U.S. patent application number 12/990115 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-27 for rotor assembly for rotary compressor.
This patent application is currently assigned to Randell Technologies Inc.. Invention is credited to Darryl Fleger, David Robert Gibbs.
Application Number | 20110262291 12/990115 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40475144 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110262291 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fleger; Darryl ; et
al. |
October 27, 2011 |
Rotor Assembly for Rotary Compressor
Abstract
A traditional compressor unit of the sealed type suffers in that
a failure of either the motor or the compressor require both to be
discarded Provided is a compressor (1) having a rotor assembly (3)
within which a rotor (24) is rotated on an eccentric shaft (28) in
a sealed chamber (23) Two or more intake ports (32, 33) are
provided that open into the sealed chamber (23) and two or more
exhaust ports (34, 35) are provided with one way valves (38), to
permit compressed gas to exit the sealed chamber (23) The geometry
of the rotor (24) and sealed chamber (23) and eccentric drive (28)
are such that apices of the rotor (24) remain in contact with a
peripheral wall (22) of the sealed chamber (23) as the rotor (24)
rotates and apex seals (36) are provided on the apices of the rotor
(24) to prevent leakage of the gas around the apices of the rotor
(24) In a preferred embodiment the rotor (24) is a multi-lobed
rotor orbiting within a trochoidal chamber (23).
Inventors: |
Fleger; Darryl; (Lefroy,
CA) ; Gibbs; David Robert; (Aurora, CA) |
Assignee: |
Randell Technologies Inc.
Bolton
ON
|
Family ID: |
40475144 |
Appl. No.: |
12/990115 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
July 23, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CA08/01332 |
371 Date: |
January 3, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61071402 |
Apr 28, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
418/61.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C 23/008 20130101;
F04C 29/0064 20130101; F04C 18/0207 20130101; F04C 18/22 20130101;
F25B 1/04 20130101; F04C 27/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
418/61.2 |
International
Class: |
F01C 1/02 20060101
F01C001/02 |
Claims
1. A compressor comprising a rotor assembly within which a rotor is
rotated on an eccentric shaft in a sealed chamber, two or more
intake ports are provided that open into the sealed chamber, two or
more exhaust ports are provided with one way valves, to permit
compressed gas to exit the sealed chamber, the geometry of the
rotor and sealed chamber and eccentric drive are such that apices
of the rotor remain in contact with a peripheral wall of the sealed
chamber as the rotor rotates and apex seals are provided on the
apices of the rotor to prevent leakage of the gas around the apices
of the rotor.
2. The compressor of claim 1, wherein the rotor is a multi-lobed
rotor orbiting within a trochoidal chamber.
3. The compressor of claim 2, wherein the rotor is a three lobed
rotor journalled on a shaft and having a ring gear driven by timing
pinion, the gear ratio of the ring gear to the timing pinion being
three to one.
4. The compressor of claim 1, wherein the apex seals are
compression seals that remain in contact with the peripheral wall
of the sealed chamber as the rotor rotates.
5. The compressor of claim 4, wherein the apex seals have an apex
seal spring to maintain the apex seal in contact with the
peripheral wall of the sealed chamber as the rotor rotates.
6. The compressor of claim 1, wherein the rotor assembly comprises
a back plate, rotor housing and front plate wherein an inner
peripheral wall of the rotor housing together with inner surfaces
of the back plate and front plate define the sealed chamber within
which the rotor is rotated on an eccentric shaft.
7. The compressor of claim 6, comprising a pair of intake ports
that open into the sealed chamber and a pair of exhaust ports
provided in the rotor housing with one way valves, to permit
compressed gas to exit the sealed chamber as the rotor rotates.
8. The compressor of claim 7, wherein the pair of intake ports are
provided in the back plate.
9. The compressor of claim 7, wherein the pair of intake ports are
provided in the front plate.
10. The compressor of claim 6, comprising one or more intake ports
in the back plate and one or more intake ports in the front plate,
all of said intake ports opening into the sealed chamber and a pair
of exhaust ports provided in the rotor housing with one way valves,
to permit compressed gas to exit the sealed chamber as the rotor
rotates.
11. The compressor of claim 1, comprising a rotary drive enclosed
by a sealed casing and orbiting the rotor, a driven element of a
magnetic coupling in driving connection with the rotary drive and
orbiting the rotor, the driven element enclosed by the sealed
casing and including at least one magnet, a driving element of the
magnetic coupling outside of the casing in close proximity to the
driven element, and an arrangement for rotating the driving
element.
12. The compressor of claim 11, wherein the arrangement for
rotating the driving element includes an electric motor.
13. The compressor of claim 12, wherein the magnet includes a
plurality of electromagnets.
14. The compressor of claim 13, wherein the driving element
includes a plurality of electromagnets.
15. The compressor of claim 1, comprising a rear vector plate to
cap the back of the rotor assembly.
16. The compressor of claim 15, comprising a seal retention plate
to cap the front of the rotor assembly, and comprising an opening
through which the shaft extends to permit an end of the shaft to be
connected to a direct drive.
17. The compressor of claim 16, comprising a seal around that
portion of the shaft passing through the opening in the seal
retention plate.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to rotor assemblies for rotary
compressor units especially but not exclusively units for small
refrigeration units such are suitable for use in small
refrigerators and automotive air conditioners. Such units must be
compact, quiet, reliable and economical to manufacture and
operate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Compressor units for domestic refrigerators are commonly of
the sealed unit type in which both the compressor and a motor
permanently coupled to the compressor is located within an
enclosure that is completely and permanently sealed except for
refrigerant connections to the remainder of the refrigeration unit.
Such a unit has the disadvantages that failure of either the motor
or the compressor requires both to be discarded, different sealed
units are required for electrical supplies requiring different
motors, even though the compressor is identical, and two devices,
both of which generate unwanted heat, are thermally coupled within
the same enclosure.
[0003] It is known in compressor units for automotive air
conditioning systems, which are engine driven, and thus require a
clutch mechanism, to utilize an electromagnetic clutch between a
belt driven pulley and the compressor.
[0004] In the interests of smoother and more silent compressors,
there has been some adoption of scroll type compressors in
compression type refrigeration units, available for example from
Lennox, Copeland and EDPAC International.
[0005] An alternative form of piston compressor which has been
proposed, is the rotary piston compressor using a lobed rotor in a
trochoidal chamber and having some resemblance to rotary piston
engines such as the Wankel engine although the operating cycle is
substantially different and the shaft is driven by an external
power source rather than being driven by the rotary piston. Such
compressors are exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,875 (Luck);
4,018,548 (Berkowitz); and 4,487,561 (Eiermann).
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,325 (Gulyash) discloses a rotary engine
using a symmetrical lobed piston moving in a trochoidal chamber on
an eccentric mounted on a rotary shaft and driven through a ring
gear by a similarly eccentric planet gear rotated at the same rate
as the eccentric, the gear ratio of the ring gear to the planet
gear being equal to the number of lobes on the rotor, typically
three. The apices of the lobes trace trochoidal paths tangent to
the trochoidal chamber wall thus simplifying sealing.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,754 (Randolphi) discloses a compressor
for a refrigeration unit having a three lobed rotor orbiting in a
chamber defined within a sealed casing and using a magnetic
coupling outside of the casing to rotate the rotor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention relates to a compressor having a rotor
assembly within which a rotor is rotated on an eccentric shaft in a
sealed chamber. Two or more intake ports are provided that open
into the sealed chamber and two or more exhaust ports are provided
with one way valves, to permit compressed gas to exit the sealed
chamber. The geometry of the rotor and sealed chamber and eccentric
drive are such that apices of the rotor remain in contact with a
peripheral wall of the sealed chamber as the rotor rotates and apex
seals are provided on the apices of the rotor to prevent leakage of
the gas around the apices of the rotor. In a preferred embodiment
the rotor is a multi-lobed rotor orbiting within a trochoidal
chamber.
[0009] The features of the present invention will be apparent from
the following description of a presently preferred embodiment
thereof.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a front schematic perspective view of a compressor
having a rotor assembly in accordance with the present invention
and magnetic drive assembly within a sealed outer casing;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional schematic view of the compressor
of FIG. 1 through line 2-2 with an outer magnetic drive;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotor assembly for the
compressor of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sections of the rotor assembly of
FIG. 3 on the line 4-4 showing different phases of its
operation;
[0014] FIG. 6. is a cross sectional schematic view of the rotor
assembly of FIG. 4 on the line 6-6;
[0015] FIG. 7. is a cross sectional schematic view of the rotor
assembly of FIG. 4 on the line 7-7;
[0016] FIG. 8. is a cross sectional schematic view of the rotor
assembly of FIG. 4 on the line 8-8;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a flapper valve assembly
contained within the rotor housing of FIG. 3;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a cross section of the flapper valve assembly on
the line 9-9 in FIG. 9.
[0019] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a
compressor having a rotor assembly in accordance with the present
invention without the magnetic drive assembly and sealed outer
casing as shown in FIG. 1 and showing major internal components in
dotted lines;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a cross sectional schematic view of the
compressor of FIG. 9 through the line 12-12;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a cross sectional schematic view of the
compressor of FIG. 9 through the line 13-13.
[0022] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
compressor having a rotor assembly in accordance with the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 15 is a top schematic view of the compressor of FIG. 14
showing the assembly transparently;
[0024] FIG. 16 is a rear perspective view of the compressor of FIG.
14 showing the assembly transparently.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0025] Referring to the FIGS. 1-8, a compressor, generally
indicated at 1 in FIGS. 1 & 2, comprises a sealed outer casing
generally indicated at 2 retains a rotor assembly in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention, generally indicated
at 3 and an inner magnetic drive assembly generally indicated at 5.
The compressor 1 in one application may be connected (as shown in
FIG. 2) by an intake 90 and outlet 91 such as to an evaporator and
a condenser of a refrigeration unit. In the embodiment illustrated
the sealed outer casing 2 has a canister section 6 which holds the
rotor assembly 3 and inner magnetic drive assembly 5 and a lid
section 7 which fits over the inner magnetic drive assembly 5 and
onto the canister section 6 with a pair of O-rings 8,9 to seal the
outer casing. In the embodiment illustrated the canister section 6
has a cylindrical outer wall 10 closed at one end by plate section
11. A peripheral flange 12 extends outwardly from the top 13 of the
cylindrical outer wall 10. The thickness of cylindrical outer wall
10 in a first section 14 adjacent the plate section 11 is greater
than the thickness of a second section 15 which in turn is thicker
than a third section extending 16 from the top 13 of the
cylindrical outer wall 10. The reduction in thickness in the outer
cylindrical wall 10 forms a pair of lips 17, 18 on its inner
surface 4.
[0026] The rotor assembly 3, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.
2-8, is comprised of a back plate 19, rotor housing 20 and front
plate 21. The inner peripheral wall 22 of the rotor housing 20
together with the inner surfaces 25, 26 of back plate 19 and front
plate 21 define a sealed chamber 23 within which a rotor 24 is
rotated. One end 27 of an eccentric shaft 28 on which the rotor 24
is mounted, is journal led in bearings 29 housed within the back
plate 19. A timing pinion 30 is attached to the inner surface 25 of
back disk 19 and mates with a ring gear 31 attached to rotor 24. In
the embodiment illustrated the timing pinion 30 is % the diameter
of the ring gear 31. A pair of intake ports 32, 33 (see FIGS. 4, 5
& 7) are provided in back plate 19 that open into the sealed
chamber 23. A pair of exhaust ports 34, 35 are provided in the
rotor housing 20 (see FIG. 6). One way valves generally indicated
at 38 (see FIG. 9), shown as flapper valves in the drawings, permit
compressed gas to exit the sealed chamber 23 but do not allow any
return flow back through the exhaust ports 34,35 into the chamber
23.
[0027] In the embodiment illustrated, the rotor 24 is mounted on an
eccentric shaft 28 for orbital movement along a path within chamber
23. The profile of chamber 23 is an outline of the path that the
tips of the lobes A, B, C of the rotor 24 follows. The ratio of the
ring gear 31 to the eccentric gear 30 (or timing pinion) is equal
to the number of lobes, in this case three, of the rotor 24. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8, the end 32 of the eccentric
shaft 28 remote from the rotor 24 is attached to an inner magnetic
drive assembly generally indicated at 5. The inner magnetic drive
assembly 5 has an inner magnetic drive element 33 attached to the
eccentric shaft 28 where the shaft 28 extends from the front plate
21 of the rotor assembly 3. A cap portion 37 of lid section 7 of
the sealed outer casing 2 encloses the inner magnetic drive
assembly 5. An outer magnetic drive 38 is attached to a source of
rotation (not shown) and rotates about the cap portion 37 of lid
section 7 providing a mating magnetic force to turn the inner
magnetic drive element 33.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows the position of the rotor 24 when the eccentric
shaft 28, timing pinion 30 and ring gear 31 are as seen in the
drawing. The direction of rotation in this example is clockwise,
and the apices of the lobes of the rotor are labeled A, B and C for
convenient reference. The geometry of the rotor 24 and chamber 23
and of the drive are such that the apices remain in contact with
the inner wall 25 of the sealed chamber 23. Apices A, B and C of
rotor 24 divide the sealed chamber 23 into three parts labeled D, E
and F. Gas is introduced into the sealed chamber 23 through intake
ports 32,32A. As the rotor 24 rotates the gas in the parts D, E and
F of the chamber 23 is compressed as the rotation of the rotor 24
reduces the size of part D, E and F of the chamber. FIG. 5 shows
the position of the rotor 24 rotated from the position in FIG. 4
with the eccentric shaft 28, timing pinion 30 and ring gear 31
positioned as seen in the drawing. The part F of the sealed chamber
23 has been reduced, compressing the gas in that section. The
compressed gas is exhausted through exhaust port 34. As the rotor
moves clockwise, gas is drawn through the intake port 32,32A into
the parts D, E and F of chamber 23, the gas is compressed and
forced out of the chamber 23 through exhaust ports 34, 35 past
flapper valves 38.
[0029] In order to prevent compressed gas leaking from part D, E or
F of chamber 23 into one of the other parts D, E or F of chamber 23
as the rotor 24 is rotated, apex seals 36 are provided in a slot
36A in the apex A, B and C of rotor 24. In the embodiment
illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, the back side of the rotor 24 fits tight
against the inner surface 25 of back plate 19 and together with a
lubricant provides a seal. Similarly the front side of the rotor 24
fits tight against the inner surface 26 of front plate 21 and
together with a lubricant provides a seal. As an alternative to
relying on the tight fit and lubricant to form a seal, side seals
may be inserted to prevent gas from leaking around the front and
back sides of the rotor.
[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross section of the rotor assembly 3
of FIG. 4 on line 6-6. The exhaust ports 34, 35 are shown in the
rotor housing 20. FIG. 7 illustrates a cross section of the rotor
assembly 3 of FIG. 4 on line 7-7. In this view the intake ports 32,
32A are shown in the back plate 19 although they could be located
in the front plate 21 if desired. FIG. 8 illustrates a cross
section of the rotor assembly 3 of FIG. 4 on line 8-8. In this view
the apex seals 36 on apex B of rotor 24 are shown. The apex seals
36 are preferably compression seals retained within slots 37 on
rotor 24. The apex seals 36 run on the peripheral wall 22 of the
chamber 23 defined by rotor housing 20 and as noted previously
prevent leakage across the tips of the rotor 24. An apex seal
spring (not shown) provides the force to keep the apex seals 36 in
contact with the profile of the chamber 23. In the embodiment
illustrated the apex seal springs are coil springs but a leaf
spring or other suitable design can be used.
[0031] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate schematically the one way flapper
valves 38 in the exhaust ports 34,35 which allow the compressed gas
to exit the compressor yet allow no return flow back. The flapper
valves 38 have a disk 39 connected to one end of a spring 40
attached to a plug 42. The spring 40 keeps disk 39 in sealing
engagement with the inlet 43 of exhaust port 34 or 35 until the
pressure of the compressed gas is sufficient to push the disk 39 to
open the inlet 43 and permit the compressed gas to exit through
outlet 44. Alternatively the flapper valve design can be different.
For example the valve may be secured on one end and flexes to allow
gas to exit the compressor.
[0032] FIGS. 11-13 illustrate another embodiment of a compressor
(suitable for use as in refrigerators although many other
applications are possible) having a rotor assembly in accordance
with the present invention with a direct shaft drive. The
compressor, generally indicated at 51 in FIGS. 11-13, comprises a
rotor assembly, generally indicated at 53 and a vector plate
assembly generally indicated at 55. In the embodiment illustrated
the vector plate assembly 55 comprises a rear vector plate 56 and a
seal retention plate 57 which are attached to the rotor assembly
53. Pressure and suction lines are attached to the rear vector
plate 56 which is in turned bolted to the back plate 59 of the
rotor assembly 53. A refrigerant gas coming into the compressor by
the suction line is collected in the internal cavity 58 formed by
the mating of the rear vector plate 56 and back plate 59 of the
rotor assembly 53.
[0033] The rotor assembly 53 is similar to the rotor assembly 3
shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. It comprises a back plate 59, rotor
housing 60 and front plate 61. The inner peripheral wall 62 of the
rotor housing 60 together with the inner surfaces 65, 66 of back
plate 59 and front plate 61 define a sealed chamber 63 within which
a rotor 64 is rotated. One end 67 of an eccentric shaft 68 on which
the rotor 64 is mounted, is journalled in bearings 69 housed within
the back plate 59. A timing pinion is attached to the inner surface
65 of back plate 59 and mates with a ring gear 71 attached to rotor
64. In the embodiment illustrated the timing pinion is % the
diameter of the ring gear 71. Intake ports are provided in back
plate 59 from cavity 58 and open into the sealed chamber 63. In
large models the refrigerant may also pass from cavity 58 through
internal passages to the front of the compressor and then through
intake ports in the front plate 61 into chamber 63. In situations
where intake ports are provided in the front plate 61 the seal
retention plate 57 is replaced with a front vector plate. A pair of
exhaust ports 74,75 are provided in the rotor housing 60 (see FIG.
13). One way valves generally indicated at 78 (see FIG. 13), shown
as flapper valves in the drawings, permit compressed gas to exit
the sealed chamber 63 but do not allow any return flow back through
the exhaust ports 74,75 into the chamber 63.
[0034] In the embodiment illustrated, the rotor 64 is mounted on an
eccentric shaft 68 for orbital movement along a path within chamber
63. The profile of chamber 63 is an outline of the path that the
tips of the lobes of the rotor 64 follows. The ratio of the ring
gear 71 to the eccentric gear or timing pinion is equal to the
number of lobes, in this case three, of the rotor 64. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 13; the end 82 of the
eccentric shaft 68 remote from the rotor 64 may be attached to
direct drive assembly (not shown). The seal retention plate 57
retains a shaft seal 81 around the shaft 68 as it passes through
the seal retention plate 57.
[0035] The operation of the rotor 64 in FIGS. 11-13 is the same as
in FIGS. 3-5. With the eccentric shaft 68, timing pinion and ring
gear 71 as described, rotation of the rotor 64 is such that the
apices of the rotor 64 remain in contact with the inner wall 62 of
the sealed chamber 63. The apices of rotor 64 divide the sealed
chamber 63 into three parts. Gas is introduced into the sealed
chamber 63 through the intake ports. As the rotor 64 rotates the
volume of each part of chamber 63 between the lobes of the rotor is
continuously varied. As the volume of the chambers increases
refrigerant is drawn into the compressor, inversely as the volume
decreases the now compressed gas is exhausted out of the
compressor. The three parts of chamber 63 are never compressing at
once, each is in a different phase of what could be considered a 2
phase cycle--intake and exhaust. As the size of a part of the
sealed chamber 63 is reduced, the gas in that section is
compressed. The compressed gas is exhausted through exhaust port
74. As the rotor moves clockwise, the part of the chamber from
which the compressed gas has been exhausted, increases in size and
gas is drawn through the intake port into that part of chamber 63.
As the rotor 64 continues to rotate, the gas is again compressed
and forced out of the chamber 63 through the other exhaust port 75
past flapper valves.
[0036] In order to prevent compressed gas leaking from one part of
chamber 63 into another one of the other parts of chamber 63 as the
rotor 24 is rotated, apex seals 76 are provided on the apices of
rotor 64 as shown in FIG. 12.
[0037] FIG. 12 illustrates a cross section of the compressor 51 of
FIG. 11 on line 12-12.
[0038] FIG. 13 illustrates a cross section of the compressor 51 of
FIG. 11 on line 13-13. In this view the exhaust ports 74, 75 are
shown in the rotor housing 60.
[0039] FIGS. 14-16 illustrate another embodiment of a compressor
(suitable for use as in automotive air conditioners although many
other applications are possible) having a rotor assembly in
accordance with the present invention with a direct shaft drive.
The compressor, generally indicated at 101 in FIGS. 14-16,
comprises a rotor assembly and a vector plate assembly. In the
embodiment illustrated the vector plate assembly comprises a rear
vector plate 106 and a front vector plate 107 which are attached to
the rotor assembly 103. Pressure and suction lines are attached to
the rear vector plate 106 at suction inlet 104A and pressure outlet
104B respectively which is in turned bolted to the back plate 109
of the rotor assembly 103. A refrigerant gas coming into the
compressor by the suction line is collected in the internal cavity
108 formed by the mating of the rear vector plate 106 and back
plate 109 of the rotor assembly 103. In this embodiment one or more
internal passages 108A connects the internal cavity 108 formed by
the mating of the rear vector plate 106 and back plate 109, with a
similar internal cavity 108B formed by the mating of the front
vector plate 107 and front plate 111 of the rotor assembly 103.
[0040] The rotor assembly 103 is similar to the rotor assembly 3
shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. It comprises a back plate, rotor housing
and front plate similar to the embodiments shown in the other
figures although relative dimensions are different. The inner
peripheral wall of the rotor housing together with the inner
surfaces of back plate 109 and front plate 111 define a sealed
chamber within which a rotor is rotated. One end of an eccentric
shaft 118 on which the rotor is mounted, is journalled in bearings
housed within the back plate 109. A timing pinion is attached to
the inner surface of back plate 109 and mates with a ring gear
attached to rotor. In the embodiment illustrated the timing pinion
is 2/3 the diameter of the ring gear. Intake ports are provided in
back plate 109 from cavity 108 and front plate 111 from cavity 108B
and open into the sealed chamber. A pair of exhaust ports are
provided in the rotor housing. One way valves preferably flapper
valves, permit compressed gas to exit the sealed chamber at
pressure outlets 104B but do not allow any return flow back through
the exhaust ports into the chamber.
[0041] In the embodiment illustrated, the rotor is mounted on an
eccentric shaft 118 for orbital movement along a path within
chamber. The profile of the chamber is an outline of the path that
the tips of the lobes of the rotor follow. The ratio of the ring
gear to the eccentric gear or timing pinion is equal to the number
of lobes, in this case three, of the rotor. In the embodiment
illustrated in FIGS. 14 to 16; the end 132 of the eccentric shaft
118 remote from the rotor may be attached to direct drive assembly
(not shown). The front vector plate 107 retains a shaft seal around
the shaft 118 as it passes through the front vector plate 107.
[0042] The operation of the rotor in FIGS. 14-16 is the same as in
FIGS. 3-5. Rotation of the rotor is such that the apices of the
rotor remain in contact with the inner wall of the sealed chamber.
The apices of rotor divide the sealed chamber into three parts. Gas
is introduced into the sealed chamber through the intake ports. In
the embodiment illustrated there are intake ports provided in the
back plate 109 and additional intake ports in the front plate 111.
As the rotor rotates the volume of each part of the chamber between
the lobes of the rotor is continuously varied. As the volume of a
part of the chamber increases refrigerant is drawn into the
compressor, inversely as the volume decreases the now compressed
gas is exhausted out of the compressor. The three parts of chamber
are never all compressing at the same time, each is in a different
phase of what could be considered a 2 phase cycle--intake and
exhaust. As the size of a part of the sealed chamber is reduced,
the gas in that section is compressed. The compressed gas is
exhausted through exhaust port which is connected to pressure
outlet 104B. As the rotor moves clockwise, the part of the chamber
from which the compressed gas has been exhausted, increases in size
and gas is drawn through the intake port into that part of chamber.
As the rotor continues to rotate, the gas is again compressed and
forced out of the chamber through the other exhaust port past
flapper valves to pressure outlet 104B.
[0043] In order to prevent compressed gas leaking from one part of
chamber into another one of the other parts of chamber as the rotor
is rotated, apex seals are provided on the apices of rotor.
[0044] The rotor assembly of the present invention is particularly
useful in compressors in various applications including (but not
limited to) consumer household, automotive air conditioners,
industrial, portable, transportable, commercial, scientific,
medical, environmental and military disciplines. If required,
multiple rotors or multiple rotor assemblies can be provided in a
compressor in accordance with present invention. A number of the
advantages of the present invention over conventional compressor
designs are as follows:
(a) only two major moving parts in the compressor (b) light weight
(c) shaft driven rotor in combination with a simplified gear
reduction drive (d) apex seals on the rotor prevent loss of
compression (e) can utilize a variable speed drive (f) can obtain
variable output
[0045] It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art
that the present discussion is a description of exemplary
embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the broader aspects
of the present invention.
[0046] Although various preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described herein in detail, it will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art, which variations may be
made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or
the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *