PISTON WITH RELEASABLE ROD CONNECTION FOR REFRIGERATION COMPRESSORS

Abstract: Electric compressor comprising a piston provided with a connecting rod (4), an annular element arranged at an end portion thereof, a gudgeon pin, an elastic means (6) that elastically locks said gudgeon pin in the piston. The connecting rod, said annular element and said gudgeon pin are made in a one-piece construction, and said piston has no through-passing holes to accommodate the end portions of said gudgeon pin. A recess (3) in the piston is adapted to accommodate the contiguous portion of said annular element and said gudgeon pin. The elastic means has a curved contour and, together with said extensions, forms such a shape that, when applied between appropriate engaging provisions of the piston and the extensions, a rolling contact occurs between said extensions and the elastic means.

Description: PISTON WITH RELEASABLE ROD CONNECTION FOR REFRIGERATION COMPRESSORS DESCRIPTION The present invention refers to a particular kind of coupling used to link a connecting rod with the associated piston. To the purpose of more effectively exemplifying the present invention, said connecting lod is assumed to operate in close association with the compression piston of a refngei ation compressoi , m particulai a compressoi for household type lefngeiators, without this of course limiting the scope of the same invention to just such a kind of coupling The practice is known from the patent EP 0 608 506 to WHIRLPOOL EUROPE B.V. of bringing about such a coupling between a piston of a hermetically sealed motor-dnven compressoi and the respective connecting lod by means of a gudgeon pin that is adapted to engage, during the compression phase, the piston walls owmg-to mere pressure exerted against appiopπate lecesses provided m the same walls, whereas the suction phase, which notoriously requires just a very- small or even no coupling force at all between connecting rod and gudgeon pm (in fact, the pressure itself of the suction gas is such as to ensuie the coupling, again by pressuie, between said elements), is carried out with the connecting rod that keeps engaging the piston through an elastic element, which has a substantially plane annular shape and is arranged between said two elements Such a solution however, although representing a sure improvement with respect to prior-art solutions from a general manufacturing point of view, still has some drawbacks m that - the need still arises for two distinct component parts, le. connecting rod and gudgeon pm, to be manufactured separately, whereas said connecting rod must anyway be provided with the ring lequired to accomodate the gudgeon pm, - there still occurs a weai-down effect between said component parts, so that there still is a need foi a particulai lubrication to be provided therebetween, - the elastic element woiks by sliding le lubbmg against the gudgeon pm, so that it undergoes a particulai ly seveie, lapid weai-down effect, - furtheimoie, the shape itself of the elastic element, due to its working by bending under meie sheai stiess does not ensure any absolutely firm coupling between piston and gudgeon pm and this makes it possible foi undesn ed noise to be genei ated It therefoi e would be desn able and it actually is a mam puipose of the pi esent invention to piovide a technical solution that, when applied to the piston of a lefπgeiation compiessoi eliminates the above mentioned diawbacks and, m paiticulai , simplifies both constmction and assembly especially thiough a l eduction in the pait count Accoidmg to the present invention, such an aim is furthermore capable of being leached thiough the use of techniques and mateπals that ate simple, cost-effechve and leadily available on the maiket, without by any means impaiimg the peifoimance capabilities and the leliability of the lespective compiessoi These aims aie leached in a type of coupling between connecting lod and piston as descnbed below by way of mei e non-limitmg example with lefeience to the accompanying diawings, in which - Figures la, lb and lc are three perspective, partially cut-away views of a piston, a respective connectmg rod and a respective retaining element, respectively, according to the present invention; - Figure 2 is a peispective, partially cut-away view of the three component parts shown in the three above cited Figures, after the assembly thereof. With reference to the above listed Figures, it should first of all be noticed how the gudgeon pm, intended as a distinct mechanical element having the function of linking the connecting lod with the piston, is practically eliminated, while its function is carried out as follows the piston 1 is depnved of the holes in which the gudgeon pm is usually inserted, since, as pointed out above, said gudgeon pm is suppressed, on the contiaiy, the same piston i is piovided, m its innei surface 2 opposing the working suiface on which the piessuie is exerted, with a recess 3 having the shape of a portion of a cylinder sectioned by a plane that is parallel to the axis a - a thereof In othei woids, said innei suiface practically piesents a dome m the shape of a portion of a cylmdei The connecting lod 4 piesents m turn, m correspondence of its end portion facing the piston a teiminal portion 5 shaped as a portion of a cylmdei being so sized as to be able to couple, even only partially, with said recess 3 provided m the innei suiface 2 of the piston It is anyway cleai that apart fiom the mutual compatibility of the relative dimensions, -the minimum coupling ability lequiiement calls for the ladius of said two portions of cylmdei 3 and 5 as described above to be substantially similar so as to enable the connectmg lod to lotate thiough a limited aic with its terminal portion 5 within the lecess 3, owing to the fact that the cyhndiical surfaces facing each othei at any moment ai e always substantially m contact with each othei Such a solution enables a twofold advantage to be obtained m terms of a greater common working surface between connectmg rod and piston, with a corresponding reduction m the pressures involved and, therefore, also in the corresponding wear-down effect, and an enhanced lubrication effect brought about by a substantially perfect coupling of the two common surfaces when working. Furthermore, such a solution clearly makes it possible for even very high stresses between connecting rod and piston to be transmitted during the compression phase, since these elements are m this phase undergoing pressure stresses that force them against each other, so that the proposed solution of common woikmg surfaces gives full assurance of an effective force ti ansmission and, as a result, an effective, problem-free compression of the gas, with a low weai-down and an enhanced lubrication effect. Duπng the suction phase there is no particular stress oi force that must be transmitted from the connectmg rod to the piston, owing to the low inertia of the latter and owing also to the fact that, in the first part of the suction stroke, the lesidual gas available m the cylinder usually keeps up a slight countei -pressure acting on the piston, so that the pulling force on the piston alieady very low, is further I educed by said counter-pressure. It is howevei necessary for the piston to remain linked with the connecting rod also during the suction phase and, considering the low forces required, it has been found that such a function can be carried out m a fully satisfactory marine I by such an elastic element 6 as best illustrated m Figuie lc which shows means m the shape of a closed loop, and having approximately the form of a saddle m which two opposite "uppei " portions 7 and 8 can be distinguished , along with two similarly opposite "lower" portions 9 and 10, said uppei and said lowei elements being arranged alternately Said uppei portions 7 and 8 are adapted to engage, by simple contact and pressuie against respective reliefs 1 1 and 12 provided, as this is best shown in Figure lb, on the lower side of the terminal portion 5 of said connectmg rod, said reliefs being clearly not comprised in and preferably opposite to the cylindrical surface m which the connectmg rod terminates The 'lower" portions 9 and 10 of said elastic element 6 are m turn adapted to engage respective recesses 13, 14 which, preferably in the form of horizontally oriented notches, are piovided in appropriate positions mside the inner cylindrical surface 15 of the piston, so as this is best illustrated m Figure 2 In this manner after completion of the assembly of the three elements described above which can be carried out m different manners, and in particular by taking advantage of the elasticity of the element 6 a connecting d-piston assembly is obtained which is surely effective foi use in the intended application, without any pioblem whatsoever arising m the compression phase thanks to the afoie described reasons, as well as without any problem occuinng in the suction phase since the saddle-like configui ation, oi "arch"-lιke shape, of the elastic element 6 along with the manner it engages the piston, makes it suiely possible foi the connectmg lod to be also able to drive the piston without any undesned lag oi even the slightest delay exactly for the leason that the aich-shaped stiuctuie of the elastic element 6 by woikmg m a compressive mannei during the suction phase maintains its ongmal shape almost integrally In an advantageous manner, furtheimoie, the afore cited leliefs 11 and 12 can have their surfaces contacting the uppei portions 7 and 8 of the elastic element 6 l educed to meie segments, this being obtained by sharpening the lower extieme edges of said reliefs and giving said coiiespondmg portions 7 and 8 the shape of a plane surface Furthermore, said sharp edges so formed by the lower borders of said reliefs 1 1 and 12 must be arranged along the otation axis b - b of the teimmal portion 5 of said connecting lod with lespect to the recess 3 Such a geometrrc arrangement, n fact enables frrctron between said connecting lod and the elastic element 6 to be rninirnized, since these elements only engage each other by pressure when working. This solution enables the durability of the respective pressure contacts to be increased and, as a result, ebables the related lubncation requirements to be simplified. It will be appreciated that the above description and illustrations have been given, w th reference to the accompanymg drawings, to the mere purpose of exemplifying the present invention, and that a number of variants can be implemented and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Electric compressor, m particular for household refrigerating apparatuses, comprising. - a hollow piston (1) without any through-hole provided for accomodating the gudgeon pm, - a connecting rod (4), - a recess (3) provided m the innei surface (2) of said piston on the opposite side with respect to the woikmg surface theieof, said recess being adapted to accomodate in a rotatable coupling form both the uppei terminal portion of the connecting rod (4) and the coupling elements - one or more coupling elements (11 , 12) adapted to link the upper terminal portion (5) of said connectmg rod with said piston, - elastic means (6) adapted to elastically lock said elements mside said piston and engage themselves, with lespect to said piston, against appropriate recesses (13, 14) provided in the innei cylindrical surface (15) thereof, characterized m that: - said connecting rod and said coupling elements are made m a smgle-piece construction, and said coupling means ate adapted to reciprocally engage said connectmg rod and said piston, and - said piston is free from any through-passing holes provided to accomodate the end portions of said gudgeon pm. 2. Electric compressor according to claim 1 , charactenzed m that said coupling means are formed by two relief side extensions (11, 1 ) provided on said upper terminal portion (5) of the connecting rod, on opposite faces thereof 3. Electric compressor according to claim 2, characterized m that the inner contour of said recess (3) provided inside said piston and the corresponding contour of the assembly formed by said upper terminal portion (5) and the respective coupling elements are semi-cylmdrical contours adapted to be coupled reciprocally 4 Electric compiessor according to claim 3, characterized m that said elastic means (6) have an annulai shape which is aicuated m a saddle-like mannei towaid the small end of the connecting rod so as to present, toward the zone which is the closest to the small end of the connectmg rod, two lower, preferably mtually opposing portions (9 10) 5 Electiic compressoi according to claim 4, characterized in that said portions (9 10) are adapted to engage appropnate corresponding recesses (13 14) that ai e prefei ably made m a notch-like manner and ai e provided within the innei cylmdi real sur face ( 15) of said piston 6 Electiic compiessoi accoidmg to any of the preceding claims 3 to 5 characterized m that said two relief extensions pi esent a l espective sharp edge facing said elastic means, said sharp edges being aligned along the axis (b - b) of rotation of said teimmal portion (5) with lespect to said piston, said elastic means (6) being piovided with substantially plane portions (7 8) oriented towards said lelief extensions (11 12) so that said sharp edges and said substantially plane portions (7 8) aie capable of mutually engaging owing only to compression

Inventors: PIEROBON EMILIO, SANTAMATO ARCANGELO, PIEROBON, EMILIO, SANTAMATO, ARCANGELO
Applicants: PIEROBON EMILIO, SANTAMATO ARCANGELO, ZANUSSI ELETTROMECC, PIEROBON, EMILIO, SANTAMATO, ARCANGELO, ZANUSSI ELETTROMECCANICA S.P.A.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: F04B39
IPC codes: F04B39, F16J1