U.S. patent application number 11/211430 was filed with the patent office on 2006-03-16 for scroll compressor having function of preventing outflow of lubrication oil.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Yang-Hee Cho, Cheol-Hwan Kim, Hyo-Keun Park.
Application Number | 20060057012 11/211430 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36162551 |
Filed Date | 2006-03-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060057012 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park; Hyo-Keun ; et
al. |
March 16, 2006 |
Scroll compressor having function of preventing outflow of
lubrication oil
Abstract
A scroll compressor having a function of preventing an outflow
of lubrication oil comprises: a lubrication oil separating net
installed at an upper surface of a fixed scroll; a lubrication oil
separating plate installed at an upper portion of the lubrication
oil separating net; and a refrigerant gas guide member installed
outside the lubrication oil separating plate at a certain distance.
Accordingly, lubrication oil is effectively prevented from flowing
out of the casing through the discharge pipe together with a
refrigerant gas when a refrigerant gas is discharged. Thus, the
lubrication oil always remains in the casing, thereby reducing
abrasion of each component. Thus, performance of each component can
be improved, and thus compression performance of the compressor can
be improved too.
Inventors: |
Park; Hyo-Keun; (Suwon,
KR) ; Kim; Cheol-Hwan; (Seoul, KR) ; Cho;
Yang-Hee; (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: |
36162551 |
Appl. No.: |
11/211430 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
418/55.6 ;
418/55.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C 18/0215 20130101;
F04C 23/008 20130101; F04C 29/026 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
418/055.6 ;
418/055.1 |
International
Class: |
F01C 1/02 20060101
F01C001/02; F04C 2/00 20060101 F04C002/00; F01C 1/063 20060101
F01C001/063 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 13, 2004 |
KR |
73089/2004 |
Claims
1. A scroll compressor having a function of preventing an outflow
of lubrication oil comprising: a casing forming a receiving space
therein; a fixed scroll having a wrap of an involute shape and a
discharge hole for discharging a compressed refrigerant gas, and
disposed inside the casing; an orbiting scroll having a wrap of an
involute shape and orbiting relative to the fixed scroll by being
interlocked with the fixed scroll; and a lubrication oil separating
part disposed around the discharge hole, for separating lubrication
oil from a refrigerant gas discharged through the discharge
hole.
2. The scroll compressor of claim 1, wherein the lubrication oil
separating part comprises: a lubrication oil separating net having
a netlike body and installed at an upper surface of the fixed
scroll at which the discharge hole is formed; and a lubrication oil
separating plate installed at an upper portion of the lubrication
oil separating net.
3. The scroll compressor of claim 2, wherein a refrigerant gas
guide member is installed outside the lubrication oil separating
plate at a certain distance.
4. The scroll compressor of claim 1, wherein the lubrication oil
separating part comprises: a lubrication oil separating net having
a mesh structure and disposed to encompass the discharge hole.
5. The scroll compressor of claim 2, wherein an inclined surface is
formed at an upper surface of the fixed scroll inside the
lubrication oil separating net in order to gather the lubrication
oil separated by the lubrication oil separating net.
6. The scroll compressor of claim 5, wherein a lubrication oil
return path is penetratingly formed at the fixed scroll so as to
guide the lubrication oil flowing along the inclined surface.
7. The scroll compressor of claim 6, wherein the lubrication oil
return path communicates with an oil discharge hole formed at a
thrust bearing of an upper frame.
8. The scroll compressor of claim 7, wherein a lubrication oil
guide is installed under the upper frame so as to guide the
lubrication oil introduced from the lubrication oil return path to
a lower portion of the casing.
9. A scroll compressor having a function of preventing an outflow
of lubrication oil comprising: a lubrication oil separating net
installed at an upper surface of a fixed scroll; a lubrication oil
separating plate installed at an upper portion of the lubrication
oil separating net; and a refrigerant gas guide member installed
outside the lubrication oil separating plate at a certain
distance.
10. The scroll compressor of claim 9, wherein an inclined surface
is formed at an upper surface of the fixed scroll inside the
lubrication oil separating net in order to gather the lubrication
oil separated by the lubrication oil separating net.
11. The scroll compressor of claim 10, wherein a lubrication oil
return path is penetratingly formed at the fixed scroll so as to
guide the lubrication oil flowing along the inclined surface.
12. The scroll compressor of claim 11, wherein the lubrication oil
return path communicates with an oil discharge hole formed at a
thrust bearing of an upper frame.
13. The scroll compressor of claim 12, wherein a lubrication oil
guide is formed under the upper frame so as to guide the
lubrication oil introduced from the lubrication oil return path to
a lower portion of the casing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a scroll compressor having
a function of preventing an outflow of lubrication oil, and
particularly, to a scroll compressor having a function of
preventing an outflow of lubrication oil capable of preventing
lubrication oil from flowing out together with a refrigerant when
the refrigerant in a casing is discharged to a discharge pipe.
[0003] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0004] In general, a scroll compressor is a high efficiency low
noise compressor which is widely applied in the field of air
conditioners, and has a structure that a refrigerant gas is
successively compressed and discharged by continuously moving a
plurality of compression chambers formed between a fixed scroll and
an orbiting scroll toward the center portion of the orbiting scroll
during the relative orbital movement of the fixed scroll and the
orbiting scroll.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional scroll
compressor.
[0006] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional scroll compressor 1
includes: a casing 11 forming a hermetic receiving space therein; a
compression part 41 received in the casing 11, for compressing a
refrigerant gas; and a motor part 31 installed in the casing 11,
for supplying a driving force to the compression part 41.
[0007] A suction pipe 13 for suction of a refrigerant gas is formed
at one side of the casing 11, and a discharge pipe 15 for discharge
of a refrigerant gas is formed at its other side.
[0008] An upper frame 21 and a lower frame 30 are separately
installed at upper and lower portions of the casing 11 so as to
support the compression part 41 and the motor part 31.
[0009] The motor part 31 is provided with a stator 33 installed in
the casing 11; and a rotor 35 rotatably received/installed,
centering around a rotary shaft 36 vertically disposed in the
stator 33.
[0010] An eccentric portion 37 is formed at an upper portion of the
rotary shaft 36, and a lubrication oil supply path 38 for supplying
lubrication oil 18 received in a lubrication oil storing portion
17, a lower portion inside the casing 11, to the compression part
41 is formed inside the rotary shaft 36.
[0011] A lubrication oil supply part 39 is formed at a lower
portion of the rotary shaft 36 so that the lubrication oil 18
stored in the lubrication oil storing portion 17 can be supplied to
the compression part 41 along the lubrication oil supply path 38
during the rotation of the rotary shaft.
[0012] The compression part 41 includes a fixed scroll 43 having a
wrap 44 of an involute shape and coupled to an upper side of the
upper frame 21, and an orbiting scroll 53 having a wrap 54 of an
involute shape, forming a compression space of a refrigerant gas by
being interlocked with the fixed scroll 43, coupled with the
eccentric part 37 and orbiting relative to the fixed scroll 43. A
discharge hole 45 for discharging the compressed refrigerant gas is
formed at the center portion of an upper surface of the fixed
scroll 43.
[0013] The operation of the conventional scroll compressor having
such a structure will now be described.
[0014] When power is applied to the motor part 31 and the rotor 35
rotates about the rotary shaft 36, the orbiting scroll 53 coupled
to the eccentric portion 37 orbits with respect to the fixed scroll
43. At this time, the refrigerant gas sucked through the suction
pipe 13 moves toward the central portion of the fixed scroll 43,
thereby being compressed. The compressed refrigerant gas is
discharged through the discharge hole 45, and then discharged
outside the casing through the discharge pipe 15.
[0015] After circulating according to a freezing cycle, the
refrigerant gas having been discharged to the outside of the casing
11 flows into the casing 11 again through the suction pipe 13. Such
processes are repeated.
[0016] However, in the conventional scroll compressor having such
construction, during the rotation of the rotary shaft 36, the
lubrication oil 18 having been supplied to the compression part 41
along the lubrication oil supply path 38 is excessively discharged
outside the casing 11 through the discharge pipe 15 together with
the refrigerant gas compressed by the fixed scroll 43 and the
orbiting scroll 53. Therefore, the lubrication oil filled to
prevent abrasion of each component cannot be maintained in the
necessary amount but becomes in short supply, which causes each
component to be subject to abrasion and thus brings about
deterioration of the performance of each part. As a result, the
compression performance of the compressor is degraded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a scroll compressor having a function of preventing an outflow of
lubrication oil capable of improving compression performance of a
compressor by reducing the occurrence of abrasion of each component
by leaving the proper amount of lubrication oil in a casing all the
time by efficiently preventing lubrication oil from flowing out
together with a refrigerant gas when the refrigerant gas in the
casing is discharged to a discharge pipe.
[0018] 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 scroll compressor having a
function of preventing an outflow of lubrication oil comprising: a
casing forming a receiving space therein; a fixed scroll having a
wrap of an involute shape and a discharge hole for discharging a
compressed refrigerant gas, and disposed inside the casing; an
orbiting scroll having a wrap of an involute shape and orbiting
relatively to the fixed scroll by being interlocked with the fixed
scroll; and a lubrication oil separating part disposed around the
discharge hole, for separating lubrication oil from a refrigerant
gas discharged through the discharge hole.
[0019] The lubrication oil separating part comprises: a lubrication
oil separating net having a netlike body and installed at an upper
surface of the fixed scroll at which the discharge hole is formed;
a lubrication oil separating plate installed at an upper portion of
the lubrication oil separating net; and a refrigerant gas guide
member installed outside the lubrication oil separating plate at a
certain distance.
[0020] An inclined surface is formed at an upper surface of the
fixed scroll inside the lubrication oil separating net in order to
gather the lubrication oil separated by the lubrication oil
separating net.
[0021] A lubrication oil return path is penetratingly formed at the
fixed scroll so as to guide the lubrication oil flowing along the
inclined surface.
[0022] The lubrication oil return path communicates with an oil
discharge hole formed at a thrust bearing of an upper frame.
[0023] A lubrication oil guide is formed under the upper frame so
as to guide the lubrication oil introduced from the lubrication oil
return path to a lower portion of the casing.
[0024] 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
[0025] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a unit of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0026] In the drawings:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional
scroll compressor;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a scroll
compressor having a function of preventing an outflow of
lubrication oil in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a main part of FIG. 2;
and
[0030] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a scroll
compressor having a function of preventing an outflow of
lubrication oil in accordance with another embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0032] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view having a function of
preventing an outflow of lubrication oil in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view
showing a main part of FIG. 2.
[0033] As shown, the scroll compressor 100 having a function of
preventing an outflow of lubrication oil in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention includes: a casing 111 forming
a receiving space therein; a fixed scroll 143 having a wrap 144 of
an involute shape and a discharge hole 145 for discharging a
compressed refrigerant gas, and disposed in the casing 111; an
orbiting scroll 153 having a wrap 154 of an involute shape,
orbiting relative to the fixed scroll 143 by being interlocked with
the fixed scroll 143, and compressing a refrigerant gas; and a
lubrication oil separating part 161 disposed around the discharge
hole 145 so as to separate only the lubrication oil from a
refrigerant gas discharged through the discharge hole 145 of the
casing 111.
[0034] The casing 111 has a hermetic receiving space therein, a
suction pipe 113 for suction of a refrigerant gas is installed at
one side of the casing 111, and a discharge pipe 115 for discharge
of the refrigerant gas is installed at its other side.
[0035] Inside the casing 111, a compression part 141 for
compressing a refrigerant gas and a motor part 131 for providing a
driving force to the compression part 141 are provided. Also, an
upper frame 121 and a lower frame 130 are installed at upper and
lower portions in the casing 111 so as to support the compression
part 141 and the motor part 131.
[0036] The motor part 131 comprises: a stator 133 disposed in the
casing 111; and a rotor 135 rotating about a rotary shaft 136 in
the stator 133.
[0037] An eccentric portion 137 is formed at an upper end of the
rotary shaft 136 so that the orbiting scroll 153 can be
eccentrically driven. A lubrication oil supply path 138 is formed
inside the rotary shaft 136 in order to supply the lubrication oil
118 received in a lower portion of the casing 111 toward the
compression part 141. A lubrication oil supply part 139 which can
supply the lubrication oil 118 toward the compression part 141
during the rotation of the rotary shaft is provided at a lower
portion of the rotary shaft 136.
[0038] The compression part 141 includes; a fixed scroll 143 having
a wrap 144 of an involute shape and coupled to an upper side of the
upper frame 121; and an orbiting scroll 153 having a wrap 154 of an
involute shape, forming a compression space of a refrigerant gas by
being interlocked with the fixed scroll 143, and coupled to the
eccentric portion 137 so as to eccentrically move with respect to
the fixed scroll 143.
[0039] A lower portion of the orbiting scroll 153 is in contact
with a thrust bearing 123 of the upper frame 121, and the orbiting
scroll 153 can orbit relative to the upperframe 121.
[0040] An oil discharge hole 125 is formed at one side of the
thrust bearing 123 in a horizontal direction so as to discharge the
lubrication oil 118 having moved upwardly along the lubrication oil
supply path 138.
[0041] A lubrication oil return path 127 is formed between the
fixed scroll 143 and the casing 111, between the upper frame 121
and the casing 111 and between the stator 133 and the casing 111,
and the oil discharge hole 125 communicates with the lubrication
oil return path 127.
[0042] Also, a discharge hole 145 is formed at an upper portion of
the center of the fixed scroll 143 so that a compressed refrigerant
gas can be discharged therethrough. A lubrication oil separating
part 161 is provided around the discharge hole 145 in order to
separate the lubrication oil 118 discharged together with the
refrigerant gas.
[0043] The lubrication oil separating part 161 comprises: a
lubrication oil separating plate 163 formed of a plate-shaped
member and disposed to be distanced from the discharge hole 145 at
a predetermined distance along a direction that a refrigerant gas
is discharged; and a lubrication oil separating net 165 formed as a
cylindrical netlike body having predetermined meshes. Here, the
size of the mesh of the lubrication oil separating net 165 is small
enough to prevent the passing of the lubrication oil but big enough
to allow the passing of the refrigerant gas.
[0044] An inclined surface 147 is formed on an upper surface of the
fixed scroll 143 in order to gather the lubrication oil 118
separated from the refrigerant gas by the lubrication oil
separating part 161. Accordingly, the lubrication oil 118 gathered
by the lubrication oil separating part 161 is introduced into the
lubrication oil return path 149 and 127 via the inclined surface
147 and then is supplied to the lubrication oil storing portion
117.
[0045] In the compressor 100 having a function of preventing an
outflow of lubrication oil in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention having such a structure, when power is applied to
the motor part 131 and the rotor 135 rotates, the orbiting scroll
153 makes an eccentric movement with respect to the fixed scroll
143. And the refrigerant gas sucked through the suction pipe 113 is
compressed by moving toward the center of the fixed scroll 143, and
then is discharged through the discharge hole 145. The refrigerant
gas discharged in such a manner is discharged outside the casing
111 through the discharge pipe 115. At this time, the lubrication
oil having been discharged through the discharge hole together with
the refrigerant gas is gathered in the lubrication oil separating
part 161 by the lubrication oil separating net 165, and the
gathered lubricating oil 118 flows along the inclined surface 147
and is supplied to the lubrication oil storing portion 117 along
the lubrication oil return path 149 and 127.
[0046] At the same time, the gaseous refrigerant gas from which the
lubricating oil 118 has been separated passes through the
lubrication oil separating net 165, is discharged outside the
casing 111 through the discharge pipe 115, and is circulated
according to a freezing cycle.
[0047] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a scroll compressor having a
function of preventing an outflow of lubricating oil in accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0048] As shown, the scroll compressor 200 having a function of
preventing an outflow of lubrication oil in accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention includes: a casing 211 forming
a receiving space therein; a fixed scroll 243 having a wrap 244 of
an involute shape and a discharge hole 245 for discharging a
compressed fluid, and disposed in the casing 211; an orbiting
scroll 253 having a wrap 254 of an involute shape and orbiting
relative to the fixed scroll 243 by being interlocked with the
fixed scroll 243; and a lubrication oil separating part 261
disposed around the discharge hole 245 so as to separate only
lubrication oil 218 from a refrigerant gas discharged through the
discharge hole 245.
[0049] A discharge hole 245 is formed at an upper portion of the
center of the fixed scroll 243 so that a compressed refrigerant gas
can be discharged. And a lubrication oil separating part 261 is
formed around the discharge hole 245 so as to separate the
lubrication oil 218 discharged together with the refrigerant
gas.
[0050] The lubrication oil separating part 261 includes: a
lubrication oil separating plate 263 disposed to be distanced from
the discharge hole 245 at a predetermined distance along a
direction that a refrigerant gas is discharged; a lubrication oil
separating net 265 formed as a netlike body with predetermined
meshes; and a refrigerant gas guide member 273 disposed outside the
lubrication oil separating plate 263. The center of the refrigerant
gas guide member 273 is open, and its lower end is fixed to an
upper surface of the fixed scroll 243.
[0051] An oil discharge hole 225 is formed at one side of the
thrust bearing 223 in order to discharge the lubrication oil 218
which has moved upwardly along a lubrication oil supply path
238.
[0052] The lubrication oil return path 227 is formed between the
fixed scroll 243 and the casing 211, between the upper frame 221
and the casing 211 and the stator 233 and the casing 211. The oil
discharge hole 225 communicates with the lubrication oil return
path 227.
[0053] An inclined surface 247 is formed on an upper surface of the
fixed scroll 243 in order to gather lubrication oil 218 separated
from a refrigerant gas by the lubrication oil separating part 261.
Accordingly, the lubrication oil 218 gathered by the lubrication
oil separating part 261 is introduced into the lubrication oil
return path 249 and 227 via the inclined surface 247 and then is
supplied to the lubrication oil storing portion 217.
[0054] A lubrication oil guide 275 is installed between the upper
frame 221 and the lubrication oil storing portion 217, and guides
the lubrication oil 218 which is supplied toward the lubrication
oil storing portion 217 along the lubrication oil return path 227
so that the lubrication oil 218 supplied toward the lubrication oil
storing portion 217 is not mixed with a refrigerant gas.
[0055] In the compressor 200 having a function of preventing an
outflow of lubrication oil in accordance with another embodiment of
the present invention having such a structure, when power is
applied to the motor part 231 and the rotor 235 rotates, the
orbiting scroll 253 orbits with respect to the fixed scroll 243,
thereby compressing a refrigerant gas. The compressed refrigerant
gas is discharged through the discharge hole 245 and then is
discharged outside the casing 211 through the discharge pipe
215.
[0056] The lubrication oil 218 having been discharged through the
discharge hole 245 together with the refrigerant gas is gathered in
the lubrication oil separating part 261 by the lubrication oil
separating net 265. The gathered lubrication oil 218 flows along
the inclined surface 247 and introduced into the lubrication oil
return path 227. The introduced lubrication oil 218 is guided by
the lubrication oil guide 275 and thus is supplied to the
lubrication oil storing portion 217.
[0057] At the same time, the gaseous refrigerant gas from which the
lubrication oil 218 has been separated by the lubrication oil
separating part 261 passes through the lubrication oil separating
net 265, and is guided by the refrigerant gas guide member 273 to
thereby be discharged outside the casing 211 through the discharge
pipe 215. The refrigerant gas discharged in such a manner is
circulated according to a freezing cycle.
[0058] As so far described, the present invention can effectively
prevent lubrication oil from flowing out of the casing through the
discharge pipe together with a refrigerant gas when a refrigerant
gas is discharged. Thus, the lubrication oil always remains in the
casing, thereby reducing abrasion of each component. Accordingly,
performance of each component can be improved, and thus compression
performance of the compressor can be improved too.
[0059] 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.
* * * * *