Compressor for use in refrigerator

• US 5,881,564 A
• Filed: 10/23/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ueda, Kenji, Yoshida, Zenichi, Kishimoto, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US08/956,738
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 62/469, 62/468, 62/230, 62/192, 62/193, 62/DIG. 2, 62/505, 62/84, 184/6.16, 418/102
• US Class Current: 62/193
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0292 Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/063 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/44 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2380/26 Dynamo-electric machines or combinations therewith, e.g. electro-motors and generators
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/064 the liquid being supplied under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0644 Details of devices to control the supply of liquids to the bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/1085 Channels or passages to recirculate the liquid in the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/053 of turbine type
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/06 Damage
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/002 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 31/004 oil recirculating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 45/00 Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant

Abstract

A compressor (30) for use in a refrigerator, which has a rotary shaft (33) supported by bearings (39 to 42) to be lubricated by a liquid refrigerant and is adapted to permit the rotary shaft 33 to continue rotating for a while after a liquid refrigerant pump (36) is stopped at, for example, a power failure, thereby preventing the bearings (39 to 42) from being damaged. To that end, the compressor (30) is further provided with a header (52) for storing a predetermined amount of a high-pressure liquid refrigerant, and with check valves (51, 54 and 56) for maintaining the internal pressure of this header (52) at a high pressure for a predetermined time period after a power failure occurs.

Claims

1. A compressor for use in a refrigerator, which has a rotary shaft supported by a bearing lubricated by a liquid refrigerant, comprising:

a header for storing a predetermined amount of a high-pressure liquid refrigerant to be supplied to said bearing; and

valving operable for maintaining an internal pressure of said header at a high pressure for a predetermined time period after a power failure.

2. The compressor for use in a refrigerator as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises:

an evaporator having a reservoir; and

a liquid refrigerant pump,

wherein a saturated liquid refrigerant stored in said reservoir of said evaporator is supplied to said header by being pressurized by said liquid refrigerant pump.

3. The compressor for use in a refrigerator as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a condenser having a reservoir;

and

valving operable upon a power failure to supply a liquid refrigerant, which is stored in said reservoir of said condenser, to said header.

4. The compressor for use in a refrigerator as set forth in claim 2, which further comprises:

a tank for storing a liquid refrigerant therein;

a heater for heating the liquid refrigerant stored in said tank;

a controller for regulating a heating value of said heater; and

valving operable upon a power failure to supply liquid refrigerant from said tank to said header.