Patent ID: 7556482

Claim:
A scroll compressor comprising: a shell containing a lubricant; an orbiting scroll member disposed within the shell; a fixed scroll member disposed within the shell; an anti-rotation device, said anti-rotation device being engaged with said fixed scroll member and said orbiting scroll member; a motor, said motor having a rotor; a drive shaft; a bearing encircling said drive shaft; and said drive shaft having an upper surface that defines a lubricant gallery opening, said drive shaft defining a lubricant gallery that conveys the lubricant to the lubricant gallery opening, said drive shaft being engaged with the rotor of said motor such that rotation of said rotor causes rotation of said drive shaft, said drive shaft further being drivingly engaged with said orbiting scroll member via the bearing, and an annular groove that encircles the lubricant gallery opening, has an outer wall that is radially inwardly spaced from the bearing and axially adjacent to the bearing, and retains at least some of the lubricant when said compressor shuts down such that when said compressor next starts up, lubricant retained in said annular groove is flung outward toward said bearing and is made available for immediate use in lubricating said bearing.