U.S. patent number 3,568,712 [Application Number 04/811,816] was granted by the patent office on 1971-03-09 for suction valve for rotary compressor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to General Electric Company. Invention is credited to Dean C. Rinehart.
United States Patent |
3,568,712 |
Rinehart |
March 9, 1971 |
SUCTION VALVE FOR ROTARY COMPRESSOR
Abstract
A rotary compressor comprising a cylindrical wall member and an
end plate forming a compression chamber has a channel in one end of
the cylindrical member which with the end plate forms a V-shaped
inlet chamber or recess opening into the compression chamber. The
cylindrical member includes a suction port opening into this
recess. A flexible V-shaped valve means for the port is anchored in
the recess and includes one arm valving the port and another arm
engaging the end plate to bias the valving arm into operative
position relative to the port.
Inventors: |
Rinehart; Dean C. (Louisville,
KY) |
Assignee: |
General Electric Company
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25207674 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/811,816 |
Filed: |
April 1, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/855 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B
39/1073 (20130101); F04C 29/128 (20130101); F04C
18/356 (20130101); Y10T 137/7891 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
F04B
39/10 (20060101); F04C 18/356 (20060101); F16k
015/00 (); F16k 021/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;230/149,228,229,(Inquired) ;103/123,228
;137/525.3,525.5,527,527.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Croyle; Carlton R.
Assistant Examiner: Vrablik; John J.
Claims
I claim:
1. A rotary compressor comprising means including a cylindrical
wall member and an end plate member defining an annular compression
chamber;
said members including opposed surfaces defining a V-shaped recess
opening into said chamber;
a suction port opening into one of said surfaces;
a V-shaped valve means for said port comprising a flexible arm
overlying said one surface and having an end section forming a
valve member for said port and a second arm engaging the other of
said surfaces to maintain said valve member in operative engagement
with said port; and
means for positioning said valve means in said recess including a
groove in said one surface and a flange on said valve means
extending into said groove.
2. A rotary compressor comprising means including a cylindrical
wall member and an end plate member secured to said cylindrical
wall member defining an annular compression chamber;
said members including overlapping surface portions;
the surface portion of said cylindrical wall member including a
channel having a slanting bottom wall forming with the surface
portion of said end plate a V-shaped recess having its wider front
end opening into said chamber;
said channel including a groove therein adjacent the rear end of
said recess;
said cylindrical member including an inlet passage therein
terminating in an inlet portion in said slanting bottom wall;
and
a unitary valve means disposed in said channel including a base
portion having a flange thereon extending into said groove for
positioning said valve means in said recess and a flexible arm
extending from said base portion along said bottom wall and
terminating in a valve member overlying said port;
said valve means including at least one arm extending from said
base portion into engagement with said surface portion of said end
plate member for maintaining said valve member in operative
position relative to said port.
3. The compressor of claim 2 in which said valve means includes a
pair of spaced arms engaging said end plate member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A well-known type of rotary compressor comprises a cylindrical wall
member and end plates defining a compression chamber or cylinder, a
rotor eccentrically mounted within the cylinder and a vane slidably
mounted within the cylindrical wall for engagement with the
periphery of the motor to divide the chamber into a high-pressure
side and low-pressure side. In the operation of such a compressor,
rotation of the rotor draws gas into the low pressure side and
discharges the compressed gas through a discharge port
communicating with the high-pressure side of the chamber on the
opposite side of the vane from the low-pressure port. When such
compressor operates intermittently, as for example when it forms
part of a hermetic refrigeration system, valve means are provided
in the discharge port for preventing high-pressure refrigerant from
reverse flowing into the compressor chamber during periods when the
compressor is not operating. For maximum efficiency, it also is
desirable to prevent reverse flow through the suction port which
may take place for example due to the leakage of high-pressure
pressure gas between the rotor and the cylinder walls to the low
pressure side and then to the low side of the system when the
compressor is stopped. In known rotary compressor including suction
port valving, the valve has normally been positioned in the suction
passage at a point somewhat remote from the compression chamber and
has frequently taken the form of a simple ball or check valve in
the suction passage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed particularly to the provision of
an improved suction valve for a rotary compressor which is
positioned relatively close to the compression chamber, which is of
simple and low cost construction and which is maintained in
operative position relative to the suction port by the cylindrical
wall and end plate members of the compressor.
In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention,
there is provided a rotary compressor including a cylindrical wall
member and end plate members defining a compression chamber or
cylinder, a rotor eccentrically rotatable within the chamber and a
vane slideably mounted into the cylindrical wall between the inlet
and outlet ports and engaging the motor to divide the cylinder into
high- and low-pressure sides. The cylindrical wall member is
provided with a channel in a surface portion thereof overlapping an
end plate member and the slanting bottom wall of this channel forms
with the opposed surface portion of the end plate member a V-shaped
recess or inlet chamber opening into the compression chamber. An
inlet passage in the cylindrical member terminates in an inlet port
in the slanting bottom wall of the channel. A generally V-shaped
suction valve member for preventing reverse flow through the inlet
port comprises a flexible arm generally overlying the slanting
bottom wall of the channel with the free end thereof valving the
port and base portion including a flange extending into a slot or
groove in the slanting channel bottom wall for positioning the vale
member within the recess. The valve is biased into operating
engagement with the port by means of a pair of arms extending at an
angle from the base into engagement with the opposed surface of the
end plate member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the accompanying drawing:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in cross section, of hermetic
refrigerant compressor incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line
3-of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the inlet port and
valve portion of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a refrigeration system including the
compressor of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is
illustrated a hermetic compressor casing 1 in which there is
disposed a rotary compressor unit 2 connected by means of a drive
shaft 3 to a motor 4.
The compressor includes a cylindrical wall member or block 6 having
an inner cylindrical surface which, in combination with upper and
lower end plate members 8 and 9 respectively overlapping the upper
and lower ends of the cylindrical wall member, define an annular
compressor chamber 10. The rotor 11 is driven by an eccentric 12
formed on the shaft 3 within the cylinder 10. A vane 14 slidably
disposed within a radial slot extending through the cylinder wall 6
continuously engages the periphery of the rotor to divide the
cylinder 10 into a high-pressure side 16 and a low-pressure side
17.
Such hermetic compressors are particularly adapted to be connected
into a refrigeration system such as that shown in FIG. 5 of the
drawing so as to withdraw low-pressure or gaseous refrigerant from
an evaporator 18 through a suction line 19 discharge high-pressure
refrigerant through a discharge line 20 to a condenser 21. More
specifically, low-pressure refrigerant is conducted to the
low-pressure side 17 of the cylinder through an inlet passage 22
while high-pressure refrigerant from the high-pressure side 16 is
discharged through a discharge port 24 in the upper end plate
member 8 and a discharge valve (not shown) into the interior of the
case 1 from which it flows into the discharge line 20.
The construction of the suction port and valve means of the present
invention is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the
drawing. A surface portion 26 of the cylindrical wall member 6
which is an overlapping relationship with a surface portion 27 of
the lower end plate 9 includes a channel or recess 28 having a
slanting bottom wall 29 and opposed sidewalls 30. This channel
forms with the opposed surface portion 27 of the end plate member
9, a V-shpaed recess 31 opening into the compression chamber 10 or
more specifically into the low side 17. The inlet or port end 32 of
the inlet passage 22 opens into or through the slanting bottom wall
29.
A unitary or one piece vale means 34 formed of sheet metal is of a
generally V-shape. It comprises, as shown particularly in FIG. 4 of
the drawing, a base portion 35 forming one end of the vale means
and including a flange 36 adapted to be received in groove 33
provided at the rear or outer end of the slanting wall 29 for
positioning the valve in the recess 31. A flexible arm portion 37
of the valve, forming the main boy thereof extends from the base
portion 35 along the channel wall 29 and terminates the annular
valve member 38 overlying the port 32.
At least one arm, and preferably a pair of spaced arms, 39 struck
from the body portion extend form the base portion 35 at an angle
to and on opposite sides of the flexible arm 37. The primary
function of the arms 39 is to bias the valve member 38 into
operative or port closing position with reference to the port 32 by
bearing against the surface portion 37 of the end plate 9. When two
arms 39 are employed, the valve means may be of a width such that
these arms also engage the opposed sidewalls 30 of the channel to
aid in aligning the valve means within the channel.
In assemblying the compressor, the valve means 34 is positioned in
the channel 28 with the flange 36 inserted into groove 33. End
plate 9 is then placed on the cylindrical member 6 and fastened
thereto by bolts 40. Thus no means other then the clamping of the
valve 34 between the end plate 9 and the cylindrical wall member 6
is required to secure the vale means. During operation of the
compressor, the flexible arm 37 of the vale means flexes between
the port opening and closing positions and is biased to the port
closing position by arms 39. Opening movement of the valve is
limited by the surface portion 27 of the end plate opposite the
port 32 or in other words the end plate functions as a valve backer
or backing member.
While there has been shown and described a specific embodiment of
the present invention it will be understood that it is not limited
thereto and it is intended by the impended claims to cover all such
changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope
of the invention.
* * * * *