Linear compressor

Abstract

Provided is a linear compressor. The linear compressor includes a stator cover coupled to the frame, a rear cover coupled to the stator cover, and springs disposed between the stator cover and the rear cover. The stator cover includes a body and a plurality of rear cover coupling parts extending from the body toward the rear cover and coupled to the rear cover, and the rear cover has a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction so that an end of the rear cover coupling part and an end of the spring are disposed on the same plane in the axial direction. Also, other embodiments may be possible.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A linear compressor comprising:
 a shell;   a cylinder that is disposed in the shell and that extends in an axial direction, the cylinder defining a compression space therein configured to receive refrigerant;   a frame coupled to an outside of the cylinder;   a piston disposed in the cylinder and configured to reciprocate in the axial direction of the cylinder;   a stator cover coupled to the frame;   a rear cover coupled to the stator cover; and   springs disposed between the stator cover and the rear cover,   wherein the stator cover comprises a stator cover body, and a plurality of rear cover coupling parts that extend from the stator cover body toward the rear cover and are coupled to the rear cover, and   wherein an end of the plurality of rear cover coupling parts and an end of the springs are disposed on a plane that is defined by the rear cover and that is orthogonal to the axial direction.   
     
     
         2 . The linear compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the stator cover body defines an opening through which the piston passes, and
 wherein the plurality of rear cover coupling parts are spaced apart from one another along a circumferential direction of the stator cover body.   
     
     
         3 . The linear compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the rear cover defines a plurality of coupling holes configured to couple to the plurality of rear cover coupling parts of the stator cover, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The linear compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein the rear cover comprises a plurality of spring coupling protrusions that protrude toward the stator cover and that are configured to couple to one or more of the springs. 
     
     
         5 . The linear compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of coupling holes and the plurality of spring coupling protrusions are spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of the rear cover. 
     
     
         6 . The linear compressor according to  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of coupling holes and the plurality of spring coupling protrusions are alternately disposed along the circumferential direction of the rear cover, and
 wherein one or more of the plurality of spring coupling protrusions are disposed between two of the plurality of coupling holes along the circumferential direction of the rear cover.   
     
     
         7 . The linear compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein the rear cover has a first surface configured to support one or more of the springs, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and
 wherein the linear compressor further comprises a support device disposed at the second surface of the rear cover and configured to support the rear cover in the shell.   
     
     
         8 . The linear compressor according to  claim 7 , wherein the support device comprises:
 a spring support part inserted into the second surface of the rear cover; and   a plate spring coupled to the spring support part, at least a portion of the plate spring being inserted into the spring support part.   
     
     
         9 . The linear compressor according to  claim 8 , wherein the plate spring comprises:
 a spring body inserted into the spring support part; and   a plurality of spring coupling parts that extend from a circumference of the spring body to positions facing the plurality of coupling holes.   
     
     
         10 . The linear compressor according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of spring coupling parts defines a spring coupling hole at the position facing one of the plurality of coupling holes. 
     
     
         11 . The linear compressor according to  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve being disposed between the rear cover and one of the plurality of spring coupling parts. 
     
     
         12 . The linear compressor according to  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of coupling members, each coupling member passing through the spring coupling hole and the corresponding coupling hole to be coupled to one of the plurality of rear cover coupling parts. 
     
     
         13 . The linear compressor according to  claim 2 , further comprising a spring support configured to support one or more of the springs,
 wherein the spring support is connected to a rear end of the piston and disposed between the stator cover and the rear cover.   
     
     
         14 . The linear compressor according to  claim 13 , wherein the springs comprise:
 a plurality of first springs disposed between the spring support and the stator cover; and   a plurality of second springs disposed between the spring support and the rear cover,   wherein an end of each of the plurality of second springs and an end of each of the plurality of rear cover coupling parts are disposed on a same plane orthogonal to the axial direction.   
     
     
         15 . The linear compressor according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of first springs are spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction of the stator cover body, and
 wherein the plurality of second springs are spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction of the rear cover.   
     
     
         16 . The linear compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of rear cover coupling parts are spaced apart from one another along a circumference of the opening of the stator cover body, and
 wherein each of the springs surrounds an outside of one of the plurality of rear cover coupling parts.   
     
     
         17 . The linear compressor according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the springs comprises a plurality of spring strands,
 wherein each of the plurality of spring strands comprises:
 a spring body that extends in a spiral direction about a spring central axis that extends in the axial direction; 
 a front spring link that extends from a first side of the spring body and that defines a first end of the spring body; and 
 a rear spring link that extends from a second side of the spring body and that defines a second end of the spring body. 
   
     
     
         18 . The linear compressor according to  claim 17 , further comprising a spring support connected to a rear end of the piston,
 wherein the front spring link of each of the plurality of spring strands is fixed to the spring support.   
     
     
         19 . A linear compressor comprising:
 a shell;   a cylinder that is disposed in the shell and that extends in an axial direction, the cylinder defining a compression space therein configured to receive refrigerant;   a frame coupled to an outside of the cylinder;   a piston disposed in the cylinder and configured to reciprocate in the axial direction of the cylinder;   a stator cover coupled to the frame;   a rear cover coupled to the stator cover, the rear cover comprising a front surface facing the stator cover; and   springs disposed between the stator cover and the rear cover,   wherein the stator cover comprises a stator cover body and a plurality of rear cover coupling parts that extend from the stator cover body toward the rear cover and that are coupled to the rear cover, and   wherein an end of each of the plurality of rear cover coupling parts and an end of each of the springs are attached to the front surface of the rear cover.   
     
     
         20 . A linear compressor comprising:
 a shell;   a cylinder that is disposed in the shell and that extends in an axial direction, the cylinder defining a compression space therein configured to receive refrigerant;   a piston disposed in the cylinder and configured to reciprocate in the axial direction of the cylinder;   a stator that surrounds at least a portion of an outside of the cylinder;   a stator cover that faces a rear end portion of the stator, the stator cover comprising a stator cover body that surrounds the outside of the cylinder, and a plurality of coupling parts that extend from the stator cover body toward a rear side of the shell;   a rear cover disposed rearward of the stator cover body toward the rear side of the shell, the rear cover having a first surface coupled to rear ends of the plurality of coupling parts of the stator cover and a second surface that faces the rear side of the shell; and   at least one spring that extends between the stator cover body and the first surface of the rear cover and that contacts the stator cover body and the first surface of the rear cover.