Patent Publication Number: US-9903356-B2

Title: Compressor and discharging muffler thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0162009, filed on Dec. 26, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a compressor and a discharge muffler of the compressor. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There have been various compressors for use in a refrigerators (e.g., a reciprocating compressor, a rotary compressor, and a turbo compressor) which serve to circulate a compressed gas refrigerant within the refrigerator. The reciprocating compressor may compress the gas refrigerant through a reciprocating movement of a piston, while the rotary compressor may compress gas refrigerant by rotating a rotator in a cylinder. Further, the turbo compressor may compress the gas refrigerant by converting a velocity energy to a pressure energy using the centrifugal force of an impeller. 
     While the compressor repeats a cycle of suction or vacuum, compression and discharge of the gas refrigerant according to the compression stroke of the piston, pulses (e.g., a pulsation) may be generated in the compressor. The pulsation of the gas refrigerant causes noise in the compressor. Therefore, to alleviate the noise, a discharge muffler that reduces a pressure variation is provided at a discharge passage of the compressor. 
     The discharge muffler may mitigate the gas pressure, thus reducing the noise by expanding the gas refrigerant or extending the flow path of the gas refrigerant. 
     Recently, there has been proposed a discharge muffler in which two discharge spaces are connected to each other. The discharge muffler may serve to reduce pulsation of the gas refrigerant by increasing the capacity of the muffler through the two discharge spaces. 
     However, the discharge muffler is installed in a limited space within the compressor, thereby making it difficult to increase the volume of the discharge spaces. This hinders pulsation reducing performance in the compressor. 
     Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2013-0129790 (published on Nov. 29, 2013) may disclose a conventional compressor. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compressor and a discharge muffler configured to reduce a pulsation component of working fluid and/or noise of the compressor. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a discharge muffler of a compressor configured to reduce pulsation and/or noise may include: at least one discharge space in a cylinder block; and a pulsation reducing member (e.g., a pulsation and/or noise reducing member) engaged in the discharge space having a passage (e.g., a pulsation and/or noise reducing passage), on a circumferential surface, configured to guide the flow of the working fluid to an inner space of the discharge space. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a compressor may include an inhalation muffler configured to supply working fluid; a cylinder block having a cylinder; a cylinder head coupled to the cylinder block to seal the cylinder; a valve assembly between the cylinder block and the cylinder head configured to control a flow of the working fluid; and a discharge muffler configured to receive the working fluid from the valve assembly, wherein the discharge muffler comprises: at least one discharge space in the cylinder block; and a pulsation and/or noise reducing member (e.g., a pulsation reducing device) in the discharge space having a passage (e.g., a pulsation and/or noise reducing passage), or in a circumferential surface thereof, configured to guide the flow of the working fluid into the discharge space. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a pulsation and/or noise producing component of the working fluid may be reduced by increasing a flow distance or path of the working fluid through the passage (e.g., a pulsation and/or noise reducing passage). 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a pulsation and/or noise component of the working fluid may be reduced by elongating the path of the working fluid through the passage (e.g., a pulsation and/or noise reducing passage) and making the path bend in varying directions (e.g., upward and downward). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary compressor according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line “A-A” of  FIG. 1  according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an exemplary cylinder block according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an exemplary a pulsation and/or noise reducing device, viewed from an inlet side through which working fluid enters, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an exemplary a pulsation and/or noise reducing device, viewed from an outlet side through which working fluid is discharged, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. 
     One or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosure can be easily determined by those skilled in the art. As those skilled in the art will realize, the described exemplary embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure, which is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. 
     It is noted that the drawings are schematic and are not necessarily dimensionally illustrated. Relative sizes and proportions of parts in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced in their sizes, and a predetermined size is just exemplary and not limiting. The same reference numerals designate the same structures, elements, or parts illustrated in two or more drawings in order to exhibit the same or similar characteristics. 
     The disclosed embodiments of the present disclosure illustrate ideal embodiments of the present disclosure in more detail. As a result, various modifications of the drawings are expected. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to a specific form of the illustrated region, and for example, include modifications of form (e.g., by manufacturing). 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary compressor according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure,  FIG. 2  is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line “A-A” of  FIG. 1  according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an exemplary cylinder block according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , a compressor  10  according to embodiment(s) of the present disclosure may include a vacuum muffler  200 , a cylinder block  310 , a cylinder head  320 , a discharge muffler  100 , and a valve assembly  500 . 
     The vacuum muffler  200  may provide working fluid from a pipe (e.g., a vacuum pipe; not illustrated) to a cylinder  311  of the cylinder block  310  through the valve assembly  500 . Herein, the pipe may receive the working fluid from outside of the compressor  10  and provide the received working fluid to the vacuum muffler  200 . 
     In various embodiments, the compressor  10  is an enclosed reciprocating compressor employed in a refrigerator, and the working fluid may be a refrigerant used in generating cool air necessary for the refrigerator. Also, the pipe may transfer the refrigerant from an evaporator to the vacuum muffler  200 . 
     The cylinder block  310  may include the cylinder  311  in which a movable and/or reciprocating piston (not illustrated) is installed. The cylinder  311  may communicate with the vacuum muffler  200  or the discharge muffler  100  via the valve assembly  500 . 
     That is, when the piston moves from a top dead center to a bottom dead center of the cylinder  311 , an inner pressure of the cylinder  311  becomes negative (e.g., under vacuum), and the working fluid inside the vacuum muffler  200  may enter the cylinder  311  via the valve assembly  500 . When the piston moves from the bottom dead center to the top dead center of the cylinder  311 , the pressure of the cylinder  311  becomes positive (e.g., greater than atmospheric pressure), and the working fluid inside the cylinder  311  may be discharged to the discharge muffler  100  via the valve assembly  500  and an inlet hole  312  of the cylinder block  310 . 
     Herein, the top dead center may be a point where the piston is an upper limit of the cylinder  311 , and the bottom dead center may be a point where the piston is at a lower limit of the cylinder  311 . 
     The cylinder block  310  may include the inlet hole  312  through which the working fluid of the valve assembly  500  enters. The inlet hole  312  may communicate with a discharge space  110  of the discharge muffler  100 . In more detail, the inlet hole  312  may be in fluid contact or communication with an inlet portion  151  of a pulsation reducing member  140  shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The cylinder head  320  may be coupled to the cylinder block  310  to seal the cylinder  311 . The valve assembly  500  may be between the cylinder block  310  and the cylinder head  320 . 
     The valve assembly  500  may be configured to control a flow of the working fluid by a pressure difference of the cylinder  311 . According to one or more embodiments, when the pressure of the cylinder  311  is negative, the valve assembly  500  may guide the flow of the working fluid from the vacuum muffler  200  towards the cylinder  311 . When the pressure of the cylinder  311  is positive, the valve assembly  500  may guide the flow of the working fluid from the cylinder  311  towards the discharge muffler  100 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an exemplary pulsation and/or noise reducing member, viewed from an inlet side through which working fluid enters, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an exemplary pulsation and/or noise reducing member, viewed from an outlet side through which working fluid is discharged, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the discharge muffler  100  reduces noise and/or pulsation of the working fluid, and may include a discharge space  110  and a pulsation and/or noise reducing member  140 . 
     The discharge space  110  is in the cylinder block  310  and is connected to and may communicate with the inlet hole  312  of the cylinder block  310 . Therefore, the working fluid of the valve assembly  500  may flow into the discharge space  110  through the inlet hole  312 . 
     The discharge space  110  may include a first discharge space  120  and a second discharge space  130 . The first discharge space  120  and the second discharge space  130  may be in parallel in the cylinder block  310  and may be connected and/or communicate with each other through a connection passage  115 . A pulsation and/or noise reducing member (e.g., a pulsation reducing member)  140  may be in the first discharge space  120 , and a discharge pipe  101  may be connected to the second discharge space  130 . 
     It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure described above with references to the accompanying drawings and the first discharge space  120  and the second discharge space  130 , are not limiting, but only an example in all respects. The present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed number of discharge spaces. 
     A chamber  111  for receiving the working fluid may be in the first discharge space  120 . A hook jaw  113  may be in the chamber  111 . The hook jaw  113  may engage or interface with a recess  154  of the pulsation reducing member  140 . A cover  112  may be mounted to an upper portion of each of the first discharge space  120  and the second discharge space  130 , and the discharge pipe  101  may be connected to the cover  112  of the second discharge space  130 . The cover  112  may be coupled to the discharge space  110  by a fixture  116 , and the discharge pipe  101  may supply the working fluid of the second discharge space  130  to a condenser (e.g., of a refrigerator not illustrated). 
     The pulsation reducing member  140  may be mounted to at least one of the discharge spaces, the first discharge space  120  and/or the second discharge space  130 . In this embodiment, for example, the pulsation reducing member  140  is provided only in the first discharge space  120 . 
     The pulsation reducing member  140  may be accommodated in the chamber  111 . In one or more embodiments, the pulsation reducing member  140  may be have a cylindrical shape to include a space where the working fluid may be received. In one or more embodiments, the pulsation reducing member  140  has the shape of a hollow cylinder, and the hollow space of the pulsation reducing member  140  forms a portion of the chamber  111 . 
     A passage (e.g., a pulsation and/or noise reducing passage)  150  may be in a circumferential surface of the pulsation reducing member  140 . The passage  150  may provide a traveling path to guide the flow of the working fluid supplied to the discharge space  110 . Specifically, the passage  150  may extend the traveling length of the working fluid and/or reduce the flow velocity of the working fluid. This results in the alleviation of noise from vibrations in the compressor  10 . The length, sectional area and shape of the passage  150  may be adjusted according to pulsation characteristics of the compressor. 
     In detail, the passage  150  may have an inlet portion  151 , a guide portion  152 , and a discharge portion  153 . The inlet portion  151  is on an entrance side of the pulsation reducing member  140  through which the working fluid enters. The inlet portion  151  may have a groove shape and/or adapted to receive the working fluid that enters through the valve assembly  500 . The inlet unit  151  may be connected to and/or communicate with the inlet hole  312  of the cylinder block  310 . The guide portion  152  may be or comprise a long groove extending along a circumferential surface of the pulsation reducing member  140  to guide the working fluid that enters into the inlet portion  151  along the circumferential surface of the pulsation reducing member  140 . The discharge portion  153  may penetrate towards the chamber  111  of the pulsation reducing member  140  from an end of the guide portion  152  to guide the working fluid flowing along the guide portion  152  into the pulsation reducing member  140  (e.g., the chamber  111  of the discharge space  110 ). 
     The recess  154  may be in the pulsation reducing member  140 . Since the recess  154  engage or interfaces with the hook jaw  113  of the discharge space  110  when the pulsation reducing member  140  is in the discharge space  110 , the pulsation reducing member  140  may be in a predetermined position of the discharge space  110 . Herein, the recess  154  may be between the inlet portion  151  and the discharge portion  153 . 
     Operations of the compressor according to one or more embodiments having the above configuration(s) will be described. 
     When the piston of the compressor  10  moves from the bottom dead center to the top dead center of the cylinder  311 , the inner pressure of the piston becomes positive, and thus the working fluid of the cylinder  311  may enter into the inlet hole  312  of the cylinder block  310  through the valve assembly  500 . 
     The working fluid entering into the inlet hole  312  may be discharged to the chamber  111  of the first discharge space  120  along the inlet portion  151 , the guide portion  152 , and the discharge portion  153  of the pulsation reducing member  140 . The working fluid in the first discharge space  120  flows into the second discharge space  130  through the connection passage  115  and then flows into the condenser through the discharge pipe  101 . 
     Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure may be implemented in various ways without changing the necessary features or the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the guide portion or path may bend in various directions (e.g., up and down, like a square wave) and/or back and forth (e.g., similar to a letter “S”) in any unused area of the pulsation reducing member  140 . 
     Therefore, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above are not limiting, but only an example in all respects. The scope of the present disclosure is expressed by claims below, not the detailed description, and it should be construed that all changes and modifications achieved from the meanings and scope of claims and equivalent concepts are included in the scope of the present disclosure. 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The exemplary embodiments disclosed in the specification of the present disclosure do not limit the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure will be interpreted by the claims below, and it will be construed that all techniques within the scope equivalent thereto belong to the scope of the present disclosure.