Hermetic compressor and refrigerator

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hermetic compressors face challenges in improving lubricity and compression efficiency while reducing sliding loss, as the existing designs often result in increased contact friction and inadequate lubrication due to the larger sliding area of the piston.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a piston with a columnar seal section, extension sections, and a capture section, where the extension sections have circular arc faces matching the seal section's radius, and the capture section extends further towards the bottom dead center with a smaller radius, reducing the sliding area and enhancing lubrication by optimizing the piston's geometry and lubricating oil distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the piston has a larger sliding area to improve lubricity, then lubrication is enhanced, but sliding loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovelubricityVSAvoidsliding loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The piston is divided into distinct functional sections: a seal section for lubrication, extension sections for structural support, and a capture section for oil retention. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between lubricity and sliding loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the piston have different radii and functions. The seal section has a larger radius for better lubrication contact, while the capture section has a smaller radius to reduce sliding area. This local differentiation allows the piston to achieve both good lubricity and reduced sliding loss simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of energy

If the piston geometry is optimized to reduce sliding area, then sliding loss is reduced, but lubrication effectiveness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesliding lossVSAvoidlubrication effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The capture section is designed to retain lubricating oil in advance before the piston reaches the lubrication zone. This preliminary oil retention ensures that oil is available for effective lubrication when needed, without requiring a larger sliding area throughout the entire piston.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The extension sections act as intermediaries between the seal section and the capture section, providing structural support while allowing the oil-retaining capture section to have a smaller radius. This intermediary structure enables both reduced sliding loss and maintained lubrication effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If extension sections are added to the piston, then structural support is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural supportVSAvoidpiston structure
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The extension sections serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural support, maintain the piston's mechanical strength, and contribute to the overall geometry that enables both lubrication and oil capture. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.

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

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 improves lubricity and compression efficiency while significantly reducing sliding loss, maintaining hermeticity and enhancing the overall performance of the hermetic compressor and refrigerator.

Implementation Method 1

lubricating oil passes through the oil supply hole, and fills a gap between the outer peripheral face of the piston and the inner peripheral face of the cylinder chamber. This lubricating oil lubricates the portion between the piston and the cylinder chamber, and seals the cylinder chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentEP2949933B1Hermetic compressor and refrigerator
Publication Date: 2017.11.15 PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORP
  • EP2949933B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2949933B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3A
  • EP2949933B1 patent drawingFigure 3B~4

AI summary

A hermetic compressor (100) includes an electric element (110), a compression element (112), and a hermetic container (102). The compression element includes a shaft (118), a cylinder block (124), a piston (136), a connection section (144), and an oil supply mechanism (130). The piston has a columnar seal section (160) in sliding contact with an inner peripheral face of the cylinder, two extension sections (162) that have circular arc faces each having the same radius as a radius of the seal section and extend from the seal section to the bottom dead center side in the axial direction with a circumferential gap therebetween, and a columnar capture section (164) that extends further toward the bottom dead center side than the extension section and has a smaller radius than the radius of the seal section.