WO2013098130A1

WO2013098130A1 - A compressor comprising an oil sucking member

Info

Publication number: WO2013098130A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/076000
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bilgin Hacioglu; Cihan Gunduz
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2011-12-27
Filing date: 2012-12-18
Publication date: 2013-07-04
Also published as: EP2798220A1; CN104145116B; CN104145116A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a compressor (1) comprising a casing (2) wherein the oil lubricating the movable members is placed, a body (3) situated in the casing (2), at least two feet (4) whereon the body (3) is seated, a support member (5, 105) that connects the two feet (4), a motor (6) situated on the body (3), a crankshaft (7) that transmits the movement of the motor (6) to the piston and that has an opening (8) extending from the lower end thereof to the upper end and an oil sucking member (9) that provides the oil to be delivered to the other movable members and that is placed at the lower end of the crankshaft (7) so that one end thereof enters into the opening (8) and the other into the oil at the base of the casing (2), and wherein the lubrication efficiency is improved.

Description

A COMPRESSOR COMPRISING AN OIL SUCKING MEMBER

The present invention relates to a hermetic compressor comprising an oil sucking member, the lubrication efficiency of which is improved.

In the reciprocating hermetic compressors used in refrigerators, the sliding bearings wherein the crankshaft operates and the other movable members are lubricated with the oil disposed in the compressor casing. In compressors, lubrication provides friction losses of the movable members to be decreased, abrasion to be prevented and temperature to be decreased by removing the heat on the compressor members. In the compressor lubrication system, the oil at the base of the casing is sucked to be delivered to the bearings and compressor members that are to be lubricated. Generally, the centrifugal force that acts on the oil as a result of the rotation of the crankshaft is utilized for delivering the oil at the base of the casing to the bearings.

In variable capacity compressors used in refrigerators, the refrigeration capacity that changes depending on the operating conditions is provided by changing the compressor rotational speed. In order to deliver the oil required in cases where the compressor motor operates at low speed, a cylindrical oil sucking member having helical oil delivery grooves is disposed at the lower end of the crankshaft immersed into oil. The oil sucking member is disposed at the rotational axis of the crankshaft in a manner concentric with the crankshaft. The oil sucking member disposed so as to extend inside the crankshaft increases the lubrication efficiency of the compressor. The lubrication efficiency decreases as the eccentricity between the axes of the oil sucking member and the crankshaft increases, sufficient oil cannot be delivered to the movable parts such as piston rod-crankpin, piston-cylinder.

In some of the state of the art compressors, the oil sucking members are produced integrated with the feet of the body. During the production of this member that directly affects the position of the oil sucking member with respect to the crankshaft, only small tolerances can be allowed. However, problems sometimes occur while centering the oil sucking member just at the middle point of the feet. Consequently, the axial eccentricity between the crankshaft and the oil sucking member increases and this causes a decrease in the lubrication efficiency. In case that the oil sucking member touches the inner surface of the crankshaft, the compressor loses power and also the oil sucking member wears out. The particles breaking off the oil sucking member damage the compressor and sometimes even cause it to break down. Moreover, even if the crankshaft and the oil sucking member are properly centered during assembly, vibrations occurring during the operation of the compressor may cause axial eccentricity.

In the state of the art United States of America Patent Document No. US6716001, a compressor is described, comprising two support brackets located between the diagonal feet of the body and an oil sucking member disposed at a point where the support brackets intersect.

In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO03012297, a compressor is described, comprising flexible members at the base of the oil sucking member. The oil sucking member can move inside the crankshaft thanks to the structure at the base thereof. In this embodiment, there is also a member that prevents the oil sucking member from rotating.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a compressor of which the lubrication performance is improved by operating the oil sucking member and the crankshaft concentrically.

The compressor realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises at least one support member that connects at least two feet of the body. The support member has a stationary portion that is connected to the feet and a movable portion that moves with respect to the stationary part. When the compressor is operated, the crankshaft rotates together with the motor, but the oil sucking member remains stationary. The oil sucking member, thanks to the movable portion whereto it is connected, withstands the centripetal forces that the crankshaft is subjected to due to the rotational movement and remains concentric with the crankshaft during the movement. This provides the oil sucking member to suck more oil in unit time and to direct it to other movable members.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the body is seated onto four feet. The feet are positioned at the corners of a rectangle of which the sides are almost at the same length. The central points of the feet are at the same vertical direction as the opening wherein the oil sucking member is placed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the stationary portion is shaped as a flat rod that connects the two feet. Before the stationary portion is mounted to the feet, the movable portion is mounted over the stationary portion by means of the slot located at the center thereof. Afterwards, the stationary portion grouped with the movable portion is mounted to the feet. In this embodiment, the movable portion moves over the stationary portion and along the stationary portion.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the stationary portion comprises two hollow arms that extend from the two feet towards each other so as not to contact with each other. On the other hand, the movable portion comprises a connector and two legs mounted to its two sides. The legs are placed into the arms so as to move backwards and forwards and move the connector whereto they are connected in the direction between the feet. During the movement, while one of the legs enters into an arm, the other leg leaves the other arm.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the support member extends between two feet positioned diagonally to each other. In this embodiment, the oil sucking member is directly placed onto the movable portion and moves over the stationary portion together with the movable portion. Since the oil received from the casing by means of the oil sucking member is also delivered onto the movable portion, the movable portion is provided to easily slide over the stationary portion.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the support member connects two adjacent feet. In this embodiment, the oil sucking member is mounted to the movable portion by means of a connection rod. Since the oil sucking member is not situated on the support member, less load acts on the support member.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the connection rod serving as a bridge between the movable portion and the oil sucking member provides the distance between the movable portion and the oil sucking member to be changed by shortening and lengthening. Thus, the oil sucking member moves in two directions almost perpendicular to each other, thereby the movement accuracy thereof is increased.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the compressor comprises an extension that joins the oil sucking member and the connection rod by one end thereof being mounted to the oil sucking member and the other end to the connection rod. The extension provides a height difference between the members it joins. Accordingly, the oil sucking member is positioned at a lower level with respect to the connection rod. The oil sucking member being closer to the oil surface increases the lubrication performance thereof.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the connection rod is produced from an elastic material. Thus, also the vibrational movements in the vertical direction are absorbed and the oil sucking member is prevented from touching the crankshaft.

In an embodiment of the present invention, helical recesses extending along the oil sucking member are arranged on the outer surface of the oil sucking member. The oil moves upwards inside the oil sucking member by moving in these recesses and moves towards the other movable members after leaving the oil sucking member.

By means of the present invention, the occurrence of axial eccentricity between the oil sucking member and the crankshaft is prevented during the operation of the compressor and thus the lubrication process is provided to be performed in an efficient manner.

The compressor realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 – is the partial view of a compressor.

Figure 2 – is the perspective view of the body and the feet.

Figure 3 – is the exploded view of the support member, the oil sucking member and the feet related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 – is the perspective view of the support member, the oil sucking member and the feet related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 – is the perspective view of the support member, the oil sucking member and the feet related to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 – is the perspective view of the support member, the oil sucking member, the connection rod, the extension and the feet related to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 – is the perspective view of the support member, the oil sucking member, the connection rod, the extension and the feet related to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 – is the perspective view of the support member, the oil sucking member, the connection rod, the extension, the body and the feet related to another embodiment of the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Compressor
Casing
Body
Foot
, 105. Support member
Motor
Crankshaft
Opening
Oil sucking member
, 110. Stationary portion
, 111. Movable portion
Slot
Arm
Connector
Leg
Connection rod
Extension

The compressor (1) comprises a casing (2) wherein the oil lubricating the movable members is placed, a body (3) situated in the casing (2), at least two feet (4) whereon the body (3) is seated, a support member (5, 105) that connects the two feet (4), a motor (6) situated on the body (3), a crankshaft (7) that transmits the movement of the motor (6) to the piston and that has an opening (8) extending from the lower end thereof to the upper end and an oil sucking member (9) that provides the oil to be delivered to the other movable members and that is placed at the lower end of the crankshaft (7) so that one end thereof enters into the opening (8) and the other into the oil at the base of the casing (2) (Figure 1).

With the operation of the compressor (1), the rotor of the motor (6) that has a rotor and a stator starts to rotate and transmits its movement to the crankshaft (7). Depending on the rotation speed of the crankshaft (7), the oil at the lower portion of the crankshaft (7) is moved by the centrifuge effect and taken into the crankshaft (7) through the opening (8). The oil sucking member (9) that is placed to the crankshaft (7) from the lower end of the crankshaft (7) so that at least some portion thereof hangs downwards from the crankshaft (7) and that is closer to the oil surface than the crankshaft (7) provides the receiving of more oil into the crankshaft (7) and the delivery thereof to the upper points inside the crankshaft (7).

In the compressor (1) of the present invention, the support member (5, 105) comprises a stationary portion (10, 110) connected to the two feet (4), and a movable portion (11, 111) whereon the oil sucking member (9) is connected and that moves along the line connecting the feet (4) over the stationary portion (10, 110). The movable portion (11, 111) can move in both directions along the line between the two feet (4). The oil sucking member (9) connected to the movable portion (11, 111) is subjected to the centripetal forces while the crankshaft (7) is rotating and balances these forces by displacing thanks to the movement of the movable portion (11, 111). Thus, the oil sucking member (9) is always concentric with the crankshaft (7) during the rotation of the crankshaft (7), thereby the lubrication performance is prevented from decreasing (Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the compressor (1) comprises four feet (4) that form a rectangle so that the projection of the opening (8) is at the centre thereof. In this embodiment, the central point of the support member (5, 105) is almost at the same vertical level with the opening (8).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the support member (5, 105) comprises a stationary portion (10) that continuously connects the two feet (4) and the movable portion (11) that has a slot (12) located at the centre thereof, providing the movable portion (11) to be slidably mounted onto the stationary portion (10). In this embodiment, the stationary portion (10) is mounted to the feet (4) after the movable portion (11) is mounted thereover. After the stationary portion (10) is mounted to the feet (4), the movable portion (11) cannot be detached from the stationary portion (10) and linearly moves over the stationary portion (10) (Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 6).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the support member (5, 105) comprises the stationary portion (110) that has two hollow arms (13) extending towards each other from the two feet (4) and the movable portion (111) that has a connector (14) and two legs (15) with one end each thereof being fixed to one end of the connector (14) and the other end each being borne into each of the arms (13) so as to make telescopic movement together with the arms (13). In this embodiment, legs (15) move backwards and forwards inside the arms (13) and provides the connector (14) to change position between the feet (4). By means of the telescopic structure of the legs (15) and the arms (13), the movement precision of the oil sucking member (9) connected to the connector (14) is increased. Consequently, this provides the axial eccentricity between the oil sucking member (9) and the crankshaft (7) to be minimized (Figure 5, Figure 7, Figure 8).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the support member (5) connects the two diagonal feet (4). In this embodiment, the oil sucking member (9) is placed onto the movable portion (11, 111). In this embodiment, the movable portion (11, 111) serves as a wheel that provides the oil sucking member (9) to move over the stationary portion (10, 110). In a version of this embodiment, the oil sucking member (9) is produced together with the movable portion (11, 111) thus providing ease of production (Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the support member (105) connects the two adjacent feet (4). In this embodiment, the compressor (1) comprises a connection rod (16) that connects the movable portion (11, 111) and the oil sucking member (9). The connection rod (16) extends from the movable portion (11, 111) towards the level of the opening (8). In this embodiment, there is no member between the oil sucking member (9) and the oil surface. Thus, the oil sucking member (9) sucks more oil in unit time, thereby increasing the lubrication efficiency of the compressor (1) (Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8).

In a version of this embodiment, the connection rod (16) enables the distance between the movable portion (11, 111) and the oil sucking member (9) to be changed. Thus, the oil sucking member (9) can move in two different directions in the same plane and the oil sucking member (9) is more precisely centered with the crankshaft (7). In this embodiment, the connection rod (16) has preferably a telescopic structure (Figure 7, Figure 8).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the compressor (1) comprises an extension (17) that connects the movable portion (11, 111) and the oil sucking member (9) so that there is a height difference therebetween. By means of the height difference between the two ends of the extension (17), the oil sucking member (9) is positioned lower than the movable portion (11, 111). Thus, while the oil sucking member (9) is immersed into the oil, the movable portion (11, 111) is positioned higher than the oil level (Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the connection rod (16) is produced from elastic material. Thus, the oil sucking member (9) can also absorb the vibrations occurring in the vertical direction.

By means of the present invention, the oil sucking member (9) is provided to be positioned concentrically with the crankshaft (7) during the operation time of the compressor (1). Thus, the oil in the casing (2) is more efficiently distributed inside the compressor (1). Moreover, since the oil sucking member (9) is prevented from touching the inner surface of the crankshaft (7), the oil sucking member (9) is prevented from losing its efficiency by being worn out in course of time.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A compressor (1) comprising a casing (2) wherein the oil lubricating the movable members is placed, a body (3) situated in the casing (2), at least two feet (4) whereon the body (3) is seated, a support member (5, 105) that connects the two feet (4), a motor (6) situated on the body (3), a crankshaft (7) that transmits the movement of the motor (6) to the piston and that has an opening (8) extending from the lower end thereof to the upper end and an oil sucking member (9) that provides the oil to be delivered to the other movable members and that is placed at the lower end of the crankshaft (7) so that one end thereof enters into the opening (8) and the other into the oil at the base of the casing (2), characterized by the support member (5, 105) that has a stationary portion (10, 110) connected to the two feet (4) and a movable portion (11, 111) whereon the oil sucking member (9) is connected and that moves along the line connecting the feet (4) over the stationary portion (10, 110).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the four feet (4) that form a rectangle so that the projection of the opening (8) is at the centre thereof.
A compressor (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by a stationary portion (10) that continuously connects the two feet (4) and the movable portion (11) that comprises a slot (12) located at the centre thereof, providing the movable portion (11) to be slidably mounted onto the stationary portion (10).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the stationary portion (110) that has two hollow arms (13) extending towards each other from the two feet (4) and the movable portion (111) that has a connector (14) and two legs (15) with one end each thereof being fixed to one end of the connector (14) and the other end each being borne into each of the arms (13) so as to make telescopic movement together with the arms (13).
A compressor (1) as in any one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized by the support member (5) having the movable portion (11, 111) that connects two diagonal feet (4) and whereon the oil sucking member (9) is placed.
A compressor (1) as in any one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized by the support member (105) that connects two adjacent feet (4) and a connection rod (16) that connects the movable portion (11, 111) and the oil sucking member (9).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by the connection rod (16) that enables the distance between the movable portion (11, 111) and the oil sucking member (9) to be changed.
A compressor (1) as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized by an extension (17) that connects the movable portion (11, 111) and the oil sucking member (9) so that there is a height difference therebetween.
A compressor (1) as in any one of the Claims 6 to 8, characterized by the connection rod (16) that is produced from elastic material.