Abstract:
A suction silencer in a compressor is disclosed, including a lower shell having an opened top, that draws refrigerant, and an upper shell fixed to the top of the lower shell to form an inside space that reduces noise of drawn refrigerant, and that discharges refrigerant in a direction different from a flow direction of the refrigerant introduced into the lower shell, thereby simplifying a structure to permit easy assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. P2003-56833, filed on Aug. 18, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to compressors for compressing a working fluid, such as refrigerant to a predetermined pressure, and more particularly, to a suction silencer for reducing noise of refrigerant drawn for compression, having a structure, of which configuration is made simple, and assembly of which is convenient; and a compressor therewith. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   In the compressor, for compressing a working fluid, such as gas, or refrigerant, to a pressure, there are, in general, turbo compressors, such as axial compressors, and centrifugal compressors, and displacement type compressors, such as rotary compressors and reciprocating compressors. 
   The reciprocating compressor has a piston reciprocating in a cylinder for drawing and compressing gas or refrigerant. 
   A related art reciprocating compressor (hereafter compressor) is provided with a shell having an upper shell and a lower shell, a compression part in the shell for compressing refrigerant, and a driving part for driving the compression part. 
   The compression part is provided with a compression chamber for compressing and discharging refrigerant drawn thereto, a suction silencer for reducing noise from refrigerant being drawn to the compression chamber, an inlet pipe for guiding the refrigerant to the suction silencer, and the like. 
   However, the suction silencer having many components increases production cost, and reduces productivity due to a complicated fabrication process. 
   Moreover, the more the number of components of the suction silencer, the more the assembly defects caused by assembly tolerance, to cause refrigerant leakage or failure of assembly. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a suction silencer and a compressor therewith that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a suction silencer of which structure is made simple to enable an easy assembly, and a compressor therewith. 
   Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
   To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a suction silencer in a compressor includes a lower shell having an opened top, for drawing refrigerant, and an upper shell fixed to the top of the lower shell to form an inside space for reducing noise of drawn refrigerant, for discharging refrigerant in a direction different from a flow direction of the refrigerant introduced into the lower shell. 
   The lower shell includes an inlet passage having one end fixed to the lower shell, and the other end projected outward, for guiding refrigerant into the inside space. 
   The lower shell further includes a first extension pipe having one end connected to one end of the inlet passage, and the other end extended toward an inside wall of the inside space. 
   The inlet passage has the other end expanded like a trumpet. 
   The upper shell includes an outlet pipe having one end fixed to an outside wall of the upper shell, and the other end projected outwardly, for discharging refrigerant having noise reduced in the inside space. 
   The upper shell further includes a second extension pipe having one end connected to one end of the outlet pipe, and the other end extended toward the inside space. 
   The flow direction of the refrigerant introduced into the inside space is perpendicular to a flow direction of the refrigerant discharged from the inside space. 
   The upper shell and the lower shell are fastened with hooks on one of the upper shell and the lower shell, and hook slots on the other one of the upper shell and the lower shell. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings; 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a section of a compressor in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a disassembled view of a suction silencer in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a disassembled view of a suction silencer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a plan view of a lower shell of the suction silencer in  FIG. 3 ; and 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flow of refrigerant through the suction silencer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a section of a compressor in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the compressor includes a shell  1  having an upper shell  1   a  and a lower shell  1   b  for holding various parts, and a frame  2  in the shell  1  supported on springs ‘S’ having the various parts fastened thereto. 
   The frame  2  has a boss  2   a  with a vertical hollow at a central portion thereof, and a crankshaft  5  is rotatably mounted on the vertical hollow. 
   The crankshaft  5  has oil passages (not shown), for guiding oil  13  from a bottom of the shell  1  to an upper portion of the shell through the oil passage, and spraying onto the frame  2 . To do this, the crankshaft  5  has a pumping mechanism (not shown) at a lower end thereof for pumping up the oil  13  to the oil passage. 
   The crankshaft  5  is rotated by the motor part, and the motor part includes a stator  3  fixed to a lower portion of the frame, and a rotor  4  coupled to the crankshaft  5  for rotating in an electro-magnetic interaction with the stator  3 . 
   At a top of the crankshaft  5 , there is a crankpin  5   a  eccentric from a rotation axis of the crankshaft  5 . Opposite to the crankpin  5   a , there is a balance weight (not shown), for making a rotation speed of the crankshaft  5  constant. 
   At one side of an upper portion of the shell  1 , there is a cylinder  6  having a compression chamber  6   a  therein as one unit with the frame  1 . The cylinder  6  is provided with a piston  7  for compression of refrigerant or gas, and the piston  7  is connected to the crankpin  5   a  at top of the crankshaft  5  with a connecting rod  8  for converting a rotation of the crankshaft  5  to a linear motion. 
   There is a valve assembly  9  mounted on the cylinder  6  for regulating refrigerant flow in/out of the compression chamber  6   a . The valve assembly  9  includes a suction valve for drawing the refrigerant, and a discharge valve for discharging the compressed refrigerant. 
   A head cover (not shown) is mounted to the valve assembly for separating refrigerant drawn in/discharged from the compression chamber  6   a.    
   In the meantime, at one side of the head cover, there is a suction silencer  11  having one end connected to the inlet pipe  12  for receiving refrigerant from an outside of the compressor, for reducing noise of the refrigerant being introduced into the compression chamber  6   a.    
     FIG. 2  illustrates a disassembled view of a suction silencer in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the suction silencer  110  includes a lower shell  111  having an opened top, an upper shell  112  on the lower shell for forming an inside space together with the lower shell, and a partition  113  for dividing the inside space into an upper space and a lower space. 
   The lower shell  111  has an inlet  111   a  for guiding refrigerant from the inlet pipe  12  to the inside space, and the inlet  111   a  has a connection cap  111   b  inserted therein, and fastened thereto, for connection between the inlet pipe  12  and the suction silencer  110 . 
   The upper shell  112  has an outlet  112   a  at a top thereof for discharging refrigerant to the compression chamber  6   a  in a state where noise is reduced within the suction silencer  110 . 
   The partition  113  has a communication pipe  113   a  penetrating the partition  113  in a vertical direction, as a passage of the refrigerant moves from the lower space to the upper space. 
   A noise damping process of the suction silencer  110  in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
   The refrigerant introduced into an inside space through the inlet  111   a  is involved in a first time noise reduction by an impact occurring as the refrigerant hits an under side of the partition  113 . 
   The refrigerant is also involved in a second time noise reduction as a pressure and pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced, the refrigerant expands from the inlet  111   a  to the lower space of the partition  113 , which has a larger volume than the inlet  111   a.    
   Then, the refrigerant is also involved in a third time noise reduction as the refrigerant is introduced from the lower space into the upper space of the partition through the communication pipe  113   a  in the partition, and discharged to the compression chamber  6   a  through the outlet in the upper shell  112 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a disassembled view of a suction silencer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, having a structure simpler than the first embodiment. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the suction silencer  120  includes a lower shell  121 , and an upper shell  122  fixed to a top of the lower shell  121 . 
   The lower shell  121  has a space formed therein, and an opened top, and the upper shell  122  has an opened bottom, to form an inside space together with the lower shell  121 , for reducing noise of the refrigerant. 
   The lower shell  121  has an inlet passage  121   a  at a side of a lower portion, having one end fixed to an outside wall of the lower shell  121 , and the other end projected outwardly from the wall, for guiding refrigerant introduced into the inside space formed by the upper shell  122  and the lower shell  121 . 
   The other end of the inlet passage  121   a  projected outwardly from the lower shell  121  is connected to the inlet pipe  12  for drawing refrigerant from an outside of the suction silencer  120 , and guiding the refrigerant to the suction silencer  120 . For this, it is preferable that the other end of the inlet passage  121   a  has an inlet guide  121   c  expanded like a trumpet formed as one unit with the inlet passage for connection to the inlet pipe  12 . 
   Of course, the inlet guide  121   c  may be provided by attaching a separate member fabricated as above to the other end of the inlet passage  121   a  with adhesive. 
   It is preferable that there is a first extension pipe  121   b  extended from the inlet passage  121   a  toward an inner side of and along a bottom of the lower shell  121  as one unit with the inlet passage  121   a.    
   It is preferable that the inlet passage  121   a  and the first extension pipe  121   b , which guide the refrigerant to an inside of the suction silencer, are fixed so as to form a unit with the lower shell  121   a.    
   The lower shell  121  has an oil drain hole  121   d  in a bottom surface, and a fastening groove  121   e  at a top circumference. The fastening groove  121   e  has a fastening end  122   e  at the upper shell  122  inserted therein, which will be described, later. 
   In the meantime, the upper shell  122  includes a cap  122   a , and an outlet pipe  122   c  projected upward from the cap  122   a , having a bottom end fixed to a top of the cap  122   a , and a top end with an outlet  122   b.    
   The outlet pipe  122   c  guides noise dampened refrigerant toward the compression chamber  6   a  of the cylinder  6 . 
   There is a second extension pipe  122   d  extended downward from a bottom end formed as a unit with the outlet pipe  122   c , and the cap  122   a  has a fastening end  122   e  at a bottom end of the cap  122   a , for inserting in the fastening groove  121   e  of the lower shell  121 . 
   The outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d  are passages for guiding the refrigerant from the inside space of the suction silencer  120  to the compression chamber  6   a.    
   In the embodiment, it is preferable that the outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d  are formed as one unit with the cap  122   a  for simplicity of structure and assembly. 
   The lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122  may be bonded with adhesive in assembling the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122 . 
   For bonding with adhesive, the fastening end  122   e  of the upper shell  122  is inserted in the fastening groove  121   e  of the lower shell  121 . 
   Then, the adhesive is filled between the fastening end  122   e  and the fastening groove  121   e , to bond the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122  rigidly, for preventing leakage of the refrigerant from the inside space. 
   Of course, after applying adhesive to either side of the fastening end  122   e  or fastening groove  121   e , or both sides thereof, the fastening end may be inserted in the fastening groove, and bonded together. 
   Different from above, hooks (not shown) may be formed on one of the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122 , and hook slots (not shown) are formed on the other one of the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122 , for inserting the hooks in the hook slots to fasten the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122 , or after putting the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122  together, a separate fastening member, such as clamp (not shown), may be provided to one side of the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122 , to form the suction silencer  120 . 
   Fabrication processes of the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122  of the suction silencer  120  will be described. 
   The lower shell  121  may be formed by injecting plastic, or the like, into a predetermined form of a mold, and the inlet passage  121   a  and the first extension pipe  121   b  may be formed by adding forms of the inlet passage  121   a  and the first extension pipe  121   b  to the mold. 
   Different from this, the inlet passage  121   a  and the first extension pipe  121   b  may be formed with punching means, such as drill, or the like, or by passing a separate pipe through a wall of, and fixing it to the lower shell  121 . 
   Next, the upper shell  122  having the cap  122   a  with the outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d  formed as one unit may be formed by injecting plastic into a predetermined form of mold, and the outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d  may be formed as one unit with the cap  122   a  by adding forms of the outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d  to the mold. 
   Different from this, the outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d  may be formed as one unit with the cap  122   a  by passing the outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d , which are formed as one unit separately, through a top of, and fixing to the cap  122   a . In other words, after forming a pass through hole (not shown) at the top of the cap  122   a , by inserting the second extension pipe  122   d  formed as one unit with the outlet pipe  122   c  through the pass through hole, and fixing thereto with adhesive, the cap  122   a  having the outlet pipe  122   c  and the second extension pipe  122   d  formed as one unit is formed. 
   Methods for fabricating the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122  are not limited to above, but may vary depending on designer&#39;s selection. 
   Refrigerant flow through the suction silencer  120  of the lower shell  121  and the upper shell  122  will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , the refrigerant drawn through the inlet pipe  12  is introduced into the inside of the suction silencer  120  through the inlet passage  121   a  having the inlet guide  121   c  formed thereon, and the first extension pipe  121   b  connected to the inlet pipe  12 . 
   That is, the refrigerant drawn through the inlet passage  121   a  having the inlet guide  121   c  is introduced into an inside of the lower shell  121  through the first extension pipe  121   b  extended to an inside of the lower shell  121 , and expanded to an inside space of the suction silencer  120 . 
   The refrigerant introduced into, and expanded in the lower shell  121  hits an inside wall of the lower shell  121 , when oil  13  in the refrigerant falls down by gravity. The oil  13  fallen down to a bottom of the lower shell thus is drained to an outside of the suction silencer  120  through the oil drain hole  121   d.    
   In the meantime, the refrigerant expanded to an inside space of the suction silencer  120  is introduced into the second extension pipe  122   d  mounted vertically through the upper shell  122 , and introduced into the compression chamber  6   a  through the outlet pipe  122   c  having an outlet  122   b.    
   In above refrigerant flow process, noise damping by the suction silencer  120  will be described. 
   The refrigerant introduced into an inside through the inlet passage  121   a  and the first extension pipe  121   b  is involved in noise damping for the first time by an impact occurred as the refrigerant hits an inside wall of the suction silencer  120 , i.e., an inside wall of the lower shell  121 . 
   The refrigerant introduced into an inside through the inlet passage  121   a  and the first extension pipe  121   b  is also involved in noise damping for the second time by reduction of a pressure and pulsation in a process the refrigerant expands to the inside space of the suction silencer  120  having a volume larger than the inlet passage  121   a.    
   The reduction of noise of the refrigerant by the suction silencer  120  permits a quiet compressor operation. 
   The suction silencer and a compressor therewith have the following advantages. 
   First, the simple components of the suction silencer permit reduction of a fabrication cost, and to simplify an assembly process, thereby improving productivity. 
   Second, in the second embodiment, the formation of the outlet pipe to the upper shell for guiding the refrigerant to the outlet, and the formation of the inlet guide as one unit with the inlet passage of the lower shell for serving as the connection cap permits a structure of the suction silencer more simple than the first embodiment. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.