Patent ID: 7976287

Claim:
A capacity variable type twin rotary compressor, comprising: a casing having an inner space formed therein; a gas discharge pipe that communicates with the inner space; a motor fixed in the inner space and configured to generate a rotational force; a first cylinder fixed to one side of the motor and having a first compression space formed therein for compressing refrigerant, the first cylinder including a first intake connected to a gas intake pipe so as to guide refrigerant into the first compression space, and a first vane slit formed at one side of the first intake; a first rolling piston eccentrically coupled to the motor and received in the first compression space; a first vane slidably received in the first vane slit in a radial direction; a second cylinder having a second compression space formed therein that is separated from the first compression space of the first cylinder, the second cylinder being fixed to one side of the first cylinder, the second cylinder including second connected to the gas intake pipe so as to guide refrigerant into the second compression space, a second vane slit formed at one side of the second intake, and an expansion groove formed at an outer circumferential portion of the second vane slit so as to be separated from the inner space of the casing; second rolling piston eccentrically coupled to the motor and received in the second compression space; a second vane slidably received in the second vane slit; and refrigerant switching valves configured to allow refrigerant at an intake pressure and refrigerant at a discharge pressure to be alternately supplied into the second compression space of the second cylinder and the expansion groove of the second vane slit, such that the second vane contacts the second rolling piston to perform a power driving operation, and is separated from the second rolling piston to perform a saving driving operation, wherein each of the vane switching valves comprises: a cylinder-side outlet connected to the second intake of the second cylinder via a first refrigerant guide pipe; a vane-side outlet connected to the expansion groove of the second vane slit via a second refrigerant guide pipe; an intake-side inlet connected to the gas intake pipe via a third refrigerant guide pipe; and a discharge-side inlet connected to the gas discharge pipe via a bypass pipe, wherein the refrigerant switching valves are configured to simultaneously allow the discharge side inlet to communicate with the vane-side outlet and the intake-side inlet to communicate with the cylinder-side outlet, or to simultaneously allow the discharge-side inlet to communicate with the vane-side outlet and the intake-side inlet to communicate with the vane-side outlet, so as to control refrigerant flow direction during the saving driving operation.