Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449193-B2
Application number	US-202118021799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2021
Priority date	Aug 19, 2020
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a first storage compartment, a heat source, a cold source, a water molecule freezing preventing device, and a controller configured to perform a first operation based on a first notch temperature for a first cooling operation, a second operation based on a second notch temperature for a heating operation, and a third operation based on a third notch temperature for a second cooling operation. The second notch temperature is higher than 0° C., and the third notch temperature is higher than the first notch temperature. Accordingly, it may be 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 the third notch temperature is higher than the first notch temperature.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the cold source includes an evaporator to perform heat exchange using a refrigerant compressed by a compressor.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the cold source includes a fan operated to supply cold generated by the heat exchange at the evaporator to the first storage compartment.

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

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 operation mode.

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein an output of the water molecule freezing preventing device during execution of the first operation is zero.

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 controller is configured to perform a fourth operation based on a fourth notch temperature for another heating operation of the first storage compartment.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , 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 13 , 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 13 , 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 13 , 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 13 , 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.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Heungsik

Classifications

• A23B2/805

  Materials not being transported through or in the apparatus with or without shaping, e.g. in the form of powders, granules or flakes · CPC title

• A23B2/82

  Thawing subsequent to freezing · CPC title

• A23B2/001

  Details of apparatus, e.g. pressure feed valves or for transport, or loading or unloading manipulation · CPC title

• F25D2600/04

  Controlling heat transfer · CPC title

• F25D2400/02

  Refrigerators including a heater · CPC title