Scroll fluid machine and scroll member used therein

Abstract

In a scroll compressor (1) provided with a fixed scroll (3) and an orbiting scroll (5), an inclined portion is provided in which the inter-facing surface distance (L) between an end plate (3a) and an end plate (5a) that face each other decreases continuously from the outer peripheral side towards the inner peripheral side. The inclined portion is configured from wall inclined portions (3b1, 5b1) in which the height of a wall (3b, 5b) decreases continuously from the outer peripheral side towards the inner peripheral side, and end plate inclined portions (3a1, 5a1) in which a tooth bottom surface is inclined in accordance with the incline of the wall inclined portions (3b1, 5b1). The inclined portion is provided across a range of no less than 180° around the center of the spiral.

Claims

1. A scroll fluid machine comprising: a first scroll member having a first end plate on which a spiral first wall is provided; a second scroll member having a second end plate on which a spiral second wall is provided, the second end plate being disposed to face the first end plate and the second wall meshing with the first wall such that the second scroll member performs a revolution orbiting movement relative to the first scroll member; and an inclined portion in which an inter-facing surface distance between the first end plate and the second end plate facing each other continuously decreases from an outer peripheral sides of the first wall and the second wall toward inner peripheral sides thereof, wherein the inclined portion is provided over a range of 180° or more around a center of the spiral, wherein outermost peripheral portions and/or innermost peripheral portions of the first wall and the second wall are provided with a wall flat portion whose height does not change, wherein each of the first end plate and the second end plate is provided with an end plate flat portion corresponding to the wall flat portion, and wherein the wall flat portion and the end plate flat portion are provided over a region of 180° around a center of the scroll member.

2. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall has a wall inclined portion in which a height of the wall continuously decreases from the outer peripheral side toward the inner peripheral side so as to form the inclined portion, and wherein at least one of the first end plate and the second end plate has an end plate inclined portion in which a tooth bottom surface facing a tooth tip of the wall inclined portion is inclined in accordance with an inclination of the wall inclined portion.

3. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein a tooth tip of each of the first wall and the second wall corresponding to the inclined portion is provided with a tip seal that comes into contact with a facing tooth bottom to seal a fluid.

4. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein a coating is applied to a tooth tip of the wall and/or a tooth bottom of the end plate that constitutes the inclined portion.

5. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein an inclination of the inclined portion is constant with respect to a circumferential direction in which the spiral wall extends.

6. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein an inclination of the inclined portion is set to be larger on the outer peripheral side than on the inner peripheral side with respect to a circumferential direction in which the spiral wall extends.

7. A scroll member used for a scroll fluid machine including an end plate and a spiral wall provided on the end plate, wherein the wall has a wall inclined portion in which a height of the wall continuously decreases from an outer peripheral side toward an inner peripheral side, wherein the end plate has an end plate inclined portion in which a height of the end plate continuously increases from the outer peripheral side toward the inner peripheral side in accordance with a decrease in height of the wall inclined portion, wherein the wall inclined portion and the end plate inclined portion are provided over a range of 180° or more around a center of the spiral, wherein outermost peripheral portions and/or innermost peripheral portions of the wall are provided with a wall flat portion whose height does not change, and/or outermost peripheral portions and/or innermost peripheral portions of the end plate are provided with an end plate flat portion whose height does not change, and wherein the wall flat portion and/or the end plate flat portion are provided over a region of 180° around a center of the scroll member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A is longitudinal sectional view showing a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll of a scroll compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1B is a plan view when the fixed scroll shown in FIG. 1A is viewed from a wall side.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the orbiting scroll of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

(4) FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an end plate flat portion provided in the fixed scroll.

(5) FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a wall flat portion provided in the fixed scroll.

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a wall which is displayed to extend in a spiral direction.

(7) FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view showing a region indicated by a reference sign Z in FIG. 1B in an enlarged manner.

(8) FIG. 7A is a side view showing a tip seal clearance of a portion shown in FIG. 6 and a state where the tip seal clearance is relatively smaller.

(9) FIG. 7B is a side view showing the tip seal clearance of the portion shown in FIG. 6 and a state where the tip seal clearance is relatively larger.

(10) FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a modification example of FIG. 5.

(11) FIG. 9A is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modification example of the embodiment and showing a combination with a scroll having no step portion.

(12) FIG. 9B is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modification example of the embodiment and showing a combination with a stepped scroll.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(13) Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(14) In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a fixed scroll (first scroll member) 3 and an orbiting scroll (second scroll member) 5 of a scroll compressor (scroll fluid machine) 1 are shown. For example, the scroll compressor 1 is used as a compressor that compresses a gas refrigerant (fluid) which performs a refrigerating cycle of an air conditioner or the like.

(15) Each of the fixed scroll 3 and the orbiting scroll 5 is a metal compression mechanism which is formed of an aluminum alloy or steel, and is accommodated in a housing (not shown). The fixed scroll 3 and the orbiting scroll 5 sucks a fluid, which is introduced into the housing, from an outer peripheral side, and discharge the compressed fluid from a discharge port 3c positioned at a center of the fixed scroll 3 to the outside.

(16) The fixed scroll 3 is fixed to the housing, and as shown in FIG. 1A, includes an approximately disk-shaped end plate (first end plate) 3a, and a spiral wall (first wall) 3b which is erected on one side surface of the end plate 3a. The orbiting scroll 5 includes an approximately disk-shaped end plate (second end plate) 5a and a spiral wall (second wall) 5b which is erected on one side surface of the end plate 5a. For example, a spiral shape of each of the walls 3b and 5b is defined by using an involute curve or an Archimedes curve.

(17) The fixed scroll 3 and the orbiting scroll 5 are assembled to each other such that centers thereof are separated from each other by an orbiting radius ρ, the walls 3b and 5b mesh with each other with phases deviated from each other by 180°, and a slight clearance (tip clearance) in a height direction is provided at the room temperature between tooth tips and tooth bottoms of the walls 3b and 5b of both scrolls. As a result, a plurality pairs of compression chambers which are formed to be surrounded by the end plates 3a and 5a and the walls 3b and 5b are symmetrically formed about a scroll center between both scrolls 3 and 5. The orbiting scroll 5 performs a revolution orbiting movement around the fixed scroll 3 by a rotation prevention mechanism such as an Oldham ring (not shown).

(18) As shown in FIG. 1A, an inclined portion is provided, in which an inter-facing surface distance L between both end plates 3a and 5a facing each other continuously decrease from an outer peripheral sides of the spiral walls 3b and 5b toward inner peripheral sides thereof.

(19) As shown in FIG. 2, the wall 5b of the orbiting scroll 5 is provided with a wall inclined portion 5b1 whose height continuously decreases from an outer peripheral side toward an inner peripheral side. A tooth bottom surface of the fixed scroll 3 facing a tooth tip of the wall inclined portion 5b1 is provided with an end plate inclined portion 3a1 (refer to FIG. 1A) which is inclined in accordance with an inclination of the wall inclined portion 5b1. A continuously inclined portion is constituted by the wall inclined portion 5b1 and the end plate inclined portion 3a1. Similarly, a wall inclined portion 3b1 whose height is continuously inclined from the outer peripheral side toward the inner peripheral side is also provided on the wall 3b of the fixed scroll 3, and an end plate inclined portion 5a1 facing a tooth tip of the wall inclined portion 3b1 is provided on the end plate 5a of the orbiting scroll 5.

(20) In addition, the meaning of the continuity in the inclined portion in the present embodiment is not limited to a smoothly connected inclined portion but also includes an inclined portion in which small steps inevitably generated during processing are connected in a staircase and the inclined portion is continuously inclined as a whole. However, the inclined portion does not include a large step such as a so-called stepped scroll.

(21) Coating is applied to the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1 and/or the end plate inclined portions 3a1 and 5a1. For example, the coating includes manganese phosphate processing, nickel phosphorus plating, or the like.

(22) As shown in FIG. 2, wall flat portions 5b2 and 5b3 each having a constant height are respectively provided on the innermost peripheral side and the outermost peripheral side of the wall 5b of the orbiting scroll 5. Each of the wall flat portions 5b2 and 5b3 is provided over a region of 180° around a center O2 (refer to FIG. 1A) of the orbiting scroll 5. Wall inclined connection portions 5b4 and 5b5 which become curved portions are respectively provided at positions at which the wall flat portions 5b2 and 5b3 and the wall inclined portion 5b1 are connected to each other.

(23) Similarly, the tooth bottom of the end plate 5a of the orbiting scroll 5 is also provided with end plate flat portions 5a2 and 5a3 each having a constant height. Each of the end plate flat portions 5a2 and 5a3 is provided over a region of 180° around the center of the orbiting scroll 5. End plate inclined connection portions 5a4 and 5a5 which become curved portions are respectively provided at positions at which the end plate flat portions 5a2 and 5a3 and the end plate inclined portion 5a1 are connected to each other.

(24) As shown by hatching in FIGS. 3 and 4, similarly to the orbiting scroll 5, the fixed scroll 3 is also provided with end plate flat portions 3a2 and 3a3, wall flat portions 3b2 and 3b3, end plate inclined connection portions 3a4 and 3a5, and wall inclined connection portions 3b4 and 3b5.

(25) FIG. 5 shows the walls 3b and 5b which are displayed to extend in a spiral direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the wall flat portions 3b2 and 5b2 on the innermost peripheral side are provided over a distance D2, and the wall flat portions 3b3 and 5b3 on the outermost peripheral side are provided over a distance D3. Each of the distance D2 and the distance D3 is a length equivalent to a region having 180° (180° or more and 360° or less, preferably 210° or less) around each of the centers O1 and O2 of the respective scrolls 3 and 5. The wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1 are provided over the distance D1 between the wall flat portions 3b2 and 5b2 on the innermost peripheral side and the wall flat portions 3b3 and 5b3 on the outermost peripheral side. If a height difference between each of the wall flat portions 3b2 and 5b2 on the innermost peripheral side and each of the wall flat portions 3b3 and 5b3 on the outermost peripheral side is defined as h, an inclination φ of each of the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1 is represented by the following Expression.
φ=tan.sup.−1(h/D1)  (1)

(26) In this way, the inclination φ of the inclined portion is constant in a circumferential direction in which each of the spiral walls 3b and 5b extends. Additionally, the distance D1 is longer than the distance D2 and longer than the distance D3.

(27) For example, in the present embodiment, the specifications of the scrolls 3 and 5 are as follows.

(28) (1) Orbiting radius ρ [mm]: 2 or more and 15 or less, preferably 3 or more and 10 or less

(29) (2) Number of turns of the walls 3b, 5b: 1.5 or more and 4.5 or less, preferably 2.0 or more and 3.5 or less

(30) (3) Height difference h [mm]: 2 or more and 20 or less, preferably 5 or more and 15 or less

(31) (4) h/Lout (Wall height on outermost peripheral side):

(32) 0.05 or more and 0.35 or less, preferably 0.1 or more and 0.25 or less

(33) (5) Angle range [°] of the inclined portions (angle range equivalent to the distance D1):

(34) 180 or more and 1080 or less, preferably 360 or more and 720 or less

(35) (6) Angle φ [°] of the inclined portions: 0.2 or more and 4 or less, preferably 0.5 or more and 2.5 or less

(36) FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a region indicated by a reference sign Z in FIG. 1B in an enlarged manner. As shown in FIG. 6, the tooth tip of the wall 3b of the fixed scroll 3 is provided with a tip seal 7. The tip seal 7 is made of resin and contacts the tooth bottom of the end plate 5a of the orbiting scroll 5 facing the tip seal 7 to seal the fluid. The tip seal 7 is accommodated within a tip seal groove 3d which is formed on the tooth tip of the wall 3b in the circumferential direction. A compressed fluid enters the tip seal groove 3d, presses the tip seal 7 from a rear surface thereof to push out the tip seal 7 toward the tooth bottom side, thereby bringing the tip seal 7 into contact with the facing the tooth bottom. In addition, a tooth tip of the wall 5b of the orbiting scroll 5 is similarly provided with a tip seal 7.

(37) If both the scrolls 3 and 5 perform the revolution orbiting movement relative to each other, the positions of the tooth tip and the tooth bottom are relatively deviated by an orbiting diameter (orbiting radius ρ×2). In the inclined portion, the tip clearance between the tooth tip and the tooth bottom is changed due to the positional deviation between the tooth tip and the tooth bottom. A tip clearance change amount Δh [mm] is, for example, 0.05 or more and 1.0 or less, preferably 0.1 or more and 0.6 or less. For example, in FIG. 7A, a tip clearance T is small, and in FIG. 7B, the tip clearance T is large. Even when the tip clearance T is changed by an orbiting movement, the tip seal 7 is pressed toward the tooth bottom side of the end plate 5a by the compressed fluid from the rear surface. Thus, the tip seal 7 can follow the tooth bottom so as to perform sealing for the tooth bottom.

(38) The above-described scroll compressor 1 is operated as follows.

(39) The orbiting scroll 5 performs the revolution orbiting movement around the fixed scroll 3 by a drive source such as an electric motor (not shown). As a result, the fluid is sucked from the outer peripheral sides of the respective scrolls 3 and 5, and the fluid is taken into the compression chambers surrounded by the respective walls 3b and 5b and the respective end plates 3a and 5a. The fluid in the compression chambers is sequentially compressed while being moved from the outer peripheral side toward the inner peripheral side, and finally, the compressed fluid is discharged from the discharge port 3c formed in the fixed scroll 3. When the fluid is compressed, the fluid is compressed in the height directions of the walls 3b and 5b in the inclined portions formed by the end plate inclined portions 3a1 and 5a1 and the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1, and thus, three-dimensional compression is performed.

(40) As described above, according to the scroll compressor 1 of the present embodiment, the following operational effects are exhibited.

(41) Since the inclined portions are provided in which the inter-facing surface distance L between the end plates 3a and 5a continuously decreases from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side of the walls 3b and 5b, the three-dimensional compression is possible and the size reduction can be realized.

(42) Moreover, since the inclined portions decrease continuously, the fluid leakage can be reduced as compared to the related-art stepped scroll fluid machine in which the step portions are provided on the walls and the tooth bottoms.

(43) Since the tip seal 7 is provided at the tooth tip of each of the walls 3b and 5b, even if the tip clearance T (refer to FIG. 7) between the tooth tip and the tooth bottom in each inclined portion changes in accordance with the orbiting movement, the tip seal 7 can be made to follow, and the fluid leakage can be suppressed.

(44) The wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1 and/or the end plate inclined portions 3a1 and 5a1 that constitute the inclined portions are coated. As a result, it is possible to compensate for the processing variation of the inclined portions, which are difficult to obtain the processing accuracy, by the thickness of a coating film, and it is possible to further suppress the fluid leakage.

(45) The wall flat portions 3b2, 3b3, 5b2, and 5b3 and the end plate flat portions 3a2, 3a3, 5a2, and 5a3 are provided on the outermost peripheral portions and the innermost peripheral portions of the walls 3b and 5b and the end plates 3a and 5a. As a result, it is possible to avoid the difficulty of setting measurement points and improving the measurement accuracy in a case where the tooth tips of the walls are inclined, and to perform shape measurement with high accuracy. Then, the dimensional management of the scroll shape and the tip clearance management become easy.

(46) By providing the wall flat portions 3b2, 3b3, 5b2, and 5b3 and the end plate flat portions 3a2, 3a3, 5a2, and 5a3 over the region of 180°, the measurement can be performed on the flat portions on both sides across the centers 01 and 02 of the scrolls 3 and 5. As a result, the shape dimensions of the scroll members can be appropriately measured.

(47) Additionally, in a case where the range of the flat portions greatly exceeds 180°, the regions of the inclined portions decrease and the inclination φ of the inclined portions becomes large. In a case where the inclination φ becomes large, there is a possibility that the amount of change in the tip clearance T caused by the orbiting diameter during the revolution orbiting movement becomes large and the fluid leakage increases. Therefore, the wall flat portions 3b2, 3b3, 5b2, and 5b3 and the end plate flat portions 3a2, 3a3, 5a2, and 5a3 are regions of 180°. However, this 180° is not strict, and an angle slightly exceeding 180° (for example, about 30°) is allowed within a range where the fluid leakage does not increase.

(48) The inclination φ of the inclined portions is set to be constant with respect to the circumferential direction in which the spiral walls 3b and 5b extend. As a result, the tip clearance T caused by the orbiting diameter during the revolution orbiting movement can be made equal at the respective positions of the inclined portions, and the fluid leakage can be suppressed.

(49) In addition, the present embodiment can be modified as follows.

(50) As shown in FIG. 8, the inclination φ of the inclined portions may be set such that the inclination φ2 on the outer peripheral side is larger than the inclination φ1 on the inner peripheral side with respect to the circumferential direction in which the spiral walls 3b and 5b extend. As a result, it is possible to suppress the fluid leakage on the inner peripheral side where the pressure difference of the fluid is larger than that on the outer peripheral side while suppressing the fluid leakage on the outer peripheral side where the pressure difference of the fluid is smaller than that on the inner peripheral side to a necessary minimum. As a result, the volume ratio can be increased, and the amount of displacement can also be increased.

(51) Additionally, instead of changing the inclination φ stepwise as shown in FIG. 8, the inclination φ may be continuously increased from the inner peripheral side toward the outer peripheral side.

(52) In the present embodiment, the end plate inclined portions 3a1 and 5a1 and the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1 are provided on both the scrolls 3 and 5. However, they may be provided in any one of the scrolls 3 and 5.

(53) Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9A, in a case where the wall (for example, orbiting scroll 5) on one side is provided with the wall inclined portion 5b1 and the end plate 3a on the other side is provided with the end plate inclined portion 3a1, the wall on the other side and the end plate 5a on one side may be flat.

(54) Additionally, as shown in FIG. 9B, a shape combined with a stepped shape of the related art may be adopted, that is, the shape in which the end plate inclined portion 3a1 is provided in the end plate 3a of the fixed scroll 3 may be combined with a shape in which a step portion is provided in the end plate 5a of the orbiting scroll 5.

(55) In the present embodiment, the wall flat portions 3b2, 3b3, 5b2, and 5b3 and the end plate flat portions 3a2, 3a3, 5a2, and 5a3 are provided. However, the flat portions on the inner peripheral side and/or the outer peripheral side may be omitted, and the inclined portions may be provided so as to extend to the entire walls 3b and 5b.

(56) Additionally, in the present embodiment, the scroll compressor is described. However, the present invention can be applied to a scroll expander which is used as an expander.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(57) 1: scroll compressor (scroll fluid machine) 3: fixed scroll (first scroll member) 3a: end plate (first end plate) 3a1: end plate inclined portion 3a2: end plate flat portion (inner peripheral side) 3a3: end plate flat portion (outer peripheral side) 3a4: end plate inclined connection portion (inner peripheral side) 3a5: end plate inclined connection portion (outer peripheral side) 3b: wall (first wall) 3b1: wall inclined portion 3b2: wall flat portion (inner peripheral side) 3b3: wall flat portion (outer peripheral side) 3b4: wall inclined connection portion (inner peripheral side) 3b5: wall inclined connection portion (outer peripheral side) 3c: discharge port 3d: tip seal groove 5: orbiting scroll (second scroll member) 5a: end plate (second end plate) 5a1: end plate inclined portion 5a2: end plate flat portion (inner peripheral side) 5a3: end plate flat portion (outer peripheral side) 5b: wall (second wall) 5b1: wall inclined portion 5b2: wall flat portion (inner peripheral side) 5b3: wall flat portion (outer peripheral side) 5b4: wall inclined connection portion (inner peripheral side) 5b5: wall inclined connection portion (outer peripheral side) 7: tip seal L: inter-facing surface distance T: tip clearance φ: inclination