Trane International Inc.

American Standard Inc.

American Standard International Inc.

Scott Joseph Smerud

Michael Gerard Benco

Jerry Allen Rood

Derrick Lepak

John Robert Sauls

Keith Adam Novak

Eric Steven Mlsna

Joseph M Heger

Scott Michael Branch

Jay H Johnson

Daniel R Crum

Sung Hwa Jeung

Rodney L Lakowske

James Joseph Wiltzius

Brian Thomas Sullivan

Peter A Kotlarek

Bill P Simmons

Torin Allan Betthauser

Yahia Abdelhamid

Chris Wehrenberg

Dyck A Shepherd

Larry R Arentz

Adam P Kimball

Brennon J Swaney

Wayne Gerard Gorski

A scroll compressor includes a compressor housing containing an orbiting scroll member, a non-orbiting scroll member, bands disposed between the non-orbiting scroll member and the compressor housing, a suction chamber, a discharge chamber, and one or more intermediate injection chamber defined by the bands. The non-orbiting scroll member includes one or more intermediate injection ports fluidly connecting the one or more intermediate injection chambers to at least one compression pocket formed by the intermeshed scroll members. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration system includes a refrigerant circuit with a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, and the scroll compressor fluidly connected. A method of making a scroll compressor includes placing an upper portion of a compressor housing over a non-orbiting scroll member with bands disposed therebetween, and interference fitting the upper portion onto the non-orbiting scroll member via the bands.

Scroll compressor with intermediate injection

A scroll compressor includes a compressor housing containing an orbiting scroll member, a non-orbiting scroll member, a pair of bands disposed between the non-orbiting scroll member and the compressor housing, a suction chamber, a discharge chamber, and an intermediate injection chamber defined by the pair of bands. The non-orbiting scroll member includes an intermediate injection port fluidly connecting the intermediate injection chamber to at least one compression pocket formed by the intermeshed scroll members. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration system including a refrigerant circuit with a condenser, at least one expander, an evaporator, and the scroll compressor fluidly connected. A method of making a scroll compressor includes placing an upper portion of a compressor housing over a non-orbiting scroll member with bands disposed therebetween, and interference fitting the upper portion onto the non-orbiting scroll member via the bands.

A scroll compressor includes a first scroll member, a second scroll member, and an aerostatic thrust bearing. The aerostatic thrust bearing forms a layer of gas between the second scroll member and a fixed supporting member to support the second scroll member as the second scroll member rotates and/or orbits. Also disclosed is a method of supporting a rotating/orbiting scroll member in a scroll compressor. The method including supplying pressurized gas to an aerostatic thrust bearing such that a layer of gas is formed between the rotating/orbiting scroll member and a fixed supporting member.

Aerostatic thrust bearing and method of aerostatically supporting a thrust load in a scroll compressor

A scroll compressor includes a compressor housing, an orbiting scroll member and non-orbiting scroll member intermeshed to form a compression chamber, a discharge pressure chamber, an intermediate pressure chamber. The housing includes a lower portion, a first intermediate cap, a second intermediate cap, and an upper portion. The discharge pressure chamber configured to receiving a discharge pressure fluid from the compression chamber. The intermediate pressure chamber fluidly connecting an intermediate pressure fluid inlet port and an intermediate pressure fluid injection port of the non-orbiting scroll member. A method injecting an intermediate pressure fluid into a compression chamber of a scroll compressor includes disposing the intermediate pressure fluid in an intermediate pressure chamber. The method also includes injecting the intermediate pressure fluid in the intermediate pressure chamber through the intermediate pressure fluid injection port into the compression chamber.

Scroll compressor with second intermediate cap to facilitate refrigerant injection

A bearing housing drain in a scroll compressor and method for controlling lubrication of a thrust bearing in the scroll compressor are disclosed. The compressor includes a compressor housing; a non-orbiting scroll member and an orbiting scroll member; an orbiting scroll hub having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being disposed at a vertical elevation that is lower than the upper end; a thrust bearing; a lubricant sump; a housing drain cavity disposed within the compressor housing and configured to receive lubricant from the lubricant sump and to deliver the lubricant to the thrust bearing; and a bearing housing drain fluidly connected to the housing drain cavity and the lubricant sump.

Compressor bearing housing drain

A scroll member for a scroll compressor is disclosed. The scroll member includes a base member and a wrap member formed on a major surface of the base member. The wrap member includes a modified portion. The modified portion includes a base, a step, and a scallop. The base extends a first distance from the major surface. The step extends a second distance from the base. The scallop extends a third distance from the scallop. The scallop is located at a wrap surface of the wrap member. The wrap surface is disposed relatively away from the major surface relative to the step.

Scallop step for a scroll compressor

A scroll compressor is disclosed. The scroll compressor includes a compressor housing; an orbiting scroll member disposed within the housing; a non-orbiting scroll member disposed within the housing, wherein the orbiting scroll member and the non-orbiting scroll member are intermeshed thereby forming a compression chamber within the housing; and an endplate secured to the non-orbiting scroll member. The endplate includes a check valve surface configured to provide a stop for a check valve of the scroll compressor, a radial sealing surface configured to receive a radial seal, an unloading mechanism surface configured to provide a stop for an unloading mechanism, and a pressure chamber for controlling the unloading mechanism, the endplate also including an aperture that fluidly connects the compression chamber and a discharge chamber of the scroll compressor.

Variable displacement scroll compressor

A scroll compressor orbiting scroll bearing lubrication system includes a scroll compressor crankshaft having a lubricating fluid gallery extending therethrough between a first stage orbiting scroll and a second stage orbiting scroll. The first stage employs an orbiting scroll radial bearing and an orbiting scroll hydrodynamic thrust bearing, while the second stage employs an orbiting scroll radial bearing and an orbiting scroll hydrostatic thrust bearing. Lubricating fluid is supplied to the second stage orbiting scroll radial bearing via the lubricating fluid gallery.

Double-ended scroll compressor lubrication of one orbiting scroll bearing via crankshaft oil gallery from another orbiting scroll bearing

A scroll compressor includes one or more stage of compression disposed within a compressor housing. One or more of the stages includes a stationary scroll member including a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from the base of the stationary scroll member. One or more of the stages further includes an orbiting, scroll member including a substantially circular base and a substantially spiral wrap extending from the base of the orbiting scroll member. A coupling is disposed between the first scroll member base and the second scroll member base and in surrounding relationship to the first and second scroll member spiral wraps. At least one stabilizing pad is disposed between the first scroll member base and the second scroll member base and in axial thrust force relationship with the coupling to at least partially prevent tipping of the second scroll member.

Structure for stabilizing an orbiting scroll in a scroll compressor

An oil lubrication system for a multi-stage compressor separates oil from a refrigerant at an intermediate pressure following the first stage of compression and then routes the separated oil at the intermediate pressure to the compressor suction cavity bearings at the intermediate pressure, thus avoiding further compression of oil in subsequent stages of compression. The efficiency of the multi-stage compressor can be increased by not raising the pressure of the oil through the subsequent stages of compression.

Intermediate oil separator for improved performance in a scroll compressor

A valve assembly for a compressor includes a flow passage defining an inlet, an outlet, and a valve seat located proximate the inlet. The valve assembly also has a valve member that includes a head portion engageable with the valve seat. The head portion has a front face, a rear face located closer to the outlet than the front face, and a side face extending between the front and rear faces. The head portion further has a first convex curvature formed between the front face and the side face. The valve member also includes a collar portion extending toward the outlet from the rear face of the head portion.

Check valve assembly

An Oldham coupling structure for a scroll compressor decreases Oldham coupling pressure loading without increasing compressor diameter or significantly increasing orbiting scroll or Oldham coupling inertia. The Oldham coupling key height and area are increased by recessing the key face into the ring portion of the Oldham coupling, increasing the key height and adding pads to the involute side of the orbiting scroll base plate to extend the key slot, potentially resulting in reduced compressor diameter and/or reduced orbiting scroll and Oldham coupling inertia.

Oldham coupling with enhanced key surface in a scroll compressor

A compressor crankshaft assembly includes a crankshaft and an eccentric drive pin extending from one end of the crankshaft. The shape of the drive pin viewed into the exposed end of the drive pin is defined by the intersection of a first cylinder that is coaxial with the axis of a substantially cylindrical orbital bearing journaled and installed to receive the eccentric drive pin and a second cylinder that is coaxial with the axis of a substantially cylindrical main bearing journaled and installed to rotatably receive the crankshaft, such that the area defined by the intersecting portion is less than the area defined by either cylinder.

Orbiting crankshaft drive pin and associated drive pin sleeve geometry

A scroll compressor includes an orbiting scroll member disposed within a compressor housing. The orbiting scroll member has a substantially circular baseplate and a generally spiral wrap extending from its base. A first seal is disposed proximal to the outer periphery of the orbiting scroll baseplate to provide an external seal between the baseplate and the housing. A second seal is disposed radially inward from the first seal to provide an internal seal between the baseplate and the housing. A space between the internal seal and the external seal defines a balance piston chamber. The balance piston chamber is pressurized via a high or intermediate pressure oil source to reduce thrust loading on the baseplate caused by an axial pressure differential across the baseplate.

Growing community of inventors

La Crosse, WI, United States of America

Scott Joseph Smerud