Patent Publication Number: US-2003230853-A1

Title: Changeable sealing assembly for compressor apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a compressor apparatus, and more particularly to a compressor apparatus having a changeable sealing assembly for increasing the working life of the compressor apparatus.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] Various kinds of typical compressor apparatuses have been developed for the refrigerating apparatuses or the air conditioning apparatuses for vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,041,128 to Hirche, U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,122 to Gardiner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,495 to Sudmeier disclose three of the typical compressor apparatuses, and comprise a spindle rotatably received in a housing, and one or more gaskets, sealing washers, O-rings, shaft seals, etc., engaged between the housing and the spindle, for making a water tight seal between the housing and the spindle.  
       [0005] It is to be noted that the Compressor apparatuses are normally provided for pumping the heat media or the cooling media which may be volatile and which may include fine members or elements that are required to be sealed with precisive and perfect sealing structure. Some of the sealing devices, such as the shaft seals, comprise one or more teflon rings engaged in a housing and engaged onto the spindle, for making a fine fluid seal between the spindle and the housing.  
       [0006] However, the spindles of the compressor apparatuses are normally rotated in a-great speed up to thousands of rounds per second, such that a great friction may be generated or formed between the shaft seal and the spindle, and such that the shaft seal, particularly the teflon rings of the shaft seal, and/or the spindle may be worn away by the frictional engagement between the shaft seal and the spindle. The heat or cooling media may thus leak through the worn away portion between the shaft seal and the spindle.  
       [0007] Accordingly, the shaft seals are required to be changed or replaced with the other ones after the shaft seal, particularly the teflon rings of the shaft seal, and/or the spindle may be worn away by the frictional engagement between the shaft seal and the spindle.  
       [0008] However, when the spindle has been worn away by the shaft seal, and when a new shaft seal has been engaged onto the spindle, the new shaft seal will also be required to be secured onto the predetermined or previous position relative to the housing and the spindle, and the teflon rings of the new shaft seal thus will also be engaged onto the worn away portion of the spindle, such that the leaking of the heat or cooling media through the worn away portion between the shaft seal and the spindle may also be occurred.  
       [0009] Accordingly, the whole compressor apparatus will normally required to be discarded after the shaft seal and/or the spindle have been worn away by the frictional engagement between the shaft seal and the spindle, and after the leaking of the heat or cooling media through the worn away portion between the shaft seal and the spindle has been occurred. However, almost about ninety five percent of the elements of the compressor apparatus are still workable, but should also be discarded.  
       [0010] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional sealing devices for the compressor apparatuses.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a compressor apparatus including a changeable sealing assembly for increasing the working life of the compressor apparatus.  
       [0012] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a compressor apparatus comprising a housing including a bore formed therein, and including a peripheral opening formed therein, a spindle rotatably received in the bore of the housing, and including a peripheral area, and a sealing device received in the peripheral opening of the housing and engaged between the housing and the spindle, the sealing device including a peripheral casing received in the peripheral opening of the housing and engaged with the housing, and including a peripheral chamber formed therein, a first sealing ring received in the peripheral chamber of the housing, and engaged with the peripheral area of the spindle, at least one spacer received in the peripheral chamber of the casing, and engaged with the first sealing ring, for retaining the first sealing ring in the peripheral chamber of the casing, and for maintaining an engagement of the first sealing ring with the peripheral area of the spindle, and a second sealing ring changeably received in the peripheral chamber of the casing, and engaged with the spindle when the first sealing ring has been worn away. The spacer may be changeably engaged with the second sealing ring, for spacing the second sealing ring away from the peripheral area of the spindle, and for making a fine fluid tight seal between the spindle and the housing, without discarding the other elements or parts of the compressor apparatus. Only the worn away first sealing ring is required to be discarded, and the second sealing ring may then be engaged into and secured in the casing and engaged with the spindle at the other portions or positions other than the worn away peripheral area of the spindle, for allowing the spindle and the other parts or elements of the compressor apparatus still to be used and worked. The working life of the compressor apparatus may thus be greatly increased.  
       [0013] The casing includes a peripheral flange and a peripheral receptacle extended inward therefrom for forming and defining the peripheral chamber between the peripheral flange and the peripheral receptacle.  
       [0014] The peripheral receptacle includes an outer peripheral groove formed therein, and a ring member received in the outer peripheral groove of the peripheral receptacle and engaged between the housing and the casing.  
       [0015] The peripheral opening of the housing includes an inner diameter greater than that of the bore of the housing, for forming and defining a peripheral shoulder between the peripheral opening and the bore of the housing, the peripheral flange of the casing is engaged with the peripheral shoulder of the housing.  
       [0016] Alternatively, another or a spare sealing device may further be provided and changeably received in the peripheral opening of the housing, and changeably engaged between the housing and the spindle, and includes a sealing ring received in the peripheral chamber of the casing thereof. The sealing ring of the spare sealing device may be arranged to be engaged with the spindle and spaced away from the peripheral area of the spindle, for making a fine fluid tight seal between the spindle and the housing, without discarding the other elements or parts of the compressor apparatus. Only the sealing device is required to be changed with the other one which has a sealing ring for engaging with the other portion of the spindle.  
       [0017] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0018]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a compressor apparatus having a sealing assembly in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0019]FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial exploded view of the compressor apparatus;  
     [0020]FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view illustrating an engagement of a shaft seal onto the spindle;  
     [0021]FIG. 4 is a still further enlarged partial cross sectional view illustrating the engagement of the shaft seal between the housing and the spindle;  
     [0022]FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the engagement of the other shaft seal that is changeably engaged onto the spindle of the compressor apparatus; and  
     [0023]FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the change and the engagement of the new sealing ring onto the spindle of the compressor apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0024] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS.  1 - 3 , a compressor apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a receptacle  10  for receiving various elements or parts of the typical compressor apparatus, and including one or more caps  11  attached thereto. The cap  11  may include a housing  12 , such as a tubular or cylindrical housing  12  attached or provided or extended from one side thereof, and having a bore  14  formed therein for rotatably receiving a spindle  70  therein.  
     [0025] As best shown in FIGS. 4, 5, the housing  12  normally includes an enlarged peripheral opening  17  formed therein and having an inner diameter greater than that of the bore  14  thereof, for receiving shaft seals or the other sealing devices  30 ,  40  therein, and for forming or defining a peripheral shoulder  18  between the bore  14  and the opening  17  thereof. The sealing devices  30 ,  40  may be engaged between the housing  12  and the spindle  70 , and may be engaged with the peripheral shoulder  18  of the housing  12 , for making a fluid tight seal between the housing  12  and the spindle  70 .  
     [0026] As shown in FIG. 4, the sealing device  30  includes a peripheral or cylindrical casing  31  having a peripheral flange  32  extended radially inward from one end thereof for engaging with the peripheral shoulder  18  of the housing  12 , and includes a peripheral receptacle  33  extended radially inward from the other end thereof and having an outer peripheral groove  34  formed therein for receiving one or more sealing rings  35  therein which may be engaged between the casing  31  and the housing  12 . An annular or peripheral chamber  311  may thus be formed in the casing  31 , and formed or defined between the peripheral flange  32  and the peripheral receptacle  33 .  
     [0027] One or more washers, inserts, gaskets, sealing rings, or spacers  36 ,  37 ,  38  are received in the peripheral chamber  311  of the casing  31 , and a sealing ring  39 , such as a teflon sealing ring  39 , is further provided and also received in the peripheral chamber  311  of the casing  31  and engaged between the spacers  36 ,  37 ,  38 , for allowing the spacers  36 ,  37 ,  38  and the sealing ring  39  to be solidly retained in the peripheral chamber  311  of the casing  31 . The sealing ring  39  must be engaged with the spindle  70 , and is the primary sealing ring  39  for making the fluid tight seal with the spindle  70 .  
     [0028] It is to be noted that the spindle  70  is and will be rotatably secured in the housing  12  by the gaskets, and/or the sealing washers, and/or the O-rings, and/or the shaft seals, etc., which will be engaged between the spindle  70  and the housing  12  or the cap  11  or the receptacle  10 , such that the spindle  70  will not and may not be moved laterally or axially relative to the housing  12 , and such that the relative position between the spindle  70  and the housing  12  and the sealing device  30  is determined and may not be changed or varied.  
     [0029] The spindles of the compressor apparatuses are normally or also rotated in a great speed up to thousands of rounds per second, such that the sealing device  30 , particularly the teflon ring or the primary sealing ring  39  of the sealing device  30 , and/or the spindle  70  may be worn away by the frictional engagement between the sealing device  30  and the spindle  70 . The spindle  70  may have a peripheral portion or area  73  (FIG. 4) to be worn away by the primary sealing ring  39  of the sealing device  30 .  
     [0030] Referring next to FIG. 5, the sealing assembly of the compressor apparatus in accordance with the present invention further comprises one or more secondary or auxiliary or spare sealing devices  40  each also including a peripheral or cylindrical casing  31  having a peripheral flange  32  extended radially inward from one end thereof for engaging with the peripheral shoulder  18  of the housing  12 , and includes a peripheral receptacle  33  extended radially inward from the other end thereof and having an outer peripheral groove  34  formed therein for receiving one or more sealing rings  35  therein.  
     [0031] An annular or peripheral chamber  41  may also be formed in the casing  31  of the sealing device  40 , and formed or defined between the peripheral flange  32  and the peripheral receptacle  33 . The casing  31  and the peripheral flange  32  and the peripheral receptacle  33  of the sealing device  40  are identical to that of the sealing device  30 , for allowing the sealing device  40  to be changeably secured in the peripheral opening  17  of the housing  12 , and to be engaged with the peripheral shoulder  18  of the housing  12 , and to be snugly engaged between the housing  12  and the spindle  70 .  
     [0032] The sealing device  40  also includes a sealing ring  43 , such as a teflon sealing ring  43 , which is also provided and received in the peripheral chamber  41  of the casing  31 , and which must also be engaged with the spindle  70 , and which is also the primary sealing ring  43  for making the fluid tight seal with the spindle  70 . One or more washers, inserts, gaskets, sealing rings, or spacers  44 ,  46 ,  47  may also be further provided and received in the peripheral chamber  41  of the casing  31 , and engaged with the sealing ring  43 , for allowing the spacers  44 ,  46 ,  47  and the sealing ring  43  to be solidly retained in the peripheral chamber  41  of the casing  31 .  
     [0033] It is to be noted that the spare sealing device  40 , particularly the primary sealing ring  43  of the sealing device  40  may be changed to the other position relative to the casing  31 , and/or the spacers  44 ,  46 ,  47  may also be changed to the other position relative to the sealing ring  43  and the casing  31 , for blowing the primary sealing ring  43  of the sealing device  40  to be engaged onto the other position of the spindle  70 , and to be spaced away from the worn away peripheral area  73  of the spindle  70 .  
     [0034] Accordingly, a new primary sealing ring  43  may be engaged onto the other position of the spindle  70 , and may be spaced away from the worn away peripheral area  73  of the spindle  70 , such that a fine and fluid tight seal between the sealing device  40  and the spindle  70  may also be formed, and such that the compressor apparatus may still be used and worked, without discarding the whole compressor apparatus.  
     [0035] It is to be noted that, when the sealing ring  39  of the sealing device  30  and/or the spindle  70  has been worn away, a new primary sealing ring  43  may also be provided and engaged into the peripheral chamber  311  of the casing  31  of the sealing device  30 , and the spacers  36 ,  37 ,  38  may be changed to the other position relative to the sealing ring  43  and the casing  31 , such that the primary sealing ring  43  of the sealing device  30  may also be engaged onto the other position of the spindle  70 , and may also be spaced away from the worn away peripheral area  73  of the spindle  70 .  
     [0036] Only the primary sealing ring  39  of the sealing device  30  may be changed with the new primary sealing ring  43  of the sealing device  30  (FIG. 6), such that, about 99% of the compressor apparatus may still be used and worked, and need not to be discarded away.  
     [0037] Accordingly, the compressor apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a changeable sealing assembly for increasing the working life of the compressor apparatus.  
     [0038] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.