Abstract: An expander-compressor unit (200A) includes a closed casing (1), a compression mechanism (2), an expansion mechanism (3), a shaft (5), and an oil pump (6). The shaft (5) couples the compression mechanism (2) to the expansion mechanism (3) so that power recovered by the expansion mechanism (3) is transferred to the compression mechanism (2). The oil pump (6) is disposed between the compression mechanism (2) and the expansion mechanism (3), and supplies an oil held in an oil reservoir (25) to the compression mechanism (2). An oil supply passage (29) is formed in the shaft (5) so that the oil discharged from the oil pump (6) can be supplied to the compression mechanism (2). A lower end (29e) of the oil supply passage (29) is located below an inlet (29p) of the oil supply passage (29) formed in an outer circumferential surface of the shaft (5).

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus 1 includes a refrigerant circuit in which a refrigerant circulates. The refrigerant circuit is formed by connecting in sequence a compressor 2 for compressing the refrigerant, a radiator 3 for allowing the refrigerant compressed by compressor 2 to radiate heat, a fluid pressure motor 4 as a power recovery means, and an evaporator 5 for allowing the refrigerant discharged by the fluid pressure motor 4 to evaporate. The fluid pressure motor 4 performs a process for drawing the refrigerant and a process for discharging the refrigerant. These processes are performed substantially continuously.

Abstract: An expander-compressor unit (200) includes a closed casing (1), a compression mechanism (2) disposed at an upper position in the closed casing (1), an expansion mechanism (3) disposed at a lower position in the closed casing (1), a shaft (5) coupling the compression mechanism (2) to the expansion mechanism (3), and an oil pump (6) disposed between the compression mechanism (2) and the expansion mechanism (3). The oil pump (6) supplies the oil held in an oil reservoir (25) to the compression mechanism (2) via a suction passage. A strainer (65) is provided to the suction passage so that the oil to be drawn into the oil pump (6) passes through the strainer.

Abstract: A multi-stage rotary-type fluid machine may be configured as what is called a two-stage rotary expander, in which a refrigerant expands in an expansion chamber having a first discharge side space (115b) of a first cylinder (105), a second suction side space (116a) of a second cylinder (106), and a communication hole (104a) for allowing communication between the two spaces (115b, 116a). The first cylinder (105) and the second cylinder (106) are partitioned by an intermediate plate (104). The communication hole (104a) is formed so as to penetrate through the intermediate plate (104). The opening shape and location of the communication hole (104a) are set so that direct blow-through of the refrigerant from a suction port (105b) to a discharge port (106b) cannot occur at any rotation angle of a shaft (103).

Abstract: A fluid machine (201) includes: a compression mechanism (2) for compressing a working fluid; an expansion mechanism (4) for expanding the working fluid and for recovering mechanical power from the expanding working fluid; a shaft (5) for coupling the compression mechanism (2) and the expansion mechanism (4) and for transferring the mechanical power recovered by the expansion mechanism (4) to the compression mechanism (2); and a closed casing (1) for accommodating the compression mechanism (2), the shaft (5) and the expansion mechanism (4), and having an internal space into which the working fluid that has been compressed by the compression mechanism (2) is discharged. A refrigerant passage space (7) through which a refrigerant to be drawn into the expansion mechanism (4) passes is formed between an expansion chamber of the expansion mechanism (4) and the internal space of the closed casing (1).

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical information recording/reproducing device and the like that can suppress a decrease in a recording speed even where an optical information recording medium including multiple layers has eccentricity. The optical information recording/reproducing device records information, by treating a predefined area in a second layer corresponding to a position of a first layer at which a defect is detected, as a defect area. The optical information recording/reproducing device reproduces information, by treating a predefined area in the second layer corresponding to a position of the first layer at which a defect is registered, as a defect area. The radial distance of the defect area is preferably greater than a bonding error between the first and second layers.

Abstract: A fluid machine (101) includes a first compressor (107) and a second compressor (108). The first compressor (107) has a first closed casing (111), a first compression mechanism (102a), an expansion mechanism (104), and a shaft (113). A first oil reservoir (112) is formed in the first closed casing (111). The second compressor (108) has a second closed casing (125) and a second compression mechanism (102b). A second oil reservoir (126) is formed at a bottom portion in the second closed casing (125). The first closed casing (111) and the second closed casing (125) are connected to each other by an oil passage (109) so that a lubricating oil can flow between the first oil reservoir (112) and the second oil reservoir (126). An opening (109a) of the oil passage (109) on a side of the first closed casing (111) is located above the expansion mechanism (104) with respect to the vertical direction.

Abstract: There may be a case where, by simply coupling the first compressor (expander compressor unit) and the second compressor with an oil-equalizing pipe, the first compressor is not lubricated sufficiently, thereby decreasing reliability. The volumetric capacity (V1) of the first available oil space (130) of the first compressor (101) is set larger than the volumetric capacity (V2) of the second available oil space (140) of the second compressor (102). With this configuration, even if the oil level (S1) of the first oil sump (13) decreases in transition to a state of steady operation, it is possible to maintain a sufficient amount of oil in the first compressor (101), and thus high reliability as a fluid machine can be achieved.

Abstract: An expander-integrated compressor (5A) has a compression mechanism (21) for compressing a refrigerant and an expansion mechanism (22) for expanding the refrigerant. The compression mechanism (21) is located above the expansion mechanism (22) inside a closed casing (10) and shares a rotating shaft (36) with the expansion mechanism (22). An oil pump (37) is provided at the lower end of the rotating shaft (36). The oil pump (37) is immersed in oil in an oil reservoir (15). Usually, the oil is placed in the oil reservoir (15) in such a manner that the oil level (OL) is located above a lower end portion (34e) of a vane (34a) of a first expansion section (30a). More preferably, the oil is placed in such a manner that the expansion mechanism (22) is immersed in the oil. An oil supply passage (38) for guiding the oil to the compression mechanism (21) is formed inside the rotating shaft (36). A suction port (37a) of the oil pump (37) is provided below the lower end portion (34e) of the vane (34a).

Abstract: A rotary expander includes: a cylinder (61); a piston (62) disposed inside the cylinder (61); closing members disposed with the cylinder (61) being sandwiched therebetween; and an injection passage for introducing further a working fluid in the expansion process of the working fluid. An introduction outlet (65c) of the injection passage leading to the working chamber (69) is provided at a position located inwardly away from the inner circumferential surface (61b) of the cylinder (61), on one of the closing members, in such a manner that the injection passage and the discharge passage are not communicated with each other.

Abstract: An oil supply passage (68) is formed inside a rotating shaft (56) of a compression mechanism (21). An oil supply passage (38) is formed inside a rotating shaft (36) of an expansion mechanism (22). A boss portion (81) is provided at a lower end of the rotating shaft (56). A shaft portion (82) that is engaged in the boss portion (81) is provided at an upper end of the rotating shaft (36). The circumference of a coupling part (80), which includes the boss portion (81) and the shaft portion (82) is covered by an upper bearing (42) of the expansion mechanism (22). The upper bearing (42) supports both the rotating shaft (36) and the rotating shaft (56).

Abstract: A fluid machine (10) includes a closed casing (11) in which an oil reservoir (16) for holding oil is formed in a bottom part.

Abstract: An expander-compressor unit (10) includes a two-stage rotary expansion mechanism (3) having a first cylinder (41) and a second cylinder (42). In the expansion mechanism (3), a suction port (71) facing a working chamber on the upstream side in the first cylinder (41) and a discharge port facing a working chamber on the downstream side in the second cylinder (42) are formed. An intermediate plate (43) is provided between the first cylinder (41) and the second cylinder (42). In the intermediate plate (43), a communication passage (43a) for allowing communication between a working chamber on the downstream side in the first cylinder (41) and a working chamber on the upstream side in the second cylinder (42) is formed. The communication passage (43a) does not communicate with the working chamber in the first cylinder (41) during the suction process, and communicates with the downstream working chamber in the first cylinder (41) at or after the end of the suction process.

Abstract: An expander-integrated compressor 200A includes a closed casing 1, a compression mechanism 2, an expansion mechanism 3, a shaft 5, an oil pump 6, and a heat insulating structure 30A. The oil pump 6 is disposed between the compression mechanism 1 and the expansion mechanism 3, and draws, via an oil suction port 62q, an oil held in an oil reservoir 25 to supply it to the compression mechanism 2. The heat insulating structure 30A is disposed between the oil pump 6 and the expansion mechanism 3, and limits a flow of the oil between an upper tank 25a, in which the oil suction port 62q is located, and a lower tank 25b, in which the expansion mechanism 3 is located, so as to suppress heat transfer from the oil filling the upper tank 25a to the oil filling the lower tank 25b.

Abstract: The expander-compressor unit 70 includes the closed casing 1, the expansion mechanism 4 disposed in the closed casing 1 in such a manner that a surrounding space thereof is filled with the oil 60, the compression mechanism 2 disposed in the closed casing 1 in such a manner that the compression mechanism is positioned higher than the oil level 60p, the shaft 5 for coupling the compression mechanism 2 and the expansion mechanism 4 to each other, and the oil flow suppressing member 50 disposed in the surrounding space of the expansion mechanism 4 so that the space 55a filled with the oil 60 is formed between the expansion mechanism 4 and the oil flow suppressing member 50.

Abstract: An expander of the invention includes: n-number of rotary type fluid mechanisms (where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2), a first suction port (41b) for sucking a working fluid into a suction-side space (55a) of a first fluid mechanism (41), a communication port (43a) connecting a discharge-side space (55b) of a k-th fluid mechanism (where k is an integer from 1 to n?1) and a (k+1)-th suction-side space (56a) to form a single space, and a discharge port (51a) for discharging the working fluid from the discharge-side space of an n-th fluid mechanism. The expander further includes a second suction port (72f) being capable of changing its connecting position to the suction-side space (55a) of the first fluid mechanism (41), for sucking the working fluid into the suction-side space (55a).

Abstract: An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus includes an optical pickup, a phase conjugate optical system, a disc cure optical system, and a defect discrimination optical system; and an optical detector that receives a light emitted from the defect discrimination optical system and transmitted through or reflected from an optical information recording medium. A reference light and a signal light emitted from the optical pickup are irradiated onto the optical information recording medium to record and reproduce digital information by using a holography.

Abstract: An expander of the present invention includes a plurality of suction ports for guiding a working fluid to a working chamber, and the plurality of suction ports includes a first suction port (71) and a second suction port (73) with a differential pressure valve (72). The ratio R2 of time length of an expansion process of expanding the working fluid in the working chamber to time length of a suction process in which the working fluid is sucked into the working chamber (55a) from the first suction port (71) and the second suction port (73) by opening the differential pressure valve (72) is smaller than the ratio R1 of the time length of the expansion process to a suction process in which the working fluid is sucked into the working chamber (55a) only from the first suction port (71) by closing the differential pressure valve (72).

Abstract: An integrally formed vane (301) is disposed slidably in a vane groove (205a) of a first cylinder (205) and a vane groove (206a) of a second cylinder (206). A cut-out (301a) with a width substantially equal to the thickness of an intermediate plate (304) is provided in the vane (301), which is divided by this cut-out (301a) into a first vane portion (301b) whose leading end makes contact with a first piston (209) at its leading end and a second vane portion (301c) whose leading end makes contact with a second piston (210). This configuration allows the first vane portion (301b) to be pushed toward the first piston (209) side by the pressure difference acting on the second vane portion (301c) and makes it possible to keep a contact state between the first vane portion (301b) and the first piston (209), even when no pushing force toward the first piston (209) side that results from the pressure difference acts on the first vane portion (301b).

Abstract: A rotary-type fluid machine (10A) includes: a closed casing (1) having a bottom portion utilized as an oil reservoir, a rotary-type fluid mechanism (expansion mechanism) (15) that is provided in an upper portion of the closed casing (1) and in which working chambers (32, 33) in cylinders (22, 24) are partitioned into a suction side working chamber and a discharge side working chamber by vanes (28, 29), a shaft (5) having therein an oil supply passage (51) for supplying oil to the fluid mechanism (15), the shaft being connected to the fluid mechanism (15) and extending an oil reservoir (45), an oil pump (52) provided at a lower portion of the shaft (5), an oil retaining portion (65) for retaining oil, which is pumped up by the oil pump (52) and supplied through the oil supply passage (51), in a surrounding region around the fluid mechanism (15) to allow the partitioning members of the fluid mechanism (15) to be lubricated, the oil retaining portion formed so that the liquid level of the oil retained therein is