Suspension for hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile applications and method of assembly of the suspension for hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application

Abstract

The present invention relates to a suspension disposed between a compression unit and the hermetic housing of hermetic reciprocating compressors for mobile application, such as, for example, application in automotive vehicles and similar, and to the method of assembly of the components that constitute the referred suspension. According to the present invention, it is disclosed a suspension for hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application capable of reducing the effects of an eventual and involuntary sudden movement of the compression unit and also of minimizing the transfer of vibrations and noises deriving from the environment outside the hermetic housing to the compression unit.

Claims

1. A suspension for hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application, the compressor comprising at least one reciprocating compression unit enclosed in a hermetic housing, the suspension comprising: at least one upper end stop, at least one intermediate spring and at least one lower end stop; the at least one upper end stop being associated with the at least one reciprocating compression unit, the at least one lower end stop being associated with the hermetic housing, and the at least one intermediate spring being disposed between the at least one upper end stop and the at least one lower end stop; the at least one lower end stop comprising at least one anchoring structure, at least one damping structure and at least one upper cover; wherein the at least one damping structure is concentrically disposed on the at least one anchoring structure so as to cover the at least one anchoring structure completely; and wherein the at least one upper cover is concentrically disposed on the at least one damping structure so as to cover the at least one damping structure completely; wherein the at least one damping structure comprises a cylindrical body; wherein the at least one damping structure further comprises a bottom annular edge; wherein the at least one upper cover further comprises a bottom annular edge; wherein the bottom annular edge of the at least one upper cover is disposed on the bottom annular edge of the at least one damping structure.

2. The suspension of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical body includes a closed top.

3. The suspension of claim 1 wherein the at least one upper cover comprises a truncated cone with a top partially open.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The present invention patent is described in detail based on the figures below, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view in section of an example of the hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the suspension for the hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application taken from FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the suspension for the hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) According to the schematic figures mentioned above, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in details below. However, it should be clear that both the figures concerned, and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment are merely given as an example and do not limit the invention, since the suspension for hermetic reciprocating compressors for mobile application that are now being disclosed may have different details and structural and dimensional aspects, without leaving the scope of the protection aimed at.

(6) FIG. 1 shows in a schematic way a hermetic reciprocating compressor essentially conventional.

(7) The referred compressor is basically composed by a compression unit 11 enclosed in a hermetic housing 12.

(8) Preferably, the compression unit 11 mentioned is comprised by at least one electric engine, at least one compressor block, which defines the compression cylinder.

(9) Besides, the referred compression unit 11 further provides a functional assembly characteristic of a hermetic reciprocating compressor, which has an assembly of piston-connecting rod-eccentric shaft, and an array of head-valves.

(10) In general, in the case of the compression unit 11 being summed up, we are dealing with a conventional compression unit perfectly known by the technicians skilled in the art, and widely described and researched in the specialized literature. Consequently, the compression unit 11 of the hermetic reciprocating compressor does not constitute the subject matter of the present invention, but in the end defines its technological field.

(11) Moreover the hermetic housing 12 mentioned is, preferably, essentially composed by two bodies able do be physically associated between themselves, defining a hermetic volume or chamber. It is also worth stressing that in the case of a hermetic housing 12 it is a conventional hermetic housing also fully known to the technicians skilled in the art and widely described and researched in the specialized literature.

(12) As has been already mentioned, the compression unit 11 is housed inside the hermetic housing 12, the former supported inside the latter by means of suspensions 1. Preferably, four suspensions 1 are used to support a compression unit 11 inside the hermetic housing 12. Normally, each suspension 1 is attached to a point of the compressor bloc of the compression unit 11 and to a point on the lower inside wall of the hermetic housing 12.

(13) As has already been described in detail, the generic use of suspensions between the compression unit and the hermetic housing, in hermetic reciprocating compressors, is also known to the technicians skilled in the art, and widely described and researched in the specialized literature.

(14) According to the present invention, as referred to and illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the suspension 1 mentioned comprises one upper end stop 2, one intermediate spring 3 and one lower end stop 4, the objective of the present invention referring exclusively to the said lower end stop 4.

(15) Consequently, there is no limitation related to the upper end stop 2 and to the intermediate spring 3.

(16) Preferably, but not as a limitation, the upper end stop 2 comprises in general a kind of cover composed by the annular edge and by a cover that projects from the said annular edge. As can be verified on FIG. 2, the upper end stop 2 is able to be physically associated to a portion of the compressor block of the compression unit 11.

(17) Also preferably, the intermediate spring 3 is comprised by a helical spring with two partially blocked ends that are disposed in parallel. As can be verified on FIG. 2, one of the ends of the intermediate spring 3 is able to be housed/fitted into the upper end stop 2.

(18) The lower end stop 4 in turn is basically comprised of an anchoring structure 41, of a damping structure 42 and of an upper cover 43.

(19) The referred anchoring structure 41 is attached to a portion of the lower inside wall of the hermetic housing 12.

(20) The damping structure 42 is disposed between the anchoring structure 41 and the upper cover 43.

(21) The upper cover 43, therefore, is disposed on the damping structure 42 and receives on its upper face the other end of the intermediate spring 3.

(22) More particularly, and according to the present invention, the damping structure 42 is concentrically disposed on the anchoring structure 41 so as to cover it completely, and the upper cover 43 is concentrically disposed on the damping structure 42 so as to cover is completely.

(23) It is important to stress that the phrase “cover completely”, refers to the act that an element covers the main faces of contact of the other element. However, and as is known to the technicians skilled in the art, mechanical aspects always involve the existence of gaps (voluntary and involuntary) and, thus, the phrase “cover completely” accepts the eventual occurrence of gaps between the elements mentioned above.

(24) These are the two main features of the present invention. Therefore, these two characteristics are especially the ones that, when added up, reach the results and objectives of the present invention, these results and objectives never reached by similar suspensions existing nowadays and pertaining to the state of the art.

(25) Thus it is worth reminding that the chief objectives of the present invention consist in describing a suspension for a hermetic reciprocating compressor especially used in mobile applications.

(26) Consequently, the suspension now disclosed should, at least, be able to reduce the effects of an eventual and involuntary sudden movement of the compression unit and to be able to reduce the transfer of vibrations and noises arising from the environment outside the hermetic housing to the compression unit.

(27) These two needs are fully met with the suspension 1 now being disclosed, and especially, with the lower end stop 4 being disclosed here.

(28) When eventual and involuntary sudden movements of the compression unit occur, due to the mobile application of the hermetic reciprocating compressor, any shock between the upper end stop 2 and the lower end stop 4 is absorbed by the damping structure 42, which—since it covers completely the anchoring structure 41, isolating it from the upper cover 43—prevents greater physical damage to the suspension 1.

(29) It is worth stressing that the suspension described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,335 fails in some points on this issue.

(30) As to the vibrations and noises coming from the environment outside the hermetic housing 12, also due to the mobile application of the hermetic reciprocating compressor, the damping structure 42—since it is completely covered by the upper cover 43—is able to absorb them before they are led to the intermediate spring 3.

(31) It is worth stressing that the suspension described in KR2005052152 fails in some points on this issue.

(32) Thus, achieving at the same time those two technical results, the suspension 1 being now disclosed, and especially the lower end stop 4 have shown that it is capable of being used in hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application.

(33) Moreover, it is worth observing the preferably, the damping structure 42 comprises a cylindrical body with the top closed, further comprising a bottom annular edge 421, as illustrated in detail on the FIG. 3. Moreover and also according to the detailed illustration on FIG. 3, the upper cover 43 consists in a body in the shape of a truncated cone with the top partially open, further comprising a bottom annular edge 431.

(34) The complementary constructions allow for the bottom annular edge 431 of the upper cover 43 to be disposed on the bottom annular edge 421 of the damping structure 42, bringing more security and reliability to the lower end stop 4.

(35) Preferably, and according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the damping structure 42 is built from an elastomeric alloy, having resilient proprieties. The upper cover 43 is built from a polymeric alloy and the anchoring structure 41 is built from a metallic alloy, and may, even comprise a projection defined by the hermetic housing 12 itself.

(36) It is important to stress that the description above has the only objective of describing, as an example, a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(37) Therefore, it is clear that the suspension described in detail above may include some modifications, variations and combinations in construction which, since they have the same function, in substantially the same form, in order to achieve the same results, remain within the scope limited by the claims.

(38) The present invention includes also a method of assembly of the suspension for hermetic reciprocating compressors for mobile application, and especially, the steps of the assembly of the lower end stop 4 of the suspension 1.

(39) In general, those steps, which are in itself novel, comprise:

(40) The attachment of the anchoring structure 41 to the hermetic housing 12 of the hermetic reciprocating compressor for mobile application;

(41) The insertion, by pressure, of the damping structure 42 on the anchoring structure 41; and

(42) The insertion, by pressure, of upper cover 43 on the damping structure 42.

(43) Those steps are, compared to the steps of the assembly of the suspension described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,335, substantially simpler and faster to be conducted.

(44) In other words, those steps alone are enough for the assembly of the lower end stop 4 in the way it will be kept in the compressor, that is, no other optional steps are necessary besides those three simple steps. To this end, it should be observed, for example, that the steps of the assembly of the suspension described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,335 are finished by simply hitting the main pin of this suspension.

(45) Preferably, but not as a limitation, the attachment of the anchoring structure 41 on the hermetic housing 12 may be made by welding.

(46) Preferably, but not as a limitation, the insertion, by pressure, of the damping structure 42 on the anchoring structure 41 may be made by hand, or by appropriate machines, already commonplace in factory plants now in existence. It is important to stress that during the insertion, by pressure, of the damping structure 42, the referred damping structure 42 undergoes physical elastic deformation, but does not alter any condition of the anchoring structure 41 (as it does in U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,335).

(47) Preferably, but not as a limitation, the insertion, by pressure of the upper cover 43 on the damping structure 42 may be done by hand, or by appropriate machines already commonplace in factory plants now in existence. It is important to stress that during the insertion, by pressure, of the upper cover 43 on the damping structure 42, the referred damping structure 42 undergoes physical elastic deformation.