Refrigerant Compressor Multi-Contact Damping for Deflection Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Refrigerant compressors in mobile applications experience significant deflections and noise due to acceleration, retardation, and inclination, which existing damping solutions fail to adequately address, particularly in limiting movement in horizontal directions.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerant compressor design with a damping element composed of polymer material or vulcanized rubber, featuring multiple contact areas with distinct movement limitations in vertical and lateral directions, allowing for defined damping characteristics in three dimensions without additional components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional damping components are added to limit drive unit deflection, then damping performance improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping performanceVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The damping element is integrated directly into the housing structure, merging the damping function with the housing wall. This eliminates the need for separate damping components while maintaining effective damping performance, as the housing wall itself becomes the damping structure through the deformable region with reduced stiffness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing wall serves multiple functions: it provides structural containment and simultaneously acts as a damping element through the deformable region. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated damping components, simplifying the overall device while improving damping performance.

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

2Reliability

If the housing wall is deformed to create damping regions, then damping performance improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The housing wall features a localized deformable region with modified properties (reduced thickness or altered geometry) while the rest of the housing maintains its standard structure. This local modification approach allows precise control over damping characteristics without requiring high precision throughout the entire housing, as only the specific deformable region needs tailored properties.

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

The design effectively minimizes disruptive noise and allows for greater freedom of movement during start/stop and operational conditions, enhancing damping properties and reducing metallic noise.

Implementation Method 1

a damping element composed of a polymer material or of vulcanized rubber is provided

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

at least one damping element for damping and limiting a deflection of the drive unit is provided in the interior of the housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3730789B1Refrigerant compressor
Publication Date: 2021.06.16 SECOP GMBH
  • EP3730789B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3730789B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3730789B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Refrigerant compressor comprising a hermetically sealed housing (5) and a drive unit (6) disposed in the interior of the housing, wherein at least one damping element (7a-d;8a,b) for damping and limiting a deflection of the drive unit (6) is provided in the interior of the housing (5), wherein the damping element (7a-d;8a,b) is connected to the drive unit (6), wherein the damping element (7a-d;8a,b) has three contact areas (1-3), wherein in a first deflected state of the drive unit (6) a first contact area (1) is in contact with a corresponding first inner contact area (11) of the housing (5), wherein in a second deflected state of the drive unit (6) a second contact area (2) is in contact with a corresponding second inner contact area (12) of the housing (5), but the first contact area (1) is not in contact with the first inner contact area (11) of the housing (5), wherein in a third deflected state of the drive unit (6) a third contact area (3) is in contact with a corresponding third inner contact area (13) of the housing (5), but the first contact area (1) is not in contact with the first inner contact area (11) and the second contact area (2) is not in contact with the second inner contact area (12), and wherein first contact area (1), second contact area (2) and third contact area (3) are separated from each other by at least one edge (14).