Co-rotating compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111921-B2
Application number	US-201715425266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2017
Priority date	Feb 6, 2017
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A compressor may include first and second scroll members, first and second bearing housings, and a motor assembly. The first scroll member includes a first end plate and a first spiral wrap extending from the first end plate. The second scroll member includes a second end plate and a second spiral wrap extending from the second end plate and intermeshed with the first spiral wrap to define compression pockets therebetween. The first bearing housing supports the first scroll member for rotation about a first rotational axis. The second bearing housing may support the second scroll member for rotation about a second rotational axis that is parallel to and offset from the first rotational axis. The motor assembly may be disposed axially between the first and second bearing housings and may include a rotor attached to the first scroll member. The rotor may surround the first and second end plates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compressor comprising:
a first scroll member having a first end plate and a first spiral wrap extending from the first end plate;
a second scroll member having a second end plate and a second spiral wrap extending from the second end plate and intermeshed with the first spiral wrap to define compression pockets therebetween;
a first bearing housing supporting the first scroll member for rotation about a first rotational axis;
a second bearing housing supporting the second scroll member for rotation about a second rotational axis that is parallel to the first rotational axis and offset from the first rotational axis; and
a motor assembly disposed axially between the first and second bearing housings and including a rotor attached to the first scroll member, the rotor surrounding the first end plate and the second end plate,
wherein the first bearing housing includes a radially extending suction passage providing fluid communication between a suction inlet of a shell of the compressor and a suction inlet opening in the first end plate,
wherein a first end of the radially extending suction passage of the first bearing housing is disposed radially outward relative to the suction inlet opening of the first end plate, and
wherein a second end of the radially extending suction passage of the first bearing housing is disposed radially inward relative to the suction inlet opening of the first end plate such that working fluid exits the radially extending suction passage at a location that is disposed radially inward relative to the suction inlet opening such that windage produced by rotation of the first scroll member aids in forcing the working fluid radially outward toward the suction inlet opening.

2. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes a radially extending portion that extends radially relative to the first rotational axis and an axially extending portion that extends parallel to the first rotational axis.

3. The compressor of claim 2 , wherein the axially extending portion engages the first end plate and surrounds the second scroll member.

4. The compressor of claim 3 , further comprising a seal engaging the rotor and the second scroll member, wherein the radially extending portion engages the seal, and wherein the second end plate is disposed between the first end plate and the radially extending portion in a direction extending along the first rotational axis.

5. The compressor of claim 4 , wherein the radially extending portion includes an annular recess that encircles the first and second rotational axes, and wherein the seal is at least partially disposed within the annular recess.

6. The compressor of claim 5 , wherein the annular recess is in fluid communication with a passage formed in the second end plate, wherein the passage is in fluid communication with intermediate-pressure fluid in one of the compression pockets, wherein the intermediate-pressure fluid is at a pressure greater than a suction pressure at which the fluid enters the compressor and less than a discharge pressure at which the fluid exits the compressor, and wherein the intermediate-pressure fluid in the recess biases the second end plate in an axial direction toward the first end plate and away from the radially extending portion of the rotor.

7. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the shell cooperates with the first bearing housing to define a discharge chamber and a suction chamber, wherein the discharge chamber receives fluid discharged from a radially inner one of the compression pockets, wherein the suction chamber provides fluid to a radially outer one of the compression pockets, and wherein the first bearing housing defines a high-side lubricant sump disposed within the discharge chamber.

8. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the first bearing housing includes a flange portion and an annular wall, the annular wall surrounding the first end plate, the flange portion disposed at an axial end of the annular wall and including a central hub that rotatably supports the first scroll member, wherein the radially extending suction passage extends radially through the flange portion, and wherein the first end of the radially extending suction passage is disposed radially outward relative to the annular wall and the second end of the radially extending suction passage is disposed radially inward of the annular wall.

9. The compressor of claim 8 , wherein the annular wall defines a suction baffle that directs working fluid from the suction inlet of the shell to the radially extending suction passage, and wherein the first end of the radially extending suction passage is disposed between first and second walls of the suction baffle.

10. The compressor of claim 8 , wherein the second end of the radially extending suction passage is disposed radially inward relative to an annular shroud mounted to the first end plate.

11. A compressor comprising:
a shell;
a first compression member disposed within the shell and rotating relative to the shell about a first rotational axis;
a second compression member disposed within the shell and cooperating with the first compression member to define compression pockets therebetween;
a motor assembly disposed within the shell and drivingly coupled to the first compression member, the motor assembly including a rotor attached to the first compression member and surrounding at least a portion of the first compression member and at least a portion of the second compression member, the rotor includes an axially extending portion and a radially extending portion, the axially extending portion extends parallel to the first rotational axis and engages the first compression member, the radially extending portion extends radially inward from an axial end of the axially extending portion, wherein the first and second compression members are first and second scroll members each having an end plate and a spiral wrap extending from the end plate, and wherein the end plate of the second scroll member is disposed between the end plate of the first scroll member and the radially extending portion of the rotor in a direction extending along the first rotational axis; and
a first bearing housing supporting the first scroll member for rotation about a first rotational axis, the first bearing housing including a radially extending suction passage providing fluid communication between a suction inlet of the shell and a suction inlet opening in the end plate of the first scroll member,
wherein the first bearing housing includes a flange portion and an annular wall, the annular wall surrounding the end plate of the first scroll member, the flange portion disposed at an axial end of the annular wall and including a central hub that rotatably supports the first scroll member, and wherein the radially extending suction passage extends radially through the flange portion and includes a first end disposed radially outward relative to the annular wall and a second end disposed radially inward of the annular wall and radially inward relative to an annular shroud mounted to the end plate of the first scroll member.

12. The compressor of claim 11 , wherein the annular wall defines a suction baffle that directs working fluid from the suction inlet of the shell to the radially extending suction passage, and wherein the first end of the radially extending suction passage is disposed between first and second walls of the suction baffle.

13. The compressor of claim 11 , further comprising a seal engaging the rotor and the second scroll member, wherein the radially extending portion engages the seal.

14. The compressor of claim 13 ,

Assignees

• Emerson Climate Technologies

Inventors

• Doepker Roy J
• Stover Robert C

Classifications

• F04C2250/101

  of the inlet · CPC title

• F04C29/0085

  Prime movers · CPC title

• F04C27/001

  Radial sealings for working fluid · CPC title

• F04C27/00

  Sealing arrangements in rotary-piston pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids · CPC title

• F04C18/0223 Primary

  with symmetrical double wraps · CPC title