Inside and outside structures of discharging refrigerant in bi-directional swash plate type compressor

Abstract

There are provided inside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-direction swash plate type compressor, and more particularly, inside and outside structures of discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor in which, when a discharge port for discharging a refrigerant is positioned in a rear housing, all refrigerant compressed in front and rear regions of the compressor is moved into a muffler space and is discharged when pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced. Accordingly, noise of the compressor is significantly reduced.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0054016 (filed on Jun. 15, 2006) and 10-2007-0029503 (filed on Mar. 27, 2007), in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to inside and outside structures of discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor, and more particularly, to inside and outside structures of discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor in which all of the refrigerant compressed in front and rear regions of the compressor is moved into a muffler space and is discharged when pulsation is reduced, irrespective of the position of a discharge port for discharging the refrigerant, so that the noise and vibration of the compressor can be significantly reduced.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, as an apparatus for maintaining a proper temperature inside a vehicle, an air conditioner for an automobile comprises a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and a vaporizer, to form a cooling cycle.

The compressor for an automobile is operated when a part of power generated in an engine is applied. A swash plate type compressor is widely used.

Below, the swash plate type compressor will be described with reference to drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an external appearance of a conventional swash plate type compressor, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of the conventional swash plate type compressor.

In the swash plate type compressor 9, a body 5 is formed by connecting a front cylinder 1 and a rear cylinder 3. A swash plate 7 is connected to be inclined about a shaft 6 rotating inside the body 5. The swash plate type compressor 9 has the general constitution in which a refrigerant is compressed by a piston (not shown) reciprocating by the swash plate 7 rotating together with the shaft 6.

Further, the swash plate type compressor 9 has an intake port 3a and a discharge port 3b to allow the refrigerant to flow in or out from the body 5. Typically, the intake port 3a and the discharge port 3b are positioned in the body 5.

Flow of the refrigerant compressed in the body 5 will be described. The compressed refrigerant is moved to a front discharge part 5a and a rear discharge part 5b which are respectively formed at both sides (left and right sides relative to FIG. 2) of the body 5. The refrigerant in the front discharge part 5a and the rear discharge part 5b jointly flows in the rear discharge part 5b and is discharged through the discharge port 3b.

In accordance with the aforementioned structure of the conventional swash plate type compressor, since the refrigerant of the front discharge part 5a, of the compressed refrigerant, is moved through a muffler 8 positioned in the body 5 before it is discharged, pulsation is reduced. However, since the refrigerant of the rear discharge part 5b is directly discharged without passing through the muffler 8, it increases noise and vibration by the pulsation of the refrigerant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides inside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor in which, when a discharge port is positioned in a rear housing, the refrigerant compressed in a front region and a rear region of the compressor is all moved to a muffler space so that the refrigerant is discharged when its pulsation is reduced, thereby significantly reducing noise and vibration of the compressor.

Embodiments of the present invention provide inside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor having the following characteristics:

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there are provided inside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor in which, after a refrigerant compressed in a body with a front cylinder and a rear cylinder is temporarily stored in a front discharge chamber and a rear discharge chamber respectively formed in front and rear sides in the body, the refrigerant jointly flow to be discharged through a discharge port formed in the rear housing, characterized by: a connecting path; and a discharge path inside the body, wherein the connecting path connects through the muffler space, the front discharge chamber and the rear discharge chamber so that the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber and the rear discharge chamber is led to the muffler space formed in the body, and wherein the discharge path connects through the discharge port and the muffler space so that the refrigerant from the muffler space is led to the discharge port to be discharged. Accordingly, the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber and the rear discharge chamber joins in the muffler space and is discharged.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there are provided the present invention provides inside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor in which, after a refrigerant compressed in a body with a front cylinder and a rear cylinder is temporarily stored in a front discharge chamber, formed in a front side in the body, and a rear discharge chamber, formed in a rear side in the body and in a rear housing connected to the rear cylinder, the refrigerant jointly flow to be discharged through a discharge port formed in the rear housing, characterized in that: the refrigerant discharged from the front discharge chamber is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rear housing in a muffler space formed at an upper part of the body, so that a pulsation of the refrigerant is offset; and the refrigerant passes through a discharge path which is connected between the muffler space and the discharge port and which is formed outside the body, so that the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an external appearance of a conventional compressor;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of the conventional compressor;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of a compressor, in which a discharge path is formed inside the compressor, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the compressor of FIG. 3 being partially dissembled;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an example of a structure of a compressor, in which a discharge path is formed outside the compressor, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an example of a compressor, in which a discharge path directly connected to a discharge port is formed outside the compressor, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an example of a compressor, in which a discharge path is formed to be directly connected from a muffler space to a discharge port, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of a compressor, in which a discharge path is formed inside the compressor, according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the compressor of FIG. 3 being partially dissembled; FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an example of a structure of a compressor, in which a discharge path is formed outside the compressor, according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an example of a compressor, in which a discharge path directly connected to a discharge port is formed outside the compressor, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an example of a compressor, in which a discharge path is formed to be directly connected from a muffler space to a discharge port, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100, a refrigerant is compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30, and the compressed refrigerant is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 and a rear discharge chamber 23. The front discharge chamber 21 is formed in a front side in the body 10, and the rear discharge chamber 23 is formed in a rear side in the body 10 and is specifically formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30. Thereafter, the compressed refrigerant temporarily stored in each of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 jointly flows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70. When the refrigerant discharged from the rear discharge chamber 21 is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rear housing 70 in a muffler space 29 formed at an upper part of the body, a pulsation of the refrigerant mixed is offset. Further, while the refrigerant passes through a discharge path 27 formed between the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19, the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

The present invention with the above-described characteristics will be clearly described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof.

Below, the present invention will be described, in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of a compressor 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the compressor being dissembled.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the compressor 100 has a body 10 comprising a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30. Inside the body 10, a front discharge chamber 21 is formed at a front side (the left side relative to FIG. 3) of a swash plate 20 to be positioned, and a rear discharge chamber 23 is formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30 at a rear side (the right side relative to FIG. 3) of the swash plate 20.

The rear housing 70 includes an intake port 17 for introducing a refrigerant into the body 10, and a discharge port 19 for discharging the refrigerant compressed in the body.

The front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 temporarily store the compressed refrigerant in the front and rear regions inside the body 10. A desirable structure for discharging the compressed refrigerant of the front and rear discharge chambers 21 and 23 by reducing the pulsation of the refrigerant to reduce the noise and vibration thereof will be described.

For the above desirable structure, a muffler space 29 and a connecting path 25 are formed inside the body 10 (at an upper part relative to FIG. 3). The muffler space 29 is to reduce the pulsation of the compressed refrigerant. The connecting path 25 connects through the muffler space 29, the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23, to lead the refrigerant of the front and rear discharge chambers 21 and 23 into the muffler space 29.

Since the gist of the present invention is to allow the refrigerant of the rear discharge chamber 23 to be moved into the muffler space 29 and thereafter to be discharged, the rear discharge chamber 23 should not be directly connected to the discharge port 19.

Further, a discharge path 27 is formed inside the body 10. The discharge path 27 connects through the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19. Therefore, the refrigerant from the muffler space 29 is led to the discharge port 19 and is discharged through the discharge port 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, in the structure with the discharge path 27 and the connecting path 25, the connecting path 25 is formed by connecting apertures 31, 41 and 51 which are respectively formed in the rear cylinder 30, a gasket 40 and a valve plate 50 and which are continuously aligned.

Further, the discharge path 27 is formed by discharge apertures 37, 47 and 57 which are respectively formed on the components, that is, the rear cylinder 30, the gasket 40 and the valve plate 50 and which are continuously aligned. The discharge apertures 37, 47 and 57 formed the components are formed at protrusions 35, 45 and 55 which respectively protrude outward each component, to more easily form the discharge path 27 upon manufacturing.

Reference numeral “60” indicates a gasket head which includes a protrusion 65 and a discharge aperture 67 formed on the protrusion 65, to form the discharge path 27, together with the other components.

In accordance with the above-described structure, the refrigerant is compressed inside the body 10 and moved into each of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23. Then all the refrigerant is moved to the muffler space 29 through the connecting path 25, and thereafter, the pulsation of the refrigerant is sufficiently reduced in the muffler space 29, and the refrigerant is discharged through the discharge port 19.

Consequently, in the structure for discharging the refrigerant in the compressor according to the embodiment of the present invention, all refrigerant compressed inside the body 10 is discharged after passing through the muffler space 29.

The structure in which the discharge path is formed outside the body will be described below:

In a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100, a refrigerant is compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30, and the compressed refrigerant is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 and a rear discharge chamber 23. The front discharge chamber 21 is formed in a front side in the body 10, and the rear discharge chamber 23 is formed in a rear side in the body 10 and is specifically formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30. Thereafter, the compressed refrigerant temporarily stored in each of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 jointly flows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70. When the refrigerant discharged from the rear discharge chamber 21 is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rear housing 70 in a muffler space 29 formed at an upper part of the body, a pulsation of the refrigerant is offset. Further, while the refrigerant passes through a discharge path 27 which connects the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19 and which is formed outside the body, the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

Further, a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100, a refrigerant is compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30, and the compressed refrigerant is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 and a rear discharge chamber 23. The front discharge chamber 21 is formed in a front side in the body 10, and the rear discharge chamber 23 is formed in a rear side in the body 10 and is specifically formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30. Thereafter, the compressed refrigerant temporarily stored in each of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 jointly flows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70. Wherein, the bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100 comprises: a connecting path 25 and a discharge path 27 inside the body 10. The connecting path 25 connects through the muffler space 29, the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23, to lead the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 into the muffler space 29 formed at an upper part of the body 10. The discharge chamber 27 is connected to the discharge port 19 and the muffler space 29 and is formed outside the body. The discharge path 27 allows the refrigerant to flow from the muffler space 29 and to be led to the discharge port 19 through which the refrigerant is discharged. Therefore, the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 is discharged after joining in the muffler space 29.

Then, the discharge path 27 is directly connected to the discharge port 19.

Further, the discharge path 27 is connected to the body 10, at a position spaced apart from the discharge port 19 at a predetermined interval. A flow path 80 is formed between the discharge path 27 and the discharge port 19 inside the body 10.

That is, the refrigerant discharged from the front discharge chamber 21 is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rear housing 70 in the muffler space 29 formed at the upper part in the body 10, so that the pulsation of the refrigerant is offset. Further, the refrigerant passes through the discharge path 27 which connects the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19 and which is formed outside the body, so that the refrigerant is discharged through the discharge port 19 after the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

Then, the discharge path 27 may be selected, in use, from a pipe shape, an O-ring shape, or a stopper shape.

As described above, in accordance with the inside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor, since all refrigerant compressed in the front region and the rear region inside the compressor is moved into the muffler space and thereafter is discharged irrespective of the position of the discharge port 19. When the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced, the noise and vibration of the compressor is significantly reduced.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An inside structure for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100 in which, after a refrigerant compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30 is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 formed in a front side in the body 10 and a rear discharge chamber 23 formed in a rear side in the body 10 and in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30, the refrigerant jointly flows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70, characterized in that:

the refrigerant discharged from the front discharge chamber 21 and the refrigerant discharged from the rear housing 70 are mixed together in a muffler space 29 formed inside the upper part of the body 10, so that a pulsation of the refrigerant is offset; and

the refrigerant passes through a discharge path 27 formed between the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19, so that the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

2. An inside structure for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100 in which, after a refrigerant compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30 is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 formed in a front side in the body 10 and a rear discharge chamber 23 formed in a rear side in the body 10 and in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30, the refrigerant jointly flows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70, comprising:

a connecting path 25; and

a discharge path 27, and

wherein, to lead the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 into a muffler space 29 formed in the body 10, the connecting path 25 connects through the muffler space 29, the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23;

wherein, to lead the refrigerant from the muffler space 29 to the discharge port 19 through which the refrigerant is discharged, the discharge path 27 connects through the discharge port 19 and the muffler space 29, and

wherein, after the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 is joined in the muffler space 29, the refrigerant is discharged.

3. The inside structure of claim 2, wherein the discharge path 27 is formed by discharge apertures 37, 47, 57 and 67 respectively formed in the components including the rear housing 70, a gasket 40 connected to the rear housing 70, a valve plate 50 and a gasket head 60 and continuously aligned from one another.

4. The inside structure of claim 3, wherein the discharge apertures 37, 47, 57 and 67 are respectively formed in protrusions 35, 45, 55 and 65 protruding outward from the components.

5. An outside structure for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100 in which, after a refrigerant compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30 is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 formed in a front side in the body 10 and a rear discharge chamber 23 formed in a rear side in the body 10 and in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30, the refrigerant jointly flows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70, characterized in that:

the refrigerant discharged from the front discharge chamber 21 and the refrigerant discharged from the rear housing 70 are mixed together in a muffler space 29 formed outside the upper part of the body 10, so that a pulsation of the refrigerant is offset; and

the refrigerant passes through a discharge path 27 connecting the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19 and formed outside the body, so that the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

6. An outside structure for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100 in which, after a refrigerant compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30 is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 formed in a front side in the body 10 and a rear discharge chamber 23 formed in a rear side in the body 10 and in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30, the refrigerant jointly flows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70, comprising:

a connecting path 25; and

a discharge path 27, and

wherein, to lead the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 into a muffler space 29 formed in the body 10, the connecting path 25 connects through the muffler space 29, the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23;

wherein, to lead the refrigerant from the muffler space 29 to the discharge port 19 through which the refrigerant is discharged, the discharge path 27 is connected to the discharge port 19 and the muffler space 29 and formed outside the body to flow the refrigerant, and

wherein, after the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 is joined in the muffler space 29, the refrigerant is discharged.

7. The outside structure of claim 6, wherein the discharge path 27 is not directly connected to the discharge port 19.

8. The outside structure of claim 6, wherein the discharge path 27 is connected to the body 10 at a position spaced apart from the discharge port 19 at a predetermined interval, and a flow path 80 is formed between the discharge path 27 and the discharge port 19 inside the body 10.

9. The outside structure of claim 6, wherein the discharge path 27 uses, selecting any one of a pipe shape, an O-ring shape and a stopper shape.