Piston type compressor

Abstract

A piston type compressor includes a suction valve mechanism. The suction valve mechanism includes a rotary valve coupled to a rotary shaft. A valve timing adjusting apparatus is capable of changing a relative rotational phase, which is a rotational phase of the rotary valve relative to the rotary shaft. Therefore, the compressor is capable of adjusting the valve timing of the rotary valve and has a reduced size in the axial direction.

1 . A piston type compressor, comprising: 
 a rotary shaft;    a suction pressure zone;    a compression chamber;    a gas passage extending from the suction pressure zone to the compression chamber;    a piston defining the compression chamber, wherein the piston reciprocates as the rotary shaft rotates, and as the piston reciprocates, gas is drawn into the compression chamber from the suction pressure zone through the gas passage, and the drawn gas is compressed in the compression chamber;    a suction valve mechanism that selectively opens and closes the gas passage, the suction valve mechanism including a rotary valve coupled to the rotary shaft, wherein the rotary valve rotates in response to rotation of the rotary shaft, thereby selectively opening and closing the gas passage; and    a valve timing adjusting apparatus capable of changing a relative rotational phase, which is a rotational phase of the rotary valve relative to the rotary shaft.    
     
     
         2 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting apparatus determines the relative rotation phase according to a rotation speed of the rotary shaft.  
     
     
         3 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting apparatus rotates according to the rotation speed of the rotary shaft, and determines the relative rotation phase according to a centrifugal force acting on the adjusting apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . The compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein, when the rotation speed of the rotary shaft is increased, the adjusting apparatus changes the relative rotational phase to delay timing at which suction of gas from the suction pressure zone to the compression chamber is ended, and wherein, when the rotation speed of the rotary shaft is decreased, the adjusting apparatus changes the relative rotational phase to advance the suction end timing.  
     
     
         5 . The compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein, when the rotation speed of the rotary shaft is increased, the adjusting apparatus changes the relative rotational phase to delay timing at which suction of gas from the suction pressure zone to the compression chamber is started, and wherein, when the rotation speed of the rotary shaft is decreased, the adjusting apparatus changes the relative rotational phase to advance the suction start timing.  
     
     
         6 . The compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the rotary valve is arranged coaxial with the rotary shaft and engaged with the rotary shaft such that the rotary valve rotates relative to the rotary shaft, wherein the adjusting apparatus has a power transmitting member for transmitting power from the rotary shaft to the rotary valve, wherein the power transmitting member is displaceably located between the rotary shaft and the rotary valve, wherein the relative rotational phase is changed according to the position of the power transmitting member, and wherein the adjusting apparatus has a position determining device that determines the position of the power transmitting member according to the rotation speed of the rotary shaft.  
     
     
         7 . The compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the power transmitting member is a spherical body.  
     
     
         8 . The compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the power transmitting member is located at an eccentric position relative to the rotary shaft and is displaceable in a radial direction of the rotary shaft, wherein the position determining device has an urging member for urging the power transmitting member radially inward with respect to the rotary shaft, and wherein the position of the power transmitting member is determined according to a centrifugal force that acts on the power transmitting member as the rotary shaft rotates and an urging force applied to the power transmitting member by the urging member.  
     
     
         9 . The compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the rotary shaft has a power transmitting surface that transmits power to the power transmitting member, the rotary valve has a power receiving surface that receives power from the power transmitting member, and wherein the distance with respect to the rotation direction of the rotary shaft between the power transmitting surface and the power receiving surface is reduced toward the axis of the rotary shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein one of the rotary shaft and the rotary valve has an engaging projection that extends in the axial direction of the rotary shaft, and the other has an engaging recess to which the engaging projection is fitted, and wherein the power transmitting member and the position determining device are located between the engaging projection and the engaging recess.  
     
     
         11 . The compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the rotary shaft and the rotary valve have an engaging mechanism that defines a relative rotational phase that is most advance relative to the rotary shaft.  
     
     
         12 . The compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the position determining device includes: 
 a rotation speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed of the rotary shaft;    an urging force applying device for applying an urging force to the power transmitting member, wherein the urging force applying device changes the urging force based on a driving signal from the outside, thereby determining the position of the power transmitting member; and    a control device that adjusts the driving signal supplied to the urging force applying device based on detected information from the rotation speed sensor.    
     
     
         13 . The compressor according to  claim 12 , wherein the power transmitting member is made of metal, the urging force applying device includes an electromagnet, and wherein the electromagnet generates an electromagnetic attractive force for urging the power transmitting member.  
     
     
         14 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotary valve is arranged coaxial with the rotary shaft and engaged with the rotary shaft such that the rotary valve rotates relative to the rotary shaft, wherein the adjusting apparatus has a power transmitting member for transmitting power from the rotary shaft to the rotary valve, wherein the power transmitting member is displaceably located between the rotary shaft and the rotary valve, wherein the relative rotational phase is changed according to the position of the power transmitting member, and wherein the adjusting apparatus has a position determining device that determines the position of the power transmitting member.  
     
     
         15 . The compressor according to  claim 14 , wherein the position determining device includes: 
 an urging force applying device for applying an urging force to the power transmitting member, wherein the urging force applying device changes the urging force based on a driving signal from the outside, thereby determining the position of the power transmitting member; and    a control device that adjusts the driving signal supplied to the urging force applying device.    
     
     
         16 . A piston type compressor, comprising: 
 a rotary shaft having a power transmitting surface;    a suction pressure zone;    a compression chamber;    a gas passage extending from the suction pressure zone to the compression chamber;    a piston defining the compression chamber, wherein the piston reciprocates as the rotary shaft rotates, and as the piston reciprocates, gas is drawn into the compression chamber from the suction pressure zone through the gas passage, and the drawn gas is compressed in the compression chamber;    a rotary valve coupled to the rotary shaft, wherein the rotary valve rotates in response to rotation of the rotary shaft, thereby selectively opening and closing the gas passage, the rotary valve is arranged coaxial with the rotary shaft and engaged with the rotary shaft such that the rotary valve rotates relative to the rotary shaft, the rotary valve having a power receiving surface;    a power transmitting member located between the power transmitting surface and the power receiving surface, wherein the power transmitting member transmits power from the power transmitting surface to the power receiving surface, wherein the power transmitting member is displaced in a radial direction of the rotary shaft by a centrifugal force that is applied to the power transmitting member as the rotary shaft rotates, and wherein a relative rotational phase, which is a rotational phase of the rotary valve relative to the rotary shaft, is changed according to the position of the power transmitting member; and    an urging member for urging the power transmitting member radially inward with respect to the rotary shaft.    
     
     
         17 . The compressor according to  claim 16 , wherein, when the rotation speed of the rotary shaft is increased, the power transmitting member is displaced to delay timing at which suction of gas from the suction pressure zone to the compression chamber is ended, and wherein, when the rotation speed of the rotary shaft is decreased, the power transmitting member is displaced to advance the suction end timing.  
     
     
         18 . The compressor according to  claim 16 , wherein the distance with respect to the rotation direction of the rotary shaft between the power transmitting surface and the power receiving surface is reduced toward the axis of the rotary shaft.  
     
     
         19 . The compressor according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 an urging force applying device for applying an urging force to the power transmitting member, wherein the urging force applying device changes the urging force based on a driving signal from the outside, thereby determining the position of the power transmitting member; and    a control device that adjusts the driving signal supplied to the urging force applying device.    
     
     
         20 . The compressor according to  claim 19 , further comprising a rotation speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed of the rotary shaft, and 
 wherein the control device adjusts the driving signal based on detected information from the rotation speed sensor.