Linear compressor

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a linear compressor. The linear compressor comprises a hermetically sealed container having an inlet port and an outlet port formed at both ends thereof. In the hermetically sealed container is mounted a compression unit to compress and discharge a fluid. The compression unit comprises a linear motor, a cylinder, and a piston disposed in the cylinder such that the piston is linearly reciprocated in the cylinder by means of the linear motor. The linear compressor further comprises a discharging unit assembly disposed in front of the outlet port at the outside of the hermetically sealed container such that a fluid compressed in the cylinder is discharged through the discharging unit assembly, a container-supporting stand to support the hermetically sealed container at the outside of the hermetically sealed container, and shock-absorbing springs disposed between the container-supporting stand and the hermetically sealed container for performing shock-absorbing operations. According to the present invention, the size of the hermetically sealed container is reduced, whereby the linear compressor is miniaturized, and thus the linear compressor is designed without limits.

1 . A linear compressor comprising: 
 a hermetically sealed container having an inlet port and an outlet port formed therein;    a linear motor fixed to the inside of the hermetically sealed container for generating a linear moving force;    a cylinder fixed to the inside of the hermetically sealed container adjacent to the outlet port;    a discharging unit assembly disposed in front of the outlet port at the outside of the hermetically sealed container such that a fluid compressed in the cylinder is discharged through the discharging unit assembly;    a piston connected to the linear motor such that the piston is linearly reciprocated in the cylinder for compressing fluid introduced into the cylinder;    main springs connected to the front and rear sides of the piston, respectively, while being supported inside the hermetically sealed container for providing elastic forces to facilitate the reciprocating movement of the piston when the piston is reciprocated; and    a shock-absorbing support unit disposed at the outside of the hermetically sealed container for supporting the hermitically sealed container such that shocks applied to the hermitically sealed container are absorbed by means of shock-absorbing support unit.    
   
   
       2 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the shock-absorbing support unit comprises: 
 a container-supporting stand to support the hermetically sealed container at the outside of the hermetically sealed container; and    shock-absorbing means disposed between the container-supporting stand and the hermetically sealed container for performing shock-absorbing operations.    
   
   
       3 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the shock-absorbing means are disposed at the front and rear ends of the hermetically sealed container, respectively, for absorbing vibrations generated in the direction in which the linear motor is operated.  
   
   
       4 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the container-supporting stand comprises: 
 a horizontal supporting stand disposed horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the hermetically sealed container; and    vertical supporting stands connected to both ends of the horizontal supporting stand while being perpendicular to the horizontal supporting stand for supporting the shock-absorbing means.    
   
   
       5 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the shock-absorbing means are disposed at the front and rear ends of the hermetically sealed container, respectively, for absorbing vibrations generated in the direction in which the linear motor is operated, and the shock-absorbing means are further disposed at the outer circumference of the hermetically sealed container while being diagonally opposite to each other for absorbing vibrations generated in the radial direction of the hermetically sealed container.  
   
   
       6 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the shock-absorbing means comprise: 
 shock-absorbing springs disposed at the front and rear ends of the hermetically sealed container, respectively; and    vibration-absorbing members disposed at the upper and lower sides of the hermetically sealed container, respectively.    
   
   
       7 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the inlet port is disposed at the rear end of the hermitically sealed container such that an inlet pipe is inserted through the inlet port, and the outlet assembly is disposed at the front end of the hermetically sealed container, the compressor further comprising: spring seats formed around the inlet port of the hermetically sealed container and at the discharging unit assembly, respectively, such that the shock-absorbing means are mounted to the spring seats, respectively.  
   
   
       8 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the discharging unit assembly comprises: 
 an outlet cover mounted to the outside of the hermetically sealed container for absorbing shocks generated from the fluid discharged through the outlet port;    an outlet valve disposed in the outlet cover for opening and closing the outlet port; and    an outlet spring supported against the outlet cover for providing an elastic force to the outlet valve.    
   
   
       9 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising: sealing means disposed, at the outlet port side of the hermetically sealed container, between the cylinder and the hermetically sealed container and between the outlet cover and the hermetically sealed container.  
   
   
       10 . A linear compressor comprising: 
 a hermetically sealed container having an inlet port and an outlet port formed at both ends thereof, the hermetically sealed container containing a compression unit to compress and discharge a fluid therein, the compression unit comprising a linear motor, a cylinder, and a piston disposed in the cylinder such that the piston is linearly reciprocated in the cylinder by means of the linear motor;    a discharging unit assembly disposed in front of the outlet port at the outside of the hermetically sealed container such that a fluid compressed in the cylinder is discharged through the discharging unit assembly;    a container-supporting stand to support the hermetically sealed container at the outside of the hermetically sealed container; and    shock-absorbing means disposed between the container-supporting stand and the hermetically sealed container for performing shock-absorbing operations.    
   
   
       11 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the shock-absorbing means are disposed at the front and rear ends of the hermetically sealed container, respectively, for absorbing vibrations generated in the direction in which the linear motor is operated.  
   
   
       12 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the shock-absorbing means disposed at the front and rear ends of the hermetically sealed container comprises a plurality of springs.  
   
   
       13 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the shock-absorbing means are disposed at the front and rear ends of the hermetically sealed container, respectively, for absorbing vibrations generated in the direction in which the linear motor is operated, and the shock-absorbing means are further disposed at the outer circumference of the hermetically sealed container while being diagonally opposite to each other for absorbing vibrations generated in the radial direction of the hermetically sealed container.  
   
   
       14 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the shock-absorbing means comprise: 
 shock-absorbing springs disposed at the front and rear ends of the hermetically sealed container, respectively; and    vibration-absorbing members disposed at the upper and lower sides of the hermetically sealed container, respectively.    
   
   
       15 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the container-supporting stand comprises: 
 horizontal supporting stands disposed above and below the hermetically sealed container while the horizontal supporting stands are horizontally arranged in parallel with each other for supporting the vibration-absorbing members; and    vertical supporting stands connected to both ends of the horizontal supporting stand while being perpendicular to the horizontal supporting stands for supporting the shock-absorbing springs.    
   
   
       16 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the inlet port is disposed at the rear end of the hermitically sealed container such that an inlet pipe is inserted through the inlet port, and the outlet assembly is disposed at the front end of the hermetically sealed container, the compressor further comprising: spring seats formed around the inlet port of the hermetically sealed container and at the discharging unit assembly, respectively, such that the shock-absorbing means are mounted to the spring seats, respectively.  
   
   
       17 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a gasket disposed between the cylinder and the hermetically sealed container; and    an O-ring disposed between the outlet cover and the hermetically sealed container.    
   
   
       18 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston is provided at the rear part thereof with a spring-supporting body such that the main springs are attached to the front and rear sides of the spring-supporting body.  
   
   
       19 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the hermetically sealed container is provided at the inside thereof with spring-supporting blocks such that one-side ends of the main springs are supported against the spring-supporting blocks, respectively.  
   
   
       20 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: a silencer disposed at the rear of the piston for reducing inlet noise.