Refrigerant compressor provided with a sound damper for an air condtioning unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a refrigerant compressor provided with a muffler for an air conditioning unit in a vehicle, wherein the refrigerant compressor includes a swash plate or pivoting ring rotatably supported in a casing of the refrigerant compressor for driving axially moving pistons arranged in cylinders, a suction side provided with an inlet channel and an inlet chamber, and a pressure side provided with an outlet channel and an outlet chamber. The muffler including a partition wall having a plurality of apertures formed therein is disposed in at least one of the suction side and the outlet side of the casing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority to German Patent Application Serial Number 102006044821.9-15, filed Sep. 14, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a refrigerant compressor provided with a muffler for an air conditioning unit in a vehicle, and more particularly to a muffler including a partition wall having a plurality of apertures formed therein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In vehicles, mufflers are used in order to damp noise, especially noise caused by pressure pulsations. The process of compression of a refrigerant such as CO2, for example, in a compressor causes pressure pulsations which can be transmitted to an air conditioning unit over an inlet and an outlet of the compressor. The pressure pulsations can be perceived as unwanted noise in an interior of a vehicle by occupants of the vehicle.[0004]In practice, different structures are u...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]In DE 43 42 299 A1, a refrigerant compressor is disclosed for an air conditioning unit for use in a vehicle. The compressor includes a swash plate with axially moving pistons arranged in cylinder bodies, a suction side with a suction channel and inlet valves, and a high-pressure side with outlet valves. In the compressor, a damping device is disposed including a diffuser insert disposed in the suction channel. The diffuser insert includes an inflow pipe connection followed by a pipe with a closed face and a pipe jacket with holes. The holes form a fluid connection between the suction channel and the inflow pipe connection. A disadvantage of the invention is that the diffuser is an insert that has to be manufactured separately, which increases manufacturing costs and may cause incorrect flow in a sealing region of the suction or the pressure connections.

[0006]In DE 100 11 023 A1, a muffler for a connection to a pressure outlet of a compressor is disclosed. A partition wall is disposed between a bottom wall and a top wall dividing an interior of a casing into an inflow chamber and an outflow chamber. The partition wall includes a passage zone having several small holes. Parallel to the partition wall, a passage zone is at a distance to an inflow opening and an outflow opening. The partition wall is disposed such that a gaseous medium delivered by the compressor flows from the inflow opening through the inflow chamber to the passage zone and from the passage zone through the outflow chamber to the outflow opening.

[0007]A particular disadvantage of the muffler as an external component is the amount of assembly space for disposition of the compressor. In addition, the muffler can only be used on the high pressure side of the compressor.

[0008]Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,891, a swash plate compressor is disclosed having a muffler on a high-pressure side. The muffler comprises a stilling chamber into which a pipe leads which is established as a separate component and is provided with holes for a refrigerant. The pipe is disposed in a portion of the high-pressure channel. Two disadvantages of the invention are: (1) the pipe, as a separate component, increases manufacturing costs; and (2) the muffler is prevented from being used on the suction side of the swash plate compressor.

[0009]Furthermore, in EP 1 270 945 A1, a compressor is disclosed with a structure for pressure pulsation attenuation. The structure includes two holes distanced from each other that connect an outlet chamber to an outlet. The defined distance between both holes causes two pressure waves to develop with corresponding amplitudes. The superposition of which results in a pressure wave having a reduced amplitude, and hence, in sound damping of the pressure pulsations. However, the pressure pulsations generated by a refrigerant compressor capable of utilizing CO2 are prevented from being sufficiently attenuated.

[0010]It would be desirable to produce a refrigerant compressor having a muffler for an air conditioning unit in a vehicle that efficiently attenuates pressure pulsations and is cost effective.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems solved by technology

A disadvantage of the invention is that the diffuser is an insert that has to be manufactured separately, which increases manufacturing costs and may cause incorrect flow in a sealing region of the suction or the pressure connections.

A particular disadvantage of the muffler as an external component is the amount of assembly space for disposition of the compressor.

In addition, the muffler can only be used on the high pressure side of the compressor.

Two disadvantages of the invention are: (1) the pipe, as a separate component, increases manufacturing costs; and (2) the muffler is prevented from being used on the suction side of the swash plate compressor.

The superposition of which results in a pressure wave having a reduced amplitude, and hence, in sound damping of the pressure pulsations.

However, the pressure pulsations generated by a refrigerant compressor capable of utilizing CO2 are prevented from being sufficiently attenuated.

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