Water dispenser abstract
A cooling-cycle device and a cold/hot water dispenser comprising
the same are disclosed. The cold/hot water dispenser includes a
water supply source and a cooling-cycle device in a main body to
cool water of the water supply source. The cooling-cycle device
includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion unit, and an evaporator
arranged to constitute a closed circuit through a refrigerant pipe
and to allow the water from the water supply source to be cooled
by the evaporator. The compressor comprises a closed container,
a compressing unit including a compressing compartment to perform
compression of refrigerant, a driving unit including a low-speed
motor having four poles or more to supply compressing power according
to the compression of the refrigerant, and a turbocharger to increase
the amount of the refrigerant flowing to the compressing compartment.
Even with the low-speed motor employed as the driving unit, the
compressor can remarkably reduce operational noise without deteriorating
cooling capability.
Water dispenser claims
1. In a cooling-cycle device including a compressor, a condenser,
an expansion unit, and an evaporator connected with piping into
a closed circuit for a refrigerant, the improvements wherein the
compressor comprises a closed container having therein a compressing
unit including a compressing compartment to compress the refrigerant,
a driving unit including a low-speed motor having four or more poles
to supply compressing power to the compressing unit according to
the compression of the refrigerant, and a turbocharger to flow the
refrigerant into the compressing compartment.
2. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 1 wherein the turbocharger
receives a driving force from the driving unit and flows the refrigerant
from the closed container into the compressing compartment.
3. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 2 wherein the driving
unit comprises a stator fixed within the closed container, a rotor
positioned in the stator, and a rotational shaft fitted into the
rotor, wherein the compressing compartment comprises a cylinder
and the compressing unit comprises a piston movable linearly in
the compressing compartment and a connecting rod connected between
an eccentric on one end of the rotational shaft and the piston,
and wherein the turbocharger comprises an assistant cylinder for
defining a charging compartment therein, an assistant piston movable
linearly in the charging compartment, an assistant connecting rod
connected between the eccentric and the assistant piston, a suction
passage to communicate the closed container with the charging compartment,
and a discharge passage to communicate the charging compartment
with the compressing compartment.
4. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 3 wherein the linear
movements of the pistons reach top dead centers and the assistant
piston reaches the top dead center thereof before the piston reaches
the top dead center thereof.
5. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 4 wherein the linear
movements of the pistons reach bottom dead centers and the assistant
piston reaches the bottom dead center thereof as the piston reaches
the top dead center thereof, and reaches the top dead center thereof
as the piston reaches the bottom dead center thereof.
6. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 5 wherein the suction
passage and the discharge passage respectively include suction and
discharge valves such that the suction passage and the discharge
passage are oppositely opened and closed
7. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 1 wherein the driving
unit is a 4-pole motor.
8. A cold/hot water dispenser including a water supply source and
the cooling-cycle device according to claim 1 in a main body wherein
the evaporator cools water of the water supply source
9. The water dispenser according to claim 8 wherein the turbocharger
receives a driving force from the driving unit and flows the refrigerant
from the closed container into the compressing compartment.
10. The water dispenser according to claim 9 wherein the driving
unit comprises a stator fixed within the closed container, a rotor
positioned in the stator, and a rotational shaft fitted into the
rotor, wherein the compressing compartment comprises a cylinder
and the compressing unit comprises a piston movable linearly in
the compressing compartment and a connecting rod connected between
an eccentric on one end of the rotational shaft and the piston,
and wherein the turbocharger comprises an assistant cylinder for
defining a charging compartment therein, an assistant piston movable
linearly in the charging compartment, an assistant connecting rod
connected between the eccentric and the assistant piston, a suction
passage to communicate the closed container with the charging compartment,
and a discharge passage to communicate the charging compartment
with the compressing compartment.
11. The water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the linear movements
of the pistons reach top and bottom dead centers and the assistant
piston reaches the bottom dead center thereof as the piston reaches
the top dead center thereof, and reaches the top dead center thereof
as the piston reaches the bottom dead center thereof.
12. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 11 wherein the
suction passage and the discharge passage respectively include suction
and discharge valves such that the suction passage and the discharge
passage are oppositely opened and closed.
13. In a cooling-cycle device including a compressor, a condenser,
an expansion unit, and an evaporator connected with piping into
a closed circuit for a refrigerant, the improvements wherein: the
compressor comprises a closed container having therein a compressing
unit including a compressing compartment to compress the refrigerant,
a driving unit including a low-speed motor having four or more poles
to supply compressing power to the compressing unit according to
the compression of the refrigerant, and a turbocharger to flow the
refrigerant into the compressing compartment; and wherein the turbocharger
receives a driving force from the driving unit and flows the refrigerant
from the closed container into the compressing compartment.
14. In a cooling-cycle device including a compressor, a condenser,
an expansion unit, and an evaporator connected with piping into
a closed for a refrigerant, the improvements wherein: the compressor
comprises a closed container having therein a compressing unit including
a compressing compartment to compress the refrigerant, a driving
unit including a low-speed motor having four or more poles to supply
compressing power to the compressing unit according to the compression
of the refrigerant, and a turbocharger to flow the refrigerant into
the compressing compartment; wherein the turbocharger receives a
driving force from the driving unit and flows the refrigerant from
the closed container into the compressing compartment; wherein the
driving unit comprises a stator fixed within the closed container,
a rotor positioned in the stator, and a rotational shaft fitted
into the rotor; wherein the compressing compartment comprises a
cylinder and the compressing unit comprises a piston movable linearly
in the compressing compartment and a connecting rod connected between
an eccentric on one end of the rotational shaft and the piston;
and wherein the turbocharger comprises an assistant cylinder for
defining a charging compartment therein, an assistant piston movable
linearly in the charging compartment, an assistant connecting rod
connected between the eccentric and the assistant piston, a suction
passage to communicate the closed container with the charging compartment,
and a discharge passage to communicate the charging compartment
with the compressing compartment.
15. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 14 wherein the
linear movements of the pistons reach top and bottom dead centers
and the assistant piston reaches the bottom dead center thereof
as the piston reaches the top dead center thereof, and reaches the
top dead center thereof as the piston reaches the bottom dead center
thereof.
16. The cooling-cycle device according to claim 15 wherein the
suction passage and the discharge passage respectively include suction
and discharge valves such that the suction passage and the discharge
passage are oppositely opened and closed.
Water dispenser description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cooling-cycle device,
and a cold/hot water dispenser comprising the same. More particularly,
the present invention relates to a cooling-cycle device, which includes
a low-speed motor, and a compressor adapted to prevent deterioration
in compressing capability of refrigerant, remarkably lowering operational
noise without deterioration in cooling capability of the cooling-cycle
device, and a cold/hot water dispenser comprising the same.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, a cold/hot water dispenser dispenses cold/hot
water-from a main body having a cold water tank and a hot water
tank, a cooling-cycle device to cool water in the cold water tank,
and a heater to heat water in the hot water tank.
[0005] The cooling-cycle device includes a compressor to discharge
high pressure refrigerant after suctioning low pressure refrigerant
and compressing the refrigerant to have the high pressure, a condenser
to condense the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, an expansion
unit to expand the refrigerant condensed through the condenser,
and an evaporator to perform heat exchange of the refrigerant with
surrounding gas through evaporation of the refrigerant expanded
by the evaporator, which constitute a closed circuit through a refrigerant
pipe. In the cooling-cycle device, the evaporator is wound around
the cold water tank to effectively absorb heat from the cold water
tank.
[0006] Accordingly, while circulating through the cooling-cycle
device, the refrigerant is condensed in the condenser to emit heat,
and is then evaporated in the evaporator to absorb heat from the
cold water tank. Thus, the water of the cold water tank is cooled
by the evaporator, and is then dispensed in this state to an outside
of the main body.
[0007] Meanwhile, the compressor of the cooling-cycle device includes
a compressing unit to perform compression of the refrigerant, and
a motor to supply a compressing power according to compression of
the refrigerant in a closed container. The closed container is provided
with a suction pipe to deliver the refrigerant from the evaporator
into the closed container, and a discharge pipe to deliver the refrigerant
compressed by the compressing unit to the condenser.
[0008] With such a construction as described above, after driving
the motor, the refrigerant flowing from the evaporator to the closed
container of the compressor through the suction pipe is compressed
by the compressing unit, and is then discharged in a compressed
state to the condenser through the discharge pipe.
[0009] As in a typical refrigerator or an air conditioner, the
compressor of the conventional cold/hot water dispenser generally
employs a 2-pole motor which operates at a commercial rotational
speed of 3000.about.3600 rpm.
[0010] However, since the conventional cooling-cycle device employs
the 2-pole motor of a high speed as the motor of the compressor,
noise and vibration of the compressor are remarkably increased when
the motor operates at a high speed, and are transmitted to the overall
body of the water dispenser, thereby remarkably increasing operational
noise of the water dispenser. As a result, the increased noise of
the water dispenser significant deteriorates reliability of the
water dispenser.
[0011] In order to lower the operating noise of the cold/hot water
dispenser, a low-speed motor having two or more poles, such as a
4-pole motor, which operates at a commercial rotational speed of
1500.about.1800 rpm, may be considered as the motor of the compressor.
However, in this case, the compressing capability of the compressor
is lowered due to reduction in rotational speed of the motor, so
that the compressor cannot smoothly perform compression of the refrigerant,
thereby remarkably deteriorating the cooling capability of the cold/hot
water dispenser.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide a cooling-cycle device, which includes a low-speed motor,
and a compressor adapted to prevent deterioration in compressing
capability of refrigerant, remarkably lowering operational noise
without deterioration in cooling capability of the cooling-cycle
device, and a cold/hot water dispenser comprising the same.
[0013] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
[0014] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,
a cooling-cycle device is provided, including a compressor, a condenser,
an expansion unit, and an evaporator arranged to constitute a closed
circuit through a refrigerant pipe, wherein the compressor comprises
a closed container, a compressing unit including a compressing compartment
to perform compression of refrigerant, a driving unit including
a low-speed motor having four poles or more to supply compressing
power according to the compression of the refrigerant, and a turbocharger
to increase an amount of the refrigerant flowing to the compressing
compartment.
[0015] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a cold/hot water dispenser is provided, including a water supply
source and a cooling-cycle device in a main body to cool water of
the water supply source, the cooling-cycle device including a compressor,
a condenser, an expansion unit, and an evaporator arranged to constitute
a closed circuit through a refrigerant pipe and to allow the water
from the water supply source to be cooled by the evaporator, wherein
the compressor comprises a closed container, a compressing unit
including a compressing compartment to perform compression of refrigerant,
a driving unit including a low-speed motor having four poles or
more to supply compressing power according to the compression of
the refrigerant, and a turbocharger to increase an amount of the
refrigerant flowing to the compressing compartment.
[0016] The turbocharger may receive a driving force from the driving
unit to compress the refrigerant within the closed container into
the compressor.
[0017] The driving unit may comprise a stator fixed within the
closed container, a rotor positioned in the stator, and a rotational
shaft fitted into the rotor, the compressing unit may comprise a
cylinder defining the compressing compartment therein, a piston
positioned in the compressing compartment to move linearly in the
compressing compartment, and a connecting rod connected between
an eccentric shaft provided at one end of the rotational shaft and
the piston, and the turbocharger may comprise an assistant cylinder
defining a charging compartment therein, an assistant piston positioned
in the charging compartment to move linearly in the charging compartment,
an assistant connecting rod connected between the eccentric shaft
and the assistant piston, a suction passage to communicate the closed
container with the charging compartment, and a discharge passage
to communicate the charging compartment with the compressing compartment.
[0018] The assistant piston may reach top dead center before the
piston reaches top dead center.
[0019] The assistant piston may reach bottom dead center in a state
of the piston reaching top dead center, and may reach top dead center
in a state of the piston reaching its bottom dead center.
[0020] The suction passage and the discharge passage may include
a suction valve and a discharge valve such that the suction passage
and the discharge passage are oppositely opened and closed by the
suction valve and the discharge valve, respectively.
[0021] The driving unit may be a 4-pole motor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following
description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, of which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance
of a cold/hot water dispenser in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the inner construction
of the cold/hot water dispenser;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an overall
construction of a compressor in a cooling-cycle device of the cold/hot
water dispenser;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view illustrating
an overall construction of a compressor in a cooling-cycle device
of the cold/hot water dispenser;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a turbocharger
of the cold/hot water dispenser, in which refrigerant in a closed
container flows into a charging compartment;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the turbocharger
of the cold/hot water dispenser, in which the refrigerant in the
charging compartment flows into a compressing compartment;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a vane for oil
pickup in the compressor of the cold/hot water dispenser; and
[0030] FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view illustrating
the vane for oil pickup in the compressor of the cold/hot water
dispenser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] The disclosure of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-110723
filed on Dec. 22 2004 is incorporated herein by reference.
[0032] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments
of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to
the like elements throughout the drawings. The embodiments are described
below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
[0033] A cold/hot water dispenser according to one embodiment of
the present invention comprises a typical purified cold/hot water
dispenser. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the cold/hot water dispenser
comprises a parallelepiped main body 100 defining the outer appearance
thereof, and cold and hot water faucets 110 and 120 positioned on
an upper front side of the main body 100 to dispense cold and hot
water to a user therethrough, respectively.
[0034] The main body 100 comprises a filter assembly 200 to remove
various foreign matter and bacteria contained in water transferred
from an external water source (not shown) into the main body 100
and hot and cold water tanks 300 and 400 to contain the hot water
and the cold water, respectively.
[0035] The filter assembly 200 can be omitted if a purifying function
is not required in the cold/hot water dispenser of the present invention.
The cold water tank 400 is a water source positioned in the main
body, and in this embodiment, a typical water tank can be provided
as the cold water tank 400. Alternatively, when the cold/hot water
dispenser is adapted to directly supply the water to the outside
without containing the water supplied from the external water source
therein, the cold water tank 400 can have a typical pipe shape connected
to the external water source.
[0036] The filter assembly 200 is connected to a water supply pipe
130 which is bifurcated to the hot water tank 300 and the cold water
tank 400 so that water is supplied to the hot water tank 300 and
the cold water tank 400 through the water supply pipe 130 after
passing through the filter assembly 200. Outlets of the hot water
tank 300 and the cold water tank 400 are connected to the hot and
cold water faucets 120 and 110 respectively.
[0037] The hot water tank 300 comprises a heater 310 to heat water
in the hot water tank 300 and the cold water tank 400 comprises
a cooling-cycle device 500 to cool the water therein. The cooling-cycle
device 500 comprises a compressor 600 a condenser 700 an expansion
unit 800 and an evaporator 900 which are arranged to constitute
a closed circuit through a refrigerant pipe 510.
[0038] The compressor 600 compresses refrigerant into a high temperature
and high pressure gaseous refrigerant, and the condenser 700 condenses
the gaseous refrigerant from the compressor into a liquid refrigerant
of high temperature and high pressure. The liquid refrigerant of
high temperature and high pressure from the condenser 700 is subjected
to throttling expansion into a liquid refrigerant of low temperature
and low pressure through the expansion unit 800. Then, the evaporator
900 evaporates the liquid refrigerant of low temperature and low
pressure passing through the expansion unit 800 into a gaseous refrigerant
of low temperature and low pressure.
[0039] Thus, while circulating along the refrigerant pipe 510 of
the cooling-cycle device 500 the refrigerant is condensed by the
condenser 700 to dissipate its heat to the surroundings, and is
evaporated by the evaporator 900 to absorb heat from the surroundings,
in which the cooling-cycle device 500 performs a cooling operation
through the evaporator 900.
[0040] The evaporator 900 is wound around the cold water tank 400
to effectively absorb heat from the cold water tank 400. A drier
520 is positioned on the refrigerant pipe 510 between the condenser
700 and the expansion unit 800 to remove moisture from the liquid
refrigerant which has passed through the condenser.
[0041] With the construction described above, when the cooling-cycle
device 500 and the heater 310 are driven, the water of the cold
water tank 400 is cooled by the evaporator 900 of the cooling-cycle
device 500 while the water of the hot water tank 300 is heated by
the heater, so that cold and hot water can be dispensed to the outside
of the main body 100 via an operation of the cold and hot water
faucets 110 and 120 on the front surface of the main body 100 by
a user.
[0042] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the compressor 600 comprises
a closed container 1 formed by coupling an upper container 1a and
a lower container 1b, a compressing unit 10 positioned in the closed
container 1 to perform compression of the refrigerant, and a driving
unit 20 to supply compressing power according to the compression
of the refrigerant. The closed container 1 is provided, at one side,
with a suction pipe 2 to guide the refrigerant in the evaporator
900 of the cooling-cycle device 500 into the closed container 1
and at the other side, with a discharge pipe 3 to discharge the
refrigerant compressed by the compressing unit 10 to the condenser
700 of the cooling-cycle device 500 located at the outside of the
closed container 1. The suction pipe 2 and the discharge pipe 3
are connected to the refrigerant pipe 510.
[0043] The compressing unit 10 comprises a cylinder 11 defining
a compressing compartment 11a therein to compress the refrigerant,
a piston 12 positioned in the compressing compartment 11a to perform
compression of refrigerant while moving linearly therein, and a
cylinder head 13 coupled to the cylinder 11 to close the compressing
compartment 11a and having a refrigerant discharge compartment 13a
and a refrigerant suction compartment 13b partitioned therein. The
compressing unit 10 further comprises a valve assembly 14 positioned
between the cylinder 11 and the cylinder head 13 to control flow
of the refrigerant which is suctioned from the refrigerant suction
compartment 13b to the compressing compartment 11a or discharged
from the compressing compartment 11a to the refrigerant discharge
compartment 13a. The cylinder 11 is provided in the cylinder block
30 positioned on a stator.
[0044] The driving unit 20 supplies a driving force to the piston
12 so as to allow the piston 12 to reciprocate in the compressing
compartment 11a. The driving unit 20 is embodied by a typical motor
which comprises the stator 21 fixed within the closed container
1 a rotor 22 positioned in the stator 21 while being separated
from the stator 21 to electrically cooperate with the stator 21
and a rotational shaft 23 fitted into a center of the rotor 22 to
rotate together with the rotor 22. A 4-pole motor operates at a
commercial rotational speed of 1500.about.1800 rpm at a frequency
of 50.about.60 and is employed as the motor of the present invention.
For this purpose, a 4-pole stator is employed as the stator 21.
[0045] According to the present invention, since the low-speed
4-pole motor is used as the driving unit 20 in the compressor 600
rotational speed of the rotational shaft 23 becomes about half of
that of a 2-pole motor employed in a cooling-cycle device for a
typical conventional cold/hot water dispenser, so that vibration
caused by rotation of the motor is remarkably reduced. As a result,
operational noise of the compressor 600 is reduced to such a level
that the noise of the compressor 600 is substantially removed at
the outside of the closed container 1 so that the operational noise
from the cooling-cycle device 500 and the cold/hot water dispenser
comprising the driving unit of the invention can be remarkably reduced.
[0046] The rotational shaft 23 is supported by bearings 31 positioned
in the cylinder block 30 and extends upwardly. The rotational shaft
23 is provided at an upper portion thereof with an eccentric shaft
24 which rotates in an eccentric state, and a connecting rod 25.
One end of the connecting rod 25 is rotatably connected with the
eccentric shaft 24 and the other end thereof is connected with
the piston 12 to allow rotation and linear movement of the connecting
rod 25 so as to convert eccentric rotation of the eccentric shaft
24 into a linear movement thereof.
[0047] A suction muffler 41 is positioned between the refrigerant
suction compartment 13b and the suction pipe 2 to reduce flow noise
of the refrigerant flowing to the compressing compartment 1a. A
discharge muffler 42 (see FIG. 4) is positioned between the refrigerant
discharge compartment 13a and the discharge pipe 3 to form a resonance
space for reducing discharge noise of the refrigerant discharged
to the outside of the closed container 1. The discharge muffler
42 is integrated with the cylinder block 30 at one side of the cylinder
11 which is integrated with the cylinder block 30.
[0048] With such a construction as described above, when the rotational
shaft 23 rotates together with the rotor 22 by electric cooperation
of the stator 21 and the rotor 22 via application of power, the
piston 12 connected with the eccentric shaft 24 via the connecting
rod 25 linearly moves in the compressing compartment 11a. Thereby,
the refrigerant having flown from the suction pipe 2 to the closed
container 1 is introduced to the refrigerant suction compartment
13b of the cylinder head 13 with the flow noise of the refrigerant
reduced to some degree while passing through the suction muffler
41 and is then transferred to the compressing compartment 11a to
be compressed therein. The refrigerant compressed by the compressing
compartment 11a is discharged to the outside of the closed container
1 through the discharge muffler 42 and the discharge pipe 3 after
passing through the refrigerant discharge compartment 13a of the
cylinder head 13. With processes as described above repeated, the
refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 600.
[0049] A turbocharger 50 is provided to the cylinder block 30 at
the other side of the cylinder 11 to increase the amount of the
refrigerant flowing to the compressing compartment 11a, which compensates
for reduction in compressing capability of the compressor 600 caused
by reduction in rotational speed of the rotational shaft 23. The
turbocharger 50 enables the compressor 600 to satisfy the compression
capability of the refrigerant required for the cooling-cycle device
of the typical cold/hot water dispenser while the low-speed 4-pole
motor is used as the driving unit 20 thereby preventing cooling
capability of the cooling-cycle device 500 and the cold/hot water
dispenser from being deteriorated.
[0050] In addition, the turbocharger 50 compresses the refrigerant
present in the closed container 1 without flowing to the refrigerant
suction compartment 13b of the cylinder head 13 through the suction
muffler 41 among the refrigerant flowing to the closed container
1 through the suction pipe 2 and supplies the compressed refrigerant
to the compressing compartment 11a, thereby increasing the amount
of the refrigerant flowing into the compressing compartment 11a.
The turbocharger 50 is driven by receiving the driving force of
the driving unit 20 to supply the compressed refrigerant to the
compressing compartment 11a by compressing the refrigerant remaining
in the closed container 11 without an additional driving unit. The
construction of the turbocharger 50 will be described in detail
with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0051] FIG. 5 illustrates the turbocharger 50 in which the refrigerant
in the closed container 1 is flowing into a charging compartment
51a, and FIG. 6 illustrates the turbocharger 50 in which the refrigerant
in the charging compartment 51a is flowing to the compressing compartment
11a.
[0052] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the interior of the turbocharger
50 constitutes the charging compartment 51a of the turbocharger
50. The turbocharger 50 comprises an assistant cylinder 51 integrated
with the cylinder block 30 at the opposite side of the discharge
muffler 42 which is also integrated with the cylinder block 30
and an assistant piston 52 positioned in the charging compartment
51a to compress the refrigerant within the compressing compartment
11a while moving linearly therein. The turbocharger 50 further comprises
an assistant connecting rod 53 one end of which is connected with
the assistant piston 52 to rotate in a ball-joint manner, and the
other end of which is rotatably connected with the eccentric shaft
24 of the rotational shaft 23 along with the connecting rod 25 to
have a predetermined angle to the connecting rod 25. The turbocharger
50 further comprises a suction passage 54 to communicate the closed
container 1 with the charging compartment 51a, and a discharge passage
55 to communicate the charging compartment 51a with the compressing
compartment 11a.
[0053] The suction passage 54 penetrates the assistant cylinder
51 and communicates the closed container 1 with the charging compartment
51a, and the discharge passage 55 penetrates the cylinder block
30 between the charging compartment 51a and the compressing compartment
11a to communicate the charging compartment 51a with the compressing
compartment 11a. An outlet of the suction passage 54 and an inlet
of the discharge passage 55 are formed on a closed end of the charging
compartment 51a located at a side of the top dead center of the
assistant piston 52.
[0054] An assistant suction valve 54a is positioned at the outlet
of the suction passage 54 to open the suction passage 54 when the
assistant piston 52 moves to the bottom dead center, and to close
the suction passage 54 when the assistant piston 52 moves to the
top dead center. An assistant discharge valve 55a is positioned
at the inlet of the discharge passage 55 to close the discharge
passage 55 when the assistant piston 52 moves to the bottom dead
center, and to open the discharge passage 54 when the assistant
piston 52 moves to the top dead center. As such, the assistant suction
and discharge valves 54a and 55a are provided to the suction passage
54 and the discharge passage 55 to oppositely open and close the
suction passage 54 and the discharge passage 55 respectively.
[0055] The operation of the piston 12 and the assistant piston
52 is performed such that the assistant piston 52 reaches top dead
center before the piston 12 reaches top dead center, so that the
refrigerant compressed by the turbocharger 50 is supplied to the
compressing compartment 11a before the refrigerant is discharged
from the compressing unit 10 to the refrigerant discharge compartment
13a. For more effective charging of the refrigerant, it is preferable
that the assistant piston 52 substantially reach bottom dead center
in a state of the piston 12 reaching top dead center, and the assistant
piston 52 substantially reach the top dead center in a state of
the piston 12 reaching the bottom dead center. For this purpose,
a length of the connecting rod 25 or the assistant connecting rod
53 or the angle therebetween can be adjusted. Alternatively, although
the eccentric shaft 24 extends coaxially in the present embodiment,
it can be formed into two stages having different axes such that
the ends of the connecting rod 25 and the assistant connecting rod
53 are coupled with associated ends of the eccentric shaft 24 respectively.
[0056] Thus, according to the present invention, while compressing
the refrigerant via rotation of the rotational shaft 23 the compressor
600 of the cooling-cycle device 500 allows the refrigerant present
in the closed container 1 to be compressed and supplied to the compressing
compartment 11a by the turbocharger 50 and thus increases the amount
of the refrigerant flowing into the compressing compartment 11a.
As a result, the compressor 600 can prevent the compressing capability
from being lowered due to low speed rotation of the rotational shaft
23 while employing the low-speed 4-pole motor as the driving unit
20.
[0057] In addition, referring to FIG. 3 an oil storage space 1c
is formed on the bottom of the closed container 1 to store a predetermined
amount of oil. The rotational shaft 23 comprises an oil passage
23a formed therein to supply the oil in the oil storage space 1c
to the rotational shaft 23 or a frictional area of the compressing
unit 10 and an oil pickup member 60 formed at a lower end thereof
to communicate the oil storage space 1c with the oil passage 23a.
[0058] The oil pickup member 60 is coupled with the rotational
shaft 23 by press fitting an open upper end of the oil pickup member
60 into the lower end of the rotational shaft 23. The oil pickup
member 60 comprises an oil supply hole 61 formed at a center of
the lower end, and a plate-shaped vane 70 provided therein to enhance
oil pickup by generating an eddy current between the vane 70 and
an interior surface of the oil pickup member 60.
[0059] Thus, the oil lubricates and cools the compressor while
being transferred from the oil storage space 1c to the frictional
area of the rotational shaft 23 or the compressing unit 10 along
the interior surface of the oil pickup member 60 and the oil passage
23a.
[0060] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 the vane 70 comprises a body
71 formed at a center thereof, and bent portions 72 73 74 and
75 formed at upper and lower edges of the vane 70. The bent portions
72 73 74 and 75 comprise a pair of lower bent portions 72 and
73 formed at both lower edges and bent towards a rotational direction
of the rotational shaft 23 and a pair of upper bent portions 74
and 75 formed at both upper edges and bent opposite to the rotational
direction of the rotational shaft 23.
[0061] The bent portions 72 73 74 and 75 prevent oil pickup efficiency
from being deteriorated due to operation of the low-speed motor,
and enable the oil in the oil storage space 1c to be effectively
picked up by the rotational shaft 23 which rotates at a low speed.
[0062] In other words, during the rotation of the rotational shaft
23 the lower bent portions 72 and 73 bent towards the rotational
direction of the rotational shaft 23 enable the oil to be more effectively
picked up, and the upper bent portions 74 and 75 enables the upwardly
guided oil to be rapidly guided vertically before the oil is guided
to an upper distal end of the vane 70 so that an oil pickup operation
can be effectively performed even though the rotational shaft 23
rotates at the lower speed.
[0063] Considering the commercial rotational speed of the 4-pole
motor, it is preferable that the lower bent portions 72 and 73 and
the upper bent portions 74 and 75 have bent angles of 30 degrees
and 40 degrees, respectively. Thus, with both sides bent into a
round shape with respect to the center of the vane 70 the vane
70 is press-fitted in place to the oil pickup member 60.
[0064] Thus, with the vane 70 constructed as described above, the
compressor of the present invention can prevent the oil pickup operation
from being deteriorated due to the low speed rotation of the rotational
shaft 23 while employing the low-speed 4-pole motor as the driving
unit 20.
[0065] An operation and advantageous effect of the compressor 600
of the cooling-cycle device 500 according to the present invention
will be described as follows.
[0066] First, the rotational shaft 23 rotates together with the
rotor 22 by electric cooperation of the stator 21 and the rotor
22 via application of power, the piston 12 connected with the eccentric
shaft 24 via the connecting rod 25 linearly moves in the compressing
compartment 11a. Thereby, refrigerant positioned outside the closed
container 1 is introduced to the refrigerant suction compartment
13b of the cylinder head 13 with flow noise of the refrigerant reduced
to some degree while passing from the suction pipe 2 through the
suction muffler 41 and is then supplied to the compressing compartment
11a to be compressed therein. The refrigerant compressed by the
compressing compartment 11a is discharged to an outside of the closed
container 1 through the discharge pipe 3 after passing through the
refrigerant discharge compartment 13a of the cylinder head 13. With
processes as described above repeated, the refrigerant is compressed
by the compressor 600. Then, while circulating through the refrigerant
pipe 510 the compressed refrigerant is evaporated by the evaporator
900 to cool water in the cold water tank 400.
[0067] At this time, according to the present invention, since
the low-speed 4-pole motor is used as the driving unit 20 in the
compressor 600 of the cooling-cycle device 500 the rotational speed
of the rotational shaft 23 becomes about half of that of the typical
2-pole motor, so that vibration caused by the rotation of the motor
is remarkably reduced. As a result, operational noise of the compressor
600 is reduced to such a level that the noise of the compressor
600 is substantially removed at the outside of the closed container
1 and accordingly, the noise and vibration is not substantially
transferred from the compressor 600 to the main body 100 of the
cold/hot water dispenser.
[0068] In addition, the compressor 600 of the cooling-cycle device
500 enables the refrigerant in the closed container 1 to be compressed
and transferred to the compressing compartment 11a by the turbocharger
50 while compressing the refrigerant, and increases an amount of
the refrigerant flowing to the compressing compartment 11a, thereby
preventing compressing capability thereof from being lowered due
to the low speed rotation of the rotational shaft 23 even with the
low-speed 4-pole motor employed as the driving unit 20. As a result,
the cooling-cycle device 500 and the cold/hot water dispenser comprising
the same are also prevented from being lowered in cooling capability
even with the low-speed and low noise compressor 600.
[0069] Moreover, even with the low-speed 4-pole motor employed
as the driving unit 20 the compressor 600 of the cooling-cycle
device 500 prevents the oil pickup operation from being deteriorated
due to the low speed rotation of the rotational shaft 23 via an
oil pickup promoting operation by the bent portions 72 73 74 and
75 of the vane 70.
[0070] Although the 4-pole motor is employed as the driving unit
20 of the compressor 20 in the present embodiment, it should be
noted that the driving motor can be embodied by various low-speed
motors having 4 poles or more such as a 6-pole motor. Additionally,
the compressor 600 of the cooling-cycle device 500 can more effectively
compensate reduction in compressing capability of the compressor
600 due to employment of the low-speed motor by increasing the diameters
of the compressing compartment 11a and the piston 12 or a stroke
length of the piston 12 in addition to the construction of the turbocharger
50 as described above.
[0071] As apparent from the above description, the cooling-cycle
device and the cold/hot water dispenser comprising the same comprise
a driving unit embodied by the low-speed motor having 4 poles or
more to remarkably reduce driving noise, and the compressor adapted
to compensate for reduction in compressing capability due to low-speed
rotation of the rotational shaft by use of a turbocharger, thereby
remarkably reducing operational noise without lowering cooling capability.
[0072] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled
in the art will that various modifications, additions and substitutions
may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principle
and spirit of the invention, the scope of which defined in the claims
and their equivalents. |