Scroll Compressor Cover Member for Refrigerant Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

In scroll compressors, the symmetrical formation of compression chambers requires symmetrical gas and liquid injection holes, leading to increased complexity and labor in processing multiple injection pipes that penetrate the sealed container, along with higher risks of refrigerant leakage.

Innovation Solution

The refrigerant is distributed through a cover member with refrigerant distribution flow passages, reducing the number of injection pipes that penetrate the housing, and a connector pipe isolates the high-pressure discharge chamber from the low-pressure compression mechanism, minimizing leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If multiple injection pipes are used to supply refrigerant to symmetrically formed compression chambers, then stable operation is achieved, but the number of pipes penetrating the sealed container increases, leading to increased processing labor and refrigerant leakage risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestable operationVSAvoidnumber of pipes
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigerant distribution function is segmented from the injection pipes and assigned to the cover member, which contains multiple refrigerant distribution flow passages. This allows the injection pipes to be reduced in number while still achieving symmetric refrigerant distribution to all compression chambers through the distributed passages in the cover member.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover member acts as an intermediary component that receives refrigerant from a reduced number of injection pipes and distributes it to multiple compression chambers through its internal flow passages. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for each compression chamber to have a dedicated injection pipe, thereby reducing the total number of pipes penetrating the sealed container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple injection pipes penetrate the sealed container, then refrigerant can be supplied to each compression chamber, but the number of portions requiring refrigerant leakage countermeasures increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverefrigerant leakage preventionVSAvoidnumber of penetration parts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigerant distribution function is segmented from the injection pipes and assigned to the cover member, which contains multiple refrigerant distribution flow passages. This allows the injection pipes to be reduced in number while still achieving symmetric refrigerant distribution to all compression chambers through the distributed passages in the cover member.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover member acts as an intermediary component that receives refrigerant from a reduced number of injection pipes and distributes it to multiple compression chambers through its internal flow passages. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for each compression chamber to have a dedicated injection pipe, thereby reducing the total number of pipes penetrating the sealed container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If a branched structure is used for injection pipes to reach symmetric compression chambers, then proper refrigerant distribution is achieved, but the structure becomes more complex and assembly performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly performanceVSAvoidinjection pipe structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigerant distribution function is extracted from the injection pipe system and transferred to the cover member. The cover member now contains the refrigerant distribution flow passages that were previously implemented as branched injection pipes, simplifying the injection pipe structure to a single straight pipe while maintaining symmetric refrigerant distribution capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cover member acts as an intermediary component that receives refrigerant from a reduced number of injection pipes and distributes it to multiple compression chambers through its internal flow passages. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for each compression chamber to have a dedicated injection pipe, thereby reducing the total number of pipes penetrating the sealed container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3578823B1Compressor and method for manufacturing compressor
Publication Date: 2021.03.03 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND THERMAL SYST
  • EP3578823B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3578823B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3578823B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The object is to improve assembly performance while a structure is simplified in a case in which a gas injection pipe and a liquid injection pipe are installed. A scroll compressor (1) includes: a block member (29) installed between a discharge cover (15) and a fixed scroll (18); and a gas injection pipe (25) that has an end connected to the discharge cover (15) and allows refrigerant gas to flow therethrough, the refrigerant gas being to be introduced into a compression chamber (20) of a scroll compression mechanism (12), wherein the block member (29) has: a refrigerant gas distribution flow passage (44) for distributing the refrigerant gas supplied from the gas injection pipe (25) into a plurality of portions; and a plurality of refrigerant gas flow passages (32) that are formed so as to penetrate from a first surface on a side of the discharge cover (15) to a second surface on a side of the fixed scroll (18), and allow the refrigerant gas distributed by the refrigerant gas distribution flow passage (44) to flow through, and gas injection ports (26) for introducing, to the compression chamber (20), the refrigerant gas which passes through the refrigerant gas flow passages (32) are formed in the fixed scroll (18).