Patent ID: 7491045

Claim:
A scroll compressor comprising: a compressor mechanism including a first scroll having an end plate and a spiral wrap formed thereon and a second scroll having an end plate and a spiral wrap formed thereon for engaging with the first scroll; a support for supporting the first scroll; a seal arranged between the support and the first scroll; and a position adjustment device for changing a position of the first scroll along an axial direction of the compressor mechanism, the seal arranged to hermetically contact the end plate of the first scroll such that an outside low pressure space is defined outside the seal and a back pressure space for bringing the first scroll and the second scroll into contact with each other is defined inside the seal with the first and second scrolls being engaged, and the position adjustment device being configured to change a position of the seal between a sealing position at which the seal hermetically contacts the end plate of the first scroll to seal between the back pressure space and the outside low pressure space from each other and a leakage position at which the seal is separated from the end plate of the first scroll such that the back pressure space and the outside low pressure space communicate with each other.