EP1937969A1

EP1937969A1 - Linear compressor and the supporter for the same

Info

Publication number: EP1937969A1
Application number: EP06799135A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jong Koo Lee; Yang Jun Kang
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2005-10-17
Filing date: 2006-10-09
Publication date: 2008-07-02
Also published as: US20090252625A1; EP1937969A4; WO2007046592A1; KR100707472B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a linear compressor compressing a working fluid in the cylinder such as a refrigerant and etc with the reciprocating movement of the piston in the cylinder due to the reciprocating force of the linear motor, and provides a linear compressor and the supporter for the same that the change of the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the piston spring is easy as having a stub or a narrow part on the supporter preventing the increase of the mass inertia moment compared with the distance between the centroid of the supporter and the center of the piston spring sat on the supporter arm of the supporter, and capable of reducing the entire size and the manufacturing costs as raising the lateral resonance frequency easily without extending the length of the supporter arm.

Description

LINEAR COMPRESSOR AND THE SUPPORTER FOR THE

SAME

Technical Field

[1] In general, a linear compressor is used for refrigerator and etc as an instrument compressing a working fluid such as refrigerant and etc in a cylinder by a piston reciprocated in the cylinder with a rectilinear driving force of a linear motor. Background Art

[2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the linear compressor according to the conventional art.

[3] The linear compressor according to the conventional art illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a shell 2 forming the external appearance and having a cylinder block 4 and a back 6 cover in the inside, and a compression unit compressing a working fluid with a predetermined pressure ratio as arranged between the cylinder block 4 and the back cover 6.

[4] The shell 2 includes a fluid suction pipe 8 inhaling the working fluid to be compressed into the compression unit, and a fluid discharge pipe 9 discharging the working fluid compressed in the compression unit to outside of the shell 2.

[5] The compression unit includes a cylinder 10 inhaling the working fluid through the fluid suction pipe 8, a piston 20 compressing the working fluid inhaled into the cylinder 10 as reciprocated in the cylinder 10, and a linear motor 30 reciprocating the piston 20.

[6] The cylinder 10 includes a discharge valve assembly 12 discharging the working fluid compressed in the cylinder 10 through the fluid discharge pipe 9.

[7] The piston 20 includes a suction passage 21 inhaling the working fluid passed through the fluid suction pipe 8 into the cylinder 10, and a suction valve 22 opening and shutting the suction passage 21.

[8] The linear motor 30 is broadly composed of a stator 32, and a rotor 34 connected with the piston 20 and reciprocated by electro magnetic interaction with the stator 32.

[9] On the other hand, the compression unit has a elastic member 40 providing the piston 20 withthe elastic force in the reciprocating direction of the piston 20 to be advanced and reversed during the reciprocating movement of the piston 20.

[10] The elastic member 40 includes a first piston spring 42 positioned between the back cover 6 and the piston 20, and a second piston spring 44 supported by the cylinder block 4 and the piston 20 as positioned between the cylinder 10 and the linear motor 30. [11] Reference will now be made in detail to the operation of the linear compressor according to the conventional art.

[12] When the linear motor 30 is operated, the piston 20 is reciprocated in the cylinder

10 with the driving force of the linear motor 30. Further, the piston 20 is advanced and reversed as the first and second piston springs 42 and 44 are compressed and released repeatedly as interlocked with the reciprocating movement of the piston 20, and the discharge valve assembly 12 and the suction valve 22 achieve the opening and shutting operation repeatedly.

[13] Then, the working fluid is inhaled into the cylinder 10 through the fluid suction pipe

6, the working fluid inhaled into the cylinder 10 is compressed with a high pressure by the piston 20, and the working fluid compressed in the cylinder 10 is discharged outside of the shell 2 through the discharge unit 12 and the fluid discharge pipe 9.

[14] The processes of suction, compression, and discharge of the working fluid achieved as above are repeated in order during the operation of the linear motor 30.

[15] However, the linear compressor according to the conventional art described above has a disadvantage that the planning the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and the second piston springs 42 and 44 not to be included in the operation frequency range of the linear compressor is difficult. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[16] The present invention is contrived to overcome the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a linear compressor and a supporter of the same that the changing of lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the elastic member is easy as the increase of the mass inertia moment compared with the arm length of the supporter is minimized as composing a stub or a narrow part on the supporter arm, and in that the entire size is reduced and the manufacturing costs are reduced as the lateral resonance frequency is easily raised without extending the length of the supporter arm. Technical Solution

[17] The present invention to overcome the above-mentioned technical problems provides a supporter of a linear compressor including a supporter base; at least one of the supporter arm extended from the base and the elastic member is seated; and that a stub is arranged at least on the inner side or the outer side of the supporter arm.

[18] The supporter arm having a stub comprises a supporter arm connection unit extended toward a side from the supporter base, and a supporter arm supporting unit extended toward the other side from the supporter arm connection unit and on which the elastic member is sat. [19] The supporter arm having a stub comprises a supporter arm connection unit extended toward a side from the supporter base, and a supporter arm supporting unit extended toward the other side from the supporter arm connection unit and on which the elastic member is seated; and the stub is arranged on the supporter arm supporting unit. [20] The supporter arm having a stub may be composed as at least a pair opposite to each other about the supporter base. [21] The width of the supporter arm having a stub is regular or at least of a part of it may be dwindled gradually as getting further from the second supporter. [22] The supporter arm may be composed of a first supporter arm having a stub, and a second supporter arm not having a stub. [23] The stub may be at least one of the grooves formed on the outer side of the supporter arm. [24] The stub may be at least one of the slots formed on the inner side of the supporter arm. [25] The stub may be positioned between the counterpart of the center part of the elastic member on which the supporter arm is seated and the supporter base. [26] The stub is corresponded to each other as standardizing the line connecting a point corresponded with the center part of the elastic member seated on the supporter arm and the center of the supporter base. [27] The stub is formed as plural corresponded to each other as standardizing the line connecting a point corresponded with the center part of the elastic member sat on the supporter and the center of the supporter base. [28] Further, the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned problems provides a linear compressor comprising a supporter base; at least one of the supporter arms extended from the base and on which an elastic member is sat; and that the supporter arm has a part having a width narrower than the width of the corresponded part with the center part of the elastic member sat on the supporter arm. [29] Furthermore, the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned problems provides a linear compressor comprising a supporter described in one of the claims 1 to

12. [30]

Advantageous Effects

[31] The linear compressor and the supporter of the same according to the present invention configured as above has some advantages in that the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the piston spring is easily changed as including a supporter having a stub or a narrow part minimizing the mass moment of inertia compared with the distance between the center of gravity of the supporter and the center of the piston spring sat on the supporter, the entire size becomes smaller and the manufacturing costs are reduced as raising the lateral resonance frequency easily without extending the length of the supporter arm.

Brief Description of the Drawings [32] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the linear compressor according to the conventional art, [33] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the piston of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is advanced, [34] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the piston of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is reversed, [35] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a part of the section of the other direction of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, [36] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, [37] FIG. 6 is a plane view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, [38] FIG. 7 is a plane view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, [39] FIG. 8 is a plane view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. [40] <REFERENCE NUMERALS OF THE PRINCIPLE PARTS OF THE

DRAWINGS>

[41] 50: SHELL 52: FLUID SUCTION PIPE

[42] 54: FLUID DISCHARGE PIPE 60: CYLINDER BLOCK

[43] 62: BACK COVER 66, 67: DELETING UNIT

[44] 70: CYLINDER 75: DISCHARGE VALVE

[45] 80: PISTON 84: SUCTION VALVE

[46] 90: LINEAR MOTOR 92: MAGNET

[47] 94: MAGNET FRAME 95: OUTER STATOR

[48] 96: COIL 98: INNER STATOR

[49] 100: OIL SUPPLY DEVICE

[50] 102: LUBRICATING OIL SUCTION PATH

[51] 104: LUBRICATIN OIL DISCHARGE PATH

[52] 106: LUBRICATIN OIL PUMP 110: MUFFLER [53] 120: PISTON SPRING ASSEMBLY

[54] 122, 123: FIRST PISTON SPRING

[55] 124, 125: SECOND PISTON SPRING

[56] 130: SUPPORTER 132: SUPPORTER BASE

[57] 134, 135: FIRST SUPPORTER ARM

[58] 136, 137: SECOND SUPPORTER ARM 130': STUB

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[59] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the piston of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is advanced, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the piston of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is reversed.

[60] The linear compressor according to the present preferred embodiment comprises a shell 50 inhaling and discharging the working fluid and filled with the lubricating oil, and a compression unit discharging the working fluid inhaled into the shell 50 after compressing with a predetermined pressure ratio.

[61] The shell 50 is connected with a suction pipe 52 inhaling the working fluid into the shell 50 from outside of the shell 50. Further, shell 50 is connected with a fluid discharge pipe 54 leading the working fluid discharged after compressed in the compression unit to outside.

[62] The compression unit includes a cylinder 70 fixed in the shell and having a predetermined space inhaling the working fluid, a piston 80 compressing the working fluid inhaled into the cylinder 70 with a predetermined pressure ratio as reciprocated in the cylinder 70, a linear motor 90 reciprocating the piston 80 as connected to be interlocked with the piston 80, and a piston spring assembly 120 giving an elastic force toward the reciprocating direction of the piston 80 to speed up the reciprocating movement of the piston 80 during the reciprocating movement of the piston 80.

[63] The cylinder 70 is formed as a cylindrical shape that the both ends are opened to inserting the piston 80 through the inlet and to discharge the working fluid compressed in the cylinder through the outlet.

[64] The outlet of the cylinder 70 has a discharge valve assembly 75 discharging the working fluid compressed in the cylinder 70 through the fluid discharge pipe 54.

[65] The discharge valve assembly 75 includes a discharge plenum 76 connected with the outlet of the cylinder 70 as arranged on the outlet of the cylinder 70 and having a discharge plenum outlet 76a to outflow the working fluid, a discharge cover 77 connected with the fluid discharge pipe 54 as arranged on the outer side of the discharge plenum 76 and having a discharge cover outlet 77a to outflow the working fluid, and a discharge valve 78 opening and shutting the outlet of the cylinder 70 as positioned in the discharge plenum 76. [66] The discharge valve 78 is composed of a discharge valve body 78a arranged to be advanced and reversed in the in and out direction of the cylinder 70 on the outlet of the cylinder 70, and a discharge valve spring 78b supporting the discharge valve body 78a as positioned on the opposite side of the cylinder as centering around the discharge valve body 78 a. [67] The piston 80 has a fluid passing path 81 in the inside to inhale the working fluid inhaled through the fluid suction pipe 52. [68] A muffler 110 reducing the noise of the working fluid inhaled into the shell 50 is connected with the fluid passing path 81 of the piston 80. [69] A part of the muffler 110 is fixed on the piston 80 to be moved with the piston 80 in a single organization, and the other part is fixed on the shell 50. [70] Further, a fluid intake 82 inhaling the working fluid in the fluid passing path 81 of the piston 80 is formed on the discharged side of the working fluid on the piston 80. [71] A suction valve 84 opening and shutting the fluid intake 82 of the piston 80 as interlocked with the reciprocating movement of the piston 80 is installed on the fluid intake 82 of the piston 80. [72] The linear motor 90 is broadly composed of a rotor connected with the piston 80 to be interlocked, and a stator interacted electro magnetically with the rotor to reciprocate the rotor. [73] The rotor in composed of a magnet 94 positioned on the outer side of the radius direction of the cylinder 70 and installed to be reciprocated in the rotor, and a magnet frame 92 on which the magnet 94 is fixed and transferring the recriprocating force of the linear motor 90 to the piston 80 as connected with the piston 80 to be interlocked. [74] The stator includes a ring-shaped outer stator 95 arranged on the outer side of radius direction of the cylinder 70 and fixed between the cylinder block 60 and the back cover

62, a coil forming a magnetic field as arranged in the outer stator 95, and a ring-shaped inner stator 98 arranged in the outer stator 95 as having a predetermined gap and pressurized on the outer side of the cylinder 70. [75] The rotor is positioned on the gap between the outer stator 95 and the inner stator

98. [76] The linear motor 90 further includes a stator cover 99 positioned between the linear motor 90 and the piston spring assembly 120 and fixed on the outer stator 95 of the linear motor 90. [77] Each of the piston spring location deciding protrusions 99a and 99b are arranged on the stator cover 99 to decide the positions of the linear motor 90 and the piston spring assembly 120. [78] The compression unit configured as above is supported as installed between the cylinder block 60 and the back cover 62 fixed in the shell 50 and supported by a damper 68 installed between adjacent to the shell 50.

[79] The cylinder 70 is fixed on the center of the cylinder block 60.

[80] The cylinder block 60 supports the linear motor 90 with the stator cover 99 as positioned to be corresponded with the stator cover as centering around the lindear motor 90.

[81] The back cover 62 is composed of a base unit 63 supporting the piston spring assembly 120, and a pair of side wall units 64 and 65 coupled with the stator cover by bolts and etc.

[82] The base unit 63 of the back cover 62 has a center hole 63a for inserting the muffler

110 on the center.

[83] The base unit 63 of the back cover 62 includes each of the piston spring iocation deciding protrusions 63b and 63c protruded toward the piston spring assembly 120 to decide the position of the piston spring assembly 120 on the edge near the pair of the side wall units 64 and 65.

[84] The distance between the pair of side walls 64 and 65 of the back cover 62 is planned to be the same or similar to the maximum length of the piston assembly 120 which is the same direction to the apart direction of the pair of the side walls 64 and 65 in the back cover 62 to minimize the size of the linear compressor and the limitation in planning of the piston spring assembly 120.

[85] The back cover 62 has deleting units 66 and67 arranged each on the pair of the side walls 64 and 65 arranged on the back cover 62 not to be involved with the piston spring assembly 120.

[86] The deleting unit 66 of the back cover 62 may be embodied as a slit to insert a part of the piston spring assembly 120 faced with the pair of the side walls 64 and 65 of the back cover to be capable of moving.

[87] The shell 50 is filled with the lubricating oil to lubricate and refrigerate the cylinder

70 to the piston 80, and an oil supply device 100 supplying the lubricating oil in the shell into between the cylinder 70 and the piston 80 is arranged between the stator cover 99 and the cylinder block 60.

[88] The oil supply device 100 includes a lubricating oil suction path 102 leading the lubricating oil to be inhaled between the cylinder 70 and the piston 80, a lubricating oil discharge path 104 leading the lubricating oil inhaled between the cylinder 70 and the piston 80 to be discharged into the airtight container 50, and a lubricating oil pump 106 pumping the lubricating oil into the lubricating oil suction path 102.

[89] Reference will now be made in detail as for the piston spring assembly 120 including a supporter according to the present invention with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. [90] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the piston of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is advanced, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the piston of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is reversed, FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a part of the section of the other direction of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a plane view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[91] The piston spring assembly 120 includes an elastic member giving elastic force to the reciprocating direction of the piston 80, and a supporter 130 supporting the elastic member as connected with the piston 80 to be moved with the piston in a single organization.

[92] The elastic member is positioned on the rear of the piston 80 to minimize the entire size with the reduction of the volume between the cylinder 70 and the linear motor 90 or to minimize the limitation in planning of the size of the main spring assembly 120 and etc. That is, the elastic member is composed of the first piston spring 122 and 123 installed between the supporter 130 and the back cover 62, and the second piston spring 124 and 125 installed between the supporter 130 and the stator cover 99 of the linear motor 90.

[93] Each of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 is composed of plural number s as two or four, and it is limited to have two for each for the convenience of description on the following. The first and second piston springs 122 to 125 are formed as coils wound in the reciprocating direction of the piston 80. The first and second piston springs 122 to 125 have their own lateral stiffness excepting the lengthway strongness, the reciprocating direction of the piston 80.

[94] The supporter 130 is composed of a supporter base 132 combined with the piston

80 with bolts and etc, and the first and second supporter arms 134 to 137 supporting each of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 as arranged on the edge of the supporter base 132.

[95] The supporter base 132 is formed as a ring-shape having a center hole 132a through the muffler 110 passes through.

[96] Further, the coupling hole 132b coupling the supporter base 132 with the piston 80 with bolts is formed around the center hole 132a of the supporter base 132.

[97] The first supporter arms 134 and 135 are protruded linearly toward the radius outer direction of the supporter base 132 as arranged apart the same intervals along the circumference of the supporter base 132. At this time, a part of the first supporter arms 134 and 135 has a predetermined length to be inserted into the deleting unit 66 of the back cover 62.

[98] Further, the width of the first supporter arms 134 and 135 is regular, but the width may be formed as a taper organization that the width gets narrower as it gets further from the supporter base 132, and the width is limited to a taper organization on the following for the convenience of describing.

[99] Further, the outer end not the supporter base 132 side, that is the free end of the first supporter arms 134 and 135 is formed is formed as a round shape.

[100] The first supporter arm 134 and 135 have a first piston location deciding protrusions

134a and 135a inserted into the first piston spring 122 and 123 to decide the position of the first piston springs 122 and 123 on the outer end side.

[101] Each of the second supporter arm 136 and 137 includes the connection units 136a and 137a of a form cut linearly toward the opposite side of the piston 80 from the supporter base 132, and the supporting units 136b and 137b on which the second piston springs 124 and 125 as bended toward the outer side of the supporter to be horizontal with the supporter base 132 from the connection units 136a and 137a.

[102] Each free end of the supporting units 136b and 137b of the supporter arms 136 and

137 is formed as a round shape.

[103] The supporter 130 is planned that the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 is not to be in the field of the operation frequency of the linear compressor.

[104] That is, the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston spring 122 to 125 is not just the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston spring 122 to 125, but the mathematical functions of the distance from the centroid 130A of the supporter to the point corresponded to the center of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 of the first and second supporter arms 134 to 137, and the inertia moment and etc.

[105] Therefore, the supporter 130 is planned that the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 is not to disturb the field of the operation frequency of the linear compressor as using the correlation of the mathematical functions, in case that the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 are planned to have their own lateral stiffness.

[106] According to the following lateral resonance frequency formula, the distance from the centroid 130A of the supporter 130 of the cross resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 to the point 130B corresponded to the center of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 of the first and second supporter arms 134 to 137 is in proportion, but the mass inertia moment is in inverse proportion. [107] That is, the further the centroid 130A of the supporter 130 from the point 130B corresponded to the center of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 of the first and second supporter arms 134 to 137, the bigger the mass inertia moment as the mass of the supporter 130 gets bigger.

[108] Therefore, at least a part of the first and second supporter arms 134 to 137 may have the stub unit 130' to minimize the mass inertia moment compared with the distance from the centroid 130A of the supporter 130 to the point 130B corresponded to the center of the first and second springs 122 to 125 of the first and second supporter arms 134 to 137.

[109] The stub 130' of the supporter 130 may be arranged on all of the first and second supporter arms 134 to 137, or may be arranged only on the first supporter arms 123 and 135 or only on the second supporter arms 136 and 137, and it is limited to be arranged only on the second supporter arms 136 and 137 for the convenience of describing on the following.

[110] The stub 130' of the supporter 130 may be arranged as a groove on the outline of the second supporter arms 136 and 137 to be narrower than other parts relatively.

[I l l] The size and the shape of the stub 13' of the supporter 130 formed as a groove may be embodied variously.

[112] It is possible for the stub 130' of the supporter 130 configured as above to be arranged as one or as a plurality of them. It is limited for the stub 130' of the supporter 130 to be arranged as a plurality of them for the convenience of the description on the following.

[113] The plurality of the stubs 130' is corresponded to each other with the line L connecting the center 130A of the supporter 130 and the point 130B corresponded with the center of the second piston springs 124 and 125 of the second supporter arms 136 and 137 as the central to maintain the balance of the supporter 130.

[114] Reference will now be made in detail as for the operation of the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention configured as above.

[115] When the linear motor 90 is operated, the magnet 94 is reciprocated with the magnet frame 92 due to the electro magnetic interaction between the stator and the rotor, and the reciprocating force of the linear motor 90 is transferred to the piston 80 connected with the magnet frame 92. Then, the piston 80 is reciprocated in the cylinder 70, and the processes of inhaling, compressing, and discharging of the working fluid are repeated as the first and the second piston springs 124 and 126 are compressed and released in turns.

[116] That is, when the piston 80 is advanced toward the inside of the cylinder 70 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the suction valve 84 shuts the fluid intake 82 of the piston 80 due to the pressure difference between the fluid passing path 81 of the piston 80 and the cylinder 70.

[117] Further, the working fluid in the cylinder 70 is compressed by the piston 80 moves toward the inside of the cylinder 70 with a predetermined pressure ratio, and the discharge valve 78 opens the outlet of the cylinder 70 in accordance with the force balancing relation between the pressure in the cylinder 70 and the discharge valve spring 78b. Then, the working fluid compressed in the cylinder 70 is discharged to outside of the shell 50 after passing through the discharge plenum 76, the discharge cover 78, and the fluid discharge pipe 54 as in order.

[118] At this time, the piston 80 is advanced and reversed due to the elastic force of the first and second piston springs 124 and 126 as the first piston spring 124 is released and the second piston spring 126 is compressed.

[119] On the other hand, when the piston 80 is reversed toward the outside of the cylinder

70 as illustrated in FIG. 3, the suction valve 84 opens the fluid intake 82 of the piston 80 due to the pressure difference between the fluid passing path 81 of the piston 80 and the cylinder 70. Therefore, the working fluid is inhaled into the cylinder 70 after passing the fluid suction pipe 52, the muffler 110, the fluid passing path 81, and the fluid intake 82 of the piston 80 as in order.

[120] At this time, the discharge valve 78 shuts the outlet of the cylinder 70 in accordance with the force balancing relation between the inner pressure of the cylinder 70 and the discharge valve spring 78b.

[121] Further, the piston 80 is advanced and reversed due to the elastic force of the first and second piston springs 124 and 126 as the first piston spring 124 is compressed and the second piston spring 126 is released.

[122] The linear compressor configured and operated as above has an advantage that the crossway vibration of the piston 80, the magnet 94 reciprocated with the piston 80, the magnet frame 92, the muffler 110, and the piston spring assembly 120 is avoided when the linear compressor is operated as above, as the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston springs 122 to 125 is controlled easily not to be involved with the field of the operation frequency of the linear compressor with the arrangement of the stub 130' on the supporter 130.

[123] FIG. 7 is a plane view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[124] The same description with the above-described first preferred embodiment of the present invention may be omitted as the other organizations and operations excepting the supporter of the linear compressor according to the present preferred embodiment may be embodied as the same to the linear compressor according to the above- described first preferred embodiment of the present invention. [125] The supporter 200 according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a supporter base 202 positioned on the center of the supporter 200, and the first and second arms 204 and 206 supporting the first and second piston springs 210 and 212 as extended from the supporter base 202, and a slot type stub 208 is arranged in at least one of the first and second arms 204 and 206 to control the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston springs 210 and 212 easily.

[126] The size and shape of the stub 208 of the supporter 200 may be various.

[127] The stub 208 of the supporter 200 may be arranged as one or plural to be corresponded with the line connecting the center of the supporter 200 and the installing center of the first and second piston springs 210 and 212 of the first and second supporter arms 204 and 206 as the central.

[128] The linear compressor according to the present embodiment configured as above has an advantage in that the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston springs 210 and 212 is easily changed as the shape of the stub 208 of the supporter 200 is controlled to minimized the increase of the mass inertia moment compared with the distance between the center of the supporter 200 and the point corresponded to the center of the first and second piston springs 210 and 212 of the first and second supporter arms 204 and 206.

[129] FIG. 8 is a plane view illustrating a supporter of the linear compressor according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[130] As the other organizations and operations excepting the supporter of the linear compressor according to the present preferred embodiment may be embodied as the same to the linear compressor according to the first preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned present invention, the same description to first preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned present invention may be omitted.

[131] The supporter 300 according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a supporter base 302 positioned on the center of the supporter 300 and the first and second supporter arms 304 and 306 supporting the first and second piston springs 310 and 312 as extended from the supporter base 302, and at least one of the first and second supporter arms 304 and 306 has a narrow unit 306' that the width L2 is narrower than the width Ll of the part corresponded to the center of the first and second piston springs 310 and 312 sat on the first and the second supporter arms 304 and 306. It is described as limited that the second supporter arm 306 has a narrow unit 306' on the following.

[132] The narrow unit 306' may be positioned on the space between the part corresponded to the center of the second piston spring 312 sat on the second supporter arm 306 and the supporter base 302. The narrow unit 306' is composed as the width of the second supporter arm 306 gets narrower as it gets closer to the part corresponded to the center of the second piston spring 312 sat on the second supporter arm 306 from the supporter base 302.

[133] The second supporter arm having the narrow unit 306' may be symmetried as standardizing the line 300L connecting the center of the supporter 300 and the center of the second piston spring 312 sat on the second supporter arm 306.

[134] The linear compressor according to the present preferred embodiment configured as above has an advantage in that the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the first and second piston springs 310 and 312 is changed easily in accordance with the width L2 of the narrow unit 306' of the second supporter arm 306. Industrial Applicability

[135] The linear compressor and the supporter according to the present invention configured as above has some advantages in that the lateral resonance frequency due to the lateral stiffness of the piston spring is changed easily as including the supporter having a stub or a narrow part to minimize the increase of the mass inertia moment compared with the distance between the centroid of the supporter and the center of the piston spring sat on the supporter, and that the entire size and the manufacturing costs are reduced as raising the lateral resonance frequency easily without extending the length of the supporter arm.

Claims

[ 1 ] A linear compressor comprising: a supporter base; and at least one of supporter arms extended from the base, and on which an elastic member is seated; wherein a stub is arranged on at least one of the outside or inside of the supporter arm.

[2] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the supporter arm having the stub includes a supporter arm connection unit extended to a side direction from the supporter base, and a supporter arm supporting unit extended to the other side direction from the supporter arm connection unit and on which the elastic member is seated.

[3] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the supporter arm having the stub includes a supporter arm connection unit extended to a side direction from the supporter base, and a supporter arm supporting unit extended to the other side direction from the supporter arm connection unit and on which the elastic member is seated; and the stub is arranged on the supporter arm supporting unit.

[4] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the supporter arm having the stub is composed at least a pair symmetried to each other about the supporter base.

[5] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the width of the supporter arm having a stud is regular or at least a part gets narrower as further from the supporter base.

[6] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the supporter arm is composed of a first supporter arm having the stub and a second supporter arm without the stub.

[7] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the stub is at least one groove formed on the outline of the supporter arm.

[8] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the stub is at least a slot formed in the supporter arm.

[9] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the stub is positioned between the part corresponded to the center of the elastic member seated on the supporter arm and the supporter base.

[10] The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the stub is symmetried to each other about the line connecting the point corresponded to the center of the elastic member seated on the supporter arm and the center of the supporter base.

[11] The linear compressor according to claim 1 wherein the stub is formed as plural symmetried to each other about the line connecting the point corresponded to the center of the elastic member sat on the supporter arm and the center of the supporter base.

[12] A supporter of a linear compressor comprising: a supporter base; and at least one of supporter arms on which an elastic member is seated; and wherein the one of the supporter arm has a part narrower than the width of the part corresponded to the center of the elastic member seated on the supporter arm.

[13] A linear compressor comprising: a supporter according to any one of claims 1 to

12.