Linear Drive and Linear Compressor with Adaptive Output

Abstract

An apparatus having at least one of a linear drive having a stator and a rotor configured for reciprocating movement therein along a drive axis between a first and a second rotor reversal point about a rotor zero position, and a linear compressor, having a piston housing and a compressor piston configured for reciprocating movement therein along a piston axis between a first and a second piston reversal point about a piston zero position and configured to be driven by the linear drive, wherein at least one of the rotor zero position and the piston zero position is adjustable.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus comprising at least one of a linear drive having a stator and a rotor configured for reciprocating movement therein along a drive axis between a first and a second rotor reversal point about a rotor zero position, and a linear compressor having a piston housing and a compressor piston configured for reciprocating movement therein along a piston axis between a first and a second piston reversal point about a piston zero position and configured to be driven by the linear drive, wherein at least one of the rotor zero position and the piston zero position is adjustable. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus comprising at least one of a linear drive having a stator and a rotor movable in a reciprocating manner therein along a drive axis between a first and a second rotor reversal point about a rotor zero position, and a linear compressor having a piston housing and a compressor piston configured for reciprocating movement therein along a piston axis between a first and a second piston reversal point about a piston zero position and configured for being driven by the linear drive, the apparatus comprising at least one spring element configured for action on at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston, wherein at least one of the length the spring element can be varied, in particular shortened, and the spring constant of the spring element can be varied, in particular increased. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus comprising at least one of a linear drive having a stator and a rotor configured for reciprocating movement therein along a drive axis between a first and a second rotor reversal point about a rotor zero position, and a linear reciprocating movement therein along a piston axis between a first and a second piston reversal point about a piston zero position and configured for being driven by the linear drive, the apparatus comprising means for reducing the mechanical power that can be delivered by at least one of the linear compressor and the linear drive, in particular from a normalized nominal power value of about 1 to about 0.6, preferably from a normalized nominal power value of about 1 to about 0.5, whereby at least one of electromechanical efficiency in the event of a change in the mechanical power is always greater than about 60%, in particular greater than about 70%, preferably greater than about 80%, and the electromechanical efficiency falls in the event of a reduction in the mechanical power from a normalized nominal power value of about 1 to about 0.6 on average with a gradient less than about 0.8, in particular with a gradient less than about 0.5, preferably with a gradient less than about 0.2, by particular preference with a gradient less than about 0.1. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  and further comprising a drive coil configured for acting with an electromagnetic force on at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston, and means for controlling the drive coil, whereby the means for controlling the drive coil includes means for adjusting at least one of the first rotor reversal point and the first piston reversal point. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein at least one of the rotor zero position is adjustable relative to the first rotor reversal point and the piston zero position is adjustable relative to the first piston reversal point in a manner wherein at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston is capable of executing a substantially symmetrical oscillation about the adjusted zero position when the reversal point is changed. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according  claim 15  wherein at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston are mounted between a spring element on the working side and a spring element disposed oppositely from the working side. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the spring elements are configured with at least one of different spring constants and different spring lengths. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein for any position of at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston, the spring elements have a length which is less than about 95% of the uncompressed spring element length, in particular less than about 90% of the uncompressed spring element length. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein for any position of at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston, the spring elements have a length which is greater than about 40% of the uncompressed spring element length, in particular greater than about 50% of the uncompressed spring element length. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein at least one of:
 the working-side spring element has a spring constant in the range of about 1 N/mm to about 5 N/mm, in particular in the range from about 1.8 N/mm to about 3.6 N/mm, preferably in the range from about 2.3 N/mm to about 2.9 N/mm; and   the opposite spring element has a spring constant in the range from about 4 N/mm to about 12 N/mm, in particular in the range from about 6.5 N/mm to about 9.5 N/mm, preferably in the range from about 7.5 N/mm to about 8.5 N/mm;   the working-side spring element has an uncompressed spring length in the range from about 40 mm to about 60 mm, in particular in the range from about 48 mm to about 62 mm; and   the opposite spring element has an uncompressed spring length in the range from about 25 mm to about 40 mm, in particular in the range from about 30 mm to about 36 mm; and   the stroke of at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston is between about 10 mm and about 30 mm, in particular between about 12 mm and about 20 mm; and   at least one of the first rotor reversal point and the first piston reversal point can be shifted by at least about 5 mm, in particular by at least about 10 mm, preferably by about 20 mm.   
   
   
       25 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein at least one of the second rotor reversal point and the second piston reversal point is fixed. 
   
   
       26 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the apparatus is at least one of an air conditioning system and a refrigeration device, in particular as at least one of a refrigerator and a freezer. 
   
   
       27 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  and further comprising at least one of at least one spring element configured for action on at least one of the rotor and the compressor piston, wherein at least one of the length of the spring element can be varied, in particular shortened, and the spring constant of the spring element can be varied, in particular increased; and means for reducing the mechanical power that can be delivered by at least one of the linear compressor and the linear drive, in particular from a normalized nominal power value of about 1 to about 0.6, preferably from a normalized nominal power value of about 1 to about 0.5, whereby at least one of electromechanical efficiency in the event of a change in the mechanical power is always greater than about 60%, in particular greater than about 70%, preferably greater than about 80%, and the electromechanical efficiency falls in the event of a reduction in the mechanical power from a normalized nominal power value of about 1 to about 0.6 on average with a gradient less than about 0.8, in particular with a gradient less than about 0.5, preferably with a gradient less than about 0.2, by particular preference with a gradient less than about 0.1. 
   
   
       28 . A method for at least one of cooling a commodity and compressing a fluid wherein the method comprises the steps of providing and operating an apparatus including at least one of a linear drive having a stator and a rotor configured for reciprocating movement therein along a drive axis between a first and a second rotor reversal point about a rotor zero position, and a linear compressor having a piston housing and a compressor piston configured for reciprocating movement therein along a piston axis between a first and a second piston reversal point about a piston zero position and configured to be driven by the linear drive, wherein at least one of the rotor zero position and the piston zero position is adjustable.