CONTROL FLOWRATE REGULATING VALVE SPECIFICALLY FOR SCROLL COMPRESSOR INSIDE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEAT PUMP

Abstract

Control flowrate regulating valve for a scroll compressor inside a vehicle air conditioner or a heat pump, the valve at least comprising: a housing; a closing member; and fluid connection parts for a control flowrate of back pressure, high pressure and suction pressure. Fluid connection parts having effective areas, of the closing member, assigned to the fluid connection parts. Control flowrate regulating valve has a fluid connection part, for peripheral pressure, and an effective area of the closing member. It is formed in a fluid-sealing manner for other chambers having high pressure, back pressure and suction pressure, such that the force, obtained from the pressures applied to the closing member, is applied to the closing member to allow the control flowrate, which moves from the high pressure to the suction pressure, to flow in a manner of forming the back pressure. Peripheral pressure is applied to the closing member.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A control flow control valve particularly for a scroll compressor in a vehicle air conditioner or heat pump, which comprises at least a housing, a closure member, and fluid connections for a control flow of counter pressure, high pressure and suction pressure, each of the fluid connections having an effective area of the closure member assigned thereto, the control flow control valve comprising: a fluid connection for ambient pressure, the fluid connection having an effective area of the closure member additionally assigned thereto, wherein a force obtained from the pressures applied to the closure member acts on the closure member such that the control flow from the high pressure to the suction pressure is formed in a way to form the counter pressure, in which case the ambient pressure is formed in a fluid-sealing manner to other chambers having high pressure, counter pressure, and suction pressure and acting on the closure member.

18. The control flow control valve according to claim 12, wherein a spring member is disposed on the closure member to generate an additional force.

19. The control flow control valve according to claim 18, wherein the spring force of the spring member is adjusted and designed such that the closure member is always open to a fixed pressure difference between the high pressure and the suction pressure to pass a fluid flow as the control flow therethrough at a position of the control flow control valve between the high pressure and the counter pressure, or the closure member is closed to a fixed pressure difference between the high pressure and the suction pressure to prevent the pass of a fluid flow as the control flow therethrough at a position of the control flow control valve between the counter pressure and the suction pressure.

20. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the closure member is formed in several parts by a plurality of closure member segments.

21. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the closure member is sealed in a fluid-sealing manner to the ambient pressure by a welded sheet membrane or a vulcanized membrane.

22. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the closure member has a cylindrical stepped shape, and is formed in three parts by three closure member segments.

23. The control flow control valve according to claim 20, wherein the closure member consisting of the plurality of parts is designed as an interference-fit assembly, in which case the closure member segments of the closure member are interconnected only by forces acting on the closure member segments without an additional connecting means.

24. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the closure member comprises a primary valve stem and a secondary valve stem, and the valve stems are interconnected through a lever mechanism.

25. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the closure member has a stroke of maximum 0.2 mm.

26. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein a stopper for the stroke of the closure member, as a maximum stroke limitation device, is formed in the housing or is formed in a scroll compressor by a fitting position of the control flow control valve.

27. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the ambient-pressure fluid connection is formed as a recess in the housing and is designed to be protected from water by a membrane for preventing the pass of water therethrough.

28. The control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the ambient-pressure fluid connection is formed as a membrane in a manner that it is formed integrally with an external contour of the housing.

29. A scroll compressor comprising the control flow control valve according to claim 17, wherein the control flow control valve is formed integrally with the scroll compressor.

30. The scroll compressor according to claim 29, wherein the control flow control valve is positioned in a supply or discharge control line for a counter-pressure chamber, in which case the control flow control valve is disposed in the supply control line between the high pressure and the counter pressure or is disposed in the discharge control line between the counter pressure and the suction pressure.

31. The scroll compressor according to claim 30, wherein a throttle is disposed in the discharge control line in a complementary manner when the control flow control valve is disposed in the supply control line, whereas the throttle is disposed in the supply control line when the control flow control valve is disposed in the discharge control line.

32. The scroll compressor according to claim 30, wherein a filter is disposed in front of the control flow control valve in the control flow.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a basic circuit diagram of a control flow control valve with a radial ambient-pressure inflow;

[0033] FIG. 2 is a basic circuit diagram of a control flow control valve including a closure member consisting of two parts and a lever mechanism;

[0034] FIG. 3 is a basic circuit diagram of a control flow control valve with an axial ambient-pressure inflow;

[0035] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a control flow control valve;

[0036] FIG. 5 is a basic circuit diagram of a control flow control valve assembly between pressure levels of a compressor; and

[0037] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating counter pressure according to high pressure as a comparison of pressure ratio between US 2010/0158710 A1 and the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR INVENTION

[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates a basic circuit diagram of a control flow control valve 1 with an axial ambient-pressure inflow. The control flow control valve 1 basically includes a housing 8, and a closure member 9 is disposed in the housing for translational movement. The control flow control valve 1 includes different connections 2, 3, 4, and 5. A flow path, which is adjustable by the closure member 9, is connected through the control flow control valve 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the control flow from a high-pressure fluid connection 3 to a counter-pressure fluid connection 2 is regulated by the closure member 9. In addition, a suction-pressure fluid connection 4 and an ambient-pressure fluid connection 5 are designed in the control flow control valve 1, in which case the suction-pressure and ambient-pressure fluid connections do not define a flow path. Only pressure levels of suction pressure Ps and ambient pressure ATM are transferred to the effective areas of the closure member 9 through the fluid connections. In the closure member 9, a spring 6 acts as a spring force FO against the closure member 9 in a direction opposite to the closed position. A primary valve stem 11 of the closure member 9 interacts with the high-pressure fluid connection 3 together with a seal seat formed at the upper end of the closure member. The closure member 9 is structurally designed such that a primary valve stem diameter D21, a seal seat diameter D20, an effective diameter of Ps to ATM D22, and an effective diameter of Pb to ATM D23 are selected in a manner that the force obtained by the applied pressure acts on the closure member 9 and the control flow from the high-pressure fluid connection 3 to the counter-pressure fluid connection 2 is thus controlled. According to the illustrated embodiment, the control flow control valve 1 includes a fluid connection (indicated by the dotted line) from the counter-pressure fluid connection 2 to a chamber having an effective area for the effective diameter of Pb to ATM D23, in order to correspondently transfer the counter pressure to the equilibrium of forces of the closure member 9. Furthermore, FIG. 1 illustrates a connection line as a discharge control line 18, which is connected to the suction-pressure fluid connection 4, and a throttle 14 disposed in the control line.

[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates a control flow control valve as an embodiment in which a closure member consisting of two parts 9.1 and 9.2 is connected to a lever mechanism 13 to regulate a control flow from a counter-pressure fluid connection 2 to a suction-pressure fluid connection 4. The closure member 9.1 includes a primary valve stem 11 having a primary valve stem diameter D21, and the primary valve stem diameter is associated with a seal seat diameter D20. The primary valve stem 11 is connected to a secondary valve stem 12 and a secondary valve stem diameter D26 through the lever mechanism 13. In this case, a spring 6 acts as a spring force FO against the counter pressure Pb of the counter-pressure fluid connection 2 at the illustrated fitting position of the control flow control valve 1. A high-pressure fluid connection 3 acts on the closure member segment 9.2 over an effective diameter of Pb to ATM D25, and the closure member segment 9.2 is inserted into a housing 8 of the control flow control valve 1 via a membrane, which is not illustrated in detail, from the outside. The ambient pressure ATM acts on the secondary valve stem 12 by the pressure acting on the membrane as an ambient-pressure fluid connection 5. In this case, the secondary valve stem 12 has a secondary valve stem diameter D26 and is sealed to the suction-pressure level of the suction-pressure fluid connection 4 by a sealing ring 10. The lever mechanism 13 is configured as a connection of the primary valve stem 11 and the secondary valve stem 12 by a short lever 27 and a long lever 28.

[0040] The fitting position of the control flow control valve 1 is indicated by connecting a supply control line 17 between the counter-pressure level Pb and the high-pressure level Pd and the broken line of a throttle 14 disposed in the supply control line.

[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates a basic circuit diagram of a control flow control valve with an axial ambient-pressure inflow in regard to a closure member 9. The closure member 9 adjusts a flow path of fluid flowing from a high-pressure connection 3 to a counter-pressure fluid connection 2. Similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1, a seal seat diameter D20 is formed to be closed by a primary valve stem 11 having a primary valve stem diameter D21, in which case a spring 6 is disposed to act on the closure member 9, having an effective diameter of Ps to Pb D24, as a spring force FO. The counter pressure Pb of a counter-pressure fluid connection 2, as a counterforce, acts on the other effective diameter D24 as indicated by the dotted line, and is formed along the external contour of a housing 8 of the control flow control valve 1 to be supported by an ambient-pressure fluid connection 5 acting on the closure member 9. The connection of the counter pressure Pb and the suction pressure Ps is illustrated through a discharge control line 18 and a throttle 14, similar to FIG. 1. In particular, according to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, only one sealing surface is preferably designed in the form of membrane for the ambient pressure ATM, and this design increases safety and reduces an occurrence degree of failure.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a control flow control valve 1. In the longitudinal cross-section indicated along the axis of a closure member, the present embodiment is characterized by three parts consisting of a closure member segment 9.1 having a seal seat, a closure member segment 9.2, and a closure member segment 9.3. The fitting position of the control flow control valve 1 is illustrated similar to those of FIGS. 1 and 3 within a pressure level, with the consequence that a control flow from a high-pressure fluid connection 3 and high pressure Pd to counter pressure Pb, i.e. a counter-pressure fluid connection, is regulated by the closure member segment 9.1 having the seal seat. The closure member segments 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3 are coupled to an interference-fit assembly, and are thus designed to be inexpensive and easy in assembly. In this case, the individual segments are continuously arranged without a connecting means. The closure member segment 9.2 and the closure member segment 9.3 are formed as membrane segments consisting of external membrane housings 16.2 and 16.3. The membrane housings 16.2 and 16.3 are connected to a central valve tappet (not shown in detail) by rubber 15 in a fluid-sealing manner. The housing part 16.1 surrounds the closure member segment 9.1 having the seal seat. A suction-pressure fluid connection 4 and an ambient-pressure fluid connection 5 compensate for the equilibrium of forces of the closure member acting on the valve seal seat of the closure member 9.1 by the effective areas of the closure members 9.2 and 9.3 assigned to the fluid connections. In the drawing, a spring 6 and a sealing ring 10 corresponding to the same are illustrated and typically designed.

[0043] FIG. 5 illustrates a fitting position of a control flow control valve 1, and a corresponding throttle 14 within high pressure, counter pressure, and suction pressure Pd, Pb, and Ps. A supply control line 17 is formed between the high-pressure level Pd and the counter-pressure level Pb. In a first modification example, a control flow as mass flow is regulated by the control flow control valve 1 at the position of the control flow control valve, and the corresponding throttle 14 is disposed in a discharge control line 18. This formation is proposed in detail in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. Alternatively, the control flow control valve 1 may also be disposed in the discharge control line 18 and the associated throttle 14 may also be disposed in the supply control line 17 corresponding to the same. In this modification example, the flow path of the control flow from counter pressure to suction pressure is adjusted by the control flow control valve 1 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0044] 1: control flow control valve [0045] 2: counter-pressure fluid connection [0046] 3: high-pressure fluid connection [0047] 4: suction-pressure fluid connection [0048] 5: ambient-pressure fluid connection [0049] 6: spring member [0050] 7: scroll compressor [0051] 8: housing [0052] 9: closure member [0053] 9.1: closure member segment having seal seat [0054] 9.2: closure member segment [0055] 9.3: closure member segment [0056] 10: sealing ring [0057] 11: primary valve stem [0058] 12: secondary valve stem [0059] 13: lever mechanism [0060] 14: throttle, throttle complementary to other pressure level [0061] 15: rubber [0062] 16.1: housing part [0063] 16.2: membrane housing [0064] 16.3: membrane housing [0065] 17: supply control line [0066] 18: discharge control line [0067] D20: seal seat diameter [0068] D21: primary valve stem diameter [0069] D22: effective diameter of Ps to ATM [0070] D23: effective diameter of Pb to ATM [0071] D24: effective diameter of Ps to Pb [0072] D25: effective diameter of Pd to ATM [0073] D26: secondary valve stem [0074] L27: short lever [0075] L28: long lever [0076] Pd: high pressure [0077] Pb: counter pressure, back pressure [0078] Ps: suction pressure [0079] ATM: ambient pressure [0080] FO: spring force for constant offset