Scroll compressor with variable volume ratio port in orbiting scroll

• US 9,777,730 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Doepker, Roy J., Perevozchikov, Michael M., Stover, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laurenzi, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wan, Deming
• Application Number:
  US15/156,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20160258434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 418 551- 556
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0207 both members having co-operating elements in spiral form
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0215 where only one member is moving
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0261 Details of the ports, e.g. location, number, geometry
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/30 Casings or housings
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/60 Shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 28/16 using lift valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/005 Means for transmitting movement from the prime mover to driven parts of the pump, e.g. clutches, couplings, transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/12 Arrangements for admission or discharge of the working fluid, e.g. constructional features of the inlet or outlet

Abstract

A compressor may include a first scroll member, a second scroll member and a drive shaft. The first scroll member may include a first end plate defining a first discharge port and a first spiral wrap extending from the first end plate. The second scroll member may include a second end plate defining a first variable volume ratio port and a second spiral wrap extending from the second end plate and meshingly engaged with the first spiral wrap and forming compression pockets. The variable volume ratio port may be located radially outward relative to the first discharge port and in communication with a first compression pocket. The drive shaft may be engaged with the second scroll member and driving orbital displacement of the second scroll member relative to the first scroll member.

Claims

1. A compressor comprising:

a shell;

a first scroll member disposed within said shell and including a first end plate and a first spiral wrap extending from said first end plate;

a second scroll member disposed within said shell and including a second end plate and a second spiral wrap extending from said second end plate and meshingly engaged with said first spiral wrap and forming compression pockets, said second end plate defining a variable volume ratio port and a discharge port, said variable volume ratio port located radially outward relative to said discharge port and in communication with one of said compression pockets, said discharge port in selective communication with said variable volume ratio port such that fluid is transferred from the variable volume ratio port to said discharge port at a location that is outside of the compression pockets;

a drive shaft engaged with said second scroll member and driving orbital displacement of said second scroll member relative to said first scroll member; and

a variable volume ratio valve displaceable between a closed position and an open position, said variable volume ratio valve isolating said variable volume ratio port from said discharge port when in the closed position and providing communication between said variable volume ratio port and said discharge port when in the open position,

wherein said second scroll member includes a drive hub extending from said second end plate and engaged with said drive shaft and said variable volume ratio valve is located within said drive hub axially between said drive shaft and an end of said first spiral wrap that seals against said second end plate.

2. The compressor of claim 1, wherein said first end plate includes another discharge port, said first and second spiral wraps define a central discharge pocket in communication with said discharge ports.

3. The compressor of claim 2, wherein said variable volume ratio valve isolates said variable volume ratio port from said central discharge pocket when in the closed position and provides communication between said one of said compression pockets and said central discharge pocket via said variable volume ratio port when in the open position.

4. The compressor of claim 3, wherein said variable volume ratio valve defines an annular body including a central aperture surrounding said discharge port.

5. The compressor of claim 3, wherein said second scroll member includes first and second members coupled to one another with said variable volume ratio valve located axially between the first and second members, said first member defining a first portion of said second end plate and said second spiral wrap and said second member defining a second portion of said second end plate and a drive hub extending from said second portion and engaged with said drive shaft.

6. The compressor of claim 1, further comprising a valve housing located within said drive hub axially between said variable volume ratio valve and said drive shaft.

7. The compressor of claim 6, further comprising a drive bearing surrounding an outer circumference of said drive shaft and located within an annular wall defined by said valve housing.

8. The compressor of claim 6, further comprising a drive bearing surrounding an outer circumference of said drive shaft and located at an axial end of said valve housing opposite said second end plate.

9. The compressor of claim 6, wherein said valve housing defines a drive bearing surrounding an outer circumference of said drive shaft.

10. The compressor of claim 1, further comprising a another variable volume ratio valve selectively opening another variable volume ratio port defined in said second end plate, said variable volume ratio valves being displaceable between open and closed positions independent from one another.

11. The compressor of claim 1, wherein said discharge port and said variable volume ratio port define a flow path from said one of said compression pockets to another discharge port formed in said first scroll member.

12. The compressor of claim 11, wherein said location that is outside of said compression pockets is disposed along said flow path.

13. A compressor comprising:

a shell;

a first scroll member disposed within said shell and including a first end plate and a first spiral wrap extending from said first end plate;

a second scroll member disposed within said shell and including a second end plate and a second spiral wrap extending from said second end plate and meshingly engaged with said first spiral wrap and forming first and second compression pockets, said second end plate defining a first variable volume ratio port, a second variable volume ratio port and a discharge port, said first and second variable volume ratio ports located radially outward relative to said discharge port and in communication with said first and second compression pockets, respectively, said discharge port in selective communication with said first and second variable volume ratio ports;

a drive shaft engaged with said second scroll member and driving orbital displacement of said second scroll member relative to said first scroll member; and

a first variable volume ratio valve displaceable between open and closed positions, said first variable volume ratio valve opening said first variable volume ratio port when in the open position and closing said first variable volume ratio port when in the closed position, said first variable volume ratio valve fluidly isolating said first and second variable volume ratio ports from each other when in the closed position.

14. The compressor of claim 13, wherein said first end plate includes another discharge port, said first and second spiral wraps define a central discharge pocket in communication with said discharge ports.

15. The compressor of claim 14, wherein said first variable volume ratio valve isolates said first and second variable volume ratio ports from said discharge pocket when in the closed position and provides communication between said discharge pocket and said first and second compression pockets via said first and second variable volume ratio ports, respectively, when in the open position.

16. The compressor of claim 14, further comprising a second variable volume ratio valve, said first and second variable volume ratio valves being displaceable between open and closed positions independent from one another, said first variable volume ratio valve selectively opening said first variable volume ratio port and said second variable volume ratio valve selectively opening said second variable volume ratio port.

17. The compressor of claim 13, wherein said first variable volume ratio valve selectively opens and closes one or both of said first and second variable volume ratio ports, wherein said second scroll member includes a drive hub extending from said second end plate and engaged with said drive shaft and said first variable volume ratio valve is located within said drive hub axially between said drive shaft and said second end plate.

18. The compressor of claim 17, wherein said second scroll member includes first and second members coupled to one another with said first variable volume ratio valve located axially between the first and second members, said first member defining a first portion of said second end plate and said second spiral wrap and said second member defining a second portion of said second end plate and said drive hub extending from said second portion and engaged with said drive shaft.

19. The compressor of claim 17, further comprising a valve housing located within said drive hub axially between said first variable volume ratio valve and said drive shaft.

20. The compressor of claim 19, further comprising a drive bearing surrounding an outer circumference of said drive shaft and located within an annular wall defined by said valve housing.

21. The compressor of claim 19, further comprising a drive bearing surrounding an outer circumference of said drive shaft and located at an axial end of said valve housing opposite said second end plate.

22. The compressor of claim 13, wherein said discharge port and said first variable volume ratio port define a first flow path from said first compression pocket to another discharge port formed in said first scroll member.

23. The compressor of claim 22, wherein said discharge port in said second end plate and said second variable volume ratio port define a second flow path from said second compression pocket to said discharge port formed in said first scroll member.