Discharge muffler having an internal pressure relief valve

Abstract

A muffler for use in a refrigerant compressor which includes a muffler housing, an intake tube at one end of the muffler housing for receiving a flow of refrigerant fluid, and an exhaust tube at another end opposed of the muffler housing to exhaust the flow of refrigerant fluid. The muffler housing is adapted to structurally carry a pressure relief member therein. The pressure relief member is in fluid communication with the intake tube. A discharge tube is connected to the exhaust tube for transporting the flow of refrigerant fluid from the exhaust tube to a compressor discharge port for discharging the refrigerant fluid from the compressor.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A discharge muffler system for use in a refrigerant compressor, the discharge muffler system comprising: 
 a tube having a first end for receiving a flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid and a second end opposite the first end for exhausting the flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid;    a housing surrounding the tube between the first end and the second end, the housing and the tube defining a chamber therebetween, the chamber being in fluid communication with the flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid;    a pressure relief member connected to the housing and being configured and disposed to regulate fluid pressure in the chamber;    wherein the pressure relief member regulates pressure in the chamber by actuating to an open position to vent a portion of the refrigerant fluid from the chamber in response to a pressure in the chamber exceeding a predetermined pressure level; and    a unitary discharge tube connected to the second end of the tube to receive the flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid.    
     
     
         2 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 1  wherein the tube, the housing and the chamber form an acoustic muffler.  
     
     
         3 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 1  wherein the tube comprises at least two apertures disposed within the housing between the first end of the tube and the second tube of the tube, the at least two apertures being configured to permit flow of refrigerant fluid from the tube to the chamber.  
     
     
         4 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 3  wherein the tube has a substantially vertical orientation upon installation of the tube and at least one aperture of the at least two apertures is configured and disposed to provide a maximum level of a lubricant liquid received from the first end of the tube.  
     
     
         5 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 4  wherein the maximum level of the lubricant liquid does not substantially alter an attenuation frequency of a muffler formed from the tube, the housing and the chamber.  
     
     
         6 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 1  comprising a discharge port to exhaust the flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid from the refrigerant compressor and an end of the unitary discharge tube is connected to the discharge port and a portion of the unitary discharge tube extends substantially coplanar with the discharge port.  
     
     
         7 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the unitary discharge tube is in thermal communication with an amount of sump lubricant in the refrigerant compressor.  
     
     
         8 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 7  wherein the thermal communication vaporizes at least a portion of refrigerant liquid in the sump lubricant.  
     
     
         9 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the unitary discharge tube is in physical contact with an amount of sump lubricant in the refrigerant compressor.  
     
     
         10 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 9  wherein the physical contact between the unitary discharge tube and the sump lubricant provides an amount of pressure pulse attenuation.  
     
     
         11 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 1  wherein the second end of the tube and the connection between the second end of the tube and the unitary discharge tube are substantially coaxial.  
     
     
         12 . A method for assembling a discharge muffler system for use in a refrigerant compressor, the steps comprising: 
 providing a discharge muffler having a muffler housing, an intake tube at a first end of the muffler housing for receiving a flow of refrigerant fluid and an exhaust tube at a second end of the muffler housing opposite the first end to exhaust the flow of refrigerant fluid, the intake tube being configured for connection with a cylinder head of a refrigerant compressor, and the intake tube, the exhaust tube and the connection with the cylinder head being substantially coaxial;    providing a discharge tube having an intake for connection to the exhaust tube and having an exhaust for connection to a discharge port of the refrigerant compressor, the discharge tube transporting the flow of refrigerant fluid from the exhaust tube to the discharge port for discharging the refrigerant fluid from the compressor;    providing a driving tool for connecting the discharge muffler to the cylinder head, the driving tool having an aperture;    directing the aperture of the driving tool over the exhaust tube until the driving tool and the discharge muffler are sufficiently engaged, wherein the discharge muffler is actuated in response to an actuating force being applied to the driving tool;    directing the intake tube of the discharge muffler in engagement with the driving tool into mutual alignment with the cylinder head;    applying the actuating force to the driving tool until the discharge muffler is connected to the cylinder head;    connecting the second end to the intake; and    connecting the exhaust to the discharge port.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein discharge muffler includes a pressure relief member, the muffler housing having a boss formed therein to structurally carry the pressure relief member, and the pressure relief member and the intake tube being in fluid communication; and 
 the step of directing the aperture of the driving tool over the exhaust tube further comprising the step of directing the aperture of the driving tool over the exhaust tube until the boss and the driving tool are sufficiently engaged.  
 
     
     
         14 . A discharge muffler system for use in a refrigerant compressor, comprising: 
 a muffler housing;    an intake tube disposed at a first end of the muffler housing for receiving a flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid from a connection with a cylinder head of a refrigerant compressor, the intake tube and the connection with the cylinder head being substantially coaxial;    an exhaust tube disposed at a second end of the muffler housing opposite the first end of the muffler housing to exhaust the flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid, the muffler housing surrounding the intake tube and the exhaust tube between the first end and the second end to define a chamber therebetween, the chamber being in fluid communication with the refrigerant fluid flowing in the intake tube, and the intake tube and the exhaust tube being substantially coaxial;    a pressure relief member connected to the housing and being configured and disposed to regulate fluid pressure in the chamber; and    wherein the pressure relief member regulates pressure in the chamber by actuating to an open position in response to a pressure in the chamber exceeding a predetermined pressure level to vent a portion of the refrigerant fluid in the chamber to an exterior of the housing; and    a unitary discharge tube receiving the flow of pressurized refrigerant fluid from the exhaust tube and exhausting the flow of the pressurized refrigerant fluid from the refrigerant compressor.    
     
     
         15 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 14  wherein a muffler comprising the intake tube, the exhaust tube, the muffler housing and the chamber is an acoustic muffler.  
     
     
         16 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 14  wherein the intake tube and the exhaust tube are integral and continuous, defining a combined tube.  
     
     
         17 . The discharge muffler system of  claim 16  wherein the combined tube comprises at least two apertures disposed within the housing between the first end of the combined tube and the second tube of the combined tube, the at least two apertures being configured to permit flow of refrigerant fluid from the combined tube to the chamber.