Linear Compressor

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a linear compressor in which a piston reciprocally moves in a cylinder upon receiving a reciprocating drive force of a linear motor to compress working-fluid, for example, refrigerant, received in the cylinder. The linear compressor comprises a piston adapted to reciprocally move in a cylinder, the piston being internally formed with a suction path, and a suction valve inserted in the suction path of the piston to move relative to the suction path, the suction valve performing opening/closing operations as it moves relative to the piston when the piston reciprocally moves. With this configuration, the suction valve always exhibits an even stroke, achieving an improvement in response and durability and minimizing vibration and noise due to the opening/closing operations thereof.

1 . A linear compressor comprising: 
 a piston adapted to reciprocally move in a cylinder, the piston being internally formed with a suction path; and    a suction valve inserted in the suction path of the piston to move relative to the suction path, the suction valve performing opening/closing operations as it moves relative to the piston when the piston reciprocally moves.    
   
   
       2 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston.  
   
   
       3 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess being configured to gradually widen away from the suction path of the piston toward a distal end of the piston.  
   
   
       4 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess having an inclined region where it comes into contact with the suction valve; and 
 the suction valve has an inclined surface to come into surface contact with the inclined region of the suction valve recess when the suction valve is inserted into the suction valve recess.    
   
   
       5 . A linear compressor comprising: 
 a piston adapted to reciprocally move in a cylinder, the piston being internally formed with a suction path; and    a suction valve including: a suction valve body adapted to open or close the suction path of the piston as it moves relative to the suction path when the piston reciprocally moves, the suction valve body being formed with an elongated slot extending in a reciprocating movement direction of the piston; and a suction valve guide pin fitted through the piston and the slot of the suction valve body to move relative to the suction valve body while being fixed to the piston.    
   
   
       6 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the suction valve body has: a head portion disposed to protrude out of the suction path of the piston; and a body portion configured to move into or out of the suction path of the piston, the body portion having a partially cut-away cross sectional shape to allow the passage of working-fluid.  
   
   
       7 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the body portion has a D-cut shape for the passage of the working-fluid.  
   
   
       8 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston.  
   
   
       9 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess being configured to gradually widen away from the suction path of the piston toward a distal end of the piston.  
   
   
       10 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein: the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess having an inclined region where it comes into contact with the suction valve; and 
 the suction valve has an inclined surface to come into surface contact with the inclined region of the suction valve recess when the suction valve is inserted into the suction valve recess.    
   
   
       11 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the suction valve body has: a head portion disposed to protrude out of the suction path of the piston; and a body portion configured to have a diameter smaller than a diameter of the suction path of the piston to move into or out of the suction path of the piston.  
   
   
       12 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston.  
   
   
       13 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess being configured to gradually widen away from the suction path of the piston toward a distal end of the piston.  
   
   
       14 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the piston is formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess having an inclined region where it comes into contact with the suction valve; and 
 the suction valve has an inclined surface to come into surface contact with the inclined region of the suction valve recess when the suction valve is inserted into the suction valve recess.    
   
   
       15 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the suction valve body has: a head portion disposed to protrude out of the suction path of the piston; and a body portion configured to move into or out of the suction path of the piston, the body portion having holes for allowing the passage of working-fluid.  
   
   
       16 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the holes of the body portion are integrally formed with a slot of the suction valve body.  
   
   
       17 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston.  
   
   
       18 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess being configured to gradually widen away from the suction path of the piston toward a distal end of the piston.  
   
   
       19 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein: the piston is formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess having an inclined region where it comes into contact with the suction valve; and 
 the suction valve has an inclined surface to come into surface contact with the inclined region of the suction valve recess when the suction valve is inserted into the suction valve recess.    
   
   
       20 . The compressor as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the suction valve body has a flat outer surface at an opposite side of the piston.  
   
   
       21 . A linear compressor comprising: 
 a piston adapted to reciprocally move in a cylinder, the piston being internally formed with a suction path; and    a suction valve including: a suction valve body adapted to open or close the suction path of the piston as it moves relative to the suction path when the piston reciprocally moves, the suction valve body being formed with an elongated slot extending in a reciprocating movement direction of the piston; and a suction valve guide pin fitted through the piston and the slot of the suction valve body to move relative to the suction valve body while being fixed to the piston,    wherein: the piston is also formed with a suction valve recess such that the suction valve is completely inserted into the piston, the suction valve recess being configured to gradually widen away from the suction path of the piston toward a distal end of the piston; and    the suction valve has an inclined surface to come into surface contact with the inclined region of the suction valve recess when the suction valve is inserted into the suction valve recess.