Rolling piston rotary compressor

Abstract

An apparatus includes a semi-hermetic compressor housing, an electrically-powerable dual-cylinder rolling piston rotary compressor assembly housed in the housing, electric motor driver electronics, and an auxiliary housing. The auxiliary housing defines a semi-hermetic refrigerant inlet compartment having a wall. The auxiliary housing also defines an electronics compartment sharing the wall with the inlet compartment but semi-hermetically separated from the inlet compartment. The compressor housing is semi-hermetically coupled to the inlet compartment and in fluid communication therewith. The electronics compartment houses the electronics.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a semi-hermetic compressor housing;   an electrically-powerable dual-cylinder rolling piston rotary compressor assembly housed in the housing;   electric motor driver electronics; and   an auxiliary housing defining a semi-hermetic refrigerant inlet compartment having a wall, and defining an electronics compartment sharing the wall with the inlet compartment but semi-hermetically separated from the inlet compartment;   wherein the compressor housing is semi-hermetically coupled to the inlet compartment and in fluid communication therewith, and the electronics compartment houses the electronics.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor housing includes a first exterior wall portion having a first convex cross section, the auxiliary housing includes a second exterior wall portion having a generally concave cross section, the second exterior wall portion faces the first exterior wall portion, the second exterior wall portion is radially spaced away from the first exterior wall portion, and the generally concave cross section generally arcuately mirrors the generally convex cross section. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second exterior wall portion is radially spaced away from the first exterior wall portion by about 0.1 mm to 15 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second exterior wall portion is radially spaced away from the first exterior wall portion by at least 10 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , comprising:
 a suction accumulator extending into the inlet compartment,   wherein the compressor housing is semi-hermetically coupled to the inlet compartment through the suction accumulator.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the suction accumulator includes a tube having a generally J-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the compressor housing is substantially aluminum. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the compressor housing is substantially aluminum. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a first rolling piston rotary compressor roller;   a second rolling piston rotary compressor roller;   a substantially hollow camshaft arranged to cooperate with the first roller and the second roller;   an Archimedes screw; and   a flexible coupling mechanically coupled to the camshaft therein, having a first end portion extending from the camshaft in a first direction, having a second end portion extending in a second direction into engagement with the Archimedes screw, and having an intermediate portion extending between the first end portion and the second end portion and bending from the first direction to the second direction.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible coupling includes a flexible rod. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible coupling includes a flexible coil. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , comprising an oil flow tube covering the intermediate portion of the coil. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first direction is generally vertical and the second direction is generally downward. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 an axial flow impeller fastened to the camshaft therein,   wherein the first end portion of the coil is fastened to the axial flow impeller.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a semi-hermetic compressor housing;   a baffle positioned generally above the oil flow tube, the baffle including a bottom surface and a top surface;   a refrigerant discharge tube positioned generally above the top surface of the baffle, opening inside the compressor housing, extending through the compressor housing, and opening outside the compressor housing as well,   wherein the oil flow tube and the baffle are housed in the compressor housing, and the bottom surface of the baffle is in fluid communication with the top surface of the baffle within the compressor housing.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the baffle generally arches above the oil flow tube. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the compressor housing includes a first portion having an interior diameter, the baffle is positioned generally within the first portion of the compressor housing, and the baffle laterally spans a substantial portion of the inner diameter. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the baffle includes a notched left portion and a notched right portion. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the baffle is substantially laterally symmetrical. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the refrigerant discharge tube includes a bottom portion defining a refrigerant drip hole, includes a top portion defining a refrigerant discharge port, and includes a generally longitudinal portion extending between the bottom portion and the top portion and defining a refrigerant receiving hole, and wherein the drip hole is smaller than the discharge port, and the drip hole is smaller than the receiving hole. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a first rolling piston rotary compressor roller;   a second rolling piston rotary compressor roller;   a camshaft arranged to cooperate with the first roller and the second roller;   an electric motor including a rotor, the rotor mechanically coupled to the camshaft, the rotor including a first end, including a second end, and being generally cylindrical between the first end and the second end;   a first generally discoidal counterweight attached to the first end of the rotor, the first counterweight having a first generally C-shaped portion extending therefrom;   a second generally discoidal counterweight attached to the second end of the rotor, the second counterweight having a second generally C-shaped portion extending therefrom, the second generally C-shaped portion positioned on the second end of the rotor at about 180 degrees rotational displacement relative to the first generally C-shaped portion;   a first generally discoidal cap attached to first counterweight, the first cap having a third generally C-shaped portion extending therefrom, the third generally C-shaped portion facing toward the first counterweight at about 180 degrees rotational displacement relative to the first generally C-shaped portion; and   a second generally discoidal cap attached to second counterweight, the second cap having a fourth generally C-shaped portion extending therefrom, the fourth generally C-shaped portion facing toward the second counterweight at about 180 degrees rotational displacement relative to the second generally C-shaped portion.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the first generally C-shaped portion has a first mass, the second generally C-shaped portion has a second mass, the third generally C-shaped portion has a third mass, the fourth generally C-shaped portion has a fourth mass, and the first mass is at least 5 times the third mass. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a semi-hermetic compressor housing;   a pair of rolling piston rotary compressor cylinders housed in the housing, including a first rolling piston rotary compressor cylinder and including a second rolling piston rotary compressor cylinder;   a pair of compressor cylinder discharge valves, including a first valve mechanically coupled to the first cylinder and including a second valve mechanically coupled to the second cylinder; and   a pair of plates interposed between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, the plates including a first plate defining a first recess, the plates including a second plate facing toward the first plate and defining a second recess, the first recess and the second recess together defining a first acoustic muffler chamber,   wherein the valves are arranged to control refrigerant flows from the first cylinder and the second cylinder to the first chamber.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the second recess generally mirrors the first recess. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein each of the plates is discoidal. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the valves are arranged to alternate refrigerant flows from the first cylinder and the second cylinder, respectively, to the first chamber. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , comprising:
 a camshaft extending through the cylinders, the camshaft having an inboard portion and an outboard portion;   an outboard bearing supporting the outboard portion of the camshaft; and   an outboard plate positioned outboard of the bearing and defining a second acoustic muffler chamber,   wherein the second chamber is in fluid communication with the first chamber.   
     
     
         28 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a semi-hermetic compressor housing;   a pair of rolling piston rotary compressor cylinders housed in the housing, including a first rolling piston rotary compressor cylinder and including a second rolling piston rotary compressor cylinder;   a pair of compressor cylinder discharge valves, including a first valve mechanically coupled to the first cylinder and including a second valve mechanically coupled to the second cylinder,   a camshaft extending through the cylinders, the camshaft having an inboard portion and an outboard portion;   an inboard bearing supporting the inboard portion of the camshaft;   a first inboard plate positioned inboard of the bearing and defining a first acoustic muffler chamber having a pair of refrigerant flow holes therein, the holes including a first hole extending about a first respective axial line, the holes including a second hole extending about a second respective axial line; and   a second inboard plate positioned inboard of the first plate and defining a second acoustic muffler chamber having a first refrigerant discharge port therein, the first discharge port extending about a third respective axial line,   wherein the valves are arranged to control refrigerant flows from the first cylinder and the second cylinder to the first chamber, and the second chamber is in fluid communication with the first chamber, but neither the first axial line nor the second axial line is aligned with the third axial line.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the camshaft longitudinally extends about a fourth axial line and the third axial line is aligned with the fourth axial line. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the first discharge port has an inner diameter, the inboard bearing includes a bearing portion having an outer diameter and extending into the first discharge port, and the outer diameter of the bearing portion is less than the inner diameter of the first discharge port. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the second inboard plate defines a second discharge port in the second chamber, the first discharge port is positioned relatively lower than the camshaft, and the second discharge port is positioned relatively lower than the camshaft. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , comprising:
 a pair of intermediate plates interposed between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, the intermediate plates including a first intermediate plate defining a first recess, the intermediate plates including a second intermediate plate facing toward the first intermediate plate and defining a second recess, the first recess and the second recess together defining a third acoustic muffler chamber,   wherein the valves are arranged to control refrigerant flows from the first cylinder and the second cylinder to the third chamber, and the third chamber is in fluid communication with the first chamber.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , comprising:
 an outboard bearing supporting the outboard portion of the camshaft; and   an outboard plate positioned outboard of the bearing and defining a fourth acoustic muffler chamber,   wherein the fourth chamber is in fluid communication with the third chamber.