Scroll type compressor having a thrust bearing for the drive shaft

Abstract

A scroll compressor reduces the load applied to the thrust bearing, to prevent a thrust bearing from seizing and to improve the service life of the thrust bearing. It comprises an electric motor that is provided within a high pressure space inside a sealed case with a stator fixed within the sealed case and a rotor fixed to a drive shaft. An oscillating shaft is decentered on and extends from the drive shaft. An oscillating scroll member has an insertion hole into which the oscillating shaft is inserted. A fixed scroll member forms a compression space by fitting into the oscillating scroll member, and a block secures the fixed scroll member inside the sealed case and clamps the oscillating scroll member so that it can oscillate freely between the block and the fixed scroll member. The thrust bearing is provided between the drive shaft and the block to hold the lower end of the drive shaft so that it can rotate freely. The internal diameter of the thrust bearing is approximately equal to the external diameter of the oscillating shaft. As a result, the sliding contact surface at the thrust bearing can be reduced to an absolute minimum so that friction at the thrust bearing is reduced, thereby achieving the aforementioned objectives of reducing the load applied to the thrust bearing, preventing the thrust bearing from seizing and improving the service life of the thrust bearing.