Scroll Compressor Oil Groove Segmentation for Lubrication

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing scroll compressor design faces issues with insufficient lubricating oil feeding to the fluid chamber during the second operational state, leading to inadequate lubrication and sealing between the fixed and movable scrolls, resulting in reduced compression efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The design modifies the operational states of the scroll compressor to ensure continuous communication between the movable scroll's oil groove and the fixed scroll's oil groove, even after the second operation, maintaining a pressure difference that allows reliable lubricating oil feeding to the fluid chamber, and includes an arcuate groove to effectively lubricate and seal the contact areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the movable scroll's oil groove communicates with the fluid chamber in the second state, then the lubricating oil can be fed to the compression chamber, but the pressure difference between the oil groove and fluid chamber decreases, resulting in insufficient lubricating oil feeding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelubricating oil feeding reliabilityVSAvoidpressure difference
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The oil groove is divided into multiple segments: a first oil groove in the fixed scroll, a second oil groove in the movable scroll, and a third oil groove that communicates with both. This segmentation allows the system to maintain pressure differences while enabling oil delivery to the compression chamber.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The third oil groove acts as an intermediary between the first and second oil grooves and the compression chamber. It receives high-pressure oil from the fixed scroll's oil groove and delivers it to the compression chamber, maintaining the necessary pressure difference while enabling lubrication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the movable scroll's oil groove communicates with both the fixed scroll's oil groove and the fluid chamber simultaneously, then lubricating oil can be reliably fed to the fluid chamber, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelubricating oil feeding reliabilityVSAvoidoil groove communication structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The communication paths are merged into a single integrated oil groove system where the third oil groove simultaneously connects to both the first oil groove and the compression chamber. This merging achieves reliable oil delivery without requiring separate complex communication mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The third oil groove performs multiple functions: it communicates with the fixed scroll's oil groove to receive high-pressure oil, delivers oil to the compression chamber for lubrication and sealing, and maintains pressure differences. 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 solution ensures reliable lubrication and sealing of sliding portions, maintains high compression efficiency by preventing pressure drops in the oil grooves, and prevents excessive lubricating oil discharge, thereby enhancing the overall performance of the scroll compressor.

Implementation Method 1

the movable scroll rotates eccentrically about the fixed scroll

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEccentric rotation: Eccentric

Implementation Method 2

high pressure lubricating oil is fed to the fixed scroll's oil groove... high pressure lubricating oil is fed from the fixed scroll's oil groove to the movable scroll's oil groove

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential flow: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

The oil is used to lubricate a thrust surface of the outer peripheral wall of the fixed scroll and a thrust surface of the end plate of the movable scroll

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLubrication: Lubrication

Implementation Method 4

a gap between the sliding portions is effectively sealed, thereby improving the compression efficiency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid sealing:

Data Source

PatentEP3263900B1Scroll-type compressor
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3263900B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3263900B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3263900B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a compression mechanism which reliably feeds high pressure lubricating oil from an oil groove provided in a fixed scroll to an oil groove provided in a movable scroll. A compression mechanism (40) is configured to perform a first operation in which only a fixed scroll's oil groove (80) and a movable scroll's oil groove (83), among the fixed scroll's oil groove (80), the movable scroll's oil groove (83) and a fluid chamber (S), communicate with each other, and a second operation in which, after the first operation, the movable scroll's oil groove (83) simultaneously communicates with both of the fixed scroll's oil groove (80) and the fluid chamber (S).