Patent ID: 6336797
Filing Date: 2002-01-08
Classification: F01C,F04C,Y10T

Abstract:
An air inlet valve assembly for a scroll compressor, such scroll compressor including a housing, a stationary scroll element mounted within such housing stationary with respect to such housing, such stationary scroll element including a stationary spiral flange, an orbiting scroll element disposed within such housing, each of such stationary and orbiting scroll elements having a central axis, such orbiting scroll element including an orbiting spiral flange, such stationary and orbiting spiral flanges being intermeshed and nested with one another to define a compression pocket therebetween, an orbital drive mechanism for driving such central axis of such orbiting scroll element in an orbit about such central axis of such stationary scroll element while maintaining such orbiting scroll element non-rotational with respect to such stationary scroll element, and an air inlet channel connecting to such compression pocket for supplying air to be compressed to such compression pocket, said air inlet valve assembly comprising:a valve housing connected to and disposed external to such stationary scroll element; said valve housing being readily attachable to and detachable from such stationary scroll element; said valve housing enclosing a valve cavity, said valve cavity comprising at least a portion of such air inlet channel; and a valve piston positioned within said valve cavity; said valve piston having a first position blocking such air inlet channel and a second position unblocking such air inlet channel.