Linear compressor based on resonant oscillating mechanism

• US 9,534,591 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Embraco Indústria de Compressores e Soluções em Refrigeração LTDA
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool SA (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Roettger, Wilfred, Vollrath, Ingwald, Couto, Paulo Rogrio Carrara, Takemori, Celso Kenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Plakkoottam, Dominick L
• Application Number:
  US14/241,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20140301874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 417/44.1, 417/416, 417/417, 417/328, 417/410.1, 417/415
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/04 using solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/04 of linear electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/09 of linear hydraulic motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/045 using solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/127 Mounting of a cylinder block in a casing
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/00 Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B23/00 or F04B39/00 - F04B47/00

Abstract

The present invention refers to a linear compressor based on resonant oscillating mechanism, which is comprised by at least one resonant spring (2) at least one linear motor (3) composed of at least one fixed portion (31 ) and at least one movable portion (32), at least one piston (4) operatively associated with at least one rod (5) and at least one cylinder (6), all these elements being disposed within a housing (7), and the movable portion (32) of the linear motor (3) is physically associated with one end of the resonance spring (2) through a first coupling assembly and the rod (5) is physically associated with the opposite end of the resonance spring (2) through a second coupling assembly. The linear motor (3), the cylinder (6) and the piston (4) are physically arranged within a same end of the housing (7). The rod (5) is disposed within the resonant spring (2). The piston-cylinder assembly (4, 6) is capable of acting at the distal end to the coupling end between the rod (5) to the resonant spring (2).

Claims

1. Linear compressor based on oscillating resonant mechanism, comprising:

at least one resonant spring (2), at least one linear motor (3) composed of at least one fixed portion (31) and at least one movable portion (32), at least one piston (4) operatively associated with at least a flexible rod (5) formed in a single unitary piece, and at least one cylinder (6), wherein all these elements are disposed within a housing (7);

the movable portion (32) of the linear motor (3) is fixed at one of the ends of the resonant spring (2) through a first coupling assembly;

the flexible rod (5) is fixed at the opposite end of the resonant spring (2) via a second coupling assembly;

the linear compressor (1) being CHARACTERIZED in that;

the linear motor (3), the cylinder (6) and the piston (4) are arranged within a same end of the housing (7);

the flexible rod (5) is disposed within and passes through the resonant spring (2); and

the piston (4) and the cylinder (6) are capable of acting at a distal end to a second coupling end between the flexible rod (5) to the resonant spring (2).

2. Linear compressor according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the movable portion (32) of the linear motor (3) and the piston (4) oscillate in mutually opposite sense.

3. Linear compressor according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the piston (4) and the cylinder (6) are arranged within the perimeter defined by the linear motor (3).

4. Linear compressor according to claim 3, CHARACTERIZED in that the piston (4) and the cylinder (6) are arranged within the perimeter defined by the movable portion (32) of the linear motor (3).

5. Linear compressor according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that it further comprises at least one sensing device cooperatively associated with the flexible rod (5).

6. Linear compressor according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED in that the sensing device is basically comprised of at least one fixed component (8A), at least one movable component (8B) and at least one connecting body (9).

7. Linear compressor according to claim 6, CHARACTERIZED in that at least one of the fixed component (8A) and the movable component (8B) is subject to electromagnetic excitation proportional to the distance between them.

8. Linear compressor according to claim 6, CHARACTERIZED in that the movable component (8B) is fixed at the flexible rod (5) via the at least one connecting body (9);

the at least one connecting body (9) connecting an end (52) of the flexible rod (5) to the movable component (8B).

9. Linear compressor according to any one of claims 6 or 8, CHARACTERIZED in that the sensing device is sized to generate a top peak signal at the closest approach between the fixed component (8A) and the movable component (8B).