Tecumseh Products Company

David K Haller

Robin G Skinner

Darrin S O'Brien

Zer Kai Yap

Robert E Utter

Richard C Haney

Theodore A Bernstein

A baffle member for use in scroll compressors. In one exemplary embodiment, the baffle member is attached to a portion of the crankcase and, in use, deflects lubricant that may be thrown from the thrust surface of the crankcase during operation of the compressor away from the flow of working fluid, and also aids in directing the flow of working fluid away from the thrust surface of the crankcase and toward a suction inlet in the compression mechanism.

Baffle member for scroll compressors

A scroll compressor including a non-orbiting and an orbiting scroll member having mating involute wraps extending therefrom. In one exemplary embodiment, at least one of the non-orbiting and orbiting scroll members includes an inner wall forming a groove in an end of the involute wrap and extending substantially entirely along the length thereof. Positioned within the groove is a tip seal having outwardly extending projections configured to engage the inner walls of the involute wrap along at least a portion thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, the tip seal has a length that is less than the length of the groove. As a result, a gap is formed at the innermost portion of the involute wrap between the end of the groove and the end of the tip seal.

Tip seal for a scroll compressor

A compressor assembly including a housing that encloses a sealed interior volume and defines an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Refrigerant is communicated from a suction line into the interior volume through the inlet opening. Refrigerant is communicated from the interior volume to a discharge line through the outlet opening. A first compressor mechanism is disposed within the interior volume and is adapted to compress the refrigerant. A first fitting is mounted on an exterior surface of the housing and is in communication with one of the inlet and outlet openings. The first fitting defines a first passageway for communicating the refrigerant between the one opening and a respective one of the suction and discharge refrigerant lines. The fitting further defines a first duct in communication with the first passageway. A first pressure relief valve is mounted in communication with the first duct.

Compressor assembly with pressure relief valve fittings

A substantially horizontal compressor including a housing having a main body portion with an open end. An end cap is secured to the main body portion with the end cap being provided with a plurality of apertures. The hermetic terminal body of the compressor is sealably fitted into one of the plurality of apertures located in the end cap. One of the apertures is sealably fitted with a heater well in which a substantially cylindrical heater element is removably received. A third aperture may be provided in the end cap in which a sight glass is sealably secured for checking the oil level in the oil sump. An indentation is formed in the end cap to increase the rigidity of the end cap. The proximity of the terminal assembly and heater well allows the wiring therefor to be part of the same wiring harness.

Horizontal compressor end cap

Horizontal compressor end cap with a terminal, a visually transparent member, and a heater well mounted on the end cap projection

A compressor having a discharge valve. The discharge valve is mounted to the fixed scroll of a scroll compressor using a C-shaped clamp. The clamp is secured using a threaded fastener which extends through the clamp at a position between the two legs of the clamp. The valve member is positioned within a recess on the scroll member and sealingly covers a discharge outlet through which compressed refrigerant is discharged from the working space of the compressor. The thickness of the scroll member at the location of the discharge outlet is less than the thickness of the scroll member at the location where the threaded fastener attached the clamp to the scroll member. The valve member is larger than the discharge outlet and the recess is dimensioned to limit the movement of the valve member such that it remains positioned over the discharge outlet.

Compressor having discharge valve

A scroll compressor having crankcase with an integral shroud. The shroud includes an aperture and defines a partial enclosure. A counterweight mounted on the shaft of the compressor is disposed within the partial enclosure defined by the shroud. The aperture is positioned above the shaft and the shroud shields an oil sump within the compressor housing from the fanning action of the counterweight. A scroll compressor having a baffle extending from an inlet to the compressor housing to an inlet of the working space of the compressor is also provided. The baffle is secured to the crankcase of the compressor and may include an opening that functions as an oil stripper.

Compressor assembly having crankcase

A scroll compressor having fixed and orbiting scrolls. The scrolls are disposed within a housing which defines a plenum having an oil sump. A shaft is coupled at one end to the orbiting scroll and is also coupled to a motor located in the housing. A bearing support is secured within the housing and has a central boss with a bearing mounted therein. The bearing supports the shaft opposite the orbiting scroll. The bearing support includes an outer ring and a plurality of support arms extending from the outer ring to the boss. The lowermost portion of the outer ring freely extends for an arc of approximately 120 degrees between adjacent support arms. The lowermost portion of the outer ring is disposed within the oil sump and includes a recessed portion defining a passage between the outer ring and housing for communicating lubricating oil.

Compressor having bearing support

A compressor assembly including a housing, a compression mechanism disposed in the housing and having a discharge port, and a discharge check valve assembly. Gas substantially at suction pressure is received into the compression mechanism, compressed and discharged substantially at discharge pressure from the compression mechanism through the discharge port. The discharge check valve assembly has at least one elongate guide pin extending from the compression mechanism and a valve plate disposed about the guide pin. The valve plate has a closed position at a first position along the guide pin in which the valve plate covers the discharge port and an open position at a second position different than the first position along the guide pin in which the valve plate does not cover the discharge port. Gas substantially at discharge pressure and having been discharged from the compression mechanism is substantially prevented by the valve, in its closed position, from reentering the discharge port.

Scroll compressor check valve assembly

A scroll compressor including a fixed scroll member having a substantially planar surface and an involute wrap element projecting therefrom, and provided with a first pair of offset, parallel elongate recesses, and an orbiting scroll member having a substantially planar surface and an involute wrap element projecting therefrom, and provided with a second pair of offset, parallel elongate recesses, the first and second pairs of recesses aligned in substantially perpendicular directions, the fixed and orbiting scroll members mutually engaged. An Oldham coupling is disposed in a first plane located between and substantially parallel with the substantially planar surfaces, the Oldham coupling having a first pair of axially extending tabs slidably engaged in the first pair of recesses and a second pair of axially extending tabs slidably engaged in the second pair of recesses, whereby relative rotation between the fixed and orbiting scroll members is prevented. The Oldham coupling has an outer peripheral surface having first and second portions. The first and second outer peripheral surface portions are disposed on opposite sides of a line disposed in the first plane, the line substantially parallel to the second pair of offset, parallel elongate recesses provided in the orbiting scroll member; the Oldham coupling is reciprocated in directions substantially perpendicular to this line between first and second positions. The fixed scroll member is provided with a recessed portion, the Oldham coupling disposed substantially within the recessed portion. The recessed portion is partly defined by a radially interior wall having first and second surfaces, the first and second radially interior wall surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the line. The first radially interior wall surface closely conforms to the shape of the first Oldham coupling outer peripheral surface portion, the first radially interior wall surface adjacent the Oldham coupling when the Oldham coupling is in its first position. The second radially interior wall surface closely conforms to the shape of the second Oldham coupling outer peripheral surface portion, the second radially interior wall surface adjacent the Oldham coupling when the Oldham coupling is in its second position.

Oldham coupling for a scroll compressor

A scroll compressor having a suction chamber into which fluid is received substantially at suction pressure and a discharge chamber from which the fluid is discharged substantially at discharge pressure, including mutually engaged fixed and orbiting scroll members, in fluid communication with the suction and discharge chambers, an intermediate pressure chamber defined in part by one of fixed and orbiting scroll members, an oil reservoir, an electric motor, and a shaft operably coupling the motor and the orbiting scroll member. The shaft is provided with a longitudinal passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, the longitudinal passageway in fluid communication with the oil reservoir and provided with oil therefrom. The shaft is provided with a first passage in fluid communication with the longitudinal passageway and which extends substantially laterally outward from the longitudinal passageway to a radially outer surface of the shaft. A roller is disposed about the shaft radially outer surface, the orbiting scroll member linked to the shaft through the roller. The roller is provided with inner and outer circumferential surfaces and a second passage extending therebetween, the first and second passages in fluid communication, whereby oil from the oil reservoir is provided to the roller outer circumferential surface through the longitudinal passageway and the first and second passages. A bearing is disposed between the roller outer circumferential surface and the orbiting scroll member. An oil receiving space is provided adjacent the bearing, the oil receiving space defined in part by a surface provided on the orbiting scroll member which is opposite its substantially planar surface, an axially facing surface of the roller, and an end surface of the shaft. The intermediate pressure chamber and the oil receiving space are substantially out of fluid communication. Oil is provided from the second passage to the oil receiving space through the bearing. A third passage extends between the oil receiving space and an intermediate pressure space between the fixed and orbiting involute wrap elements, and oil is provided to the intermediate pressure space from the oil receiving space through the third passage.

Bearing lubrication system for a scroll compressor

A scroll compressor having a suction pressure chamber into which fluid is received substantially at suction pressure and a discharge pressure chamber from which the fluid is discharged substantially at discharge pressure, including a first scroll member having a first involute wrap element projecting from a first substantially planar surface, a second scroll member having a second involute wrap element projecting from a second substantially planar surface, and third and fourth surfaces opposite the second substantially planar surface, the third and fourth surfaces respectively located in first and second planes which are spaced apart from each other and substantially parallel with the second substantially planar surface. The first and second scroll members are mutually engaged with the first involute wrap element projecting towards the second surface and the second involute wrap element projecting towards the first surface, the first surface positioned substantially parallel with the second surface whereby relative orbiting of the scroll members compresses fluids between the involute wrap elements. The engaged scroll members are in fluid communication with the suction and discharge chambers. A frame is provided having fifth and sixth surface located in different planes substantially parallel with the second substantially planar surface of the second scroll member, the fifth surface adjacent and opposed to the third surface of the second scroll member, and a sixth surface adjacent and opposed to the fourth surface of the second scroll member. A first seal is disposed between the third and fifth surfaces, the first seal in sliding engagement with one of the third and the fifth surfaces. A second seal is disposed between the fourth and sixth surfaces, the second seal in sliding engagement with one of the fourth and the sixth surfaces. An intermediate pressure chamber is in part bounded by the third and fourth surfaces of the second scroll member, the fifth and sixth surfaces of the frame, and the first and second seals, and is in fluid communication with a source of pressure intermediate suction and discharge pressures, whereby the first and second scroll members are at least partially urged into axial sealing engagement by forces induced by fluid pressure in the intermediate pressure chamber.

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Adrian, MI, United States of America

David K Haller