Variable capacity cylinder and compressor comprising same

Abstract

The application provides a variable-capacity cylinder and a compressor comprising the same. The variable-capacity cylinder comprises a communication passage, a pressure control device and a control valve between the communication passage and the pressure control device. The pressure control device can switch between low pressure and high pressure according to working conditions. By controlling the control valve built in the compressor, the full capacity and the partial capacity of the compressor can be switched, so that the use range of the compressor can be widened, and the energy consumption can be saved in the transition season.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of compressor technology, and more particularly to a variable capacity cylinder and a compressor including the same. Background Technology

[0002] Seasonal temperature variations necessitate switching between full and minimal loads for the compressor. With a fixed rated displacement, changes in the compressor's output displacement can typically only be achieved by altering its rotational speed. However, due to reliability issues with the drive system and internal oil supply, ultra-low speeds are sometimes unattainable; and there seems to be no better way to achieve displacement changes between full and minimal loads. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a variable-capacity cylinder and a compressor comprising the same, which allows for the control of airflow between the connecting channel and the pressure control device via a control valve, thereby adjusting the exhaust angle of the variable-capacity cylinder and ultimately regulating the exhaust volume, enabling the compressor to switch between its rated and partial discharge capacities. Furthermore, the present invention is implemented entirely within the compressor housing, without affecting the compressor's installation.

[0004] This invention provides a variable capacity cylinder, comprising a cylinder body, a crankshaft, a sliding vane, a piston, a connecting channel, a pressure control device, and a control valve, wherein the piston is sleeved outside the crankshaft, wherein:

[0005] The first end of the connecting channel is connected to the cavity formed by the cylinder block, the crankshaft and the piston. The sliding vane elastically abuts against the piston, dividing the cavity into an intake chamber and an exhaust chamber. The second end of the connecting channel is connected to the control valve.

[0006] The control valve connects the communication channel and the pressure control device to control the airflow between the communication channel and the pressure control device.

[0007] Optionally, the pressure control device is a pressure control chamber or a pressure control pipeline.

[0008] Optionally, the cylinder body includes a cylinder, an upper cylinder head, and a lower cylinder head, and the control valve is disposed on the side of the cylinder, the upper cylinder head, or the lower cylinder head.

[0009] Optionally, when the control valve is located on the side of the cylinder, the connecting channel is located on the opposite side of the slide plate on the circumference of the side of the cylinder. Taking the position of the slide plate as 0° as a reference, the connecting channel is located between 150° and 230° to control the exhaust angle of the cylinder when the piston is rotating.

[0010] Optionally, the connecting channel is located between 160° and 200°.

[0011] Optionally, the control valve is configured to be in an open or closed state, and the exhaust volume in the cavity is controlled by controlling the air pressure in the pressure control device; when the control valve is closed, the air pressure in the exhaust cavity is P when the piston moves to the position of the connecting channel.

[0012] Optionally, the pressure control device includes a first pressure and a second pressure. The first pressure is configured to be greater than or equal to the exhaust chamber pressure P and less than or equal to the exhaust pressure of the cylinder. The second pressure is configured to be less than the exhaust chamber pressure P and greater than or equal to the intake pressure of the cylinder.

[0013] Optionally, the control valve is a solenoid valve or a mechanical valve.

[0014] Optionally, the mechanical valve is a one-way valve, an exhaust valve plate, or a three-way valve.

[0015] Optionally, the cylinder is composed of a first cylinder and a second cylinder, and an intermediate plate that serves as a separator is provided between the first cylinder and the second cylinder. The intermediate plate is divided into an upper intermediate plate and a lower intermediate plate, and the control valve is provided on the upper intermediate plate and the lower intermediate plate respectively.

[0016] Optionally, the control valve includes an upper cylinder control valve disposed on the upper intermediate plate and a lower cylinder control valve disposed on the lower intermediate plate, wherein the opening and closing states of the upper cylinder control valve and the lower cylinder control valve are independent of each other.

[0017] The present invention includes a compressor, wherein the compressor housing is provided with a variable capacity cylinder as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0018] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are as follows:

[0019] This invention controls the airflow between the connecting channel and the pressure control device via a control valve, adjusting the exhaust angle of the variable-capacity cylinder and thus regulating the exhaust volume. This allows the compressor to switch between full and partial displacement modes, saving energy during transitional seasons and expanding the compressor's applications. Furthermore, this invention is implemented entirely within the compressor housing, without affecting compressor installation.

[0020] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder of the prior art of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure Labels

[0026] 1 cylinder

[0027] 11 Slider

[0028] 12 air intake chambers

[0029] 13 Exhaust Chamber

[0030] 14 Pistons

[0031] 15-cylinder block

[0032] 2 First Cylinder

[0033] 21 Upper cylinder head

[0034] 22 Upper middle plate

[0035] 23 Upper cylinder control valve

[0036] 3 Second Cylinder

[0037] 31 Lower cylinder head

[0038] 32 Lower middle plate

[0039] 33 Lower cylinder control valve

[0040] 4. Pressure control device

[0041] 5 Connecting Channels

[0042] 6. Control valve

[0043] 7 Exhaust Angle Detailed Implementation

[0044] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. Although the present invention will be described and illustrated in conjunction with some specific embodiments, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, any modifications or equivalent substitutions made to the present invention should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0045] Furthermore, to better illustrate the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and components have not been described in detail in order to highlight the main points of the invention.

[0046] In this article, "vertical" refers to the axial direction of the compressor, "horizontal" refers to a plane parallel to the cross-section of the compressor, and "outward" refers to the direction away from the compressor along the axial direction.

[0047] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a variable capacity cylinder, including a cylinder body 15, a crankshaft, a sliding vane 11, a piston 14, a connecting channel 5, a pressure control device, and a control valve 6, wherein the piston is sleeved on the outside of the crankshaft.

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, the compressor cavity is formed by a cylinder block 15, a crankshaft, and a piston 14. A sliding vane 11 elastically abuts against the piston 14, dividing the cavity into an intake chamber 12 and an exhaust chamber 13. The cylinder block 15 includes a cylinder 1, an upper cylinder head 21, and a lower cylinder head 31. During cylinder 1 operation, the piston 14 rotates along the inner wall of the cylinder block 15 under the drive of the crankshaft, and the sliding vane 11 reciprocates against the piston 14, causing the volumes of the intake chamber 12 and the exhaust chamber 13 to continuously change. The cylinder block 15 is provided with an intake port and an exhaust port. Each rotation cycle of the piston 14 includes an intake cycle and an exhaust cycle. When the air pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 reaches a threshold, the exhaust port opens to exhaust air. When the rotational speed of the cylinder 1 remains constant, the timing of the exhaust port opening for exhaust during each rotation cycle of the piston 14 is essentially fixed. In other words, the ratio of the intake cycle to the exhaust cycle that constitutes the rotation cycle of the piston 14 is essentially fixed. In most cases, taking the position of the sliding vane 11 as 0° as a reference, when the piston 14 rotates counterclockwise to the range of 150° to 230°, the pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 reaches the threshold, and the exhaust port opens to begin exhausting. The exhaust angle of the exhaust chamber 13 is approximately in the range of 150° to 230°. When the cylinder 1 is at its lowest speed, the cylinder 1 can change the exhaust angle, exhausting not at the rated displacement but at a partial displacement, thus saving energy.

[0049] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the connecting channel 5 is connected to the cavity, and the second end of the connecting channel 5 is connected to the control valve 6; the cylinder body 15 includes a cylinder 1, an upper cylinder head 21, and a lower cylinder head 31, and the control valve 6 is disposed on the side 15 of the cylinder. The control valve 6 connects the connecting channel 5 and the pressure control device to control the airflow between the connecting channel 5 and the pressure control device. The control valve 6 is configured to be in an open or closed state, and intervenes in the pressure in the cavity by controlling the pressure in the pressure control device 4, thereby controlling the exhaust volume.

[0050] Specifically, when piston 14 rotates counterclockwise to the exhaust position, if control valve 6 is in the open state, the pressure control device is connected to the cavity. If the pressure in the pressure control device is equal to the pressure in the exhaust chamber 13, the air pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 is maintained, the time for the outlet to open for exhaust remains unchanged, the proportion of the exhaust cycle in the entire piston 14 rotation cycle remains unchanged, and the displacement of cylinder 1 is the rated displacement. If the pressure in the pressure control device is less than or equal to the pressure in the exhaust chamber 13, the air pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 decreases, the time for the outlet to open for exhaust is delayed, the proportion of the exhaust cycle in the entire piston 14 rotation cycle decreases, and the displacement of cylinder 1 decreases.

[0051] In another embodiment, when the control valve 6 is closed, the air pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 is P when the piston 14 moves to the connecting channel 5. The pressure in the pressure control device 4 is set to a first air pressure or a second air pressure. The first air pressure is configured to be greater than the exhaust chamber air pressure P and less than or equal to the cylinder's exhaust air pressure. The second air pressure is configured to be less than the exhaust chamber air pressure P and greater than or equal to the cylinder's intake air pressure. The pressure in the pressure control device 4 can switch between the first and second air pressures to control the angle at which the exhaust chamber 13 begins to exhaust. When the pressure in the pressure control device 4 is the second air pressure, before the piston moves counterclockwise from 0° to the position of the connecting channel 5, the exhaust chamber air pressure gradually increases. When the exhaust chamber air pressure exceeds the pressure in the pressure control device 4, the control valve 6 opens, the exhaust chamber 13 connects to the pressure control device 4, and the exhaust chamber air pressure is released to the pressure control device 4 through the connecting channel 5, thus reducing the exhaust chamber air pressure. After the piston moves to the connecting channel 5, it continues to rotate counterclockwise. At this time, the connecting channel 5 is located in the intake chamber 12, and the control valve 6 closes. During the period when control valve 6 is open, the pressure in exhaust chamber 13 is released, the exhaust angle increases, the exhaust time is delayed, and the exhaust cycle is shortened, resulting in exhaust at a displacement less than the rated displacement, thus achieving partial unloading. When the pressure in pressure control device 4 switches to the first pressure, control valve 6 remains closed throughout the cylinder's entire cycle, and the cylinder operates normally. That is to say, when the pressure in pressure control device 4 is the second pressure, the cylinder in this embodiment operates at a displacement lower than the rated displacement, which is beneficial for the compressor to save energy; when the pressure in pressure control device 4 is the first pressure, the pressure in pressure control device 4 has no effect on the exhaust volume of cylinder 1, and the compressor displacement returns to the rated displacement.

[0052] In one embodiment of the invention, the connecting channel is positioned between 150° and 230° to control the exhaust angle of the cylinder during piston rotation. Furthermore, the connecting channel is positioned between 160° and 200° to reduce the influence of the pressure control device on the exhaust pressure.

[0053] The position of the connecting channel 5 is adjustable. When the angle of the connecting channel 5 increases, the air pressure P in the exhaust chamber 13 also increases when the piston 14 reaches that angle, and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the first and second air pressures also increase accordingly. Conversely, when the angle of the connecting channel 5 decreases, the air pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 also decreases when the piston 14 reaches that angle, and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the first and second air pressures also decrease accordingly. In other words, the minimum and maximum values ​​of the first and second air pressures are both based on the value of P as a critical value. The magnitude of P determines the range of the first and second air pressures. Within the range of the second air pressure, increasing or decreasing the second air pressure directly affects the release rate of gas in the exhaust chamber 13 after the control device 6 is opened. The smaller the second air pressure, the greater the difference between it and the value of P, the earlier the partial unloading starts, the faster the pressure release in the exhaust chamber 13, and the larger the exhaust angle. In extreme cases, the second air pressure equals the intake air pressure, and the air pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 exceeds the second air pressure as soon as the piston crosses the 0° position. Control valve 6 opens to release air until piston 14 reaches the position of connecting channel 5 and then closes.

[0054] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, cylinder 1 consists of a first cylinder 2 and a second cylinder 3. An intermediate plate that serves as a separator is provided between the first cylinder 2 and the second cylinder 3. The intermediate plate is divided into an upper intermediate plate 22 and a lower intermediate plate 32. Control valves 6 are respectively provided on the upper intermediate plate 22 and the lower intermediate plate 32.

[0055] In this embodiment, the control valve 6 includes an upper cylinder control valve 23 located on the upper intermediate plate 22 and a lower cylinder control valve 33 located on the lower intermediate plate 32. The opening and closing states of the upper cylinder control valve 23 and the lower cylinder control valve 33 are independent of each other. Therefore, the exhaust volume of the first cylinder 2 and the exhaust volume of the second cylinder 3 can be controlled independently, resulting in different combinations. For example, the first cylinder 2 exhausts at its rated displacement, while the second cylinder 3 exhausts at a lower displacement than its rated displacement. The total exhaust volume of the compressor will fall between these values. By combining single-cylinder operation or multi-cylinder operation modes, precise control can be achieved, further saving energy.

[0056] Optionally, the pressure control device 4 can be a pressure control chamber or a pressure control pipeline. For example... Figure 2 As shown, when the pressure control device 4 is a pressure control chamber, the pressure control chamber is located between the upper intermediate plate 22 and the lower intermediate plate 32. The control valve 6 connects the connecting channel 5 and the pressure control chamber to control the airflow between the connecting channel 5 and the pressure control chamber. The control valve 6 is configured to be either open or closed, intervening in the pressure within the chamber by controlling the pressure inside the pressure control chamber, thereby controlling the exhaust volume. When the pressure control device 4 is a pressure control pipeline, the pressure control pipeline is connected to the connecting channel 5 through the control valve 6, and the pressure control pipeline leads to the outside of the cylinder 1.

[0057] In other implementations, the control valve 6 is located on the upper cylinder head 21 or the lower cylinder head 31.

[0058] Optionally, control valve 6 can be a solenoid valve or a mechanical valve.

[0059] When the control valve 6 is a mechanical valve, the mechanical valve is a check valve, an exhaust valve plate, or a three-way valve. Gas can only flow from the cavity to the pressure control device along the connecting channel 5, but cannot flow from the pressure control device to the cavity, thereby achieving gas diversion. The pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 is appropriately reduced, so that the time for the pressure in the exhaust chamber 13 to reach the threshold is delayed during the entire rotation cycle of the piston 14.

[0060] There can be more than one pressure control device 4. When multiple pressure control devices 4 are present, each pressure control device 4 maintains its set pressure, and a control valve 6 connected to the multiple pressure control devices 4 switches between the pressure control devices 4. In one embodiment, there are two pressure control chambers. The mechanical valve is a three-way valve, which is connected to both pressure control chambers simultaneously. The gas in the exhaust chamber 13 can be introduced into either of the two pressure control chambers by switching the three-way valve.

[0061] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a compressor, wherein the compressor housing is provided with a variable capacity cylinder as described in any of the above claims.

[0062] In summary, the variable capacity cylinder and compressor including the present invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0063] 1. By controlling the airflow between the connecting channel and the pressure control device through the control valve, the exhaust angle of the variable capacity cylinder is adjusted, thereby regulating the exhaust volume and realizing the switching between full and partial displacement of the compressor. This saves energy during transitional seasons and expands the application of the compressor.

[0064] Second, this invention is implemented entirely inside the compressor housing, without occupying additional installation space or affecting the installation of the compressor.

[0065] The above description, in conjunction with specific optional embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the present invention. It should not be construed that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, various simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all such modifications and substitutions should be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A variable capacity cylinder, comprising a cylinder body, a crankshaft, a sliding vane, a piston, a connecting channel, a pressure control device, and a control valve, wherein the piston is sleeved outside the crankshaft, wherein: The first end of the connecting channel is connected to the cavity formed by the cylinder block, the crankshaft and the piston. The sliding vane elastically abuts against the piston, dividing the cavity into an intake chamber and an exhaust chamber. The second end of the connecting channel is connected to the control valve. The control valve connects the connecting channel and the pressure control device to control the airflow between the connecting channel and the pressure control device. The control valve is configured to be in an open or closed state. By controlling the pressure in the pressure control device, the pressure in the cavity is intervened, thereby controlling the exhaust volume in the cavity. The pressure control device is a pressure control chamber or a pressure control pipeline; When the control valve is closed, when the piston moves to the angle where the connecting channel is located, the air pressure in the exhaust chamber is P. The air pressure of the pressure control device includes a first air pressure and a second air pressure. The first air pressure is configured to be greater than or equal to the exhaust chamber air pressure P and less than the exhaust air pressure of the cylinder. The second air pressure is configured to be less than the exhaust chamber air pressure P and greater than the intake air pressure of the cylinder. When the control valve is located on the side of the cylinder, the connecting channel is located on the opposite side of the slide plate on the circumference of the side of the cylinder. Taking the position of the slide plate as 0° as a reference, the connecting channel is located between 150° and 230° in the counterclockwise rotation direction of the piston, so as to control the exhaust angle of the cylinder when the piston is running.

2. The variable capacity cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinder body includes a cylinder, an upper cylinder head, and a lower cylinder head, and the control valve is located on the side of the cylinder.

3. The variable capacity cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting channel is located between 160° and 200° in the counterclockwise rotation direction of the piston.

4. The variable capacity cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control valve is a mechanical valve.

5. The variable capacity cylinder according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mechanical valve is a one-way valve or a three-way valve.

6. A compressor, characterized in that, The compressor housing is provided with a variable capacity cylinder as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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