Refrigerator and controlling method thereof
First Claim
1. A refrigerator, comprising:
- an inner case having a storage chamber;
a cover plate provided at a rear portion of the inner case, wherein the storage chamber is formed at a front side of the cover plate;
an evaporator that is provided in a space formed at a rear side of the cover plate, the evaporator including a refrigerant pipe and cooling fins;
a sensor mounting area provided at the inner case;
a reflective plate provided opposite the sensor mounting area such that the refrigerant pipe and the cooling fins are disposed between the sensor mounting area and the reflective plate;
a heater that provides heat for defrosting the evaporator;
a frost sensor that is configured to sense an amount of frost on the evaporator, the frost sensor including;
a sound-source transmitter that generates a sound-source of a first volume to the evaporator, the sound-source transmitter being installed at the sensor mounting area;
a sound-source receiver that receives a sound-source of a second volume formed after the sound-source transmitted by the sound-source transmitter reflects from or passes through the evaporator, the sound-source receiver being installed at the sensor mounting area; and
a controller that controls the heater to generate heat, when the difference between the first volume and the second volume reaches a predetermined value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A refrigerator including a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion unit that constitute a refrigeration cycle, an evaporator that evaporates a refrigerant that has passed through the expansion unit, a heater that provides heat for defrosting the evaporator, and a frost sensor that is provided at one side of the evaporator to sense the amount of frost on the evaporator, the frost sensor including a sound-source transmitter that generates a sound-source of a first volume to the evaporator, and a sound-source receiver that receives a sound-source of a second volume formed after the sound-source transmitted by the sound-source transmitter reflects from or passes through the evaporator, and a controller that controls the heater to generate heat, when the difference between the first volume and the second volume reaches a predetermined volume.
29 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A refrigerator, comprising:
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an inner case having a storage chamber; a cover plate provided at a rear portion of the inner case, wherein the storage chamber is formed at a front side of the cover plate; an evaporator that is provided in a space formed at a rear side of the cover plate, the evaporator including a refrigerant pipe and cooling fins; a sensor mounting area provided at the inner case; a reflective plate provided opposite the sensor mounting area such that the refrigerant pipe and the cooling fins are disposed between the sensor mounting area and the reflective plate; a heater that provides heat for defrosting the evaporator; a frost sensor that is configured to sense an amount of frost on the evaporator, the frost sensor including; a sound-source transmitter that generates a sound-source of a first volume to the evaporator, the sound-source transmitter being installed at the sensor mounting area; a sound-source receiver that receives a sound-source of a second volume formed after the sound-source transmitted by the sound-source transmitter reflects from or passes through the evaporator, the sound-source receiver being installed at the sensor mounting area; and a controller that controls the heater to generate heat, when the difference between the first volume and the second volume reaches a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification