Method for controlling refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12331982-B2
Application number	US-202017433958-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2020
Priority date	Feb 28, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A method for controlling a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, when the temperature of a freezing chamber is in a satisfactory temperature range, and a deep-freezing chamber mode is turned on such that a deep-freezing chamber cooling operation is being performed, the refrigerator is controlled to perform a cold air sagging prevention operation in which a fan of the freezing chamber repeatedly starts and stops at regular intervals.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a refrigerating compartment;
a freezing compartment that is partitioned from the refrigerating compartment;
a deep freezing compartment accommodated in the freezing compartment and partitioned from the freezing compartment, a temperature of the deep freezing compartment being lower than a temperature of the freezing compartment;
a thermoelectric module to cool the deep freezing compartment to a temperature less than that of the freezing compartment;
a refrigerating compartment evaporator to cool the refrigerating compartment;
a heat sink connected in parallel to the refrigerating compartment evaporator and in which refrigerant flows;
a freezing compartment evaporator in parallel to the refrigerating compartment evaporator and connected in series with the heat sink to a discharge side of the heat sink such that refrigerant passing through the heat sink flows into the freezing compartment evaporator;
a freezing compartment fan to blow air within the freezing compartment to forcibly flow; and
a controller configured to:
determine a temperature within the deep freezing compartment,
determine a temperature within the freezing compartment,
control driving of the freezing compartment fan, and
wherein the thermoelectric module includes:
a thermoelectric element having a heat absorption surface and a heat dissipation surface;
a cold sink connected to the heat absorption surface and exposed to the deep freezing compartment;
a deep freezing compartment fan provided in front of the cold sink to circulate cold air inside the deep freezing compartment,
wherein the heat sink is in contact with the heat dissipation surface of the thermoelectric element,
wherein the controller is configured to perform a cold air sagging prevention operation in which the freezing compartment fan is repeatedly driven and stopped in response to two conditions being met:
(i) the temperature of the freezing compartment is in a satisfactory temperature range and thereby the freezing compartment fan is stopped; and
(ii) a deep freezing compartment cooling operation is performed in an unsatisfactory temperature region of the deep freezing compartment.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cold air sagging prevention operation comprises the controller configured to set a stopping time of the freezing compartment fan to be longer than a driving time of the freezing compartment fan.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein, in the state in which the deep freezing compartment mode is turned on, when the controller determines that at least one of below is satisfied:
a state in which an operation of the freezing compartment is not performed,
a state in which a freezing compartment door is opened,
a case in which an elapsing time after the operation of the freezing compartment starts is within a first set time, or
a case in which an elapsing time after the freezing compartment door is closed is within a second set time,
the controller is configured to stop or maintain a stopped state of the freezing compartment fan.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein, in the state in which the deep freezing compartment mode is turned off, when the controller determines that at least one of below is satisfied:
a state in which an operation of the freezing compartment is not performed,
a state in which a freezing compartment door is opened,
a case in which an elapsing time after the operation of the freezing compartment starts is within a first set time, or
a case in which an elapsing time after the freezing compartment door is closed is within a second set time,
the controller is configured to stop or maintain a stopped state of the freezing compartment fan.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the cold air sagging prevention operation comprises the controller configured to set a ratio of the driving time and the stopping time of the freezing compartment fan differently according to room temperature, the room temperature being a temperature of a space at which the refrigerator is installed.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the higher the room temperature, the shorter the stopping time of the freezing compartment fan is set.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein, in the state in which the deep freezing compartment mode is turned on, when the controller determines that a second set time has elapsed after a freezing compartment door is closed, and a first set time has elapsed after an operation of the freezing compartment starts,
the controller is configured to drive the freezing compartment fan, and
a driving speed of the freezing compartment fan is set differently according to room temperature, the room temperature being a temperature of a space at which the refrigerator is installed.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein, when the room temperature is determined to be in a high temperature region, among a low speed, a medium speed and a high speed of the freezing compartment fan, the speed of the freezing compartment fan is set to the high speed, and
when the room temperature is determined not to be in the high temperature region, the speed of the freezing compartment fan is set to the medium speed.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein, while the freezing compartment fan rotates at the high or medium speed, when the controller determines that the temperature of the freezing compartment has entered a satisfactory temperature region, the speed is changed at the low speed and is stopped after being further driven for a third set time.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein, in the state in which the deep freezing compartment mode is turned off, when the controller determines that a second set time has elapsed after a freezing compartment door is closed, and a first set time has elapsed after an operation of the freezing compartment starts,
the controller is configured to drive the freezing compartment fan, and
a driving speed of the freezing compartment fan is set differently according to room temperature, the room temperature being a temperature of a space at which the refrigerator is installed.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein, when the room temperature is determined to be in a high temperature region, among a low speed, a medium speed and a high speed of the freezing compartment fan, the speed of the freezing compartment fan is set to the high speed, and
when the room temperature is determined not to be in the high temperature region, the speed of the freezing compartment fan is set to the medium speed.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein, while the freezing compartment fan rotates at the high or medium speed, when the controller determines that the temperature of the freezing compartment has entered a satisfactory temperature region, the speed is changed to the low speed and is stopped after being further driven for a third set time.

13. A method for controlling a refrigerator by a controller, comprising:
determining a temperature within a deep freezing compartment;
determining a temperature within a freezing compartment, the temperature within the deep freezing compartment being lower than the temperature within the freezing compartment; and
when the temperature of the freezing compartment is in a satisfactory temperature range, and a deep freezing compartment mode is turned on to perform a deep freezing compartment cooling operation, performing a cold air sagging prevention operation in which a freezing compartment fan is repeatedly driven and stopped i

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yun Seokjun
• Lim Hyoungkeun
• Lee Junghun
• Lee Hoyoun

Classifications

• F25D2700/122

  of freezer compartments · CPC title

• F25D2700/02

  Sensors detecting door opening · CPC title

• F25D2600/06

  Controlling according to a predetermined profile · CPC title

• F25D2600/02

  Timing · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title