CN106032829B

CN106032829B - Vibration isolator and compressor system comprising same

Info

Publication number: CN106032829B
Application number: CN201510104486.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马燕; 金杭海; 周光宇
Original assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Suzhou Co Ltd
Current assignee: Copeland Suzhou Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-03-10
Filing date: 2015-03-10
Publication date: 2021-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-10
Also published as: CN106032829A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vibration isolator having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface in an axial direction. The vibration isolator includes: a solid portion extending from the first surface to the second surface in the axial direction; and an air gap portion adjacent to the solid portion and extending from the first surface to the second surface in the axial direction, at least one air gap being provided in the air gap portion. The at least one air gap is configured to: the non-closing in the first operating condition causes the isolator pad to have a first stiffness, and the at least partial closing in the second operating condition causes the isolator pad to have a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness. The invention also relates to a compressor system comprising the vibration isolator.

Description

Vibration isolator and compressor system comprising same

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vibration isolator, and more particularly, to a vibration isolator for mounting a compressor to a support structure to reduce vibration. The invention also relates to a compressor system comprising such a vibration isolator, in particular for an air conditioning system for a train.

Background

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

The compressor is typically mounted on the support structure by means of feet. During normal operation (steady state) of the compressor, the compressor itself generates vibrations and thus transmits them to the support structure through the legs. For vibration damping, the feet of the compressor are mounted on the support structure via vibration isolators. The vibration insulating ability of the vibration insulator is mainly determined by its rigidity. Generally, the less rigid the vibration isolator, the more advantageous the vibration isolator can reduce the vibrations generated by the compressor itself and transmitted to the support structure.

However, in some cases, the compressor is mounted on a moving vehicle (e.g., a car, a truck, a train, etc.) and applied to an air conditioning system thereof. For example, when a train is on or off, accelerated, decelerated, or subjected to other impacts (shock conditions), the impact may be transmitted from the train (i.e., the support structure for mounting the compressor) to the legs of the compressor and thus to the compressor via the vibration isolators. In this case, the compressor tends to produce a large displacement, which in turn produces a large vibration to the train. Therefore, the vibration insulator, which is generally made of rubber, is easily damaged by fatigue, i.e., the service life is shortened. In the case of an impact, it is desirable that: the vibration isolator has greater rigidity. Thus, the more rigid the isolator pad, the more advantageous the isolator pad can limit the displacement of the compressor.

For this reason, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has established impact test standards for laboratory evaluation of products based on a severe application environment in a product design stage. In this way, it is ensured that vibrations generated by the compressor during operation do not affect the performance of the vehicle (e.g. train), for example Noise, Vibration and harshness (NVH).

Conventional vibration isolators are generally cylindrical in shape and are made of a rubber material. To meet the above specifications, manufacturers have provided the vibration isolator with a certain stiffness by selecting different rubber materials and/or designing the dimensions of the vibration isolator. Once the vibration isolator is made, its stiffness does not substantially change during use, i.e. the vibration isolator has a substantially constant stiffness. The vibration isolator with constant rigidity often cannot meet the requirement of the impact working condition when meeting the requirement of the stable working condition, or often cannot meet the requirement of the stable working condition when meeting the requirement of the impact working condition.

Therefore, a need exists for a vibration isolator that can simultaneously meet the requirements of stable operating conditions and impact operating conditions.

Disclosure of Invention

One object of the present invention is to provide a vibration isolator that can satisfy both the requirements of stable conditions and impact conditions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a low cost vibration isolator.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a vibration isolator that simplifies the manufacturing process.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compressor system including the vibration isolator.

One or more of the above objects can be achieved by the following solutions: a vibration isolator has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface in an axial direction. The vibration isolator includes: a solid portion extending from the first surface to the second surface in the axial direction; and an air gap portion adjacent to the solid portion and extending from the first surface to the second surface in the axial direction, at least one air gap being provided in the air gap portion. The at least one air gap is configured to: the non-closing in the first operating condition causes the isolator pad to have a first stiffness, and the at least partial closing in the second operating condition causes the isolator pad to have a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness.

According to the vibration isolator, the air gap is arranged, and the air gap can be opened or closed under different working conditions, so that the effective bearing cross section area of the vibration isolator can be changed, and the rigidity of the vibration isolator can be changed. For example, in a steady state, the air gap of the vibration isolator is open and has less rigidity to better absorb the vibration generated by the equipment (such as a compressor) itself; under impact conditions, the air gap of the vibration isolator is closed and has increased rigidity, so that the deformation resistance is improved.

On the other hand, the air gap of the vibration isolator according to the present invention can be opened and closed, so that the suction (or breathing) action of the air gap generated upon opening and closing can change the damping of the vibration isolator to some extent, whereby the vibration damping capacity of the vibration isolator can be further improved.

Alternatively, in the vibration isolator according to the present invention, the air gap portion is provided outside the solid portion in a lateral direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The air gap extends from an outer side surface of the air gap portion toward the solid portion. In this way, the air gap can communicate well with the surrounding atmosphere.

Alternatively, in the vibration isolator according to the present invention, the air gap portion may also be provided inside the solid portion in a lateral direction perpendicular to the axial direction. In addition, the vibration isolation pad may further include a second air gap portion disposed outside the solid portion in the lateral direction, the second air gap portion including at least one air gap. In this way, two air gap portions can be arranged according to specific application requirements to obtain better variable rigidity effect.

Alternatively, the vibration insulator may include a plurality of air gap portions and a plurality of solid portions. The plurality of air gap portions and the plurality of solid portions are alternately arranged around a central axis of the vibration insulator.

Optionally, in case an air gap is provided inside the vibration isolator, the vibration isolator may further comprise a vent for communicating the air gap with the surrounding atmosphere.

To facilitate mounting of the vibration insulator, the vibration insulator may further include a mounting hole provided at the center of the vibration insulator for passing a fastener to mount the vibration insulator.

Further, the air gap may extend continuously or intermittently in the circumferential direction, or extend continuously or intermittently in a spiral form in the axial direction, or extend in a stepped form in the circumferential direction.

Alternatively, the vibration isolator may include a plurality of air gaps, and the plurality of air gaps have the same size and configuration. Therefore, the processing technology can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced. For example, the mold for manufacturing the vibration insulator may have a simplified structure. Alternatively, the vibration isolator may have a symmetrical structure, for example, to improve the force conditions of the vibration isolator.

Optionally, the vibration isolator may comprise a plurality of air gaps, and the plurality of air gaps are configured such that: a) at least two air gaps of the plurality of air gaps have different depths in a lateral direction perpendicular to the axial direction; and/or b) at least two air gaps of the plurality of air gaps have different heights in the axial direction. With such a configuration, the air gaps can be made to be closed or opened at different times, and therefore a stepwise stiffness change can be obtained.

Preferably, the height of the air gap in the axial direction is in the range of 0.5mm to 3 mm.

Alternatively, the vibration insulator may include a plurality of air gaps, and the plurality of air gaps may be aligned, arranged in parallel, or arranged in a staggered manner in at least one of an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a lateral direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

Preferably, the vibration isolator is cylindrical and/or is made of a rubber material.

Alternatively, the vibration insulator may be integrally formed, or may be formed by stacking sheets of different sizes. In the case of a vibration isolator having a small number of air gaps, it may be advantageous to form the vibration isolator by means of a stack of sheets. Thus, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to another aspect of the invention, a compressor system comprising the vibration isolator is provided. In particular, the compressor system may comprise a compressor and the above-mentioned vibration isolator, wherein the legs of the compressor are mounted on the support structure via the vibration isolator.

Alternatively, at least one vibration isolator may be provided on the upper and lower sides of the leg, respectively. The vibration isolators located on the upper and lower sides of the legs may have different configurations and/or different dimensions.

Preferably, the mounting of the leg to the support structure is via a fastener inserted into a mounting hole of the isolator pad and a sleeve, wherein the sleeve is arranged between the fastener and the isolator pad and is configured to be able to control the preload of the isolator pad when mounting the leg to the support structure.

The compressor system may be an air conditioning system for a vehicle and/or the compressor may be a horizontal compressor.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

Drawings

The features and advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention will become more readily understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the assembly of a vibration isolator and compressor according to the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic side view of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged schematic front view of the isolator and compressor foot of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolator pad of FIG. 2A;

fig. 3A is a schematic perspective view of a vibration isolator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolator pad of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a schematic perspective view of a vibration isolator according to an embodiment of the present invention with the air gap closed;

FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolator pad of FIG. 4A;

fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vibration isolator according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a vibration isolator according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7A is a schematic perspective view of a vibration isolator according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolator pad of FIG. 7A;

fig. 8A is a schematic perspective view of a vibration isolator according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolator pad of FIG. 8A;

fig. 9A is a schematic perspective view of a vibration isolator according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolator pad of FIG. 9A;

fig. 10 is a perspective view of a vibration isolator according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 11A is a schematic perspective view of a vibration isolator according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolator pad of FIG. 11A;

fig. 12 is a schematic sectional view of a vibration isolator according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 13 is a schematic representation of the axial displacement and stiffness of a vibration isolator according to the present invention as a function of operating conditions.

Detailed Description

The following description of various embodiments of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. Like reference numerals are used to denote like parts in the respective drawings, and thus the configuration of the like parts will not be described repeatedly.

Reference herein to orientational words such as "upper, lower, left and right" refer to the orientation as viewed on the drawings unless otherwise specifically indicated herein.

Generally, in order to reduce vibration of a machine or equipment (e.g., a compressor), the machine or equipment is mounted to a base (also referred to as a "support structure") via vibration isolators. The vibration isolator may reduce the vibrations generated by the machine or equipment itself, thereby reducing the effect of the vibrations of the machine or equipment on the support structure. On the other hand, the vibration insulator can reduce the influence of impact or the like from the support structure on the machine or equipment.

The vibration isolating effect (or vibration damping effect) of the vibration isolator is mainly determined by the rigidity and damping thereof. Stiffness refers to the ability of a material or structure to resist elastic deformation when subjected to a force, and is related to area as well as length or height. That is, the larger the area, the greater the stiffness; while the greater the length or height, the less rigid. In this context, the inventors have based on this principle to be able to adapt the same vibration isolator to different operating conditions by changing the stiffness and/or damping of the vibration isolator.

The vibration isolator is typically made of a rubber material. The stiffness estimation formula for a substantially cylindrical rubber isolator is as follows:

estimation formula of compression stiffness:

estimation formula of shear stiffness:

wherein Kc is the compression stiffness; g is the modulus of elasticity (related to the material properties itself); a is the area of the cylindrical cross section (the effective load-bearing cross section, i.e., the cross section of the isolator pad perpendicular to the load direction); h is the height of the rubber isolator (i.e., the dimension measured axially along the isolator); s is the form factor of the loading/unloading surface; ks is shear stiffness; and d is the diameter.

The height of the vibration isolator is mainly dependent on the application and the installation space. Therefore, after the vibration insulator is manufactured, the outer dimensions of the vibration insulator have been determined, and therefore, the height of the vibration insulator can be considered to be substantially constant.

Therefore, as can be seen from the above formula, the compression stiffness and the shear stiffness of the rubber vibration isolator are both proportional to the cylindrical cross-sectional area a, i.e., the larger the cylindrical cross-sectional area a is, the higher the stiffness of the rubber vibration isolator is; the smaller the cylindrical cross-sectional area a, the lower the rigidity of the rubber vibration isolator.

According to this vibration theory, the inventors of the present application have made a vibration isolator whose rigidity varies during use. For example, when the compressor runs smoothly, the vibration isolator has lower rigidity, and can effectively reduce the lower vibration generated by the compressor. When the compressor is impacted, the effective cross-sectional area of the vibration isolator can be increased, so that the rigidity is increased, and the influence of the impact on the compressor can be effectively reduced.

Hereinafter, the vibration isolator according to the present invention will be described in detail by taking a compressor as an example with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the vibration isolator according to the present invention may be applied to any apparatus or machine generating vibration, not limited to compressors. Additionally, for ease of description, the system for mounting a compressor is described herein in terms of a train, in which case the support structure described herein may be a train body or other structural member. However, it should be understood that the compressor may be mounted to any other suitable system via the vibration isolator according to the present invention.

Referring to fig. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, a compressor system mounted via vibration isolators is shown. The illustrated compressor system includes a compressor 20, a vibration isolator 10, and a support structure 50 for supporting the compressor (see fig. 2A and 2B). The feet 22 of the compressor 20 are mounted to the support structure 50 via the vibration isolator 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the compressor 20 is generally cylindrical and is a horizontal compressor. The compressor 20 is supported by two legs 22 and mounted to the support structure 50 via the isolator pad 10. Referring to fig. 2A and 2B, one vibration isolator 10 may be provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the leg 22. A through hole is provided at substantially the center of the vibration insulator 10, and a bolt 30 is inserted into the through hole and coupled to the support structure 50, thereby coupling the compressor 20 to the support structure 50.

In the above system, the vibration isolator 10 is disposed between the compressor 20 and the support structure 50, and vibration transmitted from the compressor 20 to the support structure 50 can be reduced by the rigidity and damping of the vibration isolator 10, while external load such as impact transmitted from the support structure 50 to the compressor can also be reduced.

In a steady state, it is desirable that the vibration isolator have a small rigidity to effectively absorb the vibration generated by the compressor, and in an impact state, it is desirable that the vibration isolator have a large rigidity to effectively resist the impact load. However, the conventional vibration insulator has substantially constant rigidity after being manufactured because the cross section and the height thereof and the like have been substantially determined, and it is difficult to satisfy the actual requirements for both the steady operation and the impact operation.

The present invention has been made based on this. The vibration isolator according to the present invention includes a solid portion and an air gap portion having at least one air gap. Under the stable working condition, the air gap of the air gap part is not closed. At this time, the rigidity of the vibration insulator is mainly determined by the cross-sectional area of the solid portion. Thus, the vibration insulator has a small rigidity, and can effectively absorb vibration generated by the compressor, thereby reducing vibration transmitted to the train.

On the other hand, under the impact condition, the air gap of the air gap part is closed. At this time, the rigidity of the vibration insulator depends mainly on the cross-sectional areas of both the solid portion and the air gap portion, that is, the rigidity of the vibration insulator becomes large. Therefore, the air gap portion can resist the impact load together with the solid portion, thereby effectively preventing the compressor from being largely displaced.

Embodiments of the vibration insulator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments illustrated and described herein are illustrative of the invention and are not intended to be, nor limiting of the invention.

< first embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 3A and 3B, a first embodiment of a vibration isolator according to the present invention is shown. The vibration isolator 10A according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a top surface 12, a bottom surface 14, and a cylindrical outer side surface 16. A mounting hole 13 through which a bolt 30 passes for mounting the vibration insulator 10A to a support structure is provided in the axial direction at substantially the center of the vibration insulator 10A. The axial direction as described herein corresponds to the direction of load transfer between the compressor and the support structure.

Referring to fig. 3B, the vibration isolator 10A includes a solid portion 110 radially outside the mounting hole 13 and an air gap portion 150 located radially outside the solid portion 110. For convenience of description, an interface between the solid portion 110 and the air gap portion 150 is schematically represented by a dotted line P. The solid portion 110 and the air gap portion 150 may be integrally formed. The solid portion described herein refers to a portion that is solid in the axial direction, and the air gap portion refers to a portion provided with an air gap. In the illustrated embodiment, the air gap portion 150 of the vibration isolator includes three air gaps 15 extending from the outer side surface 16 to the solid portion 110 and in the circumferential direction. That is, the air gap 15 does not extend throughout the entire vibration isolator 10A in the radial direction (or, the lateral direction). The air gap 15 has an annular upper surface 152, an annular lower surface 154, and an inner wall surface 156, wherein the inner wall surface 156 is radially distant from the outer side surface 16 toward the solid portion 110. The air gap 15 is vented to the surrounding atmosphere through an opening in the outer side surface 16, thus facilitating rapid return of the air gap 15 to the open condition after an impact load.

Alternatively, the air gaps 15 are arranged at equal intervals in the axial direction of the vibration isolator. In this first embodiment, the air gaps 15 have the same axial height (i.e., height from the upper surface 152 to the lower surface 154 in the axial direction) and the same radial depth (i.e., depth from the outer side surface 16 to the inner wall surface 156 in the radial direction).

The height of the air gap 15 in the axial direction may be in the range of 0.5mm to 3 mm. When mounting the compressor via the vibration isolator according to the invention, a certain pre-stress (preload) is applied to the vibration isolator, so that the axial height of the air gap 15 may be in the range of 0.1mm to 2 mm. To better set this pre-stress, a sleeve 40 may be provided between the fastener, such as bolt 30, and the isolator pad (see fig. 2B). For example, the pre-stress exerted by the fastener on the isolator pad can be adjusted by setting the height of the sleeve 40.

In steady state operation, the displacement of the compressor due to vibration is typically less than 0.1 mm. Thus, the air gap 15 does not close under steady state conditions. That is, the upper surface 152 and the lower surface 154 of the air gap 15 are maintained a distance apart. At this time, the rigidity of the vibration insulator is mainly determined by the annular cross-sectional area a1 of the solid portion 110, and therefore, the rigidity of the vibration insulator is small, and the vibration generated by the compressor itself can be effectively absorbed.

In addition, the inventors have also found that: in a surge condition, it may sometimes cause the compressor to shift several millimeters in the axial direction. The vibration isolator according to the invention is arranged such that the air gap is closed in the event of an impact condition. That is, the upper surface 152 and the lower surface 154 of the air gap 15 may at least partially overlap. As shown in fig. 4A and 4B, the upper surface 152 and the lower surface 154 of the air gap 15 are almost completely overlapped. At this time, the rigidity of the vibration insulator depends on both the annular cross-sectional area a1 of the solid portion 110 and the annular cross-sectional area a2 of the air gap portion 150, thereby increasing the rigidity of the vibration insulator. That is, the solid portion 110 and the air gap portion 150 of the vibration isolator effectively resist the impact load, and prevent the compressor from being largely displaced after the impact.

By opening or closing the air gap 15, the effective cross-sectional area of the vibration isolator 10 according to the present invention can be changed, and accordingly its stiffness can be changed, thereby enabling the vibration isolator 10 to be adapted to both stable and impact conditions. In addition, under the impact condition, the rigidity of the vibration isolator 10A is increased and the displacement of the compressor 20 is limited due to the closing of the air gap 15, so that the compressor 20 and a connecting pipeline thereof and the like are protected to a certain extent, and the service life of the vibration isolator 15 can be prolonged.

The air gap 15 has an air suction (or breathing) effect during the opening and closing process, so that the damping of the vibration isolator 10 can be improved to some extent, and the vibration of the compressor 20 is further reduced.

In the illustrated embodiment, a rounded portion 18 may be provided between the top surface 12 and the outer surface 16 to facilitate mounting, positioning, and the like of the vibration isolator 10A. One skilled in the art will recognize that a radiused portion 18 may also be provided between the outer side surface 16 and the bottom surface 14, depending on the particular application. In addition, the outer shape structure of the vibration insulator can be changed according to the structure of the structural member fitted to the vibration insulator.

< second embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 5, a vibration isolator 10B according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The second embodiment of the vibration isolator differs from the first embodiment in the radial depth of the air gap. As shown in fig. 5, the air gap portion includes three

air gaps

15A, 15B, and 15C extending from the outer side surface 16 to the solid portion and in the circumferential direction. The

air gaps

15A, 15B and 15C are arranged sequentially in the axial direction of the vibration isolator and have radial depths d1, d2 and d3, respectively, wherein the radial depths d1, d2 and d3 are successively shorter. The radial depth d1 of the air gap 15A is the longest, i.e., the inner wall surface 156A of the air gap 15A is closest to the mounting hole 13 and the solid portion. The radial depth d3 of the air gap 15C is the shortest, that is, the inner wall surface 156C of the air gap 15C is the farthest from the mounting hole 13 and the solid portion. The radial depth d2 of the air gap 15B is in the range between d1 and d3, that is, the inner wall surface 156B of the air gap 15B is located between the inner wall surfaces 156A and 156C in the radial direction.

With the vibration isolator 10B according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the

air gaps

15A, 15B, and 15C may not be closed at the same time. For example, the

air gaps

15A, 15B, and 15C may be sequentially closed according to an increase in the impact load. Alternatively, the respective radial depths of the

air gaps

15A, 15B, and 15C may be set according to the distribution of the load on the vibration isolator.

The parts of the second embodiment that are identical to the first embodiment will not be described in detail.

< third embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 6, a vibration isolator 10C according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown. The third embodiment of the vibration isolator differs from the first embodiment in the axial height of the air gap. As shown in fig. 6, the air gap portion includes three air gaps 15A ', 15B ', and 15C ' extending from the outer side surface 16 to the solid portion and in the circumferential direction. The air gaps 15A ', 15B ', and 15C ' are arranged sequentially in the axial direction of the vibration isolator and have axial heights h1, h2, and h3, respectively, wherein the axial heights h1, h2, and h3 increase sequentially. The axial height h1 of the air gap 15A' is at a minimum. The axial height h3 of the air gap 15C' is at a maximum. The axial height h2 of the air gap 15B' is in the range between h1 and h 3.

With the vibration isolator 10C according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the air gaps 15A ', 15B ', and 15C ' may not be closed at the same time. For example, the air gaps 15A ', 15B ', and 15C ' may be sequentially closed according to an increase in the impact load. Alternatively, the respective axial heights of the

air gaps

The parts of the third embodiment that are identical to the first embodiment will not be described in detail.

< fourth embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 7A and 7B, a vibration isolator 10D according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The vibration isolator 10D of the fourth embodiment differs from the vibration isolator 10A of the first embodiment in that the solid portion 110 is radially outward of the air gap portion 150 and the air gap portion 150 includes four air gaps 15. The vibration isolator 10D according to the fourth embodiment is provided with the solid portion 110, the air gap portion 150, and the mounting hole 13 in this order radially inward. The air gap 15 of the air gap portion 150 communicates with the mounting hole 13, and therefore, the air gap 15 can communicate with the surrounding atmosphere via the mounting hole 13.

It should be understood that the number of air gaps 15 may vary depending on the particular application and is not limited to the specific examples described herein.

The parts of the fourth embodiment that are identical to the first embodiment will not be described in detail.

< fifth embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 8A and 8B, a vibration isolator 10E according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The vibration isolator 10E of the fifth embodiment is different from the vibration isolator 10A of the first embodiment in that each air gap 15 is intermittently provided in the circumferential direction. As shown in fig. 8B, a spacer 112 is provided between two air gaps 15 adjacent in the circumferential direction. In the illustrated embodiment, three air gaps 15 are provided in parallel in the axial direction between two adjacent spacers 112. In addition, in the circumferential direction of the vibration insulator, four air gaps 15 are provided, which are spaced apart by four spacers 112. It should be understood that the number of spacers 112 and the number of air gaps 15 may vary depending on the particular application.

In the illustrated embodiment, the solid portion 110 (i.e., the hatched portion in fig. 8B) includes an annular solid portion adjacent to the mounting hole 13 and a spacer portion 112. The air gap portion 150 is a portion of the vibration insulator where the air gap 15 is provided. The air gaps 15 on both sides of the spacer 112 in the circumferential direction may be arranged in alignment or may be arranged alternately. It is understood that the number of air gaps 15 between two adjacent spacers 112 may be different.

The parts of the fifth embodiment that are identical to the first embodiment will not be described in detail.

< sixth embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 9A and 9B, a vibration isolator 10F according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The vibration isolator 10F of the sixth embodiment differs from the vibration isolator 10E of the fifth embodiment in that the air gap 15 extends from the outer side surface 16 of the vibration isolator 10F to the inner wall 132 of the mounting hole 13. Thus, the solid portion 110 is composed of the spacer portion 112. The spacers 112 alternate with the air gaps 15 in the circumferential direction. In other words, the solid portions 110 may be alternately arranged with the air gap portions 150 in the circumferential direction.

Portions of the sixth embodiment that are similar to those of the fifth embodiment will not be described again.

< seventh embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 10, there is shown a vibration isolator 10G according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. The vibration isolator 10G of the seventh embodiment differs from the vibration isolator 10A of the first embodiment in that the air gap 15 is in the form of a step, and two air gaps 15 extending in the circumferential direction are provided in parallel in the axial direction. Specifically, for each air gap 15, it extends a certain distance in the circumferential direction and then extends a certain distance in the axial direction, thereby forming a stepped form. The number of steps formed over the entire circumference of each air gap 15 may vary depending on the particular application.

The parts of the seventh embodiment that are similar to the parts of the first embodiment will not be described again.

< eighth embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 11A and 11B, there is shown a vibration isolator 10H according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. The vibration isolator 10H according to the eighth embodiment differs from the vibration isolator 10D according to the fourth embodiment in that a second air gap 160 is further provided radially outside the solid portion 110. For convenience of description, in this embodiment, the air gap portion 150 is defined as a first air gap portion 150.

As shown, the solid portion 110 is located between the first air gap portion 150 and the second air gap portion 160. In fig. 11B, the interface between the first air gap part 150 and the solid part 110 is schematically represented by a dotted line P1, and the interface between the solid part 110 and the second air gap part 160 is schematically represented by a dotted line P2. The first air gap portion 150 is at substantially the center of the vibration isolator 10H, and the air gap 15 of the first air gap portion 150 communicates with the surrounding atmosphere via the mounting hole 13. The second air gap portion 160 is radially outside the vibration insulator 10H, and the air gap 15 of the second air gap portion 160 extends from the outer side surface 16 of the vibration insulator 10H toward the solid portion 110, that is, the opening of the air gap 15 is provided on the outer side surface 16, thereby allowing the air gap 15 to communicate with the surrounding atmosphere.

The air gaps 15 of the first air gap portion 150 and the air gaps 15 of the second air gap portion 160 may be aligned in a radial direction or may be staggered. It will be appreciated that the air gaps 15 of the first air gap portion 150 may differ from the air gaps 15 of the second air gap portion 160 in number, size and/or configuration.

Portions of the eighth embodiment that are similar to those of the fourth embodiment will not be described repeatedly.

< ninth embodiment of vibration isolator >

Referring to fig. 12, there is shown a vibration isolator 10I according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention. The vibration isolator 10I of the ninth embodiment differs from the vibration isolator 10D of the fourth embodiment in that the vibration isolator 10I is not provided with a mounting hole 13 for a bolt to pass through at substantially the center, but is connected to a support structure by another means.

In the vibration isolator 10I, a vent hole 19 is provided to communicate the air gap 15 with the ambient atmosphere. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent hole 19 is provided at substantially the center of the vibration isolator 10I and extends from the air gap 15 through the vibration isolator 10I in the axial direction. However, it should be understood that the structure of the vent hole 19 is not limited to the illustrated example, but may be any structure as long as the air gap 15 can be made to communicate with the surrounding atmosphere.

As for the vibration isolator 10I, for example, the vibration isolator 10I may be attached to the support structure by fixedly attaching the bottom surface of the vibration isolator 10I to the support structure, or the vibration isolator 10I may be attached to the support structure by a member for fixing the outer side surface of the vibration isolator 10I. That is, the vibration isolator may be connected to the support structure by other means than the mounting hole 13 and the bolt 30.

Portions of the ninth embodiment similar to those of the fourth embodiment will not be described repeatedly.

< other modifications >

Although several embodiments of the vibration isolator according to the present invention have been described in detail above, it should be understood that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and are intended to be illustrative of the present invention and not exhaustive. Many variations of the above-described embodiments are possible and the features of the above-described vibration isolators can be combined with one another to form additional embodiments without contradiction.

For example, the air gap 15 may extend in a spiral form in the axial direction. Although the isolator pad 10 is illustrated and described herein as being generally cylindrical, it should be understood that the isolator pad 10 may take any other suitable shape depending on the particular application.

Further, although the embodiments illustrated and described herein are each integrally formed isolators 10, the isolators 10 may be formed in any other suitable manner. For example, the vibration insulator 10 may be formed by stacking sheets having different diameters or sheets having different sectional dimensions in a direction perpendicular to the force application direction. For example, one sheet having a smaller cross-sectional dimension may be sandwiched between two adjacent sheets having a larger cross-sectional dimension, whereby the air gap 15 may be formed.

It should be understood that the vibration isolator according to the present invention is applicable to various types of compressors or other vibration generating devices; the number, size, configuration, etc. of the vibration isolators can vary depending on the particular application; and the compressor may be directly or indirectly connected to the vibration isolator through a structure other than the legs.

Fig. 13 is a schematic view of the axial displacement and stiffness of the isolator pad according to the present invention as a function of operating conditions. As shown in fig. 13, in a steady state (left side in the figure), that is, when there is mainly vibration generated by the compressor itself, the axial displacement of the vibration isolator 10 is small and the air gap 15 is not closed, and at this time, the effective cross-sectional area a of the vibration isolator 10 is small, so that the rigidity of the vibration isolator 10 is small, and the vibration generated by the compressor 20 itself during operation can be effectively reduced. In an external impact condition (shown as the right side in the figure), the axial displacement of the vibration isolator 10 is large, so that the air gap 15 is closed, and at this time, the effective cross-sectional area a' of the vibration isolator 10 is larger than the effective cross-sectional area a, so that the rigidity of the vibration isolator 10 is large, and the displacement of the compressor 20 can be effectively limited.

Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described and illustrated in detail herein, and that other modifications and variations may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. Moreover, all the components described herein may be replaced by other technically equivalent components.

Claims

1. A vibration isolator (10) for a compressor, said vibration isolator (10) having a first surface (14) and a second surface (12) opposite to said first surface (14) along an axial direction, said vibration isolator (10) being made of a rubber material and comprising:

a plurality of solid portions (110) extending in the axial direction from the first surface (14) to the second surface (12), an

A plurality of air gap portions (150) adjacent to the solid portion (110) and extending in the axial direction from the first surface (14) to the second surface (12), at least one air gap (15) being provided in the air gap portions (150),

wherein the at least one air gap (15) is configured to: not closed in a first operating condition such that the isolator pad (10) has a first stiffness, and at least partially closed in a second operating condition such that the isolator pad (10) has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness,

the plurality of air gap portions (150) and the plurality of solid portions (110) are alternately arranged around a central axis of the vibration isolator (10),

wherein the vibration isolation pad (10) further comprises a mounting hole (13) provided at the center of the vibration isolation pad (10) for passing a fastener to mount the vibration isolation pad (10),

the vibration isolator (10) is formed by stacking sheets of different sizes, wherein one sheet having a smaller cross-sectional size is sandwiched between two adjacent sheets having a larger cross-sectional size, thereby forming the air gap.

2. The vibration isolator (10) according to claim 1, wherein said vibration isolator (10) further comprises an annular solid portion disposed between said mounting hole (13) and said air gap portion (150) in a lateral direction perpendicular to said axial direction.

3. The vibration isolator (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said air gap (15) extends intermittently in a circumferential direction or intermittently in a spiral form in said axial direction.

4. The vibration isolator (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said vibration isolator (10) comprises a plurality of air gaps (15), said plurality of air gaps (15) having the same size and configuration.

5. The vibration isolator (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said vibration isolator (10) comprises a plurality of air gaps (15), said plurality of air gaps (15) being configured such that:

a) at least two of the air gaps (15) have different depths in a transverse direction perpendicular to the axial direction; and/or

b) At least two of the plurality of air gaps (15) have different heights in the axial direction.

6. The vibration isolator (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height of said air gap (15) in said axial direction is in the range of 0.5mm to 3 mm.

7. The vibration isolator (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said vibration isolator (10) comprises a plurality of air gaps (15), said plurality of air gaps (15) being arranged aligned, parallel or staggered in at least one of said axial direction, circumferential direction and transverse direction perpendicular to said axial direction.

8. The vibration isolator (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said vibration isolator (10) is cylindrical.

9. Compressor system comprising a compressor (20) and a vibration isolator (10) according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the legs (22) of the compressor (20) are mounted on a support structure via the vibration isolator (10).

10. Compressor system according to claim 9, wherein at least one vibration isolator (10) is provided on the upper and lower side of the leg (22), respectively.

11. The compressor system of claim 10 wherein the isolation pads (10) on the upper and lower sides of the legs (22) are of different configurations and/or different sizes.

12. The compressor system of claim 9, wherein the leg (22) is mounted to the support structure via a fastener (30) and a sleeve (40) inserted into a mounting hole of the isolator pad (10), wherein the sleeve (40) is disposed between the fastener (30) and the isolator pad (10) and is configured to enable control of a preload of the isolator pad (10) when the leg (22) is mounted to the support structure.

13. Compressor system according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the compressor system is an air conditioning system for a vehicle and/or the compressor (20) is a horizontal compressor.