US Patent 7413422 Compressor including pressure relief mechanism

A scroll compressor is provided with a housing having a discharge chamber to which a high-pressure refrigerant is discharged from a scroll unit, a discharge path connecting the discharge chamber and an outlet port 78 of the housing, a separating device arranged in the discharge path and separating a part of the lubricating oil from the refrigerant, and a relief valve arranged in a downstream side of the separating device in the discharge path. When a pressure within the discharge path exceeds a relief pressure, the relief valve is opened so as to eject the refrigerant to an outer side of the compressor from the discharging path.