COMPRESSOR MODULE AND ELECTRIC-MOTOR-DRIVEN REFRIGERANT COMPRESSOR

Abstract

A compressor module has a compressor housing with a high-pressure chamber and an outlet for a compressed refrigerant, and a separation device, accommodated in the compressor housing, for separating out a lubricant mixed with the refrigerant. The separation device has a hollow-cylindrical separation portion and a funnel-shaped outlet portion for the refrigerant, which outlet portion protrudes into the hollow-cylindrical separation portion, forming an annular space. The separation device, by use of a portion end of the separation portion, sits inside a receptacle in the compressor housing, which receptacle is connected to a lubricant reservoir. The separation device, by means of the outlet portion, at least partially sits inside the outlet. The separation device is securely held in the compressor housing by an interlocking connection such that it is prevented from twisting and/or axial displacement.

Claims

1. A compressor module, comprising: a compressor housing having a high-pressure chamber and an outlet for a compressed refrigerant and a separation apparatus being received in said high-pressure chamber for separating a lubricant being mixed with the refrigerant, said compressor housing further having a receiving member, said separation apparatus having a hollow-cylindrical separation portion and a funnel-shaped outlet portion protruding therein with an annular space being formed for the refrigerant; a lubricant reservoir connected to said receiving member, said separation apparatus resting with a portion end of said hollow-cylindrical separation portion in said receiving member, and with said funnel-shaped outlet portion at least partially in said outlet; and said separation apparatus being securely retained in said compressor housing by means of a form-locking connection so as to prevent torsion and/or axial displacement.

2. The compressor module according to claim 1, wherein said form-locking connection is produced by means of a snap-fitting connection.

3. The compressor module according to claim 1, wherein: said compressor housing has a plurality form-locking contours; and said separation apparatus has in a region of said funnel-shaped outlet portion a plurality of form-locking elements which engage in corresponding ones of said form-locking contours formed in said compressor housing.

4. The compressor module according to claim 3, wherein said form-locking elements are disposed with spacing from each other along a circumference of said funnel-shaped outlet portion of said separation apparatus.

5. The compressor module according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said form-locking elements is radially deployed with respect to a center axis of said separation apparatus and protrudes over a circumference of said funnel-shaped outlet portion and/or said separation portion.

6. The compressor module according to claim 5, further comprising radial support webs formed on said funnel-shaped outlet portion of said separation apparatus at an outer side with respect to a center axis, and at least one of said form-locking elements is disposed along one of said radial support webs and/or is formed therefrom.

7. The compressor module according to claim 3, wherein: said compressor housing has a housing wall; and at least one of said form-locking contour is provided in said housing wall which adjoins said outlet and which protrudes into said high-pressure chamber.

8. The compressor module according to claim 7, wherein said housing wall engages partially around said outlet portion of said separation apparatus.

9. The compressor module according to claim 3, wherein: one of said form-locking contours is in a form of a radial groove; and/or one of said form-locking contours is in a form of an axial groove; and/or at least one of said form-locking contours is in a form of a tangential stop and/or an axial stop for a corresponding one of said form-locking elements or acts as such a stop.

10. The compressor module according to claim 1, wherein said receiving member of said compressor housing, which is connected to said lubricant reservoir, is formed as an axial stop for said separation apparatus.

11. The compressor module according to claim 4, wherein said form-locking elements are disposed at said spacing from each other along the circumference of said outlet portion at an angle of 180°.

12. The compressor module according to claim 8, wherein said housing wall engages partially around said funnel-shaped outlet portion of said separation apparatus in a manner of a half-shell.

13. The compressor module according to claim 10, wherein said receiving member is formed with an abutment step.

14. An electric-motor-driven refrigerant compressor for compressing a refrigerant of a motor vehicle, comprising: said compressor module according to claim 1; and a motor module having an electric motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0028] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, longitudinal sectional view of an electric-motor-driven refrigerant compressor having a motor module which has an electric motor and having a compressor module, wherein a separation apparatus for separating a lubricant from a refrigerant is arranged in a high-pressure chamber of the compressor housing thereof;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a side view of the separation apparatus having a cylindrical separation portion and having a funnel-like outlet portion for the separated refrigerant and having two locking-hook-like positive-locking elements in the region of the transition between the separation and outlet portion;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor housing with the separation apparatus resting therein in a positive-locking manner;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the compressor housing according to FIG. 3 having a positive-locking snap-fitting connection between the positive-locking elements of the separation apparatus and corresponding positive-locking contours in a housing wall of the compressor housing;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an enlarged cut-out from FIG. 3 in a region of the snap-fitting connection;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an enlarged cut-out from FIG. 4 in the region of the snap-fit connection;

[0034] FIG. 7 is a perspective view as a cut-out of the compressor housing in the region of a nozzle-like outlet with a radial groove introduced therein as a positive-locking contour with an axial and tangential stop for a locking-projection-like positive-locking element at the free end of the outlet portion of a variant of the separation apparatus; and

[0035] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view as a cut-out of the positive-locking snap-fitting connection between the positive-locking element of the separation apparatus and the radial groove and an axial groove as an additional positive-locking contour in the outlet for a second positive-locking element of the variant of the separation apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] Components and variables which correspond to each other are given the same reference numerals in all the figures.

[0037] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an electric-motor driven compressor 2 or can be constructed as an electric-motor-driven refrigerant compressor in a refrigerant circuit (not illustrated in greater detail) of an air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle. The compressor 2 is constructed in a modular manner and has a motor module 4 having an electric motor 5 which in turn includes a rotor 6 and a stator 8. In addition, the compressor 2 has an electronics compartment 9 which receives an electronic unit which is not illustrated in greater detail for controlling the electric motor 5. Furthermore, the compressor 2 has a compressor module 10 which is connected to the motor module 4.

[0038] The compressor module 10 has a substantially pot-like compressor housing 12 having a housing base 14 and having a housing wall 16. In the compressor housing 12, a compressor portion 18 which is in the form of a scroll compressor here and which is drivingly connected to the electric motor 5 of the motor module 4 is supported. The compressor portion 18 has a first, compressor portion element (a fixed scroll) 20 which is fixed with respect to the compressor housing 12 and a second movable compressor portion element (a movable scroll) 22 which engages therein.

[0039] Within the compressor 2, there is provided a lubricant S which serves to lubricate the compressor portion 18 and which performs a sealing function so that between the compressor portion elements (scrolls) 20 and 22 leaks are prevented. As a result of operation, a refrigerant K which is compressed by means of the compressor portion 18 and the lubricant S are mixed in this case. The refrigerant K flows at the low-pressure side of the compressor portion 18 through a compressor portion inlet 24 into a compressor portion chamber 26. At that location, the admixture or fluid F containing the refrigerant K and lubricant S is condensed (compressed), wherein the compressor portion 18 acts in the manner of a positive-displacement pump. Subsequently, the admixture F flows out of the compressor portion 18 through a high-pressure-side compressor portion outlet 28 into a high-pressure chamber 30 of the compressor housing 12.

[0040] The radial direction with respect to the compressor housing 12 and the axial direction perpendicularly to the housing base 14 in the direction of the compressor portion 18 are designated R or A in the adjacent directional diagram.

[0041] A separation apparatus 32 which is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 in a comparatively detailed manner is introduced into the high-pressure chamber 30. The center axis M of the separation apparatus 32—and consequently the axial direction A′ and radial direction R′ thereof—is with respect to the compressor 2 according to FIG. 1 or the compressor housing 12 thereof orientated in the radial direction R thereof. The separation apparatus 32 serves to separate the lubricant S which is mixed with the refrigerant K in a lubricant reservoir 34 in the manner of a centrifugal force separator. The housing wall 16 has a nozzle-like or bore-like outlet 36 through which the refrigerant K which is separated from the lubricant S flows away into the refrigerant circuit, which is indicated with the arrow designated K.

[0042] The separation apparatus 32 has a hollow-cylindrical separation portion 32a and a funnel-like outlet portion 32b, which protrudes therein with an annular space 38 being formed, for the refrigerant K. The separation apparatus 32 rests with a separation portion end 40 of the separation portion 32a in a (housing-side) receiving member 42 of the compressor housing 12 which is connected to the lubricant reservoir 34. With an outlet-side portion end 41 of the outlet portion 32b, the separation apparatus rests in the outlet (outlet nozzle, outlet bore) 36 of the compressor housing 12 (FIG. 4). In this instance, the separation apparatus 32 is retained in the compressor housing 12, preferably only or exclusively in a positive-locking manner.

[0043] As can be seen comparatively clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the separation apparatus 32 is constructed in one piece. In other words, the separation apparatus 32a and the outlet portion 32b are constructed in a coherent (monolithic) manner. The separation apparatus 32 is, for example, produced by means of an injection-molding method as a plastics material insertion component for plug-in assembly. The funnel-like or conical outlet portion 32b extends with a transition region 32c being formed into the hollow-cylindrical separation portion 32a. In this instance, the annular space 38 is formed between the inner wall of the hollow-cylindrical separation portion 32a and the outer wall of the wall part (wall portion) 32d, which protrudes into the separation portion 32a, of the outlet portion 32b. There opens therein an inlet opening 44 which is elongate-hole-like in the embodiment (FIG. 4) and which is provided in the outer wall of the separation portion 32a and via which the fluid F which comprises refrigerant K and lubricant (refrigerant/oil admixture) S and which flows into the high-pressure chamber 30 of the compressor module 12 reaches the annular space 38 of the separation apparatus 32, by means of which the lubricant (oil) S is separated from the refrigerant K.

[0044] The fluid F which flows via an inlet opening 44 into the separation apparatus 32 flows around helically (in the manner of a cyclone) the wall portion 32d of the separation apparatus 32 in the direction of the lubricant reservoir 34, wherein the centrifugal force acting on the refrigerant K which is contained in the fluid F and the lubricant S which is contained in the fluid F acts as a separation mechanism. Subsequently, the refrigerant K which has been separated from the lubricant S flows away through the outlet portion 32b and via the outlet 36 into the refrigerant circuit. The separated lubricant S is returned in a manner not illustrated in greater detail to the fixed scroll 20 and to bearings (roller or ball bearings) 45 of the electric motor 5 in order to lubricate and/or cool them.

[0045] According to FIGS. 3 and 4, the compressor housing 12 has an annular wall 46 on which the fixed scroll 20 rests in a sealing manner. The inner annular region, which is delimited by the annular wall 46 and the housing base 14 and a base plate 48 (FIG. 1) of the fixed scroll 20 forms the high-pressure chamber 30 of the compressor module 10. Between the inner annular wall 46 and the (outer) housing wall 16 of the compressor housing 12 an annular housing space 50 is formed.

[0046] As can further be seen comparatively clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6, there is provided in the compressor housing 12 a housing wall 52 which adjoins the outlet 36 and—with respect to the center axis M (FIG. 2) of the separation apparatus 32—extends axially (in the axial direction A′) into the high-pressure chamber 30. The housing wall 52 is formed on the annular wall 46 and on the housing base 14 of the compressor housing 12 or is formed therefrom. The housing wall 52 is constructed in the manner of a half-shell (FIG. 4) which engages around the outlet portion 32b of the separation apparatus 32 over a portion of the circumference thereof.

[0047] According to FIG. 2, the separation apparatus 32 has a number of positive-locking elements 54. In the embodiment, two such positive-locking elements 54 are positioned along the circumference of the outlet portion 32b of the separation apparatus 32 with spacing from each other at an angle of 180°. The positive-locking elements 54 are in the form of locking or snap-fitting hooks with radially (with respect to the center axis M of the separation apparatus 32 in the radial direction R′) deployed hook ends 56 which protrude beyond the circumference of the outlet portion 32b. In other words, the (outer) diameter d′ of the separation apparatus 32 in the region of the radially deployed hook ends 56 of the positive-locking elements 54 is greater than the (outer) diameter d of the separation apparatus 32 along the axial direction A′ thereof between the separation-side portion end 40 and the outlet-side portion end 41.

[0048] As can also be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, radial support webs 58 are formed on the outlet portion 32b of the separation apparatus 32 at the outer side with respect to the center axis M of the separation apparatus 32. In the embodiment, four such support webs 58 are provided offset from each other through 90° in each case. The support webs 58 are in alignment with the outer circumference (outer diameter d) of the separation portion 32a and supplement the funnel-like outlet portion 32b to form the outer diameter d of the separation portion 32a of the separation apparatus 32. The support webs 58 serve to prevent tilting of the separation apparatus 32 in the region of the outlet or outlet nozzle 36 of the compressor housing 12.

[0049] The respective positive-locking element 54 is arranged along one of the radial support webs 58. In this instance, those radial support webs 58, along which the respective positive-locking element 54 is arranged, are axially shortened with respect to the center axis M of the separation apparatus 32 so as to form a web-free axial portion along which the respective positive-locking element 54 extends axially (in an axial direction A′). The respective positive-locking element 54 is formed in the transition portion 32c in which the funnel-like outlet portion 32b merges into the (hollow) cylindrical separation portion with a fixed end 60 being formed. In this instance, the positive-locking element 54 extends from the fixed end 60 thereof at the transition portion 32c along the conically expanding outlet portion 32b in the direction of the outlet-side portion end 41 thereof without any abutment. In other words, the loose end of the positive-locking element 54 extends with the hook end 56 which is in the form of a locking or snap-fitting hook with spacing or with a gap being formed along the funnel-like or conical outlet portion 32b of the separation apparatus 32.

[0050] The positive-locking elements 54 engage in corresponding positive-locking contours 62, 64 of the compressor housing 12. The positive-locking contour 62 is in the form of a radial groove. This groove extends in the housing wall 52 radially, that is to say, with respect to the center axis M of the separation apparatus 32 in a radial direction R′, and opens into the high-pressure chamber 30, that is to say, is open relative thereto. The positive-locking contour 64 is in the form of an axial groove. This groove extends axially in the housing wall 52, that is to say, with respect to the center axis M of the separation apparatus 32 in an axial direction A′ and opens in the high-pressure chamber 30, that is to say, is open relative thereto.

[0051] In the embodiment, both positive-locking contours 62, 64 are in the form of a tangential stop for the corresponding positive-locking element 54. In addition, in the embodiment, the receiving member 42, which is connected to the lubricant reservoir 34, of the compressor housing 12 acts as a tangential stop for the separation apparatus 32. To this end, the receiving member 42 is configured in the manner of a stepped bore with an annular abutment step 66 on which the separation apparatus 32 is supported with the separation-side portion end 41 thereof being formed.

[0052] When the separation apparatus 32 is inserted via the outlet 36 into the compressor housing 12, the positive-locking elements 54 engage with the hook ends 56 thereof in the housing-side positive-locking contours 62, 64 in the manner of a snap-fitting connection. In this instance, the positive-locking contours 62, 64 and where applicable the abutment step 66 form the tangential stop as a torsion prevention member of the separation apparatus 32 and the axial stop for securing the separation apparatus 32 against axial displacement in the compressor housing 12. By means of the snap-fitting connection between the separation-side positive-locking elements 54 and the corresponding housing-side positive-locking contours 62, 64, the separation apparatus 32 is retained in the compressor housing 12 in a positive-locking manner and in this instance secured against torsion and axial displacement. An additional non-positive-locking or frictionally engaging connection is not required and preferably also not provided.

[0053] FIGS. 7 and 8 show a variant of the separation apparatus 32 and the positive-locking, again releasable or non-releasable snap-fitting connection thereof in the compressor housing 12. In this instance, the separation apparatus 32 has at the outlet side portion end 41 radially—that is to say, in the radial direction R′—deployed locking elements or snap-fitting hooks as positive-locking elements 54. These elements are positioned at the circumferential side of the separation apparatus 32 at the end side of the outlet portion 32b again offset through 180°. The corresponding positive-locking contours 62, 64 which are arranged in the outlet 36 which is again constructed in the manner of a nozzle or as a bore are again in the form of a radial groove or an axial groove with a tangential stop.

[0054] The claimed invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Instead, other variants of the invention can also be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art in the context of the disclosed claims, without departing from the subject-matter of the claimed invention. In particular, all the individual features which have been described in connection with the various embodiments in the context of the disclosed claims can also be combined in other manners without departing from the subject-matter of the claimed invention.

[0055] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0056] 2 Refrigerant/compressor [0057] 4 Motor module [0058] 5 Electric motor [0059] 6 Rotor [0060] 8 Stator [0061] 9 Electronics compartment [0062] 10 Compressor module [0063] 12 Compressor housing [0064] 14 Housing base [0065] 16 Housing wall [0066] 18 Compressor portion [0067] 20 Fixed compressor portion element/scroll [0068] 22 Movable compressor element/scroll [0069] 24 Compressor portion inlet [0070] 26 Compressor portion chamber [0071] 28 Compressor portion outlet [0072] 30 High-pressure chamber [0073] 32 Separation apparatus [0074] 32a Separation portion [0075] 32b Outlet portion [0076] 32c Transition region [0077] 32d Wall part/wall portion [0078] 34 Lubricant reservoir [0079] 36 Outlet/outlet nozzle [0080] 38 Annular space [0081] 40 Separation-side portion end [0082] 41 Outlet-side portion end [0083] 42 Receiving member [0084] 44 Inlet opening [0085] 45 Bearing [0086] 46 Annular wall [0087] 48 Base plate [0088] 50 Annular housing space [0089] 52 Housing wall [0090] 54 Positive-locking element [0091] 54a Fixed end [0092] 56 Hook end [0093] 58 Support web [0094] 60 Fixed end [0095] 62 Positive-locking contour/radial groove [0096] 64 Positive-locking contour/axial groove [0097] 66 Abutment step

[0098] A Axial direction (compressor) [0099] A′ Axial direction (separation apparatus) [0100] F Admixture/fluid [0101] K Refrigerant [0102] M Center axis [0103] R Radial direction (compressor) [0104] R′ Radial direction (separation apparatus) [0105] S Lubricant/oil [0106] d, d′ (Outer) diameter