Scroll compressor orbital path balancing mass

Abstract

In order to improve a compressor comprising a compressor housing, a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body and a second compressor body that can be moved relative to the stationary compressor body, an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about the central axis of a driveshaft on an orbital path, and an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the compressor body moving on the orbital path, so that even at high rotational speeds the long-term stability of the drive member guidance in the drive member receptacle can be ensured, it is proposed that the orbital path balancing mass is coupled to the eccentric drive such that the mass moves on the orbital path in a manner corresponding to the movement of the drive member but is uncoupled with respect to the transmission of tilting moments to the drive member.

Claims

1. A compressor, comprising; a compressor housing, a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body with first scroll ribs, and a second compressor body with second scroll ribs, the second compressor body movable relative to the first stationary compressor body, the first and second scroll ribs of which are each formed as an involute of a circle, engage with one another and form compressor chambers when the second compressor body is moved, relative to the first stationary compressor body, on an orbital path; an axial guide which supports the second compressor body in respect of movements in a direction parallel to a central axis of the first stationary compressor body and guides the second compressor body in the event of movements in a direction transverse to the central axis; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said eccentric drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about a central axis of a driveshaft on the orbital path and which cooperates with a drive member receptacle of the second compressor body; an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the second compressor body moving on the orbital path, and a coupling preventing the second compressor body from rotating; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is coupled to the eccentric drive such that said orbital path balancing mass moves on the orbital path in a manner corresponding to the movement of the drive member but is uncoupled with respect to a transmission of tilting moments to the drive member; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is guided on the driveshaft by means of a guide body cooperating with the driveshaft; wherein the guide body is guided relative to the driveshaft by an axial guide; and wherein the axial guide holds a guide face of the guide body in abutment against an alignment face of the driveshaft.

2. A compressor according to claim 1, wherein the orbital path balancing mass is guided by the guide body engaging with the driveshaft on a path which runs in a path plane which runs parallel to an alignment plane running perpendicularly to the central axis of the driveshaft.

3. A compressor according to claim 1, wherein the guide body is plate-shaped.

4. A compressor according to claim 1, wherein the axial guide comprises an element acting on the guide body on a side opposite a guide face.

5. A compressor according to claim 4, wherein the element is a retaining ring fixed relative to the driveshaft.

6. A compressor according to claim 4, wherein the element is a projection arranged on the eccentric drive journal.

7. A compressor according to claim 1, wherein the guide body is rotatable relative to an eccentric drive journal to a limited extent.

8. A compressor, comprising; a compressor housing, a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body with first scroll ribs, and a second compressor body with second scroll ribs, the second compressor body movable relative to the first stationary compressor body, the first and second scroll ribs of which are each formed as an involute of a circle, engage with one another and form compressor chambers when the second compressor body is moved, relative to the first stationary compressor body, on an orbital path; an axial guide which supports the second compressor body in respect of movements in a direction parallel to a central axis of the first stationary compressor body and guides the second compressor body in the event of movements in a direction transverse to the central axis; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said eccentric drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about a central axis of a driveshaft on the orbital path and which cooperates with a drive member receptacle of the second compressor body; an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the second compressor body moving on the orbital path, and a coupling preventing the second compressor body from rotating; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is coupled to the eccentric drive such that said orbital path balancing mass moves on the orbital path in a manner corresponding to the movement of the drive member but is uncoupled with respect to a transmission of tilting moments to the drive member; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is guided on the driveshaft by means of a guide body cooperating with the driveshaft; wherein the guide body is guided relative to the driveshaft by an axial guide; wherein the axial guide comprises an element acting on the guide body on a side opposite the guide face; and wherein the element is a screw head of a screw engaging in the driveshaft.

9. A compressor, comprising; a compressor housing, a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body with first scroll ribs, and a second compressor body with second scroll ribs, the second compressor body movable relative to the first stationary compressor body, the first and second scroll ribs of which are each formed as an involute of a circle, engage with one another and form compressor chambers when the second compressor body is moved, relative to the first stationary compressor body, on an orbital path; an axial guide which supports the second compressor body in respect of movements in a direction parallel to a central axis of the first stationary compressor body and guides the second compressor body in the event of movements in a direction transverse to the central axis; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said eccentric drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about a central axis of a driveshaft on the orbital path and which cooperates with a drive member receptacle of the second compressor body; an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the second compressor body moving on the orbital path, and a coupling preventing the second compressor body from rotating; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is coupled to the eccentric drive such that said orbital path balancing mass moves on the orbital path in a manner corresponding to the movement of the drive member but is uncoupled with respect to a transmission of tilting moments to the drive member; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is guided on the driveshaft by means of a guide body cooperating with the driveshaft; wherein the guide body is rotatable relative to an eccentric drive journal to a limited extent; and wherein a first movement limiting unit is effective between the driveshaft and the guide body.

10. A compressor according to claim 9, wherein the guide body is guided by means of a guide face at an alignment face of the driveshaft.

11. A compressor according to claim 10, wherein the alignment face provided on the driveshaft is an end face of the driveshaft.

12. A compressor according to claim 10, wherein the guide body is arranged in a manner extending beyond the alignment face.

13. A compressor according to claim 10, wherein the guide body is arranged between the alignment face of the driveshaft and the drive member.

14. A compressor according to claim 9, wherein the first movement limiting unit allows a free rotatability of the guide body relative to the driveshaft in the range of from 0.5° (angle degrees) to 5° (angle degrees).

15. A compressor according to claim 9, wherein the first movement limiting unit is formed by a stop body held on the guide body or the driveshaft and a recess receiving the stop body and arranged on the driveshaft or the guide body respectively.

16. A compressor, comprising; a compressor housing, a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body with first scroll ribs, and a second compressor body with second scroll ribs, the second compressor body movable relative to the first stationary compressor body, the first and second scroll ribs of which are each formed as an involute of a circle, engage with one another and form compressor chambers when the second compressor body is moved, relative to the first stationary compressor body, on an orbital path; an axial guide which supports the second compressor body in respect of movements in a direction parallel to a central axis of the first stationary compressor body and guides the second compressor body in the event of movements in a direction transverse to the central axis; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said eccentric drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about a central axis of a driveshaft on the orbital path and which cooperates with a drive member receptacle of the second compressor body; an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the second compressor body moving on the orbital path, and a coupling preventing the second compressor body from rotating; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is coupled to the eccentric drive such that said orbital path balancing mass moves on the orbital path in a manner corresponding to the movement of the drive member but is uncoupled with respect to a transmission of tilting moments to the drive member; wherein the orbital path balancing mass is guided on the driveshaft by means of a guide body cooperating with the driveshaft; and wherein a first movement limiting unit is effective between the driveshaft and the guide body and allows a limited free rotatability of the guide body about an eccentric journal axis.

17. A compressor according to claim 16, wherein the guide body is fixedly connected to the orbital path balancing mass.

18. A compressor according to claim 16, wherein the eccentric drive journal passes through a journal receptacle in the guide body.

19. A compressor according to claim 16, wherein the orbital path balancing mass is arranged symmetrically with respect to a mass balancing plane which runs through the central axis of the driveshaft and through the central axis of the second compressor body.

20. A compressor according to claim 19, wherein the orbital path balancing mass is arranged on a side, opposite an eccentric drive journal, of a geometric transverse plane running perpendicularly to the mass balancing plane and through the central axis of the driveshaft.

21. A compressor, comprising: a compressor housing; a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body with first scroll ribs, and a second compressor body with second scroll ribs, the second compressor body movable relative to the first stationary compressor body, the first and second scroll ribs of which are each formed as an involute of a circle, engage with one another and form compressor chambers when the second compressor body is moved, relative to the first stationary compressor body, on an orbital path; an axial guide which supports the second compressor body in respect of movements in a direction parallel to a central axis of the first stationary compressor body and guides the second compressor body in the event of movements in a direction transverse to the central axis; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said eccentric drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about a central axis of a driveshaft on the orbital path and which cooperates with a drive member receptacle of the second compressor body; an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the second compressor body moving on the orbital path; and a coupling preventing the second compressor body from rotating; wherein the eccentric drive comprises an eccentric drive journal driving the drive member and comprises a coupling body that couples the orbital path balancing mass to the drive member; wherein the coupling body is also a mass balancing body; and wherein the coupling body has a mass which differs at most by 20% from the mass of the eccentric drive journal.

22. A compressor according to claim 21, wherein the orbital path balancing mass is guided on the orbital path by an eccentric drive journal acting between the drive member and the driveshaft.

23. A compressor according to claim 21, wherein the coupling body is effective between a guide body and the drive member.

24. A compressor according to claim 21, wherein the coupling body is arranged fixedly on either of a guide body or drive member and engages in a recess in the other of the guide body or drive member.

25. A compressor according to claim 24, wherein the coupling body is arranged in the recess with play.

26. A compressor according to claim 21, wherein the coupling body is configured as a coupling journal.

27. A compressor according to claim 21, wherein the eccentric drive journal and the coupling body are arranged on mutually opposed sides of a mass balancing plane.

28. A compressor according to claim 27, wherein the mass balancing plane runs through the central axis of the driveshaft and the central axis of the second compressor body movable in an orbiting manner.

29. A compressor according to claim 21, wherein the coupling body is configured as a mass balancing journal.

30. A compressor according to claim 21, wherein the driveshaft has a portion facing away from the scroll compressing unit, which portion carries an unbalance compensation mass facing away from the scroll compressing unit.

31. A compressor according to claim 30, wherein the unbalance compensation mass facing away from the compressor is arranged between a rotor of the drive motor and a rear bearing unit of the driveshaft.

32. A compressor, comprising: a compressor housing; a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body with first scroll ribs, and a second compressor body with second scroll ribs, the second compressor body movable relative to the first stationary compressor body, the first and second scroll ribs of which are each formed as an involute of a circle, engage with one another and form compressor chambers when the second compressor body is moved, relative to the first stationary compressor body, on an orbital path; an axial guide which supports the second compressor body in respect of movements in a direction parallel to a central axis of the first stationary compressor body and guides the second compressor body in the event of movements in a direction transverse to the central axis; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said eccentric drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about a central axis of a driveshaft on the orbital path and which cooperates with a drive member receptacle of the second compressor body; an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the second compressor body moving on the orbital path; and a coupling preventing the second compressor body from rotating; wherein the eccentric drive comprises an eccentric drive journal driving the drive member and comprises a coupling body that couples the orbital path balancing mass to the drive member; wherein the coupling body is also a mass balancing body; and wherein the coupling body has substantially the same mass as the eccentric drive journal.

33. A compressor, comprising: a compressor housing; a scroll compressor unit which is arranged in the compressor housing and comprises a first stationary compressor body with first scroll ribs, and a second compressor body with second scroll ribs, the second compressor body movable relative to the first stationary compressor body, the first and second scroll ribs of which are each formed as an involute of a circle, engage with one another and form compressor chambers when the second compressor body is moved, relative to the first stationary compressor body, on an orbital path; an axial guide which supports the second compressor body in respect of movements in a direction parallel to a central axis of the first stationary compressor body and guides the second compressor body in the event of movements in a direction transverse to the central axis; an eccentric drive for the scroll compressor unit, said eccentric drive having a drive member which is driven by a drive motor and which revolves about a central axis of a driveshaft on the orbital path and which cooperates with a drive member receptacle of the second compressor body; an orbital path balancing mass which counteracts an unbalance due to the second compressor body moving on the orbital path; and a coupling preventing the second compressor body from rotating; wherein the eccentric drive comprises an eccentric drive journal driving the drive member and comprises a coupling body that couples the orbital path balancing mass to the drive member; wherein the coupling body is also a mass balancing body; wherein the coupling body is configured as a mass balancing journal; and wherein a journal axis of the mass balancing journal is arranged at the same spacing from a mass balancing plane as an eccentric journal axis of the eccentric drive journal.

34. A compressor according to claim 33, wherein the journal axis of the mass balancing journal runs substantially parallel to the eccentric drive axis of the eccentric drive journal.

35. A compressor according to claim 33, wherein a journal axis of the mass balancing journal and the eccentric journal axis of the eccentric drive journal run parallel to the mass balancing plane.

36. A compressor according to claim 33, wherein the orbital path balancing mass is arranged on a side, opposite the eccentric drive journal and the mass balancing body, of a geometric transverse plane running perpendicularly to the mass balancing plane and through the central axis of the driveshaft.

37. A compressor according to claim 33, wherein the driveshaft has a portion facing the compressor, which portion carries an unbalance compensation mass facing the compressor and carries the eccentric drive journal and in particular guides the mass balancing body and the orbital path balancing mass.

38. A compressor according to claim 37, wherein the unbalance compensation mass facing the compressor is arranged on the driveshaft between a rotor of the drive motor and a front bearing unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 a perspective illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of a compressor according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 a longitudinal section along line 2-2 in FIG. 4;

(3) FIG. 3 a schematic illustration of scroll ribs engaging in one another and of the orbiting movement of one of the scroll ribs and an illustration of the orbital path of the movable scroll rib relative to the stationary scroll rib;

(4) FIG. 4 a section along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 5 a section along line 5-5 in FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 6 an enlarged illustration of a region A in FIG. 5;

(7) FIG. 7 a section along line 7-7 in FIG. 2;

(8) FIG. 8 an exploded illustration of the cooperation between an eccentric drive journal of an orbital path balancing mass and a drive member in the compressor according to the invention;

(9) FIG. 9 a schematic geometric illustration of the relative position of the central axes of the compressor bodies and of an eccentric journal axis;

(10) FIG. 10 a plan view of a guide body with the orbital path balancing mass in its position on the driveshaft with eccentric drive journal passing through the guide body;

(11) FIG. 11 an enlarged section along line 11-11 in FIG. 4;

(12) FIG. 12 a section along line 12-12 in FIG. 11, but only with illustration of the unbalance compensation mass and the guide body;

(13) FIG. 13 a section similar to FIG. 12 with active first movement limiting unit;

(14) FIG. 14 a section along line 14-14 in the region of a drive member receptacle of the movable compressor body with a drive member in FIG. 11 in the position according to FIG. 12;

(15) FIG. 15 a section similar to FIG. 14 in the position according to FIG. 13;

(16) FIG. 16 an enlarged section along line 16-16 in FIG. 4 through a mass balancing journal;

(17) FIG. 17 a side view of a driveshaft with the drive member driven thereby;

(18) FIG. 18 an enlarged section along line 18-18 in FIG. 4 through a second exemplary embodiment of a compressor according to the invention;

(19) FIG. 19 a section similar to FIG. 11 through a third exemplary embodiment of a compressor according to the invention; and

(20) FIG. 20 a section similar to FIG. 11 through a fourth exemplary embodiment of a compressor according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(21) A first exemplary embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, of a compressor according to the invention denoted as a whole by 10, said compressor being intended for a gaseous medium, in particular a refrigerant, comprises a compressor housing denoted as a whole by 12, which compressor housing has a first end-side housing portion 14, a second end-side housing portion 16, and an intermediate portion 18 arranged between the end-side housing portions 14 and 16.

(22) As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 7, a scroll compressor unit denoted as a whole by 22 is provided in the first housing portion 14 and has a first stationary compressor body 24 in the compressor housing 12, in particular in the first housing portion 14, and has a second compressor body 26, which is movable relative to the stationary compressor body 24.

(23) The first compressor body 24 comprises a compressor body base 32, from which a first scroll rib 34 is raised, and the second compressor body 26 likewise comprises a compressor body base 36, from which a second scroll rib 38 is raised.

(24) The compressor bodies 24 and 26 are arranged relative to one another such that the scroll ribs 34, 38, as shown in FIG. 3, engage in one another so as to form therebetween at least one compressor chamber, preferably a plurality of compressor chambers 42, in which the gaseous medium, for example refrigerant, is compressed in that the second compressor body 26 moves with its central axis 46 about a central axis 44 of the first compressor body 24 on an orbital path 48 with a compressor orbital path radius VOR, wherein the volume of the compressor chambers 42 is reduced and finally compressed gaseous medium exits through a central outlet 52 (FIG. 2), whereas gaseous medium to be drawn in is drawn in radially outwardly in relation to the central axis 44 through compressor chambers 42 that are open on the peripheral side.

(25) The compressor chambers 42 are sealed relative to one another in particular also in that the scroll ribs 34, 38 are provided on the end face with axial sealing elements 54 and 58, which abut tightly against the corresponding base face 62, 64 of the other compressor body 26, 24 respectively, wherein the base faces 62, 64 are formed by the respective compressor body bases 36 and 32 and in each case lie in a plane running perpendicularly to the central axis 44.

(26) The scroll compressor unit 22 is received as a whole in a first housing body 72 of the compressor housing 12, which comprises an end-face cover portion 74 and a cylindrical ring portion 76, which is molded integrally on the end-face cover portion 74 and which for its part engages by means of an annular projection in a sleeve body 82 of the housing body 72, which is molded on a central housing body 84 forming the intermediate portion 18, wherein the central housing body 84 is closed on a side opposite the first housing body 72 by a second housing body 86, which forms an inlet chamber 88 for the gaseous medium.

(27) The sleeve body 82 here surrounds the scroll compressor unit 22, the first compressor body 24 of which is supported by means of support fingers 92, molded on the compressor body base 32, on a bearing face 94 in the housing body 72.

(28) In particular the first compressor body 24 is fixed immovably in the housing body 72 with respect to all movements parallel to the contact face 94.

(29) The first compressor body 24 is thus fixed in a stationary manner in an exactly defined position within the first housing body 72 and thus also within the compressor housing 12.

(30) The second movable compressor body 26, which must move on the orbital path 48 about the central axis 44 relative to the first compressor body 24, is guided, based on the central axis 44, in the axial direction by an axial guide denoted as a whole by 96, which axial guide supports and guides the compressor body base 36 on an underside 98 facing away from the scroll rib 38, more specifically in the region of an axial support face 102, such that the compressor body base 36 of the second compressor body 26 is supported relative to the first compressor body 24, which is positioned in a stationary manner in the compressor housing 12, and in a direction parallel to the central axis 44, in such a way that the axial sealing elements 58 remain on the base face 64 and do not lift therefrom, wherein at the same time the compressor body base 36 with the axial support face 102 can move in a sliding manner transversely to the central axis 44 relative to the axial guide 96 (FIGS. 2 and 4).

(31) To this end, as shown in FIG. 2, the axial guide 96 is formed by a carrier element 112 which has a carrier face 114 facing the axial support face 102 (FIGS. 2 and 5), wherein, however, the compressor body base 36 does not abut on said carrier face by means of the axial support face 102, and instead a sliding body 116 denoted as a whole by 116 and formed in particular in a plate-shaped manner abuts on said carrier face by means of a sliding contact face 118, wherein the sliding body 116 with a sliding support face 122 opposite the sliding contact face 118 (FIGS. 2 and 5) supports the axial support face 102 (FIGS. 2 and 4) with respect to movements parallel to the central axis 44, but guides it in a supported manner slidingly in respect of movements transverse to the central axis 44.

(32) So that an axial movement of the second compressor body 26 in the direction of the central axis 44 is prevented however, a movement in a plane transverse to, in particular perpendicular to the central axis 44 is made possible.

(33) The axial guide 96 according to the present invention provides that, in the event of a movement of the second compressor body 26 on the orbital path 48 about the central axis 44 of the first compressor body 24, on the one hand the second compressor body 26 moves with the compressor body base 36 and the axial support face 102 thereof relative to the sliding body 116, wherein on the other hand the sliding body 116 for its part moves in turn relative to the carrier element 118.

(34) There is thus a sliding between the compressor body base 36 and the sliding body 116 by a movement of the axial support face 102 relative to the sliding support face 122 of the sliding body 116, and in addition there is a sliding of the sliding contact face 118 of the sliding body 116 relative to the carrier face 114 of the carrier element 112.

(35) In order to predefine the limited two-dimensional movability of the sliding body 116 parallel to a plane perpendicular to the central axis 44 relative to the carrier element 112, the sliding body 116 is guided relative to the carrier element 112 with play by a guide shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and denoted as a whole by 132, wherein the guidance with play 132 comprises a guide recess 134 provided in the sliding body 116, which recess has a diameter DF, and comprises a guide pin 136 anchored in the carrier element 112, the diameter DS of said guide pin being smaller than the diameter DF, such that half of the difference DF-DS defines a guide orbital radius with which the sliding body 116 can perform an orbiting movement relative to the carrier element 112.

(36) As a result of the movements of the sliding body 116, a sufficient lubricating film builds up between the axial support face 102 of the compressor body base 36 and the sliding support face 122 of the sliding body 116, and between the carrier face 114 and the sliding contact face 118.

(37) For a stable lubricating film it is sufficient if the guide orbital radius FOR is 0.01 times the compressor orbital radius or more, in particular 0.05 times the compressor orbital radius or more.

(38) For example, on account of the fact that the carrier element 112 is produced from an aluminum alloy at least in the region of the carrier face 114, an improved lubrication is also additionally ensured in that lubricant infiltrates the pores of the carrier element 112 and is thus available for the build-up of the lubricating film in the gap via the surface structures of the carrier element 112 for example provided in the region of the carrier face 114.

(39) Since the sliding body 116 itself is formed as a plate-shaped, annular part made of spring steel and therefore the sliding contact face 118 facing the carrier face 114 is a smooth spring steel surface, the formation of the lubricating film is additionally promoted.

(40) Furthermore, the material pairing of the aluminum alloy, which in the region of the carrier face 114 is softer than spring steel, and of the spring steel in the region of the sliding contact face 118 has advantageous properties for smooth running on account of the resistance to wear.

(41) In the solution according to the invention the carrier element 112 is not only provided with the carrier face 114, on which the sliding body 116 abuts, but also with the contact faces 94 on which the support fingers 92 of the first compressor body 24 are supported.

(42) It is thus possible to fix the position of the first compressor body 24 and the position of the second compressor body 26 in the direction of the central axis 44 relative to one another by suitable construction of the carrier element 112, wherein this is achieved in particular by a single face of the carrier element 112, which comprises both the carrier face 114 and the contact faces 94.

(43) Furthermore (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6), the non-rotatable fixing of the support fingers 92 relative to the carrier element 112 is achieved both by the carrier element 112 and also the positioning pins 142 passing through the support fingers 92.

(44) The carrier element 112 is also arranged in the housing body 72 in a manner fixed both axially in the direction of the central axis 44 and in respect of rotary movements about the central axis 44.

(45) So as to also ensure the build-up of a lubricating film formed of lubricant between the sliding support face 122 and the axial support face 102, the compressor body base 36 is provided in a radially inner edge region 152 and in a radially outer edge region 154 with edge faces 156 and 158 running at an incline relative to the axial support face 102 and set back in relation to the axial support face 102, which edge faces together with the sliding contact face 122 each lead to a gap opening radially outwardly or inwardly, respectively, in a wedge-shaped manner, said gaps facilitating the entry of lubricant.

(46) The build-up of the lubricating film between the sliding support face 122 and the axial support face 102 is also promoted in that the sliding support face 122 and the axial support face 102, in the overlap region in which they cooperate, are formed as continuous ring faces 124 and 126, i.e. as ring faces not interrupted in the circumferential direction U about the central axis or over their entire radial extent, wherein in particular the ring face 126 of the axial support face 102 extends starting from an inner contour IK with a radius IR to an outer contour AK, wherein the radius IR is less than two thirds of an outer radius AR.

(47) The ring face 124 of the sliding support face 122 is also dimensioned such that the ring face 126 of the axial support face 102 always abuts on it over the entire surface in the event of all movements relative to the sliding support face 122.

(48) As is shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the axial support face 102 and the sliding support face 122 cooperating therewith and also the carrier face 114 and the sliding contact face 118 cooperating therewith all lie radially within a coupling 164 comprising a plurality of coupling element sets 162, which are arranged at equal radial spacings from the central axis 44 and at equal angular spacings in the circumferential direction U about the central axis 44 and together form a coupling 164 which prevents the second movable compressor body 26 from rotating by itself.

(49) Each of these coupling element sets 162, as shown in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, comprises a pin body 174 as first coupling element 172, which pin body has a cylindrical lateral surface 176 and by means of this cylindrical lateral surface 176 engages in a second coupling element 182.

(50) The second coupling element 182 is formed by an annular body 184 which has a cylindrical inner face 186 and a cylindrical outer face 188 which are arranged coaxially with one another.

(51) This second coupling element 182 is guided in a third coupling element 192 which is formed as a receptacle 194 for the annular body 184, is provided in the carrier element 112 and has a cylindrical inner wall face 196.

(52) Here, the diameter DI of the inner wall face 196 is in particular greater than the diameter DRA of the cylindrical outer face 188 of the annular body 184, and the diameter DRI of the cylindrical inner face 186 is necessarily smaller than the diameter DRA of the cylindrical outer faces 188 of the annular body 184, wherein in addition the diameter DRI of the cylindrical inner face 186 is greater than a diameter DSK of the cylindrical lateral surface 176 of the pin body 174.

(53) Each coupling element set 162 thus for its part forms an orbital guide, the maximum orbital radius OR of which for the orbiting movement corresponds to DI/2−(DRA−DRI)/2−DSK/2.

(54) As a result of the dimensioning of the orbital radius OR of the coupling element sets 162 in such a way that said radius is slightly greater than the compressor orbital path radius VOR, defined by the compressor bodies 24 and 26 of the scroll compressor unit 22, the movable compressor body 26 is guided relative to the stationary compressor body 24 by the coupling 164 in such a way that in each case one of the coupling element sets 162 is effective in order to prevent the second movable compressor body 26 from rotating by itself, wherein, for example with six coupling element sets 162, when an angular range of 60° has been passed through, the efficiency of each coupling element set 162 changes from one coupling element set 162 to the coupling element set 162 following next in the direction of rotation.

(55) On account of the fact that each coupling element set 162 comprises three coupling elements 172, 182 and 192 and in particular an annular body 184 between the particular pin body 174 and the particular receptacle 194, on the one hand the wear resistance of the coupling element sets 162 is improved, on the other hand the lubrication in the region thereof is improved, and in addition the production of noise by the coupling element sets 162 created by the change of efficiency from one coupling element set 172 to the other coupling element set 162 is also reduced.

(56) Here, it is in particular essential that the coupling element sets 162 experience a sufficient lubrication, in particular a lubrication between the cylindrical lateral surface 176 of the pin body 174 and the cylindrical inner face 186 of the annular body 184 as well as a lubrication between the cylindrical outer face 188 of the annular body 184 and the cylindrical inner wall face 196 of the receptacle 194.

(57) For optimal lubrication of the coupling element sets 162, the receptacles 194 in the carrier element 112 are open on both sides in the axial direction, wherein the annular bodies 184 are held on their sides facing away from the second compressor body 26 by a radially inwardly protruding stop element 198.

(58) In addition, further through-openings 202, 204 are also provided in the carrier element 112 and allow a passage of lubricant and drawn-in refrigerant.

(59) In order to receive the coupling elements 172 formed as pin bodies 174, the compressor body base 36 is provided with star-shaped extensions 212 extending radially outwardly, which extensions engage in gaps 214 between support fingers 92 arranged in succession in a circumferential direction U about the central axis 44, such that the coupling elements 172 likewise lie in these gaps 214 and thus are arranged within the housing body 72 at the greatest possible radial spacing from the central axis 44 (FIG. 7).

(60) This positioning of the coupling element sets 162, predefined by the greatest possible radial spacing of the coupling elements 172, likewise at the greatest possible radial spacing from the central axis 44 has the advantage that, on account of the large lever arm, the forces acting on the coupling element sets 162 can thus be kept as small as possible, which has an advantageous effect on the component dimensioning.

(61) The concept according to the invention of lubricating the axial guide 96 and the coupling element sets 162 is in particular advantageous if the central axes 44 and 46 of the compressor bodies 24 and 26 run horizontally in the normal case, that is to say at most with an angle of 30° to the horizontal, wherein a lubricant bath 210 forms in the compressor housing 12, in particular in the region of the first housing body 72 at the deepest point in the direction of the force of gravity, from which bath lubricant is swirled up during operation and in so doing is collected and distributed in the described way.

(62) The drive of the movable compressor body 24 is achieved (as shown in FIG. 2) by a drive motor denoted as a whole by 222, for example an electric motor, which in particular comprises a stator 224 held in the central housing body 84 and a rotor 226 arranged within the stator 224, which rotor is arranged on a driveshaft 228 which runs coaxially with the central axis 44 of the stationary compressor body 24.

(63) The driveshaft 228 is on the one hand mounted in a bearing unit 232 facing the compressor and arranged between the drive motor 222 and the scroll compressor unit 22 and in the central housing body 84, and on the other hand in a bearing unit 234 facing away from the compressor and arranged on a side of the drive motor 222 opposite the bearing unit 232.

(64) The bearing unit 234 facing away from the compressor is mounted here for example in the second housing body 86, which closes off the central housing body 84 on a side opposite the first housing body 72.

(65) Drawn-in medium, in particular the refrigerant, flows here from the inlet chamber 88 formed by the second housing body 86, through the drive motor 222 in the direction of the bearing unit 232 facing the compressor, flows around said bearing unit, and then flows in the direction of the scroll compressor unit 22.

(66) The driveshaft 228 drives the movable compressor body 26 via an eccentric drive denoted as a whole by 242, which compressor body moves in an orbiting manner about the central axis 44 of the stationary compressor body 24.

(67) The eccentric drive 242 comprises in particular an eccentric drive journal 244, which is held in the driveshaft 228 and which moves a drive member 246 on the orbital path 48 about the central axis 44, which drive member for its part is mounted on the eccentric drive journal 244 so as to be rotatable about an eccentric journal axis 245 by a rotatable mounting of the eccentric drive journal 244 in a drive journal receptacle 247 in the drive member 246 and additionally is mounted in a rotary bearing 248, in particular a rolling element bearing formed as a fixed bearing, so as to be rotatable about the central axis 46 of the compressor body 26 movable in an orbiting manner, wherein the rotary bearing 248 allows a rotation of the drive member 246 about the central axis 46 relative to the compressor body 26 movable in an orbiting manner, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

(68) In order to receive the rotary bearing 248, the second compressor body 26 is provided with an integrated drive member receptacle 249, as shown in FIG. 11, which receives the rotary bearing 248.

(69) The drive member receptacle 249 is set back here relative to the flat side 98 of the compressor body base 36 and is thus arranged in an integrated manner in the compressor body base 36, such that the drive forces acting on the movable compressor body 26 are effective on a side of the flat side 98 of the compressor body base 36 facing the scroll rib 38 and thus drive the movable compressor body 26 with a small tilting moment, which compressor body, by means of the axial guide 96 as considered in the direction of the central axis 44, is axially supported between the drive member receptacle 249 and the drive motor 222 and is guided movably transversely to the central axis 44.

(70) In the solution according to the invention the drive member receptacle 249, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 11, is surrounded by the axial support face 102 arranged outwardly relative to the central axis 46 in the radial direction, and the axial support face 102 is for its part surrounded by the coupling element sets 162, arranged outwardly relative to the central axis 44 in the radial direction, of the coupling 164 preventing the second compressor body 26 from rotating by itself.

(71) As a result of the rotatability of the drive member 246 about the eccentric journal axis 245 and about the central axis 46, the compressor orbital radius VOR in particular, defined by the spacing of the central axis 46 of the movable compressor body 24 from the central axis 44 of the stationary compressor body 24 and the driveshaft 228, is variably adjustable, such that the movable compressor body 26 and therefore also the central axis 46 can each be moved radially outwardly away from the central axis 44 to such an extent that the scroll ribs 34, 38 bear against one another and close off the compressor chambers 42 tightly.

(72) To this end, in particular the spacing of the eccentric journal axis 245 from the central axis 44 of the stationary compressor body 24 is selected to be greater than the provided compressor orbital radius VOR, that is to say the spacing of the central axes 44 and 46 from one another, and so great that the eccentric journal axis 245 is arranged at a spacing from the driveshaft 228 outside a central axis plane ME running through the two central axes 44 and 46 and counter to a rotational direction D of the driveshaft (FIG. 9).

(73) On account of this arrangement of the central axes 44 and 46 and of the eccentric journal axis 245, the resultant eccentric effect of the eccentric drive journal 244 on the drive member 246 brings about a force FA, which, based on the central axis 46 of the drive member 246, leads to a force FC acting on the central axis 46 and moving the drive member 246 together with the movable compressor body 26 radially outwardly relative to the central axis 44, which force FC acts in the central axis plane ME running through the central axis 44 and the central axis 46 and is the result of a force FO acting tangentially relative to the orbital path 48 and moving the drive member 246 together with the movable compressor body 26 on the orbital path 48 about the central axis 44 (FIG. 9).

(74) The central axis plane ME defined by the central axes 44 and 46 constitutes a plane of symmetry with respect to a system formed from the mass of the driveshaft 228 and the mass of the movable compressor body 26 together with the mass of the drive member 246 and is also referred to as the mass balancing plane ME.

(75) An orbital path balancing mass 252 is additionally also provided for mass balancing and counteracts the unbalance by the compressor body 26 moving on the orbital path 48 and compensates this to the greatest possible extent, wherein the orbital path balancing mass 252 is also formed and arranged symmetrically with respect to the mass balancing plane ME, as shown in FIG. 10.

(76) Here, the orbital path balancing mass 252 lies in particular on a side, facing away from the eccentric drive journal 244, of a transverse plane QE running perpendicularly to the mass balancing plane ME and through the central axis 44.

(77) In contrast to solutions known from the prior art, the orbital path balancing mass 252 is not held on the drive member 246, but instead is mounted by means of a guide body 254 on the driveshaft 228, in particular on the eccentric drive journal 244.

(78) To this end, the guide body 254 comprises journal receptacle 256, which passes through the eccentric drive journal 244, in order to receive the bearing body 245 rotatably about the eccentric journal axis 245.

(79) Furthermore, at an alignment face 262 of the driveshaft 228 facing the guide body 254 and arranged for example on the end face of the driveshaft 228, said guide body is guided slidingly by means of a guide face 264 of the guide body 254 facing the alignment face 262, parallel to an alignment plane 266 running perpendicularly to the central axis 44 of the driveshaft 228, such that the parallel alignment of the guide body 245 relative to the alignment plane 266 is maintained in the event of all rotational movements about the eccentric journal axis 245, and therefore the orbital path balancing mass 252 moves on a path 268 about the driveshaft 228 which runs in a path plane 269 parallel to the alignment plane 266.

(80) The advantage of this solution can be considered to be that the orbital path balancing mass 252 shall be fully uncoupled from the drive member 246 and therefore no longer able to transmit tilting moments with respect to the central axes 44, 46 to the drive member 246.

(81) Rather, the transmission of tilting moments from the guide body 254 to the eccentric drive journal 244 is also already largely avoided by the guidance of the guide body 254 relative to the driveshaft 228.

(82) In order to hold the guide face 264 in abutment against the end face 262, an axial guide 272 for the guide body 254 relative to the driveshaft 228 is provided, which, in a first exemplary embodiment, is formed as a screw 274 which penetrates a recess or an aperture 276 in the guide body 254 by means of a shaft portion 278, engages by means of a thread portion 282 in a threaded bore 284 in the driveshaft 228 coaxial with the central axis 44, and by means of a screw head 286 extends beyond the aperture 276 on a side 287 of the guide body 254 facing the drive member 246, so as to hold the guide body 254 by means of the guide face 264 in abutment against the alignment face 262.

(83) Here, however, the aperture 276 is dimensioned such that a limited movement of the guide body 254 relative to the screw 274 and thus also a limited relative rotation of the unit formed of the orbital path balancing mass 252 and guide body 254 about the eccentric journal axis 244 is possible, as shown in FIG. 13.

(84) The recess or the aperture 276 and the shaft portion 278 of the screw 274 thus form a first movement limiting unit 288 for the movement of the guide body 254 relative to the driveshaft 228.

(85) The movement limiting unit 288 preferably allows a rotation of the guide body 254 relative to the eccentric drive journal axis 245 which lies in the range of at least ±1° (angle degrees) to at most ±3° (angle degrees), or even better at most ±2° (angle degrees) in order to enable a tolerance compensation, if the orbital path balancing mass 252 tends to adjust itself such that the most optimal orbital mass balancing possible occurs.

(86) In order to ensure a co-rotation between the orbital path balancing mass 252 and the drive member 246 rotatable relative to the eccentric drive journal 244, a coupling journal 292 is provided as coupling body and is arranged fixedly on the guide body 254.

(87) In order to provide the connection of the coupling journal 292 to the drive member 246, the drive member 246 is provided with a recess 296 which receives the coupling journal 292 with play, such that a rotary movement of the drive member 246 about the eccentric journal axis 245 in order to avoid a tolerance-sensitive and optionally also redundant connection of the drive member 246 can be achieved rotatably by the precise mounting of the drive member 246 relative to the eccentric drive journal 244 and by the additional connection of the drive member 246 to the coupling journal 292, which for its part is likewise mounted rotatably about the eccentric drive journal 244.

(88) The coupling journal 292 and the recess 296 are preferably arranged such that the coupling journal 292 in normal operation abuts against a portion of an inner wall face 298 of the recess 296, said portion being arranged at the front in the direction of rotation.

(89) The mass not taken into consideration in the above-described mass balancing is the mass of the eccentric drive journal 244, which is arranged asymmetrically with respect to the mass balancing plane ME and causes the driveshaft 228 to vibrate, in particular at high rotational speeds.

(90) For this reason, in addition to the eccentric drive journal 244 engaging in the driveshaft 228, the coupling journal 292 arranged fixedly on the guide body 254 is also arranged as a mass balancing body (FIG. 8), which is arranged on the guide body 254 on a side of the mass balancing plane ME opposite the eccentric drive journal 244 (FIG. 10) and therefore together with the eccentric drive journal 244 leads in turn to an at least approximately symmetrical mass distribution with respect to the mass balancing plane ME.

(91) A journal axis 294 of the coupling journal 292 and the eccentric journal axis 245 are preferably arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to the mass balancing plane ME, and in addition the eccentric drive journal 244 and the coupling journal 292 preferably have approximately the same mass (FIG. 10).

(92) The coupling journal 292 is fixed to the guide body 254 for example in that the coupling journal 292 passes through a receiving bore 312 in the guide body 254 and is fixed therein by a press fit.

(93) To axially fix the position of the coupling journal 292 on the guide body 254, the coupling journal 292 is also provided with a head 314, which bears against a side of the guide body 254 facing away from the drive member 246 (FIG. 16).

(94) For further mass balancing the driveshaft 228 is also provided with an unbalance compensation mass 322 facing the compressor and with an unbalance compensation mass 324 facing away from the compressor (FIGS. 2 and 17).

(95) The unbalance compensation mass 322 facing the compressor is preferably arranged between the drive motor 222 and the bearing unit 232 facing the compressor on a portion 326 of the driveshaft 228 facing the compressor and radially within winding heads 332 of a stator winding, and this lies on the same side of the transverse plane QE as the orbital path balancing mass 252 and is arranged symmetrically with respect to the mass balancing plane ME.

(96) The unbalance compensation mass 324 facing away from the compressor lies preferably on a portion 328 of the driveshaft 228 facing away from the compressor and between the drive motor 222 and the bearing unit 234 facing away from the compressor, and radially within winding heads 334 of the stator winding.

(97) In a second exemplary embodiment of the solution according to the invention, shown in FIG. 18, the axial guide 272′ for the guide body 254 is formed by a journal 342 molded on the driveshaft 228, which journal passes through the aperture 276 in the guide body 254 by means of a shaft portion 344 and bears a retaining ring 346, which is arranged on the side 287 facing the drive member 246 in a manner extending beyond the aperture 276 radially and thus positions the guide body 254 in the same way as the screw head 286, such that the guide face 264 is held in abutment against the alignment face 262.

(98) The shaft portion 344 thus also cooperates with the aperture 276 and forms the first movement limiting unit 288′.

(99) All other features of the second exemplary embodiment are identical to those of the first exemplary embodiment, and therefore reference is made fully in this regard to the descriptions of the first exemplary embodiment.

(100) In a third exemplary embodiment of the solution according to the invention the axial guide 272″ for the guide body 254 is formed by a projection 352, in particular a collar, which is molded on the eccentric drive journal 244″ and, as shown in FIG. 19, secures the guide body 254 against a movement in the direction of the central axis 44 away from the alignment face 262 and to this end for example engages in an indentation 354, which extends from a side 287 facing the drive member 246 into the guide body 254 (FIG. 19).

(101) In the second exemplary embodiment the first movement limiting unit 288″ is also formed by the head 314 of the mass balancing journal 292, which engages with play in an end-face recess or indentation 362 in the driveshaft 228. The limited rotatability of the guide body 254 relative to the driveshaft 228 is thus defined by the relative dimensions of the head 314 and of the indentation 362.

(102) For the rest, all other elements of the third exemplary embodiment are identical to those of the first exemplary embodiment, and therefore reference can be made fully in this regard to the descriptions of the first exemplary embodiment.

(103) In a fourth exemplary embodiment of the solution according to the invention, shown in FIG. 20, the eccentric drive journal 244 cooperates with the drive journal receptacle 247′″ merely in a central portion 372 thereof, which is arranged in the direction of the eccentric journal axis 245 in the drive journal receptacle 247′″ such that it is intersected by a central plane 374 of the rotary bearing 248 running perpendicularly to a central axis 46 of the movable second compressor body 26 or perpendicularly to the eccentric journal axis 245 and lying centrally between the end faces 376 and 378 of said rotary bearing.

(104) The central portion 372 here has an extent in the direction of the eccentric journal axis 245 which corresponds at most to half, even better at most a third of the extent of the drive journal receptacle in this direction.

(105) End portions 382 and 384 of the drive journal receptacle 247′″ are arranged on either side of the central portion 372, the diameter of said end portions being greater than that of the central portion 372 and said end portions extending in the direction of the eccentric journal axis 245 approximately with the same extent, which means that in particular the end portions 382, 384 differ in their extent by less than a factor of 2, such that in the region thereof a gap 386, 388 remains between each of the end portions 382 and 384 and the eccentric drive journal 244.

(106) The eccentric drive journal 244 in this exemplary embodiment thus acts on the drive member 246 merely in the central portion 372 and thus merely in the region of the central plane 374, such that the rotary bearing 248, and also the drive member 246, does not experience any tilting moments as a result of the effect of the eccentric drive journal 244.

(107) Similarly, the recess 296′″ is also configured to receive the coupling journal 292 such that the coupling journal 292 acts on the recess 296′″ in a central portion 392 of said recess, wherein the central portion 392 has an extent in the direction of the journal axis 294 similar or comparable to that of the central portion 372 of the drive journal receptacle 247″.

(108) End portions 394 and 396 of the recess 296′″ are also likewise provided on either side of the central portion 392, the diameter of said end portions being greater than that of the central portion 392, such that likewise gaps 402 and 404 form between the end portions 394 and 396.

(109) The end portions 394 and 396 extend in the direction of the journal axis 294 approximately with the same extent as the end portions 382 and 384, such that the same relationships relative to the central portion 392 are provided as between the central portion 372 and the end portions 382 and 384.

(110) The coupling journal 292 in this exemplary embodiment thus acts on the drive member 246 likewise merely in the central portion 392 and thus merely in the region of the central plane 374, such that likewise no tilting moment acts on the drive member 246 as a result of the coupling journal 292.

(111) It is thus ensured in this exemplary embodiment that, even if tilting moments occur in the region of the driveshaft 228 and should be transmitted by the eccentric drive journal 244, and even if tilting moments occur by the guide body 254 with the orbital path balancing mass 252 and should be transmitted by the coupling journal 292, the rotary bearing 248 can rotate substantially freely of tilting moments of this kind and therefore does not experience any reduction to its service life caused by tilting moments.