Scroll compressor with differential pressure hole

• US 8,992,191 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahn, Sungyong, Choi, Seheon, Kim, Byoungchan, Lee, Byeongchul
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Theresa
• Application Number:
  US13/627,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20130078131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 418/88, 418/94, 418 551- 556, 418/57, 418/102, 418/270
• US Class Current: 418/55.6
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0215 where only one member is moving
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0253 Details concerning the base
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2/10 of internal-axis type with the outer member having more teeth or tooth-equivalents, e.g. rollers, than the inner member
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 23/008 Hermetic pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/025 using a lubricant pump
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/028 Means for improving or restricting lubricant flow

Abstract

A scroll compressor is provided that may include a differential pressure hole formed at or in an orbiting scroll that communicates a high pressure part with an intermediate pressure part, a decompression portion formed in the differential pressure hole and having a pin member inserted therein to decompress oil. An inner diameter D1 of the decompression portion may be greater than an outer diameter D2 of the pin member. The decompression portion may include an inlet through which oil may be introduced from the high pressure part into the differential pressure hole, and an outlet through which oil from the differential pressure hole may be discharged into the intermediate pressure part.

Claims

1. A scroll compressor, comprising:

a shell having an inner space configured to be filled with refrigerant, the inner space containing a predetermined amount of oil;

a drive motor installed in the shell;

a crankshaft coupled to the drive motor and having an oil passage formed therethrough;

a fixed scroll fixed to the shell and having a fixed wrap; and

an orbiting scroll having an orbiting wrap engaged with the fixed wrap, the orbiting scroll forming compression chambers together with the fixed scroll while orbiting with respect to the fixed scroll, wherein the orbiting scroll comprises a differential pressure hole that communicates a high pressure space formed in the inner space of the shell with an intermediate pressure space formed between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll, and wherein the differential pressure hole comprises a decompression portion having a pin member inserted therein that decompresses oil, wherein an inner diameter of the decompression portion is greater than an outer diameter of the pin member, and wherein the fixed scroll comprises a communication hole having a first open end that communicates with the high pressure space, and a second open end that communicates with the first open end and a low pressure space between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll.

2. The scroll compressor of claim 1, wherein the differential pressure hole includes an inlet that communicates with the high pressure space and an outlet that communicates with the intermediate pressure space.

3. The scroll compressor of claim 2, wherein a length between the inlet and the outlet is longer than a length of the pin member.

4. The scroll compressor of claim 3, wherein the differential pressure hole further comprises an expansion portion having an expanded inner diameter formed adjacent the outlet of the differential pressure hole.

5. The scroll compressor of claim 4, wherein a length of the expansion portion is shorter than the length of the pin member.

6. The scroll compressor of claim 2, wherein the orbiting scroll is supported on a frame, wherein the frame includes a shaft receiving portion configured to receive a boss portion of the crank shaft, and wherein the inlet of the differential pressure hole is positioned between the shaft receiving portion and a sealing member disposed between contacting surfaces of the orbiting scroll and frame.

7. The scroll compressor of claim 2, wherein the pin member comprises at least one stepped portion so as to have a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion.

8. The scroll compressor of claim 7, wherein the small diameter portion is formed at an end portion of the pin member, the end portion corresponding to the outlet of the differential pressure hole.

9. The scroll compressor of claim 1, wherein the second open end of the communication hole is open in a range of approximately 0 to −

60°

of a crank angle based on a suction-completed time point when a suction side end of the orbiting wrap contacts a side surface of the fixed wrap.

10. The scroll compressor of claim 1, wherein the orbiting scroll has a boss portion coupled with the crankshaft, and wherein the first open end of the communication hole is located outside of the boss portion in a radial direction based on a center of the boss portion.

11. The scroll compressor of claim 1, wherein the orbiting scroll is supported at or on a thrust bearing surface of a frame fixed to the shell, wherein the frame has a shaft receiving portion in which the boss portion is orbitably inserted and a sealing member is disposed between the thrust bearing surface of the frame and a thrust bearing surface of the orbiting scroll, which contacts the frame, and wherein the first open end of the communication hole is located outside of the sealing member.

12. The scroll compressor of claim 11, wherein a back pressure chamber is formed outside of the sealing member, and wherein the fixed scroll comprises a back pressure hole having a first end that communicates with the back pressure chamber and a second end that communicates with the compression chambers.

13. The scroll compressor of claim 12, wherein a diameter of the second end is thinner than a wrap thickness of the orbiting wrap.

14. The scroll compressor of claim 12, wherein the back pressure hole is formed at a position farther from a suction side than the communication hole based on a movement path of the compression chambers.

15. The scroll compressor of claim 1, further comprising an oil separator configured to separate oil from refrigerant discharged from the compression chambers.

16. The scroll compressor of claim 15, wherein the oil separator is installed to communicate with a discharge pipe outside of the shell, and communicates with the inner space of the shell via an oil collection pipe.

17. The scroll compressor of claim 16, wherein the crankshaft comprises an oil pump driven by a rotational force of the crankshaft, that pumps oil separated by the oil separator into the inner space of the shell, and wherein the oil collection pipe is connected to an inlet of the oil pump.

18. A scroll compressor, comprising:

a shell having an inner space configured to be filled with refrigerant, the inner space containing a predetermined amount of oil;

a drive motor installed in the shell;

a crankshaft coupled to the drive motor and having an oil passage formed therethrough;

a fixed scroll fixed to the shell and having a fixed wrap; and

an orbiting scroll having an orbiting wrap engaged with the fixed wrap, the orbiting scroll forming compression chambers together with the fixed scroll while orbiting with respect to the fixed scroll, wherein the orbiting scroll comprises a differential pressure hole that communicates a high pressure space formed in the inner space of the shell with an intermediate pressure space formed between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll, wherein the differential pressure hole comprises a decompression portion having a pin member inserted therein that decompresses oil, and an expansion portion having an expanded inner diameter formed adjacent an outlet of the differential pressure hole, and wherein the pin member comprises at least one stepped portion so as to have a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, and wherein the small diameter portion is formed at an end portion of the pin member, the end portion corresponding to the outlet of the differential pressure hole.

19. A scroll compressor, comprising:

a shell having an inner space configured to be filled with refrigerant, the inner space containing a predetermined amount of oil;

a drive motor installed in the shell;

a crankshaft coupled to the drive motor and having an oil passage formed therethrough;

a fixed scroll fixed to the shell and having a fixed wrap; and

an orbiting scroll having an orbiting wrap engaged with the fixed wrap, the orbiting scroll forming compression chambers together with the fixed scroll while orbiting with respect to the fixed scroll, wherein the orbiting scroll comprises a differential pressure hole that communicates a high pressure space formed in the inner space of the shell with an intermediate pressure space formed between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll, and wherein the differential pressure hole comprises a decompression portion having a pin member inserted therein that decompresses oil, wherein an inner diameter of the decompression portion is greater than an outer diameter of the pin member, wherein the differential pressure hole includes an inlet that communicates with the high pressure space and an outlet that communicates with the intermediate pressure space, wherein a length between the inlet and the outlet is longer than a length of the pin member, and wherein the differential pressure hole further comprises an expansion portion having an expanded inner diameter formed adjacent the outlet of the differential pressure hole.

20. The scroll compressor of claim 19, wherein a length of the expansion portion is shorter than the length of the pin member.