Swash-plate-type compressor

Abstract

A swash-plate-type compressor of a double-headed-piston configuration, wherein: a front intake chamber is formed set apart from a swash plate chamber so as to be positioned in a narrow space between circumferentially arranged front cylinder bores; and an intake-chamber-communication path is formed in a cylinder block, the intake-chamber-communication path allowing the front intake chamber and a shaft hole to communicate. A front-bore-communication path is formed on the cylinder block, the communication path allowing each of the plurality of front cylinder bores to communicate with the shaft hole. A front rotary valve is provided on a rotating shaft in which a lead-in groove is formed. The lead-in groove allows the intake-chamber communication path and the front-bore communication path to communicate in the stated order, while the lead-in groove rotates integrally with the rotating shaft. In the compact swash-plate-type compressor any decrease in pulsation or intake efficiency is minimized.

1 . A swash plate compressor comprising:
 a cylinder block including a shaft hole, cylinder bores, a swash plate chamber and a suction chamber, wherein the shaft hole extends through the cylinder block, the cylinder bores are arranged along a circumferential direction around the shaft hole, and the suction chamber is arranged in a space between the adjacent cylinder bores and is separated from the swash plate chamber;   a swash plate accommodated in the swash plate chamber;   pistons connected with the swash plate and respectively arranged in the cylinder bores;   a rotation shaft arranged in the shaft hole and operative to rotate integrally with the swash plate; and   a rotary valve provided with the rotation shaft to rotate integrally with the rotation shaft;   wherein the cylinder block includes a suction chamber communication passage that defines a communication path between the suction chamber and the the shaft hole, and bore communication passages that define independent communication paths between the cylinder bores and the shaft hole,   wherein the rotary valve rotates integrally with the rotation shaft to provide sequential communication between the suction chamber communication passage and the bore communication passages.   
     
     
         2 . The swash plate compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the suction chamber includes a plurality of suction chambers, each of the plurality of suction chambers is arranged between a circumferentially adjacent pair of the cylinder bores,   the suction chamber communication passage includes a plurality of suction chamber communication passages that provide independent communication between the suction chambers and the shaft hole.   
     
     
         3 . The swash plate compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the cylinder block includes a plurality of discharge chambers, each of the discharge chambers is arranged in a space between adjacent cylinder bores.   
     
     
         4 . The swash plate compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein the discharge chambers are arranged outward in a radial direction of the cylinder block from the suction chambers. 
     
     
         5 . The swash plate compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cylinder block includes a suction port to which an external pipe is connected, and a suction passage that provides communication between the suction port and the suction chamber,   the suction passage is separated from the swash plate chamber.   
     
     
         6 . The swash plate compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the suction chamber communication passage is a recess formed in an inner wall of the shaft hole, the recess including an open end in communication with the swash plate chamber,   a thrust bearing is arranged between the swash plate and the open end of the recess, and   the thrust bearing closes the open end of the recess.   
     
     
         7 . The swash plate compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the suction chamber communication passage includes a first recess and a second recess, the first recess formed in an inner wall of the suction chamber, the first recess including an open end, which opens toward an end face of the cylinder block in an axial direction, the second recess formed in an inner wall of the shaft hole, the second recess including an open end in communication with the swash plate chamber,   a thrust bearing is arranged between the swash plate and the open end of the second recess, and   the thrust bearing closes the open end of the second recess.   
     
     
         8 . The swash plate compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder bores are three cylinder bores.