Scroll device having a pressure plate
A scroll device has a housing having a fixed scroll plate and an orbiting scroll plate mounted therein on an idler shaft, the fixed scroll plate having a side having a fixed interleaved involute scroll and an outward facing side, the orbiting scroll plate having a side that has an orbiting interleaved involute scroll, an inlet port for the introduction of a working fluid into the device, and a pressure plate positioned adjacent to the outward facing side of the fixed scroll plate.
1. A scroll device comprising:
a housing having a fixed scroll plate and an orbiting scroll plate mounted therein on an idler shaft, the fixed scroll plate having a side having a fixed interleaved involute scroll and an outward facing side, the orbiting scroll plate having a side that has an orbiting interleaved involute scroll;
an inlet port for the introduction of a working fluid into the scroll device; and
a deflectable pressure plate positioned adjacent to the outward facing side of the fixed scroll plate.
2. The scroll device of claim 1 wherein the pressure plate is larger than the fixed scroll plate.
3. The scroll device of claim 1 wherein the orbiting scroll plate moves relative to the fixed orbiting scroll plate in an eccentric orbit.
4. The scroll device of claim 1 further comprising fins on the housing.
5. The scroll device of claim 1 wherein the fixed interleaved involute scroll and the orbiting interleaved involute scroll are interleaved spiral projections that mesh together to expand or contract a working fluid.
6. The scroll device of claim 1 wherein the pressure plate is positioned adjacent to the idler shaft.
7. The scroll device of claim 1 , wherein the working fluid has an operating pressure, and a pressure differential is the difference between the operating pressure and an ambient pressure, wherein the pressure plate deflects in response to the pressure differential.
8. A scroll device comprising:
a housing having a fixed scroll plate and an orbiting scroll plate mounted therein on an idler shaft, the fixed scroll plate having a side having a fixed interleaved involute scroll and an outward facing side, the orbiting scroll plate having a side that has an orbiting interleaved involute scroll;
an inlet port for the introduction of a working fluid into the scroll device in the case of an expander;
an O-ring located around the idler shaft; and
a pressure plate positioned adjacent to the outward facing side of the fixed scroll plate.
9. The scroll device of claim 8 wherein the orbiting scroll plate moves relative to the fixed orbiting scroll plate in an eccentric orbit.
10. The scroll device of claim 8 further comprising fins on the housing.
11. The scroll device of claim 8 wherein the fixed interleaved involute scroll and the orbiting interleaved involute scroll are interleaved spiral projections that mesh together to expand or contract a working fluid.
12. The scroll device of claim 8 wherein the pressure plate is larger than the fixed scroll plate.
13. The scroll device of claim 8 wherein the pressure plate is positioned adjacent to the idler shaft.
14. The scroll device of claim 8 , wherein the pressure plate deflects in response to a pressure differential between an operating pressure within the scroll device and an ambient pressure.