Oil circulation structure for linear compressor and method of the same

In an oil circulation structure for a linear compressor including a compressor unit horizontally installed in the interior of a hermetic container in which an oil is provided a bottom surface and having an exhaust cover, a hollow cylindrical frame, a cylinder and a piston for compressing and exhausting a sucked gas, and an oil supply means mounted at an outer portion of the compressor unit for supplying an oil into the interior of the compressor unit, an oil circulation structure for a linear compressor, comprising:

• an exhaust portion oil circulation path in which an oil is circulated at an exhaust portion at which a gas compression and exhausting operation is performed, for thereby cooling the exhaust portion;
• a cylinder cooling oil circulation path communicating with one side of the exhaust portion oil circulation path for cooling an outer surface of the cylinder;
• a friction portion cooling oil circulation path for cooling a friction portion between the cylinder and the piston;
• a plurality of oil through holes formed at the cylinder for communicating the cylinder cooling oil circulation path with the friction portion cooling oil circulation path;
• an oil supply path for supplying the oil pumped from the oil supply means into the exhaust portion oil circulation path;
• and
• an oil exhaust path communicating with the cylinder cooling oil circulation path and formed at the frame for returning the oil into the bottom surface of the hermetic container.