Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12366406-B2
Application number	US-202118021529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2021
Priority date	Aug 19, 2020
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first storage compartment, a cavity, a heat source, a cold source, a water molecule freezing preventing device, and a controller configured to control an output of at least one of the heat source, the cold source, or the water molecule freezing preventing device, wherein the controller is configured to perform a first operation step to operate based on the first notch temperature for a cooling operation, a second operation step to operate based on a second notch temperature for a heating operation, and a third operation step to operate based on a third notch temperature for the cooling operation, the second notch temperature is higher than 0° C., cold in the first storage chamber increases in the first operation step and the third operation step, and the cold decreases in the second operation step. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently supply the cold or heat until reaching a supercooling maintenance section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a first storage compartment to store goods;
a cavity disposed inside the first storage compartment;
a heat source to supply heat to the cavity;
a cold source to supply cold to the cavity;
a water molecule freezing preventing device to prevent freezing of water contained in the goods; and
a controller configured to control an output of at least one of the heat source, the cold source, or the water molecule freezing preventing device,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
a first operation based on a first notch temperature for a first cooling operation of the first storage compartment,
a second operation based on a second notch temperature for a heating operation of the first storage compartment, and
a third operation based on a third notch temperature for a second cooling operation of the first storage compartment,
wherein the second notch temperature is higher than 0° C., and coldness in the first storage compartment increases in the first operation and the third operation, and the coldness in the first storage compartment decreases in the second operation,
wherein the controller is configured to perform a fourth operation based on a fourth notch temperature for another heating operation of the first storage compartment.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the cold source includes:
an evaporator to perform heat exchange using a refrigerant compressed by a compressor, and
a fan to supply cold generated by the heat exchange at the evaporator to the first storage compartment.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the cold source includes:
a thermoelectric element, and
a fan to supply cold generated by heat exchange at a heat absorption surface of the thermoelectric element to the first storage compartment.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the water molecule freezing preventing device includes at least one of a radio frequency (RF) output device, an electric field output device, a magnetic field output device, and a ultrasound output device.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to change an operation mode of the first storage compartment, and
the operation mode includes at least one of a refrigerating operation mode, a supercooling operation mode, or a thawing mode.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein a notch temperature of the first storage compartment in the refrigerating operation mode is higher than a notch temperature of the first storage compartment in the supercooling operation mode.

7. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein a notch temperature of the first storage compartment in the refrigerating operation mode is lower than a notch temperature of the first storage compartment in the thawing mode.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , comprising a second storage compartment disposed outside the first storage compartment.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein a notch temperature of the second storage compartment is higher than the first notch temperature for the first cooling operation of the first storage compartment and the third notch temperature for the second cooling operation of the first storage compartment.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8 , comprising a third storage compartment,
wherein a notch temperature for the third storage compartment is lower than the first notch temperature for the first cooling operation of the first storage compartment and the third notch temperature for the second cooling operation of the first storage compartment.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control an output of the water molecule freezing preventing device during execution of the second operation to be greater than an output of the water molecule freezing preventing device during execution of the first operation.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control an output of the water molecule freezing preventing device during execution of the third operation to be equal to or greater than an output the water molecule freezing preventing device during execution of the first operation.

13. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the fourth notch temperature is higher than 0° C.

14. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fourth notch temperature to be higher than the second notch temperature when a time elapses from a time when an operation start condition of the second operation is satisfied to a time when an operation end condition of the second operation is satisfied exceeds a predetermined range.

15. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fourth notch temperature to be equal to the second notch temperature when a time elapses from a time when an operation start condition of the second operation is satisfied to a time when an operation end condition of the second operation is satisfied is within a predetermined range.

16. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fourth notch temperature to be lower than the second notch temperature when a time elapses from a time when an operation start condition of the second operation is satisfied to a time when an operation end condition of the second operation is satisfied is less than a predetermined range.

17. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fourth notch temperature to be higher than the second notch temperature when a temperature of the first storage compartment exceeds a predetermined range from a time when an operation start condition of the second operation is satisfied to a time when an operation end condition of the second operation is satisfied.

18. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fourth notch temperature to be equal to the second notch temperature when a temperature of the first storage compartment is within a predetermined range from a time when an operation start condition of the second operation is satisfied to a time when an operation end condition of the second operation is satisfied.

19. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the fourth notch temperature to be lower than the second notch temperature when a temperature of the first storage compartment is less than a predetermined range from a time when an operation start condition of the second operation is satisfied to a time when an operation end condition of the second operation is satisfied.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Heungsik

Classifications

• F25D2600/04

  Controlling heat transfer · CPC title

• F25D21/04

  Preventing the formation of frost or condensate · CPC title

• F25D11/04

  specially adapted for storing deep-frozen articles (F25D11/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D11/02

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• A23B2/80

  Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling · CPC title