Scroll compressors and methods for circulating lubrication oil through the same

Abstract

An oil storage area ( 45 a ) is defined on the bottom of a motor chamber ( 45 ) of a scroll compressor ( 1 ). An oil transfer route ( 4 a ) is defined in the portion of a center housing ( 4 ) that corresponds to the storage area ( 45 a ). Lubricating oil L is separated from the discharged, compressed refrigerant by an oil separator ( 80 ) and the lubricating oil L is supplied to the backside of a movable scroll ( 20 ) due to a pressure differential within the compress ( 1 ). After lubricating a bearing ( 10 ), the lubricating oil L is temporarily stored in the storage area ( 45 a ) and then is transferred due to a pressure differential to the suction-side of a compression mechanism ( 21 ) via the oil transfer route ( 4 a ). The lubricating oil L is then transferred to the oil separator ( 80 ) together with the compressed refrigerant that is discharged from a compression chamber ( 32 ) of the compression mechanism ( 21 ). Thus, the lubricating oil L contained in the discharged, compressed refrigerant can be effectively separated from the compressed refrigerant and circulated to and from the back side of the movable scroll ( 20 ) in order to lubricate moving parts within the compressor ( 1 ) using the pressure differentials within the compressor ( 1 ).

1 . A scroll compressor comprising: 
 a fixed scroll,    a movable scroll slidably engaging the fixed scroll, wherein a compression chamber is defined between the fixed scroll and the movable scroll, the compression chamber receiving refrigerant from a suction-side region and discharging compressed refrigerant to a discharge-side region,    an electric motor rotatably driving the movable scroll via a drive shaft,    a bearing disposed proximal to a backside of the movable scroll, which backside is opposite to the fixed scroll, the bearing rotatably supporting the drive shaft,    a substantially sealed motor chamber housing the electric motor,    a refrigerant flow channel extending from the suction-side region to the dischargeside region,    a communication passage connecting the refrigerant flow channel to the motor chamber and    a lubricating oil supply route arranged and constructed to supply lubricating oil, which lubricating oil has been separated from the refrigerant in the discharge-side region, to the bearing using a pressure-differential between the discharge-side region and an area proximal to the bearing.    
     
     
         2 . A scroll compressor as in  claim 1 , wherein the lubricating oil supply route includes a first oil supply route and a second oil supply route, the first oil supply route supplying lubricating oil L to a front side of the movable scroll and the second oil supply route supplying lubricating oil L through the movable scroll to the back side of the movable scroll.  
     
     
         3 . A method for circulating lubricating oil within a scroll compressor having a fixed scroll, a movable scroll slidably engaging the fixed scroll, an electric motor rotatably driving the movable scroll via a drive shaft, and a bearing disposed proximal to a backside of the movable scroll opposite to the fixed scroll and rotatably supporting the drive shaft, wherein a compression chamber is defined between the fixed scroll and the movable scroll and serves to receive refrigerant from a suction side region and to discharge the compressed refrigerant to a discharge side region, comprising: 
 transferring lubricating oil, which has been separated from compressed refrigerant discharged to the discharge-side region, to the bearing using a pressure-differential between the compressed refrigerant and an area proximal to and communicating with the bearing.    
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 3 , further comprising transferring the lubricating oil from the discharge-side region to a front side of the movable scroll via a first oil supply route, and then transferring the lubricating oil to the bearing via a second oil supply route, the second oil supply route extending from the front side of the movable scroll through the movable scroll to the rear side of the movable scroll.  
     
     
         5 . A scroll compressor comprising: 
 a first scroll and a second scroll arranged and constructed to rotate relative to each other in order to compress a refrigerant,    an electric motor,    a drive shaft coupled to the second scroll and driven by the motor;    a bearing supporting the drive shaft, and    a lubricating oil supply route arranged and constructed to transfer lubricating oil, which lubricating oil has been separated from the refrigerant in a discharge-side region, to an area proximal to and communicating with the bearing as the refrigerant is compressed and discharged by rotating the second scroll relative to the first scroll.    
     
     
         6 . A scroll compressor as in  claim 5 , wherein the lubricating oil supply route includes a first end and a second end that respectively communicate with the discharge-side region of the first scroll and the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing, whereby the lubricating oil flows from the discharge-side region to the bearing due to a pressure-differential between the discharge-side region and the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing.  
     
     
         7 . A scroll compressor as in  claim 5 , wherein the bearing is disposed on the side of the second scroll that is opposite to the first scroll, and the lubricating oil supply route includes a first oil supply route and a second oil supply route, the first oil supply route connects the discharge side region to the side of the second scroll that is opposite to the bearing along the axial direction, and the second oil supply route extends through the second scroll and communicates with the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing.  
     
     
         8 . A scroll compressor as in  claim 7 , wherein the first scroll comprises a fixed scroll and the second scroll comprises a movable scroll.  
     
     
         9 . A method for circulating lubricating oil within a scroll compressor, the compressor including a first scroll and a second scroll adapted to rotate relative to each other, so that a refrigerant is draw in, compressed and highly pressurized, and then discharged under pressure, a drive shaft coupled to the first scroll and driven by a motor, and a bearing supporting the drive shaft, the method comprising: 
 transferring the lubricating oil, which lubrication oil has been separated from the refrigerant in a discharge-side region, via a lubricating oil supply route that connects the discharge-side region to an area proximal to and communicating with the bearing using a pressure differential between the discharge-side region and the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing and    transferring the lubricating oil from the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing to a suction side region by rotating the second scroll relative to the first scroll in order to compress the refrigerant.    
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 9 , further comprising supplying the lubricating oil from a first end of the lubricating oil supply route that communicates with the discharge-side region to a second end of the lubricating oil supply route that communicates with the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing, wherein the lubricating oil flows from the discharge-side region to the bearing due to a difference in pressure between the discharge-side region and the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing.  
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 9 , wherein the discharge-side region is disposed proximal to the first scroll and the bearing is disposed on the side of the second scroll that is opposite to the first scroll, and the lubricating oil supply route includes a first oil supply route and a second oil supply route, the method further comprising supplying the lubricating oil via the first oil supply route, which connects the discharge side region to the side of the second scroll that is opposite to the bearing along the axial direction, and then supplying lubricating oil via the second oil supply route, which extend through the second scroll from one side to the other side.  
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein the first scroll comprises a fixed scroll and the second scroll comprises a movable scroll.  
     
     
         13 . A scroll compressor comprising: 
 a first scroll and a second scroll adapted to rotate relative to each other, so that a refrigerant is draw in, compressed and highly pressurized, and then discharged under pressure,    a drive shaft coupled to the first scroll and driven by a motor,    a bearing supporting the drive shaft,    means for separating lubricating oil from the refrigerant in a discharge side region;    means for transferring the lubricating oil from the discharge-side region to an area proximal to and communicating with the bearing using a pressure differential between the discharge-side region and the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing and    means for transferring the lubricating oil from the area proximal to and communicating with the bearing to a suction side region when the second scroll rotates relative to the first scroll in order to compress the refrigerant.