Driving apparatus of a linear compressor

• US 6,832,898 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Sugimatsu, Yoshida, Makoto, Ueda, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): KOCZO JR, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/314,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20030108430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 417/44.11, 417/44.1, 417/45, 417/415, 417/417, 318/135, 318/124, 318/119, 318/127
• US Class Current: 417/44.11
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/0401 Current
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/0402 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/0404 Frequency of the electric current
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/045 using solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers

Abstract

In a driving apparatus of a linear compressor 1 having a power source capable of controlling output current and measuring output electric power, frequency of the linear compressor 1 is controlled such that the amplitude of current which is supplied to the linear compressor 1 is made constant and electric power which is supplied to the linear compressor 1 becomes maximum. With this, it is possible to drive the linear compressor 1 efficiently while following the resonance frequency which keeps varying with variation of a load. Further, a current detecting means 8 capable of detecting output current and electric power from inverter input current is provided, and it is unnecessary to newly add a current sensor.

Claims

1. A driving apparatus of a linear compressor for driving a piston in a cylinder by a linear motor to generate compressed gas, comprising

an inverter for outputting alternating current which is supplied to said linear motor,

a direct current power source for supplying direct current voltage to said inverter,

current value commanding means for determining and commanding magnitude of said alternating current,

electric power detecting means for detecting input electric power which is supplied to said linear compressor,

driving frequency determining means for varying driving frequency of said inverter such that the electric power detected by said electric power detecting means becomes maximum,

current waveform commanding means for generating command current waveform from a command current value from said current value commanding means and from a driving frequency determined by said driving frequency determining means,

inverter control means for sending a control signal to said inverter based on the command current waveform from said current waveform commanding means,

current detecting means for detecting a smoothened value of saw tooth-like inverter input current as input current or detecting a peak value as output current, and

voltage detecting means for detecting input voltage of said inverter, wherein

said electric power detecting means calculates input electric power which is supplied to said linear compressor from current detected by said current detecting means and voltage detected by said voltage detecting means,

said inverter control means sends a control signal to said inverter such that a deviation between a command current value from said current value commanding means and a detection current value from said current detecting means is reduced.

2. A driving apparatus of a linear compressor for driving a piston in a cylinder by a linear motor to generate compressed gas, comprising

an inverter for outputting alternating current which is supplied to said linear motor,

a direct current power source for supplying direct current voltage to said inverter,

current value commanding means for determining and commanding magnitude of said alternating current,

electric power detecting means for detecting input electric power which is supplied to said linear compressor,

driving frequency determining means for varying driving frequency of said inverter such that the electric power detected by said electric power detecting means becomes maximum,

current waveform commanding means for generating command current waveform from a command current value from said current value commanding means and from a driving frequency determined by said driving frequency determining means,

inverter control means for sending a control signal to said inverter based on the command current waveform from said current waveform commanding means,

current detecting means for detecting input current which is supplied to said direct current power source or output current which is output from said inverter, and

voltage detecting means for detecting input voltage which is supplied to said direct current power source, wherein

said electric power detecting means calculates input electric power which is supplied to said linear compressor from current detected by said current detecting means and voltage detected by said voltage detecting means,

said inverter control means sends a control signal to said inverter such that a deviation between a command current value from said current value commanding means and a detection current value from said current detecting means is reduced.

3. A driving apparatus of a linear compressor for driving a piston in a cylinder by a linear motor to generate compressed gas, comprising

an inverter for outputting alternating current which is supplied to said linear motor,

a direct current power source for supplying direct current voltage to said inverter,

current value commanding means for determining and commanding magnitude of said alternating current,

electric power detecting means for detecting input electric power which is supplied to said linear compressor,

driving frequency determining means for varying driving frequency of said inverter such that the electric power detected by said electric power detecting means becomes maximum,

current waveform commanding means for generating command current waveform from a command current value from said current value commanding means and from a driving frequency determined by said driving frequency determining means,

inverter control means for sending a control signal to said inverter based on the command current waveform from said current waveform commanding means,

first current detecting means for detecting input current which is supplied to said direct current power source, and

second current detecting means for detecting output current which is output from said inverter, wherein

said electric power detecting means calculates input electric power which is supplied to said linear compressor from current detected by said first current detecting means and said direct current power source voltage,

said inverter control means sends a control signal to said inverter such that a deviation between a command current value from said current value commanding means and a detection current value from said second current detecting means is reduced.

4. A driving apparatus of a linear compressor according to claim 3, wherein

said second current detecting means detects a peak value of sawtooth-like inverter input current as inverter output current.