(19)
(11) EP 1 160 456 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
02.04.2003 Bulletin 2003/14

(43) Date of publication A2:
05.12.2001 Bulletin 2001/49

(21) Application number: 01107882.1

(22) Date of filing: 10.04.2001
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7F04C 18/02, F04C 27/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 01.06.2000 US 584323

(71) Applicant: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
Wilmerding, PA 15148 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Jones, Charlie E.
    Greenville, South Carolina, 29615 (US)
  • Kazakis, Michael E.
    Simpsonville, South Carolina, 29681 (US)

(74) Representative: Petri, Stellan et al
Ström & Gulliksson AB Box 41 88
203 13 Malmö
203 13 Malmö (SE)

   


(54) Scroll compressor


(57) A tipseal assembly for a rotary scroll compressor is disclosed. The rotary scroll compressor has a stationary scroll element with a stationary spiral flange and an orbiting scroll element with an orbiting spiral flange. An orbital drive mechanism drives the orbiting scroll element in an orbit about the stationary scroll element, and a non-rotation bearing device maintains the orbiting scroll element substantially non-rotational with respect to the stationary scroll element. The stationary and orbiting spiral flanges are intermeshed and nested with one another to form at least one spiraling compression pocket therebetween. The tipseal assembly forms a substantially airtight seal between at least one of the stationary and orbiting spiral flanges and the base of the other scroll element. The tipseal assembly includes an inwardly extending groove formed in an end surface of at least one of the stationary and orbiting spiral flanges, a compressible element disposed within and along the groove and a tipseal overlaying the compressible element. Preferably, the tipseal element extends beyond the end surface when the compressible element is in an uncompressed state, the tipseal element includes at least one of a non-metallic substance, a fluorosint material and a PTFE based product and the compressible element includes at least one of an elastomeric material, a silicone rubber material and a high temperature resistant O-ring material.







Search report