Patent ID: 7390177

Claim:
A piston compressor, particularly a hermetic refrigerant compressor, with a compression chamber, which is limited by a valve plate arrangement having a valve plate with a suction gas opening and a pressure gas opening, a suction valve plate with a suction valve element, and a pressure valve plate with a pressure valve element, wherein the pressure valve plate and the suction valve plate are located on the side of the valve plate facing the compression chamber; wherein the valve plate, the pressure valve plate and the suction valve plate are undetachably connected with each other; wherein a connection is provided, which connects the valve plate, the pressure valve plate and the suction valve plate at a common position; wherein the connection is made in the form of a line, which surrounds an area around a pressure valve; and wherein the suction valve plate has at least one slot-like opening, which follows the course of the line.