Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20040042904?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-07-14 17:07:53
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Matched Legal Cases: ['art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 6']

Patent US20040042904 - Apparatus and method for controlling output of linear compressor - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsAn apparatus controlling an output of a linear compressor having a stator and a rotor includes a plurality of coil taps which are connected to a coil of the stator, a switching part which controls an intensity of a current flowing through the coil by being selectively connected to the plurality of coil...http://www.google.com/patents/US20040042904?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20040042904 - Apparatus and method for controlling output of linear compressorAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20040042904 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 10/653,187Publication dateMar 4, 2004Filing dateSep 3, 2003Priority dateSep 3, 2002Also published asCN1481069APublication number10653187, 653187, US 2004/0042904 A1, US 2004/042904 A1, US 20040042904 A1, US 20040042904A1, US 2004042904 A1, US 2004042904A1, US-A1-20040042904, US-A1-2004042904, US2004/0042904A1, US2004/042904A1, US20040042904 A1, US20040042904A1, US2004042904 A1, US2004042904A1InventorsGyeong-don KimOriginal AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManReferenced by (4), Classifications (16), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetApparatus and method for controlling output of linear compressorUS 20040042904 A1Abstract An apparatus controlling an output of a linear compressor having a stator and a rotor includes a plurality of coil taps which are connected to a coil of the stator, a switching part which controls an intensity of a current flowing through the coil by being selectively connected to the plurality of coil taps, and a controller which controls the switching part to be selectively connected to the plurality of coil taps. The apparatus prevents a power factor of power provided to the coil from being decreased, increases the efficiency of the power and minimizes a copper loss and/or a iron loss on the coil. Images(6) Claims(22)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. [0027] As an illustrative purpose, an apparatus which controls an output of a linear compressor according to the present invention is described below with a refrigerator having the same. [0028] A linear compressor comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator is wound with a coil and provided around the rotor. The rotor is combined with a magnet and provided in the stator. With this configuration, an electromagnetic driving force generated between the coil of stator and the magnet of the rotor linearly reciprocates the rotor in the stator. [0029]FIG. 3 shows an apparatus which controls an output of a linear compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus comprises a pair of coil taps 5 a and 5 b connected to a coil 1, a switching part 6 which controls the intensity of a current flowing through the coil 1 by being selectively connected to a desired one of the pair of coil taps 5 a and 5 b, and a controller 4 which controls the switching part 6 to be selectively connected to the pair of coil taps 5 a and 5 b. [0030] Where the switching part 6 is selectively connected to the coil taps 5 a and 5 b, the length of the coil 1 through which a current flows is varied. Accordingly, the resistance of the coil 1 is varied. With this variation of the resistance, the intensity of the current flowing into the coil 1 is varied under the same voltage supplied from a power supply 3. [0031] The switching part 6 is selectively connected to the pair of coil taps 5 a and 5 b by a driving signal transmitted from the controller 4. Herein, the structure of the switching part 6 can be appropriately varied as necessary. [0032] The controller 4 generates an appropriate driving signal by comparing a temperature inside the refrigerator, which is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) of the refrigerator, with a predetermined reference temperature. The driving signal generated by the controller 4 is transmitted to the switching part 6, and the switching part 6 is selectively connected to the coil taps 5 a and 5 b according to the driving signal. [0033] With the above configuration, a method of controlling the output of the linear compressor according to the present invention is described as follows. [0034] Where the refrigerator is overloaded, for example, where the refrigerator initially starts an operation or food of a high temperature is placed into the refrigerator, the temperature of the refrigerator detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined standard temperature. In this case, the controller 4 transmits a driving signal to the switching part 6 so as to have the switching part 6 be connected to the first coil tap 5 a, and accordingly, the resistance of the coil 1 becomes relatively low. Thus, the intensity of a current flowing through the coil 1 is increased, and the output of the linear compressor is thereby increased. [0035] Where the refrigerator is under a normal load, the temperature inside the refrigerator detected by the temperature sensor in the refrigerator is within a predetermined temperature range. In this case, the controller 4 transmits a driving signal to the switching part 6 so as to have the switching part 6 be connected to the second coil tap 5 b, and accordingly, the resistance of the coil 1 becomes relatively high. Thus, the intensity of a current flowing through the coil 1 is decreased, and the output of the linear compressor thereby is decreased. [0036]FIG. 4 shows an apparatus which controls an output of the linear compressor according to another embodiment to the present invention In addition to the features of FIG. 3, the apparatus further comprises a phase controller 2 which changes a phase of a voltage provided to the coil 1. The phase controller 2 is prepared in series between the switching part 6 and the power supply 3 which supplies the electrical power to the coil 1. [0037] The phase controller 2 is turned on/off by a driving signal from the controller 4 and controls the phase of the voltage provided to the coil 1 of the linear compressor. A triac may be used as the phase controller 2. Alternatively, other circuit configurations may be adopted for the phase controller 2. [0038] The controller 4 compares a temperature inside the refrigerator, which is detected by the temperature sensor of the refrigerator, with a predetermined standard temperature, determines a phase of the voltage supplied to the coil 1, and generates an appropriate driving signal to obtain the determined voltage. [0039] In controlling the output of the linear compressor, a relatively great increase and/or decrease of the output is carried out by the switching part 6. However, where an accurate output control is needed, as compared to an output control of the linear compressor by the switching part 6, an output control by the phase controller 2 is carried out. [0040] For example, where the refrigerator is under a normal load, the switching part 6 is connected to the coil tap 5 b, thereby increasing the resistance and decreasing the output of the linear compressor. Then, in a state where the output of the linear compressor is decreased by the switching part 6, the controller 4 transmits a driving signal having a waveform shown in FIG. 5A to the phase controller 2, and the phase controller 2 controls the phase of the voltage so as to supply the coil 1 with the voltage having the waveform shown in FIG. 5A. Thus, although the refrigerator is under the normal load, cutting of the phase of the voltage supplied to the coil 1 is decreased, thereby controlling the output of the linear compressor. The controller 4 transmits the driving signal to the phase controller 2, wherein the driving signal can generate a voltage having an appropriate phase on the basis of a difference between the temperature inside the refrigerator and the predetermined standard temperature. [0041] Although the apparatus controlling the output of the linear compressor is applied to the refrigerator, it is understood that the apparatus controlling the output of the linear compressor according to the present invention can be applied to other equipment having a linear compressor, including an air conditioner. [0042] Additionally, although the switching part 6 is selectively connected to the pair of coil taps 5 a and 5 b, it is understood that the apparatus controlling the output of the linear compressor may have three or more coil taps. [0043] As described above, the output of the linear compressor is controlled by changing the resistance of the coil 1, to thereby minimize the decrease of the power factor and increase the efficiency of the power. Also, the intensity of the current flowing through the coil 1 is decreased, to thereby minimize the copper loss and/or the iron loss. [0044] Therefore, according to the present invention, an apparatus and a method of controlling an output of a linear compressor may be provided in which a power factor of power provided to a coil is prevented from being decreased, and the efficiency of the power is increased while the copper loss and/or iron loss on the coil is minimized. [0045] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS8430642 *Aug 3, 2007Apr 30, 2013Lg Electronics Inc.Controlling apparatus for linear compressorDE102004048802A1 *Oct 7, 2004Jan 12, 2006Lg Electronics Inc.Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Betriebssteuerung eines KolbenverdichtersDE102004048802B4 *Oct 7, 2004Aug 14, 2013Lg Electronics Inc.Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Betriebssteuerung eines KolbenverdichtersEP1679439A2 *Apr 23, 2005Jul 12, 2006Lg Electronics Inc.Apparatus and method for controlling a compressor* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification417/44.11International ClassificationH02P25/18, H02P25/02, F04B35/04, F04B49/06, F04B17/00Cooperative ClassificationF04B49/06, F04B2203/0401, H02P25/18, F04B35/045, H02P25/028, F04B2203/0402European ClassificationF04B49/06, H02P25/02H, F04B35/04S, H02P25/18Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 3, 2003ASAssignmentOwner name: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., KOREA, REPUBLIC OFFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:KIM, GYEONG-DON;REEL/FRAME:014457/0370Effective date: 20030812RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google