Refrigerator and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10947098-B2
Application number	US-201715475729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a refrigerator capable of producing carbonated water and a control method thereof. The refrigerator includes a carbonated water tank to store carbonated water a carbon dioxide gas supply valve to open/close a carbon dioxide gas flow path to guide carbon dioxide gas from a carbon dioxide gas cylinder to the carbonated water tank, and a carbonated water tank pressure sensor to detect an internal pressure of the carbonated water tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a body including an opening and a storage chamber configured to store food;
at least one door coupled to the body to open and close the opening;
a display provided on the at least one door;
a water tank provided in the storage chamber and configured to store water; and
a carbonated water production module including:
a carbonated water tank provided on the at least one door and configured to store carbonated water;
a carbon dioxide gas cylinder storing carbon dioxide gas;
a water supply flow path fluidly coupling the water tank to the carbonated water tank;
a carbon dioxide gas supply flow path fluidly coupling the carbon dioxide gas cylinder to the carbonated water tank and to output a pressure signal corresponding to the detected internal pressure;
a carbonated water tank pressure sensor controllable to detect an internal pressure in the carbonated water tank;
a water supply valve controllable to open/close the water supply flow path to provide the water from the water tank to the carbonated water tank;
a carbon dioxide gas supply valve configured to open/close the carbon dioxide gas supply flow path to provide carbon dioxide gas from the carbon dioxide gas cylinder to the carbonated water tank;
a carbon dioxide gas discharge valve controllable to discharge carbon dioxide gas from the carbonated water tank; and
a controller configured to control the water supply valve and the carbon dioxide gas supply valve to open in sequence to produce carbonated water in the carbonated water tank,

wherein, the controller is configured to control the display to display an abnormality in at least one of the carbon dioxide gas supply valve and the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve based on the pressure signal outputted by the carbonated water tank pressure sensor, while the carbonated water is produced.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein:
in response to the carbonated water tank pressure sensor detecting that the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank is lower than a minimum pressure, the controller is configured to control the carbon dioxide gas supply valve to open until the carbonated water tank pressure sensor detects that the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank is equal to or higher than the minimum pressures,
in response to the carbonated water tank pressure sensor detecting that the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank is higher than a maximum pressure, the controller is configured to control the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve to open so that the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank is equal to or lower than the maximum pressure.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein
the controller is configured to control the display to warn against changing the carbon dioxide gas cylinder when the carbonated water is being produced and the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank is lower than a reference pressure after the carbon dioxide gas is supplied.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein
the controller controls the display to display an abnormality in the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve or the carbon dioxide gas supply valve based on a control signal that is provided to the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve and the pressure signal outputted by the carbonated water tank pressure sensor while the carbonated water is produced.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 wherein
the controller controls the display to display an abnormality in the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve in response to the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank being higher than atmospheric pressure after an open valve signal is provided by the controller to the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve.

6. The refrigerator of claim 4 wherein,
the controller controls the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve to open in response to the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank being the same as atmospheric pressure after an open valve signal is provided by the controller to the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein
the controller controls the display to display an abnormality in the carbon dioxide gas discharge valve or the carbon dioxide gas supply valve based on a control signal that is provided by the controller to the carbon dioxide gas supply valve and a pressure signal outputted by the carbonated water tank pressure sensor while the carbonated water is produced.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein
the controller controls the display to display an abnormality in the carbon dioxide gas supply valve in response to the carbonated water tank pressure sensor detecting that the internal pressure of the carbonated water tank is not increased after the controller provides an open valve signal to the carbon dioxide gas supply valve.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• An Jae Koog
• Hwang Kyung Ho
• Kyong Yong Soo
• Lee Jea Won
• Lee Jong Ho

Classifications

• F25D2331/806

  Dispensers · CPC title

• F25D31/002

  Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler (receptacle coolers F25D31/006) · CPC title

• B67D1/0884

  Means for controlling the parameters of the state of the liquid to be dispensed, e.g. temperature, pressure · CPC title

• B67D1/0057

  Carbonators · CPC title

• B01F23/2363

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams; Arrangements, e.g. comprising controlling means · CPC title