Scroll Compressor Anti-Rotation Ring for Oil Flow and Seizure Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing scroll compressors with pin and ring type anti-rotation mechanisms face issues of insufficient oil supply to the bearing surfaces due to close contact between the orbiting scroll and thrust plate or front housing, leading to wear, friction loss, and seizure, particularly in horizontal compressors with limited oil pump installation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an anti-rotation ring with an axial thickness larger than the ring insertion groove, creating a gap for smooth oil supply and spacing the orbiting scroll from the facing member, while the pin coupling portion is eccentrically disposed to allow orbiting motion and assembly without additional components, enhancing reliability and reducing weight through weight-reducing and reinforcing portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the anti-rotation ring is completely embedded in the ring insertion groove, then the anti-rotation mechanism is compact, but the orbiting scroll contacts closely with the thrust plate or front housing, causing insufficient oil supply and increased friction loss
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional embedding approach to a three-dimensional protruding structure. The anti-rotation ring extends axially beyond the ring insertion groove depth, creating a protruding portion that occupies space between the orbiting scroll and thrust plate/front housing. This dimensional change establishes a physical gap that enables oil flow paths, resolving the contradiction between compact structure and adequate lubrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portion of the anti-rotation ring acts as an intermediary element between the orbiting scroll and the thrust plate or front housing. Instead of allowing direct contact between these components, the protruding ring portion serves as a mediator that maintains separation, enables oil circulation, and prevents direct frictional contact while still fulfilling the anti-rotation function.
2Device complexity
If the anti-rotation ring is completely embedded in the ring insertion groove, then the structure is simple, but seizure may occur on the bearing surface due to insufficient oil supply
Solution Approach 1:
By extending the anti-rotation ring axially beyond the groove depth, the invention creates a three-dimensional protruding structure that establishes oil flow channels. This dimensional modification ensures reliable lubrication of the bearing surface between the orbiting scroll and thrust plate or front housing, preventing seizure while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portion of the anti-rotation ring preliminarily establishes oil flow paths and prevents direct contact between the orbiting scroll and thrust plate or front housing before operational conditions deteriorate. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that oil can reach the bearing surface under various operating conditions, preventing seizure before it occurs.
3Loss of energy
If a thrust plate is added to prevent close contact, then oil supply is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-rotation ring is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides the anti-rotation constraint through its pin coupling mechanism, and simultaneously serves as a spacing element that enables oil flow by protruding from the groove. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate thrust plate, as the anti-rotation ring itself fulfills both the rotation prevention and lubrication facilitation roles.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the anti-rotation function and the lubrication spacing function into a single component - the anti-rotation ring. By combining these functions, the design eliminates the need for a separate thrust plate, reducing the total number of components while achieving both anti-rotation and adequate oil supply objectives.
4Loss of energy
If the axial thickness of the ring body portion is increased to create a gap, then oil supply is improved, but the weight of the anti-rotation ring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-rotation ring features non-uniform axial thickness, with the ring body portion having a greater thickness than the ring insertion groove depth. This local quality variation creates the necessary protruding portion for oil flow while minimizing material usage. The increased thickness is localized only where needed for the spacing function, rather than uniformly increasing the entire ring's weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies the axial thickness parameter of the anti-rotation ring specifically in the ring body portion, making it larger than the groove depth to create the protruding portion. This parameter change enables oil flow gap creation while the overall weight increase is minimized by maintaining thinner sections in other areas of the ring structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A scroll compressor is disclosed. The scroll compressor may include an anti-rotation mechanism provided with an anti-rotation pin (171) and an anti-rotation ring (172) between an orbiting scroll (130) and a scroll support member facing the orbiting scroll, and an axial thickness of the ring body portion (1721) constituting the anti-rotation ring may be larger than an axial depth of a ring insertion groove (1311) in which the anti-rotation ring is inserted. This can allow the orbiting scroll and a member facing the same to be spaced physically apart without a separate member, to secure a gap for oil to flow, such that the oil can be smoothly supplied between the orbiting scroll and the member, thereby suppressing seizure or/and friction loss between the orbiting scroll and the member.