Scroll compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9145891-B2
Application number	US-201113005722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2011
Priority date	Jul 12, 2010
Publication date	Sep 29, 2015
Grant date	Sep 29, 2015

Abstract

A scroll compressor is provided. The scroll compressor may include a valve and a valve spring accommodated in a housing as one module, and the housing may be directly coupled to a fixed scroll. This may simplify assembly processes of the scroll compressor. Further, a sealing recess that communicates with a middle pressure chamber may be formed at the housing, thereby forming a damping space between a high pressure space and a low pressure space. This may prevent lowering of performance of the scroll compressor due to leakage of refrigerant inside the high pressure space to the low pressure space in a normal driving mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scroll compressor, comprising:
a hermetic container having an inner space divided into a low pressure space at a suction pressure and a high pressure space at a discharge pressure;
a compression device installed at or in the inner space of the hermetic container, and forming a compression chamber that consecutively moves as a plurality of spiral wraps provided at a plurality of scrolls perform a relative motion by being interlocked with one another; and
a valve assembly installed between the low pressure space and the high pressure space of the hermetic container, and configured to provide selective communication between the low pressure space and the high pressure space, wherein a sealing recess is formed at a contact surface between the compression device and the valve assembly, wherein the sealing recess communicates with an intermediate portion of the compression chamber to form an intermediate pressure between the suction pressure and the discharge pressure, wherein a first bypass passage configured to provide selective communication between the low pressure space and the high pressure space via the valve assembly is formed at or in the compression device, and wherein a portion of the first bypass passage is spaced apart from and surrounded by the sealing recess.

2. The scroll compressor of claim 1 , wherein the sealing recess is formed in a ring shape so as to surround the outlet of the first bypass passage.

3. The scroll compressor of claim 2 , wherein a second bypass passage configured to open and close the valve assembly according to a pressure of the compression chamber is formed at or in the compression device, wherein the sealing recess communicates with the second bypass passage.

4. conditioner comprising the scroll compressor of claim 1 .

5. The scroll compressor of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly comprises:
a housing installed between the low pressure space and the high pressure space, the housing having a valve hole that provides communication between the high pressure space and the low pressure space, a suction pressure hole that provides communication between the valve hole and the low pressure space, and a discharge pressure hole that provides communication between the valve hole and the high pressure space;
a valve slidably disposed within the valve hole, and configured to selectively open and close a flow path between the low pressure space and the high pressure space; and
an elastic member disposed at or in the valve hole, and configured to elastically support the valve, wherein a fixing portion configured to fix the valve assembly to the compression device is formed at or in the housing.

6. The scroll compressor of claim 5 , wherein the fixing portion is coupled to the outlet of the first bypass passage, and wherein a suction pressure hole is formed at or in the fixing portion so as to communicate with the first bypass passage.

7. The scroll compressor of claim 6 , wherein a second bypass passage configured to provide communication between an intermediate portion of the compression chamber and the high pressure space is formed at or in the compression device, wherein a middle pressure hole configured to provide communication between the second bypass passage and the valve hole is formed at or in the housing, wherein an end of the middle pressure hole is disposed at an opposite side to an end of the suction pressure hole with the valve interposed therebetween, and wherein the discharge pressure hole is formed between the middle pressure hole and the suction pressure hole.

8. The scroll compressor of claim 7 , wherein the sealing recess is formed between the second bypass passage and the middle pressure hole.

9. The scroll compressor of claim 7 , wherein a diameter of the second bypass passage is equal to or smaller than a gap between the plurality of wraps.

10. The scroll compressor of claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises:
a housing body having the valve hole, the middle pressure hole, the suction pressure hole, and the discharge pressure hole; and
a housing cover configured to cover the valve hole.

11. The scroll compressor of claim 10 , wherein the housing body and the housing cover are coupled to each other by at least one of pressing, welding, or a bolt.

12. The scroll compressor of claim 10 , wherein the housing body is provided with a cover supporting portion configured to support the housing cover, an end thereof being bent.

13. The scroll compressor of claim 10 , wherein a sealing member is interposed between the housing body and the housing cover.

14. The scroll compressor of claim 10 , wherein a sealing member is interposed between the housing body and the fixed scroll.

15. The scroll compressor of claim 10 , wherein the middle pressure hole is penetratingly formed at or in the housing body in a lengthwise direction, and wherein a communication recess configured to provide communication between the middle pressure hole and the valve hole is formed at or in the housing cover.

16. The scroll compressor of claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises:
a first housing having the valve hole, the middle pressure hole, and the discharge pressure hole; and
a second housing configured to cover the valve hole of the first housing, and having the suction pressure hole disposed therein.

17. The scroll compressor of claim 16 , wherein the first housing and the second housing are coupled to each other by at least one of pressing, welding, or a bolt.

18. The scroll compressor of claim 16 , wherein a sealing member is interposed between the first housing and the second housing.

19. The scroll compressor of claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises a housing body having the valve hole, the middle pressure hole, and the discharge pressure hole, and wherein one end of the valve hole which cons lutes an opening of the housing body is open to be connected to the first bypass passage, and is fixed to the compression device.

20. The scroll compressor of claim 5 , wherein the valve assembly is provided with a fixing portion formed on one side surface of the housing in a shape of a protrusion having a predetermined height and diameter.

21. The scroll compressor of claim 5 , wherein an outer circumferential surface of the housing of the valve assembly is insertingly fixed to the compression device.

22. An air conditioner comprising the scroll compressor of claim 5 .

Assignees

• Kim Pilhwan
• Roh Minwoo
• Oh Haejin
• Choi Sungwoo
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Pilhwan
• Roh Minwoo
• Oh Haejin
• Choi Sungwoo

Classifications

• F16K17/04

  spring-loaded · CPC title

• F04C28/16

  using lift valves · CPC title

• F04C18/0261

  Details of the ports, e.g. location, number, geometry · CPC title

• F04C28/26

  using bypass channels · CPC title

• F04C18/0215 Primary

  where only one member is moving · CPC title