Scroll compressor

Abstract

Scroll compressor, comprising: a sealed container (1); a compression mechanism (5) housed in the sealed container (1), the compression mechanism (5) comprising a fixed scroll (51) engaged with an orbiting scroll (52), thereby forming a compression chamber (53); an inlet pipe (4) penetrating an upper end of the sealed container (1), the inlet pipe (4) being adapted to supply refrigerant to the compression chamber (53); an inlet element (6) comprising a hole (61) for inserting the inlet conduit (4) and a first passage (62) extending from the hole (61); and a valve stop (7) mounted on the fixed scroll (51) and comprising a second passage (71), wherein the valve stop (7) is positioned below the inlet element (6), wherein the first passage (62) of the inlet element (6) communicates with the second passage (71) of the valve stop (7) to provide a non-complex inlet flow path, and wherein the valve stop (7) is adapted to engage a check valve (8).

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a scroll compressor (which may also be referred to as a scroll compressor). Background of the invention

[0002] Traditionally, a compressor provides an inlet line through the side of a sealed vessel to transfer and introduce refrigerant from the top of a stationary scroll into a compression chamber. This means the refrigerant must flow through a complex, tortuous, or indirect inlet flow path before reaching the compression chamber, causing high discharge superheat due to the long flow path. Furthermore, the complex inlet flow path can lead to increased friction and pressure drop within the refrigeration cycle, reducing the overall efficiency of the scroll compressor.

[0003] Therefore, a non-complex or direct inlet flow path has been developed to allow the refrigerant to enter the compression chamber more efficiently and reduce the temperature of the discharged refrigerant gas. To provide the non-complex inlet flow path for the scroll compressor, a part must be provided that connects the inlet duct and the inlet hole connecting to the compression chamber. As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. JP 7 216 311 B1, hereinafter referred to as PTL1, the scroll compressor is proposed to have a connecting element.

[0004] The above-mentioned scroll compressor has an inlet conduit passing through an upper end of a casing, the inlet conduit being directly connected to an inlet of the connecting member. The connecting member, attached to a fixed end plate of a fixed scroll, includes an inner passage, an inlet of the inner passage being bent upward to be fitted with the inlet conduit or a connecting member, and an outlet of the inner passage being bent downward and communicating with the inlet passage leading to the compression chamber. Furthermore, a check valve is positioned in a valve chamber connected to the downwardly bent portion of the inner passage.

[0005] However, the structure of the above-mentioned invention indicates that a leakage possibility may exist because the valve chamber and the outlet of the connecting element have the same diameter, resulting in relatively low efficiency. This low efficiency of the scroll compressor results from potential refrigerant leakage, which reduces the effective refrigerant flow and cooling capacity in the scroll compressor. In addition, the same diameter can cause swirling and pressure drop and / or pressure loss, further reducing the scroll compressor's ability to maintain optimal pressure levels, resulting in higher energy consumption and reduced overall efficiency.

[0006] Thus, there remains a need to invent and develop a scroll compressor having a non-complex inlet flow path with an effective backflow prevention structure to maximize compressor efficiency by reducing discharge superheat, pressure loss and / or pressure drop, and vortex formation, while also preventing leakage due to the above-mentioned circumstance. Citation listPatent literature

[0007] PTL1: Japanese Patent No. JP 7 216 311 B1 Brief description of the invention

[0008] It is an object of the invention to provide a scroll compressor with a non-complex and shorter refrigerant inlet flow path with an effective backflow prevention structure designed to maximize the efficiency of the scroll compressor by reducing discharge superheat and pressure loss. Furthermore, the refrigerant inlet flow path is designed to reduce swirl formation, thereby providing a uniform flow, resulting in efficient refrigerant flow and improving the overall efficiency of the scroll compressor.

[0009] To achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a scroll compressor comprising: a sealed container, a fixed scroll engaged with an orbiting scroll, thereby forming a compression chamber in the sealed container, an inlet conduit disposed through an upper end of the sealed container and configured to supply refrigerant to the compression chamber, an inlet member assembled with the inlet conduit and including a first passage, a valve stopper including a second passage, disposed on top of the fixed scroll and below the inlet member, the first passage of the inlet member communicating with the second passage of the valve stopper, and a check valve provided in a valve chamber disposed in the fixed scroll and configured toCompletely seal an outlet of the second passage of the valve stop to prevent backflow or interrupt the flow of refrigerant. The refrigerant flows through the inlet line, enters the first passage of the inlet element, continues into the second passage of the valve stop, passes through the valve chamber, and finally flows through an inlet hole before entering the compression chamber. This provides a non-complex or semi-direct inlet flow path with the backflow prevention structure, resulting in improved refrigerant flow and better efficiency by reducing discharge superheat, pressure loss and / or pressure drop, and vortex formation.

[0010] In addition, one inlet of the second passage of the valve stop is filleted. As such, the refrigerant flow is more stable and vortex formation can be reduced, improving the overall efficiency of the scroll compressor. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a scroll compressor including an inlet member and a valve stopper according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of an upper portion within a sealed canister of a scroll compressor, showing an assembly of an inlet member and a valve stop; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an upper portion of a scroll compressor showing a flow path of refrigerant. Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Fig. 1 is an explanatory view illustrating a schematic configuration of a scroll compressor by showing a longitudinal sectional view of the scroll compressor. The scroll compressor includes a sealed container 1, a suction pipe 2 penetrating the sealed container 1, a discharge pipe 3 discharging the refrigerant gas to the outside, an inlet pipe 4 penetrating the sealed container 1 and configured to supply the refrigerant gas present in a refrigerant cycle, a compression mechanism 5 including a fixed scroll 51 and an orbiting scroll 52, a motor housed in the sealed container 1, and a crankshaft that transmits power from the motor to the orbiting scroll 52 to drive the compression mechanism 5.

[0013] Furthermore, with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an inlet member 6 is provided on top of a valve stop 7 attached to the fixed scroll 51, wherein the inlet member 6 has a hole 61 into which the inlet pipe 4 is inserted. In addition, the inlet member 6 also includes a first passage 62 configured to be the flow path of the refrigerant gas. The valve stop 7 includes a second passage 71 communicating between the first passage 62 and a valve chamber 81 formed in the fixed scroll 51. A check valve 8 is provided and configured in the valve chamber 81 to allow the refrigerant gas to flow into the compression chamber 53 and to prevent backflow of the refrigerant gas from the compression chamber 53, which will be described later.

[0014] An upper portion of the compression mechanism 5 is supported by a middle housing member 11 of the sealed container 1, as shown in Fig. 1. The compression mechanism 5 is secured to the central housing member 11 of the sealed container 1 by shrink fitting or another similar method serving the same purpose.

[0015] Referring to Fig. 1, the suction line 2 is penetrating an upper end of the sealed container 1 and connected to the compression mechanism 5. The suction line 2 is configured to draw a low-pressure refrigerant gas from the outside into the compression mechanism 5. The discharge line 3 is configured to discharge a high-pressure refrigerant gas to the outside of the scroll compressor, and the discharge line 3 is also connected to the sealed container 1.

[0016] The inlet line 4 is penetrating the upper end of the sealed container 1 and supplies an intermediate-pressure refrigerant gas present in the refrigerant circuit to the compression chamber 53 of the compression mechanism 5. Additionally, an external line 41 may be provided, and the inlet line 4 may be penetrating the sealed container 1 through the external line 41.

[0017] The compression mechanism 5 is housed in the sealed container 1 and is designed to compress the refrigerant gas sucked from the suction line 2 by rotating the crankshaft driven by the engine. As shown in Fig. 1, the compression mechanism 5 includes the fixed scroll 51 which engages with the orbiting scroll 52, thereby forming a compression chamber 53.

[0018] A lower end portion of the fixed scroll 51 is fixed to the center housing member 11, and the fixed scroll 51 includes a fixed scroll base plate and a fixed scroll wrap having an involute curve shape to form a spiral body and erected on a surface of the fixed scroll base plate. Furthermore, an outlet port is provided for discharging a compressed refrigerant gas formed in a central part of the fixed scroll 51.

[0019] The orbiting scroll 52 is designed to orbit relative to the fixed scroll 51 without rotating by an unillustrated Oldham mechanism (not shown in the figure). As shown in Fig. 1, the orbiting scroll 52 includes an orbiting scroll base plate and an orbiting scroll wrap having a developed curved shape to form a scroll body and erected on a surface of the orbiting scroll base plate. An orbiting bearing formed in a bottom-faced cylindrical shape is formed in a substantially central part on a bottom surface of the orbiting scroll base plate. An eccentric shaft portion installed at an upper end of the crankshaft is fitted into the orbiting bearing to cause the orbiting scroll 52 to orbit. The orbiting scroll wrap is configured to mesh with the fixed scroll wrap and counter-orbit, thereby forming the compression chamber 53 between the fixed scroll wrap and the orbiting scroll wrap.

[0020] Fig. Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of the upper portion inside the scroll compressor, illustrating the assembly of the inlet member 6 and the valve stopper 7 of the embodiment of this invention. The inlet member 6 has the hole 61 that is assembled with a lower portion of the inlet duct 4, and the inlet member 6 also includes the first passage 62 extending from the hole 61. Specifically, the first passage 62 is a horizontal passage extending from the hole 61, and the first passage 62 is formed as the horizontal passage because the positions of the inlet duct 4 and the valve chamber 81 connected to the inlet hole 55 are offset from each other due to the structure of the scroll compressor. Thus, a suitable method for connecting the flow path is to construct it as a horizontal passage.The hole 61 may be formed upright as a portion for inserting the inlet pipe 4.

[0021] In some embodiments, the inlet member 6 may provide the refrigerant gas flow path as, but not limited to, an L-path or an inverted L-path formed by the hole 61 connected to the first passage 62.

[0022] Furthermore, in one embodiment, a bottom surface of the inlet member 6 has a first groove 63, and a first seal 64 is arranged in the first groove 63 to seal between a lower surface of the inlet member 6 and an upper surface of the valve stop 7 to prevent leakage.

[0023] The valve stopper 7 is positioned below or attached to the bottom of the inlet member 6, and the valve stopper 7 is mounted on top of the fixed scroll 51. Additionally, due to the structure of the scroll compressor, the valve stopper 7 and the inlet member 6 may be mounted spaced apart from a center axis of the fixed scroll 51 of the compression mechanism 5. The valve stopper 7 is provided to engage the valve stopper 8 by absorbing the movement of the valve stopper 8 to seal or close, and the valve stopper 7 is provided to reduce swirl formation before the refrigerant gas flows to the compression chamber 53.In this embodiment, the valve stop 7 includes the second passage 71, wherein the valve stop 7 is positioned below the inlet member 6, wherein the first passage 62 of the inlet member 6 communicates with the second passage 71 of the valve stop 7 to provide a non-complex inlet flow path. In particular, the second passage 71 is a vertical passage or hole and has a rounded inlet 72 configured to reduce swirl formation. The rounded inlet 72 communicates with the first passage 62 of the inlet member 6, and an outlet of the second passage 71 communicates with the valve chamber 81 formed in the fixed scroll base plate.In addition, an edge of the rounded inlet 72 meets an edge of an outlet of the first passage 62 of the inlet element 6, in other words, the edge of the rounded inlet 72 is aligned with the edge of the first passage 62 of the inlet element 6 on the side closest to the center of the scroll compressor.

[0024] In some embodiments, the valve stop 7 may further include a pressure relief hole 73. One end of the pressure relief hole 73, located in the valve stop 7, communicates with a connecting pressure relief hole 54 in the fixed scroll 51, with both the pressure relief hole 73 and the connecting pressure relief hole 54 lying on the same vertical axis. By communicating another end of the pressure relief hole 73 with the first passage 62 of the inlet member 6, the first passage 62 and the compression chamber 53 are caused to communicate with each other and are configured to prevent overpressure conditions that could lead to significant damage.More specifically, the pressure relief hole 73 extending from the valve stopper 7 to the connecting pressure relief hole 54 in the fixed scroll 51 is arranged near an outer edge of the compression mechanism 5 or spaced from the center axis of the scroll compressor.

[0025] In some embodiments, the inlet of the second passage 71 may have a rounded edge or a sloped surface, which can also reduce vortex formation and pressure drop, although other shapes or configurations without a sharp edge may also be used. The inlet with a rounded / tufted or rounded edge can reduce vortex formation because it provides a smooth flow transition without abrupt changes in direction, reduces flow separation, and creates more gradual velocity and pressure changes across the surface, helping to maintain more stable flow and reduce the likelihood of vortex formation.By means of the rounded inlet 72, the velocity (flow rate) in a transition area between the first passage 62 and the inlet of the second passage 71 can be reduced by approximately 5-15%, and the pressure drop can be reduced by approximately 5-10% compared to a non-rounded inlet. These reductions can be said to depend on the radius of the rounded inlet 72. A uniform and efficient refrigerant flow contributes to improving the overall efficiency of the scroll compressor.

[0026] In this embodiment, the valve stop 7 has a cylindrical shape with the second passage 71. In some embodiments, the valve stop 7 may have a disc-like shape or be formed as a body with a hole serving as the second passage 71. Further, a bottom surface of the valve stop 7 has a second groove 74, and a second seal 75 is disposed in the second groove 74 to seal between a lower surface of the valve stop 7 and the upper surface of the fixed scroll 51 to prevent leakage. In some embodiments, the first seal 64 and the second seal 75 may be O-rings, sealing plates, or gaskets; however, they are not limited to the first seal 64 and the second seal 75 being the same type or different types of sealing components.In some embodiments, the first seal 64 and / or the second seal 75 may be made of rubber.

[0027] In addition, the inlet element 6 and the valve stop 7 are each fixed on top of the fixed scroll 51, with the inlet element 6 being positioned above the valve stop 7, using at least one screw and / or at least one bolt with a nut for fastening through a mounting hole located in the inlet element 6 and / or the valve stop 7 (not shown in the figure).

[0028] According to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the check valve 8, which is arranged in the valve chamber 81, has a head element 82 and a spring 83 abutting against the head element 82. The head element 82 can be formed as a valve cap or a valve plate, but is not limited thereto. However, any other parts that perform the same function as the head element 82 are also considered to be within the scope of this invention. In one embodiment, the head element 82 is a valve cap comprising a top wall and a peripheral wall extending downwardly from the top wall, and the spring 83 is located centrally within the valve cap and engages the top wall. In another embodiment, the head element 82 is the valve plate, which has a flat or thin shape and is attached to the spring 83. The head element 82 is configured to engage or seal with the outlet of the second passage 71.In other words, the head member 82 is configured to move and contact the outlet of the second passage 71 by the force of the spring 83 and / or the pressure within the valve chamber 81 to seal or close the outlet of the second passage 71. Additionally, the head member 82 has a diameter larger than a diameter or width of the outlet of the second passage 71. This backflow prevention structure ensures that the check valve 8 can completely seal the outlet of the second passage 71, which has a smaller diameter, resulting in the ability to maintain pressure levels and improved refrigerant flow efficiency, resulting in increased overall efficiency of the scroll compressor.

[0029] Additionally, the check valve 8 is configured to interrupt the flow of refrigerant gas or prevent the backflow condition. If the pressure of the refrigerant gas in the inlet line 4 is lower than the pressure of the refrigerant gas in the compression chamber 53, the spring 83 urges the head member 82 to a closed position to prevent the refrigerant gas from flowing out of the compression chamber 53 to the inlet line 4. If the pressure of the refrigerant gas in the inlet line 4 is higher than the pressure of the refrigerant gas in the compression chamber 53, the pressure forces the head 82 against the spring 83, causing the spring 83 to compress and displace the head 82 to allow the refrigerant gas to flow from the inlet line 4 to the compression chamber 53.

[0030] Referring to Fig. 2, an inlet hole 55 is provided in the fixed scroll base plate. In one embodiment, the inlet hole 55 extends from the upper surface to a lower surface of the fixed scroll base plate, and the inlet hole 55 is configured to establish a connection between the valve chamber 81 and the compression chamber 53. The valve chamber 81 is connected between the second passage 71 of the valve stop member 7 and the inlet hole 55 connected to the compression chamber 53. In addition, with reference to the Fig. 2 shows the inlet hole 55 on the side of the valve chamber 81.

[0031] To operate the scroll compressor, a fluid (low-pressure refrigerant gas) enters the compression chamber 53 through the suction line 2, and the orbiting scroll 52 is driven by the motor to compress the low-pressure refrigerant gas. As the orbiting scroll 52 rotates relative to the stationary scroll 51, the volume of the compression chamber 53 decreases, resulting in the low-pressure refrigerant gas being compressed into higher-pressure refrigerant gas. The compressed refrigerant gas (high-pressure refrigerant gas) is discharged to the outside through the discharge line 3.

[0032] Fig. 3 illustrates a flow path of the refrigerant gas, as shown by arrow A. During cooling operation, the low- to medium-pressure refrigerant gas sucked in from the outside flows through the inlet line 4, enters the first passage 62 of the inlet element 6, continues into the second passage 71 of the valve stop 7, passes through the valve chamber 81, and finally flows through the inlet hole 55 before entering the compression chamber 53. Arrow A represents the non-complex inlet flow path of this embodiment, starting from the inlet line 4 toward the compression chamber 53. This non-complex inlet flow path is also referred to herein as a semi-direct inlet flow path. As shown in Fig.As shown in Figure 3, due to design constraints and / or the structure of the scroll compressor, there are minimal twists in the inlet element 6, the valve stop 7, and the valve chamber 81, but the inlet flow path has a shorter length and efficient inlet flow is improved compared to the tortuous inlet flow path. Furthermore, the non-complex inlet flow path, including the semi-direct inlet flow path, provides flow efficiency nearly equivalent to that of the direct inlet flow path.

[0033] In some embodiments, the inlet flow path may be configured or arranged as the direct or substantially straight inlet flow path starting from the inlet conduit 4 toward the compression chamber 53. The scroll compressor having the above-mentioned non-complex or direct flow path with the effective backflow prevention structure can reduce discharge superheat, pressure loss, and swirl formation, thereby increasing or maximizing the overall efficiency of the scroll compressor and resulting in a shorter inlet flow path length.

[0034] Within the compression chamber 53, the refrigerant gas is compressed, increasing its pressure and temperature. The high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant gas then flows to a condenser, where it loses heat to the surroundings and condenses into a high-pressure liquid form. This liquid (the refrigerant) passes through an expansion valve, where it undergoes a pressure drop and cools, becoming a low-pressure refrigerant. The low-pressure refrigerant then enters the evaporator, absorbs heat from the surroundings, and evaporates into a low-pressure refrigerant gas, which is drawn back into the scroll compressor to repeat the cycle. This continuous cycle of compression, heat exchange, expansion, and evaporation enables the cooling operation in the scroll compressor.

[0035] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, this is for the sole purpose of facilitating an understanding of the principle of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope and spirit of the teachings of the present invention. Adaptation and modification to various structures, such as the design or material of the invention, are possible and will be obvious to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is intended to be determined by the claims.

[0036] In summary, a scroll compressor thus comprises a sealed container, a compression mechanism housed in the sealed container and comprising a fixed scroll engaged with an orbiting scroll to form a compression chamber, an inlet conduit mounted penetrating the sealed container and configured to supply refrigerant to the compression chamber, an inlet member inserted into the inlet conduit and having a first passage, a valve stop mounted on top of the fixed scroll and comprising a second passage, the valve stop being positioned below the inlet member, the first passage of the inlet member communicating with the second passage of the valve stop.The valve stop is configured to engage a check valve, which is provided to prevent backflow. This invention allows the refrigerant to flow efficiently from the inlet line in a non-complex inlet flow path toward the compression chamber and prevents backflow under differential pressure conditions, resulting in increased flow efficiency due to reduced discharge superheat, reduced pressure loss, reduced pressure drop, and reduced swirl formation, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the scroll compressor. List of reference symbols: 1 sealed container 2 intake line 3 Outlet line 4 Inlet line 5 Compression mechanism 51 fixed spiral 52 orbiting spiral 53 compression chamber 54 connecting pressure relief hole 55 inlet hole 6 Inlet element 61 holes 62 first round 63 first groove 64 first seal 7 Valve stop 71 second round 72 rounded inlet 73 Pressure relief hole 74 second groove 75 second seal 8 Check valve 81 Valve chamber 82 head element 83 spring QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 7 216 311 B1 [0003, 0007]

Claims

[1] Scroll compressor, comprising: a sealed container (1); a compression mechanism (5) housed in the sealed container (1), the compression mechanism (5) comprising a fixed scroll (51) engaged with an orbiting scroll (52), thereby forming a compression chamber (53); an inlet pipe (4) penetrating an upper end of the sealed container (1), the inlet pipe (4) being adapted to supply refrigerant to the compression chamber (53); an inlet element (6) comprising a hole (61) for inserting the inlet conduit (4) and a first passage (62) extending from the hole (61); and a valve stop (7) mounted on the fixed scroll (51) and comprising a second passage (71), wherein the valve stop (7) is positioned below the inlet element (6), wherein the first passage (62) of the inlet element (6) communicates with the second passage (71) of the valve stop (7) to provide a non-complex inlet flow path, and wherein the valve stop (7) is adapted to engage a check valve (8). [2] A scroll compressor according to claim 1, wherein the non-complex inlet flow path is a semi-direct inlet flow path starting from the inlet conduit (4) towards the compression chamber (53). [3] Scroll compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second passage (71) of the valve stop (7) has a rounded inlet (72). [4] A scroll compressor according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the check valve (8) is provided in a valve chamber (81) in the fixed scroll (51), the valve chamber (81) being connected between the second passage (71) of the valve stopper (7) and an inlet hole (55) connecting to the compression chamber (53). [5] Scroll compressor according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the check valve (8) comprises a head member (82) and a spring (83) abutting against the head member (82), wherein the check valve (8) is configured to prevent the refrigerant from flowing back from the compression chamber (53) to the inlet line (4) when the pressure of the refrigerant in the inlet line (4) is lower than the pressure of the refrigerant in the compression chamber (53), and to allow the refrigerant to flow from the inlet line (4) to the compression chamber (53) when the pressure of the refrigerant in the inlet line (4) is higher than the pressure of the refrigerant in the compression chamber (53). [6] A scroll compressor according to claim 5, wherein the head member (82) has a diameter greater than the diameter or width of the outlet of the second passage (71) to completely seal the outlet of the second passage (71). [7] A scroll compressor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the valve stopper (7) comprises a pressure relief hole (73), and the pressure relief hole (73) is connected to a connecting pressure relief hole (54) in the fixed scroll (51), the pressure relief hole (73) and the connecting pressure relief hole (54) being on the same axis. [8] Scroll compressor according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a bottom of the inlet element (6) has a first groove (63) and a first seal (64) is arranged in the first groove (63). [9] Scroll compressor according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a bottom side of the valve stop (7) has a second groove (74) and a second seal (75) is arranged in the second groove (74). [10] Scroll compressor according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the inlet line (4) is attached to the sealed container (1) via an external line (41). [11] Use of the scroll compressor according to one of claims 1 to 10 for compressing a low-pressure refrigerant gas.

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