U.S. patent application number 10/607619 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-08 for piston type compressor.
Invention is credited to Inoue, Yoshinori, Kawamura, Hisato, Mochizuki, Kenji, Ota, Masaki, Takahata, Junichi.
Application Number | 20040005224 10/607619 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29997054 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040005224 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ota, Masaki ; et
al. |
January 8, 2004 |
Piston type compressor
Abstract
A piston type compressor includes a housing, a refrigerant gas
passage and a rotary valve. The housing defines a suction pressure
region. The refrigerant gas passage interconnects the suction
pressure region with at least a compression chamber. The rotary
valve includes a suction guiding hole which forms a part of the
refrigerant gas passage. The suction guiding hole connects each
compression chamber by turns with the suction pressure region as
the rotary valve is rotated. The suction guiding hole communicates
with a plurality of the compression chambers at least at early and
last stages in a suction process. The suction guiding hole has a
predetermined area per unit length in a rotational direction of the
rotary valve. The predetermined area gradually increases from a
preceding side of the rotation of the rotary valve to a middle and
gradually decreases from the middle to a following side of the
rotary valve.
Inventors: |
Ota, Masaki; (Kariya-shi,
JP) ; Mochizuki, Kenji; (Kariya-shi, JP) ;
Kawamura, Hisato; (Kariya-shi, JP) ; Inoue,
Yoshinori; (Kariya-shi, JP) ; Takahata, Junichi;
(Kariya-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORGAN & FINNEGAN, L.L.P.
345 Park Avenue
New York
NY
10154
US
|
Family ID: |
29997054 |
Appl. No.: |
10/607619 |
Filed: |
June 27, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/222.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 39/0027 20130101;
F04B 27/1018 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/222.1 |
International
Class: |
F04B 001/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 5, 2002 |
JP |
P2002-196599 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A piston type compressor comprising: a housing defining a
suction pressure region, the housing including a cylinder block
which defines a plurality of cylinder bores to form a compression
chamber; a drive shaft supported for rotation by the housing; a cam
operatively connected to the drive shaft; a piston accommodated in
each cylinder bore, the piston operatively connected to the cam so
as to be reciprocated by converting the rotation of the drive
shaft, the reciprocation of the piston varying a volume of the
compression chamber; a refrigerant gas passage interconnecting the
suction pressure region with at least one of the compression
chambers; and a rotary valve integrally formed with the drive shaft
so as to synchronously rotate with the drive shaft, the rotary
valve including a suction guiding hole which forms a part of the
refrigerant gas passage, the suction guiding hole connecting each
compression chamber by turns with the suction pressure region as
the rotary valve is rotated, the suction guiding hole communicating
with a plurality of the compression chambers at least at early and
last stages in a suction process; wherein the suction guiding hole
has a first end formed at a preceding side in a rotational
direction of the rotary valve, the suction guiding hole also having
a second end formed at a following side in the rotational direction
of the rotary valve, the suction guiding hole further having a
middle between the first end and the second end, the suction
guiding hole further having a predetermined area per unit length in
the rotational direction, the predetermined area gradually
increasing from the first end to the middle and gradually
decreasing from the middle to the second end.
2. The piston type compressor according to claim 1, wherein the
rotary valve has a rotary axis for rotation, the suction guiding
hole having a predetermined length in a direction of the rotary
axis, the predetermined length gradually increasing from the
preceding side to the middle and gradually decreasing from the
middle to the following side.
3. The piston type compressor according to claim 1, wherein the
suction guiding hole has a substantially oval shape.
4. The piston type compressor according to claim 1, wherein the
suction guiding hole has a substantially rhombic shape.
5. The piston type compressor according to claim 1, wherein the
suction guiding hole communicates with two of the compression
chambers at least at the early and last stages.
6. The piston type compressor according to claim 1, wherein the
suction pressure region includes an introducing chamber and a
suction chamber.
7. The piston type compressor according to claim 1, wherein a
single-head piston type compressor is adopted.
8. The piston type compressor according to claim 1, wherein the
cylinder block is made of metallic material of aluminum series, the
rotary valve being made of one of metallic material of aluminum
series, metallic material of iron series and resin.
9. A piston type compressor comprising: a housing defining a
suction pressure region and a valve accommodating chamber, the
housing including a cylinder block which defines a plurality of
cylinder bores to form a compression chamber, a suction
communicating passage extending from each compression chamber to
the valve accommodating chamber in the cylinder block; a drive
shaft supported for rotation by the housing; a cam operatively
connected to the drive shaft; a piston accommodated in each
cylinder bore, the piston operatively connected to the cam so as to
be reciprocated by converting the rotation of the drive shaft, the
reciprocation of the piston varying a volume of the compression
chamber; and a rotary valve accommodated in the valve accommodating
chamber, the rotary valve integrally formed with the drive shaft so
as to synchronously rotate with the drive shaft, the rotary valve
including a suction guiding hole which interconnects the suction
pressure region with at least one of the suction communicating
passages, the suction guiding hole connecting each suction
communicating passage by turns with the suction pressure region as
the rotary valve is rotated, the suction guiding hole communicating
with a plurality of the compression chambers at least at early and
last stages in a suction process; wherein the suction guiding hole
has a first end formed at a preceding side in a rotational
direction of the rotary valve, the suction guiding hole also having
a second end formed at a following side in the rotational direction
of the rotary valve, the suction guiding hole further having a
middle between the first end and the second end, the suction
guiding hole further having a predetermined area per unit length in
the rotational direction, the predetermined area continuously
increasing from the first end to the middle and continuously
decreasing from the middle to the second end.
10. The piston type compressor according to claim 9, wherein the
rotary valve has a rotary axis for rotation, the suction guiding
hole having a predetermined length in a direction of the rotary
axis, the predetermined length continuously increasing from the
preceding side to the middle and continuously decreasing from the
middle to the following side.
11. The piston type compressor according to claim 9, wherein the
suction guiding hole has a substantially oval shape.
12. The piston type compressor according to claim 9, wherein the
suction guiding hole has a substantially rhombic shape.
13. The piston type compressor according to claim 9, wherein the
suction guiding hole communicates with two of the compression
chambers at least at the early and last stages.
14. The piston type compressor according to claim 9, wherein the
suction pressure region includes an introducing chamber and a
suction chamber.
15. The piston type compressor according to claim 9, wherein a
single-head piston type compressor is adopted.
16. The piston type compressor according to claim 9, wherein the
cylinder block is made of metallic material of aluminum series, the
rotary valve being made of one of metallic material of aluminum
series, metallic material of iron series and resin.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a piston type compressor
for compressing a gas by reciprocation of a piston.
[0002] In general, a reed valve type of suction valve causes
abnormal sound due to self-exited vibration and thereby obstructs a
silent operation of the compressor. Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. 5-164044 discloses a rotary valve, which does not
cause self-exited vibration, in a piston type compressor. The
rotary valve is used as a suction valve.
[0003] In the structure of the prior art, the compressor has a
plurality of cylinder bores and a valve accommodating chamber
therein. A suction communicating passage is formed for
interconnecting the respective cylinder bore with the valve
accommodating chamber. In the valve accommodating chamber, a rotary
valve is accommodated. The rotary valve has a suction guiding hole
for communicating with the suction communicating passage in a
suction process. The suction guiding hole has a first end surface
at a preceding side in a rotational direction of the rotary valve
and a second end surface at a following side in the rotary
direction. The rotation of the rotary valve is adjusted in a such
manner that the first end surface of the suction guiding hole meets
the suction communicating passage after compressed gas remaining in
a top clearance of the compression chamber finishes re-expansion.
In addition, a notch is formed on the outer circumferential surface
of the rotary valve near the first end surface of the suction
guiding hole, otherwise, the notch is formed on the inner
circumferential surface of the valve accommodating chamber near the
suction communicating passage. The notch allows inflow and outflow
of a small amount of gas until the first end surface meets the
suction communicating passage after the remaining compressed gas
finishes the re-expansion.
[0004] In the prior art, in a suction process of the compressor,
first time that the remaining gas in a working chamber of the
cylinder bore finishes the re-expansion is compared with second
time that the rotary valve starts intake through the notch. When
the first time becomes later than the second time, the notch
reduces the amount of the remaining gas that flows backward from
the suction communicating passage toward the suction guiding hole
of the rotary valve. An object of the prior art is, thereby, to
prevent power loss of the compressor. On the other hand, when the
first time becomes earlier than the second time, that is, when the
suction guiding hole starts to communicate with the suction
communicating passage through the notch, the gas in the working
chamber becomes slightly negative pressure. Since the working
chamber communicates with the suction guiding hole through the
notch as soon as the gas in the working chamber becomes the
negative pressure, however, extreme reduction of the pressure in
the working chamber is restrained. Therefore, gas in a suction
chamber is not rapidly drawn into the working chamber. The other
object of the prior art is, thereby, to prevent noise of the
compressor caused due to suction pulsation.
[0005] In the prior art, however, a small-sized notch is formed
only on the first end surface of the suction guiding hole and
nothing is performed on the second end surface. Therefore, in a
structure where the suction guiding hole of the rotary valve
simultaneously communicates with a plurality of the cylinder bores,
a total amount of intake gas is obtained by adding each amount of
gas drawn into the respective cylinder bores, which communicates
with the suction guiding hole. In that case, as shown in FIG. 4A,
suction pulsation caused due to a rapid increase of gas that is
drawn into the working chambers of the cylinder bores, which
communicates with the suction guiding hole, is not sufficiently
reduced. Therefore, the object of the prior art, that is,
restraining the noise of the compressor, is not sufficiently
accomplished.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention directed to a piston type compressor
whose suction pulsation and noise are restrained.
[0007] The present invention has following features. A piston type
compressor includes a housing, a drive shaft, a cam, a piston, a
refrigerant gas passage and a rotary valve. The housing defines a
suction pressure region. The housing includes a cylinder block
which defines a plurality of cylinder bores to form a compression
chamber. The drive shaft is supported for rotation by the housing.
The cam is operatively connected to the drive shaft. The piston is
accommodated in each cylinder bore. The piston is operatively
connected to the cam so as to be reciprocated by converting the
rotation of the drive shaft. The reciprocation of the piston varies
a volume of the compression chamber. The refrigerant gas passage
interconnects the suction pressure region with at least one of the
compression chambers. The rotary valve is integrally formed with
the drive shaft so as to synchronously rotate with the drive shaft.
The rotary valve includes a suction guiding hole which forms a part
of the refrigerant gas passage. The suction guiding hole connects
each compression chamber by turns with the suction pressure region
as the rotary valve is rotated. The suction guiding hole
communicates with a plurality of the compression chambers at least
at early and last stages in a suction process. The suction guiding
hole has a first end formed at a preceding side in a rotational
direction of the rotary valve. The suction guiding hole also has a
second end formed at a following side in the rotational direction
of the rotary valve. The suction guiding hole further has a middle
between the first end and the second end. The suction guiding hole
further has a predetermined area per unit length in the rotational
direction. The predetermined area gradually increases from the
first end to the middle and gradually decreases from the middle to
the second end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The features of the present invention that are believed to
be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.
The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may
best be understood by reference to the following description of the
presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating a
variable displacement piston type compressor according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2A is a side view illustrating a rotary valve for the
variable displacement piston type compressor according to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2B is a partially enlarged view illustrating a suction
guiding hole of the rotary valve for the variable displacement
piston type compressor according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a suction
valve mechanism taken along the line I-I in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4A is a graph illustrating a total amount of intake gas
to a rotational angle of a rotary valve according to a prior
art;
[0014] FIG. 4B is a graph illustrating a total amount of intake gas
to a rotational angle of a rotary valve according to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a rotary valve for a
variable displacement piston type compressor according to another
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] A variable displacement piston type compressor for use in a
vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention will now be described with
reference to FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, a left side of FIG. 1 is a front
side and a right side thereof is a rear side.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a variable displacement piston type
compressor includes a cylinder block 11, a front hosing 12 and a
rear housing 14. The variable displacement piston type compressor
is hereinafter referred to as a compressor. The cylinder block 11
is made of metallic material of aluminum series. The front end of
the cylinder block 11 is joined to the rear end of the front
housing 12. The rear end of the cylinder block 11 is joined to the
front end of the rear housing 14 through a valve plate assembly 13.
The cylinder block 11, the front housing 12 and the rear housing 14
form a compressor housing.
[0018] The cylinder block 11 and the front housing 12 define a
crank chamber 15. A drive shaft 16 is supported for rotation by the
compressor housing. The drive shaft 16 is made of metallic material
of iron series and is connected to an engine for operation. The
engine serves as a drive source for running a vehicle and is not
shown in the drawing. The drive shaft 16 is rotated under power of
the engine.
[0019] In the crank chamber 15, a lug plate 21 is fixed on the
drive shaft 16 so as to integrally rotate with the drive shaft 16.
Also, in the crank chamber 15, a swash plate 23 that serves as a
cam is accommodated. A hinge mechanism 24 is interposed between the
lug plate 21 and the swash plate 23. The swash plate 23 is
connected to the lug plate 21 through the hinge mechanism 24 and is
supported by the drive shaft 16. Therefore, the swash plate 23 is
synchronously rotated with the lug plate 21 and the drive shaft 16.
At the same time, the swash plate 23 is inclined relative to a
rotary axis of the drive shaft 16 while moving slidably along the
direction of the rotary axis of the drive shaft 16.
[0020] A plurality of cylinder bores 11a is formed through the
cylinder block 11 so as to surround the rear side of the drive
shaft 16, although only one cylinder bore is illustrated in FIG. 1.
A single-head piston 25 is accommodated for reciprocation in each
cylinder bore 11a. The single-head piston 25 is hereinafter
referred to as a piston 25. The front opening of each cylinder bore
11a is blocked by the associated piston 25 and the rear opening of
each cylinder bore 11a is blocked by the valve plate assembly 13.
In each cylinder bore 11a, a compression chamber 26, whose volume
is varied in accordance with the reciprocation of the associated
piston 25, is defined. Each piston 25 is engaged with the periphery
of the swash plate 23 through a pair of shoes 27. Therefore, the
rotation of the swash plate 23, which is accompanied by the
rotation of the drive shaft 16, is converted to the reciprocation
of the pistons 25 through the shoes 27.
[0021] In the rear housing 14, a suction chamber 28 and a discharge
chamber 29 are defined. The suction chamber 28 is located
substantially at the middle of the rear housing 14 while the
discharge chamber 29 is located so as to surround the outer
circumference of the suction chamber 28. The valve plate assembly
13 includes discharge ports 32 and discharge valves 33. Each
discharge port 32 interconnects the associated compression chamber
26 with the discharge chamber 29. Each discharge valve 33, which is
a reed valve, opens and closes the associated discharge port 32. In
the cylinder block 11, a suction valve mechanism 35, which includes
a rotary valve 41, is provided.
[0022] In a suction stroke, a refrigerant gas in the suction
chamber 28 is drawn into each compression chamber 26 through the
suction valve mechanism 35 while the associated piston 25 moves
from the top dead center thereof to the bottom dead center thereof.
In a discharge stroke, the refrigerant gas, which is drawn into the
compression chamber 26, is compressed to a predetermined pressure
value while the associated piston 25 moves from the bottom dead
center thereof to the top dead center thereof, and the compressed
refrigerant gas is discharged to the discharge chamber 29 through
the discharge port 32 by pushing the associated discharge valve 33
aside.
[0023] Now, the structure of the suction valve mechanism 35
according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will
be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3.
[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A, in the compressor housing, a
valve accommodating chamber 42, which is surrounded by the cylinder
bores 11a, is formed from the middle of the cylinder block 11 to
the middle of the rear housing 14. The valve accommodating chamber
42, which has a cylindrical shape, communicates with the suction
chamber 28 at the rear side thereof. A suction communicating
passage 43, which is illustrated in FIG. 3, is formed in the
cylinder block 11 for interconnecting the valve accommodating
chamber 42 with the respective compression chamber 26 in the
suction process.
[0025] In the valve accommodating chamber 42, the rotary valve 41
is accommodated for rotation. The rotary valve 41 has a cylindrical
shape and openings to the suction chamber 28 and the crank chamber
15. An installation hole 41a is formed on the opening of the rotary
valve 41 at the side of the crank chamber 15. The rotary valve 41
is made of metallic material of aluminum series. The rear end of
the drive shaft 16 is placed in the valve accommodating chamber 42.
A minor diametrical portion 16a is provided with the rear end of
the drive shaft 16 and is fixedly press-fitted into the
installation hole 41a of the rotary valve 41. Therefore, the rotary
valve 41 and the drive shaft 16 are unified so as to serve as a
single shaft and have a common rotary axis. That is, the rotary
valve 41 is synchronously rotated with the rotation of the drive
shaft 16, that is, the reciprocation of each piston 25.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 3, an introducing chamber 44 is formed in
the rotary valve 41 so as to communicate with the suction chamber
28. That is, the suction chamber 28 and the introducing chamber 44
are equivalent to a suction pressure region. As shown in FIG. 2A, a
suction guiding hole 45 is formed in the outer circumferential
surface 41b of the rotary valve 41 in a predetermined range of a
rotational direction of the rotary valve 41. The suction guiding
hole 45 has a substantially oval shape and has a major axis along
the rotational direction. Referring back to FIG. 3, the suction
guiding hole 45 extends from the outer circumferential surface 41b
to the introducing chamber 44 and continuously communicates with
the introducing chamber 44. That is, as shown in FIG. 2B, the
suction guiding hole 45 has a predetermined area Sn per unit length
.DELTA.L in the rotational direction of the rotary valve 41. Note
that the "n" denotes a natural number. The predetermined area Sn
gradually increases from a first end surface 45a, which serves as a
first end, formed at a preceding side in the rotational direction
to a middle 45c of the oval shape. Also, the predetermined area Sn
gradually decreases from the middle 45c to a second end surface
45b, which serves as a second end, formed at a following side in
the rotational direction. The middle 45c is located between the
first end surface 45a and the second end surface 45b. The suction
guiding hole 45 and each suction communicating passage 43 form a
refrigerant gas passage for interconnecting the introducing chamber
44 with at least the one compression chamber 26. As the rotary
valve 41 is rotated, the suction guiding hole 45 connects each
compression chamber 26 by turns with the suction pressure
region.
[0027] That is, when the piston 25 is shifted to the suction
stroke, the rotary valve 41 is moved in a such manner that the
first end surface 45a of the suction guiding hole 45, which
precedes in the rotational direction of the rotary valve 41, opens
the suction communicating passage 43 of the cylinder block 11.
Therefore, the refrigerant gas in the suction chamber 28 is drawn
into the compression chamber 26 through the introducing chamber 44
of the rotary valve 41, the suction guiding hole 45, and the
suction communicating passage 43 of the cylinder block 11.
[0028] In the suction stroke of the piston 25, the suction guiding
hole 45 continuously communicates with at least the one suction
communicating passage 43. Meanwhile, as described above, since the
suction guiding hole 45 is formed in the oval shape, an amount of
the refrigerant gas, which is drawn into the compression chamber
26, continuously increases until the suction communicating passage
43 relatively reaches the middle 45c of the suction guiding hole 45
from the beginning of the suction stroke. That is, the amount of
the refrigerant gas gradually increases. In contrast, after the
suction communicating passage 43 relatively passes through the
middle 45c of the suction guiding hole 45, the amount of the
refrigerant gas, which is drawn into the compression chamber 26,
continuously decreases. That is, the amount of the refrigerant gas
gradually decreases.
[0029] On the contrary, at the end of the suction stroke of the
piston 25, the rotary valve 41 is moved in a such manner that the
second end surface 45b of the suction guiding hole 45, which
follows in the rotational direction of the rotary valve 41, closes
the suction communicating passage 43 of the cylinder block 11.
Thereby, the introduction of the refrigerant gas drawn into the
compression chamber 26 is stopped. Subsequently, when the piston 25
is shifted to the discharge stroke, the suction communicating
passage 43 is closed by the outer circumferential surface 41b of
the rotary valve 41. Therefore, the refrigerant gas in the suction
chamber 28 is not leaked through the suction communicating passage
43. Thereby, the compression of the refrigerant gas and the
discharge of the refrigerant gas to the discharge chamber 29 are
not prevented.
[0030] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, at an early
stage in the suction process, that is, while the predetermined
area, by which the suction guiding hole 45 communicates with the
suction communicating passage 43, gradually increases, the suction
guiding hole 45 communicates with two compression chambers 26 (A,
E). Also, at a last stage in the suction process, that is, while
the predetermined area, by which the suction guiding hole 45
communicates with the suction communicating passage 43, gradually
decreases, the suction guiding hole 45 communicates with two
compression chambers 26 (A, E). Furthermore, during a slight time
in the suction process, that is, at a stage other than the early
and last stage in the suction process, the suction guiding hole 45
communicates with only one compression chamber 26. The suction
guiding hole 45 has an opening angle .alpha. in the rotational
direction of the rotary valve 41. The opening angle .alpha. is set
so as to fulfill the communicating state.
[0031] In the above-described embodiment, following effects are
obtained.
[0032] (1) In the above-described structure, the suction guiding
hole 45 has the predetermined area per unit length in the
rotational direction. The predetermined area gradually increases
from the first end surface 45a to the middle 45c, while gradually
decreasing from the middle 45c to the second end surface 45b.
Therefore, the amount of the refrigerant gas, which is drawn into
the compression chamber 26 through the rotary valve 41, gradually
increases from the first end surface 45a to the middle 45c. In
contrast, the amount of the refrigerant gas gradually decreases
from the middle 45c to the second end surface 45b. Furthermore, the
opening angle .alpha. of the suction guiding hole 45 is set in a
such manner that the suction guiding hole 45 communicates with two
compression chambers at the early stage and the last stage in the
suction process.
[0033] When the suction guiding hole 45 communicates with two
suction communicating passages 43, that is, two compression
chambers 26, as shown in FIG. 4B, each amount of gas that is drawn
into the respective cylinder bore is added. Nevertheless, variation
of the total amount of intake gas is restrained. That is, suction
pulsation is restrained. Thereby, noise caused due to the suction
pulsation is reduced.
[0034] (2) In the above-described structure, the suction guiding
hole 45 has the oval shape and has a major axis in the rotational
direction of the rotary valve 41. Therefore, the suction guiding
hole 45 is easily formed.
[0035] (3) In the above-described structure, the suction guiding
hole 45 is formed in the oval shape, and has a major axis in the
rotational direction of the rotary valve 41. The suction guiding
hole 45 has a predetermined length in the direction of the rotary
axis of the rotary valve 41. Therefore, the predetermined length
near the first end surface 45a or the second end surface 45b is
extremely smaller than the predetermined length at the middle 45c.
Therefore, when the first end surface 45a communicates with the
suction communicating passage 43, regardless of the time when
refrigerant gas remaining in the compression chamber 26 finishes
re-expansion, the amount of counter flow of the refrigerant gas is
restrained. Thereby, power loss of the compressor is restrained.
Furthermore, suction pulsation caused due to negative pressure in
the compression chamber 26 is also restrained. Thereby, noise of
the compressor is restrained.
[0036] In the present embodiment, the following alternative
embodiments are also practiced.
[0037] In the above-described embodiment, the suction guiding hole
45 has the oval shape. In an alternative embodiment to the
embodiment, however, the suction guiding hole 45 has, as shown in
FIG. 5, a substantially rhombic shape. In this structure, similar
effects to the above-described effects are also obtained.
[0038] In the above-described embodiment, the suction guiding hole
45 communicates with two compression chambers 26 at the early and
last stages in the suction process. In an alternative embodiment to
the embodiment, however, the opening angle of the suction guiding
hole 45 is set in a such manner that the suction guiding hole 45
communicates with three compression chambers 26 at the early and
last stages in the suction process. In this embodiment, similar
effects (1) through (3) are also obtained. In addition, since two
or more compression chambers 26 are in the suction process, the
total amount of intake gas is increased. Thereby, cooling capacity
of the compressor is increased.
[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the rotary valve 41 is
made of metallic material of aluminum series. In alternative
embodiments to the embodiment, however, the rotary valve 41 is made
of metallic material of iron series or resin. Furthermore, the
rotary valve 41 may be coated with resin.
[0040] In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is
applied to a single-head piston type compressor. In an alternative
embodiment to the embodiment, however, the present invention is
applied to a double-head piston type compressor.
[0041] In the above-described embodiment, the swash plate 23 is
adopted as a cam. In an alternative embodiment to the embodiment,
however, a wave cam is adopted as the cam and the present invention
is applied to a piston type compressor, which is a wave cam
type.
[0042] Therefore, the present examples and embodiments are to be
considered as illustrative and not restrictive and the invention is
not to be limited to the details given herein but may be modified
within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *