Muffler for compressor and compressor having the same

Abstract

A muffler for a compressor and a compressor having the same are provided, in which a suction noise device and a discharge noise device may be integrally formed to reduce a number of components of a suction side muffler and a discharge side muffler so as to reduce leakage of refrigerant generated at an assembled portion of the muffler, and to reduce a length of a suction passage and a discharge passage. Such a division between the suction noise device and the discharge noise device may prevent discharged refrigerant from unintentionally heating suctioned refrigerant, which may reduce suction loss. The formation of the suction and discharge noise devices using a plastic material may reduce fabricating costs, and the structures of the suction and discharge side noise spaces may be simplified and noise removal effects may be improved, reducing an overall size of the muffler and improving noise effects.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A muffler for a compressor, the muffler communicating with a compression chamber having a suction opening, which is opened and closed by a suction valve of a valve assembly, and a discharge opening, which is opened and closed by a discharge valve of the valve assembly, formed therein and being coupled to the valve assembly of a compression portion, the muffler comprising:
 a suction noise portion including a suction side noise space in communication with the suction opening of the compression chamber; 
 a discharge noise portion including a discharge side noise space in communication with the discharge opening of the compression chamber; and 
 a connection-fixing portion that integrally connects the suction noise portion and the discharge noise portion to each other and includes a connection housing, wherein a portion of the suction noise portion and a portion of the discharge noise portion are integrally formed as a one-piece component having at a suction side and a discharge side a of the connection housing, of the connection-fixing portion being coupled to the valve assembly of the compression portion, 
 wherein an internal pressure strength of a material of the discharge noise portion is greater than an internal pressure strength of a material of the suction noise portion, 
 wherein the suction noise portion includes a suction side upper housing and a suction side lower housing coupled to a lower end of the suction side upper housing so as to form the suction side noise space therebetween, 
 wherein the discharge noise portion includes a discharge side upper housing and a discharge side lower housing such that the discharge side upper housing is coupled to the discharge side lower housing so as to form the discharge side noise space therebetween, 
 wherein the suction side upper housing and the discharge side upper housing are integrally formed with two opposite sides of the connection housing of the connection-fixing portion coupled to the compression portion, and 
 wherein an internal pressure strength of materials of the suction side upper housing, the discharge side upper housing, and the connection housing are greater than an internal pressure strength of a material of the suction side lower housing and or the discharge side lower housing. 
 
     
     
       2. The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein the connection-fixing portion includes:
 a suction chamber provided at a first side surface of the connection-fixing portion, in communication with the suction opening of the compression chamber; 
 a discharge chamber in communication with the discharge opening of the compression chamber, the suction chamber and the discharge chamber having predetermined depths and widths, respectively; and 
 a barrier wall provided within the connection-fixing portion to partition the suction chamber from the discharge chamber. 
 
     
     
       3. The muffler of  claim 2 , further including a suction guide opening formed between the suction side noise space and the suction chamber, wherein a sectional area of the suction guide opening is less than a sectional area of the suction side noise space, and is less than a sectional area of the suction chamber. 
     
     
       4. The muffler of  claim 2 , further including a discharge guide opening formed between the discharge side noise space and the discharge chamber, wherein a sectional area of the discharge guide opening is less than a sectional area of the discharge side noise space, and is less than a sectional area of the discharge chamber. 
     
     
       5. The muffler of  claim 2 , further including a sealing protrusion formed at a mating surface of the suction chamber and the discharge chamber, wherein the sealing protrusion is integrally formed with one of the suction chamber or the discharge chamber and forms a single closed loop. 
     
     
       6. The muffler of  claim 2 , further including a sealing portion provided between the connection-fixing portion and the compression portion value assembly, and wherein the connection-fixing portion includes a plurality of supporting protrusions coupled to the sealing portion to support the sealing portion. 
     
     
       7. The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein the suction side upper housing and the discharge side upper housing are integrally formed having two opposite sides of the connection housing of the connection-fixing portion coupled to the compression portion, wherein the connection-fixing portion includes a barrier wall provided in an interior space that partitions a suction chamber from a discharge chamber formed in the interior space, wherein the suction chamber is in communication with the suction opening, and wherein the discharge chamber is in communication with the discharge opening. 
     
     
       8. The muffler of  claim 7 , further including: an inlet formed through the suction noise portion to provide for communication between an inside and an outside of the suction side noise space; and
 a suction guide opening formed between the suction noise portion and the connection-fixing portion to provide for communication between the suction side noise space and the suction chamber, wherein an outlet end of the inlet is positioned below an inlet end of the suction guide opening. 
 
     
     
       9. The muffler of  claim 7 , further including:
 a discharge guide opening formed between the connection-fixing portion and the discharge noise portion to provide for communication between the discharge chamber and the discharge side noise space; and 
 an outlet formed through the discharge noise portion to provide for communication between an inside and an outside of the discharge side noise space. 
 
     
     
       10. The muffler of  claim 1 , further including at least one reinforcing rib formed as a protrusion on an inner circumferential surface or an outer circumferential surface of the discharge noise portion. 
     
     
       11. The muffler of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the at least one reinforcing rib is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the discharge side upper housing, that extends in a vertical direction, and wherein a refrigerant passage is formed as a recess in a lower portion of the discharge side lower housing, spaced apart from a lower end of the at least one reinforcing rib by a predetermined interval. 
 
     
     
       12. The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the discharge side upper housing is greater than a volume of the suction side upper housing, and a volume of the discharge side lower housing is greater than a volume of the suction side lower housing, and wherein the suction side lower housing and the discharge side lower housing are integrally formed. 
     
     
       13. A compressor including the muffler of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       14. A compressor, comprising a casing; a cylinder block of a compression portion provided in the casing and having a compression chamber; a valve assembly of the compression portion installed on the cylinder block and having a suction opening and a discharge opening in communication with the compression chamber; and an integral muffler coupled to the valve assembly so as to be in communication with the compression chamber, the integral muffler including:
 a suction noise portion having a suction side noise space in communication with the suction opening of the valve assembly; 
 a discharge noise portion having a discharge side noise space in communication with the discharge opening of the valve assembly; and 
 a connection-fixing portion that integrally connects the suction noise portion and the discharge noise portion to each other and includes a connection housing, wherein a portion of the suction noise portion and a portion of the discharge noise portion are integrally formed as a one-piece component having at a suction side and a discharge side a of the connection housing, of the connection-fixing portion being coupled to the valve assembly of the compression portion, 
 wherein an internal pressure strength of a material of the discharge noise portion is greater than an internal pressure strength of a material of the suction noise portion, 
 wherein the suction noise portion includes a suction side upper housing and a suction side lower housing coupled to a lower end of the suction side upper housing so as to form the suction side noise space therebetween, 
 wherein the discharge noise portion includes a discharge side upper housing and a discharge side lower housing such that the discharge side upper housing is coupled to the discharge side lower housing so as to form the discharge side noise space therebetween, 
 wherein the suction side upper housing and the discharge side upper housing are integrally formed with two opposite sides of the connection housing of the connection-fixing portion coupled to the compression portion, and 
 wherein an internal pressure strength of materials of the suction side upper housing, the discharge side upper housing, and the connection housing are greater than an internal pressure strength of a material of the suction side lower housing and or the discharge side lower housing. 
 
     
     
       15. The compressor of  claim 14 , further a sealing portion formed at a mating surface between the connection-fixing portion and the valve assembly, wherein the sealing portion is integrally formed as a closed loop on one of the connection-fixing portion or the valve assembly. 
     
     
       16. The compressor of  claim 14 , further including a sealing portion inserted between mating surfaces of the connection-fixing portion and the valve assembly, wherein the sealing portion forms a closed loop. 
     
     
       17. The compressor of  claim 14 , wherein the connection-fixing portion is coupled to the cylinder block or to the valve assembly by a fixing portion that supports the connection-fixing portion. 
     
     
       18. The compressor of  claim 17 , further including a position-fixing portion formed on a contact surface between the connection-fixing portion and the fixing portion, that fixes and fixing the coupled position of the fixing portion and the connection-fixing portion. 
     
     
       19. A compressor, comprising a casing; a cylinder block of a compression portion provided in the casing and having a compression chamber; a valve assembly of the compression portion installed on the cylinder block and having a suction opening and a discharge opening in communication with the compression chamber; and an integral muffler coupled to the valve assembly so as to be in communication with the compression chamber, the integral muffler including:
 a suction noise portion having a suction side noise space in communication with the suction opening of the valve assembly;   a discharge noise portion having a discharge side noise space in communication with the discharge opening of the valve assembly; and   a connection-fixing portion that integrally connects the suction noise portion and the discharge noise portion to each other and includes a connection housing, wherein a portion of the suction noise portion and a portion of the discharge noise portion are integrally formed as a one-piece component at a suction side and a discharge side of the connection housing, the connection-fixing portion being coupled to the valve assembly,   wherein an internal pressure strength of a material of the discharge noise portion is greater than an internal pressure strength of a material of the suction noise portion,   wherein the suction noise portion includes a suction side upper housing and a suction side lower housing coupled to a lower end of the suction side upper housing so as to form the suction side noise space therebetween,   wherein the discharge noise portion includes a discharge side upper housing and a discharge side lower housing such that the discharge side upper housing is coupled to the discharge side lower housing so as to form the discharge side noise space therebetween,   wherein the suction side upper housing and the discharge side upper housing are integrally formed with two opposite sides of the connection housing of the connection-fixing portion, and   wherein materials of the suction side upper housing, the discharge side upper housing, and the connection housing are different from a material of the suction side lower housing or the discharge side lower housing.   
     
     
       20. The compress of claim 19, materials of the suction side upper housing, the discharge side upper housing and the connection housing are formed of a nylon material and a material of the suction side lower housing or the discharge side lower housing is formed of a PBT material. 
     
     
       21. The compressor of claim 19, further including a sealing portion formed at a mating surface between the connection-fixing portion and the valve assembly, wherein the sealing portion is integrally formed as a closed loop on one of the connection-fixing portion or the valve assembly. 
     
     
       22. The compressor of claim 19, further including a sealing member inserted between mating surfaces of the connection-fixing portion and the valve assembly. 
     
     
       23. The compressor of claim 19, wherein the connection-fixing portion is coupled to the cylinder block or to the valve assembly by a fixing portion that supports the connection-fixing portion. 
     
     
       24. The compressor of claim 23, wherein the fixing portion is formed of a metallic material. 
     
     
       25. The compressor of claim 23, wherein the fixing portion includes:
 a position-fixing portion provided on a contact surface of the connection-fixing portion and fixing the coupled position of the fixing portion and the connection-fixing portion; and   at least three legs provided on an outer circumferential surface of the position-fixing portion, the at least three legs having a shape of a tripod.   
     
     
       26. The compressor of claim 25, wherein:
 the integral muffler includes at least one position-fixing protrusion provided on an outer circumferential surface thereof, and   the fixing portion further includes at least one position-fixing recess, in which the position-fixing protrusion is inserted, the at least one position-fixing recess being formed on an inner circumferential surface of one of the at least three legs.   
     
     
       27. The compressor of claim 25, further including:
 a pressed recess portion formed on the connection-fixing portion; and   a pressing protrusion portion provided on an inner side surface of the position-fixing portion and corresponding to the pressed recess portion,   wherein the pressing protrusion portion is inserted into the pressed recess portion.   
     
     
       28. The compressor of claim 25, wherein the at least three legs are bent to exert an elastic force toward the connection-fixing portion. 
     
     
       29. The compressor of claim 25, further including:
 a passing hole formed in each of the at least three legs;   a fastening hole formed in the connection-fixing portion; and   a screw that passes through the passing hole and is fastened to the fastening hole.