Compressor having discharge valve means adapted to enhance the coefficient of performance of the compressor

Claim 1

A compressor comprising: a cylinder having an inner surface and an outer peripheral surface, said inner surface including a circumferentially curved inner oeripheral surface serving as a camming surface; fluid pressurizing means movably arranged within said cylinder, said fluid pressurizing means cooperating with said inner surface of said cylinder to define at least one pump working chamber which performs at least one of suction of compression fluid and compression of same; at least one valve seating surface-forming portion forming part of said cylinder and having an outer surface; at least one recess formed in said outer surface of said at least one valve seating surface-forming portion, said at least one recess having a bottom surface serving as at least one valve seating surface; at least one outlet hole formed in said at least one valve seating surface-forming portion, said at least one outlet hole having one end opening in a corresponding one of said at least one valve seating surface and another end opening in said inner surface of said cylinder and facing a corresponding one of said at least one pump chamber on a compression stroke; at least one discharge valve arranged on said outer surface of said at least one valve seating surface-forming portion for closing and opening at least one outlet hole, said at least one discharge valve being formed of an elastic plate material having an arcuate cross section and having at least one valve body having an outer peripheral surface disposed at least in part in direct contact with a corresponding one of said at least one valve seating surface; said at least one valve seating surface being arcuately concavely curved, said at least one valve body of said discharge valve having a curved shape corresponding to said arcuately concavely curved valve seating surface; said at least one recess comprising a plurality of grooves formed in said outer surface of said at least one valve seating surface-forming portion in a manner facing radially outwardly and circumferentially extending parallel with each other, said grooves each having a bottom surface as one of said at least one valve seating surface, and at least one rib interposed between adjacent ones of said grooves, said at least one rib extending along the whole lengths of said adjacent ones of said grooves and completely separating adjacent grooves from each other; stopoer means for preventing excessive movement of said at least one valve body of said at least one discharge valve, said stopper means having stopper portions corresponding in number to the number of said at least one valve body of said discharge valve, said stopper means having a cover in the form of a plate having a circumferentially central portion curved concavely in a manner defining a second recess facing toward said at least one recess and cooperating therewith to define a space accommodating therein said at least one valve body; and fixing means fixing said stopper means to said outer susrface of said at least one valve seating surface-forming portion; said fluid pressurizing means comprising a rotor rotatably received within said cylinder, said rotor having an outer peripheral surface formed therein with a plurality of axial slits, a plurality of vanes radially slidably fitted, respectively, in said axial slits and disposed for sliding contact with said inner peripheral surface of said cylinder, adjacent ones of said vanes cooperating with said inner surface of said cylinder and said outer peripheral surface of said rotor to define therbetween said pump working chamber; said at least one discharge valve including a pair of supporting portions each formed integrally with said at least one valve body at a side remote from a corresponding one of said at least one valve seating surface and extending axially, said pair of supporting portions having circumferentially opposing side edges, said stopper means including a connecting portion formed integrally with said stopper portions at a side remote from a corresponding one of said at least one valve seating surface and extending axially, a fixed portion having an inner surface, and a ridge interposed between said fixed portion and said connecting portion for combining same, said ridge having opposite lateral side surfaces; said at least one valve seating surface-forming portion having a portion with a smallest thickness, said at least one outlet hole being formed in said smallest thickness portion of said at least one valve seating surface-forming portion; and said opposing side edges of said pair of supporting portions of said at least one discharge valve being disposed in permanent engaging contact with said opposite lateral side surfaces of said ridge of said stopper means.