Abstract: A method and system is provided for reducing chatter in multi-capacity compressors having disengageable eccentric structures. The multi-capacity fluid compressor includes a compression chamber having a discharge end and an inner surface. The compressor also includes a compression member having a disengageable eccentric structure allowing the compressor to provide discrete compression capacities. A valve portion is disposed adjacent to the discharge end of the compression chamber and is arranged and disposed to discharge a compressed fluid when the compression member has completed. A discharge arrangement is arranged and disposed to discharge at least a portion of fluid remaining in the compression chamber at the completion of the compression cycle. The discharge of at least a portion of the fluid remaining in the compression chamber reduces or eliminates forces on the disengageable eccentric structure to limit rotational acceleration of the disengageable eccentric structure.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to control and operate a compressor to have two or more discrete output capacities in response to an outdoor temperature measurement. During operation of the compressor in an air conditioning or cooling mode, the compressor has a first output capacity in response to the outdoor temperature being greater than a first temperature setpoint and the compressor has a second output capacity in response to the outdoor temperature being less than a second temperature setpoint. During operation of the compressor in a heating mode, the compressor has different output capacities based on the outdoor ambient temperature.

Abstract: An automatic self-modulation capacity compressor for an HVAC&R system is disclosed. The system includes a housing, a compressor, a motor, and a pressure sensitive control valve. The HVAC&R system further comprises an expander and a condenser. In the open position, the control valve permits a portion of the pressurized gasses from the compressor to escape, creating a partial capacity compressor within the system. Once a predetermined set point pressure differential is met, the control valve moves to the closed position, where all of the pressurized gasses within the compressor are provided to the system, thereby creating a full capacity compressor. Once the compressor is operating in full capacity, the compressor remains in full capacity mode until the demands of the system are met and the compressor shuts down. Upon restart, the compressor operates in partial capacity until the predetermined set point pressure is met once again and the compressor begins operating in full capacity.

Abstract: A system for transmitting control signals to internal devices of a compressor is provided. The compressor includes a housing, a hermetic power terminal and a motor for powering the compressor. The system includes a frequency converter that is disposed externally of the compressor housing. The frequency converter converts a control signal to a high-frequency signal. A frequency decoder is disposed inside the compressor housing. The frequency decoder decodes and converts the high-frequency signal to a driver signal. An AC input power source provides electrical power to the motor, and power transmission lines connect the AC input power source to the hermetic power terminal. The frequency converter is electrically coupled to the frequency decoder by two power transmission lines. The frequency decoder generates a driver signal in response to the high frequency signal for operating at least one of the internal devices of the compressor.

Abstract: A single piece offset mounting foot is positioned between the compressor and the floor of a cabinet for the compressor. The offset mounting foot has a main body having a geometric shape with a top and bottom surface connected by sidewalls that form a perimeter. A depression in the top surface receives a compressor and is offset in the direction of one of the sidewalls. A plurality of substantially equally spaced legs extend outward from the main body. The thickness of the offset mounting foot may be substantially uniform through the main body. The profile of the top surface in the main body is substantially concave forming a bowl-like surface that transitions smoothly from a minimum within the concave surface or concavity to a maximum in the direction toward the periphery and in the direction away from the center of the concavity. The bottom surface of the main body is configured or profiled to contact the floor or base of the cabinet into which the compressor is to be installed.

Abstract: A reciprocating compressor including cylinder block with a plurality of cylinder bores. A piston is positioned in each bore and mounted to move in response to the a crankshaft, causing each piston to reciprocate within the cylinder bore. The compressor further includes a cylinder head, which includes bores corresponding to the bores in the cylinder block, and a suction port in fluid communication with a source of compressible gas and a plurality of suction plenum. Protrusions or ribs extend into the suction plenum. The cylinder head also includes a discharge plenum in communication with the outlet ports of the valve plate. Interposed between the cylinder head and the cylinder block is a valve plate assembly having a discharge valve, and a discharge valve retainer having a pair of radii assembled to the valve plate by snap fitting a cylinder head gasket over the discharge valve and retainer.

Abstract: Suction gas feed assemblies to provide gas to a hermetic compressor are provided. The feed assemblies have capacity for reducing suction noise resulting from suction conduit vibration, valving operation, suction gas pulsing, or the like. The suction gas feed assemblies include a suction plenum in the form of a substantially cylindrical end cap or motor cap having substantially straight side wall, a contoured top wall, and a gas inlet aperture and suction conduit aperture which are configured to provide strong suction and motor cooling, with reduced superheat, suction pulsation, and noise attenuation. The motor cap has excellent structural stiffness and low sound radiation.

Abstract: A crankcase heater mounting and compressor system that efficiently heats the oil sump fluid in an oil sump of a crankcase. A heater well is disposed in a substantially planar section in the lower housing shell of the crankcase. The inner surface of the heater well is substantially submerged in the oil sump fluid even at low oil sump fluid levels.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for reducing chatter in multi-capacity compressors having disengageable eccentric structures. The multi-capacity fluid compressor includes a compression chamber having a discharge end and an inner surface. The compressor also includes a compression member having a disengageable eccentric structure allowing the compressor to provide discrete compression capacities. A valve portion is disposed adjacent to the discharge end of the compression chamber and is arranged and disposed to discharge a compressed fluid when the compression member has completed. A discharge arrangement is arranged and disposed to discharge at least a portion of fluid remaining in the compression chamber at the completion of the compression cycle. The discharge of at least a portion of the fluid remaining in the compression chamber reduces or eliminates forces on the disengageable eccentric structure to limit rotational acceleration of the disengageable eccentric structure.

Abstract: A muffler system for a compressor includes an expansion chamber muffler for reducing pressure pulses at the compressor's fundamental pulsation frequency and a side-branch muffler for filtering high-frequency pressure pulses. The expansion muffler is positioned along the compressor discharge stream at a location that maximizes pulsation reduction at the compressor's fundamental pulsation frequency. The side-branch muffler is tuned to the frequency at which the pulsation reduction for the expansion muffler is at a minimum.

Abstract: A hermetic compressor unit housing comprised of a shell having a top section and a bottom section which receives the top section, the shell being formed of sheet metal and having generally cylindrical sidewalls wherein the sidewall taken in a generally axial direction is substantially straight, each shell section having an opening, a substantially cylindrical portion, and a closed end portion, the opening having a substantially circular horizontal cross-sectional geometry defined by a major axis and a minor axis, the horizontal cross-sectional geometry including substantially liner opposing sidewall portions preferably disposed adjacent to the intersection of the horizontal sectional geometry with the minor axis, and methods of aligning the shell sections for installation of fixtures and mating of the shell sections.

Abstract: A hermetic compressor unit housing comprised of a shell having a top section and a bottom section which receives the top section, the shell being formed of sheet metal and having generally cylindrical sidewalls wherein the sidewall taken in a generally axial direction is substantially straight, each shell section having an opening, a substantially cylindrical portion, and a closed end portion, the opening having a substantially circular horizontal cross-sectional geometry defined by a major axis and a minor axis, the horizontal cross-sectional geometry including substantially liner opposing sidewall portions preferably disposed adjacent to the intersection of the horizontal sectional geometry with the minor axis, and methods of aligning the shell sections for installation of fixtures and mating of the shell sections.

Abstract: A stabilizing structure for a throw adjusting eccentric cam in a two-stage reciprocating compressor is provided. The compressor includes a block that has at least one cylinder with an associated compression chamber and piston, a crankshaft that includes an eccentric crankpin, and a reversible motor for rotating the crankshaft in a forward and a reverse direction. An eccentric, two position cam is rotatably mounted over the crankpin. The cam rotates to and operates at a first position relative to said crankpin when the motor is running in the forward direction and rotates to and operates at a second position relative to said crankpin when the motor is running in the reverse direction. The combined eccentricities of the crankpin and the cam cause the piston to have a first stroke when the motor operates in the forward direction and a second stroke when the motor operates in the reverse direction.

Abstract: A muffler system for a compressor includes an expansion chamber muffler for attenuating sound pressure pulses and an acoustic muffler for filtering high-frequency pressure pulsations. The acoustic muffler is connected inline along the discharge side of the compressor between the discharge port of the cylinder head and a discharge tube in fluid communication with the outlet port of the compressor housing. A conduit is in fluid communication between the outlet port of the compressor housing and the condenser to supply the flow of refrigerant therebetween. Interposed adjacent the compressor housing, but exterior to the compressor housing is an expansion chamber muffler in fluid communication with the conduit for further attenuating pressure pulses generated by operation of the compressor.

Abstract: A die cast aluminum piston for a reciprocating compressor. The piston is cast with no coring and thus includes no aperture in the as-cast piston for a wrist pin. The aperture for the wrist pin is subsequently formed in the wrist pin in a preselected location after casting. The wrist pin is formed of a preselected diameter. Because the wrist pin can be placed in a preselected location with a preselected diameter, the same cast piston design can be used in a plurality of applications by varying the location of the aperture or the size of the aperture, or both.

Abstract: A system and method of sizing an inner diameter of the center bore of a laminated rotor is provided. The inner diameter of the center bore is determined by taking a series of measurements in the center bore with an electronic gauge and then analyzing the measurements to determine the acceptability of the rotor. The electronic gauge is inserted into the center bore of the rotor and measurements of the inner diameter of the center bore are taken at a variety of different depths and positions using the electronic gauge. The measurements are then analyzed to determine if the rotor is acceptable for use by evaluating the measurements with respect to a reference diameter and a depth in the center bore.

Abstract: A method of assembling and manufacturing a laminated rotor is provided which uses laminations having a thin bridge thickness. Different techniques are provided for preventing the molten material used in the casting or injection molding operation from leaking or seeping between the laminations during casting. In one technique, the laminations are stacked and oriented in the conventional way, and then both axial and radial pressures are applied to the stacked laminations to hold the laminations in position for the casting process. In another technique, the laminations are formed or extruded with a lip or collar portion that fit in a countersunk portion of an adjacent lamination and forms a wall or barrier between the laminations to prevent the leakage of the molten material during the casting or injection molding operation.

Abstract: A reciprocating compressor that includes a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinder bores. A piston is positioned in each bore. Each piston is mounted to move in response to the a crankshaft, causing each piston to reciprocate within the cylinder bore. The compressor further includes a cylinder head which includes bores corresponding to the bores in the cylinder block. The cylinder head includes a suction port in fluid communication with a source of compressible gas and a plurality of suction plenum in the cylinder head. Protrusions or ribs extend into the suction plenum. The cylinder head also includes a discharge plenum in communication with the outlet ports of the valve plate Interposed between the cylinder head and the cylinder block is a valve plate assembly having a discharge valve, and a discharge valve retainer having a pair of radii assembled to the valve plate by snap fitting a cylinder head gasket over the discharge valve and retainer.

Abstract: A pressure equalization system is provided for starting a compressor while maintaining the condenser at a high pressure and includes a valve and a bleed port. The compressor has a compressor inlet for receiving a fluid at a first pressure and a compressor outlet for discharging the fluid at a second pressure, and is operable to compress the fluid from the first pressure to the second pressure. The valve is proximate to and in fluid communication with the compressor outlet and is movable to an open position when the compressor is operating to permit the fluid at the second pressure to flow through the valve and is movable to a closed position when the compressor stops operating to prevent backflow of the fluid at the second pressure through the valve toward the compressor inlet. The bleed port is upstream of the valve and in fluid communication with the compressor inlet to equalize the pressure of the fluid contained in the compressor when the compressor stops operating.

Abstract: A single piece offset mounting foot is positioned between the compressor and the floor of a cabinet for the compressor. The offset mounting foot has a main body having a geometric shape with a top and bottom surface connected by sidewalls that form a perimeter. A depression in the top surface receives a compressor and is offset in the direction of one of the sidewalls. A plurality of substantially equally spaced legs extend outward from the main body. The thickness of the offset mounting foot may be substantially uniform through the main body. The profile of the top surface in the main body is substantially concave forming a bowl-like surface that transitions smoothly from a minimum within the concave surface or concavity to a maximum in the direction toward the periphery and in the direction away from the center of the concavity. The bottom surface of the main body is configured or profiled to contact the floor or base of the cabinet into which the compressor is to be installed.