Valve plate of reciprocating compressor

Abstract

Provided is a valve plate of a reciprocating compressor, the reciprocating compressor including a front housing and a rear housing, a cylinder block having a plurality of cylinder bores, a drive shaft rotatably supported by the front housing and the cylinder block, a swash plate connected to the drive shaft to be rotated therewith to vary its inclination angle, pistons reciprocally accommodated in the cylinder bores depending on slide movement of the swash plate, a valve plate installed between one end of the cylinder block and the rear housing and having a suction port and a discharge port, and a suction chamber and a discharge chamber that are formed in the rear housing with the valve plate interposed therebetween, characterized in that an oil suction passage, an oil discharge passage and a coolant supply passage are formed in a surface of the valve plate opposite to the pistons, the oil discharge passage is constituted by at least two branch passages directed from a center part toward an outer periphery of the valve plate, and the branch passages are connected by a connecting passage at the center part. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately distribute the pressure of oil to prevent oil leakage to the coolant supply passage, etc., even when the pressure of the oil discharged through the oil discharge passage is high. Further, the branch passages and the connecting passage have a specific shape to enable smooth flow of the oil.

1 . A valve plate of a reciprocating compressor, the reciprocating compressor comprising a front housing and a rear housing, a cylinder block having a plurality of cylinder bores, a drive shaft rotatably supported by the front housing and the cylinder block, a swash plate connected to the drive shaft to be rotated therewith to vary its inclination angle, pistons reciprocally accommodated in the cylinder bores depending on slide movement of the swash plate, a valve plate installed between one end of the cylinder block and the rear housing and having a suction port and a discharge port, and a suction chamber and a discharge chamber that are formed in the rear housing with the valve plate interposed therebetween,
 characterized in that an oil suction passage, an oil discharge passage and a coolant supply passage are formed in a surface of the valve plate opposite to the pistons, the oil discharge passage is constituted by at least two branch passages directed from a center part toward an outer periphery of the valve plate, and the branch passages are connected by a connecting passage at the center part.   
     
     
         2 . The valve plate of a reciprocating compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve plate has a circular shape and the branch passages radially extend from the center part. 
     
     
         3 . The valve plate of a reciprocating compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the connecting passage has an arcuate shape concentric with the circular shape. 
     
     
         4 . The valve plate of a reciprocating compressor according to  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the oil suction passage extends from the center part in a direction opposite to the oil discharge passage. 
     
     
         5 . The valve plate of a reciprocating compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the oil suction passage extends in a radial direction of the circular shape. 
     
     
         6 . The valve plate of a reciprocating compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the coolant supply passage extends from the center part toward the outer periphery of the circular shape and has a coolant flow hole formed at an end thereof.