Scroll type compressor with discharge through drive shaft

Claim 2

In a scroll type compressor with a hermetically sealed housing, said compressor comprising a fixed scroll disposed within said housing, said fixed scroll having a first end plate from which a first spiral element extends, an orbiting scroll having a second end plate from which a second spiral element extends, said first and second spiral elements interfitting at an angular and radial offset to form a plurality of line contacts which define at least one pair of sealed off fluid pockets, a drive mechanism operatively connected to said orbiting scroll to effect orbital motion of said orbiting scroll, a rotation preventing means for preventing the rotation of said orbiting scroll during orbital motion whereby the volume of said fluid pockets changes to compress fluid in said pockets, said drive mechanism including a drive shaft rotatably supported within an inner block member, said inner block member fixedly secured to said housing, said first end plate of said fixed scroll and said inner block member forming a suction chamber therebetween, a discharge chamber formed exterior to the suction chamber between the outer surfaces of said first end plate and said inner block member and the interior surfaces of said housing, said first and second spiral elements disposed in said suction chamber, the improvement comprising: said drive shaft having an axial bore and at least one radial bore extending through the surface of said drive shaft and linking said axial bore to said discharge chamber, said housing having an outlet, said axial bore having an opening isolated from said discharge chamber, said opening coupled to said outlet.

Claim 3

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 1, said drive shaft having at least one radial hole extending through its exterior surface and linked to said axial bore, and a helical groove formed on an exterior surface of said drive shaft and linked to said axial bore by said radial hole.

Claim 4

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 1, said inner block member comprising an axial annular projection extending therefrom, said drive shaft supported by a fixed plain bearing disposed between an interior surface of said axial annular projection and an exterior surface of said drive shaft.

Claim 5

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 3 further comprising at least one communication channel linking said discharge chamber to said axial bore, said communication channel comprising at least one hole formed through said inner block member, at least one hole formed through said bearing, and said at least one radial bore.

Claim 6

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 3, said axial bore of said drive shaft extending from an opening at one end of said drive shaft to a closed end near an opposite end of said drive shaft.

Claim 7

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 5, said radial bore linking said axial bore to said discharge chamber near its closed end.

Claim 8

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 1 further comprising an axially annular projection extending from an inner surface of said housing, said drive shaft extending into said annular projection such that said opening of said axial bore is disposed within said annular projection and said opening is isolated from said discharge chamber.

Claim 9

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 7, said housing provided with a refrigerant gas outlet port extending therethrough into said annular projection and opening adjacent said opening of said axial bore.

Claim 10

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 1 further comprising a cavity formed at a central portion of said inner block member within said suction chamber, and a shaft seal mechanism disposed within said cavity to prevent leakage of refrigerant gas from said discharge chamber to said suction chamber due to the rotation of said drive shaft.

Claim 11

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 1 further comprising a suction gas inlet pipe radially penetrating said housing and said inner block member, and opening into said suction chamber.

Claim 12

The sealed scroll type compressor of claim 1 further comprising a conduit radially formed through said inner block member linking said discharge chamber with said suction chamber, lubricating oil collected in said housing flowing through said conduit into said suction chamber from said discharge chamber due to the pressure difference between said discharge and said suction chambers.

Claim 13

In a scroll type compressor with a hermetically sealed housing, said compressor comprising a fixed scroll disposed within said housing, said fixed scroll having a first end plate from which a first spiral element extends, an orbiting scroll having a second end plate from which a second spiral element extends, said first and second spiral elements interfitting at an angular and radial offset to form a plurality of line contacts which define at least one pair of sealed off fluid pockets, a drive mechanism operatively connected to said orbiting scroll to effect orbital motion of said orbiting scroll, a rotation preventing means for preventing the rotation of said orbiting scroll during orbiting motion whereby the volume of said fluid pockets changes to compress fluid in said pockets, said drive mechanism including a drive shaft rotatably supported within an inner block member, said inner block member fixedly secured to said housing, said first end plate of said fixed scroll and said inner block member forming a suction chamber therebetween, a discharge chamber formed exterior to the suction chamber between the outer surfaces of said first end plate and said inner block member and the interior surfaces of said housing, said first and second spiral elements disposed in said suction chamber, the improvement comprising said drive shaft having an axial bore, at least one radial bore extending through the surface of said drive shaft and linking said axial bore to said discharge chamber, a helical groove formed on and about the exterior surface of said drive shaft, and at least one radial hold extending through the surface of said drive shaft and linking said axial bore with said helical groove wherein, the fluid is mixed with lubricating oil, compressed fluid from said discharge chamber flows into said axial bore through said radial bore, and a portion of the lubricating oil mixed with the fluid flows through said radial bore and into said axial bore, the lubricating oil portion further flowing through said radial hole and into said helical groove to lubricate the contact surface between said drive shaft and said inner block member.

Claim 14

In a scroll type compressor with a hermetically sealed housing, said compressor comprising a fixed scroll disposed within said housing, said fixed scroll having a first end plate from which a first spiral element extends, an orbiting scroll having a second end plate from which a second spiral element extends, said first and second spiral elements interfitting at an angular and radial offset to form a plurality of line contacts which define at least one pair of sealed off fluid pockets, a drive mechanism operatively connected to said orbiting scroll to effect orbital motion of said orbiting scroll, a rotation preventing means for preventing the rotation of said orbiting scroll during orbiting motion whereby the volume of said fluid pockets changes to compress fluid in said pockets, said drive mechanism including a drive shaft rotatably supported within an inner block member, said inner block member fixedly secured to said housing, said first end plate of said fixed scroll and said inner block member forming a suction chamber therebetween, a discharge chamber formed exterior to the suction chamber between the outer surfaces of said first end plate and said inner block member and the interior surfaces of said housing, said first and second spiral elements disposed in said suction chamber, the improvement comprising said drive shaft having an axial bore, at least one radial bore extending through the surface of said drive shaft and linking said axial bore to said discharge chamber, a helical groove formed on and about the exterior surface of said drive shaft, and at least one radial hold extending through the surface of said drive shaft and linking said axial bore with said helical groove wherein, the fluid is mixed with lubricating oil, compressed fluid from said discharge chamber flows into said axial bore through said radial bore, and a portion of the lubricating oil mixed with the fluid flows through said radial bore and into said axial bore, the lubricating oil portion further flowing through said radial hole and into said helical groove to lubricate the contact surface between said drive shaft and said inner block member.

Claim 15

The compressor recited in claim 12 further comprising a bearing disposed between an interior surface of said inner block member and an exterior surface of said drive shaft.

Claim 16

The compressor recited in claim 12, said inner block member comprising an axial annular projection extending therefrom, said drive shaft supported by a fixed plain bearing disposed between an interior surface of said axial annular projection and an exterior surface of said drive shaft, said helical groove extending along the length of said drive shaft within said axial annular projection.

Claim 17

The compressor recited in claim 14 further comprising at least one communication channel linking said discharge chamber to said axial bore, said communication channel comprising at least one hold formed through said inner block member, at least one hold formed through said bearing, and said at least one radial bore, said communication channel disposed at a location beyojnd one end of said helical groove.

Claim 18

The compressor recited in claim 12 further comprising a conduit radially formed through said inner block member linking said discharge chamber with said suction chamber, lubricating oil collected in said housing flowing through said conduit into said suction chamber from said discharge chamber due to the pressure difference between said discharge and said suction chambers.

Claim 19

The compressor recited in claim 12, said at least one radial hold comprising two radial holes disposed at each terminal end of said helical groove.

Claim 20

The compressor recited in claim 12 further comprising an axially annular projection extending from an inner surface of said housing, said axial bore having an opening, said drive shaft extending into said annular projection such that said opening of said axial bore is disposed within said annular projection and said opening is isolated from said discharge chamber.