Compressors

Abstract

Compressor may preferably include a swash plate coupled to a drive shaft, so that the swash plate will rotates in response to rotation of the drive shaft. A piston is preferably disposed within a cylinder bore. A shoe preferably couples the piston to the swash plate, so the piston will reciprocate within the cylinder bore in order to compress a refrigerant in response to rotation of the swash plate. The shoe preferably comprises a main body, a metallic hard layer at least partially disposed on the main body and an anti-friction layer at least partially disposed on the metallic hard layer. The main body preferably comprises a spherical surface portion and a substantially flat surface portion and comprises aluminum. The metallic hard layer preferably has a hardness of at least HV 300 based upon the Vickers hardness scale and is disposed on at least one of the spherical surface portion and the substantially flat surface portion. The anti-friction layer preferably comprises a synthetic resin and a solid lubricating agent. The solid lubricating agent may be, for example, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), boron nitride (BN), tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ), graphite or polytetrafluoroethylene. The synthetic resin may be, for example polyamideimide, epoxy resin, polyether ketone or a phenolic resin.

1 . A compressor comprising: 
 a drive shaft,    a swash plate coupled to the drive shaft, wherein the swash plate rotates in response to rotation of the drive shaft,    a piston disposed within a cylinder bore, the piston having an engage portion and    a shoe coupling the engage portion of the piston to a peripheral edge of the swash plate, whereby the piston will reciprocate within the cylinder bore in order to compress a refrigerant in response to rotation of the swash plate, wherein the shoe comprises a main body, a metallic hard layer at least partially disposed on the main body and an anti-friction layer at least partially disposed on the metallic hard layer, wherein the main body comprises a spherical surface portion and a substantially flat surface portion and comprises aluminum, the metallic hard layer has a hardness of at least HV 300 based upon the Vickers hardness scale and is disposed on at least one of the spherical surface portion and the substantially flat surface portion, and the anti-friction layer comprises a synthetic resin and a solid lubricating agent.    
     
     
         2 . A compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the swash plate is inclinably coupled to the drive shaft and the inclination angle of the swash plate can be changed to change the compressor output discharge capacity.  
     
     
         3 . A compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricating agent comprises at least one of molybdenum disulfide (MOS 2 ), boron nitride (BN), tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ), graphite or polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         4 . A compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein the synthetic resin comprises at least one of polyamideimide, epoxy resin, polyether ketone or a phenolic resin.  
     
     
         5 . A compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston and the swash plate are arranged and constructed to contact the anti-friction layer of the shoe during operation of the compressor.  
     
     
         6 . A compressor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a metallic layer disposed between the metallic hard layer and the anti-friction layer, the metallic layer comprising a solid lubricating agent.  
     
     
         7 . A compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially flat surface portion is slightly curved.  
     
     
         8 . A compressor comprising: 
 a drive shaft,    a swash plate coupled to the drive shaft, wherein the swash plate rotates in response to rotation of the drive shaft,    a piston disposed within a cylinder bore,    means for coupling the piston to the swash plate so that the piston will reciprocate within the cylinder bore in order to compress a refrigerant in response to rotation of the swash plate, wherein the coupling means comprises a main body, a metallic hard layer at least partially disposed on the main body and an anti-friction layer at least partially disposed on the metallic hard layer, wherein the main body comprises a spherical surface portion and a substantially flat surface portion and comprises aluminum, the metallic hard layer has a hardness of at least HV 300 based upon the Vickers hardness scale and is disposed on at least one of the spherical surface portion and the substantially flat surface portion, and the anti-friction layer comprises a synthetic resin and a solid lubricating agent.    
     
     
         9 . A compressor according to  claim 8 , wherein the swash plate is inclinably coupled to the drive shaft and the inclination angle of the swash plate can be changed to change the compressor output discharge capacity.  
     
     
         10 . A compressor according to  claim 9 , wherein the solid lubricating agent comprises at least one of molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), boron nitride (BN), tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ), graphite or polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         11 . A compressor according to  claim 10 , wherein the synthetic resin comprises at least one of polyamideimide, epoxy resin, polyether ketone or a phenolic resin.  
     
     
         12 . A compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein the piston and the swash plate are arranged and constructed to contact the anti-friction layer of the coupling means during operation of the compressor.  
     
     
         13 . A compressor according to  claim 12 , further comprising a metallic layer disposed between the metallic hard layer and the anti-friction layer, the metallic layer comprising at least one solid lubricating agent selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), boron nitride (BN), tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ), graphite and polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         14 . A compressor according to  claim 13 , wherein the substantially flat surface portion is slightly curved.