Refrigerator and control method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11754336-B2
Application number	US-202117350551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2021
Priority date	Mar 24, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

A control method for controlling a refrigerator includes a first step for driving a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and a fan for moving air, a second step for driving the compressor and stopping the fan, a third step for stopping the compressor and driving the fan, and a fourth step for stopping the compressor and the fan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control method for a refrigerator comprising:
a first step of driving a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and a fan for moving air;
a second step of driving the compressor and stopping the fan;
a third step of stopping the compressor and driving the fan; and
a fourth step of stopping the compressor and the fan,
wherein a temperature of a refrigerating compartment descends in the first step, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment ascends in the second step, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment descends in the third step, and the temperature of the refrigerating compartment ascends in the fourth step, the first step to the fourth step are performed in due order, and a temperature change range of the first step includes temperature change ranges of the second step, the third step, and the fourth step,
wherein the second step ends when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment reaches a temperature that is above a setup temperature and that is obtained by adding a second setup difference value to the setup temperature.

2. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the first step starts when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment reaches a temperature obtained by adding a first setup difference value to a setup temperature.

3. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the first step ends when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment reaches a temperature obtained by subtracting a first setup difference value from a setup temperature.

4. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the second setup difference value is increased if an external temperature of the refrigerator is increased.

5. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the first step starts when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment reaches a temperature obtained by adding a first setup difference value to the setup temperature, and the second setup difference value is smaller than the first setup difference value.

6. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the third step ends when a temperature of an evaporator reaches a specific temperature.

7. The control method of claim 6 , wherein the temperature of the evaporator is measured in a pipe through, which the refrigerant enters the evaporator, or at one side of the evaporator.

8. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the third step ends when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment reaches a temperature obtained by subtracting a first setup difference value to a setup temperature.

9. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the fourth step ends when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment reaches a temperature obtained by adding a first setup difference value to a setup temperature.

10. The control method of claim 1 , wherein an end condition of the fourth step is equal to a start condition of the first step.

11. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature change range of the first step is equal to a temperature change range of the fourth step.

12. The control method of claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the refrigerator when the second step ends is lower than a temperature of the refrigerator when the first step starts.

13. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the setup temperature is set by a user.

14. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the setup temperature is a value that a user sets to maintain as the temperature of the refrigerating compartment.

15. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the second step starts when the temperature of the refrigerating compartment is below the setup temperature.

16. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the setup temperature is above 0.

17. A control method for a refrigerator comprising:
a first step of driving a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and a fan for moving air;
a second step of driving the compressor and stopping the fan;
a third step of stopping the compressor and driving the fan; and
a fourth step of stopping the compressor and the fan,
wherein a temperature of a refrigerating compartment descends in the first step, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment ascends in the second step, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment descends in the third step, and the temperature of the refrigerating compartment ascends in the fourth step, the first step to the fourth step are performed in due order, and a temperature change range of the first step includes temperature change ranges of the second step, the third step, and the fourth step,
wherein the second step is performed and ends for a first setup time, and
wherein the first setup time is increased if an external temperature of the refrigerator is increased.

18. A control method for a refrigerator comprising:
a first step of driving a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and a fan for moving air;
a second step of driving the compressor and stopping the fan;
a third step of stopping the compressor and driving the fan; and
a fourth step of stopping the compressor and the fan,
wherein a temperature of a refrigerating compartment descends in the first step, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment ascends in the second step, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment descends in the third step, and the temperature of the refrigerating compartment ascends in the fourth step, the first step to the fourth step are performed in due order, and a temperature change range of the first step includes temperature change ranges of the second step, the third step, and the fourth step,
wherein the third step is performed and ends for a second setup time, and
wherein the third step is performed until a temperature of an evaporator does not reach a temperature above 0.

19. The control method of claim 18 , wherein the second setup time is increased when an external temperature of the refrigerator is increased.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Namgyo
• Kim Jindong
• Cho Yonghyeon
• Kang Sunghee
• Im Jihyun

Classifications

• F25D29/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D29/005 Primary

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• F25B49/022

  Compressor control arrangements · CPC title

• F25B2600/0251

  with on-off operation · CPC title

• F25B2600/112

  of evaporator fans · CPC title