Linear compressor

Abstract

A linear compressor is provided. The linear compressor includes a piston. The piston includes a piston cylinder having a head plate. The head plate defines a passage that extends through the head plate. A reed valve is mounted to the head plate and positioned over the passage of the head plate. A valve seat is positioned at and extends about the passage of the head plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A linear compressor, comprising:
 a driving coil;   an inner back iron assembly positioned in the driving coil, the inner back iron assembly having an outer surface;   a magnet mounted to the inner back iron assembly at the outer surface of the inner back iron assembly such that the magnet faces the driving coil;   a cylinder assembly defining a chamber;   a piston slidably received within the chamber of the cylinder assembly, the piston comprising
 a cylindrical segment extending between a first end portion and a second end portion; 
 a head plate mounted to the cylindrical segment at the second end portion of the cylindrical segment, the head plate defining a passage that extends from the second end portion of the cylindrical segment towards the first end portion of the cylindrical segment through the head plate; 
 a reed valve mounted to the head plate and positioned over the passage of the head plate; and 
 a valve seat positioned at and extending about the passage of the head plate, the valve seat also extending away from the head plate such that the reed valve is positioned on the valve seat above the passage of the head plate when the reed valve is in a closed position; and 
   a coupling extending between the inner back iron assembly and the piston.   
     
     
         2 . The linear compressor of  claim 1 , wherein a magnetic field of the driving coil engages the magnet in order to move the inner back iron assembly in the driving coil and the piston within the chamber of the cylinder assembly during operation of the driving coil. 
     
     
         3 . The linear compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling extends through the cylindrical segment of the piston and is mounted to the head plate of the piston. 
     
     
         4 . The linear compressor of  claim 3 , wherein the coupling is threaded to the head plate of the piston. 
     
     
         5 . The linear compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the passage defines a substantially reniform cross-section in a plane that is parallel to an outer surface of the head plate. 
     
     
         6 . The linear compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the piston comprises a fastener extending through the reed valve into the head plate in order to mount the reed valve to the head plate. 
     
     
         7 . The linear compressor of  claim 1 , further comprising a valve support positioned at and extending along an outer edge of the head plate, the valve support also extending away from the head plate, the valve seat and the valve support defining a channel therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The linear compressor of  claim 7 , wherein the reed valve defines an opening that extends through the reed valve, the channel being contiguous with the opening of the reed valve when the reed valve is in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The linear compressor of  claim 7 , wherein the valve seat extends away from the head plate by a height, the valve support also extending away from the head plate by a height, the height of the valve seat being about equal to the height of the valve support. 
     
     
         10 . The linear compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the head plate defines at least one additional passage that extends from the second end portion of the cylindrical segment towards the first end portion of the cylindrical segment through the head plate, the reed valve positioned over the additional passage of the head plate, the valve seat extending about the additional passage of the head plate. 
     
     
         11 . A linear compressor defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction and an axial direction, the linear compressor comprising:
 a cylinder assembly defining a chamber;   a piston received within the chamber of the cylinder assembly such that the piston is slidable along a first axis within the chamber of the cylinder assembly, the piston comprising
 a piston cylinder having a head plate, the head plate positioned at an end of the piston cylinder, the head plate defining a passage that extends along the axial direction through the head plate; 
 a reed valve mounted to the head plate and positioned over the passage of the head plate; and 
 a valve seat positioned at and extending about the passage of the head plate along the circumferential and radial directions, the valve seat also extending away from the head plate along the axial direction; and 
   a driving coil operable to move the piston assembly along a second axis, the first and second axes being substantially parallel to the axial direction.   
     
     
         12 . The linear compressor of  claim 11 , further comprising a coupling, the coupling mounted to the head plate and extending from the head plate through the piston cylinder along the axial direction. 
     
     
         13 . The linear compressor of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling is threaded to the head plate of the piston cylinder. 
     
     
         14 . The linear compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the passage defines a substantially reniform cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. 
     
     
         15 . The linear compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the piston comprises a fastener extending through the reed valve into the head plate in order to mount the reed valve to the head plate. 
     
     
         16 . The linear compressor of  claim 11 , further comprising a valve support positioned at and extending along an outer edge of the head plate, the valve support also extending away from the head plate along the axial direction, the valve seat and the valve support defining a channel therebetween. 
     
     
         17 . The linear compressor of  claim 16 , wherein the reed valve defines an opening that extends through the reed valve, the channel being contiguous with the opening of the reed valve when the reed valve is in a closed position. 
     
     
         18 . The linear compressor of  claim 16 , wherein the valve seat extends away from the head plate by a height along the axial direction, the valve support also extending away from the head plate by a height along the axial direction, the height of the valve seat being about equal to the height of the valve support. 
     
     
         19 . The linear compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the passage extends between a first end portion and a second end portion along the circumferential direction, the passage extending along the circumferential direction at least sixty degrees between the first and second end portions of the passage. 
     
     
         20 . The linear compressor of  claim 19 , wherein the passage extends along the circumferential direction at least ninety degrees between the first and second end portions of the passage.