CN111188755B

CN111188755B - Linear compressor

Info

Publication number: CN111188755B
Application number: CN201910644048.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李钟九
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2018-11-15
Filing date: 2019-07-17
Publication date: 2022-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 2039-07-17
Also published as: KR102634997B1; KR20200056777A; CN111188755A

Abstract

The invention discloses a linear compressor. The linear compressor includes: a frame including a frame head and a frame body extending rearward from a center of a rear surface of the frame head; a cylinder received in the frame to form a compression space of a refrigerant; a piston that reciprocates in an axial direction within the cylinder; a discharge cover unit connected to a front surface of the frame head to form a discharge space through which the refrigerant discharged from the compression space flows; a discharge valve disposed on a front surface of the cylinder to selectively open and close the compression space; and a spring assembly inserted into the frame head to provide an elastic force in a direction in which the discharge valve is brought into close contact with the front surface of the cylinder, wherein at least one of the frame head and the spring assembly is in close contact with the discharge cap unit. In addition, other embodiments are possible.

Description

Linear compressor

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a linear compressor.

Background

Generally, a compressor, which is a mechanical device that receives power from a power generating device such as an electric motor or a turbine, increases pressure by compressing air, refrigerant, or various other operating gases, has been widely used in home appliances or industries in general.

Such a compressor can be classified as a reciprocating compressor, a rotary compressor, or a scroll compressor.

Specifically, the reciprocating compressor has a compression space for compressing a working gas between a piston and a cylinder, and compresses a refrigerant introduced into the compression space while the piston linearly reciprocates within the cylinder.

In recent years, a linear compressor of a reciprocating compressor has been developed, which has a simple structure in which a piston is directly connected to a linearly-reciprocating driving motor to improve compression efficiency without a mechanical loss caused when a rotational motion of the motor is converted into a linear motion.

Generally, a linear compressor is configured such that a piston is linearly reciprocated inside a cylinder by a linear motor in a hermetic case to suck and compress refrigerant, and then to discharge the refrigerant.

The linear motor is configured such that a permanent magnet is disposed between an inner stator and an outer stator, and the permanent magnet linearly reciprocates between the inner stator and the outer stator by an electromagnetic force.

The permanent magnet is connected to the piston through a coupling member called a magnet frame as a single body to allow the piston to linearly reciprocate. The piston linearly reciprocates within the cylinder to suction, compress, and discharge refrigerant.

In the prior art, korean patent application laid-open No.10-2018-0079866 (published 7/11/2018) discloses a linear compressor.

The linear compressor disclosed in the above prior art includes: a cylinder forming a compression space for a refrigerant; a discharge cap provided in front of the cylinder to form a discharge space for the compressed refrigerant in the compression space; and a sealing member disposed between the cylinder and the discharge cap.

The sealing member includes a plurality of O-rings and gaskets for sealing a space between the cylinder block and the discharge cap. Accordingly, the discharge cap presses the cylinder block through the sealing member, thereby preventing the refrigerant from leaking into the outside through a gap between the discharge cap and the cylinder block when the refrigerant gas is discharged from the compression space to the discharge space.

In addition, a plurality of sealing members are further provided between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder block and the outer circumferential surface of the frame, thereby preventing refrigerant gas used for the gas bearing of the cylinder block from leaking to the outside through a space between the cylinder block and the frame.

However, the linear compressor disclosed in the prior art has the following problems.

First, since the conventional linear sealing compressor requires a large number of sealing members (O-rings or gaskets) for sealing a space between the cylinder block and the discharge cover, there is a problem in that the number of parts and the number of types of parts for assembling the compressor are increased.

In addition, since a process of assembling a sealing member for sealing a space between the cylinder and the frame is complicated, there are problems in that an assembling time is long and the assembly is not correctly assembled.

Second, since the conventional linear compressor has a structure in which the discharge cover is fixed to the frame in a state in which the discharge valve assembly is disposed inside the discharge cover, there is a problem in that the discharge valve assembly may slide out from the inside of the discharge cover or may be idle.

Further, when an O-ring or a gasket is additionally provided to prevent the discharge valve assembly from slipping out of the inside of the discharge cap, there are problems in that the number of parts of the compressor is increased and the product cost is increased.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made to overcome the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a linear compressor capable of simplifying assembly by minimizing the number of sealing members for sealing a space between a cylinder block and a discharge cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a linear compressor capable of simplifying assembly by minimizing the number of sealing members for sealing a space between a cylinder block and a frame.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a linear compressor in which the structure of a discharge cover unit is simplified by positioning a discharge valve assembly inside a frame instead of inside the discharge cover, thereby easily achieving sealing between the discharge cover unit and the frame or a cylinder block.

In addition, still another object of the present invention is to provide a linear compressor which can omit separate parts for fixing a cylinder block and preventing deformation of the cylinder block by employing a structure for suppressing deformation when the cylinder block is press-fitted into a frame.

Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide a linear compressor capable of preventing leakage of refrigerant gas and obtaining the same or higher noise reduction effect as that of the conventional compressor even when a small number of parts are used as compared with the conventional compressor.

In order to achieve the above object, a linear compressor according to an embodiment includes: a frame; a cylinder accommodated in the frame; an ejection cover unit connected to a front surface of the frame head; and a spring assembly inserted into the frame head to provide an elastic force in a direction in which the discharge valve is brought into close contact with the front surface of the cylinder.

In particular, according to the present invention, the frame head and the spring assembly may be in close contact with the discharge cap unit. In this case, the front surface of the spring assembly and the front surface of the frame head may be positioned on the same plane perpendicular to the axial direction, so that the discharge valve assembly may be disposed inside the frame, not inside the discharge cover. Thus, the structure of the discharge cap unit may be simplified, and sealing between the discharge cap unit and the frame or the cylinder may be easily achieved.

In addition, the cylinder may include: a cylinder body accommodated inside the frame body, and a cylinder flange extending outward in a radial direction from an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder body and accommodated in the frame head.

In this case, at least a portion of the cylinder flange may be press-fitted to the inner surface of the frame head. The cylinder flange may be bent a plurality of times to form an accommodation space therein, and the spring assembly may be accommodated in the accommodation space formed in the cylinder flange.

For example, the cylinder flange may include: a first portion extending outwardly in a radial direction along a circumference from the cylinder body; a second portion bent to extend forward from an end of the first portion; and a third portion extending inward in a radial direction from an end of the second portion.

The first and second portions may be in close contact with an inner surface of the frame head, and the spring assembly may be accommodated in an accommodation space formed by the first and second portions.

The spring assembly may include a valve spring fitted to the discharge valve and a spring support surrounding an edge of the valve spring to support the valve spring.

In this case, since the spring support portion is in contact with the first portion and the third portion, a void is formed in a space between the spring support portion and the second portion, thereby suppressing deformation when the cylinder is press-fitted to the frame.

A virtual line (L1) passing through the rear end of the spring support may be positioned more rearward than a virtual line (L2) passing through the rear end of the discharge valve.

The linear compressor may further include a snap ring fitted to an outer circumferential surface of the spring support portion, and the snap ring may be in close contact with both the frame head and the cylinder flange, so that a coupling force between parts around the frame is increased, and leakage of refrigerant is prevented.

In addition, the spring support portion is provided with a fastening contact portion extending outward in a radial direction along a circumference of a front end of the ring support portion to be in close contact with the snap ring. In this case, the fastening contact portion comes into contact with the inner surface of the frame head and the front surface of the grommet, thereby preventing the gasket from slipping out of the inside of the cylinder or from being left unused.

The linear compressor may further include a gasket configured to be in close contact with a rear surface of the discharge cover unit and a front surface of the frame head, and a front surface of the spring support part may be in close contact with a rear surface of the gasket.

In this case, the spring support portion may be provided with a protrusion extending further forward from a front surface of the spring support portion to pass through a center portion of the washer, thereby preventing the washer from escaping to the outside.

The discharge cover unit may form a discharge space, and may include: a cover housing fixed to a front surface of the frame; a partition sleeve extending in an axial direction inside the cap housing to partition the discharge space into a plurality of discharge spaces; and a discharge cap inserted into the cap housing to abut on an end of the partition sleeve.

Here, the frame head may be in close contact with the cap housing and the discharge cap, and the spring assembly may be in close contact with only the discharge cap.

The cover housing may include a chamber portion configured to form a discharge space having an open rear surface, and a flange portion extending outward in a radial direction from a rear end of the chamber portion to be in close contact with a front surface of the frame, wherein the discharge cover may be inserted into a latching jaw formed to be stepped in an inner edge of the flange portion.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cylinder configured to form an accommodation space; a piston configured to reciprocate in an axial direction within the cylinder; a discharge cover unit configured to form a discharge space through which a refrigerant discharged from the compression space flows; a frame configured to accommodate the cylinder and connected to the discharge cap unit; and a discharge valve configured to open or close the compression space such that the refrigerant in the compression space is discharged into the discharge space.

The discharge cover unit may include: a cover housing configured to form a discharge space and fixed to a front surface of the frame; a partition sleeve extending in an axial direction inside the cap housing to partition the discharge space into a plurality of discharge spaces; and a discharge cover inserted into the cover housing to contact an end of the partition sleeve, wherein at least one of the cover housing and the discharge cover is in close contact with a front surface of the frame.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a compressor main body accommodated in a casing of a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken along line II-II' of FIG. 1;

fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating one part of a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of a partial configuration of the compressor main body of fig. 4;

fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the discharge cover and the cover housing are coupled to each other according to the embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 and 8 are exploded perspective views illustrating a state in which the discharge cap and the cap housing of fig. 6 are disconnected from each other;

fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a section taken along the line III-III' of fig. 4; and is

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of the portion "a" of fig. 9.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

In addition, in the description of the embodiments, when describing components of the present invention, words such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used herein. Each of these terms is not intended to define the nature, order, or sequence of the corresponding elements, but is instead used to distinguish the corresponding elements from other elements. It should be noted that if it is described in the specification that one component is "connected", "coupled", or "joined" to another component, the former may be directly "connected", "coupled", or "joined" to the latter or "connected", "coupled", or "joined" to the latter via another component.

Hereinafter, a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 1, a linear compressor 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a cylindrical casing 101 and a pair of casing covers coupled to both ends of the casing 101. The pair of housing covers may include a first housing cover 102 (see fig. 3) on the refrigerant suction side and a second housing cover 103 on the refrigerant discharge side.

In detail, the leg 50 may be coupled to a lower portion of the case 101. The leg 50 may be coupled to a base of a product to which the linear compressor 10 is mounted. In one example, the product may comprise a refrigerator, and the base may comprise a base of a machine chamber of the refrigerator. As another example, the product may comprise an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, and the base may comprise a base of the outdoor unit.

The casing 101 has a horizontal cylindrical shape, and therefore, advantageously, when the linear compressor 10 is installed in the base of the machine compartment of the refrigerator, the height of the machine compartment can be reduced. In other words, the longitudinal central axis of the casing 101 coincides with the central axis of a compressor main body described later, and the central axis of the compressor main body coincides with the central axis of a cylinder and a piston constituting the compressor main body.

Terminals 108 may be provided on the outer surface of the housing 101. The terminal 108 may be understood as a connection portion for transmitting external power to a motor assembly 140 (see fig. 3) of the linear compressor 10.

A bracket 109 is provided on the outer side of the terminal 108, and the bracket 109 may serve to protect the terminal 108 from external impact or the like.

Both ends of the housing 101 are configured to be open. The first housing cover 102 and the second housing cover 103 may be coupled to both open ends of the housing 101. The inner space of the housing 101 may be sealed by

housing covers

102 and 103.

Referring to fig. 1, a first housing cover 102 is positioned on a right side (or rear end) of the linear compressor 10, and a second housing cover 103 is positioned on a left side (or front end) of the linear compressor 10. An end of the casing 101 to which the first casing cover 102 is mounted may be defined as a suction-side end, and an end of the casing 101 to which the second casing cover 103 is mounted may be defined as a discharge-side end.

The linear compressor 10 may further include a plurality of

pipes

104, 105, and 106 provided on the casing 101 or the casing covers 102 and 103. The refrigerant is introduced into the inside of the casing 101 through the plurality of

tubes

104, 105, and 106, compressed, and then discharged to the outside of the casing 101.

Specifically, the plurality of

tubes

104, 105, and 106 may include: a suction pipe 104 for allowing the refrigerant to be sucked into an inside of the linear compressor 10; a discharge pipe 105 for discharging the compressed refrigerant from the linear compressor 10; and a process pipe 106 for refilling the linear compressor 10 with the refrigerant.

For example, the suction tube 104 may be coupled to the first housing cover 102, and the refrigerant may be sucked into the inside of the linear compressor 10 through the suction tube 104 in the axial direction.

The discharge pipe 105 may be coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the casing 101. The refrigerant sucked through the suction pipe 104 may be compressed while flowing in the circumferential direction. The compressed refrigerant may be discharged to the outside through the discharge pipe 105. The discharge duct 105 may be disposed at a position closer to the second housing cover 103 than the first housing cover 102.

The process tube 106 may be coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the housing 101. An operator may inject refrigerant into the linear compressor 10 through the process tube 106.

The process tube 106 may be coupled to the housing 101 at a height different from the height of the exhaust tube 105 to avoid interference with the exhaust tube 105. The height may be defined as the distance from the leg 50 to the discharge pipe 105 and the process pipe 106, respectively, in the vertical direction (or in the radial direction of the housing). The discharge pipe 105 and the process pipe 106 are coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the casing 101 at different heights, thereby facilitating the work of injecting the refrigerant.

A cover support portion 102 (see fig. 3) may be provided at the center of the inner surface of the first housing cover 102. A second supporting means 185 to be described below may be coupled to the cover supporting part 102 a. The cover supporting part 102a and the second supporting means 185 may be understood as means for supporting the rear end of the compressor such that the compressor main body maintains a horizontal state inside the casing 101. Here, the compressor body refers to a kit of parts disposed inside the casing 101, and may include, for example, a driving part reciprocating back and forth and a supporting part supporting the driving part.

The driving parts may include components such as the piston 130, the magnet frame 138, the permanent magnet 146, the support 137, and the suction muffler 150, as shown in fig. 2 and 3. The support portion may include components such as

resonant springs

176a and 176b, a rear cover 170, a stator cover 149, a first support device (not shown), and a second support device 185.

On the inner surface of the first housing cover 102, a stopper 102b (see fig. 3) may be provided at the edge thereof. The stopper 102b is configured to prevent a collision damage of the main body of the compressor, particularly, the motor assembly 140 with the casing 101 due to the occurrence of shaking, vibration, impact, etc. during the transportation of the linear compressor 10.

The stopper 102b is positioned adjacent to a rear cover 170, which will be described below, such that when the linear compressor 10 is shaken, the rear cover 170 interferes with the stopper 102b, thereby preventing impact from being directly transmitted to the motor assembly 140.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a compressor main body accommodated in a casing of a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line II-II' of fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, the main body of the linear compressor 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention disposed inside the casing 101 may include a frame 110, a cylinder 120 fitted in the center of the frame 110, a piston 130 linearly reciprocating in the cylinder 120, and a motor assembly 140 applying a driving force to the piston 130. The motor assembly 140 may be a linear motor that allows the piston 130 to linearly reciprocate in the axial direction of the housing 101.

Specifically, the linear compressor 10 may further include a suction muffler 150.

The suction muffler 150 is coupled to the piston 130, and is provided to reduce noise generated due to refrigerant sucked through the suction pipe 104. The refrigerant sucked through the suction pipe 104 flows into the inside of the piston 130 through the suction muffler 150. As an example, when the refrigerant passes through the suction muffler 150, flow noise of the refrigerant may be reduced.

The suction muffler 150 may include a plurality of mufflers. The plurality of silencers may include a first silencer 151, a second silencer 152, and a third silencer 153 coupled to each other.

The first muffler 151 is located inside the piston 130, and the second muffler 152 is coupled to a rear end of the first muffler 151. The third muffler 153 may receive the second muffler 152 therein, and a front end of the third muffler 153 may be coupled to a rear end of the first muffler 151.

The refrigerant sucked through the suction pipe 104 may pass through the third muffler 153, the second muffler 152, and the first muffler 151 in order with respect to the flow direction of the refrigerant. In this case, the flow noise of the refrigerant can be reduced.

The muffler filter 154 may be installed on the suction muffler 150. The silencing filter 154 may be positioned at an interface surface where the first silencer 151 and the second effector 152 are coupled to each other. As an example, the silencing filter 154 may have a circular shape, and an edge of the silencing filter 154 may be positioned and supported between the joining surfaces of the first and

second silencers

151 and 152.

Here, the "axial direction" may be understood as a direction coinciding with a direction in which the piston 130 reciprocates, i.e., a direction in which a longitudinal center axis of the cylinder housing 101 extends. In the "axial direction", a direction from the suction pipe 104 toward the compression space (P), i.e., a direction in which refrigerant flows, is referred to as a "forward direction", and an opposite direction thereof is referred to as a "backward direction". The compression space (p) may be compressed when the piston 130 moves forward.

On the other hand, the "radial direction" may be defined as a radial direction of the housing 101 and a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the piston 130 reciprocates.

The piston 130 may include: a piston body 131 having a substantially cylindrical shape; and a piston flange portion 132 extending in the radial direction from the rear end of the piston main body 131. The piston main body 131 may reciprocate inside the cylinder 120, and the piston flange part 132 may reciprocate outside the cylinder 120. The piston main body 131 is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the first muffler 151.

A compression space P, in which refrigerant is compressed by the piston 130, is formed in the cylinder 120. The plurality of suction holes 133 are formed at positions spaced apart from the center of the front surface of the piston main body 131 by a predetermined distance in the radial direction.

Specifically, a plurality of suction holes 133 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the piston 130, and the refrigerant is introduced into the compression space P through the plurality of suction holes 133. The plurality of suction holes 133 may be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the piston 130, or may be formed of a plurality of groups.

In addition, a suction valve 135 for selectively opening the suction hole 133 is provided in front of the suction hole 133. The suction valve 135 is fixed to the front surface of the piston main body 131 by a fastening member 135a such as a screw or a bolt.

The linear compressor 10 further includes a discharge cover unit 190.

The discharge cover unit 190 may be disposed at a front side of the compression space P to form a discharge space for the refrigerant discharged from the compression space P. The discharge cover unit 190 may be provided in a form in which a plurality of covers are stacked.

In the cover located on the outermost (or forwardmost) side among the plurality of covers, the first supporting means (not shown) is engaged with the engaging hole or the engaging groove.

The discharge cover unit 190 includes a cover case 191 and a discharge cover 192, the cover case 191 being fixed to the front surface of the frame 110, the discharge cover 192 being disposed inside the cover case 191. As an example, the discharge cover 192 may be made of a high temperature resistant engineering material, and the cover housing 191 may be made of an aluminum die-cast material.

In addition, the linear motor 10 may further include a discharge valve assembly.

The discharge valve assembly is connected to an inner side of the frame (110) to discharge the refrigerant compressed in the compression space P to the discharge space.

Specifically, the discharge valve assembly may include a discharge valve 161 and a spring assembly 240, the spring assembly 240 providing an elastic force in a direction in which the discharge valve 161 is in close contact with the front end of the cylinder 120.

When the pressure in the compression space P becomes equal to or higher than the discharge pressure, the discharge valve 161 is spaced apart from the front surface of the cylinder 120, and the compressed refrigerant flows to the discharge space formed in the discharge cap 192 to be discharged.

The spring assembly 240 may include: a leaf spring type valve spring 242; and a spring support portion 241 surrounding an edge of the valve spring 242 to support the valve spring 242.

When the pressure in the compression space P becomes equal to or higher than the discharge pressure, the valve spring 242 is elastically deformed toward the discharge cap 192 to cause the discharge valve 161 to be spaced apart from the front end of the cylinder 120.

The center of the front surface of the discharge valve 161 is fixedly connected to the center of the valve spring 242, and the rear surface of the discharge valve 161 is in close contact with the front surface (or front end) of the cylinder 120 by the elastic force of the valve spring 242.

When the discharge valve 161 is supported on the front surface of the cylinder 120, the compression space P is maintained in a closed state. When the discharge valve 161 is spaced apart from the front surface of the cylinder 120, the compression space P is opened, so that the compressed refrigerant in the compression space P can be discharged.

The compression space P may be understood as a space formed between the suction valve 135 and the discharge valve 161. The suction valve 135 is formed on one side of the compression space P, and the discharge valve 161 is disposed on the other side of the compression space P, i.e., on the opposite side of the suction valve 135.

In the case where the piston 130 linearly reciprocates in the cylinder 120, when the pressure in the compression space P becomes equal to or lower than the suction pressure of the refrigerant, the suction valve 135 is opened, and the refrigerant is introduced into the compression space P.

On the other hand, when the pressure in the compression space P becomes equal to or higher than the suction pressure of the refrigerant, the suction valve 135 is closed, and the refrigerant in the compression space P is compressed due to the forward movement of the piston 130.

On the other hand, when the pressure in the compression space P is greater than the pressure in the discharge space (discharge pressure), the valve spring 242 is deformed forward, and the discharge valve 161 is separated from the cylinder 120. The refrigerant in the compression space P is discharged to the discharge space formed in the discharge cap 192 through a space gap between the discharge valve 161 and the cylinder 120.

When the discharge of the refrigerant is completed, the valve spring 242 provides a restoring force to the discharge valve 161 so that the discharge valve 161 is brought into close contact with the front end of the cylinder 120 again.

In addition, the linear motor 10 may further include a snap ring 250.

The snap ring 250 may be coupled to the spring assembly 240. Specifically, a snap ring 250 is fitted to an outer circumferential surface of the spring support 241 to elastically support the spring assembly 240 such that the spring assembly 240 is in close contact with the inside of the frame 110.

In addition, the linear motor 10 may further include a washer 230.

The washer 230 is provided on the front surface of the spring support 241 or on the front surface of the frame 110, so that when the discharge valve 161 is opened, the spring assembly 240 can be prevented from causing noise because the spring assembly 240 directly strikes on the discharge cap 192 while moving in the axial direction.

The gasket 230 may be provided on the rear surface of the cover housing 191 or on the rear surface of the discharge cover 192. That is, the gasket 230 may be disposed between the spring support 241 and the frame 110, and between the cover case 191 and the discharge cover 192.

The gasket 230 may be disposed at an interface separating the spring support 241 and the frame 110 from the cap housing 191 and the discharge cap 192 in forward and backward directions.

Since the inner space of the frame 110 may be separated from the inner space of the discharge cover unit 190 by the gasket 230, heat transfer of the discharge cover unit 190 to the frame 110 can be minimized.

In addition, since the gasket 230 is in close contact with the front surface of the spring support portion 241, there is an advantage in that noise and vibration due to the valve operation of the discharge valve 161 are reduced.

The linear compressor 10 may further include a cover pipe (not shown). The cap pipe is connected to the outside of the cap housing 191, and discharges the refrigerant discharged from the compression space P to the discharge space inside the discharge cap unit 190 to the outside. For this, the cover pipe is connected to the discharge pipe 105, one end of the discharge pipe 105 is connected to the cover case 191, and the other end thereof is formed in the case 101.

The cover tube may be made of a flexible material and may extend substantially along the inner circumferential surface of the casing 101.

The frame 110 may be understood as a configuration for fixing the cylinder block 120. As an example, the cylinder 120 may be inserted at the center of the frame 110 in the axial direction of the housing 101. The discharge cover unit 190 may be connected to the front surface of the frame 110 by a fastening member.

The motor assembly 140 may include: an outer stator 141 fixed to the frame 110 to surround the cylinder 120; an inner stator 148 spaced inwardly from the outer stator 141; and a permanent magnet 146 disposed in a space between the outer stator 141 and the inner stator 148.

The permanent magnet 146 may linearly reciprocate in the axial direction by a mutual electromagnetic force generated between the outer stator 141 and the inner stator 148. The permanent magnet 146 may be formed of a single magnet having one pole, or may be formed by connecting a plurality of magnets having three poles.

The magnet frame 138 may have a cylindrical shape with an open front surface and a closed rear surface. The permanent magnet 146 may be attached to an end of the open front surface of the magnet frame 138 or an outer circumferential surface of the magnet frame 138. A through hole through which the suction muffler 150 passes may be formed at the center of the rear surface of the magnet frame 138, and the suction muffler 150 may be fixed to the rear surface of the magnet frame 138.

Specifically, a piston flange portion 132 extending in a radial direction from a rear end of the piston 130 is fixed to a rear surface of the magnet frame 138. The edge of the rear end of the first muffler 151 is interposed between the piston flange portion 132 and the rear surface of the magnet frame 138, and is fixed to the center of the rear surface of the magnet frame 138.

When the permanent magnet 146 reciprocates in the axial direction, the piston 130 may reciprocate integrally with the permanent magnet 146 in the axial direction.

The outer stator 141 may include a main body and a stator core 141 a. The coil winding body may include a bobbin 141b, a coil 141c wound in a circumferential direction of the bobbin 141b, and a terminal part 141d configured to guide an electric wire connected to the coil 141c to be drawn out or exposed to an outside of the stator 141.

The stator core 141a may include a plurality of core blocks formed by stacking a plurality of C-shaped laminates in a circumferential direction. The plurality of core blocks may be arranged to surround at least a portion of the coil winding body.

A stator cover 149 is provided on one side of the outer stator 141. Specifically, the front end of the outer stator 141 is fixed to the frame 110 and supported by the frame 110, and the stator cover 149 is fixed to the rear end of the outer stator 141.

The lever cover fastening member 149a passes through the stator cover 149 and is inserted and fixed to the frame 110 through the edge of the outer stator 141. That is, the motor assembly 140 is stably fixed to the rear surface of the frame 110 by the cover fastening member 149 a.

The inner stator 148 is fixed to the outer circumference of the frame 110. The inner stator 148 is formed by stacking a plurality of laminate plates in a circumferential direction from an outer side of the frame 110.

Specifically, the frame 110 may include a frame head 110a having a disc shape and a frame body 110b extending from the center of the rear surface of the frame head 110 to receive the cylinder block 120 therein.

The discharge cover unit 190 is fixed to the front surface of the frame head 110a, and the inner stator 148 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the frame body 110 b. A plurality of laminated plates constituting the inner stator 148 are stacked in a circumferential direction of the frame body 110 b.

The linear compressor 10 may further include a supporter 137 supporting the rear end of the piston 130. The supporter 137 is connected to the rear side of the piston 130, and a hollow may be formed at the inner side of the supporter 137 to allow the suction muffler 150 to pass therethrough.

The support 137 is fixed to the rear surface of the magnet frame 138. The piston flange 132, the magnet frame 138 and the support 137 are integrated together into a single body by fastening members.

A weight 179 may be connected to the support 137. The weight of the counterweight 179 may be determined based on the operating frequency range of the compressor body.

The linear compressor (10) may further include a rear cover (170). The front end of the rear cover 170 is fixed to the stator cover 149 and extends rearward, and is supported by a second support device 185.

Specifically, the rear cover 170 may include, for example, three support legs, and front portions (or front ends) of the three support legs may be connected to the rear surface of the stator cover 149.

The spacer 181 is interposed between the three support legs and the rear surface of the stator cover 149. The distance from the top sub-cover 149 to the rear end of the rear cover 170 may be determined by adjusting the thickness of the gasket 181.

The linear compressor 10 may further include an inflow guide portion 156 connected to the back cover 170 to guide the inflow of the refrigerant into the suction muffler 150. The front end of the inflow guide portion 156 may be inserted into the suction muffler 150.

The linear compressor (10) may include a plurality of resonant springs whose natural frequency is tuned to allow the piston to resonate.

Specifically, the plurality of resonant springs may include a plurality of first resonant springs 176a interposed between the supporter 137 and the stator cover 149 and a plurality of second resonant springs 176b interposed between the supporter 137 and the rear cover 170.

By the action of the plurality of resonant springs, it is possible to achieve stable linear reciprocation of the piston 130 in the casing 101 of the linear compressor 10, thereby minimizing vibration or noise caused by the movement of the piston 130.

The supporter 137 may include a spring insertion member 137a to which the rear end of the first resonant spring 176a is fitted.

The linear compressor 10 may include a plurality of sealing members for increasing a coupling force between the frame 110 and parts around the frame 110.

Specifically, the plurality of sealing members may include a first sealing member 129a and a second sealing member 129b, the first sealing member 129a being disposed between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder 120 and the inner circumferential surface of the frame 110, the second sealing member 129b being disposed in a portion to which the frame 110 and the inner stator 148 are coupled. The first and

second seal members

129a and 129b may be annular.

In addition, the linear compressor 10 may further include a pair of first supporting devices (not shown) supporting the front end of the compressor main body.

As an example, the first supporting means is paired and may have a bar shape. Each end of the pair of first supporting means may be fixed to the discharge cover unit 190, and the other end may be in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the casing 101. The pair of first supporting means may support the discharge cover unit 190 in a state where the discharge cover unit 190 is opened at an angle of 90 to 120 degrees along the outer circumference of the front end of the discharge cover unit 190.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating one part of a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention, fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the part of a compressor main body of fig. 4, fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a discharge cover and a cover housing are coupled to each other, fig. 7 and 8 are exploded perspective views illustrating a state in which the discharge cover and the cover housing of fig. 6 are spaced apart from each other, fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a section taken along a line III-III' of fig. 4, and fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion "a" of fig. 9.

Referring to fig. 4 to 10, the discharge cover unit 190 includes an outer cover housing 191 and a discharge cover 192 mounted inside the cover housing 191, as described above.

According to another aspect, one of the cover case 191 and the discharge cover 192 may be defined as a first discharge cover 191, and the other may be defined as a second discharge cover 192.

In particular, according to the present invention, the cover housing 191 and the discharge cover 192 may be in close contact with the front surface of the frame 110. In this case, the area of the portion of the discharge cover 192 in close contact with the front surface of the frame 110 may be larger than the area of the portion of the cover housing 191 in close contact with the front surface of the frame 110.

The cap housing 191 may be made of die-cast aluminum, and the discharge cap 192 may be made of engineering plastic. In addition, since the discharge cover 192 is installed inside the cover housing 191, the inner space of the cover housing 191 may be divided into a plurality of spaces.

The cover case 191 is fixed to the front surface of the frame 110, and a refrigerant discharge space is formed therein. The cap housing 191 may have a container shape in general. For example, the cover housing 191 may form a discharge space having an opened rear surface, and the discharge cover 192 may be inserted to shield the opened rear surface of the cover housing 191.

The cover housing 191 may be integrally formed of die cast aluminum. Therefore, the discharge cover 192 is mounted inside the cover case 191, thereby omitting the welding process. Accordingly, a process of manufacturing the discharge cover unit 190 may be simplified, and product defects may be minimized.

Specifically, the cover case 191 may include: a flange portion 191f fixedly secured to the front of the frame head 110 a; a chamber portion 191e extending in the axial direction of the housing 101 from the inner edge of the flange portion 191 f; and a housing fixing portion 191d further extending from the front surface of the cavity portion 191 e.

The flange portion 191f is bent at the rear end of the cavity portion 191e and is in close contact with the front surface of the frame head 110 a. That is, the flange portion 191f may extend outward from the rear end of the cavity portion 191 e.

In the flange portion 191f, a fastening hole 191i may be formed, which allows the flange portion 191f to be fastened to the frame head 110a by a fastening member.

A plurality of the fastening holes 191i may be provided, and the plurality of fastening holes 191i may be spaced apart from each other. As an example, four fastening holes 191i may be provided, and the four fastening holes 191i may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in a circumferential direction of the flange portion 191 f.

The chamber portion 191e extends from the front surface of the flange portion 191f in the axial direction of the housing 101. The chamber portion 191e extends from the inner edge of the flange portion 191f in the axial direction of the casing 101 to form a predetermined refrigerant discharge space. The chamber portion 191e may have a polyhedral shape with a closed front surface. The outer diameter of the chamber portion 191e may be smaller than the outer diameter of the flange portion 191 f.

The partition sleeve 191a may be formed to partition the inner space of the chamber portion 191e into a plurality of spaces inside the chamber portion 191 e.

The partition sleeve 191a may extend in a cylindrical shape inside the cavity portion 191 e. Specifically, the partition sleeve 191a may be formed to protrude rearward from the front surface portion 191m of the cavity portion 191 e. In this case, the outside diameter of the partition sleeve 191a is smaller than the outside diameter of the chamber portion 191 e. Therefore, the inner space of the chamber portion 191e may be partitioned into the inner space and the outer space of the partition sleeve 191a by the partition sleeve 191 a.

Alternatively, the partition sleeve 191a may extend from the rear surface 191s of the front surface portion 191m of the chamber portion 191e to the rear side of the chamber portion 191 e.

In the present embodiment, an inner space of the partition sleeve 191a corresponding to the inner side of the partition sleeve 191a may be defined as the second discharge chamber D2, and an outer space of the partition sleeve 191a may be defined as the third discharge chamber D3. That is, the discharge space of the chamber portion 191e may be divided into the second discharge chamber D2 and the third discharge chamber D3 by the sleeve 191 a.

Here, the second discharge chamber D2 may be referred to as an "inner space", and the third discharge chamber may be referred to as an "outer space".

A first guide groove 191b through which the refrigerant is guided may be formed on an inner circumferential surface of the partition sleeve 191 a. The first guide groove 191b may be formed in a stripe shape having a predetermined width and length in a circumferential direction in an inner circumferential surface of the partition sleeve 191 a.

In addition, the partition sleeve 191a may be provided with a second guide groove 191c through which the refrigerant guided along the first guide groove 191b is guided.

The second guide groove 191c may be coupled to the first guide groove 191 b. The second guide groove 191c may be formed by cutting a portion of the partition sleeve 191 a. That is, the second guide groove 191c may be formed to be cut or recessed forward from the end of the partition sleeve 191 a.

Accordingly, the refrigerant guided to the second discharge chamber D2 may move in the circumferential direction along the first guide groove 191b and then flow into the third discharge chamber D3 through the second guide groove 191 c. That is, the second guide groove 191c may be understood as a passage connecting the second discharge chamber D2 to the third discharge chamber D3.

In addition, the chamber portion 191e may further include a tube coupling portion 191n to which a cover tube (not shown) is coupled.

The tube coupling part 191n may be formed to protrude from an outer surface of the cavity part 191 e. An insertion groove (not shown) into which the cover tube is inserted may be formed in the tube coupling part 191 n. The insertion groove communicates with the third discharge chamber D3.

Therefore, when the cover pipe is inserted into the groove, the refrigerant contained in the third discharge chamber D3 may be guided to the cover pipe. The refrigerant guided to the cover pipe may be discharged to the outside of the compressor through the discharge pipe 105.

In addition, the latch claw 191g into which a portion of the discharge cover 192 is inserted may be formed to be stepped inside the cavity portion 191 e.

The latching claw 191g may be stepped inside the rear end of the chamber 191 e. Alternatively, the latch claw 191g may be stepped inside the rear end of the flange portion 191 f. The latching claw 191g may be formed to surround along an inner circumferential surface of the chamber portion 191e or the flange portion 191 f. That is, the latch claw 191g may form a closed curve shape around the inner space of the cap housing 191.

When the discharge cover 192 is coupled to the cover housing 191, a portion of the discharge cover 192 may come into close contact with the latch claw 191g to shield the inner space of the cover housing 191.

Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the end of the latch claw 191g may be positioned on the same line P1 as the end of the partition sleeve 191 a. That is, the end of the latch claw 191g and the end of the partition sleeve 191a may be positioned on the same plane perpendicular to the axial direction. When the discharge cover 192 is coupled to the cover housing 191, a portion of the discharge cover 192 may come into close contact with both the end of the latch claw 191g and the end of the partition sleeve 191 a.

Accordingly, the second discharge chamber D2 and the third discharge chamber D3 of the cover case 191 may be formed by the partition of the discharge cover 192. In addition, the discharge cap 192 is supported by the partition sleeve 191a together with the latch claw 191g, thereby improving the part coupling force and simplifying the shape of the discharge cap 192.

In particular, since the inner edge of the cover housing 191 is formed in a stepped shape and the discharge cover 192 is inserted into the latching jaw 191g formed in a closed curve, the contact area of the discharge cover 192 is significantly increased, and thus the discharge cover 192 is stably supported.

The chamber part 191e may further include a coupling part 191h connecting the latching jaw 191g and the separation sleeve 191 a.

The coupling portion 191h is formed to be coupled between the latching claw 191g and the partition sleeve 191a, and may serve as a partition wall that partitions a space of the third discharge chamber D3. In this case, the coupling portions 191h are formed in a single number to increase the residence time of the refrigerant guided through the second guide grooves 191c in the third discharge chamber D3.

The coupling portion 191h serves to improve the supporting force of the partition sleeve 191a by connecting the partition sleeve 191a to the latching claw 191 g.

In particular, according to the present invention, the end of the coupling portion 191h may be positioned on the same line as the end of the partition sleeve 191a and the end of the latching claw 191 g. Therefore, when the discharge cover 192 is connected to the cover housing 191, the discharge cover 192 is supported by being in contact with the partition sleeve 191a, the latch claw 191g, and the coupling portion 191 h.

The housing fixing portion 191d extends in the axial direction of the housing 101 from the front surface portion 191m of the chamber portion. The housing fixing portion 191d may be understood as a portion supported on the housing 101 by the first supporting means. To this end, the housing fixing part 191d may be provided with a coupling groove (not shown) to which the first supporting means is coupled or inserted.

The housing fixing portion 191d may be formed in a cylindrical shape, for example. The coupling groove may be formed in an outer circumferential surface of the housing fixing portion 191 d. The outer diameter of the housing fixing portion 191d is smaller than the outer diameter of the chamber portion 191 e.

The discharge cover 192 may include: a cover flange 192a, an outer edge of the cover flange 192a being caught by the latching claw 191 g; a cover body 192b recessed forward from an inner edge of the cover flange 192 a; and a bottle neck 192c extending from the center of the cap body 192b to the inner space of the cap body 192 b.

In detail, the cover flange 192a is inserted into a latch claw 191g formed in the cover housing 191 to occupy the inner side of the housing cover 191. For this reason, the cover flange 192a is formed to correspond to the outer circumferential shape of the latch claw 191 g. The cover flange 192a may be formed in a plate shape having a predetermined area.

In this case, the front surface 192e and the rear surface 192f of the cover flange 192a may be formed to be flat. That is, when the discharge cap 192 is coupled to the cap housing 191, the front surface 192e of the cap flange 192a may be in close contact with the end of the latching claw 191g formed in the cap housing 191 and the end of the partition sleeve 191 a. Therefore, when the cover flange 192a is seated in the latch claw 191g and the partition sleeve 191a, the inner space of the cover housing 191 is partitioned into the second discharge chamber D2 and the third discharge chamber D3.

In this case, the rear surface 192f of the cover flange 192a may be positioned on the same line P2 as the rear surface of the flange portion 191f of the cover case 192 a. That is, the rear surface 192f of the cover flange 192a and the rear surface of the flange portion 191f may be positioned on the same plane perpendicular to the axial direction. Therefore, when the discharge cover 192 is coupled to the cover housing 191, the end of the cover flange 192a and the end of the flange part 191f may be smoothly connected without a step.

In addition, gas guide holes 192g may be formed in the cover flange 192 a.

The gas guide hole 192g may be a hole for guiding a portion of the refrigerant guided to the third discharge chamber D3 to the frame 110. The gas guide holes 192g may be formed by passing through a portion of the third discharge chamber D3 of the shield cover flange 192 a.

The cover body 192b is a portion recessed or extending forward from the inner edge of the cover flange 192 a. The cover body 192b may be formed in a cylindrical shape having a diameter smaller than that of the partition sleeve 191 a.

With this structure, the cover main body 192b can form a refrigerant discharge space in which the refrigerant is received. The inner space of the cover main body 192b may be defined as a receiving part or a first discharge chamber D1.

In this case, the cover main body 192b is formed to have a smaller cross-sectional area as it goes forward from the rear end. When the discharge cap 192 is coupled to the cap housing 191, the cap body 192b may be inserted into the inner space of the partition sleeve 191 a.

The bottle neck 192c is formed to extend from the center of the cap body 192b to the inner space of the cap body 192 b. A discharge hole 192D through which the refrigerant discharged from the first discharge chamber D1 passes may be formed at the rear end of the bottle neck portion 192 c.

Accordingly, the refrigerant from the first discharge chamber D1 may be discharged to the second discharge chamber D2 through the discharge hole 192D, and the refrigerant discharged to the second discharge chamber D2 may be introduced into the gap between the partition sleeve 191a and the cover body 192b, flow along the first guide groove 191b in the circumferential direction, and then be discharged to the third discharge chamber D3 through the second guide groove 191 c. The refrigerant guided to the third discharge chamber D3 is discharged to the outside of the compressor through the cover pipe.

The cylinder 120, the valve assembly 240, the discharge valve 161, and the retaining ring 250 may be accommodated in the frame 110. The gasket 230 may be interposed between the frame 110 and the discharge cover unit 190.

As described above, the frame 110 may include the frame head 111 having a disc shape and the frame body 112, and the frame body 112 extends from the center of the rear surface of the frame head 111 to receive the cylinder block 120 therein. That is, the cylinder housing part 111d into which the cylinder 120 is inserted may be formed at the center of the frame 110.

The frame head 111 has a disk shape with a predetermined thickness. The front surface of the frame head 111 may be flat. That is, the front surface of the frame head 111 may form a single plane perpendicular to the axial direction.

Therefore, when the frame head 111 is fixed to the rear surface of the discharge cover unit 190, the front surface of the frame head 111 can be easily brought into close contact with the rear surface of the discharge cover unit 190. Then, alignment and assembly of the frame 110 and the discharge cover unit 190 may be facilitated.

In addition, according to the present invention, the frame head 111 and the spring assembly 240 may be in close contact with the discharge cover unit 190.

Specifically, the frame head 111 is brought into close contact with the cover case 191 and the discharge cover 192 together, and the spring assembly 240 may be brought into close contact with only the discharge cover 192.

In addition, the frame head 111 may be provided with a plurality of through holes 111a, the plurality of through holes 111a penetrating the frame head 111 in the axial direction.

The plurality of through holes 111a may be arranged at positions facing the fastening holes 191i formed in the flange portion 191 f. Therefore, when the frame head 111d is aligned with the flange portion 191f, the frame 110 and the discharge cover unit 190 may be fixed by fastening of the fastening member.

In addition, the frame head 111 may be provided with terminal insertion ports 111c, the terminal insertion ports 111c passing through the frame head 111 in the axial direction.

The terminal insertion port 111c may be understood as a portion into which the terminal portion 141d of the outer stator 141 is inserted. That is, the terminal portion 141d may pass through the terminal insertion port 111c from the rear side to the front side of the frame 110, and may be drawn out or exposed to the outside.

In addition, the frame head 111 may be provided with an air hole 111c, the air hole 111c passing through the frame head 111 in the axial direction. The gas hole 111c may be understood as a hole for allowing a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the compression space P to be supplied to the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder block 120.

Specifically, the refrigerant discharged from the compression space P may be discharged to the refrigerant discharge space of the cover case 191, and a portion of the refrigerant discharged to the refrigerant discharge space may be introduced into the gas hole 111c through the gas guide hole 192g of the discharge cover 192.

In addition, the refrigerant, which has passed through the air hole 111c, is introduced into a space between the piston 130 and the cylinder 120 through the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder 120 to provide a floating force to the piston 130.

The frame body 112 is formed to extend from the center of the rear surface of the frame head 111 to receive the cylinder block 120 therein. The frame body 112 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape.

The frame 110 is provided with a gas flow path 111d passing through the frame body 112 from the frame head 111.

An inlet of the gas flow path 111d is connected to the gas hole 111c, and an outlet of the gas flow path 111d may be connected to a gas inflow portion 121a formed in an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder 120.

In addition, the frame 110 may further include a seating groove 113 formed inside the frame head 111.

The seating groove 113 may be recessed rearward from an inner edge of the frame head 111. The cylinder flange 122 of the cylinder 120, the spring assembly 240, and the snap ring 250 may be seated in the seating groove 113.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 10, the seating groove 113 may include a side surface portion 113a with which a side surface of the block flange 122 is in close contact, and a bottom portion 113b with which a rear surface (bottom surface) of the block flange 122 is in close contact. In this case, the side surface portion 113a and the bottom portion 113b are connected. The side surface portion 113a may be perpendicular to the bottom portion 113b with respect to the cross section.

The cylinder block 120 includes a cylindrical cylinder body 121, which is accommodated in the frame body 112, and a cylinder flange 122, which extends from a front end of the cylinder body 121 in a radial direction 122. The cylinder block 120 may be press-fitted and fixed to the inside of the frame body 112.

The cylinder body 121 is provided with a gas inflow portion 121a into which the refrigerant gas flowing through the frame 110 is introduced.

The gas inflow portion 121a is recessed inward from the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder body 121 in the radial direction. The gas inflow portion 121a may be formed to have a smaller area as going inward in the radial direction. Therefore, the inner end of the gaseous inflow portion 121a in the radial direction may be formed as a tip.

The gas inflow portion 121a may be connected to a gas flow path 111d formed in the frame 110. Accordingly, the refrigerant introduced into the gas hole 111c may be introduced into the cylinder body 121 through the gas flow path 111 d.

The gas inflow portion 121a extends in the circumferential direction along the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder body 121 to have a circular shape. In addition, a plurality of gas inflow portions 121a may be provided in the axial direction. For example, two gas inflow portions 121a may be provided, and one gas inflow portion 121a may be arranged to communicate with the gas flow path 111 d.

A cylinder filter member (not shown) may be installed in the gas inflow portion 121 a. A cylinder filter member (not shown) serves to block foreign substances having a predetermined size or more from entering the cylinder 120. In addition, a function of absorbing oil contained in the refrigerant can be performed.

The cylinder flange 122 is formed adjacent to the front end of the cylinder body 121 and is inserted into a seating groove 113 formed inside the frame head 111. In this case, the cylinder flange 122 may be press-fitted into the seating groove 113 of the frame head 111.

In detail, the block flange 122 may extend outward in a radial direction from a position spaced a predetermined distance rearward from the front end of the cylinder body 121.

In this case, the cylinder flange 122 may be formed to surround along the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder body 121. That is, the cylinder flange 122 may be formed to extend in a radial direction along the outer circumference of the cylinder body 121.

Specifically, the cylinder flange 122 may include: a first portion 122a extending outward in a radial direction along the outer circumference of the cylinder body 121; a second portion 122b bent forward in the axial direction from an end of the first portion 122 a; and a third portion 122c bent inward in a radial direction from an end of the second portion 122 b.

Accordingly, the cylinder flange 122 is formed in an annular shape along the outer circumference of the cylinder body 121 in the front portion of the cylinder body 121, and thus, an accommodation space 122d in which a portion of the spring assembly 240 is accommodated may be formed.

The first portion 122a is in close contact with the bottom 113a of the frame head 111, and the second portion 122b is in close contact with the side 113b of the frame head 111. The third portion 122c may be in contact with an outer surface of the spring assembly 240.

The spring assembly 240 may include: a plate spring type valve spring 242 and a spring support portion 241, the spring support portion 241 surrounding an edge of the valve spring 242 to support the valve spring 242. The spring assembly 240 may be disposed inside the frame 110 to provide an elastic force in a direction in which the discharge valve 161 is brought into close contact with the front surface of the cylinder 120.

The spring support 241 may be installed to be in close contact with the cylinder flange 122 in the inner space of the frame head 110 a. Specifically, the spring support portion 241 may be formed in an annular shape having a predetermined thickness in the axial direction. The spring support portion 241 may be disposed in close contact with the receiving space 122d formed by the cylinder flange 122.

In this case, the rear end 241a of the spring support 241 may be in close contact with the first portion 122a of the cylinder flange 122. Meanwhile, the side surface portion 241b of the spring support portion 241 may be in close contact with the third portion 122c of the cylinder flange 122.

In this case, the side surface portion 241b of the spring support portion 241 may be spaced apart from the second portion 122 b. That is, since a gap (empty space) is formed between the spring support 241 and the second portion 122b, when the cylinder 120 is press-fitted into the frame 110, deformation of the cylinder 120 may be minimized. The cylinder 120 may be firmly fixed to the inside of the frame 110 by pressing the cylinder 120 by the spring support 241.

The rear end 241a of the spring support 241 is disposed further rearward than the rear end of the discharge valve 161. In other words, a virtual line L1 passing through the rear end 241 of the spring support 241 may be positioned more rearward than a virtual line L2 passing through the rear end of the discharge valve 161. Accordingly, the spring support 241 supporting the discharge valve 161 may extend further rearward than the discharge valve 161 and then be supported by the frame 110, thereby greatly reducing noise or vibration due to the operation of the discharge valve 161.

Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the front surface of the spring support 241 may be positioned on the same line P3 as the front surface of the frame head 111. That is, the front surface of the spring support 241 and the front surface of the frame head 111 may be positioned on the same plane perpendicular to the axial direction. Accordingly, the front surface of the spring support 241 may be smoothly connected to the front surface of the frame head 111 without a step.

The spring support portion 241 may further include a fastening contact portion 241c extending outward in a radial direction from a front portion of the spring support portion 241.

The fastening contact portion 241c may extend outward in a radial direction along an outer circumference from a front end of the spring support portion 241, and may be in close contact with the side surface portion 113a of the frame head 111. In addition, the front surface of the fastening contact portion 241c may contact the rear surface of the washer 230. As an example, the fastening contact portion 241c may have a round bar shape along the outer circumferential surface of the spring support portion 241.

The spring support portion 241 may further include a protrusion 241d that prevents the washer 230 provided on the front surface of the spring support portion 241 from being disengaged.

The protrusion 241d is formed to extend forward from the front end of the spring support 241 by a predetermined length. The protrusion 241d is formed to extend forward from a center portion of the spring support portion 241 along an inner edge thereof.

The protrusion 241d is inserted into the gasket 230 by passing through the center portion of the gasket 230, thereby preventing the gasket 230 from being left idle or slipping off.

The discharge valve 161 may be disposed inside the frame 110 and connected to the spring assembly 240. The discharge valve 161 is connected to the center of the valve spring 242 at the center portion of the front surface thereof, and the rear surface of the discharge valve 161 is in close contact with the front surface (or front end) of the cylinder 120 by the elastic force of the valve spring 242.

When the discharge valve 161 is supported on the front surface of the cylinder 120, the compression space P is maintained in a closed state. When the discharge valve 161 is spaced apart from the front surface of the cylinder 120, the compression space P is opened so that the compressed refrigerant in the compression space P can be discharged.

The snap ring 250 is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the spring assembly 240 and supported by the frame 110 and the cylinder 120.

Specifically, in a state where the snap ring 250 is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the spring support portion 241, the front surface of the snap ring 250 is in close contact with the fastening contact portion 241c of the spring support portion 241, and the rear surface of the snap ring 250 is in close contact with the cylinder flange 122. In this case, the rear surface of the retaining ring 250 may be in close contact with the front surface of the third portion 122a of the cylinder flange 122.

That is, the snap ring 250 may be regarded as interposed between the spring support portion 241 and the cylinder 120 with respect to the axial direction.

In addition, in a state where the snap ring 250 is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the spring support portion 241, the outer surface (or the outer circumferential surface) of the snap ring 250 is in close contact with the frame head 111, and the inner surface (or the inner circumferential surface) of the snap ring 250 is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the spring support portion 241. In this case, the outer surface of the retaining ring 250 is in contact with the side surface portion 113a of the seating groove 113 of the frame head 111 to cause a frictional force.

That is, the retaining ring 250 may be regarded as interposed between the spring support 241 and the frame head 111 with respect to the radial direction.

In conclusion, the snap ring 250 is in close contact with the spring support 241, the frame 110, and the cylinder 120, thereby remarkably improving the coupling force between the parts around the frame 110.

In addition, the snap ring 250 is in close contact with the spring support 241 and the frame head 111 therebetween, thereby preventing the refrigerant discharged to the discharge cover unit 190 from being introduced or leaking back into the cylinder 120.

In addition, it is possible to minimize the transfer of vibration and noise to the frame 110 due to the operation of the discharge valve 161 to the frame 110.

The grommet 250 may press the cylinder block 120 press-fitted to the frame 110 backward, thereby preventing the cylinder block 120 from slipping off the frame 110 or from being left idle in the frame 110.

A gasket 230 may be disposed between the frame 110 and the discharge cover unit 190.

In detail, the gasket 230 may have a predetermined thickness in an axial direction, and may be formed to be formed in a shape corresponding to a rear surface of the discharge cover unit 190. The gasket 230 may be disposed perpendicular to an axial direction between the front surface of the frame head 111 and the rear surface of the discharge cover 192.

A through hole 231 is formed in the central portion of the gasket 230. The through hole 231 may be a hole through which the refrigerant passing through the discharge valve 161 passes.

In addition, the gasket 230 may be provided with a fastening hole 232, the fastening hole 232 penetrating the gasket 230 in the axial direction. The fastening hole 232 may be a portion fastened by a fastening member.

In addition, the gasket 230 may be provided with a gas passage hole 233, the gas passage hole 233 passing through the gasket 230 in the axial direction. The gas passage hole 233 may be a hole through which the refrigerant having passed through the gas introduction hole 192g passes.

Both the front surface and the rear surface of the gasket 230 may be formed to be flat. That is, each of the front and rear surfaces of the gasket 230 may form a single plane perpendicular to the axial direction.

In this case, the front surface of the frame head 111 forms a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, and the rear surface of the discharge cover unit 190 forms a plane perpendicular to the axial direction. The front surface of the gasket 230 may completely cover the rear surface of the discharge cover unit 190, and the rear surface of the gasket 230 may completely cover the front surface of the frame head 110. Accordingly, the shape of the gasket 230 is simplified, and sealing between the discharge cover unit 190 and the frame 110 can be effectively achieved.

The rear surface of the washer 230 contacts the front surface of the spring support 241, thereby preventing the spring assembly 240 from directly contacting the discharge cover unit 190. Accordingly, the gasket 230 may allow the spring support 241 not to directly impinge on the discharge cover 192, thereby minimizing the occurrence of impact noise.

The central portion of the washer 230 is penetrated by the protrusion 241d of the spring assembly 240, thereby preventing the washer 230 from slipping out or idling.

By opening the discharge valve 161, the refrigerant discharged from the compression space P passes through the slot formed in the valve spring 241 and is guided to the first discharge chamber D1. The opening of the discharge valve 161 means that the discharge valve 161 is moved in a direction toward the rear end of the bottle neck portion 192c due to the elastic deformation of the valve spring 241 and then the front surface of the compression space P is opened.

The refrigerant guided to the first discharge chamber D1 is guided to the second discharge chamber D2 through the discharge hole 192D formed in the rear end of the bottle neck portion 192 c. Here, the discharge hole 192d is formed in the bottle neck portion 192c, whereby the pulsation noise of the refrigerant is significantly reduced as compared with the structure in which the discharge hole 192 is formed on the front surface of the cap main body 192 a. That is, the refrigerant in the first discharge chamber D1 passes through the bottle neck portion 192c having a small cross-sectional area and is then discharged into the second discharge chamber D2 having a large cross-sectional area, thereby significantly reducing noise caused by pulsation of the refrigerant.

The refrigerant guided to the second discharge chamber D2 moves in the circumferential direction along the first guide groove 191 b. Subsequently, the refrigerant is guided to the third discharge chamber D3 through the second guide groove 191 c.

The refrigerant guided to the third discharge chamber D3 is discharged to the outside of the compressor through a cover pipe (not shown).

The linear compressor having the above-described structure according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following effects.

First, the discharge valve assembly is disposed inside the frame, not on the side of the discharge cap, and the spring assembly and the frame head may be brought into close contact with the discharge cap unit. In this case, the front surface of the spring assembly and the front surface of the frame head are positioned on the same plane perpendicular to the axial direction, thereby simplifying the structure of the discharge cover unit and easily sealing the space between the discharge cover unit and the frame.

With this configuration, the front surface of the frame is made flat without a step, thereby significantly improving the sealing function even when only a single gasket is provided between the discharge cover unit and the frame. That is, the number of sealing members for preventing leakage of refrigerant is minimized, thereby simplifying the assembly process.

Second, a portion of the cylinder flange is press-fitted to the inner surface of the frame head and a portion of the spring assembly presses the cylinder flange, so that when the cylinder is press-fitted into the frame, deformation of the cylinder is minimized and the cylinder is firmly fixed to the inside of the frame.

Third, the snap ring is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the spring assembly, and the snap ring is in close contact with both the frame head and the cylinder flange, thereby increasing the coupling force between parts around the frame and preventing leakage of refrigerant.

Fourth, the spring support portion is provided with a fastening contact portion extending outward in a radial direction along a circumference thereof, and is in close contact with the snap ring, thereby preventing the gasket from slipping out of the cylinder or idling.

Fifth, a gasket is further provided between the rear surface of the discharge cover unit and the front surface of the frame head, thereby minimizing the transfer of the internal heat of the discharge cover to the frame. In addition, since the gasket is in close contact with the front surface of the spring bearing assembly, there is an advantage in that noise and vibration due to the valve operation of the discharge valve are reduced.

Sixth, the spring support portion is provided with a protrusion extending forward from a front surface thereof to pass through a center portion of the washer, thereby preventing the washer from easily escaping to the outside.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More specifically, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A linear compressor comprising:

a frame including a frame head and a frame body extending rearward from a center of a rear surface of the frame head;

a cylinder block received in the frame to form a compression space of a refrigerant;

a piston reciprocating within the cylinder in an axial direction;

a discharge cover unit connected to a front surface of the frame head to form a discharge space through which the refrigerant discharged from the compression space flows;

a discharge valve disposed on a front surface of the cylinder to selectively open and close the compression space; and

a spring assembly inserted into the frame head to provide an elastic force in a direction in which the discharge valve is brought into close contact with the front surface of the cylinder,

wherein at least one of the frame head and the spring assembly is in close contact with the discharge cover unit,

wherein, the cylinder body includes:

a cylinder body accommodated in the frame body; and

a cylinder flange extending outward in a radial direction from an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder body and received in the frame head,

wherein the spring assembly is installed in close contact with the cylinder flange in the inner space of the frame head,

wherein, the cylinder body flange includes:

a first portion extending outwardly from the cylinder body along an outer periphery in the radial direction;

a second portion bent to extend forward from an end of the first portion; and

a third portion extending inwardly from an end of the second portion in the radial direction,

wherein the first portion and the second portion are in close contact with an inner surface of the frame head,

wherein the spring assembly is accommodated in an accommodation space formed by the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the spring assembly is in contact with the first portion and the third portion, and

wherein a side surface portion of the spring assembly is spaced apart from the second portion.

2. The linear compressor of claim 1, wherein the front surface of the spring assembly and the front surface of the frame head are positioned on the same plane perpendicular to the axial direction.

3. The linear compressor of claim 1, wherein the cylinder flange is bent a plurality of times to form a receiving space therein, and

wherein the spring assembly is accommodated in the accommodation space formed in the cylinder flange.

4. The linear compressor of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the block flange is press-fit into an inner surface of the frame head.

5. The linear compressor of claim 1, wherein the spring assembly comprises:

a valve spring fitted to the discharge valve; and

a spring support portion surrounding an edge of the valve spring to support the valve spring,

wherein the spring support is in contact with the first portion and the third portion.

6. The linear compressor of claim 5, wherein a virtual line (L1) passing through the rear end of the spring support is located more rearward than a virtual line (L2) passing through the rear end of the discharge valve.

7. The linear compressor of claim 6, further comprising a snap ring fitted to an outer circumferential surface of the spring support portion, and

wherein the retaining ring is in close contact with both the frame head and the cylinder flange.