Patent ID: 6910406

Claim:
Axial piston compressor for a refrigerant, in particular for a vehicle air conditioner, with a housing ( 12 ) in the interior of which is disposed at least one bearing ( 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 , 48 , 56 , 58 , 60 , 64 ), with an output conduit ( 34 ) for the compressed refrigerant, and with a lubricant that is present in the interior of the housing ( 12 ), characterized in that in the housing at least one lubricant channel ( 46 ) is provided to conduct lubricant to the bearing, as well as a lubricant separator ( 36 ) that is connected to the output conduit ( 34 ) for the refrigerant and incorporates a collection chamber ( 40 ) to contain the lubricant separated from the compressed refrigerant, and in that a feed line ( 42 ) having a controllable valve ( 44 ) is provided to connect the collection chamber to the lubricant channel ( 46 ), wherein the lubricant is propelled out of the lubricant separator and into the lubricant channel entirely on the basis of the pressure difference between the compression pressure of the lubricant and the interior pressure of the housing, and is conducted through the channel to said bearing ( 48 , 56 , 58 , 60 , . . . ) under correspondingly high pressure.