Hermetic electric compressor with improved temperature responsive motor control

• US 6,142,741 A
• Filed: 02/09/1996
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Goto, Naomi, Nishihata, Hideo, Yoshida, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): THAI, XUAN MARIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/599,583
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 417/32, 62/126, 62/228.4, 361/22, 361/24, 361/27, 439/95, 439/96, 439/98, 439/99, 439/620, 439/76.1, 439/556, 439/559, 439/610
• US Class Current: 417/32
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/0403 Carter housing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/0205 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/02 Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control

Abstract

A hermetic electric compressor includes a motor unit having a stator coil and a compressor unit driven by the motor unit for compressing refrigerant gas. A temperature sensor is provided at the stator coil for monitoring a temperature of the stator coil. A control unit is further provided to control a rotational frequency or speed of the motor unit via the stator coil depending on the monitored temperature of the stator coil. The temperature sensor and the control unit are connected via a shielded cable or a twisted pair. The shielded cable or the twisted pair may be grounded via a capacitor. Further, a thermostat may also be provided at the stator coil and connected in series to the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A hermetic electric compressor comprising:

a sealed casing;

a motor unit provided in said sealed casing and having a stator coil;

a compressor unit provided in said sealed casing and driven by said motor unit for compressing a refrigerant;

a thermistor provided at said stator coil for monitoring a temperature of said stator coil; and

control means, responsive to said temperature monitored by said temperature sensor, for controlling a speed of said motor unit via said stator coil,

wherein said temperature sensor and said control means are connected via a shielded cable at least partly, and

wherein said control means drops the speed of said motor unit to a preset value when the temperature monitored by said temperature sensor exceeds a first preset value and wherein said control means stops said motor unit when the temperature monitored by said temperature sensor exceeds a second preset value which is greater than said first preset value.

2. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein a shield conductor of said shielded cable is grounded to said sealed casing via a capacitor.

3. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein a connector is further provided at said sealed casing so as to have inner terminals located inside said sealed casing and outer terminals located outside said sealed casing, wherein said temperature thermistor is connected to said inner terminals and said control means is connected to said outer terminals, and wherein said thermistor and said inner terminals are connected via the shielded cable.

4. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein a connector is further provided at said sealed casing so as to have inner terminals located inside said sealed casing and outer terminals located outside said sealed casing, wherein said thermistor is connected to said inner terminals and said control means is connected to said outer terminals, and wherein said control means and said outer terminals are connected via the shielded cable.

5. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 4, wherein a shield conductor of said shielded cable is grounded to said sealed casing at a portion other than said connector.

6. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 5, wherein the shield conductor of said shielded cable is grounded to said sealed casing via a capacitor.

7. A hermetic electric compressor comprising:

a sealed casing;

a motor unit provided in said sealed casing and having a stator coil;

a compressor unit provided in said sealed casing and driven by said motor unit for compressing a refrigerant;

a thermistor provided at said stator coil for monitoring a temperature of said stator coil; and

control means, responsive to said temperature monitored by said temperature sensor, for controlling a speed of said motor unit via said stator coil,

wherein said temperature sensor and said control means are connected via a twisted pair at least partly, and

wherein said control means drops the speed of said motor unit to a preset value when the temperature monitored by said temperature sensor exceeds a first preset value and wherein said control means stops said motor unit when the temperature monitored by said temperature sensor exceeds a second preset value which is greater than said first preset value.

8. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 7, wherein one line of said twisted pair is grounded to said sealed casing via a capacitor.

9. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 7, wherein a connector is further provided at said sealed casing so as to have inner terminals located inside said sealed casing and outer terminals located outside said sealed casing, wherein said thermistor is connected to said inner terminals and said control means is connected to said outer terminals, and wherein said thermistor and said inner terminals are connected via the twisted pair.

10. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 7, wherein a connector is further provided at said sealed casing so as to have inner terminals located inside said sealed casing and outer terminals located outside said sealed casing, wherein said thermistor is connected to said inner terminals and said control means is connected to said outer terminals, and wherein said control means and said outer terminals are connected via the twisted pair.

11. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 10, wherein one line of said twisted pair is grounded to said sealed casing at a portion other than said connector.

12. The hermetic electric compressor according to claim 11, wherein said one line of the twisted pair is, grounded to said sealed casing via a capacitor.

13. A hermetic electric compressor comprising:

a sealed casing;

a motor unit provided in said sealed casing and having a stator coil;

a compressor unit provided in said sealed casing and driven by said motor unit for compressing a refrigerant;

a thermistor provided at said stator coil for monitoring a temperature of said stator coil;

control means, responsive to said temperature monitored by said thermistor, for controlling a speed of said motor unit via said stator coil, and

wherein said control means drops the speed of said motor unit to a preset value when the temperature monitored by said thermistor exceeds a first preset value and wherein said control means stops said motor unit when the temperature monitored by said thermistor exceeds a second preset value which is greater than said first preset value.