Swashplate and sliding shoe assembly for an air conditioning compressor

Claim 1

In a air conditioning compressor; a swashplate assembly comprising a die cast aluminum alloy swashplate with bearing surfaces disposed in a plane angularly oriented with respect to the swashplate axis, a swashplate hub, a hub opening formed centrally in the hub and thrust bearing surfaces on each axial side of said hub; a driveshaft, a knurled portion on said driveshaft, said driveshaft being received in said hub opening with a force fit, the degree of dimension interference that establishes said force fit being reduced due to the presence of said knurled portion, whereby a driving connection between said swashplate and said driveshaft is established with minimal stress on said swashplate; said swashplate assembly including multiple, generally semispherical, unitary shoes, said shoes being formed of sintered powdered metal, each shoe having a bearing surface engageable with said bearing surfaces on said swashplate; a cylinder body, cylinders disposed axially in said cylinder body surrounding the axis of said driveshaft; double acting pistons in said cylinder, a partial spherical recess in said cylinders on either side of said swashplate; said shoes being received in said piston recesses, the powdered metal shoes being formed of a bearing alloy of iron with iron being the major ingredient.