Compressor Spring Damping via Flexible Elastomer Shell

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hermetic compressors experience significant vibrations and noise, particularly at low speeds, due to the oscillations of springs, which are not effectively addressed by existing vibration damping solutions.

Innovation Solution

A vibration damping member made from flexible material, such as thermoplastic elastomer, is used to surround the spring, creating a gap between the damping member and the spring to restrict oscillations and reduce noise, with varying gap sizes to effectively damp vibrations across different regions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the spring is used to mount the stator on the casing, then the vibration and noise are reduced, but the spring oscillates excessively at low speeds causing high displacement and increased vibration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration and noiseVSAvoidspring oscillation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A flexible damping member is fitted over the spring to provide vibration damping. The damping member is made of flexible material that can accommodate spring movement while restricting excessive oscillation, particularly at low speeds. This resolves the contradiction by allowing the spring to maintain its vibration isolation function while the damping member limits harmful spring oscillation displacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Stability of the object's composition

If the spring oscillation is restricted to reduce low-speed vibration, then the displacement is reduced, but the vibration damping capability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring displacement controlVSAvoidvibration transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible damping member is designed to balance two functions: it restricts excessive spring oscillation to reduce displacement while simultaneously providing vibration damping through its flexible material properties. The member fits over the spring and allows controlled movement while absorbing vibration energy, thus resolving the contradiction between displacement control and vibration damping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid damping member is used to restrict spring movement, then displacement is controlled, but additional noise and vibration are generated due to rigid contact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring movement controlVSAvoidcontact noise and vibration
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The damping member is specifically designed as flexible rather than rigid, made from materials such as rubber, foam, or elastomers. This flexibility allows the member to restrict spring movement and control displacement while absorbing contact energy through deformation, thereby preventing the generation of additional noise and vibration that would occur with rigid contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The material properties of the damping member are selected to provide appropriate flexibility and damping characteristics. By changing the material parameters (such as durometer, density, and viscoelastic properties), the damping member can effectively control spring displacement while minimizing contact noise and vibration generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The solution significantly reduces vibrations and noise during start-up, shutdown, and steady-state operations by limiting spring displacement, enhancing user satisfaction and operational quietness.

Implementation Method 1

a vibration damping member which is used to damp the vibrations that occur in the body during the operation of the compressor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

The vibration damping member is made from a flexible material such as thermoplastic elastomer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMaterial damping: Viscoelasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4202222B1A compressor comprising a vibration damping member
Publication Date: 2024.06.26 ARCELIK AS
  • EP4202222B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4202222B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4202222B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A compressor (1) comprises: a casing (2); a body (3) which is disposed in the casing (2); a rotor which is disposed on the body (3) and a stator (4) which is disposed around the rotor so as to be concentric with the rotor; at least one connection member (5) which is disposed on the stator (4) and which enables the stator (4) to be placed into the casing (2); at least one spring (7) which is disposed on the connection member (5); and a vibration damping member (6) which is made of a flexible material and which is fitted over the spring (7) such that a gap remains between the spring (7) and the vibration damping member (6) at at least one region thereof.