Oil separation structure in compressor

Abstract

A muffler forming member defines a muffler chamber. Refrigerant discharged from a cylinder bore is sent to the muffler chamber. The muffler forming member is coupled to a circumferential surface of a housing of a compressor. An oil separation chamber is defined in a discharge pressure zone of the compressor. The oil separation chamber separates the oil from the refrigerant discharged from the cylinder bore. The oil separation chamber extends into both the muffler forming member and the housing. The oil separation chamber has a refrigerant inlet through which the refrigerant flows into the oil separation chamber. The refrigerant inlet is formed in the muffler forming member. Therefore, the oil separation chamber is prolonged in the direction from the muffler forming member toward the housing, thereby improving the oil separation performance.

1 . An oil separation structure provided in a discharge pressure zone in a compressor, 
 wherein the compressor includes:    a piston for compressing refrigerant containing oil;    a housing defining a cylinder bore for accommodating the piston, the housing having a circumferential surface; and    a muffler forming member coupled to the circumferential surface of the housing, wherein the muffler forming member defines a muffler chamber, wherein the refrigerant discharged from the cylinder bore is sent to the muffler chamber,    the oil separation structure in the compressor comprising; an oil separation chamber separating the oil from the refrigerant, the oil separation chamber extending into both the muffler forming member and the housing, the oil separation chamber having a refrigerant inlet through which the refrigerant flows into the oil separation chamber, and the refrigerant inlet being formed in the muffler forming member.    
     
     
         2 . The oil separation structure according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the housing defines an oil reservoir chamber, which communicates with the oil separation chamber, the oil reservoir chamber located adjacent to the oil separation chamber in a circumferential direction of the housing.    
     
     
         3 . The oil separation structure according to  claim 2 , 
 the compressor further having a partition functioning as a seal located between the housing and the muffler forming member, the oil separation chamber extending through the partition, the oil separation chamber having a refrigerant outlet through which the refrigerant flows out of the oil separation chamber to communicate with the muffler chamber, the refrigerant outlet being formed in the muffler forming member, and the partition dividing the oil reservoir chamber from the muffler chamber.    
     
     
         4 . The oil separation structure according to  claim 3 , 
 wherein the compressor has a discharge passage through which the refrigerant discharged from the cylinder bore flows, and    wherein the discharge passage extends from the interior of the housing to the refrigerant inlet through the partition.    
     
     
         5 . The oil separation structure according to  claim 3 , 
 wherein the muffler forming member has an oil separating cylinder, which extends from the muffler forming member into the oil separation chamber, the oil separating cylinder having an opening facing the housing, and the opening functioning as the refrigerant outlet.    
     
     
         6 . The oil separation structure according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein the cylinder bore is one of a plurality of cylinder bores defined by the housing, the cylinder bores include a first cylinder bore, a second cylinder bore, and a third cylinder bore, the first and second cylinder bores being adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction of the housing, and the third cylinder bore being adjacent to at least one of the first and second cylinder bores,    wherein the housing includes: a first intervening portion between the first cylinder bore and the second cylinder bore; and a second intervening portion between the third cylinder bore and the first cylinder bore or between the third cylinder bore and the second cylinder bore, and    wherein the oil separation chamber has a bottom formed in the housing, the bottom being located above the first intervening portion,    wherein the oil reservoir chamber has a bottom formed in the housing, the bottom of the oil reservoir chamber being located above the second intervening portion.    
     
     
         7 . The oil separation structure according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the compressor has a discharge passage through which the refrigerant discharged from the cylinder bore flows, and    wherein the discharge passage is connected to the oil separation chamber, and the oil separation chamber is connected to the muffler chamber such that the refrigerant in the discharge passage flows into the oil separation chamber, and flows toward the muffler chamber from the oil separation chamber.    
     
     
         8 . A compressor having a discharge pressure zone, comprising: 
 a piston for compressing refrigerant containing oil;    a housing defining a cylinder bore for accommodating the piston, the housing having a circumferential surface;    a muffler forming member coupled to the circumferential surface of the housing, wherein the muffler forming member defines a muffler chamber, wherein the refrigerant discharged from the cylinder bore is sent to the muffler chamber;    an oil separation chamber separating the oil from the refrigerant discharged from the cylinder bore, the oil separation chamber extending into both the muffler forming member and the housing, the oil separation chamber having a refrigerant inlet through which the refrigerant flows into the oil separation chamber, and the refrigerant inlet being formed in the muffler forming member.