Title of Invention

OIL PICK UP APPARATUS FOR A HERMETIC COMPRESSOR

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oil pick up apparatus for a hermetic compressor. In a conventional oil pick up apparatus for a hermetic compressor, the oil pickup performance of the apparatus is not good because the oil pickup force is generated by the rotation of the two-branch propeller, so that it is impossible to effectively provide oil to the friction portions of the compressor and thus the cooling effect is also not so good, eventually the life spans of the compressor are shortened. To resolve these problems, the present invention provides an oil pickup apparatus with a four-branch propeller, so that it is possible to increase an oil pickup capability during the rotation of the propeller, and thus effectively enhance a lubricating and cooling operation of the compressor as well as improve the life spans thereof, said oil pick up apparatus for a hermetic compressor comprising: a four-branch propeller (100, 200) inserted in a lower portion of an oil path (5b') formed within a crank shaft (5') whereby an oil filled in a bottom portion of a hermetic container of the compressor is more effectively picked up to friction portions of elements of the compressor, thus effectively lubricating and cooling parts of the compressor; and a support member (11, 200a) for supporting the four-branch propeller (100, 200) to the oil path.

Full Text

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor, and in particular to an improved oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor which Is capable of Increasing an oil pickup capability during the rotation of a propeller by providing a four-branch propeller. 2. Description of the Background Art As shown In Figure 1, the conventional hermetic compressor includes a hermetically sealed container 1 forming an outer body of the compressor, a frame 2 installed in the interior of the hermetic container 1, a stator 3 and a rotor 4 installed below the frame 2, a crank shaft 5 engaged to the inner portion of the rotor 4 and having an eccentric portion 5a formed in an upper portion thereof, a cylinder 6 engaged to the upper portion of the frame 2, and a piston 7 reciprocating within the cylinder 6. In addition, a head portion 8 is installed in a portion of the cylinder 6, through which a refrigerant gas is introduced and discharged therethrough. The operation of the conventional hermetic compressor will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. When an electric power is applied to the stator 3, the rotor 4 is rotated, and as the rotator 4 is rotated, the crank shaft 5 is rotated. As the crank shaft 5 is rotated, the piston 7 connected with the eccentric portion 5a of the crank shaft 5 1A reciprocates within the cylinder 6. Therefore, the low temperature and low pressure refrigerant gas is introduced into the cylinder 6 through the cylinder head portion 8 by the reciprocating operation of the piston 7, and the thusly introduced refrigerant gas is compressed by the piston 7 in the cylinder 6, thus producing a high temperature and pressure refrigerant gas, and then the thusly produced high temperature and pressure refrigerant gas is discharged through the cylinder head portion 8. Oil is filled in the bottom portion of the hermetic container 1, and the oil is provided to friction portions of the compressor, thus preventing the friction of the elements !and cooling the same. In addition, an oil pickup apparatus 9 is installed below the crank shaft 5, so that the oil is picked up when the crank shaft 5 is rotated, and thus the oil is sprayed to the friction portions of the compressor along an oil path 5b formed in the crank shaft 5. Figure 2 illustrates the construction of the conventional oil pickup apparatus 9, As shown therein, in the oil pickup apparatus 9 of the conventional hermetic compressor, a two-branch propeller 10 having two wings 10a is inserted to a lower portion of the oil path 5b of the crank shaft 5, and is elastically supported by a support member 11 passing through the upper portion of the same. Figure 3 Is a perspective view illustrating the shape of the two-branch propeller '10 of Figure 2. As shown therein, a through hole 10b through which the support member 11 passes through Is formed in an upper portion of the two-branch propeller 10. In the thusly constituted oil pickup apparatus 9 of the conventional hermetic compressor, when the crank shaft 5 is rotated, the two-branch propeller 10 which is elastically supported in the lower portion of the oil path 5b is rotated, and the oil is 2 picked by the rotation force of the two-branch propeller 10 along the oil path 5b, thus providing the oil to the friction portions of the compressor. However, in the conventional oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor, since the oil pickup performance of the apparatus is not good because the oil pickup force is generated by the rotation of the two-branch propeller 10, so that it is impossible to effectively provide oil to the friction portions of the compressor and the cooling effect is not so good, thus shortening the life span of parts of the compressor. in addition, since there is only the support member 11 for supporting the two-branch propeller 10 in the oil path, the support member 11 may be moved left and right during the rotation of the crank shaft 5, so that the oil pickup capability is decreased due to the generated movements of the two-branch propeller 10. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor which overcomes the aforementioned problems encountered in the background art. It is another object the present invention to provide an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor which is capable of increasing an oil pickup capability during the rotation of a propeller by providing a four-branch propeller. To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor, comprising : a four-branch propeller inserted in a lower portion of an oil path formed within a crank shaft whereby an oil filled in a bottom portion of a hermetic container of the compressor is more effectively picked up to friction portions of elements of the compressor, thus effectively lubricating and cooling parts of the compressor; and a support member for supporting the four-branch propeller to the oil path. 3 Additional advantages, objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the description which follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein : Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the construction of a conventional hermetic compressor; Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the construction of an oil pickup apparatus for a conventional hermetic compressor; Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the shape of a two-branch propeller of Figure 2 ; Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor according to a first embodiment of the present invention ; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a four-branch propeller of Figure 4 ; and Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a four-branch propeller adapted to an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 4 illustrates an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, in the present invention, a four-branch propeller 100 is used for more effectively picking up oil and providing the same to the friction portions of the compressor, thus significantly Increasing the cooling effects of the parts of the compressor, differently from the conventional art In which a two-branch oil pickup apparatus is provided. Figure 5 Is an exploded perspective view illustrating a four-branch propeller of Figure 4. As shown therein, in the four-branch propeller 100, two wings (propellers) 101a are formed in the lower portion of the two-branch propeller 10' which is similar with the conventional two-branch propeller and are formed by inserting ajwo-branch propeller engaging member 101 having an engaging groove 101b. The thusly formed four-branch propeller 100 is fixed to the lower portion of an oil path 5'b formed within a crank shaft 5'. As shown in Figure 4, a support member 11' passes through a through hole 10'b formed in an upper portion of the four-branch propeller 100, and then is plastically supported by the oil path 5b formed within the crank shaft 5'. The diameter (distance) between two end portions of each of the wings 10'a and 101a formed in the power portions of the two-branch propeller 10' and the two-branch propeller engaging member 101 is larger than the inner diameter of the oil path formed within the crank shaft. At this time, the wings 10'a and-101a are elastlcally deformed and inserted into the oil path 5'b formed within the crank shaft 5' so that it is possible to prevent the leftward and rightward movements of the four-branch propeller 100. 5 In the conventional two-branch propeller 10, it is possible to elongate the wing 10a and then to insert the same, However, the conventional two-branch propeller 10 does not effectively prevent the leftward and rightward movements of the support member, compared to the four-branch propeller 10 according to the present invention. Figure 6 illustrates a four-branch propeller adapted to an oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, an elastic support portion 200a is integrally formed on an upper portion of the four-branch propeller 200, so that the upper portion of the four-branch propeller 200 is effectively supported, thus decreasing the number of parts of the compressor. In the four-branch propellers 100 and 200 adapted to the oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor according to the present Invention, the upper portions of the same are supported by the oil path 5'b formed within the crank shaft 51 by the conventional support member 11' or the integrally formed elastic support member 200a, and the four wings having the distance between the both ends of which is larger than the inner diameter of the oil path 5'b of the crank shaft 5' are inserted into the: lower portions of the four-branch propellers 100 and 200, respectively. In addition, the lower portions of the four-branch propellers 100 and 200 are fixed to the lower portion of the oil path 5'b of the crank shaft 5'. Since the operation of the oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic oppressor according to the present invention is similar with the conventional oil pickup apparatus, the descriptions thereof will be omitted except for the following description. The four-branch propellers 100 and 200 rotate at the identical angular speed 6 when the crank shaft 5' fs rotated, so that the oil filled in the bottom portion of the compressor Is picked up by the rotational force of the same. The thusly picked-up oil is transferred along the oil path 5'b and then Is sprayed to the friction portions of the compressor, thus preventing the friction of the parts of the compressor. As described above, in the oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic oppressor according to the present invention, since a four-branch propeller is used, it is possible to more effectively pick up oil, compared to the conventional two-branch propeller, so that a lubricating and cooling operation of the compressor is enhanced thereby. In addition, It Is possible to prevent the propeller from being moved in the leftward or rightward directions of the support member or the elastic support member when the crank shaft is rotated, by enhancing the symmetric characteristic of the propeller. Furthermore, the four wings (propellers) of the four-branch propeller according to the present invention are deformed, and then are inserted into the oil path of the crank shaft, respectively. In addition, the upper portion of the propeller is stably supported, and the lower portion of the same In which the wings are provided are stable supported, so that the oil pickup and transferring operation is improved by preventing the movements of the propeller. Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as recited in the accompanying claims. 7 WE CLAIM : 1- An oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor, comprising : a four-branch propeller (100, 200) inserted in a lower portion of an oil path (5b') formed within a crank shaft (5') whereby an oil filled in a bottom portion of a hermetic container of the compressor is more effectively picked up to friction portions of elements of the compressor, thus effectively lubricating and cooling parts of the compressor; and a support member (11, 200a) for supporting the four-branch propeller (100, 200) to the oi! path. 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said four-branch propeller (100) is formed by a two-branch propeller (10') and a two-branch propeller engaging member (101) having an engaging groove (101b) and two branches in a lower portion thereof. 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said branches (wings) (10'a, 101a) of said four-branch propeller (100, 200), are elastically deformed at an angle for being inserted into an oil path (5b') formed within the crank shaft (51) and the diameter (distance) between both ends of each of the branches .(10'a, 101a) is larger than the inner diameter of the lower portion of the oil path (5b') formed within the crank shaft (51) into which the four-branch propeller (100, 200) is inserted. 8 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting member (200a) is integrally formed with an upper portion of the four-branch propeller (200) for elastically supporting the four-branch propeller (200) to the lower portion of the oil path (5b1) formed within the crank shaft (51). 5. An oil pickup apparatus for a hermetic compressor, substantially as herein described, particularly with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 6. A hermetic compressor incorporating an oil pickup apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4. Dated this 3rd day of December, 1997 9 The present invention relates to an oil pick up apparatus for a hermetic compressor. In a conventional oil pick up apparatus for a hermetic compressor, the oil pickup performance of the apparatus is not good because the oil pickup force is generated by the rotation of the two-branch propeller, so that it is impossible to effectively provide oil to the friction portions of the compressor and thus the cooling effect is also not so good, eventually the life spans of the compressor are shortened. To resolve these problems, the present invention provides an oil pickup apparatus with a four-branch propeller, so that it is possible to increase an oil pickup capability during the rotation of the propeller, and thus effectively enhance a lubricating and cooling operation of the compressor as well as improve the life spans thereof, said oil pick up apparatus for a hermetic compressor comprising: a four-branch propeller (100, 200) inserted in a lower portion of an oil path (5b') formed within a crank shaft (5') whereby an oil filled in a bottom portion of a hermetic container of the compressor is more effectively picked up to friction portions of elements of the compressor, thus effectively lubricating and cooling parts of the compressor; and a support member (11, 200a) for supporting the four-branch propeller (100, 200) to the oil path.

Documents:

02272-cal-1997-abstract.pdf

02272-cal-1997-assignment.pdf

02272-cal-1997-claims.pdf

02272-cal-1997-correspondence.pdf

02272-cal-1997-description(complete).pdf

02272-cal-1997-drawings.pdf

02272-cal-1997-form-1.pdf

02272-cal-1997-form-2.pdf

02272-cal-1997-form-3.pdf

02272-cal-1997-form-5.pdf

02272-cal-1997-pa.pdf

02272-cal-1997-priority document(other).pdf

02272-cal-1997-priority document.pdf