Variable capacity compressor

Abstract

A compressor suitable for use in a vehicle cooling system. The compressor includes a cylinder having a cylindrical inner wall surface, a rotor supported by a crankshaft having an eccentric portion in the cylinder. A pair of vanes are carried at diametrically opposed positions by the rotor to extend in a radial direction, each of the vanes having a radially outward edge which is in sliding contact with the inner wall surface of the cylinder. End plates are secured to the cylinder at the axially opposite ends of the cylinder. A link mechanism is provided between the rotor and at least one of the end plates so that the rotor conducts a reciprocating angular movement in an angular range in response to a rotation of the crankshaft. The inner wall surface of the cylinder, the vanes and the end plates define working chambers of which volumes are variable in response to the angular movement of the rotor. An auxilliary plate is provided at an axially inner side of one of the end plates and having bypass ports for bridging the working chambers at the opposite sides of the vane when the vane moves on the bypass ports, an actuating mechanism for rotating the auxilliary plate with respect to the cylinder for changing cicumferential position of the bypass ports with respect to the angular range of the angular movement of the rotor so that the effective stroke of the compressor is changed.