1
FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]
HERMETIC COMPRESSOR
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, A CORPORATION ORGANISED AND
EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF JAPAN, WHOSE ADDRESS IS 7-3,
MARUNOUCHI 2-CHOME, CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-8310, JAPAN
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE INVENTION
AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.
2
DESCRIPTION
5 Technical Field
[0001]
The present disclosure relates to a hermetic compressor used in a refrigeration
cycle of an air-conditioning device, a refrigerator, a refrigerating machine, or other
such equipment.
10 Background Art
[0002]
As hermetic compressors, there is a known rotary compressor in which an
electric motor unit and a compression mechanism unit are disposed in a sealed
container, the electric motor unit including a stator and a rotor, the compression
15 mechanism unit being coupled with the electric motor unit via a rotary shaft and
compressing refrigerant by the rotation of the rotary shaft. In this rotary compressor,
when the rotary shaft is rotated by the electric motor unit, the compression
mechanism unit is driven. With such driving of the compression mechanism unit,
refrigerant gas at low pressure suctioned from a suction pipe is compressed by the
20 compression mechanism unit, thus becoming refrigerant gas at high pressure, and
the refrigerant gas is discharged to the outside of the sealed container from a
discharge pipe.
[0003]
The compression mechanism unit includes a cylinder having a cylindrical
25 shape, a rolling piston, bearings, and a vane, the rolling piston being fitted on the
eccentric shaft portion of the rotary shaft, the bearings being provided on both end
surfaces of the cylinder in the axial direction, and supporting the rotary shaft in a
rotatable manner, the vane being slidably disposed in a vane groove formed in the
cylinder. Both end surfaces of the cylinder in the axial direction are closed by end
30 plate portions of the bearings, and the vane biased by a vane spring is brought into
3
contact with the rolling piston housed in the cylinder, so that a compression chamber
is formed.
[0004]
The vane spring that biases the vane is accommodated in a vane spring
insertion hole formed in the cylinder, and is held by the cylinder. 5 In such a
configuration, a biasing force of the vane spring is restricted by the entire length of the
vane spring insertion hole formed between the back surface of the vane and an
intermediate container and hence, a sufficient free length of the vane spring cannot
be ensured. Therefore, when the vane reaches the top dead center of reciprocating
10 motion, the entire length of the vane spring reaches the maximum length at which the
vane spring causes the vane to not only be brought into contact with but also be
brought into close contact with the rolling piston and hence, excessive stress is
generated in the vane spring. As a result, there is a possibility that the biasing force
of the vane spring is reduced, or the vane spring breaks due to fatigue of the vane
15 spring caused by usage over a long period.
[0005]
In view of the above, a rotary compressor is proposed where a cylindrical
protruding container that houses a vane spring is provided to an intermediate
container to extend the mounting distance of the vane spring in the intermediate
20 container radial direction, so that stress generated in the vane spring can be reduced
(see Patent Literature 1, for example).
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0006]
25 Patent Literature 1: Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 52-56484
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0007]
In the case where such a rotary compressor includes a cylindrical protruding
30 container that houses the vane spring protruding outward from the outer diameter of
4
the cylindrical intermediate container standing in a direction perpendicular to the
horizontal plane, the shape of the protruding container increases not only in the
intermediate container vertical direction but also in the intermediate container
circumferential direction in the same manner. Therefore, there is a possibility that
the protruding container and an accumulator pipe interfere with each 5 other. In view
of the above, it is possible to consider taking the countermeasure of avoiding the
interference between the protruding container and the accumulator pipe by setting the
length of the protruding container in the intermediate container circumferential
direction to be shorter than the length of the protruding container in the intermediate
10 container vertical direction.
[0008]
However, in the protruding container having a non-cylindrical shape where the
length in the intermediate container circumferential direction is shorter than the length
in the intermediate container vertical direction, a length of the protruding container
15 differs between the intermediate container circumferential direction and the
intermediate container vertical direction and hence, a difference occurs in rigidity.
Therefore, when internal pressure caused by refrigerant gas that is increased in
pressure in the compression chamber is applied to the protruding container in the
outward direction in the intermediate container radial direction, a difference occurs in
20 the amount of expansion between the intermediate container circumferential direction
and the intermediate container vertical direction and hence, stress concentrates at the
joint portion between the intermediate container and the protruding container in the
intermediate container vertical direction. As a result, pressure resistance
performance of the sealed container is lowered. Accordingly, it is necessary to avoid
25 stress concentration.
[0009]
The present disclosure has been made to overcome the above-mentioned
problem, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a hermetic
compressor that can avoid the lowering of pressure resistance performance of a
30 sealed container.
5
Solution to Problem
[0010]
A hermetic compressor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure
is a hermetic compressor where a compression mechanism unit and an electric motor
unit that drives the compression mechanism unit are provided in a 5 sealed container,
and the compression mechanism unit is driven by the electric motor unit coupled via a
rotary shaft, wherein the compression mechanism unit includes a cylinder having an
annular shape, a rolling piston configured to eccentrically rotate with rotation of the
rotary shaft, a vane configured to reciprocate in a radial direction of the cylinder, a
10 vane spring provided for causing the vane to slide, and a spring guide provided for
fixing the vane spring, the cylinder has a compression chamber defined by the rolling
piston and the vane, and the sealed container includes a protruding container
configured to house the spring guide, the protruding container being provided in an
outwardly protruding manner from the sealed container, and a reinforcement portion
15 configured to suppress deformation of the protruding container.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0011]
In the hermetic compressor according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure, rigidity of the protruding container is increased by the reinforcement
20 portion and hence, it is possible to suppress outward expansion of the protruding
container caused by refrigerant gas that is increased in pressure in the compression
chamber. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid stress concentration generated at the
joint portion between the sealed container and the protruding container and hence, it
is possible to avoid the lowering of pressure resistance performance of the sealed
25 container.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0012]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a schematic
configuration of a hermetic compressor according to Embodiment 1 of the present
30 disclosure.
6
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing a compression
mechanism unit of the hermetic compressor shown in Fig. 1 in an enlarged manner.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a reinforcement portion of the
hermetic compressor shown in Fig. 1 in an enlarged manner.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing 5 a compression
mechanism unit of a hermetic compressor according to a modification of Embodiment
1 of the present disclosure in an enlarged manner.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification of the reinforcement
portion shown in Fig. 3 in an enlarged manner.
10 [Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modification of the reinforcement
portion shown in Fig. 3 in an enlarged manner.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a schematic
configuration of a hermetic compressor according to Embodiment 2 of the present
disclosure.
15 [Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a reinforcement portion of the
hermetic compressor shown in Fig. 7 in an enlarged manner.
Description of Embodiments
[0013]
hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with
20 reference to drawings. modes of constitutional elements described in the entire
description are merely for the sake of example, and are not limited to the description.
that is, the present disclosure may be suitably modified without departing from the gist
or concept of the disclosure that can be read from the claims and entire description.
hermetic compressors with such modifications are also included in the technical
25 concept of the present disclosure. in the respective drawings, components given the
same reference symbols are identical or corresponding components, and the same
applies for the entire description. in the description of embodiments, arrangements
and directions, such as "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "front side" and
"back side" are merely used for the sake of convenience of the description, and do
7
not limit the arrangement, direction or the like of a device, equipment, and
component, for example.
[0014]
Embodiment 1.

A hermetic compressor 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present
disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal
cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the hermetic compressor
100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a transverse
10 cross-sectional view showing a compression mechanism unit 6 of the hermetic
compressor 100 shown in Fig. 1 in an enlarged manner. Fig. 3 is a perspective view
showing a reinforcement portion 16 of the hermetic compressor 100 shown in Fig. 1
in an enlarged manner.
[0015]
15 The hermetic compressor 100 is a high-pressure dome type vertical
multicylinder rotary compressor, for example. The hermetic compressor 100
includes a sealed container 17 including an upper container 1, an intermediate
container 2, a lower container 3, a protruding container 4, and a protruding container
lid 5. The hermetic compressor 100 is also configured to include the compression
20 mechanism unit 6 and an electric motor unit 7, which are accommodated in the
sealed container 17. The compression mechanism unit 6 compresses refrigerant.
The electric motor unit 7 drives the compression mechanism unit 6.
[0016]
The sealed container 17 includes the intermediate container 2, the lower
25 container 3, and the upper container 1. The intermediate container 2 has a
cylindrical shape. The lower container 3 covers the lower opening port of the
intermediate container 2 in a sealed state. The upper container 1 covers the upper
opening port of the intermediate container 2 in the sealed state. The electric motor
unit 7 is provided in the intermediate container 2 at a position close to the upper side
30 of the intermediate container 2, and the compression mechanism unit 6 is provided in
8
the intermediate container 2 at a position close to the lower side of the intermediate
container 2. The electric motor unit 7 and the compression mechanism unit 6 are
coupled with each other by a rotary shaft 10 of the electric motor unit 7, and the
rotational motion of the electric motor unit 7 is transmitted to the compression
5 mechanism unit 6.
[0017]
The compression mechanism unit 6 compresses refrigerant by a transmitted
rotational force, and releases the refrigerant into the sealed container 17 through a
discharge hole 20 described later. That is, the inside of the sealed container 17 is
10 filled with a compressed refrigerant gas at high temperature and high pressure.
Refrigerating machine oil for lubricating the compression mechanism unit 6 is stored
in the lower container 3, which forms the bottom portion of the sealed container 17.
An oil pump is provided at a lower portion of the rotary shaft 10. The oil pump
pumps the above-mentioned refrigerating machine oil due to the rotation of the rotary
15 shaft 10, and supplies the refrigerating machine oil to respective sliding portions of
the compression mechanism unit 6. With such a configuration, the mechanical
lubricating action of the compression mechanism unit 6 is ensured. Polyol ester
(POE), polyvinyl ether (PVE), alkylbenzene (AB) or other oil, each of which is
synthetic oil, is used as the refrigerating machine oil.
20 [0018]
The electric motor unit 7 may be a brushless direct current (DC) motor, for
example. The electric motor unit 7 includes a stator 71 having a cylindrical shape
and a rotor 72 having a columnar shape, the stator 71 being fixed to the inner
periphery of the intermediate container 2, the rotor 72 being disposed on the inner
25 side of the stator 71 in a rotatable manner. The stator 71 is formed with an outer
diameter set to be greater than the inner diameter of the intermediate container 2,
and is fixed to the inner periphery of the intermediate container 2 by shrink fitting. A
magnetic pole is formed on the rotor 72 by a permanent magnet. The rotor 72
rotates due to the action of a magnetic flux formed by the magnetic pole on the rotor
30 72 and a magnetic flux formed by the stator 71.
9
[0019]
The case where the electric motor unit 7 is a brushless DC motor has been
described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above. The electric
motor unit 7 may be an induction motor, for example. In the case of the induction
motor, a secondary winding is provided to the rotor 72 in place 5 of the permanent
magnet, and a stator winding provided to the stator 71 induces a magnetic flux to the
secondary winding on the rotor 72 to generate a rotational force, and the rotor 72 is
rotated by the rotational force.
[0020]
10 Although illustration is omitted in Embodiment 1 for the sake of convenience,
the rotary shaft 10 includes a main shaft portion, an eccentric shaft portion, and a
sub-shaft portion, and the main shaft portion, the eccentric shaft portion, and the subshaft
portion are integrally formed in that order in the axial direction. The eccentric
shaft portion is fitted into a rolling piston 11.
15 [0021]

Next, the configuration of the compression mechanism unit 6 will be described.
The compression mechanism unit 6 includes two cylinders 9, two rolling pistons 11,
and two vanes 12 between an upper bearing 13a and a lower bearing 13b, forming
20 bearing portions, such that the two cylinders 9 are arranged vertically, the two rolling
pistons 11 are arranged vertically, and the two vanes 12 are arranged vertically along
the axial direction of the rotary shaft 10. In addition to the above, the compression
mechanism unit 6 is configured to further include vane springs 14 for sliding the
vanes 12, and spring guides 15 for fixing the vane springs 14. That is, the
25 compression mechanism unit 6 has a multicylinder compression mechanism including
the two cylinders 9 arranged vertically, the two rolling pistons 11 arranged vertically,
the two vanes 12 arranged vertically, the two vane springs 14 arranged vertically, and
the two spring guides 15 arranged vertically as described above. The compression
mechanism unit 6 is provided with an accumulator 8 for muffling refrigerant noise.
30 The accumulator 8 is disposed outside and adjacent to the sealed container 17, and
10
is connected to upper and lower compression mechanisms via accumulator pipes 18.
These two compression mechanisms have substantially the same configuration and
hence, only one of these two compression mechanisms will be described hereinafter
for the sake of convenience.
5 [0022]
As shown in Fig. 2, the cylinder 9 is formed into a cylindrical shape having a
circular hole extending in the axial direction, and has a compression chamber 21
defined by the hole, the upper bearing 13a, and the lower bearing 13b. The
compression chamber 21 is provided with the eccentric shaft portion of the rotary
10 shaft 10 (see Fig. 1), the rolling piston 11, and the vane 12. The eccentric shaft
portion of the rotary shaft 10 performs eccentric motion in the compression chamber
21. The eccentric shaft portion is fitted in the rolling piston 11. The vane 12
partitions a space defined by the inner periphery of the compression chamber 21 and
the outer periphery of the rolling piston 11.
15 [0023]
The compression mechanism unit 6 includes the rolling piston 11 that
eccentrically rotates relative to the center axis of the cylinder 9 and the rotary shaft 10
while coming into contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 9 due to the rotation of the
rotary shaft 10 (see Fig. 1) joined with the electric motor unit 7. The compression
20 mechanism unit 6 also includes the vane 12 that is pressed against the rolling piston
11 by the vane spring 14, and reciprocates in the radial direction of the cylinder 9
while being in contact with the rolling piston 11. The rolling piston 11 and the vane
12 form the compression chamber 21 in the compression mechanism unit 6. The
cylinder 9 has a suction hole 19 that makes the accumulator 8 and the accumulator
25 pipe 18 communicate with the compression chamber 21. With the rotation of the
rotary shaft 10, the compression chamber 21 compresses refrigerant gas that passed
through the accumulator pipe 18 from the accumulator 8 and that is suctioned from
the suction hole 19, and the compression chamber 21 discharges the refrigerant gas
that is increased in pressure from the discharge hole 20 to the inside of the sealed
30 container 17, being the outside of the compression mechanism unit 6.
11
[0024]
As shown in Fig. 1, the upper bearing 13a is formed into an inverted T shape
as viewed in a side view. The upper bearing 13a closes the upper opening port of
the compression chamber 21, and supports the main shaft portion of the rotary shaft
10 in a rotatable manner. The upper bearing 13a has the discharge 5 hole 20 (see Fig.
2) through which compressed refrigerant gas at high temperature and high pressure
is discharged to the outside of the compression chamber 21. The lower bearing 13b
is formed into a T shape as viewed in a side view. The lower bearing 13b closes the
lower opening port of the compression chamber 21, and supports the sub-shaft
10 portion of the rotary shaft 10 in a rotatable manner.
[0025]
The material for forming the cylinder 9, the upper bearing 13a, and the lower
bearing 13b may be gray cast iron, sintered steel, carbon steel, for example. The
material for forming the rolling piston 11 may be alloy steel containing chromium and
15 the like, for example. The material for forming the vane 12 may be high speed tool
steel, for example.
[0026]
The spring guide 15 in Embodiment 1 is fixed to the cylinder 9. Further, the
vane spring 14 is fixed to the spring guide 15, and is guided when the vane spring 14
20 expands and contracts and hence, twist of the vane spring 14 is prevented. The
vane 12 slides along the cylinder 9. Therefore, by directly fixing the spring guide 15
to the cylinder 9, position accuracy of the vane spring 14 and the vane 12 is ensured.
[0027]
The protruding container has one end portion joined to the intermediate
25 container 2, and is provided with the protruding container lid 5 at the other end portion
on a side opposite to the one end portion, the protruding container lid 5 being
provided for sealing the protruding container 4. The protruding container 4 is fixed to
the intermediate container 2. After the cylinders 9 are inserted into the intermediate
container 2, and the spring guides 15 and the vane springs 14 are fixed, the
30 protruding container lid 5 is joined to the protruding container 4 by a joining method
12
with low heat input, such as resistance welding or high frequency brazing. With such
a configuration, the protruding container 4 has a structure that is sealed by the
protruding container lid 5 while preventing distortion of the spring guides 15 and the
vane springs 14 caused by heat.
5 [0028]
Examples of a method for fixing the protruding container 4 and the intermediate
container 2 with each other and a method for joining the protruding container 4 and
the protruding container lid 5 with each other are as follows. When both the
protruding container 4 and the protruding container lid 5 are made of iron, the
10 protruding container 4 and the intermediate container 2 can be joined with each other
by resistance welding, and the protruding container 4 and the protruding container lid
5 can be joined with each other by resistance welding. When the protruding
container lid 5 is made of copper or iron plated with copper, the protruding container 4
and the protruding container lid 5 may be joined with each other by brazing. The
15 protruding container 4 houses the spring guides 15 and hence, there is no possibility
that the number of protruding containers 4 is greater than the number of spring guides
15.
[0029]
The protruding container 4 has a non-cylindrical shape, such as a rectangular
20 shape or an oblong shape, and houses the spring guides 15. The internal space of
the protruding container 4 is sealed due to the joining of the protruding container 4
with the intermediate container 2 and the joining of the protruding container 4 with the
protruding container lid 5. Therefore, the sealed container 17 receives an internal
pressure due to refrigerant gas that is increased in pressure in the compression
25 chamber 21, thus expanding outward in the radial direction of the sealed container.
In the non-cylindrical protruding container 4, a difference occurs in the amount of
expansion, caused by an internal pressure, between the circumferential direction of
the sealed container and the vertical direction of the sealed container. Accordingly,
when stress concentration caused by a non-uniform internal pressure is generated at
30 the joint portion between the protruding container 4 and the intermediate container 2,
13
cracks are generated at the joint portion between the intermediate container 2 and the
end portion of the protruding container 4 in the vertical direction of the intermediate
container. Hereinafter, the vertical direction of the sealed container 17 in the
protruding container 4 is referred to as "intermediate container vertical direction".
The circumferential direction of the sealed container 17 in the protruding 5 container 4
is referred to as "intermediate container circumferential direction". The radial
direction of the sealed container 17 in the protruding container 4 is referred to as
"intermediate container radial direction".
[0030]
10
In the case of the hermetic compressor 100 of Embodiment 1, the
reinforcement portion 16 is provided to the inside of the protruding container 4, the
reinforcement portion 16 being a plate material extending along the center axis of the
protruding container 4 for suppressing deformation of the protruding container 4. As
15 shown in Fig. 3, the reinforcement portion 16 has a cutting board shape, for example.
Both side surfaces 16a and 16b extending in the longitudinal direction are joined to
the inner wall of the protruding container 4, and one end portion 16c is brought into
contact with the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate container 2. Both side
surfaces 16a and 16b of the reinforcement portion 16 are joined to the inner wall of
20 the protruding container 4 in the intermediate container circumferential direction, thus
allowing equalization of the amount of expansion to reduce the difference in the
amount of expansion of the non-cylindrical protruding container 4 between the
intermediate container circumferential direction and the intermediate container vertical
direction, the expansion being caused by an internal pressure applied to the non25
cylindrical protruding container 4. With such a configuration, it is possible to alleviate
the stress concentration generated at the joint portion between the intermediate
container 2 and the end portion of the protruding container 4 in the intermediate
container vertical direction.
[0031]
14
Specifically, rigidity of the protruding container 4 is enhanced against a force in
the outward direction in the intermediate container circumferential direction due to the
joining of the reinforcement portion 16 to the protruding container 4 and hence, a
force is generated against the expansion of the protruding container 4 in the
intermediate container circumferential direction, the expansion 5 being caused by an
internal pressure applied to the protruding container 4, whereby the generation of
stress is suppressed. A position where the reinforcement portion 16 is joined to the
protruding container 4 in the intermediate container radial direction is within the range
from the outer diameter of the intermediate container 2 to a position where the
10 reinforcement portion 16 does not come into contact with the protruding container lid
5. Further, a position where the reinforcement portion 16 is joined to the protruding
container 4 in the intermediate container vertical direction is within a range between
the centers of the two spring guides 15.
[0032]
15 The reinforcement portion 16 is joined in the horizontal direction without coming
into contact with the spring guides 15, which are housed in the protruding container 4,
and hence, it is possible to prevent a force from being applied to the spring guides 15
at the time of expansion of the sealed container 17 caused by refrigerant gas. The
reinforcement portion 16 is joined in a state where the reinforcement portion 16 does
20 not come into contact with the protruding container lid 5. Accordingly, it is possible to
prevent that, at the time of expansion of the sealed container 17 caused by refrigerant
gas, the protruding container lid 5 expands outward in the sealed container
circumferential direction, thus applying a force to the reinforcement portion 16,
leading to breakage of the reinforcement portion 16.
25 [0033]
When the reinforcement portion 16 is made of iron, the reinforcement portion
16 can be joined to the internal space wall surface of the protruding container 4 by
resistance welding or laser welding. The reinforcement portion 16 may also be
joined to the internal space wall surface of the protruding container 4 by furnace
30 brazing or arc welding.
15
[0034]

A modification of the reinforcement portion 16 will be described with reference
to Fig. 4 to Fig. 6. Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing a
compression mechanism unit 6 of a hermetic compressor 100 5 according to the
modification of Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure in an enlarged manner. Fig.
5 is a perspective view showing a modification of the reinforcement portion 16 shown
in Fig. 3 in an enlarged manner. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modification
of the reinforcement portion 16 shown in Fig. 3 in an enlarged manner.
10 [0035]
The reinforcement portion 16 made of a plate material has a rectangular shape
as a basic shape. The shape of the reinforcement portion 16 may be modified to
prevent the formation of a stress concentrated portion in the reinforcement portion 16
per se due to an excessive increase in rigidity caused by the reinforcement portion 16.
15 For example, as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, both side portions 161a and 161b of a
reinforcement portion 161 extending in the longitudinal direction has a shape
substantially equal to that of the above-mentioned reinforcement portion 16.
However, one end portion 161c may have an arc shape bent outward.
[0036]
20 In this case, the one end portion 161c of the reinforcement portion 161 has an
arc shape and hence, a distance between inner walls in the intermediate container
circumferential direction substantially matches the diameter of an arc shape in the
internal space of the protruding container 4. The one end portion 161c of the
reinforcement portion 161, located at a position close to the intermediate container 2,
25 has an arc shape and hence, there is no possibility of the generation of stress
concentration in the reinforcement portion 161 per se whereby it is possible to further
alleviate the stress concentration generated at the joint portion between the
protruding container 4 and the intermediate container 2.
[0037]
16
As shown in Fig. 6, both side portions 162a and 162b of a reinforcement
portion 162 extending in the longitudinal direction may have a fillet shape. In this
case, both side portions 162a and 162b of the reinforcement portion 162 have a fillet
shape, both side portions 162a and 162b being joined to wall surfaces of the
protruding container 4 in the intermediate container circumferential 5 direction. With
such a configuration, rigidity of the protruding container 4 is enhanced against a force
acting outward in the intermediate container circumferential direction. Accordingly, it
is possible to prevent breakage at the joint portions between both side portions 162a
and 162b of the reinforcement portion 162 and the protruding container 4, the
10 breakage being caused by expansion of the protruding container 4 in the intermediate
container circumferential direction caused by an internal pressure applied to the
protruding container 4.
[0038]

15 The manner of operation of the hermetic compressor 100 will be described with
reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. When power is supplied to the stator 71 of the electric
motor unit 7, a current flows through the stator 71 and hence, a magnetic flux is
generated. The rotor 72 of the electric motor unit 7 rotates due to the action of the
magnetic flux generated from the stator 71 and the magnetic flux generated from the
20 permanent magnet of the rotor 72. The rotary shaft 10 fixed to the rotor 72 rotates
due to the rotation of the rotor 72. With the rotation of the rotary shaft 10, the rolling
piston 11 of the compression mechanism unit 6 eccentrically rotates in the
compression chamber 21 of the cylinder 9 of the compression mechanism unit 6. A
space between the cylinder 9 and the rolling piston 11 is divided into two, that is, a
25 low-pressure side compression chamber and a high-pressure side compression
chamber, by the vane 12 of the compression mechanism unit 6. With the rotation of
the rotary shaft 10, the volume of the low-pressure side compression chamber and
the volume of the high-pressure side compression chamber vary. In the lowpressure
side compression chamber forming one compression chamber, when the
30 volume gradually increases, gas refrigerant at low pressure is suctioned from the
17
accumulator 8. In the high-pressure side compression chamber forming the other
compression chamber, when the volume gradually reduces, gas refrigerant in the
high-pressure side compression chamber is compressed. The compressed gas
refrigerant at high pressure and high temperature is discharged into a space in the
sealed container 17. Further, the discharged gas refrigerant 5 passes through the
electric motor unit 7, and is then discharged to the outside of the sealed container 17
from a discharge pipe provided at the top portion of the sealed container 17. The
refrigerant discharged to the outside of the sealed container 17 returns to the
accumulator 8 again through a refrigerant circuit.
10 [0039]

As has been described heretofore, in the hermetic compressor 100 of
Embodiment 1, the reinforcement portion 16 is provided in the protruding container 4,
the reinforcement portion 16 being a plate material extending along the center axis of
15 the protruding container 4 for suppressing deformation of the protruding container 4.
Both side surfaces 16a and 16b of the reinforcement portion 16 extending in the
longitudinal direction are joined with the inner walls of the protruding container 4 in
the intermediate container circumferential direction, and one end portion 16c of the
reinforcement portion 16 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of
20 the intermediate container 2. With such a configuration, it is possible to allow
equalization of the amount of expansion to reduce the difference in the amount of
expansion of the non-cylindrical protruding container 4 between the intermediate
container circumferential direction and the intermediate container vertical direction,
the expansion being caused by an internal pressure applied to the non-cylindrical
25 protruding container 4 and hence, it is possible to prevent the protruding container 4
from expanding outward due to refrigerant gas compressed in the compression
chamber 21. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid the stress concentration generated
at the joint portion between the intermediate container 2 and the end portion of the
protruding container 4 in the intermediate container vertical direction and hence, it is
18
possible to avoid the lowering of pressure resistance performance of the sealed
container 17.
[0040]
With the provision of the reinforcement portion 16 to the protruding container 4,
rigidity of the protruding container 4 is enhanced against a force 5 in the outward
direction in the intermediate container circumferential direction and hence, a force is
generated against expansion of the protruding container 4 in the intermediate
container circumferential direction, the expansion being caused by an internal
pressure applied to the protruding container 4, whereby the generation of stress can
10 be suppressed.
[0041]
Also in the case where a plurality of the spring guides 15 are housed in the
protruding container 4, it is desirable that the reinforcement portion 16 be joined in the
horizontal direction at a position where the reinforcement portion 16 does not come
15 into contact with the spring guides 15. With such a configuration, it is possible to
prevent that a force is applied to the spring guides 15 at the time of expansion of the
sealed container 17 caused by refrigerant gas.
[0042]
In addition to the above, the reinforcement portion 16 is joined such that the
20 reinforcement portion 16 is prevented from coming into contact with the protruding
container lid 5. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent that, at the time of expansion of
the sealed container 17 caused by refrigerant gas, the protruding container lid 5
expands outward in the sealed container circumferential direction, thus applying a
force to the reinforcement portion 16, leading to breakage of the reinforcement portion
25 16.
[0043]
The protruding container 4 includes the reinforcement portion 161 having the
one end portion 161c having an arc shape bent outward, the one end portion 161c
being located at a position close to the intermediate container 2, and hence, a
30 distance between the inner walls in the intermediate container circumferential
19
direction substantially matches the diameter of the arc shape in the internal space of
the protruding container 4. With such a configuration, there is no possibility of
generation of the stress concentration in the reinforcement portion 161 per se and
hence, it is possible to further alleviate the stress concentration generated at the joint
portion between the protruding container 4 and the intermediate 5 container 2.
[0044]
Further, the protruding container 4 includes the reinforcement portion 162
provided with fillets at the joint portions between both side portions 162a and 162b
extending in the longitudinal direction and the wall surfaces of the protruding
10 container 4 in the intermediate container circumferential direction and hence, it is
possible to enhance rigidity of the protruding container 4 against a force acting
outward in the intermediate container circumferential direction. Accordingly, it is
possible to prevent the breakage at the joint portions between both side portions 162a
and 162b of the reinforcement portion 162 and the protruding container 4 caused by
15 expansion of the protruding container 4 in the intermediate container circumferential
direction caused by an internal pressure applied to the protruding container 4.
[0045]
Embodiment 2.
Next, a hermetic compressor 100 according to Embodiment 2 of the present
20 disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a
longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the hermetic
compressor 100 according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. Fig. 8 is a
perspective view showing a reinforcement portion 163 of the hermetic compressor
100 shown in Fig. 7 in an enlarged manner. The hermetic compressor 100 of
25 Embodiment 2 has substantially the same configuration as the above-mentioned
Embodiment 1 except that the reinforcement portions 163, which play a role of
suppressing the deformation of the protruding container 4, are not provided inside but
are provided outside the protruding container 4. Accordingly, in Embodiment 2, the
description for components substantially equal to corresponding components of the
30 above-mentioned Embodiment 1 will be omitted for the sake of convenience.
20
[0046]
Specifically, as shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, in Embodiment 2, each
reinforcement portions 163 is provided between the protruding container 4 and the
intermediate container 2, and is joined to the wall surface of the outer wall of the
protruding container 4, the wall surface extending in the intermediate 5 container radial
direction, and joined to the wall surface of the outer wall of the intermediate container
2, the wall surface extending in the intermediate container vertical direction.
[0047]
When the protruding container 4 and the intermediate container 2 expand due
10 to an internal pressure caused by refrigerant gas that is increased in pressure in the
compression chamber 21, due to the protruding container 4 having a non-cylindrical
shape, a difference occurs in the amount of expansion, caused by the internal
pressure, between the sealed container vertical direction and the sealed container
circumferential direction. Therefore, stress concentration caused by a non-uniform
15 internal pressure is generated at positions of the joint portions between the protruding
container 4 and the intermediate container 2 in the protruding container vertical
direction. In view of the above, each reinforcement portion 163 is provided to the
wall surface of the joint portion between the protruding container 4 and the
intermediate container 2 in the protruding container vertical direction, and to the outer
20 diameter surface of the intermediate container, the outer diameter surface extending
in the vertical direction, the joint portion being a portion where stress concentration is
generated. With such a configuration, although the deformation of the protruding
container 4 in the intermediate container circumferential direction is not suppressed,
rigidity of the protruding container 4 against a force acting in the outward direction in
25 the intermediate container radial direction and rigidity of the intermediate container 2
against a force acting in the upward direction in the intermediate container vertical
direction are enhanced and hence, it is possible to prevent generation of cracks at the
joint portions between the intermediate container 2 and the protruding container 4 in
the intermediate container vertical direction.
30 [0048]
21
Each reinforcement portion 16 is joined to the wall surface of the outer wall of
the protruding container 4, the wall surface extending in the intermediate container
radial direction, and joined to the wall surface of the outer wall of the intermediate
container 2, the wall surface extending in the intermediate container vertical direction.
With such a configuration, there is no additional component on the 5 outer wall of the
intermediate container 2 in the intermediate container circumferential direction and
hence, it is possible to prevent that the joining of the reinforcement portion 16 causes
the reinforcement portion 16 to interfere with the accumulator pipe 18.
[0049]
10 The length of the reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate container
circumferential direction is equal to or less than a distance between the wall surfaces
of the protruding container 4 in the intermediate container circumferential direction,
and the length of the reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate container vertical
direction and the length of the reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate container
15 radial direction are equal to or less than the length of the protruding container 4 in the
radial direction. When the amount of deformation of the intermediate container 2
caused by internal pressure of refrigerant gas that is increased in pressure in the
compression chamber 21 is equal to or greater than the amount of deformation of the
protruding container 4, the length of the reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate
20 container vertical direction is set to be equal to or greater than the length of the
reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate container radial direction. When the
amount of deformation of the intermediate container 2 is equal to or less than the
amount of deformation of the protruding container 4, the length of the reinforcement
portion 16 in the intermediate container vertical direction is set to be equal to or less
25 than the length of the reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate container radial
direction. With such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the difference in
rigidity of the reinforcement portion 16 between the intermediate container vertical
direction and the intermediate container radial direction and hence, it is possible to
prevent an excessive increase in rigidity.
30 [0050]
22
Each reinforcement portion 16 has a structure where the reinforcement portion
16 is made of iron, and has a prismatic shape having a triangular shape shown in Fig.
8 as a basic shape. The reinforcement portion 16 can be joined by resistance
welding or laser welding. The reinforcement portion 16 may also be joined by
furnace brazing 5 or arc welding.
[0051]

As has been described heretofore, in the hermetic compressor 100 of
Embodiment 2, the reinforcement portions 163 are provided between the protruding
10 container 4 and the intermediate container 2. Each reinforcement portion 163 is
joined to the wall surface of the outer wall of the protruding container 4, the wall
surface extending in the intermediate container radial direction, and joined to the wall
surface of the outer wall of the intermediate container 2, the wall surface extending in
the intermediate container vertical direction. That is, each reinforcement portion 163
15 is provided to the wall surface of the joint portion between the protruding container 4
and the intermediate container 2 in the protruding container vertical direction, and to
the outer diameter surface of the intermediate container, the outer diameter surface
extending in the vertical direction, the joint portion being a portion where stress
concentration is generated due to the difference in the amount of expansion, caused
20 by an internal pressure, between the sealed container vertical direction and the
sealed container circumferential direction. With such a configuration, rigidity of the
protruding container 4 against a force acting in the outward direction in the
intermediate container radial direction and rigidity of the intermediate container 2
against a force acting in the upward direction in the intermediate container vertical
25 direction are enhanced and hence, it is possible to prevent generation of cracks at the
joint portions between the intermediate container 2 and the end portions of the
protruding container 4 in the intermediate container vertical direction.
[0052]
Each reinforcement portion 16 is joined to the wall surface of the outer wall of
30 the protruding container 4, the wall surface extending in the intermediate container
23
radial direction, and joined to the wall surface of the outer wall of the intermediate
container 2, the wall surface extending in the intermediate container vertical direction.
With such a configuration, there is no additional component on the outer wall of the
intermediate container 2 in the intermediate container circumferential direction and
hence, it is possible to prevent the reinforcement portion 16 from interfering 5 with the
accumulator pipe 18 due to the joining of the reinforcement portion 16.
[0053]
When the amount of deformation of the intermediate container 2 caused by
internal pressure of refrigerant gas that is increased in pressure in the compression
10 chamber 21 is equal to or greater than the amount of deformation of the protruding
container 4, the length of the reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate container
vertical direction is set to be equal to or greater than the length of the reinforcement
portion 16 in the intermediate container radial direction. Further, when the amount of
deformation of the intermediate container 2 is equal to or less than the amount of
15 deformation of the protruding container 4, the length of the reinforcement portion 16 in
the intermediate container vertical direction is set to be equal to or less than the
length of the reinforcement portion 16 in the intermediate container radial direction.
With such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the difference in rigidity of the
reinforcement portion 16 between the intermediate container vertical direction and the
20 intermediate container radial direction and hence, it is possible to prevent an
excessive increase in rigidity.
[0054]
The hermetic compressor 100 is not limited to the rotary compressor described
in the above-mentioned Embodiments 1 and 2. Aside from the rotary compressor,
25 the hermetic compressor 100 may be a single rotary compressor, or a multicylinder
rotary compressor including three or more cylinders, for example.
Reference Signs List
[0055]
1: upper container, 2: intermediate container, 3: lower container, 4: protruding
30 container, 5: protruding container lid, 6: compression mechanism unit, 7: electric
24
motor unit, 8: accumulator, 9: cylinder, 10: rotary shaft, 11: rolling piston, 12: vane,
13a: upper bearing, 13b: lower bearing, 14: vane spring, 15: spring guide, 16:
reinforcement portion, 16a: both side surface, 16c: one end portion, 17: sealed
container, 18: accumulator pipe, 19: suction hole, 20: discharge hole, 21:
compression chamber, 71: stator, 72: rotor, 100: hermetic 5 compressor, 161:
reinforcement portion, 161a: both side portion, 161c: one end portion, 162:
reinforcement portion, 162a: both side portion, 163: reinforcement portion
25
We Claim :
[Claim 1]
A hermetic compressor in which a compression mechanism unit and an electric
motor unit that drives the compression mechanism unit are provided in a sealed
container, and the compression mechanism unit is driven by the electric 5 motor unit
coupled via a rotary shaft, wherein
the compression mechanism unit includes
a cylinder having an annular shape,
a rolling piston configured to eccentrically rotate with rotation of the rotary shaft,
10 a vane configured to reciprocate in a radial direction of the cylinder,
a vane spring provided for causing the vane to slide, and
a spring guide provided for fixing the vane spring,
the cylinder has a compression chamber defined by the rolling piston and the
vane, and
15 the sealed container includes
a protruding container configured to house the spring guide, the protruding
container being provided in an outwardly protruding manner from the sealed container,
and
a reinforcement portion configured to suppress deformation of the protruding
20 container.
[Claim 2]
The hermetic compressor of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement portion is
provided in the protruding container to extend along an axial direction of the
protruding container, and
25 the reinforcement portion is joined with a wall surface of an inner wall of the
protruding container in a circumferential direction of the sealed container.
[Claim 3]
The hermetic compressor of claim 2, wherein the compression mechanism unit
includes a plurality of the cylinders, and spring guides a number of which is equal to a
30 number of the cylinders,
26
the protruding container houses the spring guides the number of which is equal
to the number of the cylinders, and
the reinforcement portion is disposed at a position where the reinforcement
portion is prevented from coming into contact with the spring guides.
5 [Claim 4]
The hermetic compressor of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the protruding
container has one end portion joined with the sealed container, and is provided with a
protruding container lid at an other end portion on a side opposite to the one end
portion, the protruding container lid being provided for sealing the protruding container,
10 and
the reinforcement portion is disposed at a position where the reinforcement
portion is prevented from coming into contact with the protruding container lid.
[Claim 5]
The hermetic compressor of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein an end portion of
15 the reinforcement portion located at a position close to the sealed container has an
arc shape.
[Claim 6]
The hermetic compressor of claim 5, wherein a diameter of the arc shape of
the reinforcement portion substantially matches a distance between wall surfaces of
20 inner walls of the protruding container in the circumferential direction.
[Claim 7]
The hermetic compressor of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a side surface of
the reinforcement portion is joined with the wall surface of the inner wall of the
protruding container in the circumferential direction of the sealed container, and the
25 side surface has a fillet shape.
[Claim 8]
The hermetic compressor of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement portion is
provided between the protruding container and the sealed container, and
the reinforcement portion is joined to a wall surface of an outer wall of the
30 protruding container, the wall surface extending in a radial direction of the sealed
container, and joined to a wall surface of an outer wall of the sealed container, the
wall surface extending in a vertical direction of the sealed container.