Compressor high-side axial seal and seal assembly retainer
A compressor may include a non-orbiting scroll, an orbiting scroll, a drive shaft, a bearing housing and an annular seal. The non-orbiting scroll includes a first spiral wrap. The orbiting scroll includes an end plate having a second spiral wrap ending from a first side of the end plate and an annular hub extending from a second side of the end plate. The first and second spiral wraps cooperate to compress working fluid from a suction pressure to a discharge pressure. The drive shaft includes a crankpin received in the hub and drives the orbiting scroll. The bearing housing rotatably supports the drive shaft and may define a biasing chamber containing working fluid biasing the orbiting scroll toward the non-orbiting scroll in an axial direction. The annular seal may engage a diametrical surface of the hub and engage the bearing housing, thereby defining the biasing chamber.
1. A compressor comprising:
a non-orbiting scroll including a first spiral wrap;
an orbiting scroll including an end plate having a second spiral wrap ending from a first side of said end plate and an annular hub extending from a second side of said end plate, said first and second spiral wraps cooperating to compress working fluid from a suction pressure to a discharge pressure;
a drive shaft having a crankpin received in said hub and driving said orbiting scroll in an orbital path relative to said non-orbiting scroll;
a bearing housing rotatably supporting said drive shaft and defining a biasing chamber containing working fluid biasing said orbiting scroll toward said non-orbiting scroll in an axial direction; and
a first annular seal engaging a diametrical surface of said hub and engaging said bearing housing, thereby defining said biasing chamber,
wherein said diametrical surface is a radially outwardly facing surface of said hub.
2. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein said working fluid disposed within said biasing chamber is at an intermediate pressure between said suction pressure and said discharge pressure, and wherein said first annular seal separates said working fluid disposed within said biasing chamber from discharge-pressure working fluid disposed in a space radially inward relative to said first annular seal.
3. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein said first annular seal defines an annular space in which a second annular seal is disposed, said second annular seal sealingly engaging said first annular seal and said hub.
4. The compressor of claim 3 , wherein said second annular seal sealingly engages said diametrical surface of said hub.
5. The compressor of claim 4 , further comprising a spring disposed within said annular space in said first annular seal and biasing said second annular seal into engagement with said hub and said first annular seal.
6. The compressor of claim 3 , wherein said second annular seal sealingly engages an axial end surface of said hub.
7. The compressor of claim 6 , wherein an axially extending portion of said first annular seal includes a radially inwardly extending protrusion that is received in an annular groove formed in said hub.
8. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising a stop ring disposed between said first annular seal and said end plate, said stop ring extending around said hub and abutting an annular ledge formed in said hub.
9. The compressor of claim 8 , further comprising a spring disposed between said stop ring and said first annular seal and biasing said first annular seal and said stop ring away from each other in an axial direction.
10. The compressor of claim 9 , further comprising a second annular seal disposed radially inward relative to at least a portion of said first annular seal, said second annular seal sealingly engaging said first annular seal and said hub.
11. The compressor of claim 10 , further comprising an annular seal retainer extending around said hub and cooperating with said hub to define an annular cavity disposed radially therebetween, wherein said stop ring, said spring and a portion of said first annular seal are disposed within said annular cavity.
12. The compressor of claim 11 , wherein said seal retainer is movable along said hub in an axial direction and includes an axial end having a radially inwardly extending lip that snaps into engagement with a radially outwardly extending lip of said first annular seal.
13. The compressor of claim 12 , wherein said second annular seal sealingly engages another annular ledge of said hub.
14. The compressor of claim 13 , wherein said second annular seal includes a generally U-shaped cross section that is exposed to discharge-pressure working fluid that spreads said U-shaped cross section open to seal said second annular seal against said hub and said first annular seal.
15. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein said non-orbiting scroll sealingly engages said bearing housing at a location disposed radially outward relative to said first annular seal such that said biasing chamber is disposed radially between said first annular seal and said location.
16. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising a shell defining a discharge-pressure chamber and receiving compressed working fluid at said discharge pressure, wherein said drive shaft and said bearing housing are disposed within said discharge-pressure chamber, wherein said biasing chamber receives working fluid at an intermediate pressure between said suction pressure and said discharge pressure, and wherein said first annular seal fluidly separates said discharge-pressure chamber from said biasing chamber.
17. A compressor comprising:
a non-orbiting scroll including a first spiral wrap;
an orbiting scroll including an end plate having a second spiral wrap ending from a first side of said end plate and an annular hub extending from a second side of said end plate, said first and second spiral wraps cooperating to compress working fluid from a suction pressure to a discharge pressure;
a drive shaft having a crankpin received in said hub and driving said orbiting scroll in an orbital path relative to said non-orbiting scroll;
a bearing housing rotatably supporting said drive shaft and defining a biasing chamber containing working fluid biasing said orbiting scroll toward said non-orbiting scroll in an axial direction; and
a first annular seal engaging a diametrical surface of said hub and engaging said bearing housing, thereby defining said biasing chamber,
wherein said diametrical surface of said hub is an outer diametrical surface.
18. The compressor of claim 17 , further comprising a second annular seal disposed radially inward relative to at least a portion of said first annular seal, said second annular seal sealingly engaging said first annular seal and said hub.
19. The compressor of claim 18 , wherein said second annular seal includes a generally U-shaped cross section that is exposed to discharge-pressure working fluid that spreads said U-shaped cross section open to seal said second annular seal against said hub and said first annular seal.
20. The compressor of claim 18 , further comprising: a stop ring disposed between said first annular seal and said end plate, said stop ring extending around said hub and abutting an annular ledge formed in said hub; a spring disposed between said stop ring and said first annular seal and biasing said first annular seal and said stop ring away from each other in an axial direction; and an annular seal retainer extending around said hub and cooperating with said hub to define an annular cavity disposed radially therebetween, wherein said stop ring, said spring and a portion of said first annular seal are disposed within said annular cavity, and wherein said annular seal retainer is movable along said hub in an axial direction and includes an axial end having a radially inwardly extending lip that snaps into engagement with a radially outwardly extending lip of said first annular seal.