Key coupling and scroll compressor incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9568002-B2
Application number	US-201514715059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	Jan 17, 2008
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A scroll compressor includes a fixed scroll compressor body and a moveable scroll compressor body that are arranged for relative orbital movement relative to one another to facilitate compression of refrigerant. The scroll compressor includes a key coupling acting upon the moveable scroll compressor body. The key coupling includes a ring body with a plurality of keys, with key contact surfaces, each of the keys projecting axially from the ring body. The key coupling includes four keys in separate quadrants defined by perpendicular lateral axes. The key coupling guides orbital movement of the moveable scroll compressor body along a linear translational path along a lateral axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scroll compressor, comprising:
a housing;
scroll compressor bodies including a fixed scroll compressor body and a moveable scroll compressor body, the moveable scroll compressor body being moveable relative to the housing, the scroll compressor bodies having respective bases and respective scroll ribs that project from the respective bases and which mutually engage, the scroll ribs substantially surrounding a central axis, wherein the scroll compressor bodies are moveable relative to one another along first and second lateral axes, the first and second lateral axes and the central axis being substantially mutually perpendicular; and
a key coupling including a ring body, six boss portions projecting vertically from the ring body; and
six keys, each of the six keys projecting vertically from a respective one of the six boss portions, and each of the six keys engaging either the fixed or the moveable scroll compressor body;
wherein the six keys are spaced around the ring body such that any two adjacent keys have an angular separation less than or equal to 65 degrees.

2. The scroll compressor of claim 1 , wherein each of the six boss portions includes a flat elevated surface adjacent to the key projecting from that boss portion.

3. The scroll compressor of claim 1 , wherein each of the six keys includes a step on at least one side of the key.

4. The scroll compressor of claim 1 , wherein four of the six keys each includes a vertically-oriented contact face that slidingly engages a flange portion of the moveable scroll compressor body.

5. The scroll compressor of claim 4 , wherein the vertically-oriented contact face is adjacent a horizontally-oriented contact face that slidingly engages a bottom edge of the flange portion of the moveable scroll compressor body.

6. The scroll compressor of claim 1 , wherein the six keys include first, second, third, and fourth keys with each of the first, second, third, and fourth keys being in a separate one of four quadrants defined by the first and second lateral axes, the six keys further including fifth and sixth keys which are received in first and second keyway slots defined by the fixed scroll compressor body, respectively, the fifth and sixth keys and the first and second keyway slots being aligned along the first lateral axis.

7. The scroll compressor of claim 6 , wherein the ring body has four mounting zones, each mounting zone being a portion of the ring body that connects one of the fifth and sixth keys to an adjacent one of the first, second, third and fourth keys, wherein each of the mounting zones has a top surface, and wherein each of the four top surfaces includes a flat portion, and each of the four flat portions lies in a common plane.

8. The scroll compressor of claim 6 , wherein the fifth and sixth keys are aligned with the first lateral axis and, wherein the fifth and sixth keys are spaced further from the second lateral axis than any of the at least four keys.

9. The scroll compressor of claim 6 , wherein the first key is spaced from 25 degrees to 65 degrees relative to the fifth key, and the second key is spaced from negative 25 degrees to negative 65 degrees relative to the fifth key; and
wherein the third key is spaced from 25 degrees to 65 degrees relative to the sixth key, and the fourth key is spaced from negative 25 degrees to negative 65 degrees relative to the sixth key.

10. The scroll compressor of claim 6 , wherein the first key is spaced from 35 degrees to 55 degrees relative to the fifth key, and the second key is spaced from negative 35 degrees to negative 55 degrees relative to the fifth key; and
wherein the third key is spaced from 35 degrees to 55 degrees relative to the sixth key, and the fourth key is spaced from negative 35 degrees to negative 55 degrees relative to the sixth key.

11. The scroll compressor of claim 6 , wherein the six keys are spaced around the ring body such that any two adjacent keys have an angular separation of between 55 degrees and 65 degrees.

12. A scroll compressor, comprising:
scroll compressor bodies including a fixed scroll compressor body and a moveable scroll compressor body, the fixed and moveable scroll compressor bodies having respective bases and respective scroll ribs that project from the respective bases and which mutually engage, the scroll ribs substantially surrounding a central axis, wherein the scroll compressor bodies are moveable relative to one another along first and second lateral axes, the first and second lateral axes and the central axis all intersecting at a point and being substantially mutually perpendicular;
a key coupling including a ring body and six keys projecting vertically above the ring body, the six keys including first, second, third, and fourth keys arranged in a rectangular configuration, and configured to engage first and second guiding flanges that form part of a base for the moveable scroll compressor body, the first and second guiding flanges projecting in directions that are parallel to the second lateral axis, the moveable scroll compressor body further including plate members that form a part of the base different from that formed by the first and second guiding flanges, the plate members projecting in directions that are parallel to the first lateral axis;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth keys each include a first contact face that allows the moveable scroll compressor body to move linearly relative to the key coupling by a contact interface between the key coupling and the moveable scroll compressor body;
wherein the six keys are s paced around the ring body such that any two adjacent keys have an angular separation less than or equal to 65 degrees.

13. The scroll compressor of claim 12 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth keys each include a second contact face that engages a bottom edge of one of the first and second guiding flanges to maintain a horizontally level position of the moveable scroll compressor body.

14. The scroll compressor of claim 12 , wherein the six keys include fifth and sixth keys configured to interface with the fixed scroll compressor body, the fifth and sixth keys being aligned with the first lateral axis, and spaced further from the second lateral axis than any of the first, second, third, and fourth keys.

15. The scroll compressor of claim 14 , wherein the ring body has four mounting zones, each mounting zone being a portion of the ring body that connects one of the fifth and sixth keys to an adjacent one of the first, second, third and fourth keys, wherein each of the four mounting zones has a top surface that includes a flat portion, and wherein each of the four flat portions lies in a common plane.

16. The scroll compressor of claim 12 , wherein the six keys are spaced around the ring body such that any two adjacent keys have an angular separation of between 55 degrees and 65 degrees.

17. The scroll compressor of claim 12 , wherein the first key is spaced from 25 degrees to 65 degrees relative to the fifth key, and the second key is spaced from negative 25 degrees to negative 65 degrees relative to the fifth key; and
wherein the third key is spaced from 25 degrees to 65 degrees relative to the sixth key, and the fourth key is spaced from negative 25 degrees to negative 65 degrees relative to the sixth key.

18. The scroll compressor of claim 12 , wherein the first key is spaced from 35 degrees to 55 degrees relative to the fifth key, and the second key is spaced from negative 35 degrees to negative 55 degrees relative to the fifth key; a

Assignees

• Duppert Ronald J
• Bush James W
• Bitzer Kuehlmaschinenbau Gmbh

Inventors

• Duppert Ronald J
• Bush James W

Classifications

• F04C18/0223

  with symmetrical double wraps · CPC title

• F04C18/0215

  where only one member is moving · CPC title

• F01C17/066 Primary

  with an intermediate piece sliding along perpendicular axes, e.g. Oldham coupling · CPC title

• F04C29/005 Primary

  Means for transmitting movement from the prime mover to driven parts of the pump, e.g. clutches, couplings, transmissions · CPC title

• F04C23/008

  Hermetic pumps · CPC title