Abstract: A variable displacement compressor comprising a cylinder block having a plurality of cylinder bores. The cylinder block has an extension which extends from an outer periphery of an end surface of the cylinder block which faces a swash plate. The extension has an extension surface which forms a part of a bore surface of each cylinder bore and first and second wall surfaces which extend continuously from opposite ends of the extension surface in a circumferential direction of the extension surface. A part of each extension surface which is connected to the first wall surface which is located on a preceding side of rotation of the swash plate corresponds to a high-load area which is locally subjected to loads from a single-headed piston during a compression stroke. The high-load area has a chamfered region which is formed into a curved surface by chamfering.

Abstract: A rotor is fixed to a drive shaft supported by a housing. A swash plate is supported slidably and tiltably by the drive shaft. A hinge mechanism is provided between the rotor and swash plate. The hinge mechanism comprises two rotor-side protrusions provided in the rotor and a protruding portion provided in the swash plate. The protruding portion is inserted between side faces in which the two rotor-side protrusions face each other, and perform power transfer between the rotor and swash plate by two-dimensionally abutting against a side face of one of the rotor-side protrusions. A concavity is provided in the side face of the rotor-side protrusion. Therefore, an area of the side face of the rotor-side protrusion abutting on the side face of the swash-plate-side protrusion decreases, and smooth change of discharge volume is achieved while controlling processing cost.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor has a drive shaft, a rotor supported by the drive shaft, a drive plate supported by the drive shaft and a hinge mechanism located between the rotor and the drive plate. The hinge mechanism includes a cam, which is located on the rotor, and a guide portion, which is located on the drive plate. The cam has a cam surface, which has a predetermined profile. One of the cam surface and the guide portion slides against the other in accordance with inclination of the drive plate. The guide portion traces a path corresponding to the profile of the cam surface with respect to the cam. The path includes a first path corresponding to a small displacement region of the compressor and a second path corresponding to a large displacement region of the compressor. The profile of the cam surface is determined such that the first path and the second path bulge in a direction opposite to each other to compensate for fluctuation of a top dead center position of the piston.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor has a housing, a piston, a drive shaft, a rotor, a cam plate and a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism between the rotor and the cam plate guides the cam plate to incline and slide relative to the drive shaft. Thus, the displacement volume of the compressor is varied. The rotation of the drive shaft is converted to the reciprocation of the piston through the rotor, the hinge mechanism and the cam plate. The hinge mechanism includes first and second hinge elements that are respectively provided on the rotor and on the cam plate and engage each other. At least one of the first and second hinge elements has a degree of freedom for motion against the rotor and/or the cam plate to which it belongs.

Abstract: A piston type compressor includes a housing, which defines a crank chamber. A valve plate forms a part of the housing. A drive shaft is located in the crank chamber. A contact member is plastically deformed and press fitted to the drive shaft. An inner wall and a first sub-plate are located in the housing and limit the axial movement of the drive shaft, respectively. After the contact member is attached to the drive shaft, the axial load required to change the position of the contact member is greater than the maximum axial load applied to the drive shaft due to the increase of the pressure in the crank chamber, and less than the load applied to the contact member by the first sub-plate in accordance with the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient of the housing and the drive shaft.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor has a drive shaft, a rotor supported by the drive shaft, a drive plate supported by the drive shaft and a hinge mechanism located between the rotor and the drive plate. The hinge mechanism includes a cam, which is located on the rotor, and a guide portion, which is located on the drive plate. The cam has a cam surface, which has a predetermined profile. One of the cam surface and the guide portion slides against the other in accordance with inclination of the drive plate. The guide portion traces a path corresponding to the profile of the cam surface with respect to the cam. The path includes a first path corresponding to a small displacement region of the compressor and a second path corresponding to a large displacement region of the compressor. The profile of the cam surface is determined such that the first path and the second path bulge in a direction opposite to each other to compensate for fluctuation of a top dead center position of the piston.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor includes a supply passage for supplying refrigerant gas from a discharge chamber to a crank chamber and a bleed passage for bleeding the refrigerant gas from the crank chamber to a suction chamber. An oil separator is connected to a drive shaft and is located in the bleed passage. The oil separator rotates together with the drive shaft to centrifugally separate lubricant oil from the refrigerant gas that flows in the bleed passage. An oil chamber is formed in a compressor housing for receiving the separated oil. The pressure in the oil chamber is equal to or greater than the pressure in the crank chamber. The lubricant oil rapidly returns to the crank chamber through a return passage.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor includes a supply passage for supplying refrigerant gas from a discharge chamber to a crank chamber and a bleed passage for bleeding the refrigerant gas from the crank chamber to a suction chamber. An oil separator is connected to a drive shaft and is located in the bleed passage. The oil separator rotates together with the drive shaft to centrifugally separate lubricant oil from the refrigerant gas that flows in the bleed passage. An oil chamber is formed in a compressor housing for receiving the separated oil. The pressure in the oil chamber is equal to or greater than the pressure in the crank chamber. The lubricant oil rapidly returns to the crank chamber through a return passage.

Abstract: A variable capacity type compressor has a swash plate which can incline with respect to the drive shaft. An angle decreasing spring urges the swash plate to decrease the inclination angle and a return spring urges the swash plate to increase the inclination angle from the minimum inclination angle beyond the limit angle. The minimum inclination angle is smaller than a limit angle at which the swash plate can be assuredly returned in the direction to increase the inclination angle by a reaction force of the discharge pressure, and the angle decreasing spring balances with the return spring at an angle greater than the limit angle. A minimum spring load (F0) of the return spring is greater than 20N. A maximum spring load (F100) of the angle decreasing spring is F100(N)=(180±30)−4×(VD−120).

Abstract: A piston type compressor includes a housing, which defines a crank chamber. A valve plate forms a part of the housing. A drive shaft is located in the crank chamber. A contact member is plastically deformed and press fitted to the drive shaft. An inner wall and a first sub-plate are located in the housing and limit the axial movement of the drive shaft, respectively. After the contact member is attached to the drive shaft, the axial load required to change the position of the contact member is greater than the maximum axial load applied to the drive shaft due to the increase of the pressure in the crank chamber, and less than the load applied to the contact member by the first sub-plate in accordance with the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient of the housing and the drive shaft.

Abstract: The solenoid actuator (26) is designed to be installed within a mounting bore (22) formed in a support housing (24). The solenoid actuator (26) is provided at its top with an end cap (46) made of molded plastics which is configured to be closely fitted in the mounting bore (22) to close the opening of the bore. When the actuator is installed within the mounting bore (22), the end cap (46) protects underlying yoke member (40/64), armature (80) and magnetic pole piece (74) from attack by corrosive substance.

Abstract: A removable sealing plug device for protecting the interior of a refrigerant compressor from dust, dirt, and corrosion during storage and/or transport of the compressor before it is assembled into a refrigerating system, including a plug element made of a rubber material and having a body portion suitable for being sealingly fitted in an inlet and/or outlet port of the compressor and a columnar head portion formed in an upper face of the body portion, and a base plate having a through-hole in which the columnar head of the plug element is press-fitted, the through-hole of the base plate being provided with sawtooth-like projections to non-removably hold the columnar portion of the plug element and secure it to the outer portion of the compressor, by using an existing threaded hole and a screw bolt, to hold the plug element between the base plate element and the outer circumference of the compressor.