Reed Retainer Mechanism for Electric Compressor
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electric compressors for vehicles, the reed mechanism's variability in thickness causes uneven clamping force and potential deformation of housing components, leading to non-uniform retention and increased friction, which affects the compressor's performance and longevity.
Innovation Solution
The reed mechanism features a discharge reed and retainer with specific geometric configurations, including a retention portion and valve portion on a common plane, and a junction spaced from the plane, retained via an interference fit within the housing, ensuring consistent clamping and reduced friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the reed retainer thickness is not tightly controlled during manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the clamping force becomes non-uniform and housing components may deform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing the reed retainer with a heel portion that has a different thickness than the main body. Specifically, the heel portion thickness is greater than the body thickness, creating a localized thickness variation that compensates for manufacturing tolerances. This localized adjustment ensures uniform clamping force distribution on the reed valve without requiring tight control of the entire reed retainer thickness during manufacturing.
2Ease of manufacture
If the reed retainer is thicker than design, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the housing components experience undesirable local deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The heel portion with increased thickness locally compensates for manufacturing variations without causing overall deformation. The thicker heel portion is strategically positioned to provide additional material where needed for uniform clamping, while the rest of the reed retainer maintains its design thickness, preventing excessive deformation of housing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The reed retainer is segmented into distinct portions with different thicknesses - the body portion and the heel portion. This segmentation allows each portion to serve its specific function: the body provides the basic structure and interference fit, while the heel portion provides localized thickness compensation to prevent deformation and ensure uniform clamping force.
3Ease of manufacture
If the reed retainer is thinner than desired, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reed retainer experiences accelerated fatigue near the compressed joint
Solution Approach 1:
The heel portion with greater thickness than the body provides localized reinforcement at the critical joint area. This localized thickness increase strengthens the reed retainer at the compressed joint where it experiences the highest stress, preventing accelerated fatigue and improving reliability without requiring the entire reed retainer to be thicker.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the reed retainer into body and heel portions with different thicknesses, the design allows the heel portion to specifically address fatigue resistance at the compressed joint. The heel portion acts as a reinforcement zone that prevents fatigue failure without compromising the overall ease of manufacture or adding unnecessary material elsewhere.
4Ease of manufacture
If extreme variations in reed retainer thickness occur, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but non-uniformity in reed retainer retention and scroll running friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heel portion with controlled greater thickness compensates for manufacturing variations in the reed retainer body. This localized thickness adjustment ensures that the reed retainer maintains uniform retention characteristics and consistent scroll running friction by providing a reference thickness at the critical heel area, reducing the impact of variations in the body portion.
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 provides consistent clamping force and reduced friction, enhancing the compressor's efficiency and longevity by minimizing deformation and variability in retention, thus improving the overall performance of the electric compressor.
Implementation Method 1
The reed mechanism has a retention portion retained via an interference fit within the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor includes a housing defining an intake volume and a discharge volume. An inlet port introduces refrigerant to the intake volume. An outlet port is configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the compressor from the discharge volume. A reed mechanism includes a discharge reed and a reed retainer. The reed retainer has a reed retainer retention portion and a reed retainer valve portion extending from the reed retainer retention portion. At least a portion of the reed retainer retention portion and at least a portion of the reed retainer valve portion are located on a common plane. A junction between the reed retainer retention portion and the reed retainer valve portion being spaced from the common plane when the reed retainer is in a pre-assembly state.