Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12385683-B2
Application number	US-202117360531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2021
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator comprising: a cabinet having a storage chamber; a door for opening or closing the storage chamber; a case in which an inlet through which air flows from the storage chamber and an outlet through which the air is discharged to the storage chamber are formed; an evaporator provided inside the case for exchanging heat with the air to supply cool air; and a differential pressure sensor provided inside the case.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a storage compartment;
a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage compartment;
an inlet configured to receive air from the storage compartment, the inlet being disposed rearward relative to a rear surface of the storage compartment;
an outlet configured to discharge air to the storage compartment, the outlet being disposed rearward relative to the rear surface of the storage compartment and disposed higher than the inlet;
a fan configured to generate air flow to cause air to enter the inlet and discharge through the outlet, the fan being configured to generate the air flow in an upward direction from the inlet to the outlet;
an evaporator that is located at the cabinet, that is configured to exchange heat with air, and that is configured to supply cool air to the storage compartment, the evaporator being arranged below the outlet and above the inlet; and
a differential pressure sensor located at the cabinet and configured to produce a single value representing a differential pressure between two positions that are connected via pipes, the pipes comprising:
a first pipe that defines a first through-hole between the evaporator and the inlet, and
a second pipe that defines a second through-hole between the evaporator and the outlet,

wherein the first pipe or the second pipe comprises a first expansion part that extends from an end of a corresponding pipe of the first pipe or the second pipe,
wherein a lower part of the first expansion part defines the first through-hole or the second through-hole at a side surface of the corresponding pipe,
wherein a diameter of the first expansion part increases toward a lower end of the first expansion part, and
wherein the differential pressure sensor is configured to calculate the differential pressure between the two positions without measuring absolute pressure values at the two positions.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the differential pressure sensor is a single pressure sensor that is provided in the refrigerator to sense the differential pressure between the first through-hole and the second through-hole.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the differential pressure sensor is installed in a space in which air, that has passed through the storage compartment, is cooled by the evaporator, and
wherein the differential pressure sensor is configured to sense a difference in pressure between the air passing through the first through-hole and the air passing the second through-hole.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the first through-hole and the second through-hole are installed at different heights.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first expansion part comprises a second expansion part that extends from the lower part of the first expansion part, and
wherein a diameter of the second expansion part increases toward a lower end of the second expansion part.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein a lower part of the second expansion part lacks a hole that allows air to move upward from the lower part of the second expansion part.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the second expansion part extends radially outward of the first expansion part.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein a sectional area of the lower end of the second expansion part is greater than a sectional area of the lower end of the first expansion part.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a case that is disposed rearward relative to the rear surface of the storage compartment and that extends upward along the rear surface of the storage compartment, the case defining the inlet and the outlet,
wherein the fan and the evaporator are disposed in the case.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the side surface of the corresponding pipe is a circumferential surface of the first expansion part and extends in a longitudinal direction of the corresponding pipe.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the differential pressure sensor further comprises a cover that covers the lower end of the first expansion part.

12. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a storage compartment;
a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage compartment;
an inlet configured to receive air from the storage compartment, the inlet being disposed rearward relative to a rear surface of the storage compartment;
an outlet configured to discharge air to the storage compartment, the outlet being disposed rearward relative to the rear surface of the storage compartment and disposed higher than the inlet;
a fan configured to generate air flow to cause air to enter the inlet and discharge through the outlet, the fan being configured to generate the air flow in an upward direction from the inlet to the outlet;
an evaporator that is located at the cabinet, that is configured to exchange heat with air, and that is configured to supply cool air to the storage compartment, the evaporator being arranged below the outlet and above the inlet;
a differential pressure sensor located at the cabinet and configured to produce a single value representing a differential pressure between two positions that are connected via a pipe;
a heater located at the cabinet; and
a controller configured to control the refrigerator,
wherein the controller is configured to control driving of the heater to defrost the evaporator based on the differential pressure sensed by the differential pressure sensor, and
wherein the differential pressure sensor is configured to calculate the differential pressure between the two positions without measuring absolute pressure values at the two positions, the two positions including (i) a position between the evaporator and the inlet and (ii) a position between the evaporator and the outlet,
wherein the differential pressure sensor comprises:
a first pipe that defines a first through-hole between the evaporator and the inlet,
a second pipe that defines a second through-hole between the evaporator and the outlet, and
a connection member that is located vertically above the evaporator and connects upper ends of the first pipe and the second pipe to each other, and

wherein the differential pressure sensor is a single pressure sensor that is provided in the refrigerator to sense the differential pressure between the first through-hole and the second through-hole.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , further comprising an evaporator temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the evaporator,
wherein the controller is configured to:
drive the heater to defrost the evaporator, and
stop driving of the heater in response to the measured temperature of the evaporator being increased to a set temperature.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , further comprising a door switch configured to sense whether the door opens and closes at least a portion of the storage compartment,
wherein the controller is configured to, based on the door switch sensing that the door closes at least a portion of the storage compartment, control the differential pressure sensor to sense a difference in air pressure, or control a flow sensor to sense a flow rate.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to, based on the fan being driven, control the differential pressure sensor to sense a difference in air pressure, or control a flow sensor to sense a flow rate.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Sangbok
• Eom Yonghwan
• Park Kyongbae
• Heo Juyeong
• Han Cholok
• Kim Sungwook
• Baik Wookyung

Classifications

• F25D2700/121

  of particular compartments · CPC title

• F25D2317/0672

  Outlet ducts · CPC title

• F25D2317/063

  with air guides · CPC title

• F25D17/08

  using ducts · CPC title

• G01L27/007

  Malfunction diagnosis, i.e. diagnosing a sensor defect · CPC title