Co-rotating scroll compressor

Abstract

In this co-rotating scroll compressor, a drive scroll (30), a driven scroll (40), and a drive mechanism (10) are accommodated within a scroll chamber (65). A protruding body (64) is also provided within the scroll chamber (65). An oil storage chamber (74) for storing a lubricating oil (18) is formed inside the protruding body (64). The drive scroll (30) has a cover body (37), and the cover body (37) has a first sliding part (S1) and a suction port (374). The driven scroll (40) has a second sliding part (S2). A lubricating oil passage (9) is connected to the oil storage chamber (74). In the lubricating oil passage (9), the lubricating oil (18) within the oil storage chamber (74) is caused to flow toward the suction port (374) by the difference between the pressure of the fluid suctioned into the suction port (374) and the pressure within the oil storage chamber (74). The first sliding part (S1) and the second sliding part (S2) are disposed in the lubricating oil passage (9) between the suction port (374) and the oil storage chamber (74).

Description

Dual-rotation scroll compressor

[0001] The present invention relates to a dual-rotation scroll compressor.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional dual-rotation scroll compressor (hereinafter simply referred to as a compressor where appropriate). This compressor includes a housing, a driving scroll, a driven scroll, a driving mechanism, and a driven mechanism. The housing has a scroll chamber that accommodates the driving mechanism, the driving scroll, and the driven scroll. Fluid is sucked into the scroll chamber from outside the housing. In this document, the fluid is specifically a refrigerant.

[0003] The driving mechanism includes a stator and a rotor. The stator is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the outer circumference thereof is fixed to the housing. The rotor is arranged on the inner circumferential side of the stator. The driving scroll has a cover body. This cover body has a cylindrical extending portion. The rotor is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the extending portion. Accordingly, the driving scroll can be rotationally driven around the driving shaft center by the rotation of the rotor. The driven scroll is eccentric with respect to the driving scroll, and can be rotationally driven around the driven shaft center by the driving scroll and the driven mechanism. These driving scroll and driven scroll form a compression chamber that compresses fluid through rotational driving of the driving scroll and rotational driven movement of the driven scroll.

[0004] Furthermore, in this compressor, a protruding body is integrally provided on the housing. The protruding body is located inside the scroll chamber and protrudes in the direction of the driving shaft center toward the driving scroll and the driven scroll. The protruding body enters the inside of the extending portion. Accordingly, the protruding body rotatably supports the cover body via a bearing. Further, a fluid passage extending in the direction of the driving shaft center is formed inside the protruding body. The fluid passage communicates with the compression chamber at one end in the direction of the driving shaft center, and communicates with the outside of the housing at the other end in the direction of the driving shaft center.

[0005] In this compressor, the fluid in the scroll chamber is sucked into the compression chamber and compressed in the compression chamber. Then, the fluid compressed in the compression chamber flows through the fluid passage and is discharged to the outside of the housing, that is, the outside of the compressor.

[0006] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-227575

[0007] Although not disclosed in the above-mentioned conventional compressors, it is common practice in this type of compressor to provide an oil storage chamber for storing lubricating oil separated from the fluid, and to lubricate sliding parts such as drive scrolls with the lubricating oil stored in this chamber, thereby suppressing wear on sliding parts and improving durability.

[0008] Therefore, in the conventional compressor described above, it is conceivable to provide an oil storage chamber within the scroll chamber and store the lubricating oil contained in the fluid drawn into the scroll chamber in that oil storage chamber. However, in this compressor, the drive mechanism, drive scroll, and driven scroll are housed in the scroll chamber, as well as a protruding body. For this reason, it is difficult to secure a separate dedicated space for the oil storage chamber within the scroll chamber of this compressor. Consequently, if space is to be provided for the oil storage chamber in this compressor, the housing will have to be enlarged accordingly.

[0009] Furthermore, in order to lubricate the sliding parts with lubricating oil, it is necessary to supply the lubricating oil stored in the oil reservoir to the sliding parts through the lubricating oil passages. If the lubricating oil does not flow properly through the lubricating oil passages, it will not be possible to supply sufficient lubricating oil to the sliding parts, and as a result, the sliding parts will not be adequately lubricated. This problem becomes more pronounced when the amount of lubricating oil stored in the oil reservoir is small.

[0010] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and aims to solve the problem of providing a double-rotation scroll compressor that can exhibit high durability while suppressing an increase in size.

[0011] The double-rotation scroll compressor of the present invention comprises a housing, a drive scroll, a driven scroll, a drive mechanism, and a driven mechanism, wherein the housing has a scroll chamber in which the drive scroll, the driven scroll, and the drive mechanism are housed and fluid is drawn in, the drive scroll is rotationally driven about a drive axis by the drive mechanism, the driven scroll is rotationally driven about a driven axis by the drive scroll and the driven mechanism while being eccentric with respect to the drive scroll, the drive scroll and the driven scroll form a compression chamber in which fluid is compressed by the rotational drive and the rotational drive, the drive mechanism has a stator formed in the direction of the drive axis and a rotor formed in the direction of the drive axis and rotationally driven by the stator, the scroll chamber is provided with a projection that protrudes in the direction of the drive axis toward the drive scroll and the driven scroll, the drive scroll has a cover body that is rotatably supported by the projection about a drive axis The driven scroll is supported on the projection at a position different from the cover so as to be rotatable around the driven axis, and an oil reservoir chamber for storing lubricating oil is formed inside the projection. The cover has a first sliding portion and an intake port located radially outside the drive scroll from the oil reservoir chamber, which draws the fluid in the scroll chamber into the compression chamber. The driven scroll has a second sliding portion. An intake passage is formed between the stator and the rotor in the radial direction, which allows the fluid in the scroll chamber to flow toward the intake port while lowering its pressure to the pressure in the oil reservoir chamber. A lubricating oil passage is connected to the oil reservoir chamber, which allows the lubricating oil in the oil reservoir chamber to flow toward the intake port based on the difference between the pressure of the fluid drawn into the intake port and the pressure in the oil reservoir chamber. The first sliding portion and the second sliding portion are arranged in the lubricating oil passage between the intake port and the oil reservoir chamber.

[0012] In the dual-rotation scroll compressor of the present invention, a projection is provided in the scroll chamber, and the cover body of the drive scroll is rotatably supported around the drive axis relative to this projection, while the driven scroll is also rotatably supported around the driven axis. Furthermore, in this compressor, an oil reservoir is formed inside the projection. As a result, this compressor does not require a dedicated space for forming the oil reservoir in the scroll chamber, compared to a compressor in which the oil reservoir is formed separately from the projection in the scroll chamber. This makes it possible to suppress the enlargement of the housing when forming the oil reservoir in this compressor.

[0013] Furthermore, in this compressor, the cover body has an intake port, and the fluid in the scroll chamber flows through the intake passage toward the intake port. During this process, the fluid is depressurized as it flows through the intake passage, becoming lower than the pressure in the oil reservoir chamber. In other words, the pressure of the fluid drawn into the intake port is lower than the pressure in the oil reservoir chamber.

[0014] In this compressor, a lubricating oil passage is connected to the oil reservoir. This passage circulates the lubricating oil from the reservoir toward the intake port based on the pressure difference between the fluid drawn into the intake port and the pressure inside the reservoir. By utilizing this pressure difference, the compressor can effectively circulate the lubricating oil from the reservoir to the lubricating oil passage, even when the amount of lubricating oil stored in the reservoir is small.

[0015] In this compressor, the first sliding part and the second sliding part are positioned in the lubricating oil passage between the intake port and the oil storage chamber. In other words, the first sliding part and the second sliding part are positioned in the lubricating oil passage at a location downstream of the oil storage chamber and upstream of the intake port in the direction of lubricating oil flow in the lubricating oil passage. This allows the lubricating oil in the oil storage chamber to flow towards the intake port while passing through the first sliding part and the second sliding part.

[0016] Therefore, in this compressor, lubricating oil flowing through the lubricating oil passage can be suitably supplied to the first and second sliding parts, thereby ensuring sufficient lubrication of the first and second sliding parts. Furthermore, in this compressor, the lubricating oil that reaches the intake port through the lubricating oil passage is drawn into the compression chamber from the intake port along with the fluid. Therefore, in this compressor, the compression chamber can also be suitably lubricated by the lubricating oil.

[0017] Therefore, the dual-rotation scroll compressor of the present invention exhibits high durability while suppressing an increase in size.

[0018] The lubricating oil passage may have an axial path formed on a protruding body, extending in the direction of the drive axis and opening into the oil storage chamber, and a guide path formed on the protruding body that connects the axial path and the oil storage chamber. The guide path may also have an outlet portion that communicates with the axial path, and an inlet portion that is located below the axial path and outlet portion of the oil storage chamber and communicates with the oil storage chamber. Preferably, the guide path guides the lubricating oil in the oil storage chamber to the axial path by the flow rate difference pressure between the outlet portion and the inlet portion.

[0019] In this case, even if the amount of lubricating oil stored in the oil storage chamber is small and the oil level is below the shaft, the guide passage can still adequately guide the lubricating oil to the shaft. Therefore, in this compressor, the lubricating oil in the oil storage chamber can be adequately supplied by the first sliding part and the second sliding part.

[0020] Furthermore, the first sliding portion may have a bearing positioned radially between the cover body and the protruding body. Preferably, the shaft path is located radially inward from the bearing. In this case, the degree of design freedom when forming the shaft path on the protruding body can be increased, and the lubricating oil in the oil reservoir can be suitably supplied to both the first and second sliding portions through the lubricating oil passage.

[0021] The second sliding portion may have a driven shaft portion supported by a protruding body. The driven shaft portion may also have a shaft body that extends in the direction of the drive axis and is inserted into the shaft path. Preferably, the shaft body has an internal flow path that penetrates the shaft body in the direction of the drive axis and communicates with the shaft path.

[0022] In this case, a separate hole for inserting the shaft into the protruding body is not required, in addition to the shaft path. Furthermore, since the internal flow path of the shaft can function as part of the lubrication oil passage, the configuration of the lubrication oil passage can be simplified.

[0023] The housing may have a support wall that extends radially from the housing and faces the scroll chamber, supporting the projection. Furthermore, at least one of the support wall and the projection may have an inlet that communicates with the scroll chamber and the oil reservoir chamber, allowing lubricating oil from the scroll chamber to flow into the oil reservoir chamber. Preferably, the projection has a vent that communicates with the scroll chamber and the oil reservoir chamber at a position different from the inlet.

[0024] In this case, the lubricating oil can be suitably circulated into the oil storage chamber along with the fluid in the scroll chamber, and the lubricating oil can be stored in the oil storage chamber.

[0025] Furthermore, the compressor of the present invention may include an inverter for controlling the operation of the drive mechanism. In addition, the housing may have an inverter case that forms an inverter chamber capable of housing the inverter. The inverter chamber may be arranged in line with the scroll chamber and the oil reservoir chamber in the direction of the drive axis. A support wall may separate the scroll chamber and the oil reservoir chamber from the inverter chamber. Preferably, the inverter is fixed to the support wall within the inverter chamber such that at least a portion of it overlaps with the oil reservoir chamber in the direction of the drive axis.

[0026] Since the lubricating oil that flows from the scroll chamber into the oil storage chamber and is stored there is at a low temperature, this lubricating oil can effectively cool the inverter. As a result, this compressor can suppress the heat generation of the inverter, thereby increasing the durability of the inverter.

[0027] The dual-rotation scroll compressor of the present invention exhibits high durability while suppressing an increase in size.

[0028] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor of the embodiment. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the compressor of the embodiment, showing a state in which the amount of lubricating oil stored in the oil storage chamber is large. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor of the embodiment, showing the section A-A in Figure 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part, similar to Figure 2, showing a state in which the amount of lubricating oil stored in the oil storage chamber is small. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor of the embodiment, showing the section B-B in Figure 4.

[0029] The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The compressor in the embodiment is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) and constitutes the vehicle's air conditioning system.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the compressor of Embodiment 1 comprises a housing 6, an electric motor 10, an inverter 3, a drive scroll 30, a driven scroll 40, and a driven mechanism 20. The electric motor 10 is an example of a "drive mechanism" in the present invention.

[0031] In this embodiment, the front-rear and up-down directions of the compressor are defined by the solid arrows shown in Figure 1. Then, in Figures 2 and onward, the front-rear and up-down directions of the compressor are defined in accordance with Figure 1. Note that these front-rear and up-down directions are merely examples for illustrative purposes, and the compressor can appropriately change its orientation depending on the vehicle it is mounted on.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the housing 6 is composed of a housing body 60, a first housing cover 61, a second housing cover 62, and an inverter case 68. The first housing cover 61 is an example of a "support wall" in the present invention. The housing body 60, the first housing cover 61, the second housing cover 62, and the inverter case 68 are all made of aluminum alloy. However, the housing body 60, the first housing cover 61, the second housing cover 62, and the inverter case 68 may be made of steel. Alternatively, the inverter case 68 may be made of resin.

[0033] The housing body 60 is cylindrical with a drive shaft center O1 at its center, and has openings at its front and rear ends. The drive shaft center O1 is parallel to the front-rear direction. An intake port 81 is formed in the housing body 60. The intake port 81 extends radially from the housing body 60 and connects the inside and outside of the housing body 60. The intake port 81 is connected to an evaporator (not shown) through piping (not shown).

[0034] The first housing cover 61 is located behind the housing body 60. The first housing cover 61 has a cover body portion 61a and a holding portion 61b. The cover body portion 61a is substantially disc-shaped with the drive shaft center O1 as its center and extends radially across the housing 6. The cover body portion 61a has a front surface 611 facing forward and a rear surface 612 located on the opposite side of the front surface 611.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the retaining portion 61b is integrally formed with the cover body portion 61a. The retaining portion 61b extends cylindrically forward from the front surface 611 of the cover body portion 61a in the direction of the drive axis O1. The retaining portion 61b consists of a base end portion 615 and a tip portion 616.

[0036] The base portion 615 constitutes the rear part of the retaining portion 61b and is connected to the cover body portion 61a. An inlet 72 is formed in the base portion 615. The inlet 72 opens to the outer circumferential surface of the base portion 615, extends radially through the interior of the base portion 615 in the direction of the first housing cover 61, and opens to the inner circumferential surface of the base portion 615, i.e., the inner circumferential surface of the retaining portion 61b. The tip portion 616 constitutes the front part of the retaining portion 61b. The tip portion 616 is connected to the base portion 615 and extends forward from the base portion 615. The tip portion 616 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the base portion 615.

[0037] A projection 64 is attached to the first housing cover 61. The projection 64 is made of steel. The projection 64 consists of a first diameter portion 64a and a second diameter portion 64b. The first diameter portion 64a constitutes the front part of the projection 64. The first diameter portion 64a is formed to be smaller in diameter than the insertion hole 375, which will be described later.

[0038] Furthermore, a first radial ball bearing 51 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the first diameter portion 64a. The first radial ball bearing 51 is an example of a "bearing" in the present invention. Alternatively, a sliding bearing may be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the first diameter portion 64a instead of the first radial ball bearing 51.

[0039] The second diameter portion 64b is integral with the first diameter portion 64a at its front end. As a result, the second diameter portion 64b constitutes the rear portion of the protruding body 64. The second diameter portion 64b is larger in diameter than the first diameter portion 64a and is formed as a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open rear end. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the second diameter portion 64b is formed to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the tip portion 616 of the holding portion 61b.

[0040] The projection 64 has the tip portion 616 of the holding portion 61b inserted into the interior of the second diameter portion 64b. As a result, the projection 64 is attached to the first housing cover 61 through the holding portion 61b and protrudes forward from the first housing cover 61 in the direction of the drive axis O1. Furthermore, because the tip portion 616 is located inside the second diameter portion 64b, the holding portion 61b holds the projection 64 from the inside by the tip portion 616. Here, although not shown in the figures, the projection 64 and the holding portion 61b are connected by a connecting member. This prevents the projection 64 from rotating while attached to the first housing cover 61. Alternatively, the projection 64 may be attached to the first housing cover 61 while an elastically deformable elastic body is provided between the second diameter portion 64b and the tip portion 616 in the radial direction of the housing 6. Alternatively, the protruding body 64 may be fixed to the first housing cover 61 by fitting the tip portion 616 into the interior of the second diameter portion 64b.

[0041] As the protruding body 64 is attached to the first housing cover 61 in this manner, an oil storage chamber 74 is formed inside the protruding body 64. More specifically, the oil storage chamber 74 is formed by the interior of the second diameter portion 64b and the interior of the holding portion 61b. The oil storage chamber 74 is in communication with the inlet 72. Specifically, the inlet 72 is located on the rear side of the oil storage chamber 74 and communicates with the oil storage chamber 74 in the radial direction of the housing 6 from a position above the drive shaft center O1.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, in addition to the shaft passage 4, the guide passage 5, and the vent 7 formed in the protrusion 64, a cover plate 71 is attached to the protrusion 64. The front end of the shaft passage 4 opens to the front end surface 641 of the first diameter portion 64a. The shaft passage 4 extends through the interior of the first diameter portion 64a and the interior of the second diameter portion 64b in the direction of the drive axis O1, and the rear end opens to the rear end surface 643 of the second diameter portion 64b.

[0043] The guide passage 5 is recessed in the rear end surface 643 of the second diameter portion 64b. While the guide passage 5 is connected to the shaft passage 4 at its upper end, it extends downward in the radial direction of the protrusion 64, that is, in the radial direction of the housing 6. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the upper end of the guide passage 5, that is, the portion of the guide passage 5 that communicates with the shaft passage 4 is defined as an outlet portion 5a. On the other hand, the lower end of the guide passage 5 is defined as an inlet portion 5b. Therefore, the inlet portion 5b is located below the protrusion 64 relative to the drive axis O1 and the shaft passage 4.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the vent 7 is disposed above the drive axis O1, the shaft passage 4, and the guide passage 5. The front end of the vent 7 opens to the front end surface 642 of the second diameter portion 64b. The vent 7 extends through the interior of the second diameter portion 64b in the direction of the drive axis O1, and the rear end opens to the rear end surface 643 of the second diameter portion 64b. Note that the formation of the vent 7 may be omitted.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the cover plate 71 is formed in a disc shape having a diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the second diameter portion 64b. The cover plate 71 is attached to the protrusion 64 by three bolts 701. More specifically, the cover plate 71 is attached to the rear end surface 643 of the second diameter portion 64b by three bolts 701. In this way, the cover plate 71 is disposed in the oil storage chamber 74. Note that the number of bolts 701 can be appropriately designed. Further, the cover plate 71 may be attached to the rear end surface 643 of the second diameter portion 64b by adhesion or the like.

[0046] A communication hole 71a communicating with the vent 7 is formed in the cover plate 71. Thereby, the vent 7 communicates with the oil storage chamber 74 through the communication hole 71a.

[0047] Furthermore, a notch 71c is formed in the cover plate 71. The notch 71c is arranged at a position that becomes the lower end of the cover plate 71 when the cover plate 71 is attached to the rear end face 643 of the second diameter portion 64b. Accordingly, when the cover plate 71 is attached to the rear end face 643 of the second diameter portion 64b, the inlet portion 5b of the guide path 5 faces the notch 71c. Thus, the inlet portion 5b communicates with the bottom of the oil storage chamber 74 through the notch 71c. On the other hand, portions of the guide path 5 other than the inlet portion 5b, including the outlet portion 5a, are covered from the rear by the cover plate 71 when the cover plate 71 is attached to the rear end face 643 of the second diameter portion 64b. The shaft path 4 communicates with the oil storage chamber 74 through the inlet portion 5b of the guide path 5.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, the second housing cover 62 is arranged in front of the housing body 60. The second housing cover 62 has a substantially disk shape centered on the drive axis O1. The second housing cover 62 has a front face 62a facing forward, and a rear face 62b located on the opposite side of the front face 62a and facing rearward.

[0049] Furthermore, a support portion 66 and a discharge connection port 83 are formed in the second housing cover 62. The support portion 66 is integrally formed substantially at the center of the rear face 62b, and protrudes rearward from the rear face 62b. The support portion 66 is formed in a cylindrical shape centered on the drive axis O1, and the second radial ball bearing 52, the elastic body 67, and the shaft sealing member 63 are provided inside the support portion 66. The shaft sealing member 63 is arranged at a position forward of the second radial ball bearing 52 inside the support portion 66. The shaft sealing member 63 is formed in an annular shape.

[0050] The elastic body 67 is arranged between the support portion 66 and the second radial ball bearing 52, and surrounds the second radial ball bearing 52 from the outside while holding the second radial ball bearing 52 inside the support portion 66. Note that a slide bearing may be provided inside the support portion 66 instead of the second radial ball bearing 52. Further, by omitting the elastic body 67, the support portion 66 may directly hold the second radial ball bearing 52.

[0051] The discharge port 83 penetrates the second housing cover 62 in the direction of the drive axis O1, and connects the inside of the support portion 66 with the outside of the second housing cover 62. The discharge port 83 is also connected to a condenser (not shown) through piping (not shown).

[0052] In the housing 6, the front surface 611 of the first housing cover 61 is in contact with the rear end of the housing body 60, and the rear surface 62b of the second housing cover 62 is in contact with the front end of the housing body 60. In the housing 6, the housing body 60, the first housing cover 61, and the second housing cover 62 are fixed together in the direction of the drive axis O1 by a plurality of bolts (not shown).

[0053] In this way, in the housing 6, the housing body 60 is sandwiched in the front-rear direction by the first housing cover 61 and the second housing cover 62, and the front and rear ends of the housing body 60 are closed by the first housing cover 61 and the second housing cover 62, respectively. As a result, a scroll chamber 65 is formed inside the housing body 60 in the housing 6. The scroll chamber 65 is in communication with the intake port 81. Therefore, refrigerant is drawn into the scroll chamber 65 from outside the housing 6 through the intake port 81. The refrigerant is an example of a "fluid" in this invention.

[0054] Furthermore, the aforementioned protruding body 64 protrudes from the first housing cover 61 into the scroll chamber 65 in the direction of the drive axis O1. More specifically, the protruding body 64 protrudes forward from the first housing cover 61 toward the drive scroll 30 and the driven scroll 40. The oil reservoir chamber 74 is in communication with the scroll chamber 65 through the inlet 72 and the vent 7. In addition, the inlet 72 and the vent 7 connect the scroll chamber 65 and the oil reservoir chamber 74, resulting in approximately the same pressure inside the scroll chamber 65 and the oil reservoir chamber 74.

[0055] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the inverter case 68 has an outer peripheral wall 68a and a bottom wall 68b. The outer peripheral wall 68a is cylindrical with the drive shaft center O1 as the center. The outer peripheral wall 68a is formed to be approximately the same diameter as the cover body portion 61a of the first housing cover 61.

[0056] The bottom wall 68b is located at the rear end of the inverter case 68. The bottom wall 68b extends in a substantially circular, flat shape perpendicular to the drive shaft center O1. The outer edge of the bottom wall 68b is connected to the rear end of the outer peripheral wall 68a. These outer peripheral walls 68a and bottom wall 68b give the inverter case 68 a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open front. Although not shown in the figures, a connector portion is also formed in the inverter case 68.

[0057] The inverter case 68 has its front end abutting against the rear surface 612 of the first housing cover 61. In this state, the inverter case 68 is fixed to the first housing cover 61 from the inverter case 68 side by multiple bolts (not shown). Thus, the inverter case 68 is located at the rearmost end of the housing 6.

[0058] In this way, the inverter case 68 is fixed to the first housing cover 61, thereby forming an inverter chamber 680 between the inverter case 68 and the first housing cover 61. The inverter chamber 680 is separated from the scroll chamber 65 and the oil storage chamber 74 by the first housing cover 61. Thus, the inverter chamber 680, the oil storage chamber 74, and the scroll chamber 65 are arranged side by side in the direction of the drive axis O1, and the inverter chamber 680 is located behind the scroll chamber 65 and the oil storage chamber 74.

[0059] The electric motor 10 is housed within the scroll chamber 65. Thus, the scroll chamber 65 also serves as the motor chamber housing the electric motor 10.

[0060] The electric motor 10 is composed of a stator 17 and a rotor 11. The stator 17 has a stator core 17a and windings 17b. The stator core 17a is formed in a cylindrical shape with the drive axis O1 as the center. The windings 17b are wound around the stator core 17a. As a result, the windings 17b form a first coil end 171 and a second coil end 172.

[0061] The first coil end 171 protrudes cylindrically forward from the stator core 17a in the direction of the drive axis O1. The second coil end 172 is located on the opposite side of the stator core 17a from the first coil end 171. The second coil end 172 protrudes cylindrically backward from the stator core 17a in the direction of the drive axis O1.

[0062] In the stator 17, the stator core 17a is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the second diameter portion 64b. In this way, the stator core 17a is fixed to the second diameter portion 64b, and consequently to the protruding body 64. Although not shown in the figures, multiple slits extending in the direction of the drive axis O1 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the stator core 17a. As a result, the slits form a gap between the stator core 17a and the outer circumferential surface of the second diameter portion 64b while the stator core 17a is fixed to the second diameter portion 64b.

[0063] The rotor 11 is cylindrical around the drive axis O1. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the rotor 11 is composed of multiple permanent magnets corresponding to the stator 17 and laminated steel plates that fix each permanent magnet. The rotor 11 is formed to be larger in diameter than the stator core 17a and is rotationally driven by the stator 17. Furthermore, the rotor 11 has multiple bolt holes 11a formed therein. Each bolt hole 11a penetrates the rotor 11 in the direction of the drive axis O1.

[0064] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the inverter 3 consists of a circuit board 3a and switching elements 3b and the like provided on the circuit board 3a. The inverter 3 is housed in an inverter chamber 680. The inverter 3 is fixed to the rear surface 612 of the first housing cover 61 by bolts (not shown).

[0065] In this way, with the circuit board 3a fixed to the rear surface 612, the inverter 3 is positioned outside the scroll chamber 65 and the oil reservoir chamber 74. That is, the inverter 3 is located behind the scroll chamber 65 and the oil reservoir chamber 74, with the first housing cover 61 in between. When the inverter 3 inside the inverter chamber 680 is viewed from the rear, a part of the inverter 3, including the switching element 3b, overlaps with the oil reservoir chamber 74 in the direction of the drive axis O1. In other words, the inverter 3 is fixed to the rear surface 612 in a state where the switching element 3b and the like overlap with the oil reservoir chamber 74 in the direction of the drive axis O1.

[0066] The inverter 3 is electrically connected to the vehicle's battery (not shown) through a connector provided on the inverter case 68. The inverter 3 is also electrically connected to the stator 17 through an airtight terminal (not shown) provided on the cover body portion 61a of the first housing cover 61. As a result, the inverter 3 converts the DC current supplied from the battery into AC current and supplies power to the stator 17.

[0067] As shown in Figure 1, the drive scroll 30 is housed in the scroll chamber 65. The drive scroll 30 is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy. The drive scroll 30 has a drive end plate 31, a drive spiral body 33, a drive peripheral wall 35, a cover body 37, and a case 39.

[0068] The drive end plate 31 extends in a substantially disc shape perpendicular to the drive axis O1 and the driven axis O2. The driven axis O2 extends parallel to the drive axis O1 while being eccentric with respect to the drive axis O1. In other words, the driven axis O2 is also parallel in the front-rear direction. The drive end plate 31 has a first front surface 311 facing forward and a first rear surface 312 located on the opposite side of the first front surface 311 and facing rear.

[0069] Furthermore, a discharge port 32 is formed in the drive end plate 31. The discharge port 32 penetrates the drive end plate 31 in the direction of the drive axis O1. In addition, a discharge reed valve 57 and a retainer 58 are fixed to the first front surface 311 of the drive end plate 31 by fixing bolts 59. As a result, the discharge reed valve 57 can open and close the discharge port 32. The retainer 58 can adjust the opening degree of the discharge reed valve 57.

[0070] The drive spiral body 33 is integral with the drive end plate 31 and protrudes from the first rear surface 312 toward the rear, i.e., toward the driven scroll 40, parallel to the drive axis O1 and the driven axis O2. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the drive spiral body 33 has the center of the drive end plate 31 as its spiral center and protrudes outward from the spiral center in a spiral shape.

[0071] The drive circumferential wall 35 is formed in a cylindrical shape, extending parallel to the drive axis O1 and the driven axis O2, with the drive axis O1 as its center. The front end of the drive circumferential wall 35 is integral with the outer peripheral edge of the drive end plate 31. As a result, the drive circumferential wall 35 surrounds the drive spiral body 33 from the outside and protrudes cylindrically toward the rear from the first rear surface 312. Although not shown in the figures, the outer peripheral end of the spiral in the drive spiral body 33 is connected to the inner peripheral surface of the drive circumferential wall 35.

[0072] The cover body 37 has a wall portion 37a, an inner cylindrical portion 37b, and an outer cylindrical portion 37c. The wall portion 37a extends in a substantially plate-like shape in the radial direction of the drive scroll 30. The wall portion 37a has a second front surface 371 facing forward and a second rear surface 372 located on the opposite side of the second front surface 371 and facing rear.

[0073] Furthermore, a recess 373 and an intake port 374 are formed in the wall portion 37a. The recess 373 is located approximately in the center of the second front surface 371 and is recessed toward the rear from the second front surface 371.

[0074] The intake port 374 is located radially outward from the recess 373 of the drive scroll 30, that is, radially outward from the recess 373 of the housing 6. The intake port 374 penetrates the wall portion 37a in the front-rear direction, with its front end opening to the second front surface 371 and its rear end opening to the second rear surface 372. Multiple intake ports 374 may be formed in the wall portion 37a.

[0075] Furthermore, in the wall portion 37a, multiple rings 22 are attached between the recess 373 and the intake port 374. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, each ring 22 is arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the recess 373 when facing forward, and surrounds the recess 373 from the outside. In this embodiment, there are six rings 22. Figures 1, 2, and 4 illustrate one of the six rings 22.

[0076] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the inner cylindrical portion 37b is located inside the stator 17 in the radial direction of the cover body 37, and extends cylindrically backward from the second rear surface 372 of the wall portion 37a in the direction of the drive axis O1. The inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 37b is formed to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the first radial ball bearing 51. On the other hand, the outer diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 37b is larger than the first diameter portion 64a of the protruding body 64, and smaller than the second diameter portion 64b. The outer diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 37b may be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the second diameter portion 64b, or it may be larger than the outer diameter of the second diameter portion 64b.

[0077] The inner cylindrical portion 37b is located inside the stator 17 in the radial direction of the cover body 37, and extends cylindrically backward in the direction of the drive axis O1 from the second rear surface 372 of the wall portion 37a. The inner cylindrical portion 37b is formed to have a larger diameter than the first diameter portion 64a of the protruding body 64, and a smaller diameter than the second diameter portion 64b. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 37b is formed to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the first radial ball bearing 51. Note that the outer diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 37b may be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the second diameter portion 64b, or it may be larger than the outer diameter of the second diameter portion 64b.

[0078] Furthermore, the cover body 37 has an insertion hole 375. The insertion hole 375 extends in the direction of the drive shaft center O1 and connects the inner cylindrical portion 37b and the recess 373.

[0079] The outer cylindrical portion 37c is integral with the wall portion 37a at its outer peripheral edge. As a result, the outer cylindrical portion 37c is connected to the wall portion 37a and extends cylindrically backward from the wall portion 37a in the direction of the drive axis O1. The outer diameter of the outer cylindrical portion 37c is formed to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the drive peripheral wall 35 and the outer diameter of the rotor 11.

[0080] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the outer cylindrical portion 37c is formed to be larger than that of the inner cylindrical portion 37b. As a result, in the cover body 37, the inner cylindrical portion 37b is positioned on the inner circumference side of the outer cylindrical portion 37c, separated from the outer cylindrical portion 37c in the radial direction of the housing 6. In this way, the cover body 37 has a housing portion 38 formed by the wall portion 37a, the inner cylindrical portion 37b, and the outer cylindrical portion 37c. The housing portion 38 has a bottomed annular shape that opens at the rear.

[0081] The intake port 374 formed in the wall portion 37a is located radially outward from the inner cylindrical portion 37b and inward from the outer cylindrical portion 37c of the housing 6. Thus, the intake port 374 communicates with the housing portion 38 between the inner cylindrical portion 37b and the outer cylindrical portion 37c.

[0082] Furthermore, multiple bolt holes 376 are formed in the outer cylindrical portion 37c. Each bolt hole 376 penetrates the outer cylindrical portion 37c in the direction of the drive axis O1. Although not shown in the figures, the number of bolt holes 376 is equal to the number of bolt holes 11a formed in the rotor 11. In Figures 1, 2, and 4, one of the multiple bolt holes 11a and one of the bolt holes 376 are shown.

[0083] As shown in Figure 1, the cover body 37 has its front end of the outer cylindrical portion 37c in contact with the rear end of the drive peripheral wall 35. The cover body 37 also has the rotor 11 in contact with the rear end of the outer cylindrical portion 37c. In this state, bolts 34a are inserted from the rotor 11 side in the order of bolt holes 11a and bolt holes 376, and the bolts 34a are screwed into the drive peripheral wall 35. In this way, the cover body 37 is fixed to the drive peripheral wall 35 and the rotor 11, while being sandwiched in the front-rear direction between the drive peripheral wall 35 and the rotor 11. As a result, the drive scroll 30 is integrated with the rotor 11.

[0084] Case 39 is a bottomed cylindrical member having an outer peripheral wall 39a and a front wall 39b. The outer peripheral wall 39a is cylindrical with the drive axis O1 as its center. Here, the outer diameter of the outer peripheral wall 39a is formed to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the drive peripheral wall 35.

[0085] The front wall 39b is located at the front end of the case 39. The front wall 39b extends in a substantially disc shape perpendicular to the drive axis O1 and the driven axis O2. The outer edge of the front wall 39b is connected to the front end of the outer wall 39a. A boss 39c is formed on the front wall 39b. The boss 39c is integrally formed in the center of the front wall 39b and protrudes forward from the front wall 39b in the direction of the drive axis O1. The outer diameter of the boss 39c is formed to be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the second radial ball bearing 52 and the inner diameter of the shaft sealing member 63. A discharge passage 390 is also formed on the boss 39c. The discharge passage 390 penetrates the boss 39c in the direction of the drive axis O1.

[0086] Furthermore, bolt holes 39d are formed in the outer periphery wall 39a and the front wall 39b. The bolt holes 39d penetrate the outer periphery wall 39a and the front wall 39b in the direction of the drive axis O1. Although not shown in the figures, multiple bolt holes 39d are formed in the outer periphery wall 39a and the front wall 39b. Figure 1 shows one of these multiple bolt holes 39d.

[0087] The case 39 has its rear outer wall 39a in contact with the front end of the drive circumferential wall 35. In this state, bolts 34b are inserted through each bolt hole 39d and screwed into the drive circumferential wall 35. In this way, the case 39 is fixed to the drive circumferential wall 35 in the drive scroll 30.

[0088] As the case 39 is fixed to the drive peripheral wall 35, a discharge chamber 14 is formed inside the case 39, that is, inside the outer peripheral wall 39a, between the front wall 39b of the case 39 and the drive end plate 31. The discharge chamber 14 is in communication with the discharge port 32 and also with the discharge passage 390.

[0089] As the case 39 is fixed to the drive peripheral wall 35 in this manner, in the drive scroll 30, the case 39 and the cover body 37 are positioned separated in the front-rear direction, with the drive end plate 31, the drive spiral body 33, and the drive peripheral wall 35 in between. Furthermore, since the rotor 11 is fixed to the outer cylindrical portion 37c of the cover body 37, the case 39 and the rotor 11, including the discharge chamber 14, are also positioned separated in the front-rear direction.

[0090] The driven scroll 40 is also made of aluminum alloy. The driven scroll 40 has a driven end plate 41 and a driven spiral body 43.

[0091] The driven end plate 41 extends in a substantially disc shape perpendicular to the drive axis O1 and the driven axis O2. The driven end plate 41 has a third front surface 411 facing forward and a third rear surface 412 located on the opposite side of the third front surface 411 and facing rear.

[0092] A receiving recess 15 is formed in the driven end plate 41. The receiving recess 15 is located in the center of the driven end plate 41. The receiving recess 15 is recessed in a cylindrical shape from the third rear surface 412 of the driven end plate 41 toward the front, with the driven axis O2 as the center. As a result, the receiving recess 15 faces the rear of the driven end plate 41, and consequently the first diameter portion 64a of the protruding body 64.

[0093] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, a driven shaft portion 16 is provided within the housing recess 15. The driven shaft portion 16 has a bush 53 and a driven pin 55. The driven pin 55 is an example of a "shaft" in the present invention.

[0094] The bush 53 is housed in the housing recess 15 via the sliding bearing 13. The driven pin 55 is inserted through the bush 53. More specifically, the driven pin 55 is inserted through the bush 53 at a position eccentric to the center of the bush 53, i.e., the driven axis O2. The driven pin 55 protrudes rearward from the bush 53 and, consequently, from the driven end plate 41. The driven pin 55 has an internal passage 55a. The internal passage 55a is located inside the driven pin 55 and penetrates the driven pin 55 in the direction of the drive axis O1. As a result, the driven pin 55 has a cylindrical shape.

[0095] Furthermore, a pivot pin 21 is fixed to the driven end plate 41 at the location facing the ring 22. The pivot pin 21 protrudes rearward from the third rear surface 412. Six pivot pins 21 are fixed to the driven end plate 41, the same number as the rings 22. Figures 1, 2, and 4 illustrate one of the six pivot pins 21.

[0096] The driven mechanism 20 is formed by these pivot pins 21 and rings 22. Here, the number of pivot pins 21 and rings 22 can be designed as appropriate, as long as there are three or more of each. The driven mechanism 20 may have other configurations.

[0097] As shown in Figure 1, the driven spiral body 43 is integral with the driven end plate 41 and extends forward from the third front surface 411 of the driven end plate 41 parallel to the drive axis O1 and the driven axis O2. The driven spiral body 43 has the center of the driven end plate 41 as its spiral center and extends outward from the spiral center.

[0098] In this compressor, a driven scroll 40 is housed within the drive scroll 30, more specifically, between the drive end plate 31 and the drive peripheral wall 35 and the cover body 37. The drive spiral body 33 and the driven spiral body 43 are meshed together. As a result, the drive spiral body 33 and the driven spiral body 43 face each other to form a compression chamber 12.

[0099] Furthermore, a suction section 30a is formed between the drive peripheral wall 35 and the driven scroll 40. In other words, the drive spiral body 33 and the driven spiral body 43 are located within the suction section 30a. The suction section 30a is separated from the scroll chamber 65 by the drive peripheral wall 35 and the cover body 37, and is also separated from the discharge chamber 14 by the drive end plate 31. The suction section 30a is also in communication with the suction port 374.

[0100] Furthermore, by housing the driven scroll 40 within the driven scroll 30, each orbital pin 21 enters each ring 22. In this way, the driven scroll 30 and the driven scroll 40 are assembled in the front-rear direction, and the driven scroll 30 and the driven scroll 40 constitute the scroll compression section 100. More precisely, after the driven spiral body 33 and the driven spiral body 43 are meshed and each orbital pin 21 enters each ring 22, the cover body 37 of the driven scroll 30 is fixed to the drive peripheral wall 35 and the rotor 11.

[0101] Furthermore, when the drive scroll 30 and the driven scroll 40 are assembled, the housing recess 15 and driven shaft portion 16 of the driven end plate 41 face the recess 373 of the cover body 37.

[0102] The drive scroll 30 is positioned in front of the stator 17 within the scroll chamber 65. In the drive scroll 30, the inner cylindrical portion 37b of the cover body 37 is inserted into the inner circumference of the first coil end 171. In this state, the first radial ball bearing 51 is inserted into the inner cylindrical portion 37b. As a result, the cover body 37, and thus the drive scroll 30, are rotatably supported on the first diameter portion 64a via the first radial ball bearing 51. The housing portion 38 is in communication with the scroll chamber 65. The front portion of the first diameter portion 64a is inserted into the insertion hole 375.

[0103] Furthermore, since the cover body 37 is supported on the first diameter portion 64a, the first coil end 171 is housed within the housing portion 38. As a result, within the housing portion 38, the first coil end 171 is covered from the front by the wall portion 37a and covered from the radially inner side of the drive scroll 30 by the inner cylindrical portion 37b. The first coil end 171 is also covered from the radially outer side of the drive scroll 30 by the outer cylindrical portion 37c within the housing portion 38.

[0104] Furthermore, in this compressor, with the cover body 37 supported by the first diameter portion 64a, the first diameter portion 64a, the first radial ball bearing 51, the inner cylindrical portion 37b, the first coil end 171, and the outer cylindrical portion 37c are arranged in this order from the drive shaft center O1 side outward in the radial direction of the housing 6. These first diameter portion 64a, the first radial ball bearing 51, the inner cylindrical portion 37b, the first coil end 171, and the outer cylindrical portion 37c are arranged overlapping in the radial direction of the housing 6.

[0105] Furthermore, in the drive scroll 30, the boss 39c of the case 39 is inserted through the second radial ball bearing 52 and the shaft sealing member 63. As a result, the case 39 is rotatably supported by the support portion 66 via the second radial ball bearing 52. Thus, the drive scroll 30 is positioned within the scroll chamber 65 and is rotatably supported by the housing 6 around the drive axis O1 by both the protruding body 64 and the support portion 66.

[0106] On the other hand, in the driven scroll 40, the driven pin 55 of the driven shaft portion 16 is inserted into the shaft path 4. As a result, the driven scroll 40 is positioned within the scroll chamber 65 and is rotatably supported around the driven axis O2 by the first diameter portion 64a of the projection 64. In other words, unlike the drive scroll 30, the driven scroll 40 is rotatably supported around the driven axis O2 in the housing 6 solely by the projection 64.

[0107] In this way, by inserting the driven pin 55 into the shaft path 4, the internal flow path 55a of the driven pin 55 is in communication with the shaft path 4. Thus, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, the internal flow path 55a, the shaft path 4, and the guide path 5 connect the oil storage chamber 74 and the storage recess 15.

[0108] Furthermore, as described above, since the drive scroll 30 is supported in the housing 6 so as to be rotatable around the drive axis O1, the rotor 11 fixed to the drive scroll 30 is located outside the stator 17 in the radial direction of the housing 6 and covers the stator 17. In this way, an intake passage 8 is formed between the stator 17 and the rotor 11 in the radial direction of the housing 6. The intake passage 8 communicates with the housing 38 and, consequently, the intake port 374 in the direction of the drive axis O1. Note that in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the size of the intake passage 8, that is, the distance between the stator 17 and the rotor 11 in the radial direction of the housing 6, is exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

[0109] Furthermore, in this compressor, the oil storage chamber 74 and the intake port 374 are in communication through the guide path 5, the shaft path 4, the internal flow path 55a, the accommodating recess 15, the recess 373, the insertion hole 375, the inner surface of the inner cylindrical portion 37b, and the accommodating portion 38. In this way, the lubricating oil passage 9 is formed in this compressor by the guide path 5, the shaft path 4, the internal flow path 55a, the accommodating recess 15, the recess 373, the insertion hole 375, the inner surface of the inner cylindrical portion 37b, and the accommodating portion 38. The lubricating oil passage 9 is connected to the oil storage chamber 74 and the intake port 374.

[0110] In this compressor, since the shaft path 4 is formed inside the first diameter portion 64a and the second diameter portion 64b, the first radial ball bearing 51 is positioned on the outer circumferential surface of the first diameter portion 64a, so that the shaft path 4 is located inside the first radial ball bearing 51 in the radial direction of the housing 6. As a result, the shaft path 4, and thus the lubrication oil passage 9, communicates with the oil storage chamber 74 inside the first radial ball bearing 51.

[0111] Furthermore, in this compressor, the first radial ball bearing 51 is included, and the space between the first radial ball bearing 51 and the outer circumferential surface of the first diameter portion 64a, and the space between the first radial ball bearing 51 and the inner surface of the inner cylindrical portion 37b are designated as the first sliding portion S1. On the other hand, the bush 53 and the sliding bearing 13 are included, and the space between the bush 53 and the housing recess 15, the space between the bush 53 and the sliding bearing 13, and the space between the sliding bearing 13 and the housing recess 15 are designated as the second sliding portion S2.

[0112] Here, the first radial ball bearing 51 is located inside the inner cylindrical portion 37b that constitutes the lubrication oil passage 9. The bush 53 and the sliding bearing 13 are also located inside the inner cylindrical portion 37b that constitutes the lubrication oil passage 9. For these reasons, the first sliding portion S1 and the second sliding portion S2 are located in the lubrication oil passage 9 between the intake port 374 and the oil storage chamber 74.

[0113] In this compressor configured as described above, as shown by the dashed arrows in Figures 1, 2, and 4, low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator is drawn into the scroll chamber 65 from the intake port 81. The inverter 3 supplies power to the stator 17 and controls the operation of the electric motor 10, causing the rotor 11 to rotate within the scroll chamber 65. Since the rotor 11 is fixed to the cover body 37, the rotation of the rotor 11 is transmitted to the drive scroll 30. As a result, the drive scroll 30 rotates around the drive axis O1. In other words, the drive scroll 30 and the rotor 11 rotate together around the drive axis O1.

[0114] Furthermore, when the drive scroll 30 and rotor 11 are driven to rotate, in the driven mechanism 20, each orbital pin 21 slides against the inner circumferential surface of each ring 22, causing each ring 22 to rotate relative to the center of each orbital pin 21. In this way, the driven mechanism 20 transmits the torque of the drive scroll 30 to the driven scroll 40. As a result, the driven scroll 40 is rotated by the drive scroll 30 and the driven mechanism 20 around the driven axis O2. At this time, the driven mechanism 20 restricts the driven scroll 40 from rotating relative to the drive scroll 30. As a result, the driven scroll 40 revolves relative to the drive scroll 30 around the driven axis O2. Then, as the drive vortex 33 and the driven vortex 43 rotate within the intake section 30a, they change the volume of the compression chamber 12.

[0115] Here, the refrigerant drawn into the scroll chamber 65 contains lubricating oil 18. In this compressor, as described above, the drive scroll 30 and rotor 11 rotate within the scroll chamber 65. Therefore, the refrigerant drawn into the scroll chamber 65 is affected by the centrifugal force of the rotating drive scroll 30 and rotor 11, which separates the lubricating oil 18 contained within it. The lubricating oil 18 separated from the refrigerant in this way flows from the inlet 72 into the oil storage chamber 74 and is stored in the oil storage chamber 74.

[0116] The refrigerant drawn into the scroll chamber 65 then flows through the intake passage 8 to the storage section 38 and is drawn into the compression chamber 12 through the intake port 374 and the intake section 30a. Alternatively, the refrigerant drawn into the scroll chamber 65 can also reach the storage section 38 by flowing through the slits formed in the stator core 17a and is drawn into the compression chamber 12 through the intake port 374 and the intake section 30a.

[0117] Furthermore, a portion of the refrigerant drawn into the scroll chamber 65 flows from the inlet 72 into the oil storage chamber 74. At this time, the lubricating oil 18 contained in the refrigerant in the oil storage chamber 74 is separated from the refrigerant and stored in the oil storage chamber 74. The refrigerant from which the lubricating oil 18 has been separated flows out of the oil storage chamber 74 into the scroll chamber 65 through the communication hole 71a and the vent 7. In this way, this refrigerant is also drawn into the compression chamber 12 from the intake port 374 through the intake section 30a.

[0118] In this compressor, the distance between the stator 17 and the rotor 11 in the radial direction of the housing 6 is small, so the intake passage 8 functions as a throttling passage for the refrigerant. In other words, the intake passage 8 circulates the refrigerant while reducing its pressure. Therefore, the refrigerant that flows through the intake passage 8 and reaches the intake port 374 is at a lower pressure than before it flowed through the intake passage 8. Consequently, the pressure of the fluid drawn into the intake port 374 is lower than the pressure inside the oil storage chamber 74.

[0119] In this compressor, the difference between the pressure of the fluid drawn into the intake port 374 and the pressure inside the oil storage chamber 74 causes the lubricating oil passage 9 to circulate the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 toward the intake port 374. Specifically, in the lubricating oil passage 9, the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 circulates toward the intake port 374 as follows.

[0120] Here, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, if the amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74 is large and the liquid level of the lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74 is above the shaft 4, the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 flows through the guide passage 5 and reaches the shaft 4. Then, as shown by the solid arrows in Figures 1 and 2, the lubricating oil 18 in the shaft 4 flows through the internal passage 55a and reaches the storage recess 15.

[0121] The lubricating oil 18 that reaches the housing recess 15 flows between the bush 53 and the housing recess 15, between the bush 53 and the sliding bearing 13, and between the sliding bearing 13 and the housing recess 15, before reaching the recess 373. In this process, as the lubricating oil 18 flows between the bush 53 and the housing recess 15, between the bush 53 and the sliding bearing 13, and between the sliding bearing 13 and the housing recess 15, the second sliding part S2 of the compressor is lubricated by the lubricating oil 18.

[0122] In this way, the lubricating oil 18, which has reached the recess 373 while lubricating the second sliding portion S2, passes through the insertion hole 375 and reaches the inside of the inner cylindrical portion 37b. Then, this lubricating oil 18 flows between the first radial ball bearing 51 and the outer circumferential surface of the first diameter portion 64a, and between the first radial ball bearing 51 and the inner surface of the inner cylindrical portion 37b, and reaches the housing portion 38. In this way, as the lubricating oil 18 flows between the first radial ball bearing 51 and the outer circumferential surface of the first diameter portion 64a, and between the first radial ball bearing 51 and the inner surface of the inner cylindrical portion 37b, the first sliding portion S1 is also lubricated by the lubricating oil 18 in this compressor.

[0123] In this way, the lubricating oil 18 that reaches the housing section 38 while lubricating the first sliding section S1 is drawn into the compression chamber 12 from the intake section 374 through the intake section 30a, along with the refrigerant that flows through the intake passage 8 and the like toward the intake port 374. In addition, a portion of the lubricating oil 18 that reaches the recess 373 while lubricating the second sliding section S2 is drawn into the compression chamber 12 from the intake section 30a by flowing between the cover body 37 and the driven end plate 41. Thus, in this compressor, the space between the cover body 37 and the driven end plate 41, as well as the driven mechanism 20, are lubricated by the lubricating oil 18.

[0124] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, even when the amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74 is small and the liquid level of the lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74 is below the shaft 4, the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 still flows through the guide passage 5 to the shaft 4. That is, the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 flows from the notch 71c of the cover plate 71 to the inlet 5b of the guide passage 5. Here, the inlet 5b communicates with the oil storage chamber 74 through the notch 71c. For this reason, the passage area at the point where the inlet 5b communicates with the oil storage chamber 74 is smaller than the passage area at the point where the outlet 5a communicates with the shaft 4. As a result, the guide passage 5 guides the lubricating oil 18 to the shaft 4 by the flow rate difference pressure between the outlet 5a and the inlet 5b. Thus, the lubricating oil 18 that reaches the shaft 4 flows toward the intake port 374, lubricating the second sliding part S2 and the first sliding part S1 respectively, just as when there is a large amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74, and is drawn from the intake port 374 through the intake section 30a into the compression chamber 12.

[0125] The compression chamber 12 compresses the refrigerant by reducing its own volume while confining it within itself, through the rotational drive of the drive scroll 30 and the rotational movement of the driven scroll 40. At this time, the inside of the compression chamber 12 is lubricated by the lubricating oil 18 that has been drawn into the compression chamber 12. The high-pressure refrigerant, thus compressed to the discharge pressure, is discharged from the discharge port 32 into the discharge chamber 14. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged into the discharge chamber 14 is then discharged to the outside of the compressor via the discharge passage 390 and the discharge connection port 83. In this compressor, the space between the discharge passage 390 and the discharge connection port 83 and the scroll chamber 65 is sealed by the shaft seal member 63, so that the high-pressure refrigerant moving from the discharge passage 390 to the discharge connection port 83 does not flow into the scroll chamber 65.

[0126] In this compressor, the stator 17 is fixed to a projection 64 provided within the scroll chamber 65. The projection 64 also supports the drive scroll 30 so as to be rotatable around the drive axis O1, and the driven scroll 40 so as to be rotatable around the driven axis O2. Thus, the projection 64 functions not only as a fixing member for the stator 17, but also as a support member for the drive scroll 30 and the driven scroll 40. Furthermore, an oil reservoir 74 is formed inside the projection 64. As a result, this compressor eliminates the need for a dedicated space in the scroll chamber 65 for the oil reservoir 74, compared to a case where the oil reservoir 74 is formed separately within the scroll chamber 65. This prevents the housing 6 from becoming larger when forming the oil reservoir 74.

[0127] In this compressor, the difference between the pressure of the fluid drawn into the intake port 374 and the pressure inside the oil storage chamber 74 causes the lubricating oil passage 9 to circulate the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 toward the intake port 374, as described above. By utilizing this difference between the fluid drawn into the intake port 374 and the pressure inside the oil storage chamber 74, this compressor can effectively circulate the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 to the lubricating oil passage 9, not only when there is a sufficient amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74, but also when the amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74 is small. Furthermore, this compressor does not require any parts such as pumps to circulate the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 toward the lubricating oil passage 9.

[0128] In this compressor, the first sliding part S1 and the second sliding part S2 communicate with the lubricating oil passage 9 between the intake port 374 and the oil storage chamber 74. In other words, the first sliding part S1 and the second sliding part S2, including the first radial ball bearing 51, the bush 53 and the sliding bearing 13, communicate with the lubricating oil passage 9 at a point downstream of the oil storage chamber 74 and upstream of the intake port 374 in the flow direction of the lubricating oil 18 in the lubricating oil passage 9. As a result, the lubricating oil passage 9 can circulate the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 toward the intake port 374 while passing through the first sliding part S1 and the second sliding part S2.

[0129] Therefore, in this compressor, the lubricating oil 18 flowing through the lubricating oil passage 9 can be suitably supplied to the first sliding part S1 and the second sliding part S2, thereby ensuring sufficient lubrication of the first sliding part S1 and the second sliding part S2. Furthermore, in this compressor, the lubricating oil 18 that reaches the intake port 374 via the lubricating oil passage 9 is drawn in together with the refrigerant from the intake port 374 towards the compression chamber 12. Therefore, in this compressor, the inside of the compression chamber 12 can also be suitably lubricated by the lubricating oil 18.

[0130] Therefore, the compressor in this embodiment exhibits high durability while suppressing an increase in size.

[0131] In particular, in this compressor, the lubricating oil passage 9 has an shaft passage 4 and a guide passage 5, and the guide passage 5 has an outlet section 5a that communicates with the shaft passage 4 and an inlet section 5b that is located below the oil storage chamber 74 and communicates with the oil storage chamber 74.

[0132] As a result, even when the amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74 is small, the guide passage 5 can guide the lubricating oil 18 to the shaft passage 4 by the flow rate difference pressure between the outlet 5a and the inlet 5b. Furthermore, since the inlet 5b is in communication with the bottom of the oil storage chamber 74, it is possible to guide the lubricating oil 18 to the shaft passage 4 even when the amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74 is extremely small. In this respect as well, this compressor is able to suitably circulate the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 to the lubricating oil passage 9, regardless of the amount of lubricating oil 18 stored in the oil storage chamber 74.

[0133] Furthermore, in this compressor, the driven pin 55 has an internal passage 55a, and the internal passage 55a and the shaft passage 4 constitute a part of the lubricating oil passage 9. Therefore, in this compressor, the configuration of the lubricating oil passage 9 can be simplified, and a dedicated hole for inserting the driven pin 55 into the protruding body 64, separate from the shaft passage 4, is not required. The shaft passage 4 is located radially inward of the housing 6 than the first radial ball bearing 51. As a result, in this compressor, the degree of design freedom when forming the shaft passage 4 in the protruding body 64 is increased, and the lubricating oil 18 in the oil storage chamber 74 can be suitably supplied to both the first sliding part S1 and the second sliding part S2 by the lubricating oil passage 9, including the shaft passage 4.

[0134] Furthermore, in this compressor, the scroll chamber 65 is cold because it is inhaled with a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator. Also, since the oil storage chamber 74 is in communication with the scroll chamber 65 through the inlet 72 and the vent 7, the inside of the oil storage chamber 74, and even the lubricating oil 18 inside the oil storage chamber 74, is cold, just like the inside of the scroll chamber 65. In this compressor, the inverter 3 is housed in the inverter chamber 680, and when the inverter 3 is viewed from the rear, a part of the inverter 3 overlaps with the oil storage chamber 74 in the direction of the drive axis O1. Therefore, in this compressor, the inverter 3 can be cooled by heat exchange between the scroll chamber 65 and the oil storage chamber 74 and the inverter 3 via the first housing cover 61. In particular, since the lubricating oil 18 is a liquid, the inverter 3 can be suitably cooled by heat exchange with the low-temperature lubricating oil 18. Also, in this compressor, when the inverter 3 is viewed from the rear, the switching element 3b also overlaps with the oil storage chamber 74 in the direction of the drive axis O1. Although the switching element 3b tends to generate heat during compressor operation, this compressor allows for effective cooling of the switching element 3b through heat exchange between the scroll chamber 65 and oil reservoir chamber 74 via the first housing cover 61 and the inverter 3. In this way, thermal damage to the inverter 3 can also be effectively prevented in this compressor.

[0135] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to examples, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above examples and can be applied with appropriate modifications without departing from its spirit.

[0136] For example, guides may be provided on the first housing cover 61 and the protruding body 64 to guide the lubricating oil 18 in the scroll chamber 65 to the inlet 72.

[0137] Furthermore, in the compressor of the embodiment, an inlet 72 is formed at the base end portion 615 of the holding portion 61b. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the inlet 72 may be formed at both the second diameter portion 64b of the protruding body 64 and the tip portion 616 of the holding portion 61b. Alternatively, the inlet 72 may be formed only at the second diameter portion 64b.

[0138] Furthermore, in the compressor of the embodiment, the protruding body 64 may be provided integrally with the first housing cover 61.

[0139] Furthermore, in the compressor of this embodiment, the stator 17 may be fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the housing body 60, and the rotor 11 may be positioned inside the stator 17.

[0140] Furthermore, this specification includes the following inventions: (Note 1) A double-rotation scroll compressor comprising a housing, a drive scroll, a driven scroll, a drive mechanism and a driven mechanism, wherein the housing has a scroll chamber in which the drive scroll, the driven scroll and the drive mechanism are housed and a fluid is drawn in, the drive scroll is rotationally driven about a drive axis by the drive mechanism, the driven scroll is rotationally driven about a driven axis by the drive scroll and the driven mechanism while being eccentric with respect to the drive scroll, the drive scroll and the driven scroll form a compression chamber for compressing a fluid by the rotational drive and the rotational drive, the drive mechanism having a stator formed in the direction of the drive axis and a rotor formed in the direction of the drive axis and rotationally driven by the stator, the scroll chamber is provided with a projection that protrudes in the direction of the drive axis toward the drive scroll and the driven scroll, the drive scroll has a cover body that is rotatably supported by the projection about a drive axis, A double-rotating scroll compressor characterized in that the driven scroll is supported on the projection at a position different from the cover so as to be rotatable around the driven axis, an oil reservoir chamber for storing lubricating oil is formed inside the projection, the cover has a first sliding part and an intake port located radially outside the drive scroll from the oil reservoir chamber, for drawing fluid from the scroll chamber into the compression chamber, the driven scroll has a second sliding part, an intake passage is formed between the stator and the rotor in the radial direction for circulating the fluid in the scroll chamber toward the intake port while lowering the pressure of the fluid to flow toward the intake port than the pressure of the oil reservoir chamber, a lubricating oil passage is connected to the oil reservoir chamber for circulating the lubricating oil in the oil reservoir toward the intake port based on the difference between the pressure of the fluid drawn into the intake port and the pressure inside the oil reservoir chamber, and the first sliding part and the second sliding part are arranged in the lubricating oil passage between the intake port and the oil reservoir chamber.(Note 2) The double-rotating scroll compressor according to Note 1, wherein the lubricating oil passage has an axial path formed in the protruding body and extending in the direction of the drive axis and opening into the oil storage chamber, and a guide path formed in the protruding body and connecting the axial path and the oil storage chamber, the guide path has an outlet portion communicating with the axial path and an inlet portion located below the oil storage chamber below the axial path and the outlet portion and communicating with the oil storage chamber, and the guide path guides the lubricating oil in the oil storage chamber to the axial path by the flow rate difference pressure between the outlet portion and the inlet portion. (Note 3) The double-rotating scroll compressor according to Note 2, wherein the first sliding portion has a bearing disposed between the cover body and the protruding body in the radial direction, and the axial path is located radially inward from the bearing. (Note 4) The double-rotation scroll compressor according to Note 2 or 3, wherein the second sliding portion has a driven shaft portion supported by the projection, the driven shaft portion has a shaft body extending in the direction of the drive axis and inserted into the shaft path, and the shaft body has an internal flow path that penetrates the shaft body in the direction of the drive axis and communicates with the shaft path. (Note 5) The double-rotation scroll compressor according to any one of Notes 1 to 4, wherein the housing has a support wall extending in the radial direction of the housing and facing the inside of the scroll chamber and supporting the projection, an inlet is formed in at least one of the support wall and the projection that communicates with the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber and allows the lubricating oil in the scroll chamber to flow into the oil storage chamber, and a vent is formed in the projection at a position different from the inlet that communicates with the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber. (Note 6) The double-rotating scroll compressor according to Note 5, comprising an inverter for controlling the operation of the drive mechanism, wherein the housing has an inverter case forming an inverter chamber capable of housing the inverter, the inverter chamber is arranged in line with the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber in the direction of the drive axis, the support wall separates the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber from the inverter chamber, and the inverter is fixed to the support wall in the inverter chamber such that at least a part of it overlaps with the oil storage chamber in the direction of the drive axis.

[0141] This invention can be used in vehicle air conditioning systems and the like.

[0142] 3 Inverter 4 Shaft path 5 Guide path 5a Outlet section 5b Inlet section 6 Housing 7 Vent 8 Intake passage 9 Lubrication oil passage 10 Electric motor (drive mechanism) 11 Rotor 12 Compression chamber 16 Driven shaft section 17 Stator 18 Lubrication oil 20 Driven mechanism 30 Driven scroll 37 Cover body 40 Driven scroll 51 First radial ball bearing (bearing) 55 Driven pin (shaft body) 55a Internal flow path 61 First housing cover (support wall) 64 Projection 65 Scroll chamber 68 Inverter case 74 Oil reservoir chamber 374 Intake port 680 Inverter chamber O1 Driven shaft center O2 Driven shaft center S1 First sliding part S2 Second sliding part

Claims

1. A double-rotation scroll compressor comprising a housing, a drive scroll, a driven scroll, a drive mechanism, and a driven mechanism, wherein the housing has a scroll chamber in which the drive scroll, the driven scroll, and the drive mechanism are housed and fluid is drawn in, the drive scroll is rotationally driven about a drive axis by the drive mechanism, the driven scroll is rotationally driven about a driven axis by the drive scroll and the driven mechanism while being eccentric with respect to the drive scroll, the drive scroll and the driven scroll form a compression chamber for compressing fluid by the rotational drive and rotational drive, the drive mechanism having a stator formed in the direction of the drive axis and a rotor formed in the direction of the drive axis and rotationally driven by the stator, the scroll chamber is provided with a projection that protrudes in the direction of the drive axis toward the drive scroll and the driven scroll, the drive scroll has a cover body that is rotatably supported by the projection about a drive axis, A double-rotating scroll compressor characterized in that the driven scroll is supported on the projection at a position different from the cover so as to be rotatable around the driven axis, an oil reservoir chamber for storing lubricating oil is formed inside the projection, the cover has a first sliding part and an intake port located radially outside the drive scroll from the oil reservoir chamber, for drawing fluid from the scroll chamber into the compression chamber, the driven scroll has a second sliding part, an intake passage is formed between the stator and the rotor in the radial direction for circulating the fluid in the scroll chamber toward the intake port while lowering the pressure of the fluid to the oil reservoir chamber to the pressure of the oil reservoir chamber, a lubricating oil passage is connected to the oil reservoir chamber for circulating the lubricating oil in the oil reservoir chamber toward the intake port based on the difference between the pressure of the fluid drawn into the intake port and the pressure of the oil reservoir chamber, and the first sliding part and the second sliding part are arranged in the lubricating oil passage between the intake port and the oil reservoir chamber.

2. The double-rotating scroll compressor according to claim 1, wherein the lubricating oil passage has an axial path formed in the protruding body and extending in the direction of the drive axis and opening to the oil storage chamber, and a guide path formed in the protruding body and connecting the axial path and the oil storage chamber, the guide path has an outlet portion communicating with the axial path and an inlet portion located below the oil storage chamber below the axial path and the outlet portion and communicating with the oil storage chamber, and the guide path guides the lubricating oil in the oil storage chamber to the axial path by the flow rate difference pressure between the outlet portion and the inlet portion.

3. The double-rotating scroll compressor according to claim 2, wherein the first sliding portion has a bearing disposed between the cover body and the protruding body in the radial direction, and the shaft path is located radially inward from the bearing.

4. The double-rotating scroll compressor according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second sliding portion has a driven shaft portion supported by the protruding body, the driven shaft portion has a shaft body extending in the direction of the drive axis and inserted into the shaft path, and the shaft body has an internal flow path that penetrates the shaft body in the direction of the drive axis and communicates with the shaft path.

5. The double-rotating scroll compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing has a support wall extending radially from the housing and facing the scroll chamber, and supporting the protruding body, and at least one of the support wall and the protruding body has an inlet that communicates with the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber and allows the lubricating oil in the scroll chamber to flow into the oil storage chamber, and the protruding body has a vent that communicates with the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber at a position different from the inlet.

6. A double-rotation scroll compressor according to claim 5, comprising an inverter for controlling the operation of the drive mechanism, wherein the housing has an inverter case forming an inverter chamber capable of housing the inverter, the inverter chamber is arranged in line with the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber in the direction of the drive axis, the support wall separates the scroll chamber and the oil storage chamber from the inverter chamber, and the inverter is fixed to the support wall in the inverter chamber such that at least a part of it overlaps with the oil storage chamber in the direction of the drive axis.

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