Scroll compressor

Abstract

A scroll compressor 10 may include an orbiting scroll having an orbiting scroll wall extending axially from an orbiting scroll plate towards a fixed scroll; a fixed scroll having a fixed scroll wall extending axially from a fixed scroll plate towards the orbiting scroll; and an axially extending drive shaft having an eccentric shaft portion so that rotation of the eccentric shaft portion imparts an orbiting motion to the orbiting scroll relative to the fixed scroll. An axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall has a first seal for sealing between the orbiting scroll wall and the fixed scroll plate, and an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall has a second seal for sealing between the fixed scroll wall and the orbiting scroll plate; and the first seal or the second seal has an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater.

1 . A scroll compressor comprising:
 an orbiting scroll;   a fixed scroll having a fixed scroll wall extending axially from a fixed scroll plate towards the orbiting scroll, wherein the orbiting scroll has an orbiting scroll wall extending axially from an orbiting scroll plate towards the fixed scroll; and   an axially extending drive shaft having an eccentric shaft portion so that rotation of the eccentric shaft portion imparts an orbiting motion to the orbiting scroll relative to the fixed scroll, wherein an axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall has a first seal for sealing between the orbiting scroll wall and the fixed scroll plate, and an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall has a second seal for sealing between the fixed scroll wall and the orbiting scroll plate; and wherein the first seal or the second seal has an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater.   
     
     
         2 . The scroll compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the aspect ratio of the first seal or the second seal is 1:1.25 or greater over an entire involute from a pump inlet to a pump outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The scroll compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal has an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater, and wherein the second seal has an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater. 
     
     
         4 . The scroll compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the aspect ratio is 1:1.5 or greater. 
     
     
         5 . The scroll compressor of  claim 1 , wherein an axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall has a channel for locating the first seal, and wherein an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall has a channel for locating the second seal. 
     
     
         6 . A seal for a scroll compressor comprising an orbiting scroll; a fixed scroll having a fixed scroll wall extending axially from a fixed scroll plate towards the orbiting scroll, wherein the orbiting scroll has an orbiting scroll wall extending axially from an orbiting scroll plate towards the fixed scroll; and
 an axially extending drive shaft having an eccentric shaft portion so that rotation of the eccentric shaft portion imparts an orbiting motion to the orbiting scroll relative to the fixed scroll, wherein the seal comprises:   an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater, and wherein the seal is configured to extend between the orbiting scroll wall and the fixed scroll plate and form a seal therebetween.   
     
     
         7 . The seal of  claim 6 , wherein the aspect ratio is 1:1.25 or greater over an entire involute from a pump inlet to a pump outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The seal of  claim 6 , wherein the aspect ratio is 1:1.5 or greater. 
     
     
         9 . The seal of  claim 6 , wherein the seal is configured to be located in a channel of an axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall. 
     
     
         10 . A seal for a scroll compressor comprising an orbiting scroll; a fixed scroll having a fixed scroll wall extending axially from a fixed scroll plate towards the orbiting scroll, wherein the orbiting scroll has an orbiting scroll wall extending axially from an orbiting scroll plate towards the fixed scroll; and an axially extending drive shaft having an eccentric shaft portion so that rotation of the eccentric shaft portion imparts an orbiting motion to the orbiting scroll relative to the fixed scroll, wherein the seal comprises:
 an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater, and wherein the seal is configured to extend between the fixed scroll wall and the orbiting scroll plate and form a seal therebetween.   
     
     
         11 . The seal of  claim 10 , wherein the aspect ratio is 1:1.25 or greater over an entire involute from a pump inlet to a pump outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The seal of  claim 10 , wherein the aspect ratio is 1:1.5 or greater. 
     
     
         13 . The seal of  claim 10 , wherein the seal is configured to be located in a channel of an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall. 
     
     
         14 . The scroll compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the first seal and the second seal have has an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater, and wherein the second seal has an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1:1.25 or greater. 
     
     
         15 . The scroll compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the aspect ratio is 1:1.5 or greater. 
     
     
         16 . The scroll compressor of  claim 2 , wherein an axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall has a channel for locating the first seal, and wherein an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall has a channel for locating the second seal. 
     
     
         17 . The scroll compressor of  claim 3 , wherein an axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall has a channel for locating the first seal, and wherein an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall has a channel for locating the second seal. 
     
     
         18 . The scroll compressor of  claim 4 , wherein an axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall has a channel for locating the first seal, and wherein an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall has a channel for locating the second seal.