Compressor and Air Conditioner

The compressor has a housing; a first rotor disposed spaced apart from the housing, the first rotor being capable of rotating along a first axis. The first rotor including a first portion and a second portion with opposite thread rotating direction; a first spacer, at least a portion of the first spacer being disposed between the first portion and the housing; and a first driving device connected with the first spacer to control the first spacer to move along a direction of the first axis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of compressors, and specifically relates to a compressor and an air conditioner.

Description of Related Art

Screw compressors are widely applied to air power, refrigeration air conditioners and various process flows because of their characteristics of compactness, high efficiency, reliable performance, strong adaptability and the like. The market share of screw compressors continues to increase. A screw compressor is provided with a pair of screw rotors meshing with each other and having opposite thread rotating direction, each screw rotor is correspondingly provided with a suction end and a discharge end, and suction, compression and discharge are realized through rotational movement of the pair of screw rotors in a machine body.

In practical application, during operation of the screw compressor, the screw rotors operate for a long time, and interference is easily generated between the two screw rotors and between the rotors and the housing, which causes collision or abrasion of the rotors and the housing, thus reducing the reliability of the compressor and affecting the stability of the entire rotor system and the compressor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compressor, including:a housing;a first rotor disposed spaced apart from the housing, the first rotor being capable of rotating along a first axis, the first rotor including a first portion and a second portion with opposite thread rotating direction;a first spacer, at least a portion of the first spacer being disposed between the first portion and the housing; anda first driving device connected with the first spacer to control the first spacer to move along a direction of a first axis.

In some embodiments, the compressor further includes a first shaft, the first portion is sleeved on the first shaft, and the second portion is integrally formed with the first shaft.

In some embodiments, a side of the housing facing the first portion is provided with a first accommodating chamber, the first driving device is disposed within the first accommodating chamber, a portion of the first spacer is located within the first accommodating chamber, and another portion of the first spacer is located between the first portion and the housing.

In some embodiments, the first driving device includes a motor and a transmission mechanism, the transmission mechanism is connected with the first spacer, and the transmission mechanism drives the first spacer to move along the direction of the first axis under the driving of the motor.

In some embodiments, the compressor further includes a first distance sensor for detecting a distance between the first spacer and an end of the first portion.

In some embodiments, the first driving device is configured to control the first spacer to move along the direction of the first axis according to a distance between the first spacer and an end of the first portion.

In some embodiments, when controlling the first spacer to move along the direction of the first axis according to the distance between the first spacer and an end of the first portion, the first driving device is configured such that:when the distance between the first spacer and an end of the first portion is greater than a predetermined distance threshold, the first driving device controls the first spacer to move along the direction of the first axis towards a first portion of the first rotor;when the distance between the first spacer and the end of the first portion is less than or equal to the predetermined distance threshold, the first driving device controls the first spacer to move along the direction of the first axis towards the housing.

In some embodiments, the compressor further includes:a second rotor disposed spaced apart from the housing, the second rotor being configured to rotate along a second axis, the second rotor including a third portion and a fourth portion with opposite thread rotating direction, the third portion being configured to at least partially fit and mesh with the first portion, the fourth portion being configured to at least partially fit and mesh with the second portion; anda second shaft, the third portion and the fourth portion being sleeved on the second shaft.

In some embodiments, the compressor further includes: a second spacer, at least a portion of the second spacer being disposed between the fourth portion and the housing; and a second driving device connected with the second spacer to control the second spacer to move along a direction of the second axis.

In some embodiments, a side of the housing facing the fourth portion is provided with a second accommodating chamber, the second driving device is disposed within the second accommodating chamber, a portion of the second spacer is located within the second accommodating chamber, and another portion of the second spacer is located between the fourth portion and the housing.

In some embodiments, the compressor further includes a second distance sensor for detecting a distance between the second spacer and an end of the fourth portion.

In some embodiments, the second driving device is configured to control the second spacer to move along the direction of the second axis according to a distance between the second spacer and an end of the fourth portion.

In some embodiments, when controlling the second spacer to move along the direction of the second axis according to the distance between the second spacer and an end of the fourth portion, the second driving device is configured to:control the second spacer to move along the direction of the first axis towards the fourth portion of the second rotor when the distance between the second spacer and an end of the fourth portion is greater than a predetermined distance threshold;control the second spacer to move along the direction of the second axis towards the housing when the distance between the second spacer and an end of the fourth portion is less than or equal to the predetermined distance threshold.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide an air conditioner including the compressor of any one of the foregoing.

By providing the first spacer between the first rotor and the housing, connecting the first driving device with the first spacer, and controlling the first spacer to move along the direction of the first axis, the compressor provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure makes it always to maintain a predetermined gap between the first rotor and the housing, so that collision or abrasion of the first rotor and the housing are avoided, thus improving the stability of the rotor system and the compressor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a clear and complete description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be made in combination with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are only a part of rather than all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All the other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in the present disclosure without involving any inventive effort shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compressor, such as a screw compressor and a scroll compressor, which is applied to a fluid machine such as an air conditioner.

Referring toFIGS.1and2,FIG.1is a schematic view of part of the structure of a compressor provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG.2is a schematic view showing a first rotor, a second rotor, a first shaft and a second shaft cooperating with each other in the compressor provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compressor100. The compressor100includes a first shaft10, a first rotor20, a second shaft30, a second rotor40, and a housing50. The first shaft10and the second shaft30are disposed parallel to each other in the housing50. The first rotor20is provided on the first shaft10, and the second rotor40is provided on the second shaft30. The first rotor20and the housing50have an axial gap, and the second rotor40and the housing50also have an axial gap.

Wherein the first rotor20and the second rotor40mesh with other. In some embodiments, the first rotor20is a male rotor and the second rotor40is a female rotor. The first rotor20, as a male rotor, is understood as a driving rotor, and the second rotor40, as a female rotor, is understood as a driven rotor. The first rotor20is in transmission connection with an electric motor60, so that the first rotor20is driven by the electric motor60to rotate, and while rotating, the first rotor20drives the second rotor40meshing therewith to rotate synchronously.

In some embodiments, the first rotor20is carried by the first shaft10, the first shaft10is configured to rotatably support the first rotor20, and the first rotor20rotates about a first axis11of the first shaft10. Under the action of the meshing of the first rotor20and the second rotor40, the second rotor40is driven by the first rotor20to rotate on the second shaft30about a second axis31of the second shaft30. The first rotor20includes a first portion21and a second portion22with opposite thread rotating direction. The first portion21is sleeved on the first shaft10, the second portion22is integrally formed with the first shaft10, and both the first portion21and the second portion22rotate about the first axis11within the housing50. The first portion21and the second portion22with opposite thread rotating direction are separately machined and then assembled, with both the machining requirements and performance requirements of the first rotor20being considered.

It should be noted that, an end face of the first portion21close to the second portion22is a first suction end face201, and an end face of the first portion21away from the second portion22is a first discharge end face202. An end face of the second portion22close to the first portion21is a second suction end face203, an end face of the second portion22away from the first portion21is a second discharge end face204, and the first discharge end face202and the second discharge end face204have a gap.

With continued reference toFIGS.1and2, the second rotor40is carried by the second shaft30, and the second rotor40rotates about the second axis31within the housing50. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second rotor40is sleeved on a circumferential outer side of the second shaft30. In some embodiments, the second rotor40includes a third portion41and a fourth portion42with opposite thread rotating direction. The third portion41is configured to at least partially mesh with the first portion21, and the fourth portion42is configured to at least partially mesh with the second portion22. Wherein the third portion41and the first portion21have opposite thread rotating direction, and the fourth portion42and the second portion22have opposite thread rotating direction.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first rotor20and the second rotor40are disposed in parallel in the housing50. The first shaft10has a first end12and a second end13, the first end12fixed on a bearing mounted within the housing50and the second end13is in driving connection with the electric motor60, and the first portion21and the second portion22are located between the first end12and the second end13. The second shaft30has a third end32and a fourth end33which are fixed to the housing50respectively. The second shaft30does not rotate relative to the housing50and is stationary with no relative movement. The third portion41and the fourth portion42are located between the third end32and the fourth end33. The third portion41and the fourth portion42are both rotatable relative to the second shaft30.

When the first rotor20and the second rotor40mesh and rotate, the first portion21generates a first axial force, and the second portion22generates a second axial force. Since the first portion21and the second portion22are disposed symmetrically and have opposite thread rotating direction, theoretically the first axial force and the second axial force are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, so that the first axial force and the second axial force cancel each other out. Similarly, a third axial force and a fourth axial force also cancel each other out theoretically. In actual use, the compressor100may have a problem of unstable axial force at the moment of being turned on or off. Since the third portion41and the fourth portion42are rotatable relative to the second shaft30, the positions of the third portion41and the fourth portion42may shift at the moment of turning on or off the compressor, so a problem of collision of the third portion41and/or the fourth portion42with the housing50may occur.

In view of this, the compressor100provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a first spacer71, a first driving device81and a first distance sensor91. The first driving device81is in driving connection with the first spacer71, and drives the first spacer71to move along a direction of the first axis11, so that a determined gap is always maintained between the first rotor20and the housing50, and therefore, collision or abrasion of the first rotor20and the housing50can be avoided, thus improving the stability of the compressor100.

Referring toFIG.3in combination withFIGS.1and2,FIG.3is a view of the state of the first spacer and the first portion provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure. A side of the housing50facing the first portion21is provided with a first accommodating chamber51. The first driving device81is disposed within the first accommodating chamber51, a portion of the first spacer71is located within the first accommodating chamber51, and another portion of the first spacer71protrudes from the first accommodating chamber51. Wherein the first driving device81is connected with the first spacer71, and a distance d1is reserved between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21. By the predetermined distance d1, the problem of the first rotor20colliding with the housing50will be avoided.

In some embodiments, the first driving device81includes a motor811and a transmission mechanism812. For example, the transmission mechanism812is a gear set, and the transmission mechanism812is in driving connection with the first spacer71. Specifically, a miniature motor with a very small size is used as the motor. Under the driving of the miniature motor, the transmission mechanism812drives the first spacer71to move along the direction of the first axis11, to adjust the value of the distance d1between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21, referring toFIG.3.

In practical application, since the first rotor20operates for a long time, the first spacer71wears or deforms, which causes change in the distance d1between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21, so the collision of the first rotor20with the first spacer71and the collision of the first rotor20with the housing50would be relatively serious, which will affect the performance and stability of the compressor100. Thus, the compressor100provided by embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a first distance sensor91configured to detect the axial distance d1between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21. The first driving device81is configured to control the first spacer71to move along the direction of the first axis11according to the axial distance between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21.

Referring toFIGS.3and4,FIG.4is a flowchart of the control process of the first distance sensor91and the first driving device81provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure. The control process of the first distance sensor91and the first driving device81provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure includes:

S101, in which the first distance sensor91detects the distance between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21.

The distance between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21is d1as shown inFIG.3.

S102, in which the first driving device81controls the first spacer71to move along the direction of the first axis11according to the above-mentioned distance.

In some embodiments, during operation of the compressor100, when the first distance sensor91detects that the distance between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21is greater than a predetermined distance threshold, the first driving device81controls the first spacer71to move towards the first portion21of the first rotor20along the direction of the first axis11, to make the distance between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21equal to the predetermined distance threshold, so as to reduce or even avoid the possibility of collision of the first rotor20and the housing50, and improve the stability of the performance of the compressor100.

In some embodiments, during operation of the compressor100, when the first distance sensor91detects that the distance between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21is less than or equal to the predetermined distance threshold, the first driving device81controls the first spacer71to move in a direction away from the first portion21along the direction of the first axis11, to make the distance between the first spacer71and an end of the first portion21equal to the predetermined distance threshold, so as to avoid collision of the first rotor20and the housing50which affects the stability of the performance of the compressor100.

Referring toFIGS.5and6,FIG.5is a schematic view of part of the structure of a compressor provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG.6is a view of the state of a second spacer and a second portion provided by some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.5, in some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the compressor100further includes a second spacer72, a second driving device82and a second distance sensor92. Wherein the second driving device82is connected with the second spacer72, and controls the second spacer72to make it movable along a direction of the second axis31, so that a determined gap is always maintained between the second rotor40and the housing50, thus reducing or even avoiding the possibility of collision or abrasion of the second rotor40and the housing50and further improving the stability of the compressor100.

A side of the housing50facing the fourth portion42is provided with a second accommodating chamber52. The second driving device82is disposed within the second accommodating chamber52, a portion of the second spacer72is located within the second accommodating chamber52, and another portion of the second spacer72protrudes from the second accommodating chamber52. Wherein the second driving device82is connected with the second spacer72, and a distance d2is reserved between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42. By the predetermined distance d2, the problem of the second rotor40colliding with the housing50will be avoided.

In some embodiments, the second driving device82includes a motor and a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism is a gear set, and the transmission mechanism is connected with the second spacer72. Specifically, a miniature motor with a small size is used as the motor. Under the driving of the miniature motor, the transmission mechanism drives the second spacer72to move along the direction of the second axis31, i.e., adjust the value of the distance d2between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42, referring toFIG.6.

In practical application, since the second rotor40operates for a long time, the second spacer72wears or deforms, which causes change in the distance d2between the second spacer72and the fourth portion42, so the collision of the second rotor40with the second spacer72and the collision of the second rotor40with the housing50would be relatively serious, which will affect the performance and stability of the compressor100. Thus, the compressor100provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a second distance sensor92configured to detect the distance between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42. The second driving device82is configured to control the second spacer72to move along the direction of the second axis31according to the distance between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42.

Referring toFIGS.6and7,FIG.7is a flowchart of a control process of the second distance sensor92and the second driving device82provided by some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The control process of the second distance sensor92and the second driving device82provided by embodiments of the present disclosure includes:

S201, in which the second distance sensor92detects the distance between the first spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42.

The distance between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42is d2as shown inFIG.6.

S202, in which the second driving device82controls the second spacer72to move along the direction of the second axis31according to the above-mentioned distance.

In some embodiments, during operation of the compressor100, when the second distance sensor91detects that the distance between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42is greater than a predetermined distance threshold, the second driving device82controls the second spacer72to move towards the fourth portion42of the second rotor40along the direction of the second axis31, to make the distance between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42consistent with the predetermined distance threshold, so as to reduce collision of the second rotor40and the housing50which affects the stability of the performance of the compressor100.

In some embodiments, during operation of the compressor100, when the second distance sensor91detects that the distance between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42is less than or equal to the predetermined distance threshold, the second driving device82controls the second spacer72to move towards the housing50along the direction of the second axis31, to make the distance between the second spacer72and an end of the fourth portion42consistent with the predetermined distance threshold, such that the second rotor40and the housing50are less likely to collide, to improve the stability of the performance of the compressor100.

For the above-mentioned embodiments, it should be noted that, the material of the first spacer71and the second spacer72may be a material with soft texture, such as PEEK material. The hardness of the material of both the first spacer71and the second spacer72is lower than that of the housing50and that of the first rotor20and the second rotor40. The shapes of the first spacer71and the second spacer72are also not particularly limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

By providing the first spacer71between the first rotor20and the housing50, connecting the first driving device81with the first spacer71and controlling the first spacer71to move along the direction of the first axis11, the compressor100provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure always maintains a gap between the first rotor20and the housing50, so that collision or abrasion of the first rotor20and the housing50are less likely to occur, which improves the stability of the compressor100.

It should be noted that the second portion22and the housing50is provided with a spacer or provided with no spacer therebetween. Similarly, the third portion41and the housing50is provided with a spacer or provided with no spacer therebetween.

The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide an air conditioner including the above-mentioned compressor100, and it also has the technical effects described above.

In description of the present disclosure, it needs to be appreciated that orientation or position relations denoted by the terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer” and the like are orientation or position relations illustrated based on the drawings, are merely for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying description, instead of indicating or implying the denoted devices or elements must have specific orientations or be constructed and operated in specific orientations, and thus the terms cannot be construed as limiting the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used for describing rather than limiting the technical solutions of the present disclosure. Although the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they still can make modifications to the specific implementations in the present disclosure or make equivalent substitutions to part of technical features thereof; and such modifications and equivalent substitutions should be encompassed within the scope of the technical solutions sought for protection in the present disclosure so long as they do not depart from the spirit of the technical solutions of the present disclosure.