Abstract: Linear generators with a piston having a valve are described herein. The linear generator includes a combustion module and at least one linear motor. The linear motor includes at least one piston having: a piston head with an opening therein; a piston skirt opposed to the piston head; a piston side wall extending between the piston head and the piston skirt, the piston side wall having at least one port therein. The piston also includes a valve mechanism movable relative to each of the piston head, the piston seat and the piston side wall. The valve mechanism includes a valve stem extending through the piston skirt and the interior piston volume into a mover shaft of the motor, and a valve head coupled to the valve stem and configured to cover the opening of the piston head.

Abstract: Example linear motors, linear compressors, and methods to assemble linear motors and linear compressors are described. An example linear motor includes a stator drive assembly and a mover drive assembly. The stator drive assembly includes a series of stator segments, each stator segment stackable on top of one another, and one or more stator alignment features to align the stator segments with a linear motor axis. The mover drive assembly includes one or more mover segments to be driven to move along the linear motor axis when induced by an electric current running through the series of stator segments. Such a linear motor may form part of an example linear compressor.