Hermetic compressor

• US 7,568,894 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Uratani, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay; Charles G
• Application Number:
  US11/180,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 417/63, 417/902, 184/6.18, 184/108, 73/530.5, 73/617.6, 731/68, 732/95
• US Class Current: 417/63
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/0238 with oil distribution channels
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/356 with vanes reciprocating with respect to the outer member
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/803 Electric connectors or cables; Fittings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/809 Lubricant sump
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 417/902 Hermetically sealed motor pump unit

Abstract

A hermetic compressor includes a housing which accommodates a motor and a compressing mechanism, an oil surface sensor mounted to a side wall of the housing, and refrigerating machine oil. The oil surface sensor is integrally formed of a detector for detecting a position of the oil surface of the refrigerating machine oil and a hermetic terminal. The hermetic terminal is placed at an end of a cylindrical tube having a smaller diameter than that of the housing, and the detector of the oil surface sensor is disposed inside the cylindrical tube.

Claims

1. A hermetic compressor comprising:

a housing accommodating a motor and a compressing mechanism driven by the motor;

refrigerating machine oil pooled in the housing; and

an oil surface sensor disposed to a side wall of the housing, wherein the oil surface sensor includes;

a detector for detecting a position of oil surface of the machine oil;

a hermetic terminal integrally formed with the detector;

a first cylindrical tube having a first end and a second end, the first cylindrical tube having a smaller diameter than that of the housing;

second and third cylindrical tubes, each having a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical tube; and

a lid at the second end of the first cylindrical tube, the lid including at least two openings from which the second and third cylindrical tubes extend to the side wall of the housing,

wherein the hermetic terminal is disposed at a first end of the first cylindrical tube, and the detector is disposed inside of the first cylindrical tube and outside of the housing.

2. The hermetic compressor of claim 1, wherein the detectors are mounted at a place in a middle of an upper limit and a lower limit of the oil surface of the machine oil in the housing and at a place lower than the middle.

3. The hermetic compressor of claim 1, wherein the detector employs a thermistor, which detects a temperature difference between gas refrigerant and the refrigerating machine oil both in the housing, for detecting a position of the oil surface.

4. The hermetic compressor of claim 2, wherein the detector employs a thermistor, which detects a temperature difference between gas refrigerant and the refrigerating machine oil both in the housing, for detecting a position of the oil surface.

5. The hermetic compressor of claim 1, wherein:

the detector includes first and second thermistors disposed inside the first cylindrical tube; and

the hermetic terminal includes first, second and third electrodes, the first and second electrodes are configured to electrically connect the first thermistor external to the housing and the second and third electrodes are configured to electrically connect the second thermistor external to the housing.

6. The hermetic compressor of claim 1, wherein the detector includes first and second thermistors disposed inside of the first cylinder tube;

and

the hermetic terminal includes first, second and third electrodes, the first thermistor is disposed inside of the first cylindrical tube at a first level relative to the pooled refrigerating machine oil which is above that of the first, second and third electrodes and the second thermistor is disposed inside of the first cylindrical tube at a second level relative to the pooled refrigerating machine oil which is below that of the first, second and third electrodes.

7. The hermetic compressor of claim 1, wherein the first cylindrical tube is connected to the housing via first and second input ports to enable the pooled refrigerating machine oil to flow into the first cylindrical tube.