Compressor Oil Return Pipe Vibration Reduction via Bundled Parallel Pipes

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing compressors face challenges in reducing vibration of the oil return pipe while maintaining a cost-effective configuration, as specialized shapes increase costs.

Innovation Solution

The compressor incorporates multiple parallel oil return pipes with one end fixed to a bearing and the other end to the housing inner wall, bundled with a rod-shaped member for increased rigidity and vibration suppression.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the outer diameter of the central portion of the oil discharge pipe is made larger than that of other portions, then vibration of the oil discharge pipe is reduced, but the pipe has a special shape which increases cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration of oil discharge pipeVSAvoidcost of oil discharge pipe
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple oil discharge pipes are bundled together to form a single assembly, combining several simple cylindrical pipes into one functional unit. This achieves vibration reduction through the bundled structure without requiring individual pipes to have complex varying diameters, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while solving the vibration problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The oil discharge function is segmented into multiple parallel pipes instead of using a single pipe with a complex varying diameter profile. Each individual pipe maintains a simple uniform cylindrical shape that is easy to manufacture, while the collective bundled arrangement provides the necessary vibration reduction characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple oil return pipes are provided in parallel and bundled, then vibration is reduced with a simpler configuration, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration of oil return pipeVSAvoidconfiguration of oil return pipe
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple oil return pipes are bundled together and fixed as a single assembly to the bearing portion and housing. This merging approach reduces vibration through the collective structure while presenting a unified installation interface, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity despite using multiple pipes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bundled oil return pipes serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide oil return pathways, act as a vibration-damping structure, and function as a unified mounting assembly. This multi-functionality justifies the increased complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single structural solution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4400724B1compressor
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND THERMAL SYST
  • EP4400724B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4400724B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4400724B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a compressor capable of reducing the vibration of an oil return pipe. A compressor (1) comprises: a housing (11) containing a rotation shaft (15), a scroll compression mechanism (13), and an upper bearing (31), and having an oil reservoir (O1) underneath; and an oil return pipe (67) provided in the housing (11), and having one end fixed to the upper bearing (31) and another end extending toward the oil reservoir (O1) so that the oil held by the upper bearing (31) can return to the oil reservoir (O1). A plurality of the oil return pipes (67) are provided in parallel such that the longitudinal axes thereof are parallel to each other, and the plurality of oil return pipes (67) are bundled together.