Structure for sensing refrigerant flow rate in a compressor

Abstract

A compressor connected to an external refrigerant circuit is disclosed. The compressor is provided with a housing, a passage forming member coupled to an outer surface of the housing, and a differential pressure type flow rate detector provided in the passage forming member. The flow rate detector obtains the pressure in an upstream passage and the pressure in a downstream passage to detect a refrigerant flow rate within the refrigerant passage. The flow rate detector is provided with an accommodation chamber, a partition body, a compression spring, and a spring seat defining a maximum stroke amount of the partition body. The spring seat exists closer to the passage forming member side than a partition surface comparting the housing and the passage forming member, and is in contact with the partition surface.

1 . A compressor connected to an external refrigerant circuit, the compressor comprising:
 a housing;   a passage forming member coupled to an outer surface of the housing, the passage forming member forming a part of a refrigerant passage connecting the interior of the housing to the external refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant passage being comparted into an upstream passage having a high pressure and a downstream passage having a low pressure; and   a differential pressure type flow rate detector provided in the passage forming member and obtaining the pressure in the upstream passage and the pressure in the downstream passage to detect a refrigerant flow rate within the refrigerant passage, the detector being provided with an accommodation chamber, a partition body accommodated within the accommodation chamber such that the position of the partition body is displaceable, a spring member urging the partition body, and a stroke defining body accommodated in the accommodation chamber in such a manner as to define a maximum stroke amount of the partition body, wherein the partition body comparts the accommodation chamber into a high pressure chamber connected to the upstream passage and a low pressure chamber connected to the downstream passage, the spring member urging the partition body from the low pressure chamber toward the high pressure chamber,   wherein the stroke defining body exists closer to the passage forming member than a partition surface partitioning the housing and the passage forming member, and is in contact with the partition surface.   
   
   
       2 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein a gasket is provided between the housing and the passage forming member, and the partition surface is a seal surface of the gasket opposing to the passage forming member. 
   
   
       3 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the partition surface is an outer surface of the housing. 
   
   
       4 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the stroke defining body is made of a synthetic resin, and is fitted to the accommodation chamber. 
   
   
       5 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the passage forming member has a retainer recess, and the stroke defining body is made of a synthetic resin, and has a retainer projection retained to the retainer recess. 
   
   
       6 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the stroke defining body is made of a synthetic resin, and has an introduction port passing through the stroke defining body in such a manner as to connect the low pressure chamber to the downstream passage, and wherein a filter is provided in the introduction port. 
   
   
       7 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the stroke defining body is a spring seat receiving a fixed end of the spring member. 
   
   
       8 . The compressor according to  claims 1 , the compressor being a variable displacement compressor that is provided with the discharge pressure zone, the suction pressure zone, a control pressure chamber, a supply passage supplying the refrigerant from the discharge pressure zone to the control pressure chamber, and a discharge passage discharging the refrigerant from the control pressure chamber to the suction pressure zone, wherein a displacement of the compressor is controlled in correspondence to the pressure within the control pressure chamber. 
   
   
       9 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the passage forming member has a restriction passage comparting the refrigerant passage into the upstream passage and the downstream passage. 
   
   
       10 . A compressor connected to an external refrigerant circuit, the compressor comprising:
 a housing;   a passage forming member coupled to an outer surface of the housing, the passage forming member forming a part of a refrigerant passage connecting the interior of the housing to the external refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant passage being comparted into an upstream passage having a high pressure and a downstream passage having a low pressure;   a differential pressure type flow rate detector provided in the passage forming member and obtaining the pressure in the upstream passage and the pressure in the downstream passage to detect a refrigerant flow rate within the refrigerant passage, the detector being provided with an accommodation chamber, a partition body accommodated within the accommodation chamber such that the position of the partition body is displaceable, a spring member urging the partition body, and a synthetic resin spring seat fitted to the accommodation chamber in such a manner as to define a maximum stroke amount of the partition body, wherein the partition body comparts the accommodation chamber into a high pressure chamber connected to the upstream passage and a low pressure chamber connected to the downstream passage, the spring member urging the partition body from the low pressure chamber toward the high pressure chamber, wherein the spring member has a fixed end received by the spring seat; and   a gasket provided between the housing and the passage forming member, the gasket having a seal surface opposing to the passage forming member,   wherein the spring seat exists closer to the passage forming member than the seal surface, and is in contact with the seal surface.