JP2005106356A - Accumulator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust diameter of a restriction hole for returning lubricating oil to a compressor by varying an opening area of a lubricating oil returning hole part provided inside an accumulator in accordance with temperature, and to prevent damage to the compressor. <P>SOLUTION: In the accumulator 10 for a refrigerant in which lubricating oil is mixed, mixed amount of the lubricating oil is controlled in accordance with the temperature of the refrigerant inside the accumulator 10. The accumulator 10 is equipped with a valve case part 53 made of metal and comprises two different types of materials having different linear expansion coefficients and a valve element 70 made of resin. A flow passage is formed on one end side of the valve case part 53, and the valve element 70 is inserted into inside of the valve case part 53 in an extensible manner. One end part of the valve element 70 is fixed to the other end side of the valve case part 53, and a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing on the flow passage is variably adjusted by a difference of extension amount between the valve case part 53 and the valve element 70 generated in accordance with change in the temperature. The flow passage is provided with the restriction hole 82a through which the refrigerant flows into inside of the valve case part 53, a small diameter passage through which the refrigerant flows out outside of the valve case part 53, and an adjusting flow passage. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an accumulator used for a refrigeration cycle of an air conditioner.

  Various refrigerants are used in the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner, and the compatibility between the refrigerant and the lubricating oil differs under the pressure conditions. In general, the compatibility becomes worse at higher pressures and becomes worse, so the compressor can be adjusted by adjusting the lubricant return hole diameter (opening area) for returning the lubricant from the accumulator to the compressor according to the compatibility. It is necessary to prevent damage.

On the other hand, in the following patent document 1, the present applicant previously applied the basic structure of the variable orifice device (the temperature of the throttle hole is changed by forming the opening area of the throttle hole with an orifice and a valve using different materials having different linear expansion coefficients). In such a case, a variable orifice device technique that changes the opening area by using the difference in dimensional change between the orifice material and the valve material has been proposed.
JP 2003-166666 A

  An object of the present invention is to make it possible to change the opening area of the lubricating oil return hole provided in the accumulator according to the temperature according to the pressure change by utilizing the above-described known technique. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of adjusting a throttle hole diameter (opening area) for returning lubricating oil and preventing damage to a compressor.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following means.
The accumulator according to claim 1 is an accumulator for refrigerant mixed with lubricating oil, wherein the amount of mixed lubricating oil is controlled according to the temperature of the refrigerant in the accumulator.
The accumulator according to claim 2 is the accumulator according to claim 1, wherein an on-off valve portion including two different materials having different linear expansion coefficients is formed, and the on-off valve portion is opened and closed according to the temperature, The amount of lubricating oil in the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator is controlled by the opening and closing.

The accumulator according to claim 3 is the accumulator according to claim 2,
The on-off valve portion includes a valve case portion and a valve body made of different materials having different linear expansion coefficients, a flow path is formed on one end side of the valve case portion, and the valve body can be expanded and contracted in the valve case portion. And one end portion of the valve body is fixed to the other end side of the valve case portion, and due to the difference in expansion and contraction between the valve case portion and the valve body that occurs in response to the change in temperature, The flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the flow path is variably adjusted.

The accumulator according to claim 4 is the accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the valve case part is made of metal and the valve body is made of resin.
The accumulator according to claim 5 is the accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the flow path includes a throttle flow path through which the refrigerant flows into the valve case part, a small diameter flow path through which the refrigerant flows out of the valve case part, and an adjustment flow path. It is characterized by comprising.

The accumulator according to claim 6 is the accumulator according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the valve case portion is formed with a sliding contact portion with respect to the valve portion formed on the valve body side, and the valve The portion is made of a material having a linear expansion coefficient equivalent to that of the valve case portion.
The accumulator according to claim 7 is the accumulator according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the flow rate of the adjustment flow path is a minimum flow rate when the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and the flow rate according to the temperature is lower than a predetermined value. It is characterized by being large.

The present invention has the following effects by the above configuration. That is,
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the amount of the lubricating oil mixed in can be controlled according to the temperature of the refrigerant in the accumulator, the amount of the lubricating oil returned can be adjusted according to the compatibility which is different depending on the refrigerant pressure condition. , Can prevent damage to the compressor.
In addition to the above effect, the accumulator according to claim 2 forms an on-off valve portion comprising two different materials having different linear expansion coefficients, and opens and closes according to the temperature of the refrigerant, thereby providing lubricating oil in the refrigerant. The amount can be increased or decreased.

  In the accumulator according to claim 3, in the effect of the accumulator according to claim 2, the on-off valve portion has a throttle channel formed at one end side of the valve case portion, and the valve body is inserted into the valve case portion so as to expand and contract. In addition, the base end portion of the valve body is fixed to the other end side of the orifice case, and due to the difference in expansion and contraction between the valve case portion and the valve body that occurs in response to a change in the temperature of the refrigerant, By variably adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the passage, the configuration of the on-off valve portion was simplified.

  In the accumulator according to claim 4, in the effect of the accumulator according to claim 3, one of the valve case part and the valve body is made of metal and the other is made of resin, so that the structure of the on-off valve part is further simplified. Realized.

  The accumulator according to claim 5 is adjusted in addition to the effect of the accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the flow path is adjusted with a throttle flow path through which the refrigerant flows into the valve case part and a small diameter flow path through which the refrigerant flows out of the valve case part. By providing the flow path, it is possible to set an upper limit of the amount of refrigerant flowing into the valve case part, and at the same time, it is possible to allow a minimum amount of refrigerant to flow out by the flow path generated by the small diameter flow path and the valve part clearance. In addition, the refrigerant flow rate can be adjusted by the adjustment channel.

  In addition to the effects of the accumulator according to any one of claims 3 to 5, the accumulator according to claim 6 is provided with a sliding contact portion with respect to the valve portion formed on the valve body side in the valve case portion. The part is made of a material having a linear expansion coefficient equivalent to that of the valve case part, so that the valve opening / closing part can be smoothly operated and an accurate flow rate adjustment and a highly durable valve part can be realized.

  Furthermore, in addition to the effects of the accumulator of the accumulator according to claim 5 or 6, the accumulator according to claim 7 sets the flow rate of the adjustment flow path to the minimum flow rate when the temperature is above a predetermined level, and below the predetermined level. By adjusting the temperature according to the temperature, the adjustment of the amount of mixed lubricant became smoother.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the invention will be described.

  Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the accumulator, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG. 1, and shows a first state where the refrigerant temperature is low. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part A, showing a second state in which the refrigerant temperature is high.

  The accumulator 10 has a cylindrical sealed container 11 as a housing, and is built in a sealed tube body having an upper and lower upper board part 13 and a bottom board part 12, and a refrigerant inflow pipe is provided on the side of the sealed container 11. 20 is connected, and an inner pipe 30 for refrigerant outflow is connected to the upper board portion 13, and each communicates with the internal space of the sealed container 11. In the space, the lower end portion of the inner tube 30 extends to the vicinity of the bottom plate portion 12, and the lower end portion is supported by an inner tube support body 60 (described later).

  In addition, a tube support 50 is disposed on the bottom plate 12 within the accumulator 10. The tube support 50 is made of a metal material such as aluminum having a relatively low linear expansion coefficient. A support base 51 is formed below the pipe support 50, and on the support base 51, a tubular outer pipe support 52 and a valve case part 53 constituting an on-off valve part 100 are integrally formed. Are integrally formed. The inner pipe 30 having a predetermined height is integrally attached to the outer periphery of the inner pipe fitting small diameter portion 62 at the upper part of the inner pipe support 60.

  Further, the valve case portion 53 is formed with a valve body hole 54 having a circular cross section in the length direction (vertical direction), and the space inside the valve body hole 54 and the space inside the outer pipe support portion 52 are located above. The adjustment flow path 57 and the lower small diameter flow path 58 communicate with each other. Further, the valve case portion 53 has a throttle hole 82a communicating with the space in the valve body hole 54 and the space in the sealed container 11 (in the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. The side opposite to the positions of the flow path 57 and the small diameter flow path 58) is arranged. Further, a sliding contact portion 55 is formed on the inner wall of the valve body hole 54 between the adjustment flow channel 57 and the small diameter flow channel 58 so that the valve portion 72 (described later) is in sliding contact.

  That is, a filter hole 59 having a receiving step portion 59 a is formed in the valve case portion 53, and a throttle hole 82 a is formed in a filter support frame 82 that is attached to the filter hole 59. The filter 80 has a hemispherical shape made of a net, is in contact with the filter support frame 82, and is attached by a crimping portion 56 via a filter presser 81.

  Inside the valve body hole 54 formed in the valve case portion 53, a valve body 70 having a circular shape with a long cross section is vertically mounted so as to be movable up and down with respect to the inner wall of the valve body hole 54. The valve body 70 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin having a relatively high temperature expansion coefficient, for example, polyamide, and a material having a higher linear expansion coefficient than the metal material constituting the valve case portion 53 is selected. In addition, a male screw portion 73 is formed at the upper end portion of the valve body 70, a driver groove 74 is formed on the upper surface, and a through hole 71 is formed at the lower end portion of the valve body 70. The valve part 72 is mounted on the At the time of this mounting, it is fixedly mounted to the female threaded portion 71 a on the inner wall of the through hole 71 by screwing the male threaded portion 72 a formed on the valve portion 72. Further, the male threaded portion 73 is screwed into a female threaded portion 54 a formed at the upper end portion in the valve body hole 54, so that the valve body 70 is attached to the valve case portion 53 in an adjustable manner.

In this mounted state, as shown in FIG. 3, when the temperature of the refrigerant is low, the lubricating oil in the valve body hole 54 passes through the adjustment flow path 57 and the small diameter flow path 58, and the outer tube support portion 52. It is formed to be able to merge with the refrigerant inside.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the temperature of the refrigerant is high, the valve body 70 extends from the valve case portion 53 according to the linear expansion coefficient, so that the valve portion 72 below the valve body 70 is in the valve body hole 54. As a result of projecting to the sliding contact portion 55, the flow of the lubricating oil in the valve body hole 54 to the adjustment flow path 57 is minimized and formed to flow into the outer pipe support portion 52 via the small diameter flow path 58. Has been. In other words, in this state, the valve portion 72 substantially closes the valve body hole 54 between the adjustment flow path 57 and the small diameter flow path 58 so that the lubricating oil hardly flows into the adjustment flow path 57. . In other words, the minimum flow rate of lubricating oil (minimum amount mixed into the refrigerant) is ensured by the small diameter channel 58 and the channel generated by the valve portion clearance.

  Further, an inner tube support 60 is disposed at the bottom of the central portion of the outer tube support portion 52, and supports the inner tube 30 at its lower end. In addition, a refrigerant inflow hole 61 is formed in the side portion of the inner tube support 60, and an inner tube communication hole 63 is formed in the upper portion so as to communicate with the inner tube 30.

The accumulator 10 of Example 1 is interposed in the refrigeration cycle in the above configuration. Then, the liquid / gas mixed refrigerant mixed with the lubricating oil flows into the accumulator 10 from the inflow pipe 20, and the liquid and the gas are separated by a generally known centrifugal separation or the like. It flows out to the inner pipe 30 through the inflow hole 61 of the support body 60. Further, the liquid refrigerant and the mixed lubricating oil portion stay at the bottom between the sealed container 11 and the tube support 50, and the lubricating oil portion having a specific gravity larger than that of the liquid refrigerant stays at the lowermost portion.
When the temperature of the refrigerant is relatively low, the valve body 70 is contracted with respect to the valve case portion 53 and the valve portion 72 is retracted upward as shown in FIG. Then, a relatively large amount of lubricating oil flows into the outer tube 40 through the adjustment channel 57 and the small-diameter channel 58 and is mixed with the gas, and passes through the inflow hole 61 and the inner tube communication hole 63 together with the gas. It is sent from the pipe 30 to the compressor. The maximum flow rate of the lubricating oil is ensured at the throttle hole 82a.

  Further, when the temperature of the refrigerant is relatively high, as shown in FIG. 4, a part of the lubricating oil passes through the filter 80 and the throttle hole 82 a and reaches the valve body hole 54. Since it is substantially closed, the flow of the lubricating oil becomes a flow path generated by the small-diameter flow path 58 and the valve portion clearance, and becomes the minimum flow volume of the lubricating oil. Accordingly, a relatively small amount of lubricating oil flows into the outer pipe 40 and is mixed with the gas, and passes through the inflow hole 61 and the inner pipe communication hole 63 together with the gas and is sent from the inner pipe 30 to the compressor.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the accumulator concerning the Example of this invention. BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is the A section enlarged view of FIG. 1, and the operation | movement in a 1st state is shown. It is the A section enlarged view of FIG. 1, and the operation | movement in a 2nd state is shown.

Explanation of symbols

10. ・ Accumulator 11. ・ Sealed container 12. ・ Bottom base part 13. ・ Upper base part 20 ・ ・ Inlet pipe 30 ・ ・ Inner pipe 40 ・ ・ Outer pipe 50 ・ ・ Pipe support 51 ・ ・ Support base 52 ・ ・Outer tube support part 53 ..Valve case part 54 ..Valve body hole 54 a ..Female thread part 55 ..Sliding contact part 56 ..Caulking part 57 ..Adjustment channel 58 ..Small diameter channel 59. 59a ... receiving step

60 .. Inner pipe support 61 .. Inflow hole 62 .. Inner pipe fitting small diameter part 63 .. Inner pipe communication hole 70 .. Valve body 71 .. Through hole 71a .. Female thread part 72 .. Valve part 72a.・ Male thread part 73 ・ ・ Male thread part 74 ・ ・ Driver groove 80 ・ ・ Filter 81 ・ ・ Filter retainer 82 ・ ・ Filter support frame 82 a ・ ・ Restriction hole (restriction flow path)
100 ・ ・ Open / close valve

Claims (7)

  An accumulator for refrigerant mixed with lubricating oil, wherein the amount of mixed lubricating oil is controlled in accordance with the temperature of the refrigerant in the accumulator.   An on-off valve portion comprising two different materials having different linear expansion rates is formed, and the on-off valve portion is opened and closed according to the temperature, and the opening and closing controls the amount of lubricating oil in the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator. The accumulator according to claim 1.   The on-off valve portion includes a valve case portion and a valve body made of different materials having different linear expansion coefficients, a flow path is formed on one end side of the valve case portion, and the valve body can be expanded and contracted in the valve case portion. And one end portion of the valve body is fixed to the other end side of the valve case portion, and due to the difference in expansion and contraction between the valve case portion and the valve body that occurs in response to the change in temperature, The accumulator according to claim 2, wherein the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the flow path is variably adjusted.    The accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the valve case portion is made of metal and the valve body is made of resin.    4. The accumulator according to claim 3, wherein the flow path includes a throttle flow path through which the refrigerant flows into the valve case part, a small diameter flow path through which the refrigerant flows out of the valve case part, and an adjustment flow path.   The valve case portion is formed with a sliding contact portion with respect to the valve portion formed on the valve body side, and the valve portion is made of a material having a linear expansion coefficient equivalent to that of the valve case portion. The accumulator according to claim 3.   The accumulator according to claim 5 or 6, wherein when the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the flow rate of the adjustment flow path is a minimum flow rate, and when the temperature is lower than a predetermined value, the flow rate is increased according to the temperature.

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