Abstract: A variable displacement compressor includes a swash plate guiding member that rotates integrally with and inclines relative to a drive shaft, a swash plate supported by the guiding member, and a piston engaged with the swash plate via a shoe. A clutch is located between the guiding member and the swash plate. The clutch is switched between an engaged state, where the clutch permits the guiding member and the swash plate to rotate integrally, and a disengaged state, where the clutch permits the guiding member and the swash plate to rotate relative to each other. Therefore, the compressor is capable of switching between a state where improving the displacement controllability is prioritized and a state where reduction of mechanical loss between the swash plate and the shoes is prioritized.

Abstract: A swash plate type variable displacement compressor includes a cylinder block defining a cylinder bore. A housing is fixed to the cylinder block and defines a crank chamber. A drive shaft is rotatably supported by the housing and the cylinder block. A swash plate is supported by the drive shaft in the crank chamber and is inclinable with respect to the axis of the drive shaft. A piston is accommodated in the cylinder bore so as to define a compression chamber in the cylinder bore and is coupled to the swash plate. A control mechanism includes a bleed passage for controlling the pressure in the crank chamber. The compressor is formed such that lubricating oil in the crank chamber is discharged into at least one of the suction chamber, the discharge chamber and the compression chamber while the inclination angle of the swash plate is substantially a maximum inclination angle.

Abstract: In a piston type compressor, a piston is respectively accommodated in a plurality of cylinder bores arranged around a rotary shaft. A rotary valve has a suction guiding passage for introducing gas from a suction pressure region into a compression chamber when in communication therebetween. A suction timing control passage is formed in the rotary valve and is constantly in communication with the suction pressure region at first end, the suction timing control passage precedes the suction guiding passage communicating with the compression chamber at second end. A suction timing control valve is arranged in the control passage, having a valve body which opens and closes the control passage in response to difference between force resulting from pressure on a side of the suction pressure region to open the valve body and force resulting from pressure on a side of the compression chamber to close the valve body.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor for efficiently cooling and lubricating seals arranged on a rotary shaft. The seals are arranged at end portions of the rotary shaft that project from a housing of the compressor. A first lubrication chamber is defined by a first seal in the housing around the front end portion of the rotary shaft. A second lubrication chamber is defined by a second seal in the housing around the rear end portion of the rotary shaft. A shaft passage extends through the rotary shaft to connect the first and second lubrication chambers. Refrigerant gas including lubricating oil flows from a crank chamber to a suction chamber via the first lubrication chamber, the shaft passage, and the second lubrication chamber. This efficiently cools and lubricates the seals.

Abstract: In a hybrid compressor, a compression mechanism includes a rotary shaft, which has a first end and a second end. The first end of the rotary shaft is coupled to a rotating body, which receives power from an external drive source. The second end of the rotary shaft is coupled to an electric motor, which drives the rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is coupled to a rotor of the electric motor via a one-way clutch, which prevents power from being transmitted from the rotary shaft to the rotor. The rotor is supported by a motor shaft, which is separate from the rotary shaft. The second end of the rotary shaft is coupled to an end of the motor shaft using the one-way clutch as a coupling.

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 control valve for controlling the displacement of the compressor. When the pressure in a discharge chamber of the compressor (discharge pressure) is equal to or higher than a first threshold value, a controller executes a limiting control for limiting the discharge pressure. During the limiting control, the controller gradually decreases a duty ratio, which is sent to the control valve, such that the displacement of the compressor is gradually decreased. When the duty ratio is decreased to a reference duty ratio, the controller sets the duty ratio to zero %. As a result, the compressor displacement is minimized and the discharge pressure is lowered. Therefore, the pipes of an external refrigerant circuit does not receive excessive load based on high discharge pressure.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor includes a housing having a suction chamber. A crank chamber is defined in the housing. A valve plate assembly is located in the housing. A drive shaft is supported in the housing. A radial bearing is located in the housing. A holding bore houses the rear end of the drive shaft and the radial bearing. The holding bore is connected to a holding space. A passage connects the holding space and the suction chamber. A restricting member is located in the holding space. The restricting member restricts axial movement of the drive shaft and divides the holding space into a first region and a second region. A clearance is formed between the restricting member and the valve plate assembly. The clearance disappears when the pressure of the crank chamber is increased rapidly.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor includes a cylinder block and a valve plate connected to the cylinder block. The cylinder block has cylinder bores and a central supporting hole. A piston is housed in each cylinder bore to compress gas. A swash plate is connected to the pistons to convert rotation of the drive shaft into reciprocation of the pistons. A cylindrical body is housed in the supporting hole. A coil spring located in the supporting hole presses the cylindrical body toward the swash plate. The cylindrical body moves axially as the swash plate is inclined. When the swash plate is minimally inclined, the valve plate receives force from the swash plate through the cylindrical body. Therefore, axial forces from the swash plate are not exerted on the drive shaft.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a valve plate for a compressor according to this invention, a punch die 43 formed with a convex and concave configuration at its tip end face 42 is set at a press machine 41, and the punch die 43 is depressed against a surface of a valve plate 9 to transfer the convex and concave configuration of the tip end face 42. Thus, peripheral portions of a suction port and a discharge port of the valve plate 9 are roughened.

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 control valve for controlling the displacement of the compressor. When the pressure in a discharge chamber of the compressor (discharge pressure) is equal to or higher than a first threshold value, a controller sets a duty ratio, which is sent to the control valve, to zero % to limit the discharge pressure. As a result, the compressor displacement is minimized and the discharge pressure is lowered. Therefore, the pipes of an external refrigerant circuit does not receive excessive load based on high discharge pressure. When the displacement of the compressor is minimized, circulation of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is stopped and refrigerant containing lubricant circulates within the compressor.

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: In a variable-capacity swash-plate type compressor, which can vary the outlet capacity by controlling an inclination angle of a swash plate, the swash plate is aligned by contacting a washer (19) with a tapered surface to the swash plate (18). Thus, in a case where a compression operation is not carried out or in a case where a compression operation is carried out at a small outlet capacity regarded as zero substantially, the noises, etc., which generate between the swash plate and a driving shaft (6), are inhibited.

Abstract: A variable displacement compressor has a crank chamber defined in a housing. A drive shaft is arranged in the housing. A piston is accommodated in the cylinder bore. A swash plate is connected to the piston to convert a rotation of the drive shaft. A retainer surface is arranged in the housing and extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft. A restricting mechanism is arranged between the swash plate and the retainer surface. The restricting mechanism receives the swash plate and restricts movement of the swash plate when the inclination of the swash plate decreases.

Abstract: A shaft sealing device 50 may comprise a first lip 51 and a second lip 55 that contact a circumferential surface 8a of a drive shaft 8. The first lip 51 may include a movable portion (bendable portion) 53 that extends from a fixed portion 52. A plurality of concave portions (recesses) 54 may be defined around the outer circumferential surface of the movable portion 53. Thin portions 59a are defined corresponding to the concave portions 54. Thick portions 59b are defined adjacent to the thin portions 59a and are preferably thicker than the thin portions 59a. Because of the effect of concave portions 54, the stress of the first lip 51 is reduced when the shaft sealing device 50 is disposed around the drive shaft 8. In addition, because the thin portions 59a and thick portions 59b are intermittently disposed in the circumferential direction on the first lip 51, the pressure of the refrigerant gas within the crank chamber 9 acts upon the space 58.

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 tiltable swash plate and pistons. A control valve is arranged to change the pressure in the crank chamber, to vary the capacity of the compressor by changing the inclination angle of the swash plate by changing the pressure in the crank chamber. The control valve has independently movable first and second plungers and a coil arranged around the first and second plungers so that the coil generates an electromagnetic attraction force acting on and between the first and second plungers. First and second valve elements provided on the first and second plungers can adjust the degree of opening of the first and second fluid passages.