Compressor Driver Guidance Decoupling for High-Speed Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Compressors with rolling element bearings in the driver receptacle experience low long-term stability at high speeds due to the transmission of tilting moments, leading to increased wear.

Innovation Solution

The orbital track balancing mass is decoupled from the driver to prevent the transmission of tilting moments, using an eccentric drive pin to guide the balancing mass along the orbital path without transferring moments to the driver, and a guide body interacting with the drive shaft to manage any remaining tilting moments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the orbital track balancing mass is rigidly connected to the driver, then the mass balance is effective, but tilting moments are transmitted to the driver causing increased bearing wear at high speeds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelong-term stability of driver guidanceVSAvoidtilting moments on driver
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into two independent parts: the driver and the orbital track balancing mass. The driver remains unaffected by tilting moments while the balancing mass independently follows the orbital path through its own guide body and alignment surface interaction, eliminating the transmission of harmful forces to the driver.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide body acts as an intermediary between the orbital track balancing mass and the drive shaft. It transfers the balancing mass's orbital motion requirements to the drive shaft through surface interaction without transmitting tilting moments to the driver, thus mediating between mass balance needs and driver protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a rolling element bearing is used to support the driver in the driver holder, then the guidance stability is improved, but the bearing experiences increased wear due to tilting moments at high speeds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance stabilityVSAvoidbearing service life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The design converts the potential harm of rigid connection (which would transmit tilting moments) into a benefit by using a non-rigid connection. The balancing mass independently follows the orbital path through guide body interaction, converting what would be a harmful force transmission into a separate, harmless motion path that still achieves mass balance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the orbital track balancing mass is decoupled from the driver, then tilting moment transmission is prevented, but additional guidance mechanisms are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetilting moments on driverVSAvoidguidance mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide body serves multiple functions: it guides the orbital track balancing mass along the orbital path, interacts with the drive shaft alignment surface to establish the orbital motion, and prevents tilting moment transmission to the driver. This multi-functionality avoids adding separate complex guidance mechanisms.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The drive shaft's alignment surface serves dual purposes: it is part of the drive shaft structure and simultaneously provides the guidance function for the guide body. The system uses its own existing structural elements to provide guidance, eliminating the need for additional dedicated guidance components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3491245B1Compressor
Publication Date: 2024.03.27 BITZER KUEHLMASCHINENBAU GMBH
  • EP3491245B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3491245B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3491245B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a compressor comprising a compressor housing; a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body and a second compressor body that can be moved relative to the stationary compressor body; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said drive having a driver which is driven by a drive motor and a driver which circulates about the central axis of a driveshaft on an orbital path; and an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an imbalance due to the compressor body moving on the orbital path. The aim of the invention is to improve such a compressor such that the long-term stability of the driver guidance in the driver receiving area can be ensured even at high rotational speeds. This is achieved in that the orbital balancing mass is coupled to the eccentric drive such that the mass moves on the orbital path in a manner corresponding to the movement of the driver but is uncoupled with respect to the transmission of tilting moments to the driver.