Frost detecting apparatus, and cooling system and refrigerator having the same
First Claim
1. A frost detecting apparatus comprising:
- a first electrode to generate an electric field in a frost detection region;
a second electrode to prevent the electric field from leaking into a frost non-detection region;
an insulator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, to insulate the first electrode; and
a shield arranged around an exposed portion of the insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking into the frost non-detection region through the exposed portion of the insulator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A frost detecting apparatus including a first electrode to generate an electric field in a frost detection region, a second electrode to prevent the electric field from leaking into a frost non-detection region, an insulator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, to insulate the first electrode, and a shield arranged around an exposed portion of the insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking into the frost non-detection region through the exposed portion of the insulator. As the same potential is established at the first and second electrodes, it is possible to prevent electric field from leaking into a frost non-detection region through side surfaces of the first electrode. Accordingly, the electric field is varied only by frost formed in a frost detection region, so that it is possible to more accurately detect formation of frost and the amount of the formed frost.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A frost detecting apparatus comprising:
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a first electrode to generate an electric field in a frost detection region; a second electrode to prevent the electric field from leaking into a frost non-detection region; an insulator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, to insulate the first electrode; and a shield arranged around an exposed portion of the insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking into the frost non-detection region through the exposed portion of the insulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A frost detecting apparatus comprising:
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a first electrode to generate an electric field in a frost detection region; a shield laterally arranged around the first electrode such that the shield surrounds the first electrode while being insulated from the first electrode, to prevent the electric field from leaking into a frost non-detection region through a side surface of the first electrode; an insulator arranged in contact with a back surface of the first electrode and a back surface of the shield; and a second electrode arranged in contact with a back surface of the insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking into the frost non-detection region through the back surface of the first insulator. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A frost detecting apparatus comprising:
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a plate-shaped first electrode to generate an electric field in a frost detection region; a plate-shaped first insulator arranged in contact with a back surface of the first electrode; a plate-shaped second electrode arranged in contact with the first insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking through the back surface of the first electrode; a plate-shaped second insulator arranged in contact with a back surface of the second electrode; and a shield to prevent the electric field from leaking through a side surface of the first insulator, wherein the shield is formed to laterally surround the first insulator. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A cooling system comprising an evaporator mounted with a first cooling fin and a second cooling fin, further comprising:
a frost detecting apparatus comprising a first electrode arranged to face the first cooling fin, the first electrode generating an electric field in a region between the first electrode and the first cooling fin, to detect formation of frost, a first insulator arranged at a back surface of the first electrode, a second electrode arranged at a back surface of the first insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking toward the second cooling fin, a second insulator arranged in contact with the second cooling fin, to insulate the second cooling fin from the second electrode, and a shield arranged around an exposed portion of the first insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking toward the second cooling fin through the exposed portion of the first insulator. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A refrigerator comprising an evaporator mounted with a first cooling fin and a second cooling fin, further comprising:
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a frost detecting apparatus comprising a first electrode arranged to face the first cooling fin, the first electrode generating an electric field, a first insulator arranged at a back surface of the first electrode, a second electrode arranged at a back surface of the first insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking toward the second cooling fin, a second insulator to insulate the second cooling fin from the second electrode, a shield arranged around an outer peripheral surface of the first insulator, to prevent the electric field from leaking toward the second cooling fin through the outer peripheral surface of the first insulator, and an insulating gap to insulate the shield and the first electrode from each other. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification