EP2756242B1 - Refrigeration device for low-noise operation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance, in particular a household refrigeration appliance, with a storage chamber, a cooling chamber cooling the storage chamber, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the storage chamber and a control unit which controls the operation of the refrigerator based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. During normal operation of a refrigerator, the control unit operates as a hysteresis comparator, which takes the refrigerator in operation above a first upper limit temperature of the storage chamber and puts it out of operation as soon as a first lower limit temperature is reached, which is lower by a few degrees than the first upper limit temperature , Thus, times in which the refrigeration device is in operation and the refrigeration device emits a correspondingly high level of operating noise alternate with times when the refrigeration device is out of operation and generates no or only a small amount of noise.

Since the operating state of the refrigerator depends exclusively on the temperature prevailing in the refrigerator, a user has in a conventional refrigeration device generally no way to directly influence the noise emission, and if at a time in which the user is in the vicinity of the refrigerator, the cold generator goes into operation, the user can hardly do anything other than endure the associated noise emission. While he might also turn the device off, if he forgets to turn it back on when he leaves the device's environment, then he must expect the content to spoil, making this alternative impractical.

Out EP 2 116 801 A1 a refrigerator is known in which a sensor is provided for detecting persons in the vicinity of the device and the operation of the refrigerator is locked when a person is in the vicinity. When the temperature in the storage chamber rises to a limit, the refrigerator is forcibly restarted. The period of time during which the noise emission by the refrigerator can be avoided may therefore be shorter than the time the person is in the vicinity of the appliance.

KR 2001-0081331 shows a refrigeration device according to the preamble of claim 1. It supports a normal operating mode and a quiet operation mode in which a permissible temperature interval is wider than in the normal operating mode. A control unit switches between the operating modes based on the ambient brightness.

Object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration device that allows long-lasting low-noise operation.

The object is achieved by a refrigeration device having the features of claim 1. The operating mode of this refrigeration device, in which the operation of the refrigerator is locked even when exceeding the first upper limit temperature is referred to below as a low-noise mode of operation. The blocking of the operation of the refrigerator leads to an interruption of the cooling of the storage chamber, which can be accepted, however, as long as the low-noise mode is only temporarily active and the refrigerator automatically returns to the thermostat mode of operation. By operating the refrigerator for a while in the pre-cooling mode prior to transitioning to the low noise mode of operation, the temperature in the storage chamber may be reduced from the thermostat mode of operation, so that the period during which the silent mode of operation can be maintained without undue delay Warming of the storage chamber comes, can be extended.

In the simplest case, the control unit may comprise a user interface, via which a user can input a request for switching to the quiet operating mode, so that the user, if he feels disturbed by the noise emission of the refrigeration appliance, has the opportunity to do so with immediate effect to reduce.

Alternatively or additionally, the control unit may comprise a timer which is set up to signal in each case at a time programmed in the timer, possibly periodically recurring, a request for switching to the quiet operating mode. Conveniently, the programmed time is each a time that is most likely to require quiet operation, for example, the time of daily breakfast, which is taken by many users in the kitchen, in close proximity to the refrigerator. Conveniently, the refrigerator should have a user interface through which the user can program the timer according to his own needs. This can be the same user interface that the user can use to prompt for immediate noise reduction.

The control unit may be configured to switch back to the thermostat operating mode from the low-noise operation mode each after a predetermined waiting time. However, the alternative is that switching back into the thermostat operating mode whenever the temperature in the storage chamber reaches a second upper limit temperature which is higher than the first upper limit temperature is preferred. Thus, a risk of refrigerated goods contained in the storage chamber can be avoided by excessively high temperatures, e.g. if the low-noise operation mode is maintained too long at high ambient temperatures, or if the door of the storage chamber is left open for a long time or a large amount of warm refrigerated goods is loaded in the low-noise operation mode.

While the controller may be configured to unconditionally comply with a desire to switch to the silent mode of operation, whether it is uttered by the user or by the timer, the concept of desire may be that its recipient, unlike a command, may can also turn out. This freedom of choice is also advantageous in the context of the invention, so the control unit should preferably be configured to ignore a desire to switch to the low noise mode of operation when the temperature in the storage chamber is above a third upper limit temperature which is higher than the first upper limit temperature and may be identical to the second upper limit temperature. In other words, the control unit may maintain the thermostat operating mode against an expressed request if a follower led to excessive heating of the storage chamber.

If the controller ignores such a desire for quiet operation, then the user interface should be configured to display a message that signals a user that the request is being ignored. The display of such Message is meaningful, regardless of whether the request was voiced by the user or by the timer, since this gives the user the opportunity to verify the correct functioning of the refrigerator when he hears the operating noise of the refrigerator at a time when he did not expect this.

The controller may be further configured to ignore a desire to switch to the low noise mode of operation when a quick cool mode is activated because a desire for rapid cooling on the one hand and the desire for low noise operation, on the other hand, can not be simultaneously satisfied. In this case, the control unit expediently gives priority to the rapid cooling mode, since, when it has been activated, it will generally be necessary for the protection of the goods to be chilled, and the associated temporary noise development can be accepted by the user. If the user disagrees with this regulation, he may be given the opportunity to switch off the rapid cooling mode and then select the quiet mode of operation.

It is convenient for the user if, at the completion of the pre-cooling operation mode, the control unit automatically switches to the quiet operation mode.

As a criterion for the termination of Vorkühlbetriebsmodus can serve in particular the falling below a second lower limit temperature, which is lower than the first lower limit temperature.

Fig. 1

ein Blockdiagramm eines Kältegeräts, an dem die vorliegende Erfindung anwendbar ist;

Fig. 2

ein Flussdiagramm eines in einer Steuereinheit des Kältegeräts ablaufenden Verfahrens;

Fig. 3

eine Benutzerschnittstelle des Kältegeräts während der Eingabe eines Wunsches nach Übergang in den geräuscharmen Betriebsmodus durch den Benutzer;

Fig. 4

die Benutzerschnittstelle nach Eingabe des Wunsches, wenn diesem Folge geleistet werden kann;

Fig. 5

die Benutzerschnittstelle, falls dem Wunsch nicht Folge geleistet werden kann;

Fig. 6

eine zu Fig. 3 analoge Ansicht gemäß einer weiterentwickelten Ausgestaltung der Erfindung;

Fig. 7

die Benutzerschnittstelle während der Programmierung von Zeiten, in denen geräuscharmer Betrieb gewünscht ist; und

Fig. 8

ein Flussdiagramm einer Weiterentwicklung des in der Steuereinheit des Kältegeräts ablaufenden Verfahrens.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. From this description and the figures also show features of the embodiments, which are not mentioned in the claims. Such features may also occur in combinations other than those specifically disclosed herein. Therefore, the fact that several such features are mentioned in the same sentence or in a different type of textual context does not justify the conclusion that they can occur only in the specific combination disclosed; instead, it is generally to be assumed that it is also possible to omit or modify individual ones of several such features, provided this does not call into question the functionality of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1

a block diagram of a refrigeration device to which the present invention is applicable;

Fig. 2

a flowchart of a running in a control unit of the refrigeration device method;

Fig. 3

a user interface of the refrigerator during input by the user of a desire to transition to the low noise mode of operation;

Fig. 4

the user interface after input of the desire, if this consequence can be done;

Fig. 5

the user interface if the request can not be met;

Fig. 6

one too Fig. 3 analogous view according to a further developed embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7

the user interface during the programming of times when quiet operation is desired; and

Fig. 8

a flowchart of a further development of the running in the control unit of the refrigeration device method.

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a refrigerator, in particular a household refrigerator or freezer, to which the present invention is applicable. The refrigerator comprises one or more of a heat-insulating housing 1 surrounded storage chamber 2 for refrigerated goods and a chiller for cooling the storage chamber 2, in a conventional manner, a compressor 3 for refrigerant, a condenser 4, in the adiabatically compressed by the compressor 3 refrigerant Gives heat to the environment and thereby condenses, and an evaporator 5, in which the condensed refrigerant relaxes under heat absorption and the resulting refrigerant vapor is sucked in by the compressor 3 again. The evaporator 5 is shown here for the sake of simplicity as a back wall evaporator, but it is understood that the Invention is also any type of evaporator, especially applicable to NoFrost evaporator.

The compressor 3 may be of any type known per se; most common is a reciprocating compressor with a driven by an electric motor piston. When the compressor 3 is in operation, the piston, the electric motor and the refrigerant flowing between the compressor 3, the condenser 4 and the evaporator 5 generate noises that may be perceptible outside the refrigerating appliance. When the compressor 3 is turned off, these noise sources fall away, and at most occasionally in the liquid refrigerant of the evaporator 5 ascending vapor bubbles can still lead to audible external noise.

A control unit 6 controls the operation of the compressor 3 on the one hand based on a temperature measured by a temperature sensor 7 on the storage chamber 2 and on the other hand based on specifications that a user can enter on a user interface 8.

Like in the Fig. 1 schematically indicated, the user interface 8 comprises an alphanumeric and / or graphical display element such as an LCD display 9 and a plurality of the display element 9 associated keys 10. The keys 10 are here and in the following figures, for better clarity, each separated from the display element 9, it is understood that in a touch-sensitive display element, the keys may also be formed by areas of its display surface itself.

Fig. 2 illustrates the operation of the control unit 6 with reference to a flow chart. Unless otherwise set by a user, the refrigerator is in a thermostat operating mode, the steps S1 to S5 of Fig. 2 includes. The steps S1 to S5 are repeated cyclically, so that the selection of one of these steps as the initial step of the method is completely arbitrary. In step S1, the control unit 6 compares the temperature T measured by the temperature sensor 7 of the storage chamber 2 with a first upper limit temperature T ⁺¹ . In case of exceeding this limit temperature T ⁺¹ . the compressor is switched on (S2), so that the temperature T decreases again. In step S3, the temperature T becomes a first lower one Limit temperature T ^-1 compared, and in case of underrun the compressor 3 is turned off again (S4). One of the threshold temperatures, T ⁺¹ or T ^-1 , is adjustable by a user at the user interface 8; the difference between the limit temperatures is generally fixed. In that regard, the method corresponds to a conventional thermostat control of the temperature in the storage chamber. 2

In step S5, it is checked whether there is a desire for low-noise operation of the refrigeration device, where, as will be explained in more detail below, such a request can emanate both from the user and from a timer forming part of the control unit 6. If there is such a request, it is checked in step S6 if the temperature T exceeds a second upper limit temperature T ^{+ 2} which is higher than the first limit temperature T ^{+ 1} . In general, if the refrigerator has previously been in the thermostat operating mode for a long time, this will not be the case, so that the method branches to step S7. Under special conditions, for example, when the refrigerator has recently been in low-noise mode, or if due to long open a door of the storage chamber 2 or because only a short time ago inviting a large amount of warm goods to be cooled, the temperature of the storage chamber 2 over T ^{+ 2 has} risen, then the method returns immediately to step S1, thus ignoring the desire for quiet operation.

By branching to S7, the refrigeration device enters the quiet operating mode. Here it is first checked whether a third upper limit temperature T ^{+3 is} exceeded, which is even higher than T ⁺² . T ⁺³ is chosen so that a short-term reaching this temperature does not affect the durability of the refrigerated goods in the storage chamber 2 appreciably, while at an even higher temperature such an impairment can not be excluded. For example, T ⁺³ may be about 14 ° C, while T ^{+ 1 will} typically be in the range between + 5 ° C and + 10 ° C.

As a result of a simplified modification, step S6 may also be omitted, and instead the method jumps from step S5 directly to S7. Such a simplification is equivalent to the agreement of the limit temperatures T ^{+ 2} and T ^{+ 3} .

If the temperature T is below T ^{+ 3} in step S7 (which will always be the case if step S6 has been executed immediately before), then the compressor 3 is turned off (S8) unless it is already off, and the steps S7, S8 repeat until the temperature T of the storage chamber 2 has risen to T ⁺³ . Thereafter, the process automatically returns to step S1 of the thermostat operation mode.

Fig. 3 11 shows an enlarged view of the user interface 8 with the display element 9 and the associated buttons 10 in a state in which the user interface 8 is ready to accept the user's request for transition to the silent mode of operation. A status field 11 labeled "Silent" indicates to the user that inputs he can currently make to the keys 10 refer to the quiet mode of operation, rather simply called "Silent". Of the total of six buttons 10 at this stage, only those on the left side of the display element 9 are assigned a function which is illustrated to the user by a symbol 12, 13 and 14 respectively shown adjacent to the relevant button 10 on the display element 9 , A central area of the display element 9 is used to display explanatory information to the user. Arrow 12 illustrates to the user that the adjacent key 10 is for exiting the displayed menu and returning to a parent menu. An empty circle 13 next to the word "on", on the one hand, shows the user that the adjacent button 10 can be used to select the silent mode and that it is not currently selected. Instead, it can be seen from the symbol 14, a full circle adjacent to the word "off", that the noise reduced mode of operation is turned off.

When the user actuates the key 10 adjacent to the symbol 13, this causes the control unit 6, in the process of FIG. 2 branch to S6. If the test of step S6 shows that the quiet mode of operation may be activated, then as in Fig. 4 to see the symbol 13 to a full circle and the symbol 14 to an empty circle, and it appears in the central area of the display element 9 next to the symbols 13, 14, a sign 15, which confirms the user the activation of the quiet operation mode and simultaneously indicates that the return to thermostat mode is automatic. The user may be aware of this information by pressing the lower button 10 on the right Confirm page of the user interface 8, which causes the sign 15 disappears again. The change of the operating mode remains recognizable by the reversed appearance of the symbols 13, 14.

If the test of step S6 shows that a transition to the silent mode of operation is not possible, then this fact is also indicated to the user by a sign 16, as in Fig. 5 shown, communicated, and the symbols 13, 14 remain opposite Fig. 3 unchanged.

Fig. 6 shows a view of the user interface 8 in one Fig. 3 analog state according to a further developed embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, in addition to the possibilities to turn on the noise reduced mode on the icon 13 adjacent button 10 or turn it off via the icon 14 adjacent button 10, also the possibility of an automatic, timed switching over a symbol 17 for selection. If automatic switching is selected, the user will be informed via the Fig. 7 menu shown given the opportunity to specify start times at which the noise-reduced operation should begin each. With the help of the two middle buttons 10 on both sides of the display element 9, the user can select a day of the week on which he wants to specify a start time for the noise-reduced mode. In the presentation of the Fig. 7 Thursday is selected, as can be recognized by the way of presentation differing from the other days of the week. With the help of the lowest keys 10 to the right and left of the display element 9, the user can increment and decrement the time at which the low-noise operating mode should start on the selected day of the week. The confirmation of a time selected in this way can be done by pressing an OK button or by selecting another day of the week. If the user has successfully specified at least one day of the week and one time, the timer of the control unit 6 generates a changeover request every time on the specified day of the week at the selected time, which the control unit 6 from step S5 in FIG Fig. 2 branch to step S6.

If the times when low-noise operation of the refrigerator is desired are known in advance, then it is possible to set the time period over which the quiet operation can be maintained, in which before the start of quiet operation, the storage chamber is cooled down more than normal.

Fig. 8 FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a further developed operation of the control unit 6 that supports such precooling. Steps S1 to S8 of this process are the same as in the flowchart of FIG Fig. 2 and will not be described again. If it is determined in step S5 that (still) no quiet operation is desired, then in this method, in step S9, a check is made as to whether pre-cooling of the storage chamber 2 is required. If this is not the case, then the method returns to step S1. The determination that pre-cooling is required may be made in step S9 based on the operation of keys 10 of the user interface 8 by a user or based on a signal from the timer. It is not necessary for the user to be analogous to the reference to Fig. 7 Procedure Start times programmed for pre-cooling; Rather, it can be conveniently provided that the timer generates a signal for requesting the pre-cooling at a fixed time interval before the programmed beginning of the low-noise operation.

Upon determination that it is to be pre-cooled, the control unit 6 responds by turning on the compressor (S10). The compressor remains on until it is either determined in step S11 that the temperature T has dropped to a second limit temperature T ^-2 which is lower than the lower limit temperature T ^-1 in the thermostat operating mode, or that the programmed time for switching to the quiet mode is reached. Once one of these conditions is met, the process branches to step S6.

Claims (9)

1. Refrigeration device, in particular a domestic refrigeration device, having a storage chamber (2), a cold generator (3, 4, 5) which refrigerates the storage chamber (2), a temperature sensor (7) for recording the temperature of the storage chamber (2), and a control unit (6) which, in a thermostat operating mode (S1-S5), is designed to start the cold generator (3, 4, 5) running (S2) when a first upper limit temperature (T⁺¹) is exceeded in the storage chamber (2), and to stop operation of the cold generator (3, 4, 5) when a first lower limit temperature (T^-1) is undershot in the storage chamber, and which can be temporarily switched to a low-noise operating mode (S7, S8) in which the operation of the cold generator (3, 4, 5) is suspended even when the first upper limit temperature (T⁺¹) has been exceeded, characterised in that prior to the transition to the low-noise operating mode (S7, S8) the control unit (6) is designed such that the refrigeration device can be temporarily switched to a pre-refrigeration operating mode (S10, S11), in which the operation of the cold generator (3, 4, 5) is maintained even when the first lower limit temperature (T^-1) is undershot.
2. Refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the control unit (6) is assigned a user interface (8), via which a request to switch to the low-noise operating mode can be entered by a user.
3. Refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the control unit (6) comprises a timer that is designed to signal, at a time programmed in the timer, a request to switch to the low-noise operating mode.
4. Refrigeration device according to claim 3, characterised in that the control unit (6) is assigned a user interface (8), via which the timer can be programmed.
5. Refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the control unit (6) is designed to switch back from the low-noise operating mode to the thermostat operating mode if the temperature in the storage chamber reaches (S7) a second upper limit temperature (T⁺³) which is higher than the first upper limit temperature (T⁺¹).
6. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control unit (6) is designed to ignore (S6) a request to switch to the low-noise operating mode if the temperature (T) in the storage chamber (2) exceeds a third upper limit temperature (T⁺²) which is higher than the first upper limit temperature (T⁺¹).
7. Refrigeration device according to claim 6, characterised in that the user interface (8) is designed, in the event that the request is ignored, to display a message (16) which signals to a user that the request is being ignored.
8. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the user interface (8) is designed to ignore a request to switch to the low-noise operating mode if a fast refrigerating mode is activated.
9. Refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control unit (6) is designed to terminate the pre-refrigeration mode (S10, S11) when a second lower limit temperature (T^-2) which is lower than the first lower limit temperature (T^-1) is undershot.

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