Rolling Piston Compressor with Back Pressure Groove

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 1-cylinder 2-compression chamber compressors face issues with high power loss, refrigerant leakage, and vibration noise due to eccentric loads, friction, and non-uniform torque distribution, which affect efficiency and stability.

Innovation Solution

A compressor design featuring a crank shaft supported by bearing plates, with an outer and inner cylinder portion connected by a vane portion to form compression spaces, and a rolling piston that slides between these portions, incorporating a back pressure groove to reduce friction and stabilize the rotating body, allowing for easy volume adjustment and improved discharge port alignment to minimize pulsation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a 1-cylinder 2-compression chamber compressor is used, then the productivity is improved by forming two compression spaces in one cylinder, but the power loss increases and refrigerant leakage occurs due to eccentric loads and friction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression capacityVSAvoidpower loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The compressor divides the single cylinder into two separate compression chambers (first compression space V1 and second compression space V2) with independent discharge ports, allowing simultaneous compression operations in both chambers while maintaining balanced mechanical forces through the rolling piston mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of rotating the heavy cylinder as in conventional compressors, this design keeps the cylinder fixed and rotates the lighter rolling piston, thereby reducing the moment of inertia and friction losses while achieving the same compression function through reversed rotational mechanics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If the cylinder rotates in conventional compressors, then the compression function is achieved, but the bearing area increases and friction loss occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression functionVSAvoidbearing area
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The design inverts the conventional rotation mechanism by keeping the cylinder stationary and rotating the rolling piston instead, which significantly reduces the bearing area required and minimizes friction losses between moving and stationary parts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful rotational movement is extracted from the heavy cylinder and transferred to the lighter rolling piston, eliminating the need for large bearing areas to support cylinder rotation while maintaining the essential compression function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If discharge ports are aligned in the same direction, then the structure is simplified, but pulsation phenomenon increases causing vibration noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge port structureVSAvoidvibration noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge ports are positioned asymmetrically in opposite directions rather than aligned in the same direction, creating balanced and opposite discharge flows that cancel each other's pulsation effects, thereby reducing vibration noise while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

4Ease of manufacture

If compression chambers are at the same height, then the manufacturing is easier, but torque load becomes non-uniform causing instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression chamber positioningVSAvoidoperational stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The compression chambers are positioned at different heights (first compression space V1 at upper side, second compression space V2 at lower side) to create uniform torque distribution throughout the rotation cycle, improving operational stability while maintaining ease of manufacture through the simple rolling piston mechanism

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 achieves low power loss, reduced refrigerant leakage, and decreased vibration noise by stabilizing the rotating body and optimizing discharge port alignment, enhancing the compressor's efficiency and operational stability.

Implementation Method 1

a rolling piston slidably coupled to the vane portion between the outer cylinder portion and the inner cylinder portion to divide the compression space into an outer compression space and an inner compression space while making a turning movement by the crank shaft

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurning movement:

Implementation Method 2

a back pressure groove having a predetermined area and depth is formed on at least either one surface of the rolling piston and a bearing plate with which the rolling piston is brought into contact

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction reduction: Lubrication

Implementation Method 3

a crank shaft configured to transmit the rotational force of a motor drive provided within the casing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRotational force transmission: Crankshaft

Data Source

PatentEP2749736B1Compressor
Publication Date: 2016.12.14 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2749736B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2749736B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2749736B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A compressor according to the present disclosure may include a cylinder including an outer cylinder portion and an inner cylinder portion, and a vane portion connected between the outer cylinder portion and inner cylinder portion, which is fixed to a casing. Furthermore, a rolling piston may be slidably coupled to the vane portion to form an outer compression space and an inner compression space while making a turning movement between the outer cylinder portion and inner cylinder portion. Through this, the weight of a rotating body can be reduced to obtain a low power loss with respect to the same cooling power and a small bearing area, thereby reducing the refrigerant leakage as well as easily changing the capacity of a cylinder in an expanded manner. Moreover, refrigerant may be discharged in opposite directions to each other in each compression space, thereby reducing the vibration noise of the compressor. In addition, a back pressure groove may be formed on an upper surface of the drive transmission portion of the rolling piston, thereby reducing a friction area between the rolling piston and the upper bearing as well as reducing a friction loss between the rolling piston and the upper bearing due to oil filled into the back pressure groove.