REFRIGERATOR AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20190331393A1
• Filed: 12/06/2017
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Donghyoung, KIM, Kihwang, SHIN, Daesig, KANG, Sunghee, CHO, Yonghyeon
• Granted Patent: US 11,022,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/02 with cooling compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/045 Air flow control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/065 with compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/067 Evaporator fan units
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0666 from the freezer
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2600/02 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2600/06 Controlling according to a predetermined profile
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices

Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator including a main body forming a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber each including a temperature sensor, a cooling unit having a compressor and an evaporator accommodated inside the main body and driven to circulate a refrigerant in the compressor and the evaporator to generate cold air around the evaporator, a fan positioned inside the main body to supply the cold air to the freezing chamber, a damper positioned between the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber and opened and closed to allow the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to selectively communicate with each other, and a controller controlling the damper for a predetermined damper opening time when a temperature of the freezing chamber reaches a freezing satisfaction temperature according to driving of the cooling unit. A temperature change of the refrigerating chamber over time may be reduced and power consumption may be improved.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body forming a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber each including a temperature sensor;

a cooling unit having a compressor and an evaporator accommodated inside the main body and driven to circulate a refrigerant in the compressor and the evaporator to generate cold air around the evaporator;

a fan positioned inside the main body to supply the cold air to the freezing chamber;

a damper positioned between the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber and opened and closed to allow the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to selectively communicate with each other; and

a controller controlling the damper for a predetermined damper opening time when a temperature of the freezing chamber reaches a freezing satisfaction temperature according to driving of the cooling unit.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein

when the temperature of the freezing chamber reaches the freezing satisfaction temperature according to driving of the cooling unit, the controller further drives the cooling unit for a predetermined additional driving time.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein

the controller actuates the fan for the damper opening time and the additional driving time is set to be shorter than the damper opening time.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein

the controller drives the cooling unit for the damper opening time by reducing a load of the cooling unit to be smaller than that before the temperature of the freezing chamber reaches the freezing satisfaction temperature.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein

the controller actuates the fan for the damper opening time at a rotation speed lower than that before the temperature of the freezing chamber reaches the freezing satisfaction temperature.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein

when a temperature of the refrigerating chamber is higher than a refrigerating satisfaction temperature during the driving of the cooling unit, the controller drives the cooling unit by a load value lower than that when the temperature of the refrigerating chamber is lower than the refrigerating satisfaction temperature.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein

when a temperature of the refrigerating chamber is higher than a refrigerating satisfaction temperature in a state in which the cooling unit is driven, the controller actuates the fan at a rotation speed lower than that when the temperature of the refrigerating chamber is lower than the refrigerating satisfaction temperature.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein

when the temperature of the freezing chamber is higher than a freezing dissatisfaction temperature, the controller drives the cooling unit, and when a predetermined fan delay time has lapsed, the controller actuates the fan and opens the damper.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein

when the temperature of the freezing chamber is higher than a refrigerating dissatisfaction temperature, the controller drives the cooling unit, and when a predetermined fan delay time has lapsed, the controller actuates the fan and opens the damper.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein

the controller opens the damper when a predetermined damper delay time has lapsed after the actuation of the fan.

16. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein

the controller opens the damper when a predetermined damper delay time has lapsed after the actuation of the fan.

11. A method for controlling a temperature of a refrigerator which includes a cooling unit generating and supplying cold air and cools a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber configured to communicate with each other, the method comprising:

cooling the freezing chamber by the cooling unit in a state in which the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber are isolated; and

when a temperature of the freezing chamber reaches a freezing satisfaction temperature, allowing the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to communicate with each other for a predetermined communication time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein,

in the communicating, the cooling unit is driven for a predetermined additional driving time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

the cooling unit is driven by a load smaller than that in the cooling of the freezing chamber for the predetermined additional driving time.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

cooling the refrigerating chamber before the cooling of the freezing chamber,

wherein the cooling unit is driven in the cooling of the refrigerating chamber by a load smaller than that in the cooling of the freezing chamber.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

cooling the refrigerating chamber before the cooling of the freezing chamber,

wherein, in the cooling of the refrigerating chamber, when a predetermined time has lapsed since the cooling unit started to be driven, the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber communicate with each other.