U.S. patent application number 10/891147 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-17 for lubricating oil supply apparatus of reciprocating compressor.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Kim, Byung Jik, Kim, Dong Han, Kim, Hyeong Seok, Kim, Hyung Jin, Noh, Ki Won.
Application Number | 20050034926 10/891147 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34132148 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050034926 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Hyeong Seok ; et
al. |
February 17, 2005 |
Lubricating oil supply apparatus of reciprocating compressor
Abstract
A lubricating oil supply apparatus of a reciprocating compressor
comprises: an oil cylinder penetratingly-formed at a lower side of
a frame, for supporting a compression unit which compresses a
fluid; an oil piston reciprocatingly-inserted into the oil cylinder
and reciprocated by a vibration of the compressor, for pumping
lubricating oil; a spring connected to a rear side of the oil
piston and providing an elastic force to the oil piston; and a
valve assembly disposed at a front side of the frame, for opening
and closing a passage of lubricating oil supplied to a sliding part
of the compressing unit. A dead volume existing at the oil supply
apparatus is reduced thereby to smoothly supply lubricating oil
even at the time of an initial driving that requires less pumping
amount, thereby enhancing a lubricating performance.
Inventors: |
Kim, Hyeong Seok; (Seoul,
KR) ; Kim, Dong Han; (Seoul, KR) ; Kim, Byung
Jik; (Seoul, KR) ; Kim, Hyung Jin; (Seoul,
KR) ; Noh, Ki Won; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
LG Electronics Inc.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
34132148 |
Appl. No.: |
10/891147 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
184/6.16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16N 13/18 20130101;
F16N 2210/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
184/006.16 |
International
Class: |
F01M 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 11, 2003 |
KR |
55502/2003 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lubricating oil supply apparatus of a reciprocating compressor
comprising: an oil cylinder penetratingly-formed at a lower side of
a frame, for supporting a compression unit which compresses a
fluid; an oil piston reciprocatingly-inserted into the oil cylinder
and reciprocated by a vibration of the compressor, for pumping
lubricating oil; a spring connected to a rear side of the oil
piston and providing an elastic force to the oil piston; and a
valve assembly disposed at a front side of the frame, for opening
and closing a passage of lubricating oil supplied to a sliding part
of the compressing unit.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the oil cylinder is
penetratingly-formed at a lower side of the frame in a longitudinal
direction of the compressor,
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the oil cylinder is positioned
to be higher than a surface of lubricating oil contained at a lower
portion of the compressor case.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the oil piston is disposed to
be protruded towards a rear side of the oil cylinder.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one side of the spring is
connected to a rear side of the oil piston and another side thereof
is connected to the frame.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the spring is formed as a
plate spring.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a lubricating oil supply
apparatus of a reciprocating compressor, and more particularly, to
a lubricating oil supply apparatus of a reciprocating compressor
capable of enhancing an oil supply performance and reducing a
fabrication cost by reducing the number of components.
[0003] 2. Description of the Conventional Art
[0004] Generally, a compressor is divided into a rotary compressor,
a reciprocating compressor, a scroll compressor, and etc. according
to a fluid compression method.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a reciprocating compressor in
accordance with the conventional art.
[0006] The conventional reciprocating compressor comprises: a case
106 to which a suction pipe 102 and a discharge pipe 104 are
connected and containing lubricating oil at a lower portion
thereof; a reciprocating motor 108 disposed in the case 106 for
generating a reciprocation force; a compressing unit 110 for
compressing a fluid by receiving the reciprocation force generated
from the reciprocating motor 108; frames 112, 114, and 116 for
supporting the reciprocating motor 108 and the compressing unit
110; a lubricating oil supply apparatus for supplying lubricating
oil contained in the case 106 to each frictional part of the
compressor; and etc.
[0007] The reciprocating motor 108 includes: an outer stator 118
having a cylindrical shape and on which a winding coil to which a
power is applied is wound; an inner stator 120 disposed at an inner
circumferential surface of the outer stator 118 with a certain air
gap; and a magnet 124 disposed between the outer stator 118 and the
inner stator 120 with a certain interval for performing a linear
reciprocation when a power is applied to the winding coil 122.
[0008] The magnet 124 is fixed to an outer circumferential surface
of a magnet holder 126 with the same interval, and the magnet
holder 126 is integrally formed with a piston 128 of the
compressing unit 110.
[0009] A first resonant spring 134 and a second resonant spring 136
are respectively disposed between one side surface of the magnet
holder 126 and the frame 112 and between another side surface of
the magnet holder 126 and the frame 116, thereby inducing a
resonant movement of the piston 128.
[0010] The compressing unit 110 is constituted with the piston 128
connected to the magnet holder 126 and linearly reciprocated, a
cylinder 142 to which the piston 128 is slidably inserted and
forming a certain compression chamber 140, a suction valve 146 for
opening and closing an inlet mounted at the front side of the
piston 128, and a discharge valve assembly 148 mounted at the front
side of the cylinder 142 for discharging a compressed fluid to
outside when a pressure inside the compression chamber 140 is more
than a preset pressure.
[0011] The discharge valve assembly 148 includes: a discharge valve
150 adhered to the front side surface of the cylinder 142 for
discharging a compressed fluid; a discharge cover 152 mounted at
the front side of the cylinder 142 and to which the discharge valve
104 for discharging a fluid is connected; and a spring 154 disposed
between the inner side surface of the discharge cover 152 and the
discharge valve 150 for elastically supporting the discharge valve
150.
[0012] The frames include: a first frame 112 to which the outer
circumferential surface of the cylinder 142 is fixed, for fixing
the front side of the reciprocating motor 108; a second frame 114
for supporting the rear side of the reciprocating motor 108; and a
third frame 116 coupled to the second frame 114 for supporting the
second resonant spring 136.
[0013] The lubricating oil supply apparatus for supplying
lubricating oil contained at the lower portion of the case 106 to a
sliding part between the cylinder 142 and the piston 128 includes:
a pumping unit 160 fixed at one side of the first frame 112, for
pumping lubricating oil by using vibration generated at the time of
driving the compressor; a valve assembly 164 for opening and
closing a passage of lubricating oil pumped by the pumping unit
160; and a lubricating oil supply passage 166 formed at the first
frame 112 for supplying lubricating oil to the sliding part between
the cylinder 142 and the piston 128.
[0014] The pumping unit 160 includes: an oil cylinder 170 fixed at
a lower portion of the first frame 112; an oil piston 172 disposed
in the oil cylinder 170 to be linearly movable and reciprocated by
a vibration of the compressor, for pumping lubricating oil; and
springs 174 and 176 for elastically supporting both sides of the
oil piston 172.
[0015] The valve assembly 164 includes: an oil cover 182 mounted at
the front side of the first frame 112 and provided with a
lubricating oil passage 180 therein, the lubricating oil passage
180 through which lubricating oil passes; a suction valve 184
disposed in the oil cover 182 for opening and closing an inlet
through which the lubricating oil is sucked; a discharge valve 186
disposed in the oil cover 182 for opening and closing an outlet
through which the compressed lubricating oil is discharged; and a
suction pipe 188 mounted at the oil cover 182 for sucking
lubricating oil contained at the lower portion of the case 106.
[0016] The first frame 112 is provided with a lubricating oil hole
190 connected to the oil cylinder 170 for sucking and discharging
lubricating oil.
[0017] FIGS. 2A and 2B are sectional views showing an operational
state of a lubricating oil supply apparatus of the reciprocating
compressor in accordance with the conventional art;
[0018] Operation of the conventional lubricating oil supply
apparatus of the reciprocating compressor will be explained.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 2A, once the oil piston 172 is retreated by
a vibration generated when the compressor is driven, a suction
pressure is generated. By the suction pressure, the suction valve
184 is opened and lubricating oil is sucked through the suction
pipe 188. The lubricating oil is introduced into the oil cylinder
170 through the lubricating oil hole 190 formed at the first frame
112.
[0020] Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the oil piston 172 advances
by a vibration generated when the compressor is driven and thereby
the lubricating oil contained in the cylinder 170 is discharged
through the lubricating oil hole 190, the suction valve 184 is
closed and the discharge valve 186 is opened. According to this,
the lubricating oil is supplied to the sliding part between the
cylinder 142 and the piston 128 through the lubricating oil supply
passage 166 thus to perform a lubricating operation.
[0021] However, in the conventional lubricating oil supply
apparatus of the reciprocating compressor, the lubricating oil hole
190 for sucking lubricating oil into the oil cylinder 170 and
discharging out is formed at the first frame 112, and a space for
installing the spring 174 at the front side of the oil piston 172
is required. Therefore, the lubricating oil hole 190 and the
installation space of the spring 174 become a dead volume. By the
dead volume, in case that a vibration amount is less, for example,
at the time of an initial driving of the compressor, lubricating
oil is not smoothly supplied to the sliding part and thereby a
friction is generated at the sliding part of the compressing
unit.
[0022] Additionally, in the conventional lubricating oil supply
apparatus of the reciprocating compressor, the pumping unit 160 for
pumping lubricating oil has a great number of components and
complicated structure and assembly processes, thereby increasing a
fabrication cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0023] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a lubricating oil supply apparatus of a reciprocating compressor
capable of enhancing a lubricating performance by reducing a dead
volume existing at an oil supply apparatus and thus by smoothly
supplying lubricating oil even at the time of an initial driving
that requires less pumping amount.
[0024] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
lubricating oil supply apparatus of a reciprocating compressor
capable of enhancing an assembly characteristic and reducing a
fabrication cost by simplifying a structure of a pumping unit for
pumping lubricating oil.
[0025] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with
the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described herein, there is provided a lubricating oil supply
apparatus of a reciprocating compressor comprising: an oil cylinder
penetratingly formed at a lower side of a frame, for supporting a
compression unit which compresses a fluid; an oil piston
reciprocatingly inserted into the oil cylinder and reciprocated by
a vibration of the compressor, for pumping lubricating oil; a
spring connected to the rear side of the oil piston and providing
an elastic force to the oil piston; and a discharge valve assembly
disposed at the front side of the frame for opening and closing a
passage of lubricating oil supplied to a sliding part of the
compressing unit.
[0026] The oil cylinder is penetratingly formed at a lower side of
the frame in a longitudinal direction of the compressor, and is
positioned to be higher than a surface of lubricating oil contained
at a lower portion of the compressor case.
[0027] The oil piston is disposed to be protruded towards a rear
side of the oil cylinder.
[0028] The spring is formed as a plate spring, of which one side is
connected to a rear side of the oil piston and another side is
connected to the frame.
[0029] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and
advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from
the following detailed description of the present invention when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0031] In the drawings:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a reciprocating compressor in
accordance with the conventional art;
[0033] FIGS. 2A and 2B are sectional views showing an operational
state of a lubricating oil supply apparatus of the reciprocating
compressor in accordance with the conventional art;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a reciprocating compressor
according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0035] FIGS. 4A and 4B are sectional views showing an operational
state of a lubricating oil supply apparatus of a reciprocating
compressor according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0037] Hereinafter, one embodiment of a reciprocating compressor
according to the present invention will be explained with reference
to attached drawings.
[0038] Even though a plurality of preferred embodiments of the
reciprocating compressor according to the present invention can
exist, the most preferred embodiment will be explained.
[0039] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a reciprocating compressor
according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] The reciprocating compressor according to the present
invention comprises: a case 6 of a certain hermetic space to which
a suction pipe 2 for sucking a fluid and a discharge pipe 4 for
discharging a compressed fluid are connected and containing
lubricating oil at a lower portion thereof; a reciprocating motor 8
disposed in the case 6 for generating a reciprocation force when a
power is applied; a compressing unit 10 for compressing a fluid by
receiving the reciprocation force generated from the reciprocating
motor 8; frames 12, 14, and 16 for supporting the reciprocating
motor 8 and the compressing unit 10; and a lubricating oil supply
apparatus for supplying lubricating oil contained in the lower
portion of the case 6 to a sliding part of the compressor 10.
[0041] The reciprocating motor 8 includes: an outer stator 18 of a
cylindrical shape; an inner stator 20 disposed at an inner
circumferential surface of the outer stator 18 with a certain air
gap; a winding coil 22 wound either on the outer stator 18 or on
the inner stator 20, for generating a flux between the outer stator
18 and the inner stator 20 when a power is applied; and a magnet 24
reciprocatingly disposed at the air gap between the outer stator 18
and the inner stator 20.
[0042] The magnet 24 is fixed to an outer circumferential surface
of a magnet holder 26 with the same interval, and the magnet holder
26 is integrally formed with a piston 30 of the compressing unit
10.
[0043] A first resonant spring 48 and a second resonant spring 50
are respectively disposed between one side surface of the magnet
holder 26 and the frame 12 and between another side surface of the
magnet holder 26 and the frame 16, thereby inducing a resonant
movement of the piston 30.
[0044] The compressing unit 10 is constituted with the piston 30
connected to the magnet holder 26 and reciprocated, a cylinder 34
into which the piston 30 is slidably inserted and forming a certain
compression chamber 32, a suction valve 38 for opening and closing
an inlet mounted at the front side of the piston 30, and a
discharge valve assembly 36 mounted at the front side of the
cylinder 34 for discharging a compressed fluid to outside when a
pressure inside the compression chamber 32 is more than a preset
pressure.
[0045] The discharge valve assembly 36 includes: a discharge valve
40 which comes in contact with the front side surface of the
cylinder 34 and opens/closes an outlet through which a compressed
fluid is discharged; a discharge cover 42 mounted at the front side
of the cylinder 34 and to which the discharge valve 4 is connected;
and a spring 44 disposed between the inner side surface of the
discharge cover 42 and the discharge valve 40 for elastically
supporting the discharge valve 40.
[0046] The frames include: a first frame 12 fixed to an outer
circumferential surface of the cylinder 34 and supporting one side
surface of the reciprocating motor 8; a second frame 14 for
supporting another side surface of the reciprocating motor 8; and a
third frame 16 for supporting the second resonant spring 50.
[0047] The lubricating oil supply apparatus includes: a pumping
unit 50 fixed at lower side of the first frame 12, for pumping
lubricating oil by using a vibration generated at the time of
driving the compressor; an oil valve assembly 52 for opening and
closing a passage of lubricating oil pumped by the pumping unit 50;
and a lubricating oil supply passage 54 formed at the first frame
12 for supplying lubricating oil to a sliding part between the
cylinder 34 and the piston 30.
[0048] The pumping unit 50 includes: an oil cylinder 56
penetratingly formed at a lower portion of the first frame 12; an
oil piston 58 linear-movably inserted into the oil cylinder 56 and
reciprocated by a vibration of the compressor, for pumping
lubricating oil; and an oil spring 60 connected to a rear surface
of the oil piston 58, for elastically supporting the oil piston
58.
[0049] The oil cylinder 56 is penetratingly formed at a lower side
of the first frame 12 in a longitudinal direction of the
compressor, and is positioned to be higher than a surface of
lubricating oil contained in the lower portion of the case 6. The
reason why the oil cylinder 56 is positioned to be higher than the
surface of the lubricating oil is to make the oil cylinder 56 not
be soaked in the lubricating oil since noise and vapor are
generated when the frames 12, 14, and 16 having wide surface areas
come in contact with the lubricating oil.
[0050] The oil piston 58 is linear-movably inserted into the oil
cylinder 56, and is disposed to be protruded towards the rear side
of the first frame 12 with a certain length.
[0051] One side of the oil spring 60 is connected to the oil piston
58 and another side thereof is connected to the first frame 12,
thereby providing an elastic force to the oil piston 58 when the
oil piston 58 is reciprocated.
[0052] The oil spring 60 is preferably formed as a plate
spring.
[0053] The oil valve assembly 52 includes: an oil cover 72 mounted
at the front side of the first frame 12 and provided with a
lubricating oil passage 70 therein, the lubricating oil passage 70
through which lubricating oil passes; an oil suction valve 74
disposed in the oil cover 72 for opening and closing an inlet
through which the lubricating oil is sucked; an oil discharge valve
76 disposed in the oil cover 72 for opening and closing an outlet
through which the compressed lubricating oil is discharged; and a
suction pipe 78 mounted at the oil cover 72 for sucking lubricating
oil contained at the lower portion of the case 6.
[0054] FIGS. 4A and 4B are sectional views showing an operational
state of a lubricating oil supply apparatus of a reciprocating
compressor according to the present invention.
[0055] Operation of the lubricating oil supply apparatus according
to the present invention will be explained as follows.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 4A, once the oil piston 58 is retreated in
the oil cylinder 56 formed at the first frame 12 by a vibration
generated when the compressor is driven, a suction pressure is
generated. By the suction pressure, the oil suction valve 74 is
opened and lubricating oil is sucked into the oil cylinder 56
through the suction pipe 78.
[0057] Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the oil piston 58 advances
by a vibration generated when the compressor is driven and thereby
the lubricating oil contained in the oil cylinder 56 is discharged.
According to this, the oil suction valve 74 is closed and the oil
discharge valve 76 is opened, so that the lubricating oil is
supplied to the sliding part between the cylinder 34 and the piston
30 through the lubricating oil supply passage 54 thus to perform a
lubricating operation.
[0058] In the lubricating oil supply apparatus of the reciprocating
compressor according to the present invention, the oil cylinder is
formed at the first frame and thereby the oil cylinder and the
lubricating oil passage formed in the oil cover are directly
connected to each other. Also, the spring disposed at the front
side of the oil piston is removed thus to minimize a dead volume.
According to this, lubricating oil can be smoothly supplied even
when a lubricating oil pumping amount is less, for example, at the
time of an initial driving of the compressor.
[0059] Additionally, the oil cylinder is directly formed at the
first frame and the spring is provided only at the rear side of the
oil piston thus to simplify a construction of the pumping unit,
thereby reducing the number of components, enhancing an assembly
characteristic, and reducing a fabrication cost.
[0060] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described
embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing
description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be
construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the
appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that
fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of
such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the
appended claims.
* * * * *