Linear compressor with sound dampening gaskets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10975853-B2
Application number	US-201715581155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	May 3, 2016
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A linear compressor is provided that may include a cylinder which defines a compression space for a refrigerant and into which a piston that reciprocates in an axial direction may be inserted, a frame in which the cylinder may be accommodated, a discharge valve that selectively discharges the refrigerant compressed in the compression space for the refrigerant, a spring assembly coupled to the discharge valve, a discharge cover on which the spring assembly may be seated and having a discharge space through which the refrigerant discharged through the discharge valve may flow, and a first gasket seated inside of the discharge cover to support the spring assembly and attenuate vibration during an operation of the discharge valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A linear compressor, comprising:
a cylinder which defines a compression space for a refrigerant and into which a piston that reciprocates in an axial direction is inserted;
a frame into which the cylinder is inserted to be accommodated therein, the frame including a frame body configured to surround the cylinder and a frame flange that extends from the frame body in a radial direction;
a motor assembly configured to surround the frame body at a rear of the frame flange in a direction of a flow of the refrigerant and including a terminal portion that guides a power line;
a discharge valve that selectively discharges the refrigerant compressed in the compression space for the refrigerant and disposed to be supported on a front surface of the cylinder in the direction of the flow of the refrigerant;
a spring assembly coupled to the discharge valve;
a discharge cover on which the spring assembly is seated, the discharge cover including a cover portion configured to define a discharge space through which the refrigerant discharged through the discharge valve flows and a cover flange that extends from the cover portion in the radial direction;
a first gasket seated inside of the cover portion of the discharge cover to support the spring assembly and attenuate vibration during an operation of the discharge valve; and
a second gasket provided between the discharge cover and the frame, the second gasket having a ring shape and being arranged along a circumference of the compression space, wherein the frame flange includes a first surface in which at least one first coupling hole is formed and in which a terminal insertion portion is formed, and the cover flange includes a second surface facing the first surface and in which at least one second coupling hole is formed, wherein the second gasket is provided between the first surface and the second surface, the second gasket including at least one gasket hole, wherein at least one coupling member passes through the at least one second coupling hole and the at least one gasket hole and is coupled to the at least one first coupling hole, wherein a first surface of the second gasket contacts the second surface of the cover flange and a second surface of the second gasket contacts the first surface of the frame flange, wherein a cover recess is defined at a position corresponding to the terminal insertion portion at one side of the cover flange, the cover recess being recessed inward from a circumference of the cover flange, wherein the second gasket includes:
a gasket recess formed at a position corresponding to the terminal insertion portion and the cover recess in the axial direction, the gasket recess being recessed radially from an inner edge of the second gasket toward an outer edge of the second gasket, and a gasket coupling portion configured to form a portion of the outer edge of the second gasket and disposed outside the gasket recess in the radial direction, wherein the terminal portion passes through the cover recess, the gasket recess, and the terminal insertion portion, and wherein a sealing member is installed in a groove formed at the first surface of the frame flange and is disposed inside of the second gasket in the radial direction to provide an airtight seal between the frame flange and the second gasket or the discharge cover.

2. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the cover portion of the discharge cover defines a seating surface which is stepped inward and on which the first gasket is seated.

3. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the spring assembly includes:
a valve spring in the shape of a plate spring and to which the discharge valve is coupled at a center thereof; and
a spring support provided along a circumference of the valve spring and made of a plastic material.

4. The linear compressor according to claim 3 , wherein the spring support is insert-injection-molded with the valve spring.

5. The linear compressor according to claim 3 , wherein the first gasket has a same circumferential shape as a circumferential shape of the spring support.

6. The linear compressor according to claim 3 , wherein a plurality of first protrusions protrudes outward at equal intervals along a circumference of the spring support, and a plurality of recesses is formed inside of the discharge cover in a shape to accommodate the plurality of first protrusions.

7. The linear compressor according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of first protrusions and the plurality of recesses are provided at positions rotated by 120° with respect to a central portion of the spring assembly and the discharge cover.

8. The linear compressor according to claim 6 , wherein a plurality of second protrusions protrudes in a same shape as the plurality of first protrusions at a position corresponding to the plurality of first protrusions along a circumference of the first gasket, and wherein the plurality of second protrusions is accommodated inside of the respective plurality of recesses together with the respective plurality of first protrusions.

9. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one coupling member includes a plurality of coupling members that passes through the discharge cover and the second gasket and is coupled to the frame, and wherein the discharge cover is coupled to the frame by the plurality of coupling members.

10. The linear compressor according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one first coupling hole, the at least one second coupling hole, and the at least one gasket hole include a plurality of first coupling holes, a plurality of second coupling holes, and a plurality of gasket holes through which the plurality of coupling members passes, and wherein the plurality of first coupling holes, the plurality of second coupling holes, and the plurality of gasket holes are provided at positions rotated by 120° with respect to a center of the discharge cover.

11. The linear compressor according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of gasket holes is arranged in a circumferential direction.

12. The linear compressor according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of gasket holes includes three gasket holes.

13. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the second gasket includes a recess having a shape corresponding to a recessed shape of the discharge cover outside of the cover flange, and wherein the recessed shape of the discharge cover is located on an opposite side of the cover recess with respect to the at least one second coupling hole.

14. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the second gasket is seated on the second surface of the cover flange and contacts a circumference of the second surface of the cover flange.

15. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the second gasket includes a sheet.

16. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the second gasket is made of an asbestos-free material.

17. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the second gasket in the axial direction is less than a distance between an outer circumference of the second surface of the cover flange and an opening defining the compression space of the cylinder.

18. The linear compressor according to claim 1 , further including a discharge pipe through which the refrigerant compressed in the compression space of the cylinder is discharged from the linear compressor via the discharge cover.

19. The linear compressor according to claim 18 , further including:
a cover pipe coupl

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jang Jaeyong
• Kim Changkyu
• Lim Sanghyun
• Jeon Gyeoungjin
• Ha Dongkyun

Classifications

• F04B39/122

  Cylinder block · CPC title

• F04B39/10

  Adaptations or arrangements of distribution members · CPC title

• F04B39/0044 Primary

  with vibration damping supports · CPC title

• F04B39/0005

  adaptations of pistons · CPC title

• F04B35/04 Primary

  the means being electric · CPC title