Patent ID: 6322339
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: F04C

Abstract:
A scroll compressor comprising:an electric element having a rotating shaft and a scroll compression element driven by said electric element, both said electric element and scroll compression element housed in a hermetic housing;a support frame in said hermetic housing to support said scroll compression element and having a bearing portion for rotatably supporting said rotating shafta supply of lubricant in said hermetic housing;a differential pressure lubricating portion on said rotating shaft in communication with said supply of lubricant and including an oil passage in said shaft having an outlet;wherein said scroll compression element includes a stationary scroll having a discharge port for compressed gas and a spiral lap on the rear surface thereof, and a swivel scroll having a spiral lap that is rotated with respect to said stationary scroll by being driven by said electric element, the laps of said stationary scroll and said swivel scroll being meshed with each other to form a plurality of compression chambers,a refrigerant gas supplied through a refrigerant gas intake from outside said hermetic housing to be compressed in said compression chambers and discharged into said hermetic housing through said discharge port of said stationary scroll before it is discharged out of said hermetic housing;the refrigerant gas supplied from the intake communicating with the rear surface of said swivel scroll and said support frame to set the pressure therebetween lower than the pressure in the hermetic housing and at the discharge port of said stationary scroll, the pressure in the hermetic housing forcing the lubricant from said lubricating portion to the outlet of said rotating shaft to gas-seal respective sliding portions including said bearing portion and to allow the positioning of said stationary and swivel scrolls away from each other; andwherein a hole is provided that extends from said oil feed passage to the sliding surface of said bearing portions, and a spiral groove is in the surface of said rotating shaft on the side of said electric element from said hole so that the lubricant, which has passed through said hole, flows through said groove to lubricate and to gas-seal a sliding surface on the side of said scroll compression element from said hole.