U.S. patent application number 11/221802 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-04 for linear compressor.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Jeong Woo Kim.
Application Number | 20060093498 11/221802 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36262151 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060093498 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Jeong Woo |
May 4, 2006 |
Linear compressor
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a linear compressor in which a bonding
position of a muffler can be accurately determined when the muffler
is bonded to a fixing plate so that a center axis of a discharge
spring casing formed at the muffler accurately coincides with a
center axis of an insertion hole formed at the fixing plate. This
enables a discharge valve to be concentrically mounted to a
cylinder, thereby eliminating the risk of slight leakage or
malfunction of the discharge valve due to eccentric arrangement of
the discharge valve and the cylinder.
Inventors: |
Kim; Jeong Woo; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
LG Electronics Inc.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
36262151 |
Appl. No.: |
11/221802 |
Filed: |
September 9, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/417 ;
417/415 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 35/045 20130101;
F04B 39/108 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/417 ;
417/415 |
International
Class: |
F04B 35/04 20060101
F04B035/04; F04B 17/04 20060101 F04B017/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 2, 2004 |
KR |
2004-88263 |
Claims
1. A linear compressor comprising: a discharge valve to open or
close an end of a cylinder; a discharge spring to elastically
support the discharge valve; a muffler having a discharge spring
casing to receive the discharge spring therein; a fixing plate
bonded to the muffler and having an insertion hole for the
insertion of the cylinder, the fixing plate being mounted to the
cylinder; and assembly positioners to guide an assembling position
of the muffler so that centers of the discharge spring casing and
the insertion hole coincide with each other when the muffler is
bonded to the fixing plate.
2. The compressor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the discharge
spring casing protrudes from the muffler to define a cylindrical
space therein.
3. The compressor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the muffler
internally defines a space to allow the cylinder to be partially
inserted into the space and to receive the discharge valve.
4. The compressor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fixing plate
is bonded to the muffler by brazing.
5. The compressor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fixing plate
has fastening holes so as to be fastened to the cylinder by means
of fasteners.
6. The compressor as set forth in claim 5, wherein the assembly
positioners protrude from the fixing plate between the insertion
hole and the fastening holes.
7. The compressor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the assembly
positioners are a plurality of bosses formed at a surface of the
fixing plate along an outer contour of the muffler.
8. The compressor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the assembly
positioners are a plurality of bosses formed at a surface of the
fixing plate along an inner wall contour of the muffler.
9. A linear compressor comprising: a cylinder block having a
cylinder; a piston disposed to be linearly reciprocated inside the
cylinder and having a fluid suction channel defined therein; a
linear motor mounted on the cylinder block to linearly reciprocate
the piston; a suction valve to open or close the suction channel of
the piston; and a discharge assembly to define a compression
chamber with the piston and adapted to discharge compressed fluid,
wherein the discharge assembly includes: a discharge valve to open
or close the compression chamber; a discharge spring to elastically
support the discharge valve; a muffler having a discharge spring
casing to receive the discharge spring therein and discharge holes;
a fixing plate bonded to the muffler and having an insertion hole
for the insertion of the cylinder, the fixing plate being mounted
to one of the cylinder and the cylinder block; and assembly
positioners to guide an assembling position of the muffler so that
centers of the discharge spring casing and the insertion hole
coincide with each other when the muffler is bonded to the fixing
plate.
10. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the muffler
internally defines a space to allow the cylinder to be partially
inserted into the space and to receive the discharge valve.
11. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the discharge
spring casing protrudes from the muffler to define a cylindrical
space therein.
12. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the fixing
plate is bonded to the muffler by brazing.
13. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the fixing
plate has fastening holes so as to be fastened to the cylinder by
means of fasteners.
14. The compressor as set forth in claim 11, wherein the assembly
positioners protrude from the fixing plate between the insertion
hole and the fastening holes.
15. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the assembly
positioners are a plurality of bosses formed at a surface of the
fixing plate along an outer contour of the muffler.
16. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the assembly
positioners are a plurality of bosses formed at a surface of the
fixing plate along an inner wall contour of the muffler.
17. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the discharge
assembly further includes a discharge plenum to define a
predetermined space with the muffler.
18. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the discharge
assembly further includes a fluid discharge pipe mounted on the
discharge plenum.
19. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the linear
motor includes: an outer stator core mounted to the cylinder block;
a bobbin mounted in the outer stator core; a coil wound around the
bobbin; an inner stator core mounted to the cylinder block to have
a predetermined gap with the outer stator core; a magnet interposed
between the outer stator core and the inner stator core; and a
magnet fame to support the magnet mounted thereon, the magnet frame
being coupled to the piston.
20. The compressor as set forth in claim 9, further comprising: a
back cover having a suction pipe; a motor cover configured to cover
a part of the linear motor; and a spring support fastened to the
piston by means of fasteners, such as bolts, and adapted to support
a first spring interposed between the back cover and the spring
support and a second spring interposed between the motor cover and
the spring support.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a linear compressor, and,
more particularly, to a linear compressor in which a muffler is
bonded to a fixing plate at a predetermined position, thereby
preventing slight leakage or malfunction of a discharge valve.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, a linear compressor is an apparatus to suction
and compress fluid while linearly reciprocating a piston inside a
cylinder using a linear driving force of a linear motor to thereby
discharge the compressed fluid.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional
linear compressor.
[0006] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional linear compressor
includes a hermetic container 2, and a linear compression unit 10
arranged in the hermetic container 2 to compress fluid, such as
gaseous refrigerant (hereinafter, referred to as "fluid").
[0007] A suction pipe 4 is penetrated through the hermetic
container 2 to introduce fluid from an external source into the
hermetic container 2. Also, a loop pipe 6 is penetrated through the
hermetic container 2 to discharge the compressed fluid from the
linear compression unit 10 to the outside of the hermetic container
2.
[0008] The linear compression unit 10 includes a cylinder block 14
provided with a cylinder 12, a back cover 28 having a fluid suction
pipe 26, a piston 30 inserted in the cylinder 12 to be linearly
reciprocated inside the cylinder 12, and a linear motor 40 to
generate a driving force required to linearly reciprocate the
piston 30 inside the cylinder 12.
[0009] The cylinder block 14 is supported in a shock-absorbing
manner inside the hermetic container 2 by means of a first damper
15.
[0010] A discharge assembly 16 is mounted at a front side of both
the cylinder block 14 and the cylinder 12 to define a compression
chamber C along with the piston 30 and the cylinder 12. The
discharge assembly 16 serves to discharge the compressed fluid from
the compression chamber C into the loop pipe 6.
[0011] The discharge assembly 16 includes a discharge valve 17 to
open or close an end of the cylinder 12, a muffler 21 to
elastically support the discharge valve 17 by means of a discharge
spring 19, the muffler being formed with fluid discharge holes 20,
a discharge plenum 22 to define a fluid channel between an inner
wall thereof and an outer wall of the muffler 21, and a fixing
plate 24 bonded to the muffler 21 and also bolted to one of the
cylinder block 14 and the cylinder 12.
[0012] The discharge plenum 22 is provided with a fluid discharge
pipe 23 that is connected to the loop pipe 6.
[0013] The fixing plate 24 serves to fix the discharge assembly 16
to one of the cylinder block 14 and the cylinder 12.
[0014] Meanwhile, the back cover 28 is supported in a
shock-absorbing manner inside the hermetic container 2 by means of
a second damper 29.
[0015] The piston 30 includes an elongated suction channel 31
longitudinally formed therein to allow fluid to be introduced into
the piston 30, a suction port 32 formed at a front end of the
piston 30 towards the compression chamber C, and a suction valve 33
provided at a front end surface of the piston 30 to open or close
the suction port 32.
[0016] At a rear end of the piston 30 is formed a flange portion 34
for the connection of the linear motor 40.
[0017] The piston 30 further includes a first spring 35 interposed
between the flange portion 34 and the cylinder block 14, and a
second spring 36 interposed between the flange portion 34 and the
back cover 28. With the first and second springs 35 and 36, the
piston 30 is elastically supported between the cylinder block 14
and the back cover 28.
[0018] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the discharge
assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view
illustrating an assembled state of the discharge assembly shown in
FIG. 1.
[0019] The muffler 21 has a discharge spring casing 21a, which
protrudes outward from the center of the muffler 21 to receive the
discharge spring 19 therein.
[0020] The fixing plate 24 has a plurality of bolt holes 25 formed
at corners thereof. As bolts are penetrated through the bolt holes
25, the fixing plate 24 is able to be fastened to one of the
cylinder block 14 and the cylinder 12.
[0021] The fixing plate 24 further has an insertion hole 26 formed
at the center thereof. The cylinder 12 is penetrated through the
insertion hole 26 to be mounted to the fixing plate 24.
[0022] The discharge assembly 16 of the conventional linear
compressor, however, has a problem in that, if a center axis O of
the discharge spring casing 21a of the muffler 21 does not coincide
with a center axis O' of the insertion hole 26 of the fixing plate
24 when the muffler 21 is bonded to the fixing plate 24, as shown
in FIG. 3, the discharge valve 17 is eccentrically mounted relative
to the cylinder 12, causing slight leakage of fluid between the
cylinder 12 and the discharge valve 17 and malfunction of the
discharge valve 17.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0023] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of
the above problem, and it is an object of the present invention to
provide a linear compressor capable of preventing slight leakage
and malfunction of a discharge valve.
[0024] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of
a linear compressor comprising: a discharge valve to open or close
an end of a cylinder, i.e. a compression chamber; a discharge
spring to elastically support the discharge valve; a muffler having
a discharge spring casing to receive the discharge spring therein;
a fixing plate bonded to the muffler and having an insertion hole
for the insertion of the cylinder, the fixing plate being mounted
to the cylinder; and assembly positioners to guide an assembling
position of the muffler so that centers of the discharge spring
casing and the insertion hole coincide with each other when the
muffler is bonded to the fixing plate.
[0025] Preferably, the discharge spring casing may protrude from
the muffler to define a cylindrical space therein.
[0026] Preferably, the fixing plate may be bonded to the muffler by
brazing.
[0027] Preferably, the assembly positioners may be a plurality of
bosses formed at a surface of the fixing plate along an outer
contour of the muffler.
[0028] Preferably, the assembly positioners may be a plurality of
bosses formed at a surface of the fixing plate along an inner wall
contour of the muffler.
[0029] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of
a linear compressor comprising: a cylinder block having a cylinder;
a piston disposed to be linearly reciprocated inside the cylinder
and having a fluid suction channel defined therein; a linear motor
mounted on the cylinder block to linearly reciprocate the piston; a
suction valve to open or close the suction channel of the piston;
and a discharge assembly to define a compression chamber with the
piston and adapted to discharge compressed fluid, wherein the
discharge assembly includes: a discharge valve to open or close the
compression chamber; a discharge spring to elastically support the
discharge valve; a muffler having a discharge spring casing to
receive the discharge spring therein and discharge holes; a fixing
plate bonded to the muffler and having an insertion hole for the
insertion of the cylinder, the fixing plate being mounted to one of
the cylinder and the cylinder block; and assembly positioners to
guide an assembling position of the muffler so that centers of the
discharge spring casing and the insertion hole coincide with each
other when the muffler is bonded to the fixing plate.
[0030] Preferably, the discharge spring casing may protrude from
the muffler to have a cylindrical shape.
[0031] Preferably, the fixing plate may be bonded to the muffler by
brazing.
[0032] Preferably, the assembly positioners may be a plurality of
bosses formed at a surface of the fixing plate along an outer
contour of the muffler.
[0033] Preferably, the assembly positioners may be a plurality of
bosses formed at a surface of the fixing plate along an inner wall
contour of the muffler.
[0034] The linear compressor of the present invention configured as
stated above has the following advantages.
[0035] Firstly, according to the present invention, a bonding
position of the muffler can be accurately determined when the
muffler is bonded to the fixing plate so that a center axis of the
discharge spring casing formed at the muffler accurately coincides
with a center axis of the insertion hole formed at the fixing
plate. This enables the discharge valve to be concentrically
mounted to the cylinder, thereby eliminating the risk of slight
leakage or malfunction of the discharge valve due to eccentric
arrangement of the discharge valve and the cylinder.
[0036] Secondly, according to the linear compressor of the present
invention, the plurality of bosses is formed at the surface of the
fixing plate along the outer contour of the muffler. This enables
the muffler to be accurately positioned and bonded to the fixing
plate with a simplified and inexpensive structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0038] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional
linear compressor;
[0039] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
discharge assembly shown in FIG. 1;
[0040] FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating an
assembled state of the discharge assembly shown in FIG. 1;
[0041] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a linear
compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0042] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
discharge assembly shown in FIG. 4;
[0043] FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating an
assembled state of the discharge assembly shown in FIG. 4; and
[0044] FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a linear compressor
according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0045] Now, preferred embodiments of a linear compressor according
to the present invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0046] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a linear
compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, the linear compressor according to the
present embodiment comprises a hermetic container 50, and a linear
compression unit 60.
[0048] The hermetic container 50 includes a lower shell 51, and an
upper shell 52 to cover an upper side of the lower shell 51. A
suction pipe 53 is penetrated through the hermetic container 50 to
introduce fluid, such as gaseous refrigerant (hereinafter, referred
to as "fluid"), into the hermetic container 50. Also, a loop pipe
54 is penetrated through the hermetic container 50 to discharge the
fluid, that is compressed while passing through the linear
compression unit 60, to the outside of the hermetic container
50.
[0049] The linear compression unit 60 is supported in the hermetic
container 50 in a shock-absorbing manner by means of first and
second dampers 61a and 61b arranged in the hermetic container 50.
For this, a rear portion of the linear compression unit 60 is
disposed on the first damper 61a, and a front portion of the linear
compression unit 60 is disposed on the second damper 61b. The
linear compression unit 60 includes a cylinder block 64 having a
cylinder 62, a back cover 79 having a suction pipe 78, a piston 80
inserted in the cylinder 62 to be linearly reciprocated inside the
cylinder 62, and a linear motor 100 to generate a driving force
required to linearly reciprocate the piston 80 inside the cylinder
62.
[0050] A discharge assembly 65 is mounted at a front side of the
cylinder 62 to define a compression chamber C between the discharge
assembly 65 and the piston 80. If fluid inside the compression
chamber C is compressed beyond a predetermined pressure, the
compressed fluid is discharged into the loop pipe 54 by way of the
discharge assembly 65.
[0051] The discharge assembly 65 includes a discharge valve 66 to
open or close the compression chamber C, especially, a front end 63
of the cylinder 62, a discharge spring 68 to elastically support
the discharge valve 66, a muffler 70 having a discharge spring
casing 69 to receive the discharge spring 68 therein, a fixing
plate 73 bonded to the muffler 70 and formed with an insertion hole
72 for the penetration of the cylinder 62, assembly positioners 75
to guide an assembling position of the muffler 70 so that centers
of the discharge spring casing 69 and the insertion hole 72
coincide with each other when the muffler 70 is bonded to the
fixing plate 73, and a discharge plenum 77 provided with a fluid
discharge pipe 76 connected to the loop pipe 54.
[0052] The discharge spring casing 69 protrudes from the muffler 70
to define a cylindrical space therein.
[0053] The muffler 70 defines an interior space to allow the front
end 63 of the cylinder 62 to be partially inserted into the space
and to receive the discharge valve 66.
[0054] A plurality of discharge holes 71 are formed at the muffler
70 to discharge the fluid, that is compressed in the compression
chamber C to thereby be introduced into the interior space of the
muffler 70, to the loop pipe 54.
[0055] The muffler 70 is a discharge muffler to attenuate
operational noise generated upon opening or closing of the
discharge valve 66. The muffler 70 is spaced apart from the
discharge plenum 77 to define a predetermined space therebetween to
attenuate noise when the compressed fluid, discharged through the
discharge holes 71 of the muffler 70, passes through the discharge
plenum 77.
[0056] The fixing plate 73 serves to affix the discharge assembly
65 to the cylinder block 64 or the cylinder 62. The fixing plate 73
is fastened to the cylinder block 64 or the cylinder 62 by means of
fasteners.
[0057] The insertion hole 72, formed at the fixing plate 73 having
a flat plate shape, has a diameter slightly larger than an outer
diameter of the front end 63 of the cylinder 62 to allow part of
the front end 63 of the cylinder 62 to be easily inserted into the
insertion hole 72.
[0058] Meanwhile, the back cover 79 is fastened to a motor cover
110, which will be described hereinafter, by means of bolts,
etc.
[0059] The piston 80 includes a fluid suction channel 81
longitudinally formed therein to allow the fluid to be introduced
into the piston 80, a suction port 82 centrally formed toward a
front end of the piston 80 to have a diameter smaller than that of
the fluid suction channel 81, and a suction valve 83 mounted at a
front end surface of the piston 80 to open or close the suction
port 82.
[0060] The suction valve 83 is an elastic member fastened to the
front end surface of the piston 80 by means of a bolt 84. The
suction valve 83 opens or closes the suction port 82 using a
pressure difference between the compression chamber C and the
suction port 82.
[0061] The piston 80 further includes a flange 87 formed at a rear
end thereof for the connection of the linear motor 100. A suction
muffler 88 is mounted behind the flange 87 to guide the fluid,
introduced through the suction pipe 78 of the back cover 79, into
the fluid suction channel 81 of the piston 80, and to attenuate
noise generated upon opening or closing of both the suction valve
83 and the discharge valve 66.
[0062] The linear motor 100 includes an outer stator core 101
mounted to the cylinder block 64, a bobbin 102 mounted in the outer
stator core 101, a coil 103 wound around the bobbin 102, an inner
stator core 104 mounted to the cylinder block 64 to have a
predetermined gap with the outer stator core 101, a magnet 105
interposed between the outer stator core 101 and the inner stator
core 104 to be linearly reciprocated using a magnetic force
generated in the vicinity of the coil 103, and a magnet frame 106
to support the magnet 105 mounted thereon. The magnet frame 106 is
coupled to the flange 87 of the piston 80 to transmit a linear
movement force to the piston 80.
[0063] Meanwhile, the linear compressor further comprises the motor
cover 110 to cover a part of the linear motor 100, a spring support
116 fastened to the flange 87 of the piston 80 by means of bolts,
etc., a first spring 112 interposed between the spring support 116
and the back cover 79, and a second spring 114 interposed between
the spring support 116 and the motor cover 110.
[0064] The motor cover 110 is positioned on a side of the outer
stator core 101 to cover one surface of the outer stator core
101.
[0065] Considering operation of the linear compressor according to
the embodiment of the present invention configured as stated above,
initially, the piston 80 is linearly reciprocated inside the
cylinder 62 upon driving of the linear motor 100.
[0066] By virtue of a pressure difference generated during linear
reciprocation of the piston 80, the fluid inside the hermetic
container 50 passes through the suction pipe 78 of the back cover
79, the suction muffler 88, and the fluid suction channel 81 and
the suction port 82 of the piston 80 in this sequence, thereby
being introduced into the compression chamber C.
[0067] The fluid, introduced into the compression chamber C, is
compressed by the piston 80, and then, is introduced into the
muffler 70. Thereby, the fluid is discharged to the outside by
passing through the discharge holes 71 of the muffler 70, the space
defined between the muffler 70 and the discharge plenum 77, the
discharge pipe 76, and the loop pipe 54 in this sequence.
[0068] Meanwhile, the linear compressor as stated above is designed
to minimize noise, transmitted to the discharge assembly 65, in the
space between the muffler 70 and the discharge plenum 77 of the
discharge assembly 65.
[0069] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the
discharge assembly shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional
view illustrating an assembled state of the discharge assembly
shown in FIG. 4.
[0070] The fixing plate 73 has a plurality of bolt holes 74 formed
at corners thereof. As bolts 73a are fastened through the bolt
holes 74, the fixing plate 73 is fastened to the cylinder block 64
or the cylinder 62.
[0071] The fixing plate 73 is also bonded to the muffler 70 by
brazing.
[0072] The assembly positioners 75 are a plurality of bosses, which
are formed at a surface of the fixing plate 73 to be distributed
along an outer contour of the muffler 70.
[0073] The plurality of bosses 75 protrude from the fixing plate 73
between the insertion hole 72 and the fastening holes 74.
[0074] In the case of the discharge assembly 65 configured as
stated above, if the muffler 70 is positioned inside the plurality
of bosses 75 to come into close contact with the fixing plate 73,
the muffler 70 is fixed in position by means of the plurality of
bosses 75 so as not to move in all directions. In this case, a
center axis O of the discharge spring casing 69 of the muffler 70
coincides with a center axis O' of the insertion hole 72 of the
fixing plate 73. Then, as a contact region between the muffler 70
and the fixing plate 73 is brazed, the muffler 70 is fixedly bonded
to the fixing plate 73.
[0075] After the muffler 70 is bonded to the fixing plate 73, the
discharge spring 68 is inserted in the discharge spring casing 69
of the muffler 70, and the discharge valve 66 is connected to the
discharge spring 68. In succession, if the front end 63 of the
cylinder 62 is partially inserted into the insertion hole 72 of the
fixing plate 73, the discharge valve 66 is accurately concentric
with the cylinder 62.
[0076] Reference numeral 64a denotes fastening holes formed in the
cylinder block 64 to allow the fixing plate 73 to be fastened to
the cylinder block 64 by means of the bolts 73a.
[0077] FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a linear compressor
according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0078] As shown in FIG. 7, the linear compressor according to the
present embodiment is configured such that a plurality of bosses
75' are formed at the surface of the fixing plate 73 to be
distributed along an inner wall contour of the muffler 70. Other
configuration and operation of the present embodiment are identical
to those of the above-described embodiment, and thus, a detailed
description thereof will be omitted.
[0079] Admittedly, the assembly positioners 75 may be modified
without being limited to the above-described configurations. For
example, a rib, having the same outer or inner wall contour as the
muffler 70, may be provided to allow part of the muffler 70 to be
inserted inside or outside the rib.
[0080] As is apparent from the above description, the present
invention provides a linear compressor having the following
effects.
[0081] Firstly, according to the present invention, a bonding
position of a muffler can be accurately determined when the muffler
is bonded to a fixing plate so that a center axis of a discharge
spring casing formed at the muffler accurately coincides with a
center axis of an insertion hole formed at the fixing plate. This
enables a discharge valve to be concentrically mounted to a
cylinder, thereby eliminating the risk of slight leakage or
malfunction of the discharge valve due to eccentric arrangement of
the discharge valve and the cylinder.
[0082] Secondly, according to the linear compressor of the present
invention, a plurality of bosses is formed at a surface of the
fixing plate along an outer contour of the muffler. This enables
the muffler to be accurately positioned and bonded to the fixing
plate with a simplified and inexpensive structure.
[0083] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the
art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *