Unfastened thrust plate

Abstract

A scroll compressor with unfastened thrust plate includes a compressor housing and scroll compressor bodies disposed in the compressor housing. The scroll bodies include a fixed scroll body and a moveable scroll body. The fixed and moveable scroll bodies have respective bases and respective scroll ribs that project from the respective bases. The scroll ribs mutually engage. The moveable scroll body is movable relative to the fixed scroll body for compressing fluid. An upper bearing member provides axial thrust support to the moveable scroll compressor body through a bearing support via an unfastened thrust plate that is located between the upper bearing member and the moveable scroll body. The unfastened thrust plate has no means of attachment to the upper bearing member or to the moveable scroll body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A scroll compressor with unfastened thrust plate comprising:
 a compressor housing;   scroll compressor bodies disposed in the housing, the scroll bodies including a fixed scroll body and a moveable scroll body, the fixed and moveable scroll bodies having respective bases and respective scroll ribs that project from the respective bases, wherein the scroll ribs mutually engage, the moveable scroll body being movable relative to the fixed scroll body for compressing fluid; and   an upper bearing member which provides axial thrust support to the moveable scroll compressor body through a bearing support via a unfastened thrust plate that is located between the upper bearing member and the moveable scroll body, the unfastened thrust plate having no means of attachment to the upper bearing member or to the moveable scroll body.   
     
     
         2 . The scroll compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate is rotationally unconstrained. 
     
     
         3 . The scroll compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate is constrained radially by an upper bearing member. 
     
     
         4 . The scroll compressor of  claim 3 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate is concentrically located within a portion of the upper bearing member. 
     
     
         5 . The scroll compressor of  claim 3 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate is constrained axially by the upper bearing member and the moveable scroll body. 
     
     
         6 . The scroll compressor of  claim 3 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate nests within a cylindrical recess in a top of the upper bearing member. 
     
     
         7 . The scroll compressor of  claim 6 , wherein a radial clearance between the unfastened thrust plate and the upper bearing member ranges from RC 3 to RC 8 based on the ANSI B4.1 tolerance fit limits. 
     
     
         8 . The scroll compressor of  claim 7 , wherein a radial clearance between the unfastened thrust plate and the upper bearing member ranges from RC 5 to RC 8 based on the ANSI B4.1 tolerance fit limits. 
     
     
         9 . The scroll compressor of  claim 7 , wherein the radial clearance is an average distance between an outer diameter of the unfastened thrust plate and an inner diameter of the upper bearing member. 
     
     
         10 . The scroll compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate has a central opening to accommodate a drive shaft of the compressor. 
     
     
         11 . The scroll compressor of  claim 10 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate has a central hub that defines the central opening. 
     
     
         12 . The scroll compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the unfastened thrust plate has a plate-like perimeter region, and wherein the central hub is raised above the plate-like region.