Scroll type compressor and method of making the same

Abstract

A scroll type compressor has a housing, a fixed scroll member fixed to the housing, a drive shaft rotatably supported by the housing, a movable scroll member accommodated in the housing, an inlet formed through the housing and a discharge device provided for one of the movable. scroll member and the fixed scroll member. The movable scroll member faces the fixed scroll member. The movable scroll member and the fixed scroll member define a compression region. Gas introduced into the compressor via the inlet is compressed in the compression region by orbiting the movable scroll member relative to the fixed scroll member by rotation of the drive shaft, and is discharged via the discharge device. A plane bearing is disposed between the drive shaft and the housing to at least partially seal any gap between the drive shaft and the housing against the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A scroll type compressor comprising: 
 a housing;    a fixed scroll member fixed to the housing;    a drive shaft rotatably supported by the housing;    a movable scroll member accommodated in the housing, the movable scroll member facing the fixed scroll member, the movable scroll member and the fixed scroll member defining a compression region;    an inlet formed through the housing;    a discharge device provided for one of the movable scroll member and the fixed scroll member;    wherein gas introduced into the compressor via the inlet is compressed in the compression region by orbiting the movable scroll member relative to the fixed scroll member by rotation of the drive shaft, and the pressurized gas is discharged via the discharge device; and    a plane bearing disposed between the drive shaft and the housing to at least partially seal any gap between the drive shaft and the housing against the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough.    
     
     
         2 . The scroll type compressor according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a thrust bearing between a surface of the drive shaft and the housing wholly or partially surrounding the drive shaft to counter the thrust force acting on the drive shaft.  
 
     
     
         3 . The scroll typo compressor according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a seal disposed between the movable scroll member and the housing.  
 
     
     
         4 . The scroll type compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein the groove in which the seal resides is recessed on the housing.  
     
     
         5 . The scroll type compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge device is provided on the surface of the base plate of thc movable scroll member.  
     
     
         6 . The scroll type compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein thc discharge device is provided on the surface of the base plate of the fixed scroll member.  
     
     
         7 . A scroll typo compressor comprising: 
 a housing;    a fixed scroll member fixed to the housing;    a drive shaft rotatably supported by the housing;    a movable scroll member accommodated in the housing, the movable scroll member facing the fixed scroll member, the movable scroll member and the fixed scroll member defining a compression region;    an inlet formed through the housing;    a discharge device provided for one of the movable scroll member and the fixed scroll member;    wherein gas introduced into thc compressor via the inlet is compressed in the compression region by orbiting the movable scroll member relative to the fixed scroll member by rotation of the drive shaft, and the prcssurized gas is discharged via the discharge device; and    a seal disposed between the movable scroll member and the housing.    
     
     
         8 . The scroll type compressor according to  claim 7 , wherein the groove in which the seal resides is recessed on the housing.  
     
     
         9 . The scroll type compressor according to  claim 7 , wherein the discharge device is provided on the surface of the base plate of the movable scroll member.  
     
     
         10 . The scroll typo compressor according to  claim 7 , wherein the discharge device is provided on the surface of the base plate of the fixed scroll member.  
     
     
         11 . A method of making a scroll type compressor comprising the steps of: 
 providing a discharge device for one of a movable scroll member and a fixed scroll member; and    disposing a plane bearing between a drive shaft and a housing.    
     
     
         12 . The method of making a scroll type compressor according to  claim 1   1  further comprising the step of disposing a thrust bearing around the drive shaft.  
     
     
         13 .The method of making a scroll type compressor according to  claim 1   1  further comprising the step of disposing a seal between the movable scroll member and the housing.  
     
     
         14 . The method of making a scroll type compressor according to  claim 13  further comprising the step of recessing a groove in which the seal resides on the housing.  
     
     
         15 . The method of making a scroll type compressor according to  claim 11  further comprising the stop of providing the discharge device on the surface of the base plate of the movable scroll member.  
     
     
         16 . The method of making a scroll typo compressor according to  claim 11  further comprising the step of providing the discharge device on the surface of the base plate of the fixed scroll member.