Scroll machine having a discharge valve assembly

1. A discharge valve for a scroll compressor, comprising:

a valve seat surface facing downstream of a discharge passage of the scroll compressor;

a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions and having a body portion for engaging said seat surface for closing said discharge passage, said valve member including a cylindrical guide portion extending axially from said body portion; and

a retainer including an axially extending stem portion slidably engaging with said cylindrical guide portion of said valve member and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said cylindrical guide portion receiving said retainer, said stem portion of said retainer including at least one through hole extending axially through said retainer and in communication with said fluid chamber, said passage limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said passage to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position.

2. The discharge valve according to claim 1 , wherein said guide portion of said valve member includes at least one vent formation in communication with said fluid chamber.

3. The discharge valve according to claim 2 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a notch in said valve member.

4. The discharge valve according to claim 2 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a slot in an interior of said cylindrical sidewall.

5. The discharge valve according to claim 2 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a hole in said valve member.

6. The discharge valve according to claim 1 , wherein said stem portion of said retainer includes at least one axially extending recess in a surface thereof.

7. A discharge valve for a scroll compressor, comprising:

a valve seat surface facing downstream of a discharge passage of the scroll compressor;

a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions and having a body portion for engaging said seat surface for closing said discharge passage, said valve member including a guide portion extending axially from said body portion; and

a retainer slidably engaging with said guide portion of said valve member and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said guide portion receiving said retainer, said retainer including at least one passage in communication with said fluid chamber, said passage limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said passage to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position;

wherein said retainer includes a cylindrical sidewall portion having a plurality of radially extending apertures therethrough.

8. The discharge valve according to claim 7 , wherein said valve member includes a central lug portion received in said cylindrical sidewall portion of said retainer.

9. The discharge valve according to claim 8 , wherein said valve member includes a cylindrical outer wall portion which receives said retainer therein.

10. A discharge valve for a scroll compressor, comprising:

a valve seat surface facing downstream of a discharge passage of the scroll compressor;

a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions and having a body portion for engaging said seat surface for closing said discharge passage, said valve member including a guide portion extending axially from said body portion; and

a retainer slidably engaging with said guide portion of said valve member and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said guide portion receiving said retainer, said retainer including at least one passage in communication with said fluid chamber, said passage limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said passage to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position;

wherein said retainer includes an elongated base portion and a radially extending flange portion that is received in a cylindrical sidewall portion of said valve member, said radially extending flange portion including at least one passage therethrough in communication with said fluid chamber.

11. The discharge valve according to claim 10 ,

wherein said elongated base portion of said retainer is mounted to a partition plate, said partition plate including at least one discharge passage extending therethrough.

12. A discharge valve for a scroll compressor, comprising:

a valve seat surface facing downstream of a discharge passage of the scroll compressor;

a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions and having a body portion for engaging said seat surface for closing said discharge passage, said valve member including a guide portion extending axially from said body portion; and

a retainer slidably engaging with said guide portion of said valve member and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said guide portion receiving said retainer, said retainer including at least one passage in communication with said fluid chamber, said passage limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said passage to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position;

wherein said retainer has a cup shaped body portion for receiving a lug portion of said valve member therein.

13. A discharge valve for a scroll compressor, comprising:

a valve seat surface disposed in a discharge passage of the scroll compressor, said valve seat surface facing downstream from the discharge passage;

a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions and having a generally cup-shaped body with a cylindrical sidewall and a base portion enclosing a forward end of said cylindrical sidewall, said cylindrical sidewall including at least one vent formation in said cylindrical sidewall; and

a retainer having a cylindrical outer sidewall and a retainer base portion disposed in a rearward end of said cylindrical outer sidewall, a central stem axially extending from said retainer base portion, said cylindrical sidewall of said valve member being slidably received on said central stem and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said central stem including a through hole extending axially therethrough, said through hole limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said through hole to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position.

14. The discharge valve according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a notch in said cylindrical sidewall.

15. The discharge valve according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a slot in said cylindrical sidewall.

16. The discharge valve according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a hole in said cylindrical sidewall.

17. A compressor, comprising:

a shell;

a compression mechanism including first and second scroll members meshingly engaged with one another, said first scroll member including a recess in an end plate thereof and a discharge passage in communication with said recess; and

a valve assembly disposed in said recess and including a valve seat surface facing downstream of the discharge passage, a cup-shaped valve member displaceable between open and closed positions, and a retainer, said cup-shaped valve member including a body portion and a cylindrical guide portion extending axially from said body portion, said body portion engaged with said seat surface and closing said discharge passage when in said closed position, said cylindrical guide portion of said valve member slidably engaged with an axially extending stem portion of said retainer and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said cylindrical guide portion of said cup-shaped valve member receiving said stem portion of said retainer, said stem portion of said retainer including at least one through hole extending axially through said retainer and in communication with said fluid chamber, said passage limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber.

18. The compressor according to claim 17 , wherein said cylindrical guide portion of said valve member includes at least one vent formation in communication with said fluid chamber.

19. The compressor according to claim 18 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a notch in said valve member.

20. The compressor according to claim 18 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a hole in said valve member.

21. The compressor according to claim 17 , wherein said at least one vent formation includes a slot in an interior of said cylindrical sidewall.

22. A compressor, comprising:

a shell;

a compression mechanism including first and second scroll members meshingly engaged with one another, said first scroll member including a recess in an end plate thereof and a discharge passage in communication with said recess; and

a valve assembly disposed in said recess and including a valve seat surface facing downstream of the discharge passage, a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions, and a retainer, said valve member including a body portion and a guide portion extending axially from said body portion, said body portion engaged with said seat surface and closing said discharge passage when in said closed position, said guide portion of said valve member slidably engaged with said retainer;

wherein said retainer includes a cylindrical sidewall portion having a plurality of radially extending apertures therethrough said valve member includes a central lug portion received in said cylindrical sidewall portion of said retainer.

23. The compressor according to claim 22 , wherein said valve member includes a cylindrical outer wall portion which receives said retainer therein.

24. A compressor, comprising:

a shell;

a compression mechanism including first and second scroll members meshingly engaged with one another, said first scroll member including a recess in an end plate thereof and a discharge passage in communication with said recess; and

a valve assembly disposed in said recess and including a valve seat surface facing downstream of a discharge passage, a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions, and a retainer, said valve member including a body portion and a guide portion extending axially from said body portion, said body portion engaged with said seat surface and closing said discharge passage when in said closed position, said guide portion of said valve member slidably engaged with said retainer and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said guide portion receiving said retainer, said retainer including at least one passage in communication with said fluid chamber, said passage limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said passage to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position;

wherein said retainer includes an elongated base portion and a radially extending flange portion that is received in a cylindrical sidewall portion of said valve member, said radially extending flange portion including at least one passage therethrough in communication with said fluid chamber.

25. The compressor according to claim 24 , wherein said elongated base portion of said retainer is mounted to a partition plate, said partition plate including at least one discharge passage extending therethrough.

26. A compressor, comprising:

a shell;

a compression mechanism including first and second scroll members meshingly engaged with one another, said first scroll member including a recess in an end plate thereof and a discharge passage in communication with said recess; and

a valve assembly disposed in said recess and including a valve seat surface facing downstream of a discharge passage, a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions, and a retainer, said valve member including a body portion and a guide portion extending axially from said body portion, said body portion engaged with said seat surface and closing said discharge passage when in said closed position, said guide portion of said valve member slidably engaged with said retainer and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said guide portion receiving said retainer, said retainer including at least one passage in communication with said fluid chamber, said passage limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said passage to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position;

wherein said retainer has a cup shaped body portion for receiving a lug portion of said valve member therein.

27. A discharge valve for a scroll compressor, comprising:

a valve seat surface disposed in a discharge passage of the scroll compressor, said valve seat surface facing downstream from the discharge passage;

a valve member displaceable between open and closed positions and having a generally cup-shaped body with a cylindrical sidewall and a base portion enclosing a forward end of said cylindrical sidewall; and

a retainer having a retainer base portion, and a central stem axially extending from said retainer base portion, said cylindrical sidewall of said valve member being slidably received on said central stem and defining a fluid chamber therebetween, said central stem including a through hole extending axially therethrough, said through hole limiting a flow of a fluid in said fluid chamber through said through hole to damp an opening velocity of said valve member as said valve member is displaced to said open position.