Suction muffler for a reciprocating compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11530695-B1
Application number	US-202117365882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2021
Priority date	Jul 1, 2021
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A reciprocating compressor includes a piston slidably mounted within a compression chamber and defining a suction port for receiving a flow of gas. A flex mount is mechanically coupled to the piston and has an inner surface that defines a suction cavity. A suction muffler is positioned at least partially within the suction cavity and includes an inlet tube extending along the axial direction within the suction cavity and defining an inlet passageway configured to receive the flow of gas and a plurality of chamber plates that extend along the radial direction from an outer surface of the inlet tube, the plurality of chamber plates and the flex mount defining a plurality of resonance chambers to reduce compressor noise.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reciprocating compressor defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the reciprocating compressor comprising:
a cylindrical casing defining a compression chamber;
a piston positioned within the compression chamber and being movable along the axial direction, the piston defining a suction port for receiving a flow of gas;
a flex mount mechanically coupled to the piston, the flex mount having an inner surface that defines a suction cavity; and
a suction muffler positioned at least partially within the suction cavity of the flex mount, the suction muffler comprising:
an inlet tube extending along the axial direction within the suction cavity and defining an inlet passageway configured to receive the flow of gas; and
a plurality of chamber plates that extend along the radial direction from an outer surface of the inlet tube, the plurality of chamber plates and the flex mount defining a plurality of resonance chambers.

2. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chamber plates comprises a first chamber plate and a second chamber plate, and wherein the plurality of resonance chambers comprises a primary resonance chamber defined by the first chamber plate, the second chamber plate, the inlet tube, and the inner surface of the flex mount.

3. The reciprocating compressor of claim 2 , wherein the primary resonance chamber defines a primary resonant frequency corresponding to a primary pulsation frequency of a suction valve of the reciprocating compressor.

4. The reciprocating compressor of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of chamber plates comprises a third chamber plate and wherein the plurality of resonance chambers comprises an auxiliary resonance chamber defined by the second chamber plate, the third chamber plate, the inlet tube, and the inner surface of the flex mount.

5. The reciprocating compressor of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of chamber plates comprises a fourth chamber plate and wherein the plurality of resonance chambers comprises a tertiary resonance chamber defined by the third chamber plate, the fourth chamber plate, the inlet tube, and the inner surface of the flex mount.

6. The reciprocating compressor of claim 3 , wherein the primary resonance chamber has a one-quarter wavelength Helmholtz resonator frequency tuned to the primary pulsation frequency of the suction valve.

7. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of resonance chambers are Helmholtz resonators.

8. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , wherein the inlet tube defines a plurality of chamber ports, at least one of the plurality of chamber ports providing fluid communication between the inlet passageway and each of the plurality of resonance chambers.

9. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of chamber plates extends outward from the inlet tube along the radial direction to contact the inner surface of the flex mount.

10. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , wherein the suction muffler is injection molded from nylon, polyamide, or flexible plastic.

11. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , wherein the flex mount defines a locking flange that extends from the inner surface of the flex mount toward the suction muffler along the radial direction, and wherein the suction muffler further comprises:
a latching feature that engages the locking flange to secure the suction muffler within the suction cavity.

12. The reciprocating compressor of claim 11 , wherein the latching feature is defined on an inlet plate of the plurality of chamber plates and extends away from remaining plates of the plurality of chamber plates along the axial direction.

13. The reciprocating compressor of claim 11 , wherein the latching feature defines a ramped surface for engaging the locking flange as the suction muffler is rotated, wherein the latching feature is deflected until the locking flange is seated in a locking recess defined by the latching feature.

14. The reciprocating compressor of claim 11 , wherein the flex mount defines a plurality of locking flanges and the suction muffler defines a plurality of latching features.

15. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve positioned over the suction port for selectively permitting the flow of gas through the suction port and into the compression chamber.

16. The reciprocating compressor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor for reciprocating a mover along the axial direction, wherein the flex mount is mechanically coupled to the mover for reciprocating the piston along the axial direction.

17. A suction muffler for a reciprocating compressor, the reciprocating compressor defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the reciprocating compressor comprising a piston positioned within a compression chamber, a flex mount mechanically coupled to a piston and having an inner surface that defines a suction cavity and a locking flange that extends from the inner surface of the flex mount toward the suction muffler along the radial direction, the suction muffler comprising:
an inlet tube extending along the axial direction within the suction cavity and defining an inlet passageway configured to receive a flow of gas;
a plurality of chamber plates that extend along the radial direction from an outer surface of the inlet tube, the plurality of chamber plates and the flex mount defining a plurality of resonance chambers; and
a latching feature that engages the locking flange to secure the suction muffler within the suction cavity.

18. The suction muffler of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of chamber plates comprises a first chamber plate and a second chamber plate, and wherein the plurality of resonance chambers comprises a primary resonance chamber defined by the first chamber plate, the second chamber plate, the inlet tube, and the inner surface of the flex mount.

19. The suction muffler of claim 18 , wherein the primary resonance chamber defines a primary resonant frequency corresponding to a primary pulsation frequency of a suction valve of the reciprocating compressor.

20. The suction muffler of claim 17 , wherein the latching feature defines a ramped surface for engaging the locking flange as the suction muffler is rotated, wherein the latching feature is deflected until the locking flange is seated in a locking recess defined by the latching feature.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Hahn Gregory William

Classifications

• F04B39/0072

  characterised by assembly or mounting · CPC title

• F04B39/0061 Primary

  using muffler volumes · CPC title

• F04B35/045

  using solenoids · CPC title

• F04B35/04

  the means being electric · CPC title

• F04B39/0027 Primary

  Pulsation and noise damping means · CPC title