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.

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 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 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 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 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 resistive muffler attenuates sound generated by the gas intake and suction valve during compressor operation of a refrigerant compressor. The resistive muffler is assembled inline with the suction gas flow of the compressor and is positioned within the compressor housing. The resistive muffler attenuates the sound generated by the compressor during its operation as refrigerant gas is drawn into the compressor from an evaporator and passes through the resistive muffler in transit to the suction valve and hence to the region of the compressor where the gas is physically compressed. The resistive muffler includes a muffler housing having an intake end and an exhaust end. An acoustic foam assembly is incorporated into the muffler housing.

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 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 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 muffler for use in a refrigerant compressor which includes a muffler housing, an intake tube at one end of the muffler housing for receiving a flow of refrigerant fluid, and an exhaust tube at another end opposed of the muffler housing to exhaust the flow of refrigerant fluid. The muffler housing is adapted to structurally carry a pressure relief member therein. The pressure relief member is in fluid communication with the intake tube. A discharge tube is connected to the exhaust tube for transporting the flow of refrigerant fluid from the exhaust tube to a compressor discharge port for discharging the refrigerant fluid from the compressor.

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 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 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 three phase motor starting system is provided to reduce the in-rush current to the motor in order to obtain a soft start of the motor. The soft start of the motor equates to reduced impact forces on motor parts and device components connected to the motor during startup of the motor, especially a startup resulting from a reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor. The system uses an impedance load in series with the motor windings of the motor to reduce the in-rush current to the motor windings, which results in a reduced acceleration of the motor shaft and a soft start to the motor. The impedance loads used by the system can be a resistive load, a capacitive load or an inductive load, depending on the type of impedance load that is desired for the soft start of the motor.

Abstract: A reciprocating compressor having a linear motor, at least one piston and cylinder arrangement and a mechanism operatively connecting the linear motor to the piston and cylinder arrangement is provided. The piston and cylinder arrangement operate to compress a fluid, preferably a refrigerant gas. The piston and cylinder arrangement has a cylinder, a piston configured and disposed to travel in the cylinder and a piston rod connected to the piston. The mechanism connects the linear motor to the piston rod to move the piston in the cylinder upon operation of the linear motor. The mechanism is configured and disposed to limit overtravel of the piston in the cylinder in response to a light load of the reciprocating compressor and to limit undertravel of the piston in the cylinder in response to a heavy load in the reciprocating compressor.