American Standard Inc.

The Trane Company

Alliance Compressors Inc.

Robert E Utter

John Robert Williams

Joe T Hill

Peter A Kotlarek

Daniel R Crum

Gene M Fields

Delmar R Riffe

James C Tischer

Arthur L Butterworth

Chih M Lin

Michael P Mackelfresh

David H Eber

Arlo F Teegarden

John Kenneth Wollitz

Charles A Singletary

George W Brandt

S Boyd Wall

A scroll type fluid handling apparatus, such as a refrigeration compressor, has co-rotating driver and idler scroll members supported for rotation about offset, generally parallel axes. The idler scroll member has a support shaft which is supported on the compressor housing by a pivot bushing having an eccentric pivot axis which permits radially compliant movement of the idler scroll along a line of action which is predetermined to provide a component of a resultant force acting between the scroll members which will urge the idler scroll wrap into engagement with the driver scroll wrap under a wide range of operating conditions to enhance the contact line seal between the scroll wraps. The idler scroll support shaft may have a bearing bore sleeved over a bearing surface on the pivot bushing and the pivot bushing supported on a stub shaft of the housing, or the idler scroll support shaft may be disposed in a bearing bore formed in the bushing which, in turn, is mounted for limited rotation in a bearing bore formed in the housing stub shaft part. Cooperating stop surfaces between the pivot bushing and the housing stub shaft limit the radial excursion of the idler scroll and its support shaft with respect to the driver scroll. The idler scroll support shaft may also be mounted in a bushing disposed in a channel or supported on an elongated trunnion which provides for linear translation of the bushing, the support shaft and the idler scroll along the line of action and responsive to the resultant force.

Radial compliance mechanism for co-rotating scroll apparatus

A high side co-rotational scroll compressor has lubricant sumps in both the discharge and suction pressure portions of its hermetic shell as well as a pressure biasing arrangement by which the scroll members are urged together in operation to minimize internal leakage. Lubrication of the bearing in which the driven scroll member rotates as well as to the bearing in which the idler scroll member rotates, both of which are located in the suction pressure portion of the shell, is provided for. Additionally, embodiments are taught by which the interface between the tips of the wraps of each scroll member and the end plate of the opposing scroll member are lubricated and by which the seal in the axial pressure biasing arrangement is lubricated and/or shielded from debris having the potential to damage it.

Pressure biased co-rotational scroll apparatus with enhanced lubrication

Radial compliance mechanism for corotating scroll apparatus

A high-side co-rotating refrigerant scroll compressor defines a lubricant sump in its discharge pressure portion. Lubricant is directed from that sump, through a passage which is at least partially defined by the shell of the compressor, to the bearings in which the scroll members rotate. Heat carried in the lubricant flowing through the passage is transferred through the compressor shell to the ambient. Subsequent to having lubricated the bearing in which the drive scroll member rotates, lubricant is diverted into a passage defined by the drive scroll member drive shaft and enters the stream of compressed discharge gas flowing therethrough. The lubricant is thereby prevented from entering the suction pressure portion of the compressor where it would otherwise heat compressor suction gas prior to the entry of that gas into the compressor's compression mechanism.

Oil management in a high-side co-rotating scroll compressor

A high side co-rotating refrigerant scroll compressor includes a motor disposed vertically above its compression mechanism. The discharge of gas from the compression mechanism is through the drive shaft of the drive scroll member which is rotatably supported at its distal end in an upper bearing. Upper bearing lubrication is accomplished by the disentrainment of oil from the mixture of compressed refrigerant gas and oil discharged from the compression mechanism in the vicinity of the bearing and by the direction of such disentrained oil to the bearing.

Oil separation and bearing lubrication in a high side co-rotating scroll

In a co-rotational scroll apparatus having two interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating about parallel, non-concentric axes, a procharging device affixed to one end plate and substantially enclosing the scroll wraps and the second end plate. Preferably, the procharging device includes a cup-shaped drive housing secured to one end plate and enclosing the scroll wraps, and a flexible torque-transmitting member connecting between the enclosure member and the second end plate. Apertures are provided in the enclosure member to permit fluid flow into the space enclosed by the enclosure device, with vanes disposed adjacent the apertures to force fluid into the enclosed space during rotation of the scroll wraps. Fluid thus forced into the enclosed space is precharged prior to entering the scroll wraps, being at higher pressure than fluid exterior the enclosed space, improving the operating efficiency of the scroll apparatus.

Co-rotational scroll compressor supercharger device

In a co-rotational scroll apparatus having two interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating about parallel, non-concentric axes to produce a relative orbital motion, a means for enhancing lubricant flow through the scroll wraps. One or more passages are provided in one or both of the scroll end plates, each passage disposed to discharge lubricant between the scroll end plates, discharging adjacent the outer end of the scroll wraps immediately before the point where the scroll wraps form the first compression chamber to provide lubricant to the entire scroll wrap length. Lubricant is provided to the passages by a combination of pickup tubes affixed to the scroll end plates and inlet openings in the scroll end plates. The inlet openings accept lubricant discharged from the bearings in the apparatus. The pickup tubes rotate with the scroll end plates and remove lubricant from a sump adjacent the scroll end plates.

Scroll apparatus with enhanced lubricant flow

In a co-rotational scroll apparatus having two interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating about parallel, non-concentric axes, a precharging device affixed to one end plate and substantially enclosing the scroll wraps and the second end plate. Preferably, the precharging device includes a cup-shaped drive housing secured to one end plate and enclosing the scroll wraps, and a flexible torque-transmitting member connecting between the enclosure member and the second end plate. Apertures are provided in the enclosure member to permit fluid flow into the space enclosed by the enclosure device, with vanes disposed adjacent the apertures to force fluid into the enclosed space during rotation of the scroll wraps. Fluid thus forced into the enclosed space is precharged prior to entering the scroll wraps, being at higher pressure than fluid exterior the enclosed space, improving the operating efficiency of the scroll apparatus.

In a co-rotational scroll apparatus having two interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating about parallel, non-aligned axes to produce a relative orbital motion, a mass secured to at least one of the scrolls for enhancing the nutational stability of the scroll member. Preferably, the nutation reducing means includes a mass affixed to an end plate of the scroll member to induce a dynamic imbalance during rotation of the scroll member, creating a balancing or moderating moment sufficient to compensate for the moment induced by the varying pressure of the fluids in the various compression chambers during the rotation of the scroll member.

Method and apparatus for enhanced scroll stability in a co-rotational

In a co-rotational scroll apparatus having two interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating concurrently about parallel, non-concentric axes to produce a relative orbital motion, a scroll member including an annular biasing chamber formed in one scroll member end plate opposite the scroll wrap and a passage from one of the chambers formed by the scroll wraps for providing fluid to the chamber. The fluid exerts a force upon a pressure plate secured to the opposing scroll end plate and thereby acts to bias the scroll wraps into contact with the opposing scroll end plate. Seals are provided in the biasing chamber of the scroll end plate to ensure contact with the pressure plate of the opposing scroll member.

Co-rotational scroll apparatus with improved scroll member biasing

In a scroll apparatus having interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating about parallel, non-concentric axes to produce a relative orbital motion, a modified tip seal groove in the tip surface of at least one of the scroll wraps. In the preferred embodiment, the tip seal element is of constant cross-sectional width along the scroll wrap, with the groove in the scroll wrap tip having an inner portion adjacent the discharge port and an outer portion. The inner portion of the groove is of greater cross-sectional width than the outer portion of the groove.

Scroll apparatus having a modified tip seal groove

In a co-rotational scroll apparatus having two interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating about parallel, non-concentric axes to produce a relative orbital motion, a means for providing positive lubricant flow through the scroll wraps. A sump is provided adjacent the idler scroll member for supplying lubricant to a lubricant pump disposed in the lower end of the shaft of one scroll member. A lubricant gallery is provided in the scroll shaft for receiving the lubricant from the pump and directing the lubricant through passages in the scroll shaft to lubricate the scroll shaft bearing and for directing lubricant to passages in the end plate of the scroll member to be discharged adjacent the outer ends of the scroll wraps into the alternatively open and closed first chamber formed by the scroll wraps.

Co-rotational scroll apparatus with positive lubricant flow

In a co-rotational scroll apparatus having two interleaving scroll wraps secured to end plates rotating about parallel, non-concentric axes to produce a relative orbital motion, a coupling for causing concurrent rotation and for enhancing the nutational stability of the scroll element. In the preferred embodiment, the nutation reducing means is comprised of an Oldham-type coupling engaging extension members on one of the scroll end plates and drive keys on the other respective end plate. The angular disposition thereof is optimized to cause the Oldham coupling to generate during rotation a moderating moment load in opposition to the tipping moment load of at least one of the scroll elements and thereby enhance the nutational stability of the scroll elements. The moderating moment load of the coupling imposed on the scroll elements may be altered by varying the angular and radial disposition of the center of gravity of the coupling.

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Whitehouse, TX, United States of America

Robert E Utter