


having a curved inner wall. The swash plate


14


is rotatable with the rotary shaft


13


, by the provision of a rotor


300


and a hinge


301


. A spring


302


biases the swash plate


14


. A plurality of cylinder bores


111


(six in this embodiment) are provided in and through the cylinder block


11


in the peripheral region thereof and around the rotary shaft


13


. Pistons


15


are accommodated in the respective cylinder bores


111


. The rotational movement of the drive shaft


13


is converted to forward/rearward reciprocating movements of the pistons


15


via the swash plate


14


and shoes


16


.




The rear housing


17


is fixed to the cylinder block


11


via a valve plate


18


, valve-forming plates


19


and


20


and a retainer-forming plate


21


. The cylinder block


11


, the front housing


12


and the rear housing


17


are secured to each other by a plurality of bolts


10


(six in this embodiment). The rear housing


17


has a suction chamber


22


and a discharge chamber


23


defined therein. The rear housing


17


has an end wall


24


, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 4

. The suction chamber


22


and the discharge chamber


23


are sectioned by an annular partitioning wall


25


perpendicularly extending from the end wall


24


of the rear housing


17


, so that the suction chamber


22


is at the central region and the discharge chamber


23


is at the peripheral region and encircles the suction chamber


22


as shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

.




Suction ports


181


are provided in the valve plate


18


on the inner side of the partitioning wall


25


, which forms the side wall of the suction chamber


22


, in correspondence to the respective cylinder bores


111


as shown in FIG.


6


. Discharge ports


182


are provided in the valve plate


18


on the outer side of the partitioning wall


25


in correspondence to the respective cylinder bores


111


. Suction valves


191


are formed in the valve-forming plate


19


, and discharge valves


201


are formed in the valve-forming plate


20


. The suction valves


191


open and close the suction ports


181


, and the discharge valves


201


open and close the discharge ports


182


.




A coolant inlet passage


30


is provided in the end wall


24


of the rear housing


17


. The coolant inlet passage


30


has an inside wall


301


, an outside wall


302


, and an communication hole


303


, as shown in FIG.


2


. The inside wall


301


of the coolant inlet passage


30


protrudes toward the suction chamber


22


and the discharge chamber


23


, and the outside wall


302


protrudes outward from the outer end surface of the end wall


24


. The coolant inlet passage


30


extends from the circumferential wall


31


of the rear housing


17


across the discharge chamber


23


and the communication hole


303


communicates with the suction chamber


22


.




An accommodation chamber


28


is formed in the end wall


24


of the rear housing


17


as shown in

FIGS. 1

,


2


and


4


. The accommodation chamber


28


has an inside wall


281


and an outside wall


282


, as shown in FIG.


4


. The inside wall


281


of the accommodation chamber


28


protrudes toward the suction chamber


23


and the discharge chamber


22


, and the outside wall


282


of the accommodation chamber


28


protrudes outward from the outer end surface of the end wall


24


. An extension of the coolant inlet passage


30


intersects the inside wall


281


of the accommodation chamber


28


. The proximal end portions (axially outer end portions) of the inside wall


281


and the outside wall


282


extend outward from the circumferential wall


31


of the rear housing


17


.




Coolant in the suction chamber


22


defining a suction pressure zone is sucked in the cylinder bore


111


through the suction port


181


, opening the suction valve


191


during the backward motion of the piston


15


. Coolant in the cylinder bore


111


is discharged from the cylinder bore


111


through the discharge port


182


into the discharge chamber


23


defining the discharge pressure zone, opening the discharge valve


201


during the forward motion of the piston


15


. The degree of opening of the discharge valve


201


is restricted by a retainer


211


on the retainer-forming plate


21


. Coolant in the discharge chamber


23


is recirculated through an exterior coolant circuit


32


including a condenser


33


, an expansion valve


34


, and an evaporator


35


and returns to the suction chamber


22


through the coolant inlet passage


30


.




As shown in

FIG. 7

, a discharge shut-off valve


52


is provided in a discharge passage


51


. The discharge shut-off valve


52


comprises a tubular valve body


521


accommodated in the discharge passage


51


in a slidable manner, a circlip


522


attached to the inner wall of the discharge passage


51


, and a compression spring


523


interposed between the circlip


522


and the valve body


521


. The valve body


521


opens and closes a valve hole


511


while being biased by the compression spring


523


which acts to close the valve hole


511


. A detour


512


is provided in the inner wall of the discharge passage


51


at a position between the valve hole


511


and the circlip


522


and is connected to the discharge passage


51


. The detour


512


forms a part of the discharge passage


51


. An opening


524


is provided in the circumferential surface of the tubular valve body


521


. When the valve body


521


is at an open position shown in

FIG. 7

, coolant gas in the discharge chamber


23


can flow out to the exterior coolant circuit


32


, through the valve hole


511


, the detour


512


, the opening


524


and the tubular valve body


521


. If the valve body


521


closes the valve hole


511


, the coolant gas in the discharge chamber


23


is prevented from flowing out to the exterior coolant circuit


32


.




A capacity control solenoid valve


27


is accommodated in the accommodation chamber


28


. The capacity control valve


27


is arranged in a coolant supply passage


26


which connects the discharge chamber


23


to the control pressure chamber


121


. The coolant supply passage


26


supplies the coolant in the discharge chamber


23


to the control pressure chamber


121


. A solenoid


39


of the capacity control valve


27


is controlled by a controller (not shown) and energized and disenergized, wherein the controller controls the capacity control valve


27


so that a target temperature in the compartment in the vehicle preset by a compartment temperature setting device (not shown) is attained based on a temperature detected in the compartment by a compartment temperature sensor (not shown).




As shown in

FIG. 4

, the capacity control valve


27


has a pressure sensitive means


36


including a bellows


361


as a pressure sensitive member, a pressure sensitive spring


362


, and a pressure sensitive chamber


363


. The interior pressure of the suction chamber


22


(suction pressure) is applied to the pressure sensitive chamber


362


to act on the bellows


361


. The suction pressure in the suction chamber


22


reflects a thermal load. The capacity control valve


27


has a valve member


37


and a valve hole


38


, which is part of the coolant supply passage


26


. The valve member


37


is coupled to the bellows


361


, for opening and closing the valve hole


38


. The atmospheric pressure within the bellows


361


and the elastic force of the pressure sensitive spring


362


are applied to the valve member


37


in the direction to open the valve hole


38


. The capacity control valve


27


also has a solenoid


39


including a stator core


391


, a coil


392


, and an armature core


393


. The stator core


391


attracts the armature core


393


due to the excitation of the coil


392


by the current supply thereto. That is, the electromagnetic driving force of the solenoid


39


biases the valve member


37


to close the valve


38


against the elastic force of a spring


40


which acts in the valve opening direction. A spring


41


biases the armature core


393


toward the stator core


391


. The opening degree of the valve hole


38


is determined by the balance between the electromagnetic force generated by the solenoid


39


, the elastic force of the spring


41


, the elastic force of the spring


40


and the biasing force of the pressure-sensitive means


36


, and the capacity control valve


27


controls the suction pressure in accordance with a current value supplied to the solenoid


39


.




As the supplied current value increases, the opening degree of the valve is decreased to reduce the amount of coolant supplied from the discharge chamber


32


to the control pressure chamber


121


. Since coolant in the control pressure chamber


121


is flowing out to the suction chamber


22


through a coolant outlet passage


29


, the pressure in the control pressure chamber


121


lowers. The inclination angle of the swash plate


14


depends on a difference between the pressure in the control pressure chamber


121


acting on one end of the pistons


15


and the suction pressure acting on the other end of the pistons


15


. Accordingly, the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


becomes greater to increase the discharge capacity. The increase in the discharge capacity results in the decrease in the suction pressure. Contrarily, if the supplied current value lowers, the opening degree of the valve increases to increase the amount of coolant supplied from the discharge chamber


23


to the control pressure chamber


121


. Accordingly, the pressure in the control pressure chamber


121


increases to decrease the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


, resulting in the reduction in the discharge capacity. The reduction in the discharge capacity causes the suction pressure to increase.




If the current supplied to the solenoid


39


becomes zero, the opening degree of the valve becomes maximum to cause the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


to be minimum as shown in FIG.


2


. The discharge pressure is low when the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


is minimum. The elastic force of the compression spring


523


is selected so that the pressure in the region of the discharge passage


51


upstream from the discharge shut-off valve


52


in the above-mentioned state is lower than the sum of the pressure in a region downstream from the discharge shut-off valve


52


and the elastic force of the compression spring


523


. Therefore, when the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


becomes minimum, the valve body


521


closes the valve hole


511


to interrupt the circulation of coolant in the exterior coolant circuit. If the circulation of the coolant is interrupted, the operation for reducing the thermal load is made to stop.




The minimum inclination angle of the swash plate


14


is slightly greater than 0 degree. Since the minimum inclination angle of the swash plate


14


is not zero degrees, the discharge of coolant gas from the cylinder bore


111


to the discharge chamber


23


continues even in a state wherein the inclination angle of the swash plate is minimum. The coolant gas discharged from the cylinder bore


111


to the discharge chamber


23


flows into the control pressure chamber


121


through the coolant supply passage


26


. The coolant gas within the control pressure chamber


121


flows into the suction chamber


22


through the coolant outlet passage


29


, while the coolant gas within the suction chamber


22


is sucked in the cylinder bore


111


and then discharged to the discharge chamber


23


. That is, when the inclination angle of the swash plate is minimum, a circulation path is established in the compressor through the discharge chamber


23


, the coolant supply passage


26


, the control pressure chamber


121


, the coolant outlet passage


29


, the suction-chamber


22


defining the suction pressure zone and the cylinder bore


111


. A pressure difference is generated between the discharge chamber


23


, the control pressure chamber


121


and the suction chamber


22


. Accordingly, the coolant gas circulates through the above-mentioned circulation path whereby a lubricant flowing together with the coolant gas lubricates the interior of the compressor.




When the current is supplied again to the solenoid


39


, the opening degree of the valve becomes smaller to lower the interior pressure of the control pressure chamber


121


. Thus, the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


increases from the minimum inclination angle. As the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


increases from the minimum inclination angle, the pressure upstream from the discharge shut-off valve


52


in the discharge passage


51


exceeds the sum of the pressure downstream from the discharge shut-off valve


52


and the elastic force of the compression spring


523


. Accordingly, if the inclination angle of the swash plate


14


becomes greater than the minimum inclination angle, the valve hole


511


opens to allow the coolant gas in the discharge chamber


23


to flow out to the exterior coolant circuit


32


.




As shown in

FIG. 2

, mounting members


42


and


43


are formed integrally with the upper and lower portions of the circumferential wall of the front housing


12


, respectively. The mounting members


42


and


43


have bolt holes


421


and


431


bored perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, respectively. Both the bolt holes


421


and


431


are parallel to each other. As apparent from

FIGS. 1

,


2


and


3


, a mounting member


44


is formed integrally with the end wall


24


of the rear housing


17


at the outer end surface thereof. A bolt hole


441


is formed in the mounting member


44


perpendicular to the axis of rotation


131


and parallel to the bolt holes


421


and


431


.




As shown in

FIG. 1

, the mounting members


42


,


43


and


44


are fastened to bosses


48


,


49


and


50


of the vehicle engine by tightening bolts


45


,


46


and


47


inserted through the bolt holes


421


,


431


and


441


, respectively.




As shown in

FIG. 4

, the accommodation chamber


28


is positioned obliquely to the axis of rotation


131


. That is, it is adapted so that an angle θ between the center axis


271


of the capacity control valve


27


accommodated in the accommodation chamber


28


and the plane S perpendicular to the axis of rotation


131


is not zero. The distal end of the accommodation chamber


28


extends under the bolt hole


441


or the mounting member


44


so that the distal end of the accommodation chamber


28


is away from the outer end surface of the end wall


24


of the rear housing


17


, as seen from the outer end surface of the end wall


24


of the rear housing


17


in the direction of the axis of rotation


131


of the rotary shaft


13


. As is apparent from

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the inside wall


281


of the distal end of the accommodation chamber


28


is arranged in the suction chamber


22


and the pressure-sensitive means


36


is arranged in the distal end of the accommodation chamber


28


. The pressure-sensitive chamber


363


communicates with the suction chamber


22


via a pressure sensitive opening


283


in the inside wall


281


.




The first embodiment involves the following effects.




(1-1) Generally, the outer diameter of a portion of the capacity control valve


27


including the solenoid


39


is greater than that of a portion of the capacity control valve


27


including the pressure-sensitive means


36


. If the capacity control valve


27


is not inclined with respect to the plane S perpendicular to the axis of rotation


131


, as indicated by a chain dot line in

FIG. 4

, and the distal end of the capacity control valve


27


is arranged under the bolt hole


441


of the bracket


44


while the inside wall


281


of the accommodation chamber


28


would be protrudent from the discharge chamber


23


to the cylinder block


11


. Although a protrusion might be avoidable by prolonging the length of the rear housing


17


in the direction of the axis of rotation


131


, this results in the enlargement of the compressor size. It is possible to avoid the enlargement of the compressor size without inclining the capacity control valve


27


, by causing the distal end of the capacity control valve


27


to not extend under the bolt hole


441


of the mounting member


44


, as shown by a chain dot line in FIG.


5


. However, since the mounting member


44


, positioned perpendicular to the axis of rotation


131


of the rotary shaft


13


, divides the outer end surface of the end wall


24


into two generally equal areas, there is a drawback in that the distal end of the capacity control valve


27


is largely away in the lateral direction from the radial center of the rear housing


17


(i.e., the axis of rotation


131


) if the capacity control valve


27


does not extend under the bolt hole


441


. In such a deviated arrangement, it is impossible to have a sufficient insertion length of the capacity control valve


27


, whereby the proximal end of the capacity control valve


27


largely extends out of the circumferential wall


31


of the rear housing


17


in the lateral direction.




The inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve


27


relative to the plane S enables the distal end of the capacity control valve


27


to extend under the bolt hole


441


of the mounting member


44


. Such an arrangement that the distal end of the capacity control valve


27


extends under the bolt hole


441


allows the distal end of the capacity control valve


27


to approach the radial center of the rear housing


17


(the axis of rotation


131


), and to prolong the insertion length of the capacity control valve


27


. Accordingly, the inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve


27


relative to the plane S extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation


131


is effective for restricting the protrusion of the capacity control valve


27


out of the circumferential wall


31


of the rear housing


17


.




(1-2) The suction chamber


22


is located on the radially central side of the rear housing


17


, and the discharge chamber


23


encircles the suction chamber


22


. The pressure sensitive means


36


, located closer to the distal end of the volumetric control valve


27


, operates so that the suction pressure within the pressure sensitive chamber


363


converges to a predetermined pressure value corresponding to the driving force of the solenoid


39


which constitutes the electrical drive means. The pressure sensitive means


36


acts in responsive to the suction pressure of the suction chamber


22


. The inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve


27


enables the inside wall


281


of the distal end of the accommodation chamber


28


to largely advance toward the center of the suction chamber


22


. If the distal end of the inside wall


281


largely advances toward the center of the suction chamber


22


, the area of the distal end of the inside wall


281


exposed to the suction chamber


22


increases to enlarge a pressure sensitive opening


283


connecting the pressure sensitive chamber


363


to the suction chamber


22


. The larger pressure sensitive opening


283


is capable of quickly transmitting the pressure variation in the suction chamber


22


to the pressure sensitive chamber


363


to facilitate the sensitivity of the pressure sensitive means


36


.




(1-3) The suction chamber


22


has a function to suppress the suction pulsations, so that the larger the suction chamber


22


, the higher the effect of suppressing the suction pulsations. The pressure sensitive opening


283


, having a larger area, aids in the function of the suction chamber


22


to suppress the suction pulsation.




(1-4) Annular passages


261


and


262


are formed between the circumferential surface of the capacity control valve


27


accommodated in the accommodation chamber


28


and the walls


281


and


282


of the accommodation chamber


28


, as shown in FIG.


4


. The annular passage


261


and


262


constitute part of the coolant supply passage


26


. A passage


263


connects the discharge chamber


23


to the annular passage


261


, and a passage


264


connects the annular passage


262


to the pressure control chamber


121


. The annular passages


261


and


262


are connected to each other. The wider the width of the annular passages


261


and


262


, the easier the connection of the annular passages


261


and


262


with passages


263


and


264


. According to this embodiment capable of prolonging the insertion length of the capacity control valve


27


, it is possible to increase the entire length of the capacity control valve


27


so that the wider annular passages


261


and


262


are obtainable while restricting the outward protrusion of the capacity control valve


27


from the circumferential wall


31


of the rear housing


17


.




(1-5) The coolant inlet passage


30


, which straightly guides the coolant from the exterior coolant circuit


32


outside the compressor into the suction chamber


22


within the compressor, suppresses the pressure loss in the suction passage in the compressor extending from the outside of the compressor to the suction chamber


22


. The suppression of the pressure loss in the suction passage extending from the outside of the compressor to the suction chamber


22


contributes to a smooth sucking of coolant into the cylinder bores


111


to improve the volumetric efficiency regarding the coolant. The inside wall


281


of the accommodation chamber


28


protruding toward the suction chamber


22


intersects the extension of the coolant inlet passage


30


whereby the coolant flowing from the coolant inlet passage


30


into the suction chamber


22


is deflected to the valve plate


18


by means of the inside wall


281


. The deflecting action of the inside wall


281


to the coolant contributes to smoothing the coolant flow from the exit


303


of the coolant inlet passage


30


to the suction port


181


, wherein the deflecting action is more effective as the inside wall


281


is closer to the center of the suction chamber


22


. The inclined arrangement of the capacity control valve


27


contributes to smoothing the coolant flow from the exit


303


of the coolant inlet passage


30


to the suction port


181


.




The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to

FIG. 8

wherein the same reference numerals are used for denoting the same or similar parts as in the first embodiment.




This embodiment lacks the discharge shut-off valve


52


used in the first embodiment, which allows the capacity control valve


27


to further approach the axis of rotation


131


. As a result, the insertion length of the capacity control valve


27


can be longer than that in the first embodiment to reduce the protrusion of the proximal end of the capacity control valve


27


outward from the circumferential wall


31


of the rear housing


17


.




The following modifications can be considered within the present inventions.




(1) To extend the capacity control valve


27


under the coolant inlet passage


30


as viewed from the end wall


24


of the rear housing


17


in the direction of the axis of rotation


131


.




(2) To apply the present invention to a variable capacity type compressor provided with a capacity control valve in the coolant outlet passage


29


for releasing the coolant from the control pressure chamber


121


to the suction chamber


22


.




(3) To apply the present invention to a variable capacity type compressor incorporating, for example, a three-way valve as a sole capacity control valve for controlling the supply of coolant from the discharge chamber to the control pressure chamber and the release of coolant from the control pressure chamber into the suction chamber.




(4) To apply the present invention to a variable capacity type compressor provided with a capacity control valve having no electrical drive means.




As described in detail above, according to the present invention, since the capacity control valve is inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotary shaft of the compressor, it is possible to restrict the protrusion of the capacity control valve outward, from the circumferential wall of the rear housing, in comparison with the prior art.



Claims
  • 1. A variable capacity type compressor comprising:a body comprising a cylinder block having cylinder bores, and a rear housing attached to said cylinder block and having a discharge chamber and a suction chamber for communication with said cylinder bores, said rear housing having a circumferential wall and an outer end surface on the side opposite from said cylinder block; pistons reciprocatingly arranged in the cylinder bores so that the movement of said piston toward said rear housing causes the coolant to be discharged from said cylinder bore into said discharge chamber and the movement of said piston away from said rear housing causes the coolant to be sucked from said suction chamber to said cylinder bore; a rotatable drive shaft having an axis; a motion transmitting device driven by said drive shaft for converting the rotational movement of the drive shaft into the reciprocating movement of the pistons; a control pressure chamber connected to a discharge pressure region by a coolant supply passage and to a suction pressure region by a coolant outlet passage; and a capacity control valve mounted to the rear housing in an inclined position relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rotatable drive shaft, said capacity control valve being arranged in one of said coolant supply passage and said coolant outlet passage to control the pressure in said control pressure chamber to thereby control the capacity of said compressor.
  • 2. A variable capacity type compressor according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting member provided integral with or on said rear housing for mounting said compressor to an object to which said compressor is to be mounted, said mounting member being arranged along the outer end surface of said rear housing, said capacity control valve having a proximal end located near said circumferential wall of said rear housing and a distal end located close to the axis of the rotatable drive shaft, said capacity control valve being inclined so that the distance from said distal end to the outer end surface of said rear housing is greater than the distance from said proximal end to the outer end surface of said rear housing, and intersecting said mounting member, as viewed in the direction of the axis of said rotatable drive shaft.
  • 3. A variable capacity type compressor according to claim 2, wherein said mounting member perpendicularly intersects said axis of said rotatable drive shaft, and a part of said capacity control valve is arranged under said mounting member.
  • 4. A variable capacity type compressor according to claim 2, further comprising a straight coolant suction passage arranged in the rear housing and connected to the suction chamber, said coolant suction passage being arranged on one side of said mounting member, said capacity control valve being arranged on the other side of said mounting member.
  • 5. A variable capacity type compressor according to claim 1, wherein said suction chamber is formed at a radially central region in the rear housing and said discharge chamber encircles said suction chamber, and wherein said capacity control valve comprises a valve member, an electrical drive means for said valve member, and a pressure sensitive device having a pressure sensitive chamber communicating with said suction chamber, and a pressure sensitive member displaceable in response to the pressure variation in said pressure sensitive chamber, said pressure sensitive device being arranged on the side of said distal end of said capacity control valve, said pressure sensitive device functioning so that the pressure in said pressure sensitive chamber converges to a pressure value corresponding to the driving force of said electrical drive means.
  • 6. A variable capacity type compressor according to claim 5, wherein said electrical drive means comprises a solenoid.
  • 7. A variable capacity type compressor according to claim 1, further comprising a front housing attached to said cylinder block on the side opposite from said rear housing, said front housing and said cylinder block forming said control pressure chamber, said motion transmitting device comprising a swash plate arranged in said control pressure chamber and axially movably and tiltably attached to said rotatable drive shaft, a rotor attached to said rotatable drive shaft and hinged to said swash plate to allow the swash plate to rotate with the rotatable drive shaft, and shoes arranged between the swash plate and the pistons.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
11-009734 Jan 1999 JP
US Referenced Citations (7)
Number Name Date Kind
3062020 Heidorn Nov 1962
6048178 Kawaguchi et al. Mar 2000
6056513 Kawaguchi et al. May 2000
6135722 Kawaguchi et al. Oct 2000
6139282 Ota et al. Oct 2000
6142745 Kawaguchi et al. Nov 2000
6146107 Kawaguchi et al. Nov 2000
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
0 748 937 A Dec 1996 EP
62 298671 Dec 1987 JP
8-338364 Dec 1996 JP
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry
EP 00 10 0263 Search Report dated Nov. 10, 2000.