Bearing and unloader assembly for compressors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12486845-B2
Application number	US-202418438026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2024
Priority date	Sep 26, 2022
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

A bearing system for a compressor including an unloader at least partially received within a recess of a driveshaft. The unloader includes an outer surface that is engaged with a bearing. An inner surface of the unloader is curved such that the unloader is pivotable relative to the driveshaft unload forces on bearing caused by deflection of the driveshaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A compressor comprising:
a shell; a driveshaft including a driveshaft body, an eccentric body, and a recess defined at least in part by a back surface and a second surface arranged perpendicular to the back surface; a non-orbiting scroll disposed within the shell; an orbiting scroll disposed within the shell, the eccentric body drivingly engaged with the orbiting scroll; a bearing housing fixed within the shell; a bearing supported by the bearing housing, the bearing axially spaced from the non-orbiting and orbiting scrolls; and an unloader at least partially received within the recess of the driveshaft, the unloader having inner and outer surfaces, and the unloader is moveable within the recess relative to the back surface of the recess; and a retention ring configured to be received into a first channel formed on the outer surface of the unloader and a second channel formed on the driveshaft, wherein the retention ring retains the unloader at least partially within the recess of the driveshaft, wherein the retention ring is spaced from the bearing when the retention ring is disposed within the first and second channels.

2 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the unloader includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the inner surface extends between the first surface and the opposing second surface, and wherein the inner surface is convex in a direction parallel to an axis extending between the first surface and the second surface.

3 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the unloader includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the inner surface extends between the first surface and the opposing second surface, and wherein the inner surface is convex in a direction perpendicular to an axis extending between the first surface and the second surface.

4 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the unloader is dome shaped.

5 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the retention ring includes an elastic material, and the bearing is disposed radially outward relative to the unloader.

6 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the second surface is at least one of an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, wherein at least one of the back surface and the inner surface is curved.

7 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the recess includes a recess depth and the unloader includes a thickness that is greater than the recess depth such that at least a portion of the unloader extends outside of the recess in a radial direction of the driveshaft.

8 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the unloader is curved and has a radius of curvature that is substantially the same as a radius of curvature of the driveshaft.

9 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the unloader is constrained in an axial direction of the driveshaft when the unloader is at least partially disposed within the recess.

10 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the bearing is disposed radially outward relative to the unloader.

11 . A bearing assembly comprising:
a driveshaft including a driveshaft body, an eccentric body, and a recess defined at least in part by a back surface and a second surface arranged perpendicular to the back surface; a bearing housing; a bearing supported by the bearing housing; an unloader at least partially received within the recess of the driveshaft, the unloader having inner and outer surfaces, and the unloader is moveable within the recess relative to the back surface of the recess; and a retention ring configured to be received into a first channel formed on the outer surface of the unloader and a second channel formed on the driveshaft, wherein the retention ring retains the unloader at least partially within the recess of the driveshaft, wherein the retention ring is spaced from the bearing when the retention ring is disposed within the first and second channels.

12 . The bearing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the unloader includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the inner surface extends between the first surface and the opposing second surface, and wherein the inner surface is convex in a direction parallel to an axis extending between the first surface and the second surface.

13 . The bearing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the unloader includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the inner surface extends between the first surface and the opposing second surface, and wherein the inner surface is convex in a direction perpendicular to an axis extending between the first surface and the second surface.

14 . The bearing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the inner surface of the unloader is dome shaped.

15 . A compressor system comprising:
a compressor operable to compress a refrigerant, the compressor comprising: a shell; a driveshaft including a driveshaft body, an eccentric body, and a recess defined at least in part by a back surface and a second surface arranged perpendicular to the back surface; a non-orbiting scroll disposed within the shell; an orbiting scroll disposed within the shell, the eccentric body drivingly engaged with the orbiting scroll; a bearing housing fixed within the shell; a bearing supported by the bearing housing, the bearing axially spaced from the non-orbiting and orbiting scrolls; an unloader at least partially received within the recess of the driveshaft, the unloader having inner and outer surfaces, and the unloader is moveable within the recess relative to the back surface of the recess; a retention ring configured to be received into a first channel formed on the outer surface of the unloader and a second channel formed on the driveshaft, wherein the retention ring retains the unloader at least partially within the recess of the driveshaft, wherein the retention ring is spaced from the bearing when the retention ring is disposed within the first and second channels; a condenser downstream of the compressor; and an evaporator downstream of the condenser.

16 . The compressor system of claim 15 , wherein the unloader includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the inner surface extends between the first surface and the opposing second surface, and wherein the inner surface is convex in a direction parallel to an axis extending between the first surface and the second surface.

17 . The compressor system of claim 15 , wherein the unloader includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the inner surface extends between the first surface and the opposing second surface, and wherein the inner surface is convex in a direction perpendicular to an axis extending between the first surface and the second surface.

Assignees

• Copeland Lp

Inventors

• Ignatiev Kirill Michailovich
• Stover Robert Christopher
• Antimonov Mikhail A

Classifications

• F16C35/073

  between shaft and inner race ring · CPC title

• F16C23/088

  by means of crowning · CPC title

• F04C2240/605

  Shaft sleeves or details thereof · CPC title

• F04C2240/601

  Shaft flexion · CPC title

• F04C2240/50

  Bearings · CPC title