# US 7,466,098 B2 · Method for controlling operation of compressor and apparatus thereof

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- Number: US 7,466,098 B2
- Document ID: US7466098B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/538,491
- Filed: 2003-10-06
- Published: 2006-06-01
- Granted: 2008-12-16
- Earliest claimed: 2002-12-20
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Gi-Bong Kwon; Su-Won Lee; Dae-Jin Moon; Won-Hyun Jung; Dong-Won Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7466098B2

## CPC

- F25B 49/025: {Motor control arrangements}
- F04B 35/045: {using solenoids}
- F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers}
- H02P 25/032: Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating motors
- F04B 2203/0201: Current
- F04B 2203/0401: Current
- F25B 2400/073: Linear compressors
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS

## Abstract

A method for controlling an operation of a compressor and its apparatus can easily control an operation of the compressor without a request for a high-priced operation control apparatus by operating the compressor with controlling the amount of currents flowing into a winding coil of a motor (100) of the compressor according to load capacity of the refrigerator. The apparatus includes a control unit (103) for generating a control signal for selecting a main winding coil (M) of a linear motor (100) of a compressor or an auxiliary winding coil (M2) on the basis of the load capacity of a refrigerator, and a switching unit (101) for selecting the main winding coil (M) of the linear motor (100) or the auxiliary winding coil (M2) on the basis of the control signal. Herein, the main winding coil of the linear motor (100) is divided into a plurality of auxiliary winding coils (M2).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for controlling an operation of a compressor comprising:
a control unit for generating a control signal for selecting a main winding coil of a linear motor of a compressor when at least one of an inside temperature of a refrigerator and an ambient temperature is the same as or smaller than a predetermined reference temperature value or an auxiliary winding coil when at least one of the inside temperature of the refrigerator and the ambient temperature is greater than the predetermined reference temperature value; and
a switching unit for selecting the main winding coil of the linear motor or the auxiliary winding coil on the basis of the control signal,
wherein the main winding coil of the linear motor is divided into a plurality of auxiliary winding coils, load capacity is determined based on at least one of the inside temperature of the refrigerator and the ambient temperature, and the control unit controls the amount of currents flowing into the winding coil of the linear motor by computing the generated control signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit generates the control signal for selecting the winding coil of the linear motor or the auxiliary winding coil when a voltage applied to the linear motor is varied.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit generates the control signal for selecting the main winding coil of the linear motor or the auxiliary winding coil in order to control the amount of currents flowing into the winding coil of the linear motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching unit is a relay.

### Claim 5

A method for controlling an operation of a compressor comprising:
applying power to a main winding coil of a linear motor of a compressor installed at a refrigerator when an inside temperature of the refrigerator is the same as or smaller than the predetermined reference temperature value or to an auxiliary winding coil of the linear motor when the inside temperature of the refrigerator is greater than the predetermined reference temperature value,
wherein the main winding coil of the linear motor is divided into a plurality of auxiliary winding coils.