Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016265833-A1
Application number	US-201615067413-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 11, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator having a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment, and a third storage compartment. The refrigerator includes a four-way valve including an inlet through which refrigerant is introduced, a plurality of outlets to discharge the refrigerant, and configured to open at least one of the plurality of outlets, a first heat exchanger connected to a first outlet of the plurality of outlets to adjust a temperature of the first storage compartment, a second heat exchanger connected to a second outlet of the plurality of outlets to adjust a temperature of the second storage compartment, and a third heat exchanger connected to the second heat exchanger and a third outlet of the plurality of outlets to receive refrigerant from at least one of the second heat exchanger and the third outlet to adjust a temperature of the third storage compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator comprising a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment, and a third storage compartment, the refrigerator comprising:
a four-way valve including an inlet through which refrigerant is introduced and a plurality of outlets to discharge the refrigerant, and configured to open at least one of the plurality of outlets; a first heat exchanger connected to a first outlet of the plurality of outlets to adjust a temperature of the first storage compartment; a second heat exchanger connected to a second outlet of the plurality of outlets to adjust a temperature of the second storage compartment; and a third heat exchanger connected to the second heat exchanger and a third outlet of the plurality of outlets to receive refrigerant from at least one of the second heat exchanger and the third outlet to adjust a temperature of the third storage compartment.

2 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a temperature of at least one of the first storage compartment, the second storage compartment, and the third storage compartment is independently adjusted.

3 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are connected to each other in parallel.

4 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger are serially connected.

5 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the third heat exchanger is further connected to the first heat exchanger and receives refrigerant from at least one of the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the third outlet to adjust the temperature of the third storage compartment.

6 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first storage compartment, the second storage compartment, and the third storage compartment comprises an alternating-temperature compartment in which a temperature is adjustable within a predetermined range.

7 . The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first storage compartment, the second storage compartment, and the third storage compartment comprises at least one of a refrigerator compartment in which a temperature is adjusted in accordance with a predetermined set temperature and a freezer compartment in which a temperature is adjusted to be lower than the temperature of the refrigerator compartment.

8 . The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the first storage compartment is the refrigerator compartment, the second storage compartment is the alternating-temperature compartment, and the third storage compartment is the freezer compartment.

9 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first storage compartment is a freezer compartment, the second storage compartment is a refrigerator compartment, and the third storage compartment is an alternating-temperature compartment.

10 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first storage compartment is an alternating-temperature compartment, the second storage compartment is a refrigerator compartment, and the third storage compartment is a freezer compartment.

11 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to control the first outlet of the four-way valve to be opened to transfer refrigerant to the first heat exchanger, configured to control the second outlet of the four-way valve to be opened to transfer refrigerant to the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger connected to the second heat exchanger, or configured to control the third outlet of the four-way valve to be opened to transfer refrigerant to the third heat exchanger.

12 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , further comprising a storage compartment temperature measurement unit configured to measure an air temperature of an inner portion of at least one storage compartment of the first storage compartment, the second storage compartment, and the third storage compartment.

13 . The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit opens at least one of the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet in accordance with a temperature of at least one storage compartment of the first storage compartment, the second storage compartment, and the third storage compartment received from the storage compartment temperature measurement unit.

14 . The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the control unit opens the first outlet, and controls the first outlet to be closed and the second outlet to be opened when the temperature of the first storage compartment has reached a set temperature.

15 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit opens at least one of the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet in accordance with time elapsed.

16 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit controls the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet to be opened sequentially.

17 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit controls at least two of the first outlet, the second outlet, and the third outlet to be opened alternately to adjust inner temperatures of the storage compartments corresponding to the at least two outlets.

18 . The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein:
among the first storage compartment, the second storage compartment, and the third storage compartment, at least one is a refrigerator compartment, another one is a freezer compartment, and the remaining one is an alternating-temperature compartment; and the control unit opens an outlet connected to the refrigerator compartment, and alternately opens an outlet connected to the freezer compartment and an outlet connected to the alternating-temperature compartment when the outlet connected to the refrigerator compartment is closed.

19 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one compressor configured to suction and discharge refrigerant discharged from at least one of the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the third heat exchanger; and a condenser configured to liquefy the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to supply the refrigerant to the four-way valve.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoon Won-Jae
• Kim Yong Han
• Kim Yoon Young
• Seo Kook Jeong

Classifications

• F25D2700/121

  of particular compartments · CPC title

• F25D2600/04

  Controlling heat transfer · CPC title

• F25B41/04

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F25D29/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D11/022 Primary

  with two or more evaporators · CPC title