Linear compressor and control method thereof

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(11)

EP 1 486 670 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	15.03.2006 Bulletin 2006/11

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	15.12.2004 Bulletin 2004/51

(21)	Application number: 04250885.3

(22)	Date of filing: 19.02.2004

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International Patent Classification (IPC):

F04B 35/04^(2006.01)

F04B 49/06^(2006.01)

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK

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Priority:

11.06.2003 KR 2003037589

(71)	Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
	Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do (KR)

(72)	Inventor:
	Kim, Hyo-suk Taean-eup Hwasung city Kyungki-do (KR)

(74)	Representative: Davies, Robert Ean et al
	Appleyard Lees, 15 Clare Road Halifax HX1 2HY Halifax HX1 2HY (GB)

(54)	Linear compressor and control method thereof

(57) Disclosed is a linear compressor having a core (4) combined to one end of a piston to detect a position of the piston reciprocally moving up and down. A first sensor coil (2a) and a second sensor coil (2b) detect the position of the core (4). The core has an upper core (4a) having a length shorter than one half of the length of the first sensor coil and a lower core (4b) having a length shorter than one half of the length of the second sensor coil in series. Also disclosed is a method of controlling the operation of the linear compressor including timing the upper core and the lower core driven by the piston through a stroke cycle, receiving the time and calculating a top dead center position based on the time or an offset value respectively, and controlling a piston stroke by varying the power driving the linear compressor according to the calculated top dead center or offset value.

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