Abstract:
A compressor is provided. The compressor includes a motor that generates power to rotate a crank shaft. The motor includes a rotor rotating about a stator supported in a hermetic vessel by an elastic member. A roller is provided eccentric to the center of rotation of the crank shaft and rotates eccentrically to divide the compression chamber into two regions with a vane so as to allow working fluids to be drawn into, compressed discharged from the compression chamber. A compressor so configured minimizes fluidity and friction losses, thereby improving compression efficiency. The working fluids do not have influence upon/from the inside of are not influenced by an environment with the hermetic vessel, and vibration is minimized, thus enhancing compression efficiency and reducing associated noise.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    This relates to a compressor, and more particularly to a compressor which compresses working fluids into compressed pressure and provides the same in a heat exchange cycle. 
         [0003]    2. Background 
         [0004]    Compressors convert mechanical energy into compressive force. Disturbances in the flow of working fluid to a compressive portion thereof, inefficient or incomplete discharge of the fluid once compressed, and excessive vibration and friction may all degrade overall performance of the compressor. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Accordingly, the embodiments as broadly described herein solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object is to eliminate a loss of working fluids during suction into a compression chamber. 
         [0006]    Another object is to provide a compressor having no re-expansion loss. 
         [0007]    Still another object is to minimize friction in a compressing device for compressing working fluids. 
         [0008]    Yet still another object is to relatively lower the temperature of working fluids compressed in a compression chamber. 
         [0009]    Another object is to allow working fluids compressed in a compression chamber to flow outside without being discharged into the internal space of the compression chamber. 
         [0010]    A further object is to absorb vibrations and shocks through supporting portions where parts constituting a compressor are installed, using an elastic member. 
         [0011]    In order to accomplish these objects, there is provided a compressor including: a hermetic vessel having therein a hermetic space; a motor supported in the hermetic space by an elastic member, and having a stator and a rotor electromagnetically interacting with each other so as to generate driving force as the rotor rotates; and a compressing device receiving the driving force of the motor through a crank shaft, that is press-fitted into the rotor with the same center of rotation as the rotor so as to rotate with the rotor, and having, in a compression chamber provided in a cylinder, a roller provided eccentric to the center of rotation of the crank shaft and a vane interworking with the roller, both dividing the compression chamber into two regions and compressing the working fluids. 
         [0012]    The compressing device may include: a main support bearing rotatably supporting the crank shaft with the stator of the motor installed thereunder; the cylinder installed on the main bearing with the compression chamber passing through the center thereof; an auxiliary bearing installed on the cylinder to rotatably support an upper end of the crank shaft, and defining the compression chamber together with the cylinder and the main bearing; the roller provided eccentric to the center of rotation of the crank shaft, an outer face of which sequentially comes into contact with an inner face of the compression chamber to compress working fluids; and the vane protruding through the inner face of the compression chamber to contact, at its leading end, the roller to partition the compression chamber. 
         [0013]    The working fluids transferred from outside through a suction pipe installed through the hermetic vessel may be directly transferred to the compression chamber of the compressing device through a suction silencer and a supply pipe. 
         [0014]    The working fluids compressed in the compression chamber of the compressing device may be discharged to an ejection room defined by an ejection cover installed in the auxiliary bearing constituting the compressing device, under the control of an ejection valve. 
         [0015]    A connector pipe may be provided such that it communicates, at its one end, with the ejection room through the ejection cover, and communicates, at its other end, with an ejection pipe passing through the hermetic vessel. 
         [0016]    The crank shaft may be provided with an oil passage along its internal portion and outer face so as to suck upward the oil in the lower portion of the hermetic vessel and to transfer the same to a heating section and a friction section. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, there is provided a compressor including: a hermetic vessel having therein a hermetic space; a motor provided in the hermetic space, and having a stator and a rotor electromagnetically interacting with each other so as to generate driving force; a compressing device receiving the driving force of the motor through a crank shaft having the same center of rotation as the rotor, and compressing working fluids in a compression chamber provided in a cylinder; a suction silencer transferring the working fluids transferred from outside of the hermetic vessel to the compression chamber of the compressing device; and a connector pipe receiving the working fluids compressed in the compressing device and transferring the same outside of the hermetic vessel. 
         [0018]    The stator of the motor may be supported in the hermetic vessel by an elastic member. 
         [0019]    The stator may be fixed to the lower end of the compressing device so that the compressing device is substantially supported by the elastic member supporting the stator. 
         [0020]    The compressing device may include: a main bearing rotatably supporting the crank shaft; the cylinder installed on the main bearing with the compression chamber, through which the crank shaft passes, passing through the center thereof; an auxiliary bearing installed on the cylinder to rotatably support an upper end of the crank shaft, and defining the compression chamber together with the cylinder and the main bearing; a roller provided eccentric to the center of rotation of the crank shaft, an outer face of which sequentially comes into contact with an inner face of the compression chamber to compress working fluids; and a vane supported by the elastic member so as to protrude through the inner face of the compression chamber to contact, at its leading end, the roller to divide the compression chamber into two regions. 
         [0021]    The compression chamber of the cylinder corresponding to both sides of the vane may be provided with a suction hole and an ejection hole so as to allow working fluids to flow inside and outside of the compression chamber, wherein the suction hole directly communicates with the suction silencer and the ejection hole is opened and closed by an ejection valve. 
         [0022]    The crank shaft may be provided with an oil passage along its internal portion and outer face so as to suck upward the oil in the lower portion of the hermetic vessel and to transfer the same to a heating section and a friction section. 
         [0023]    In still another embodiment, there is provided a compressor including: a hermetic vessel having therein a hermetic space; a motor provided in the hermetic space, and having a stator and a rotor electromagnetically interacting with each other so as to generate driving force; and a compressing device having a rotating scroll and a stationary scroll that receive the driving force of the motor through a crank shaft having the same center of rotation as the rotor and compress working fluids while changing the respective volumes thereof by relative rotation therebetween, and an oldhamring rotating the rotating scroll with the rotational force of the crank shaft. 
         [0024]    The working fluids transferred from outside through a suction pipe installed through the hermetic vessel may be directly transferred to the compression chamber of the compressing device through the suction silencer and a supply pipe. 
         [0025]    The working fluids compressed in the compression chamber of the compressing device may be discharged to an ejection room defined at one side of the compressing device by an ejection cover. 
         [0026]    The connector pipe may be provided such that it communicates, at its one end, with the ejection room through the ejection cover, and communicates, at its other end, with an ejection pipe passing through the hermetic vessel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    The above and other objects, features and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary reciprocating compressor; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the internal construction of a compressor according to an embodiment as broadly described herein; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the main construction of a compressing device according to an embodiment as broadly described herein; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the upper portion of an auxiliary bearing constituting an embodiment as broadly described herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and so repetition of the description on the same or similar components will be omitted. 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 1 , an appearance of the compressor is formed by a lower vessel  1  and an upper vessel  3 . The lower vessel  1  and the upper vessel  3  are coupled to form therein a hermetic space. Inside the hermetic space, parts constituting the compressor are installed. Under the lower vessel  1 , a mounting plate  5  is installed. The mounting plate  5  is provided in a position where the compressor is installed. A plurality of pipes  6  is provided through the lower vessel  1  so as to transfer working fluids and the like inside and outside of the compressor. 
         [0034]    A frame  7  is installed in the hermetic space. Under the frame  7 , a stator  11  is installed and supported on the bottom face of the lower vessel  1  by an elastic member (not shown). Inside the stator  11 , a rotor  12  is installed such that it rotates with electromagnetic interaction with the stator  11 . 
         [0035]    The rotor  12  is connected at the center thereof with a crank shaft  13 , so that it rotates together with the crank shaft  13 . The crank shaft  13  vertically passes through the frame  7  and rotatably supports the same. The crank shaft  13  is connected with a piston (not shown) linearly reciprocating in a compression chamber inside a cylinder  15  via a connecting rod  14 . Thus, the rotational force of the rotor  12  is transferred to the piston via the crank shaft  13  and the connecting rod  14 . The cylinder  15  is integrally formed with the frame  7 . 
         [0036]    At a leading end of the compression chamber of the cylinder  15 , a valve assembly is installed together with a head cover assembly  16 . The valve assembly controls working fluids to flow inside and outside of the compression chamber. A suction silencer  17  is assembled to an intake valve side of the valve assembly together with the head cover assembly  16 . The suction silencer  17  reduces noises of working fluids sucked from outside, and transfers the same to the compression chamber through the valve assembly. A reference numeral  19  is a loop pipe. 
         [0037]    In such a reciprocating compressor constructed as above, working fluids introduced from outside of the hermetic vessel through one of pipes  6  enters the compression chamber through the suction silencer  17  and the valve assembly, and is compressed in the compression chamber by the piston driven by rotational force of the rotor  12 . The working fluids compressed in the compression chamber are discharged through the valve assembly and the head cover assembly  16 , and then are ejected outside through an ejection silencer, the loop pipe  19 , and one of pipes  6 . 
         [0038]    However, when the working fluids flowing through the suction silencer  17  enter the inside of the compression chamber with the control of the intake valve of the valve assembly, the working fluids encounter much flowing resistance due to the intake valve that is installed in the passage of the working fluids. Further, since the working fluids compressed in the compression chamber are not completely ejected outside due to dead volume formed in the compression chamber, upon a new intake stroke, remaining working fluids are expanded again, thereby deteriorating the compressing efficiency. 
         [0039]    Additionally, the piston installed at a position deviating from the geometrical center of the frame  7  linearly reciprocates in the compression chamber, so that severe vibrations occur in the frame  7 . Moreover, the crank shaft  13 , the connecting rod  14  and the like are used for converting rotational movement of the rotor  12  into linear movement, so that great friction force occurs in between them throughout a wide area thereof, thereby causing the relatively poor machining efficiency. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the internal construction of a compressor according to embodiments as broadly described herein, and  FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the main construction of a compressing device according to embodiments as broadly described herein. 
         [0041]    Referring to the drawings, an appearance of the compressor according to the present invention is defined by a hermetic vessel  20 . The hermetic vessel  20  consists of a lower vessel  21  constituting the lower portion thereof and an upper vessel  22  constituting the upper portion thereof. Inside the hermetic vessel  20 , a hermetic space is formed where various parts are installed. 
         [0042]    Under the lower vessel  21 , a mounting plate  24  is installed. The mounting plate  24  serves to fix a compressor to a specified position. Through the hermetic vessel  20 , a suction pipe  26 , an ejection pipe  28 , a processor pipe  29  and the like are installed. The ejection pipe  28  is an element through which working fluids compressed in the hermetic vessel are discharged outside. The processor pipe  29  is used for the supplement of working fluids and the like. 
         [0043]    A motor  30  is an element for providing motive force for driving a compressor. The motor  30  consists of a stator  31  and a rotor  32 . The stator  31  and the rotor  32  electromagnetically interact with each other to create rotational force. The rotor  32  rotates with respect to the stator  31 . 
         [0044]    The stator  31  is supported in the lower vessel  21 . That is, the stator  31  is installed in the lower vessel  21  such that a support spring  35  is held, at both ends, between support caps  34  each provided at the bottom face of the lower vessel  21  and the lower end of the stator  31 . While the support spring  35  directly supports the stator  31 , in fact, it supports all of the stator  31 , the rotor  32 , and a rotating device to be described later. The support spring  35  serves to absorb vibrations generated from the stator  31 , a main bearing  36  to be described below, or the like. 
         [0045]    On the stator  31 , the main bearing  36  is installed. Of course, under the main bearing  36 , the stator  31  is fixed, which in turn is supported by the support spring  35 , so that the main bearing  36  is supported in the hermetic vessel  20 . Through the center of the main bearing  36 , a through-hole  37  is formed such that it passes through a shaft support boss  38  extending from the center toward a lower portion of the main bearing  36 . 
         [0046]    Now description will be made of the construction of a compressing device  40  for compressing working fluids. Nevertheless the main bearing  36  is also a part constituting a portion of a compression chamber  47  of the compressing device  40 , it has been described above in consideration of relation with the stator  31 . 
         [0047]    A crank shaft  41  is rotatably installed through the through-hole  37  of the main bearing  36 . The crank shaft  41  passes through the shaft support boss  38  and is press-fitted, at its lower end, to the rotor  32 . Thus, the crank shaft  41  rotates with respect to the main bearing  36 , together with the rotor  32 , by the rotation of the rotor  32 . 
         [0048]    An oil passage  42  is formed along an internal portion and one side outer face of the crank shaft  41 . The oil passage  42  allows oil to be scattered over the inner and upper portion of the hermetic vessel  20  as well as a friction portion of the crank shaft  41  itself, thereby providing cooling and lubricating operations. Under the oil passage  42 , a pumping device  42 ′ is installed. The pumping device  42 ′ rotates with the rotation of the crank shaft  41 , thereby pumping oil into the oil passage  42 . 
         [0049]    A roller  43  is provided at the upper portion of the crank shaft  41 , i.e., a portion corresponding to the upper portion of the main bearing  36 . The roller  43  is shaped like a cylinder, and is installed eccentric to the center of rotation of the crank shaft  41 . The centers of rotation of the crank shaft  41  and the roller  43  are parallel to each other. 
         [0050]    A cylinder  45  is provided with a compression chamber  47  where the roller  43  is positioned. In the compression chamber  47 , working fluids are compressed by the roller  43 . In the compression chamber  47 , a vane  48  is provided such that it divides the internal space of the compression chamber  47  into two regions in association with the roller  43 . The vane  48  protrudes, at its leading end, inside the compression chamber  47  through an inner wall of the compression chamber  47 , contacting the roller  43 . The vane  48  is supported by a vane spring  48 ′ so that its leading end contacts the roller  43 . The cylinder  45  is provided with a suction hole  49  and an ejection hole  49 ′ at positions corresponding to both ends of the vane  48 . The suction hole  49  is a passage through which working fluids are sucked into the compression chamber  47 , and the ejection hole  49 ′ is a portion substantially provided in an auxiliary bearing  50  described below. Working fluids compressed in the compression chamber  47  are ejected through the ejection hole  49 ′. 
         [0051]    The compression chamber  47  vertically passes through the cylinder  45  so that its lower portion is covered by the main bearing  36  and its upper portion is covered by the auxiliary bearing  50 . The auxiliary bearing  50  is coupled to the main bearing  36  and the cylinder  45  with a fastening bolt  51 . Through the center of the auxiliary bearing  50 , a support through-hole  50 ′ is provided, in which the upper portion of the crank shaft  41  is rotatably supported. 
         [0052]    On the upper face of the auxiliary bearing  50 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , an ejection valve  52  is provided so as to selectively open/close the ejection hole  49 ′. The ejection valve  52  selectively shields the ejection hole  49 ′ to control the ejection of working fluids compressed in the compression chamber  47 . 
         [0053]    On the upper portion of the auxiliary bearing  50 , an ejection cover  53  is installed to define an ejection room  54 . The ejection room  54  is the space where working fluids flowing out from the compression chamber  47  are temporarily stored. The ejection cover  53  is coupled to the auxiliary bearing  50  by means of a fastening bolt  51 . A connector pipe  55  is installed through the ejection cover  53 . The connector pipe  55  is connected between the inside of the ejection room  54  and the ejection pipe  28  so as to transfer the compressed working fluids outside. 
         [0054]    Meanwhile, working fluids supplied to the compression chamber  47  passes through a suction silencer  57 . The working fluids introduced into the compressor from outside through the suction pipe  26  are transferred to the suction silencer  57 . The suction silencer  57  and the suction pipe  26  are connected with each other by means of a direct suction type, indirect suction type or the like. 
         [0055]    The suction silencer  57  allows working fluids to be supplied to the compression chamber  47  in an optimum state without being affected by an internal environment of the hermetic vessel  20 . The suction silencer  57  and the compression chamber  47  communicate with each other through a supply pipe  58 , through which working fluids are supplied to the compression chamber  47 . The supply pipe  58  has two ends, one end being connected to with the suction silencer  57  and the other end communicating with the suction hole  49 . 
         [0056]    Hereinafter, the operation of the compressor as embodied and broadly described herein will be explained in detail. 
         [0057]    When a signal is provided to drive the compressor, the motor  30  operates, and the rotational force of the motor  30  is transferred to the compressing device  40  to compress the working fluids. In the motor  30 , the rotor  32  rotates about the stator  31 . When the rotor  32  rotates, the crank shaft  41  press-fitted into the rotor  32  rotates together with the rotor. When the crank shaft  41  rotates, the roller  43  also rotates. 
         [0058]    The roller  43  rotates in the compression chamber  47  and divides the compression chamber  47  into two regions in association with the vane  48  so that in one region, working fluids are compressed, and in the other region, the working fluids are discharged. Herein, in each region, the compression of the working fluids alternates with the discharge of the working fluids. Thus, the compressions of the working fluids can be consecutively implemented. 
         [0059]    At this time, the supply of working fluids into the compression chamber  47  is implemented through the suction pipe  26 , the suction silencer  57 , the supply pipe  58 , and the suction hole  49 . The working fluids introduced into the compression chamber  47  via the route are compressed in one region of the compression chamber  47  divided into two regions by the rotation of the roller  43  via the rotation of the crank shaft  41 , and by the association between the roller  43  and the vane  48 . In the divided two regions, compression is alternatingly implemented. 
         [0060]    The working fluids compressed in the compression chamber  47  are transferred to the ejection room  54  via the ejection hole  49 ′ and an ejection passage. The working fluids transferred to the ejection room  54  are transferred to the ejection pipe  28  through the connector pipe  55 , and are discharged outside the compressor. 
         [0061]    Meanwhile, when the crank shaft  41  rotates, the pumping device  42 ′ operates to pump up oil into the oil passage  42 . The oil pumped into the oil passage  42  flows along the oil passage  42  to reach a friction portion. That is, part of the oil transferred into the oil passage  42  infiltrates through and lubricates a gap between the crank shaft  41  and the shaft support boss  38 . 
         [0062]    The oil sucked upward up to the upper portion of the crank shaft  41  through the oil passage  42  is scattered over a heating portion or the friction portion, thereby providing cooling and lubricating operations. The oil transferred to the heating portion or the friction portion drops down again to the bottom of the hermetic vessel  20 , and then is transferred again and again to the oil passage  42  by the pumping device  42 ′. 
         [0063]    While various embodiments have been illustrated herein, this is not limited to these illustrative embodiments, and may be changed and modified in diverse forms. 
         [0064]    For instance, the construction of the compressing device  40  may be made identical to that of a scroll compressor. That is, it may be constructed such that a rotation scroll having a rotation scroll wrap, a stationary scroll having a stationary scroll wrap, and an Oldham&#39;s ring converting the rotational movement of the crank shaft  41  into the rotational movement of the rotation scroll are provided on a frame corresponding to the main bearing  36 . 
         [0065]    The compressor as embodied and broadly described herein has the following effects. 
         [0066]    First, working fluids directly enter the compression chamber through the suction pipe, the suction silencer, and the supply pipe, so that flowing resistance of working fluids is relatively small and the fluidity loss hardly occurs. Thus, the efficiency of the compressor can be relatively improved. 
         [0067]    Further, the compressed working fluids are almost completely discharged outside according to the characteristic features of the compressing device, so that no working fluids are re-expanded in the compression chamber. Thus, the compression efficiency loss due to re-expansion of working fluids does not occur, so that the efficiency of the compressor can be relatively improved. 
         [0068]    Furthermore, in the construction of the compressing device, the roller is integrally formed with the crank shaft so that working fluids are directly compressed in the compression chamber. Particularly, the roller comes into rolling contact with the inner face of the compression chamber, so that the friction loss is minimized in the compressing device. Thus, the efficiency of the compressor can be relatively improved. 
         [0069]    Further, when working fluids are introduced into the compression chamber from outside, the working fluids are not in contact with the internal environment of the hermetic vessel, so that the temperature of the working fluids is hardly affected by the internal environment of the hermetic vessel and the working fluids are transferred in relatively low temperature to the compression chamber. Thus, the specific volume of the working fluids introduced into the compression chamber is relatively small, so that the compression efficiency of the compressor can be improved. 
         [0070]    Further, the working fluids compressed in the compression chamber and discharged therefrom are not transferred to the inside of the hermetic vessel, but to the outside through the ejection room, the connector pipe, and the ejection pipe, which are separately partitioned from the inside of the hermetic vessel. Thus, hot working fluids compressed have relatively small influence upon the inside of the hermetic vessel. That is, the temperature in the hermetic vessel does not rise much due to the compressed working fluids. Therefore, the working fluids introduced into the hermetic vessel from outside are prevented from rising in temperature, so that the compression efficiency of the compressor can be improved. 
         [0071]    Meanwhile, the compressing device, the stator and the like are supported in the hermetic vessel by means of the elastic member. Thus, vibrations and noises generated upon the operation of the compressor are absorbed by the elastic member, so that the operational noises of the compressor can be reduced. 
         [0072]    Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. 
         [0073]    More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
         [0074]    Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments. 
         [0075]    Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.