Piezoelectric actuated elastic membrane for a compressor and method for controlling the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorJae-Man Joo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compressor includes a cylinder block having a compression chamber therein, a piston arranged in the compression chamber which reciprocates up and down, and a driving mechanism which drives the piston. The driving mechanism includes an elastic member whose peripheral portions are fixed to the cylinder block so as to allow the elastic member to oscillate up and down, and whose center portion is attached to the piston, and one or more piezoelectric actuators that are arranged on the elastic member. In response to a power, one or more piezoelectric actuators repeatedly deform and apply an exciting power to the elastic member.
Claims38
A compressor comprising:
- a cylinder block having a compression chamber;
- a piston arranged in the compression chamber to be axially reciprocated;
- and
- a driving mechanism which drives the piston, comprising:
- an elastic member including peripheral portions that are fixed to the cylinder block and a center portion that is attached to the piston, and
- one or more piezoelectric actuators arranged to the elastic member, which deform and apply an exciting power to oscillate the elastic member in response to a power.
A method of controlling a compressor which comprises a cylinder block having a compression chamber, a piston positioned in the compression chamber to be axially reciprocated through the compression chamber, an elastic member including peripheral portions that are fixed to the cylinder block and a center portion that is attached to the piston, and one or more piezoelectric actuators arranged to the elastic member, which deform and apply an exciting power to oscillate the elastic member in response to a power, the method comprising:
- sensing a displacement of the elastic member through deformations of the one or more piezoelectric actuators;
- and
- controlling the displacement of the elastic member by adjusting an amount and/or frequency of an electric voltage applied as the power to the one or more piezoelectric actuators.
A controller which controls a compressor having a cylinder block provided with a compression chamber, a piston positioned in the compression chamber to be axially reciprocated through the compression chamber, an elastic member including peripheral portions that are fixed to the cylinder block and a center portion that is attached to the piston, and one or more piezoelectric actuators arranged to the elastic member which deform and apply an exciting power to oscillate the elastic member in response to a power, comprising:
- a control unit which senses a movement of the piston through deformations of the one or more piezoelectric actuators and axially reciprocates the piston by applying the power to one or more piezoelectric actuators.
A variable capacity compressor comprising:
- a cylinder block having a compression chamber;
- a piston arranged in the compression chamber to be axially reciprocated;
- and
- an elastic member having one or more piezoelectric actuators, said member being attached to the cylinder block and the piston, and drives the piston in response to a power applied to the one or more piezoelectric actuators of the elastic member.
A controller for use in a compressor which comprises a cylinder block having a compression chamber, a piston arranged in the compression chamber and an elastic member having one or more piezoelectric actuators, said member being attached to the cylinder block and the piston, and axially drives the piston in response to a power applied to the one or more piezoelectric actuators, comprising:
- a sensing unit which senses a displacement of the piston through deformations of the one or more piezoelectric actuators;
- and
- an exciting unit which controls the displacement of the piston by adjusting an amount and/or frequency of the power.
A method of controlling a compressor which comprises a cylinder block having a compression chamber, a piston positioned in the compression chamber to be axially reciprocated through the compression chamber, an elastic member including peripheral portions that are fixed to the cylinder block and a center portion that is attached to the piston, and one or more piezoelectric actuators arranged to the elastic member which deform and apply an exciting power to oscillate the elastic member in response to a power, the method comprising:
- detecting a displacement of the elastic member through deformations of the one or more piezoelectric actuators:
- comparing the displacement with a preset reference value;
- and
- controlling an electric voltage applied to the one or more piezoelectric actuators as the power in response to the comparing.
A method of controlling a compressor which comprises a cylinder block having a compression chamber, a piston arranged in the compression chamber and an elastic member having one or more piezoelectric actuators said member being attached to the cylinder block and the piston, and axially drives the piston in response to a power applied to the one or more piezoelectric actuators, the method comprising:
- sensing a displacement of the piston through deformations of the one or more piezoelectric actuators;
- and
- controlling the displacement of the piston by adjusting an amount and/or frequency of the power.
A compressor comprising:
- a cylinder block having a compression chamber;
- a piston arranged in the compression chamber to be axially reciprocated;
- and
- a driving mechanism which drives the piston, comprising:
- an elastic member including peripheral portions that are fixed to the cylinder block and a center portion that is attached to the piston, and
- a piezoelectric actuator including one end which is fixed to a center portion of the elastic member and the other end which is fixed to the piston, wherein the piezoelectric actuator deforms and applies an exciting power to oscillate the elastic member in response to a power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.