Discharge Valve Guide Pin Structure for Scroll Compressor Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional scroll compressors face issues with refrigerant backflow during shutdown, leading to instability and increased noise due to the oblique movement of the discharge valve, which affects the reliability and durability of the compressor.

Innovation Solution

A valve unit with a discharge valve that includes guide pins and through holes of varying diameters and positions to restrict oblique movement, ensuring stable operation by controlling the discharge valve's upward and downward motion, thereby reducing frictional and collision forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional discharge valve structure is used, then the compressor can operate, but the discharge valve moves obliquely during shutdown causing refrigerant backflow, instability, and increased noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompressor stabilityVSAvoidrefrigerant backflow and noise
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces guide pins as intermediary elements that mediate between the discharge valve and the compressor housing. These guide pins constrain the discharge valve to move only in the vertical direction, preventing oblique movement and refrigerant backflow during shutdown, thereby resolving the stability and noise issues

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a balanced force system by positioning guide pins at specific locations that ensure the discharge valve experiences equal and opposite forces during operation. This equipotential arrangement prevents the valve from tilting or moving obliquely, maintaining stable compression and preventing harmful backflow

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

2Ease of operation

If the discharge valve is allowed to move freely, then the valve can open and close the discharge port, but the valve experiences excessive friction and collision forces during oblique movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve movement freedomVSAvoidvalve durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The guide pins serve as intermediary components that facilitate smooth vertical movement of the discharge valve while preventing lateral displacement. This mediation reduces friction and collision forces by ensuring the valve moves along a predetermined path, thereby improving both ease of operation and durability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates cushioning elements in the form of spaced guide pins that prevent excessive oblique movement of the discharge valve before it can cause damage. The guide pins act as preventive measures, cushioning the valve against harmful lateral forces and reducing wear during operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP3514390B1compressor
Publication Date: 2023.05.24 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3514390B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3514390B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3514390B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a compressor including a valve unit including: at least two guide pins passing through a discharge valve; and through holes allowing the guide pins to pass therethrough to control oblique motion of the discharge valve with respect to a horizontal direction during up and down movement of the discharge valve. When the discharge valve obliquely moves up and down with respect to the horizontal direction, the guide pin comes into contact with at least two points of an inner circumferential surface of the through hole so that the oblique movement of the discharge valve is restricted, thereby improving the durability of the discharge valve and reducing noise during operation of the compression.