Scroll fluid machine and tip seal

Abstract

The present invention improves performance of a scroll fluid machine by effectively exhibiting a function of a tip seal installed at a tooth tip of a wall body even when a continuous slope is provided to the wall body. A slope in which the distance between opposing surfaces of opposing end plates continuously reduces from the outer peripheral surface toward the inner peripheral surface is provided, and a tip seal (7) that comes into contact with an opposing tooth bottom so as to seal a fluid is provided to a tip seal groove (3d) formed at a tooth tip of a wall body (3b) corresponding to the slope. A groove bottom (3d1) of the tip seal groove (3d) is formed into a shape in which the center portion (3d2) in the groove width direction deepest. The tip seal (7) is formed such that the center portion (7a1), in the width direction, of the bottom (7a) of the tip seal (7) facing the groove bottom (3d1) projects farther than both side portions (7a2).

Claims

1. A scroll fluid machine comprising: a first scroll member in which a spiral first wall is provided on a first end plate; a second scroll member in which a spiral second wall is provided on a second end plate disposed to face the first end plate and the second wall meshes 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 outer peripheral sides of the first wall and the second wall toward inner peripheral sides thereof, wherein a groove portion formed on a tooth tip of each of the first wall and the second wall corresponding to the inclined portion is provided with a tip seal which comes into contact with a facing tooth bottom so as to seal a fluid, wherein a horizontal cross section of the groove portion in a direction orthogonal to a spiral direction of the first wall and the second wall is rectangular in shape and a groove bottom of the groove portion has an arc shape in which a center portion in a groove width direction is deepest, and wherein a horizontal cross section of the tip seal in the direction orthogonal to the spiral direction of the first wall and the second wall is rectangular in shape and a center portion of the tip seal in a width direction of a tip seal bottom portion facing the groove bottom protrudes from both side portions of the tip seal in an arc shape.

2. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein in a case where an inclination in a spiral direction of the inclined portion is defined as φ and a groove width of the groove portion is defined as Tg, a protrusion amount Δh of the center portion of the tip seal with respect to both side portions of the tip seal is (Tg/2)×tan φ.

3. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 2, wherein a wall flat portion whose height is not changed is provided in an outermost peripheral portion and/or an innermost peripheral portion of each of the first wall and the second wall, wherein an end plate flat portion corresponding to the wall flat portion is provided in each of the first end plate and the second end plate, wherein the groove bottom of the groove portion corresponding to the end plate flat portion is a flat surface, and wherein in the tip seal corresponding to the end plate flat portion, the tip seal bottom portion is a flat surface.

4. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 2, wherein the tip seal is divided at a predetermined position in the spiral direction.

5. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein a wall flat portion whose height is not changed is provided in an outermost peripheral portion and/or an innermost peripheral portion of each of the first wall and the second wall, wherein an end plate flat portion corresponding to the wall flat portion is provided in each of the first end plate and the second end plate, wherein the groove bottom of the groove portion corresponding to the end plate flat portion is a flat surface, and wherein in the tip seal corresponding to the end plate flat portion, the tip seal bottom portion is a flat surface.

6. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 5, wherein the tip seal is divided at a predetermined position in the spiral direction.

7. The scroll fluid machine according to claim 1, wherein the tip seal is divided at a predetermined position in the spiral direction.

8. A tip seal which is installed in a groove portion formed on a tooth tip of a spiral wall of a scroll fluid machine, wherein the wall includes an inclined portion whose height is continuously changed in a spiral direction, wherein a horizontal cross section of the groove portion in a direction orthogonal to a spiral direction of the first wall and the second wall is rectangular in shape and a groove bottom of the groove portion has an arc shape in which a center portion in a width direction is deepest, wherein a horizontal cross section of the tip seal in the direction orthogonal to the spiral direction of the first wall and the second wall is rectangular in shape, and wherein in a bottom portion of the tip seal facing the groove bottom, a center portion in a groove width direction protrudes from both side portions in an arc shape.

9. The tip seal which is installed in the groove portion formed on the tooth tip of the spiral wall of the scroll fluid machine, according to claim 8, wherein the tip seal is divided at a predetermined position in the spiral direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1A and 1B show a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll of a scroll compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a longitudinal section view, and FIG. 1B is a plan view when the fixed scroll is viewed from a wall side.

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

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

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

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

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

(7) FIGS. 7A and 7B show a tip seal clearance of a portion shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 7A is a side view showing a state where the tip seal clearance relatively decreases, and FIG. 7B is a side view showing a state where the tip seal clearance relatively increases.

(8) FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view around a tooth tip in a wall inclined portion.

(9) FIG. 9 is a view showing a groove bottom shape of the tip seal, (a) is a plan view of the groove bottom, and (b) is a schematic view showing a depth of a center portion of the groove bottom.

(10) FIGS. 10A and 10B show a method for processing a tip seal groove, FIG. 10A is a plan view of the tooth tip of the wall, and FIG. 10B is a side view thereof.

(11) FIG. 11 is a horizontal sectional view of the tip seal.

(12) FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view around the tooth tip in the wall flat portion.

(13) FIG. 13 shows the wall which is displayed to extend in the spiral direction and is a schematic view showing a division position of the tip seal.

(14) FIGS. 14A and 14B show a modification example, FIG. 14A is a longitudinal section view showing a combination with a scroll which does not have a step portion, and FIG. 14B is a longitudinal section view showing a combination with a stepped scroll.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

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

(16) 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 which compresses a gas refrigerant (fluid) which performs a refrigerating cycle of an air conditioner or the like.

(17) 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 suck 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.

(18) 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.

(19) 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 between tooth tips and tooth bottoms of the walls 3b and 5b of both scrolls. Accordingly, 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).

(20) 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 side of each of the spiral walls 3b and 5b toward an inner peripheral side thereof.

(21) As shown in FIG. 2, in the wall 5b of the orbiting scroll 5, a wall inclined portion 5b1 whose height continuously decreases from an outer peripheral side toward an inner peripheral side is provided. In a tooth bottom surface of the fixed scroll 3 facing a tooth tip of the wall inclined portion 5b1, an end plate inclined portion 3a1 (refer to FIG. 1A) which is inclined according to an inclination of the wall inclined portion 5b1 is provided. A continuously inclined portion is formed 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 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.

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

(23) 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.

(24) 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.

(25) Similarly, in the tooth bottom of the end plate 5a of the orbiting scroll 5, end plate flat portions 5a2 and 5a3 each having a constant height are provided. 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.

(26) As shown by hatching in FIGS. 3 and 4, similarly to the orbiting scroll 5, in the fixed scroll 3, 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 are provided.

(27) 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 corresponding to the region which becomes 180° around each of the centers a 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 of each of the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1 is represented by the following Expression.
φ=tan.sup.−1(h/D1)  (1)

(28) In this way, the inclination φ of the inclined portion constant in a circumferential direction in which each of the spiral walls 3b and 5b extends.

(29) FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a region indicated by a reference numeral Z in FIG. 1B in an enlarged manner. As shown FIG. 6, a tip seal 7 is provided in the tooth tip of the wall 3b of the fixed scroll 3. The tip seal 7 is formed of a resin and comes into contact with the tooth bottom of the end plate 5a of the facing orbiting scroll 5 so as to seal a fluid. The tip seal 7 is accommodated in 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 the tip seal 7 toward the tooth bottom side, and thus, the tip seal 7 comes into contact with the facing the tooth bottom. In addition, a tip seal is also provided in the tooth tip of the wall 5b of the orbiting scroll 5.

(30) As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a height Hc of the tip seal 7 in the height direction of the wall 3b is constant in the circumferential direction.

(31) 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. For example, in FIG. 7A, a tip clearance T decreases, and in FIG. 7B, the tip clearance T increases. 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, and the tip seal 7 can follow the tooth bottom so as to seal the tooth bottom.

(32) FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view around the tooth tip when viewed from a sectional plane of the wall inclined portion 3b1 orthogonal in the spiral direction. In other words, FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view around the tooth tip when the wall inclined portion 3b1 from the wall inclined connection portion 3b4 on the inner peripheral side shown in FIG. 5 to the wall inclined connection portion 3b5 on the outer peripheral side shown in FIG. 5 is cut in a direction perpendicular to a paper surface. In addition, the tooth tip and the tip seal 7 of the orbiting scroll 5 are similarly configured.

(33) As shown in FIG. 8, the tip seal 7 is accommodated in the tip seal groove 3d formed on a tip of the wall 3b. A bottom portion (lower surface) 7a of the tip seal 7 has an arc shape in which a center portion 7a1 in a width direction protrudes toward a groove bottom 3d1 side (downward) from both side portions 7a2. A tip surface (upper surface) 7b of the tip seal 7 is a flat surface. Accordingly, a cross section of the tip seal 7 is formed in a shape of a turtle. A horizontal cross section of the tip seal 7 formed in the shape of a turtle is formed over the entire wall inclined portion 3b1.

(34) The groove bottom 3d1 of the tip seal groove 3d has a shape in which a center portion 3d2 in the width direction is deepest. The center portion 3d2 of the groove bottom 3d1 is deeper than both side portions 3d3 of the groove bottom 3d1 by a depression amount Δh.

(35) As shown in FIG. 9, the above-described shape of the groove bottom 3d1 of the tip seal groove 3d is generated by forming a contour line Ct. The contour line Ct has a groove width Tg of the tip seal groove 3d as a diameter and is formed in a semicircular arc which protrudes in a height increase direction (left side in FIG. 9) of the wall inclined portion 3b1. That is, a radius of the contour line Ct is Tg/2.

(36) As can be seen from FIG. 9(b), the inclination of the wall inclined portion 3b1 is φ (refer to FIG. 5), and thus, the depression amount Δh of the center portion 3d2 of the groove bottom 3d1 from both side portions 3d3 is represented by the following Expression.
Δh=(Tg/2)×tan φ  (2)

(37) The shape of the groove bottom 3d1 shown in FIG. 9(a) is obtained by processing an end mill 10 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. A diameter De of the end mill 10 is the same as the groove width Tg. By the end mill 10, the tip seal groove 3d is processed with one pass in one direction in which the inclination increases. The processing is performed such that a rotation axis of the end mill 10 is parallel to an axis passing through the center O1 (refer to FIG. 1A) of the fixed scroll 3. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the contour line Ct having a semicircular arc shape is formed.

(38) As shown in FIG. 1 the bottom portion 7a of tip seal 7 is formed in an arc shape having a radius R so as to approximately coincide with the shape of the groove bottom 3d1. That is, the bottom portion 7a is formed in an arc shape having the radius R which passes through the center portion 7a1 protruding by the depression amount Δh from both side portions 7a2 and both side portions 7a2.

(39) As shown in FIG. 12, in each of the wall flat portions 3b2 and 3b3, the groove bottom 3d1 of the tip seal groove 3d is flat. This is because each of the wall flat portions 3b2 and 3b3 is not inclined unlike the wall inclined portion 3b1, and thus, the flat surface is formed by processing of the end mill 10. Accordingly, the bottom portion 7a of the tip seal 7 is flat.

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

(41) 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). Accordingly, 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 a 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, the fluid is three-dimensionally compressed.

(42) According to the present embodiment, the following operational effects are exerted.

(43) According to the tip seal 7 in which the center portion 7a1 in the width direction of the bottom portion 7a of the tip seal 7 protrudes from both side portions 7a2, clearance between the center portion 3d2 in the width direction of the groove bottom 3d1 and the center portion 7a1 in the width direction of the bottom portion 7a of the tip seal 7 decreases. Accordingly, a fluid leakage decreases, a function of the tip seal 7 is effectively exerted, and it is possible to improve performance of the scroll compressor 1.

(44) In a case where the inclination in the spiral direction of the wall inclined portion 3b1 is defined as φ and the groove width of the tip seal groove 3d is defined as Tg, the depression amount Δh of the center portion 3d2 of the tip seal groove 3d with respect to both side portions 3d3 is (Tg/2)×tan φ. In order to correspond to this, the protrusion amount of the center portion 7a1 of the tip seal 7 is set to have the same dimension as the depression amount Δh. Accordingly, the clearance between the bottom portion 7a of the tip seal 7 and the groove bottom 3d1 can be made as small as possible. Particularly, the tip seal 7 is formed in a turtle shape so as to follow the shape of the groove bottom 3d1, and thus, the clearance can be further decreased.

(45) In each of the wall flat portions 3b2 and 3b3, the groove bottom 3d1 of the tip seal groove 3d is a flat surface, and according to this, the bottom portion 7a of the tip seal 7 corresponding to the wall flat portions 3b2 and 3b3 also is a flat surface. Accordingly, the clearance between the groove bottom 3d1 and the bottom portion 7a of the tip seal 7 decreases, and the fluid leakage can be reduced.

(46) In addition, in the present embodiment, the case is described in which the tip seal 7 is continuously connected from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side. However, the tip seal 7 may be divided at a predetermined position in the spiral direction.

(47) For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the tip seal 7 may be divided into a plurality of portions at a predetermined division position Dv1 corresponding to the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1. In addition, the division position is not limited to one location and may be a plurality of locations. Preferably, the division positions are provided at equal intervals.

(48) In this way, the tip seal 7 is divided into a plurality of portions at the positions corresponding to the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1, and thus, a deformation amount in a height direction (a direction indicated by a reference numeral h) of each divided tip seal can decrease. In this case, a so-called two-dimensional shaped tip seal can be adopted, in which a shape changed in a height direction in advance is not applied to each divided tip seal and each divided tip seal is flat.

(49) In addition, the tip seal may be divided at the wall inclined connection portions 3b4, 3b5, 5b4, and 5b5 which connects the wall flat portions 3b2, 3b3, 5b2, and 5b3 and the wall inclined portions 3b1 and 5b1 to each other. Accordingly, the tip seal can be prevented from being damaged at a position at which the inclination is abruptly changed.

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

(51) Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14A, in a case where the wall inclined portion 5b1 is provided on the one wall (for example, orbiting scroll 5) and the end plate inclined portion 3a1 provided on the other end plate 3a, the other wall and the one end plate 5a may be flat.

(52) In addition, as shown in FIG. 14B, it may be combined with a stepped shape of the related art, that is, it may be combined with a shape in which a step portion is provided on the end plate 5a of the orbiting scroll 5 while the end plate inclined portion 3a1 is provided on the end plate 3a of the fixed scroll 3.

(53) 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 portion may be provided so as to extend to the entire walls 3b and 5b.

(54) 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

(55) 1: scroll compressor (scroll fluid machine)

(56) 3: fixed scroll (first scroll member)

(57) 3a: end plate (first end plate)

(58) 3a1: end plate inclined portion

(59) 3a2: end plate flat portion (inner peripheral side)

(60) 3a3: end plate flat portion (outer peripheral side)

(61) 3a4: end plate inclined connection portion (inner peripheral side)

(62) 3a5: end plate inclined connection portion (outer peripheral side)

(63) 3b: wall (first wall)

(64) 3b1: wall inclined portion

(65) 3b2: wall flat portion (inner peripheral side)

(66) 3b3: wall flat portion (outer peripheral side)

(67) 3b4: wall inclined connection portion (inner peripheral side)

(68) 3b5: wall inclined connection portion (outer peripheral side)

(69) 3c: discharge port

(70) 3d: tip seal groove

(71) 3d1: groove bottom

(72) 3d2: center portion

(73) 3d3: side portion

(74) 5: orbiting scroll (second scroll member)

(75) 5a: end plate (second end plate)

(76) 5a1: end plate inclined portion

(77) 5a2: end plate flat portion (inner peripheral side)

(78) 5a3: end plate flat portion (outer peripheral side)

(79) 5a4: end plate inclined connection portion (inner peripheral side)

(80) 5a5: end plate inclined connection portion (outer peripheral side)

(81) 5b: wall (second wall)

(82) 5b1: wall inclined portion

(83) 5b2: wall flat portion (inner peripheral side)

(84) 5b3: wall flat portion (outer peripheral side)

(85) 5b4: wall inclined connection portion (inner peripheral side)

(86) 5b5: wall inclined connection portion (outer peripheral side)

(87) 7: tip seal

(88) 7a: bottom portion

(89) 7a1: center portion

(90) 7a2: side portion

(91) 7b: tip surface

(92) 10: end mill

(93) Ct: contour line

(94) Dv1: division position (of tip seal)

(95) De: end mill diameter

(96) L: inter-facing surface distance

(97) T: tip clearance

(98) Tg: groove width (of tip seal groove)

(99) φ: inclination

(100) Δh: depression amount