Refrigerator and method of operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11067323-B2
Application number	US-201816027820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2018
Priority date	Jul 5, 2017
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a first freezing cycle in which a first refrigerant circulates and having a first compressor, a first condenser, at least one first expansion mechanism, and at least one first evaporator, the first freezing cycle configured to cool freezing and refrigerating compartments, a freezing compartment sensor, a refrigerating compartment sensor, a second freezing cycle in which a second mixed refrigerant having a lower evaporation temperature than the first refrigerant circulates and having a second compressor, a second condenser, a second expansion mechanism, and a second evaporator, the second freezing cycle configured to cool a deep freezing compartment, a deep freezing compartment sensor, and a controller configured to operate the first freezing cycle and the second freezing cycle independently or simultaneously, thereby more efficiently cooling the freezing and refrigerating compartments and the deep freezing compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a first freezing cycle in which a first refrigerant circulates, the first freezing cycle having a first compressor, a first condenser, at least one first capillary tube, and at least one first evaporator, the first freezing cycle being configured to cool a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment;
a freezing compartment sensor configured to sense the freezing compartment temperature;
a refrigerating compartment sensor configured to sense the refrigerating compartment temperature;
a second freezing cycle in which a second refrigerant circulates, the second freezing cycle having a second compressor, a second condenser, a second capillary tube, and a second evaporator, the second freezing cycle being configured to cool a deep freezing compartment, the second refrigerant being a mixed refrigerant having a lower evaporation temperature than the first refrigerant;
a deep freezing compartment sensor configured to sense the deep freezing compartment temperature, the deep freezing compartment temperature being lower than the freezing compartment temperature;
a freezing compartment damper provided in a freezing compartment circulation passage between the deep freezing compartment and the freezing compartment and configured to open and close the freezing compartment circulation passage; and
a refrigerating compartment damper provided in a refrigerating compartment circulation passage between the deep freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment and configured to open and close the refrigerating compartment circulation pas sage,
a controller configured to perform one of;
(i) independently operate the first freezing cycle according to the refrigerating compartment temperature and the freezing compartment temperature; and the second freezing cycle according to the deep freezing compartment temperature and close the freezing compartment damper and the refrigerating compartment damper when a simultaneous operation condition is not satisfied,
(ii) simultaneously operate the first freezing cycle and the second freezing cycle and open at least one of the freezing compartment damper or the refrigerating compartment damper when a simultaneous operation condition is satisfied.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of the deep freezing compartment is less than or equal to a volume of the freezing compartment.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of the deep freezing compartment is less than a volume of the refrigerating compartment.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first barrier that partitions the freezing compartment and the deep freezing compartment from the refrigerating compartment; and
a second barrier that partitions the deep freezing compartment from the freezing compartment.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a deep freezing fan configured to circulate air between the deep freezing compartment and the second evaporator.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein, when at least one of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment is in a load coping condition, the simultaneous operation condition is satisfied, and the controller performs the simultaneous operation of the first and second freezing cycles, wherein the load coping condition occurs when a temperature of at least one of the freezing compartment or the refrigerating compartment rises by a predetermined amount within a predetermined amount of time.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein, when at least one of the freezing compartment temperature and the refrigerating compartment temperature is in an upper limit condition, the simultaneous operation condition is satisfied, and the controller performs the simultaneous operation of the first and second freezing cycles.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein, when a rapid cooling command is input through an input, the simultaneous operation condition is satisfied, and the controller performs the simultaneous operation of the first and second freezing cycles.

9. A method of operating a refrigerator including a first freezing cycle in which a first refrigerant circulates and having a first compressor, a first condenser, at least one first capillary tube, and at least one first evaporator and configured to cool a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, and a second freezing cycle in which a second refrigerant circulates and having a second compressor, a second condenser, a second capillary tube, and a second evaporator and configured to cool a deep freezing compartment, the second refrigerant being a mixed refrigerant having a lower evaporation temperature than the first refrigerant, the deep freezing compartment temperature being lower than a freezing compartment temperature,
a freezing compartment damper provided in a freezing compartment circulation passage between the deep freezing compartment and the freezing compartment, the freezing compartment damper configured to open and close the freezing compartment circulation passage, and
a refrigerating compartment damper provided in a refrigerating compartment circulation passage between the deep freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, the refrigerating compartment damper configured to open and close the refrigerating compartment circulation passage,
the method comprising:
when a simultaneous operation condition is not satisfied, performing a first operation mode in which the first freezing cycle and the second freezing cycle are operated independently from one another and closing the freezing compartment damper and the refrigerating compartment damper; and
when the simultaneous operation condition is satisfied, performing a second operation mode in which the first freezing cycle and the second freezing cycle are operated simultaneously and opening at least one of the freezing compartment damper or the refrigerating compartment damper.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first operation mode includes operating the first freezing cycle according to at least one of a freezing compartment temperature and a refrigerating compartment temperature and operating the second freezing cycle according to a deep freezing compartment temperature.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the simultaneous operation condition is satisfied when at least one of a freezing compartment or a refrigerating compartment is in a load coping condition.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the simultaneous operation condition is satisfied when at least one of a freezing compartment temperature or a refrigerating compartment temperature is in an upper limit condition.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the simultaneous operation condition is satisfied when a rapid cooling command is input through an input.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Sul Heayoun
• Oh Minkyu
• Lim Hyoungkeun

Classifications

• F25D2700/122

  of freezer compartments · CPC title

• F25D2700/121

  of particular compartments · CPC title

• F25D2400/28

  Quick cooling · CPC title

• F25D29/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D23/12

  Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove · CPC title