Rotary Compressor End Plate Groove Design for Swaging Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional rotary compressors experience a decrease in adhesiveness and airtightness between end plates due to deflection of bottom portions during swaging, leading to reduced volumetric efficiency and flatness issues.

Innovation Solution

The design includes first and second rivet-side enlarged diameter portions with a semicircular step, allowing a rosette-like axial motion of the punch during swaging without deflecting the bottom portions, maintaining the integrity of the end plates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the bottom portions of the groove portions are made thin to prevent refrigerant gas backflow, then volumetric efficiency is improved, but the bottom portions deflect during swaging leading to reduced adhesiveness and airtightness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolumetric efficiencyVSAvoidadhesiveness and airtightness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove portion is designed with non-uniform thickness: the bottom portion has small thickness to prevent refrigerant gas backflow and maintain volumetric efficiency, while the inner wall portions have large thickness to prevent deflection during swaging and maintain adhesiveness and airtightness. This local differentiation of thickness resolves the contradiction between volumetric efficiency and structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If the diameter of the groove portion is enlarged to allow rosette-like axial motion of the punch, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the bottom portion deflects during swaging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveswaging operationVSAvoidflatness of bottom portion
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The groove portion has enlarged diameter at the inner wall portions to accommodate rosette-like axial motion of the punch during swaging, while the bottom portion maintains small diameter to prevent deflection. This local differentiation allows the swaging operation to proceed smoothly without compromising the flatness of the bottom portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the thickness of the bottom portion is increased to prevent deflection during swaging, then adhesiveness and airtightness are improved, but refrigerant gas backflow occurs reducing volumetric efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesiveness and airtightnessVSAvoidvolumetric efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The groove portion is designed with small thickness at the bottom portion to prevent refrigerant gas backflow and maintain volumetric efficiency, while the inner wall portions have large thickness to prevent deflection during swaging and maintain adhesiveness and airtightness. This local differentiation of thickness resolves the contradiction between volumetric efficiency and structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration prevents bottom portion deflection during swaging, maintaining adhesiveness and airtightness, and enabling a rosette-like axial motion for effective swaging without compromising the compressor's efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

pressing or applying pressure by the punch P to cause plastic deformation, first and second swaging portions 203Sa and 203Ta of the first and second rivets 203S and 203T

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2713055B1Rotary Compressor
Publication Date: 2019.04.10 FUJITSU GENERAL LTD
  • EP2713055B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2713055B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2713055B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A rotary compressor (1), used e.g. in an air conditioner, includes a compressing unit (12) having an end plate (160S, 160T) that closes an end portion of an annular cylinder (121S, 121T). The end plate includes a groove portion (163S, 163T) accommodating a discharge valve portion (200S, 200T, 201S, 201T) having a reed valve type discharge valve (200S, 200T) and a discharge-valve limiter (201S, 201T). The discharge valve portion is attached to the groove portion with a rivet (203S, 203T). The groove portion has a rivet-side enlarged diameter portion (163Sa, 163Ta) formed into a semicircular step shape, and a diameter of the rivet-side enlarged diameter portion other than a bottom side thereof is larger than a diameter of the bottom side. This prevents a punch P that swages the rivet from interfering with the groove portion when attaching the discharge valve portion to the groove portion with the rivet.