Sealing Element for Rotary Compressor

Abstract

A sealing assembly for use in a rotary compressor having a housing and a rotor. The sealing assembly includes a sealing element and a spring positioned circumferentially around the sealing element. The sealing assembly is positioned in a slot formed in the housing, with at least one surface of the sealing element being beveled, and a cooperating mating surface of the slot being beveled. The force of the spring against the sealing element causes the sealing element to be forced into contact with at least one surface of the rotor (such as an inner surface of a rotor end plate). Alternatively, a sealing element can be provided that has elastic properties, the forces of which cause the sealing element to be forced into contact with the rotor.

1 . A rotary compressor, comprising:
 a housing defining an internal cavity having an inner wall surface, wherein the housing has a housing longitudinal axis extending transverse to a housing plane that bisects the inner wall surface and wherein the housing further comprises a first sealing assembly;   a rotor having a peripheral surface and being positioned within the internal cavity of the housing, the rotor configured to rotate about a rotor axis of rotation eccentric to the housing longitudinal axis, wherein the rotor has a first side surface and an opposed second side surface, and wherein the rotor further comprises a pair of end plates that are mounted to and rotate therewith the respective first and second side surfaces of the rotor; and   a gate having a distal end, the gate being slidably mounted therewith the rotor and movable axially about and between a first position, in which the distal end of the gate is positioned at a first distance from the peripheral surface of the rotor, and a second position, in which the distal end of the gate is positioned at a second distance from the peripheral surface of the rotor, wherein the distal end of the gate is constrained to be spaced proximate from the inner wall surface of the housing as the rotor rotates about the rotor axis of rotation;   wherein at least portions of the peripheral surface of the rotor, portions of the inner wall surface, and varying portions of the gate proximate the distal end of the gate define a compression chamber of varying volume as the rotor rotates about the rotor axis of rotation.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first sealing assembly comprises a sealing element. 
     
     
         3 . The rotary compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the sealing element is configured with elastic properties operable to urge the sealing element into contact with at least a portion of one surface of the rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the first sealing assembly further comprises a biasing member operable to urge the sealing element into contact with at least a portion of one surface of the rotor. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary compressor of  claim 4 , wherein the biasing member is positioned circumferentially around the sealing element. 
     
     
         6 . The rotary compressor of  claim 5 , wherein the biasing member is a spring. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the housing further comprises a slot and the first sealing assembly is positioned in the slot. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary compressor of  claim 7 , wherein at least one surface of the sealing element is beveled and a cooperating mating surface of the slot is beveled. 
     
     
         9 . The rotary compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the sealing element further comprises a beveled surface and a sealing face. 
     
     
         10 . The rotary compressor of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of the sealing face is removed to form a sealing face relief. 
     
     
         11 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor has at least one inlet port in fluid communication with the compression chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the gate has at least one inlet port in fluid communication with the compression chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The rotary compressor of  claim 12 , further comprising means for selectively opening and closing the at least one inlet port therein the gate. 
     
     
         14 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has at least one inlet port in fluid communication with the compression chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has at least one outlet port in fluid communication with the compression chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the gate has at least one outlet port in fluid communication with the compression chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor has at least one outlet port in fluid communication with the compression chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , further comprising a cam positioned therein the internal cavity about a cam axis and configured to selectively engage portions of the gate to effect the axial movement of the gate about and between the respective first and second positions. 
     
     
         19 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the gate defines a slot, and further comprising a second sealing assembly comprising at least one planar member movable therein the slot of the gate. 
     
     
         20 . The rotary compressor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pair of end plates defines an inlet port in fluid communication with the compression chamber. 
     
     
         21 . A sealing element, comprising:
 a circumferential split configured to allow circumferential compression of the sealing element;   an outer circumferential trough configured to receive a biasing element;   a beveled profile configured to cooperate with a mating beveled profile formed in a slot provided in a housing; and   a sealing face located adjacent to the beveled profile.   
     
     
         22 . A sealing assembly, comprising
 a sealing element further comprising:
 a circumferential split configured to allow circumferential compression of the sealing element; 
 an outer circumferential trough configured to receive a biasing element; and 
 a beveled profile configured to cooperate with a mating beveled profile formed in a slot provided in a housing; and 
 a sealing face located adjacent to the beveled profile and opposite a back face of the sealing element and configured to contact a mating surface; and 
   a biasing member positioned in circumferential contact with the sealing element and configured to urge the sealing element into sealing contact with a mating surface.   
     
     
         23 . The sealing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein a portion of the sealing face is removed to form a sealing face relief. 
     
     
         24 . The sealing assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the back face of the sealing element further comprises a back face surface area and wherein the sealing face relief comprises a percentage of the back face surface area.