High-speed gear-driven spinning scroll

Abstract

A gear-driven spinning scroll device is provided. The scroll device comprises a housing defining a working fluid volume and a lubrication chamber defining a lubrication volume. The working fluid volume and the lubrication volume are separated from one another. The device also comprises a first scroll rotatably supported by one of a set of second drive gears and a second scroll rotatably supported by another one of the set of second drive gears. The set of second drive gears are disposed in the lubrication volume. The device also comprises a motor and a drive shaft connected to the motor. The drive shaft is supported by a set of first drive gears disposed in the lubrication volume and is configured to transmit torque from the motor to each of the first scroll and the second scroll via the set of first drive gears and the set of second drive gears.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spinning scroll device comprising:
 a housing defining a working fluid volume;   a lubrication chamber defining a lubrication volume, wherein the working fluid volume and the lubrication volume are separated from one another;   a first scroll mounted within the housing and rotatably supported by one of a set of second drive gears, the set of second drive gears disposed in the lubrication volume;   a second scroll mounted within the housing and rotatably supported by another one of the set of second drive gears;   a motor; and   a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor, the drive shaft supported by a set of first drive gears, the drive shaft configured to transmit torque from the motor to each of the first scroll and the second scroll via the set of first drive gears and the set of second drive gears, the set of first drive gears disposed in the lubrication volume.   
     
     
         2 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 1 , further comprising a set of bearing plates coupled to the housing and a set of cover plates respectively coupled to the set of bearing plates, wherein the housing, the set of bearing plates, and the set of cover plates form the lubrication chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 1 , wherein the lubrication chamber comprises a first drive gear portion housing one of the set of first drive gears and a second drive gear portion housing another one of the set of first drive gears. 
     
     
         4 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 3 , wherein the lubrication chamber comprises a passageway fluidly connecting the first drive gear portion and the second drive gear portion. 
     
     
         5 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 1 , wherein the lubrication chamber comprises lubrication and a portion of the set of first drive gears is in contact with the lubrication, and wherein rotation of the set of first drive gears disperses the lubrication to the set of second drive gears. 
     
     
         6 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first scroll and the second scroll comprises a scroll shaft coupled to a scroll plate, wherein the scroll shaft is supported by a respective second drive gear of the set of second drive gears. 
     
     
         7 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a first scroll bearing configured to support the scroll shaft of the first scroll;   a second scroll bearing configured to support the scroll shaft of the second scroll; and   a drive bearing configured to support the drive shaft,   wherein the first scroll bearing, the second scroll bearing, and the drive bearing are disposed in the lubrication volume.   
     
     
         8 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is liquid cooled. 
     
     
         9 . A spinning scroll device comprising:
 a housing defining a working fluid volume;   a lubrication chamber defining a lubrication volume, wherein the working fluid volume and the lubrication volume are fluidly separated from one another;   a first scroll rotatably mounted within the housing and supported by a first scroll bearing, the first scroll bearing disposed in the lubrication volume;   a second scroll rotatably mounted within the housing and supported by a second scroll bearing, the second scroll bearing disposed in the lubrication volume;   a motor;   a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor, the drive shaft configured to transmit torque from the motor to each of the first scroll and the second scroll, the drive shaft supported by a drive bearing disposed in the lubrication volume.   
     
     
         10 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a set of first drive gears configured to support the drive shaft, the set of first drive gears disposed in the lubrication volume;   a set of second drive gears disposed in the lubrication volume, wherein one of the set of second drive gears is configured to support the first scroll and, wherein another one of the set of second drive gears is configured to support the second scroll,   wherein the drive shaft transmit torque from the motor to each of the first scroll and the second scroll via the set of first drive gears and the set of second drive gears.   
     
     
         11 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 10 , wherein the lubrication chamber comprises a first drive gear portion housing one of the set of first drive gears and a second drive gear portion housing another one of the set of first drive gears. 
     
     
         12 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 11 , wherein the lubrication chamber comprises a passageway fluidly connecting the first drive gear portion and the second drive gear portion. 
     
     
         13 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 10 , wherein the lubrication chamber comprises lubrication and a portion of the set of first drive gears is in contact with the lubrication, and wherein rotation of the set of first drive gears disperses the lubrication to the set of second drive gears. 
     
     
         14 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 13 , wherein the lubrication comprises an oil. 
     
     
         15 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 10 , wherein each of the first scroll and the second scroll comprises a scroll shaft coupled to a scroll plate, wherein the scroll shaft is supported by a respective second drive gear of the set of second drive gears. 
     
     
         16 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 9 , further comprising a set of bearing plates coupled to the housing and a set of cover plates coupled to the set of bearing plates, wherein the housing, the set of bearing plates, and the set of cover plates form the lubrication chamber. 
     
     
         17 . A spinning scroll device comprising:
 a housing defining a working fluid volume;   a lubrication chamber defining a lubrication volume, wherein the working fluid volume and the lubrication volume are separated and independent of one another;   a first scroll mounted within the housing and rotatably supported by a first drive gear of a set of second drive gears and a first scroll bearing, the set of second drive gears and the first scroll bearing disposed in the lubrication volume;   a second scroll mounted within the housing and rotatably supported by a second drive gear of the set of second drive gears and a second scroll bearing, the second scroll bearing disposed in the lubrication volume;   a motor; and   a drive shaft operatively coupled with the motor and supported by a set of first drive gears and a drive bearing, the drive shaft configured to transmit torque from the motor to each of the first scroll and the second scroll via the set of first drive gears and the set of second drive gears, the set of first drive gears and the drive bearing disposed in the lubrication volume.   
     
     
         18 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first scroll bearing, the second scroll bearing, and the drive bearing comprise a pair of bearings. 
     
     
         19 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 17 , wherein the lubrication chamber comprises a lubrication fluid and a portion of the set of first drive gears is in contact with the lubrication fluid, and wherein rotation of the set of first drive gears disperses the lubrication fluid to the set of second drive gears. 
     
     
         20 . The spinning scroll device of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first scroll bearing, the second scroll bearing, and the drive bearing comprise open sides configured to enable the lubrication fluid to pass through the respective first scroll bearing, the second scroll bearing, and the drive bearing.