Linear compressor
View Patent ↗The linear compressor comprises a shell ( 10 ) which affixes a cylinder ( 20 ) defining a compression chamber ( 21 ) housing a piston ( 30 ); a linear electric motor ( 40 ) having a fixed part ( 41 ) and a reciprocating movable part ( 42 ); an actuating means ( 50 ) driven by the movable part ( 42 ); an elastic means ( 60 a ) coupling the actuating means ( 50 ) to the piston ( 30 ), so that they are reciprocated in phase opposition. A supporting elastic means ( 70 ) connects the actuating means ( 50 ) to the shell ( 10 ) and presents a radial stiffness for supporting the lateral loads actuating on said movable part ( 42 ) and actuating means ( 50 ), and for minimizing the axial misalignments between the movable part ( 42 ) and the fixed part ( 41 ) of the linear electric motor ( 40 ), the supporting elastic means ( 70 ) presenting a minimum axial stiffness for allowing the displacement of both the piston ( 30 ) and the actuating means ( 50 ).
1. A linear compressor comprising a shell ( 10 ) affixing, internally, a cylinder ( 20 ) defining a compression chamber ( 21 ) in whose interior is provided a piston ( 30 ); a linear electric motor ( 40 ) having a fixed part ( 41 ) internally affixed to the shell ( 10 ) and a movable part ( 42 ) reciprocating in relation to the fixed part ( 41 ); an actuator ( 50 ) affixed to the movable part ( 42 ), to be driven thereby in a reciprocating movement; a cylindrical helical spring ( 60 ) coupling the actuator ( 50 ) to the piston ( 30 ), so that said cylindrical helical spring ( 60 ), said actuator ( 50 ) and said piston ( 30 ) are displaced, as a resonant movable assembly in phase opposition, in a reciprocating movement, during the operation of the compressor; an elastic support ( 74 ) defined by at least one other cylindrical helical spring ( 74 ) which is coaxial to a longitudinal axis of the fixed part ( 41 ) of the linear electric motor ( 40 ) and having an end ( 74 a ) coupled to the actuator ( 50 ), an opposite end ( 74 b ) coupled to the shell ( 10 ), in order to connect the actuator ( 50 ) to the shell ( 10 ), the compressor further including an additional elastic support ( 84 ) connecting the piston ( 30 ) to the shell ( 10 ) and being defined by at least one additional cylindrical helical spring ( 84 ) which is coaxial to a longitudinal axis of the piston ( 30 ) and having an end ( 84 a ) coupled to the piston ( 30 ) and an opposite end ( 84 b ) coupled to the shell ( 10 ), said additional cylindrical helical spring ( 84 ) connecting the piston ( 30 ) to the shell ( 10 ), characterized in that both the other and the additional cylindrical helical springs ( 74 , 84 ) are obtained in a single piece with the cylindrical helical spring ( 60 , 60 a ) such that the other and the additional cylindrical helical springs ( 74 , 84 ) define respective spring extensions extending from the cylindrical helical spring ( 60 , 60 a ), wherein the additional cylindrical helical spring ( 84 ) extends from an end portion ( 61 ) of the cylindrical helical spring ( 60 , 60 a ) and the other cylindrical helical spring ( 74 ) extends from an opposite end portion ( 62 ) of the cylindrical helical spring ( 60 , 60 a ), the other cylindrical helical spring ( 74 ) having an end ( 74 a ) coupled to the actuator ( 50 ) and an opposite end ( 74 b ) coupled to the shell ( 10 ), the additional cylindrical helical spring ( 84 ) having an end ( 84 a ) coupled to the piston ( 30 ) and an opposite end ( 84 b ) coupled to the shell ( 10 ), the end ( 74 a ) of the other cylindrical helical spring ( 74 ) being obtained in a single piece with the opposite end portion ( 62 ) of the cylindrical helical spring ( 60 ) and also being connected to the actuator ( 50 ), while the end ( 84 a ) of the additional cylindrical helical spring ( 84 ) is obtained in a single piece with the end portion ( 61 ) of the cylindrical helical spring ( 60 ) and also is connected to the piston ( 30 ), said elastic support ( 74 ) presenting a spring wire with a reduced thickness in the axial direction of the elastic support ( 74 ) and a larger thickness in the radial direction of the elastic support ( 74 ), proportionally one in relation to the other, for guiding the motor ( 40 ), and said additional elastic support ( 84 ) presenting a spring wire with a reduced thickness in the axial direction of the additional elastic support ( 84 ) and a larger thickness in the radial direction of the additional elastic support ( 84 ), proportionally one in relation to the other, for guiding the piston ( 30 ).