JP2000105048A - Controller for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suitably regulate an indoor temperature by switching to a deep freezing mode when a door open time becomes a given time or more in the case of opening the door of a deep freezing chamber in a cold storage mode, and switching to the storage mode when the door open time becomes the predetermined time or more in the case of opening a door of the storage chamber in the freezing mode. SOLUTION: In the refrigerator 10 having an evaporator 24 for a deep freezing chamber arranged at rear of a deep freezing chamber 18 and an evaporator 34 for a cold storage chamber arranged on a back surface of a vegetable chamber 16, a deep freezing mode and a cold storage mode are alternately conducted. In the case of the freezing mode in a normally alternately cooling operation, at the time of sensing opening of a cold storage chamber door 140, its door opening time is measured by a timer, and if an integrated time of the door opening time at the time of closing the door 140 is a given time or more, a switching valve is switched, the freezing mode is switched to the storage mode, and cooling air is sent to the chamber 14, the chamber 16 and the chamber 18. Then, whether the indoor temperature of the chamber 14 is a cooling stopping temperature or lower or not is judged, and if it is the temperature or lower, normal cooling operation is returned.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator having two evaporators.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a refrigerator having a refrigerating evaporator and a refrigerating evaporator has been proposed in order to efficiently cool a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, respectively.

In order to efficiently cool these two evaporators with the refrigerant sent from one compressor, a switching valve consisting of a three-way valve is arranged in the middle of the refrigerant flow path. It is determined whether the refrigerant is sent to the refrigeration evaporator or the refrigeration evaporator, and the refrigerating room or the freezing room is alternately cooled.

[0004]

By the way, if food is taken out of the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment and the door is kept open, the temperature in the refrigerator rises and adversely affects the stored food. Therefore, since a conventional refrigerator has only one evaporator, a control for rapidly cooling a room whose internal temperature has increased is performed.

However, in the refrigerator having two evaporators as described above, since the cooling operation is performed alternately, even if the door is opened and the temperature in the refrigerator rises,
In some cases, control for lowering the raised internal temperature is not performed.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a refrigerator control device for a refrigerator having two evaporators, which adjusts the internal temperature when the door is opened and the internal temperature rises. It is.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator comprising a compressor, a condenser, a refrigerating throttle mechanism, a refrigerating evaporator corresponding to a refrigerating chamber, a refrigerating throttle mechanism, A refrigeration mode in which a refrigerant flow path is formed by connecting a refrigeration evaporator corresponding to the freezing room, the refrigerant flow path is switched by a switching valve, and the refrigerant flows to the refrigeration evaporator side via a refrigeration throttle mechanism. In a refrigerator capable of performing an alternate cooling operation capable of alternately realizing a refrigerating mode in which a refrigerant flows only to a refrigerating evaporator via a refrigerating throttle mechanism, when a door of a freezing compartment is opened in a refrigerating mode, Refrigerant mode is switched to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time is longer than a certain time, and when the door of the refrigerator is opened in the freezing mode, the refrigerant is switched to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time is more than a certain time. Having flow control means A.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control device for a refrigerator.
In the apparatus, the refrigerant flow path control means continues this mode for a predetermined time when the mode is switched to the freezing mode or the refrigeration mode when the door opening time becomes a predetermined time or more.

The control device for a refrigerator according to the third aspect is the first aspect.
The refrigerant flow path control means, when the door opening time becomes a certain time or more, the freezing mode, or after switching to the refrigeration mode, the freezing room, or, the refrigerator internal temperature of the refrigeration room below a certain temperature This mode is continued until becomes.

[0010] The control device for a refrigerator according to the fourth aspect is the first aspect.
The refrigerant flow path control means increases the number of revolutions of the compressor when the mode is switched to the freezing mode or the refrigeration mode when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator control device according to the first aspect.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan sends the air cooled by the cooling evaporator to the cooling room, and the cooling fan sends the air cooled by the freezing evaporator to the freezing room. And a radiating fan for cooling the compressor, wherein the refrigerant flow path control means switches to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the refrigeration fan and the radiating fan Is operated, and when the mode is switched to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time becomes a predetermined time or more, the refrigeration fan and the radiating fan are operated.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control device for a refrigerator.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying a state of the refrigerator, wherein the refrigerant flow path control means operates in a refrigeration mode or a refrigeration mode when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time. In the case where the display mode is switched to, this is displayed on the display means.

The control device of the refrigerator according to the first aspect will be described.

When the door of the freezing compartment is opened in the refrigeration mode, the refrigerant flow path control means switches to the freezing mode when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time. That is, if the freezer compartment door is opened for a certain period of time or more in the refrigeration mode, the freezer compartment temperature rises and adversely affects food. Reduce the temperature in the refrigerator. Further, when the door of the refrigerator compartment is opened in the freezing mode, when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time, the refrigerator compartment mode is switched to forcibly cooling the refrigerator compartment.

A control device for a refrigerator according to a second aspect will be described.

When the mode is switched to the freezing mode or the refrigerating mode when the door opening time becomes equal to or longer than the predetermined time, the refrigerant flow path control means continues this mode for a predetermined time to cool the refrigerating room or the freezing room. Force cooling for a certain time. As a result, the internal temperature of the room decreases.

A control device for a refrigerator according to a third aspect will be described.

When the door opening time is longer than a predetermined time, the refrigerant flow path control means switches the mode to the freezing mode or the refrigeration mode, and continues until the internal temperature of the freezing room or the refrigeration room becomes lower than the predetermined temperature. This mode is continued for forced cooling.
As a result, the internal temperature of the room decreases.

A control device for a refrigerator according to a fourth aspect will be described.

When the mode is switched to the freezing mode or the refrigeration mode when the door opening time becomes equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the refrigerant flow path control means increases the number of revolutions of the compressor and cools each room more strongly. I do.

A control device for a refrigerator according to claim 5 will be described.

[0022] The refrigerant flow path control means, when switching to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time becomes a predetermined time or more,
The refrigerating fan and the radiating fan are operated. Thereby, cool air is forcibly sent to the freezing room, and heat generated by the operation of the compressor is cooled by the radiating fan.
On the other hand, when the mode is switched to the refrigeration mode, the refrigeration fan and the radiating fan are similarly operated.

A control device for a refrigerator according to claim 6 will be described.

When the mode is switched to the freezing mode or the refrigeration mode when the door opening time becomes equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the refrigerant flow path control means displays the fact on the display means and presents the user with forced cooling. Let them know.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a simplified vertical sectional view of the refrigerator 10 and also serves as an explanation of the electric system. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 10.

First, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

A refrigerator 12, a vegetable compartment 16, and a freezer compartment 18 are provided in the cabinet 12 of the refrigerator 10 from the top.
Each room has a refrigerator compartment door 140 and a vegetable compartment door 16 respectively.
0, a freezer door 180 is provided. The refrigerator compartment door 140, the vegetable compartment door 160, and the freezer compartment door 180 are provided with a refrigerator compartment door switch 142, a vegetable compartment door switch 162, and a freezer compartment door switch 182 for detecting the opening and closing thereof.

At the center of the lower end of the refrigerator compartment door 140, there is provided a display 144 comprising a liquid crystal display. Display 1
Reference numeral 44 indicates the temperature inside the refrigerator.

A machine room 22 is provided at the bottom of the rear surface of the freezing room 18, and a compressor 20 and a radiating fan (hereinafter referred to as a C fan) 21 are provided inside the machine room 22.

A freezer evaporator (hereinafter referred to as F eva) 24 is disposed behind the freezer 18.
Above, a fan for a freezer compartment (hereinafter, referred to as an F fan) 26 that blows the cool air generated by the Feva 24 to the freezer compartment 18.
Is provided. Below the Feva 24, the Feva 24
A defrost heater (hereinafter, referred to as an F defrost heater) 28 for performing defrosting is provided. An F-eva sensor 3 for detecting the temperature of the F-eva 24 is provided near the upper portion of the F-eva 24.
0 is provided.

A freezer compartment temperature sensor (hereinafter, referred to as an F sensor) 3 for measuring the temperature in the refrigerator is provided inside the freezer compartment 18.
2 are provided. Further, the freezer compartment 18 is provided with an ice making device (not shown).

A refrigerator evaporator (hereinafter referred to as R-eva) is provided on the back of the vegetable compartment 16, and a refrigerator-fan (hereinafter referred to as R-fan) 36 above the R evaporator 34.
Are provided, and an R-eva sensor 38 for detecting the temperature of the R-eva 34 is provided. A defrost heater (hereinafter, referred to as an R defrost heater) 40 for defrosting the R evaporator 34 is provided below the R evaporator 34.

Inside the refrigerator compartment 14, a refrigerator temperature sensor (hereinafter referred to as R sensor) for measuring the temperature inside the refrigerator.
42 are provided.

Then, these refrigerator compartment door switches 142,
Vegetable compartment door switch 162, freezer compartment door switch 182, display section 144, F fan 26, F defrost heater 28, F evaporator sensor 30, F sensor 32, R fan 36, C fan 2
1. The R evaluation sensor 38, the R defrost heater 40, and the R sensor 42 are connected to a control device 44 including a microcomputer. The control device 40 is formed of a single board and is provided on the upper rear surface of the cabinet 12. Further, the motor of the compressor 20 is also connected to the control device 44.

Next, the flow of cool air will be described with reference to FIG.

The cool air cooled by the Feva 24 is
The air is blown by the fan 26 and circulates through the freezer 18. The cool air cooled by the R evaporator 34 is supplied to the R fan 3.
The air is sent to the vegetable compartment 16 and the refrigeration compartment 14 and circulated.

Next, the structure of these refrigeration cycles will be described with reference to FIG.

A condenser 46 is connected to the compressor 20, and a switching valve 68 composed of a three-way valve is connected to the condenser 46. One of the refrigerant flow paths branched into two branches from the three-way valve 68,
It is connected to the R evaporator 34 via a refrigerating room capillary tube (hereinafter, referred to as an R capillary tube) 50.
Further, the other refrigerant flow path divided from the switching valve 68 is connected to a freezing room capillary tube (hereinafter, referred to as an F capillary tube) 52. Then, the refrigerant flow paths of the F capillary tube 52 and the R-eva 34 become one,
It is connected to the evaporator 24 and further to the compressor 20.

The refrigerant, which has become high temperature and high pressure by being compressed by the compressor 20, is radiated through the condenser 46. Then, this refrigerant passes through the switching valve 68 and passes through the R capillary tube 50 or the F capillary tube 52.
And the pressure is reduced to low temperature and low pressure. The low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant reaches the F eva 24 or the R eva 34.

The operation of the refrigerator 10 will be described.

1. Alternate cooling operation (1) Refrigeration mode By switching the switching valve 68, the refrigerant is supplied to the R-eva 34 and the F-eva 2
Flow to 4. Then, when the R fan 36 and the F fan 26 are operated, the cooled air is sent to the refrigerator compartment 14, the vegetable compartment 16, and the freezing compartment 18, and these compartments are cooled. Hereinafter, this state is referred to as a refrigeration mode.

(2) Refrigeration mode The switching valve 68 is switched so that the refrigerant flows only to the F capillary tube 52 and the F eva 24. And F
Only the fan 26 is operated. In this state, Fever 2
The cool air cooled by 4 is sent to only the freezer compartment 18 by the F fan 26, and the temperature inside the refrigerator decreases. Then, no cool air is sent into the refrigerator compartment 14. Hereinafter, this state is referred to as a freezing mode.

(3) Alternating Cooling Operation Alternating between the freezing mode and the refrigeration mode is called a normal alternating cooling operation.

2. Forced cooling operation when door is opened Next, refrigerator compartment door 140, vegetable compartment door 160, and freezer compartment door 1
Three types of control methods of the forced cooling operation when one of the 80s remains open for a predetermined time T1 (for example, 5 minutes or more) will be described.

In the above-mentioned alternate cooling operation, for example, when the freezer compartment door 180 of the freezer compartment 18 is opened for a certain period of time or more in the freezer mode, if the freezer compartment mode is continued, the internal temperature of the freezer compartment 18 is kept low. In this case, no special control is required.

However, conventionally, when the refrigerating compartment door 140 is opened for a predetermined time or more in the refrigerating mode of the alternate cooling operation, the refrigerating compartment 18 is cooled so that the refrigerating compartment 18 is cooled to reach the freezing completion temperature. Since the refrigerator compartment 14 is not cooled, the food will be adversely affected.

Therefore, the following three control methods are
In the alternate cooling operation, the control method is a control method when the refrigerator compartment door 140 is opened for a certain period of time or more in the freezing mode, or when the freezer compartment door 140 is opened in the refrigerator mode.

Then, in the freezing mode, the refrigerator compartment door 14
The case where 0 is opened for a certain time or more will be described. However, the same control method is applied when the freezer door 180 is opened for a certain time or more in the refrigeration mode.

(1) First Control Method Hereinafter, the first control method will be described with reference to FIG.

In step a1, the normal alternating cooling operation is continued. Then, it is assumed that the refrigerating mode is in the alternate cooling operation.

At step a2, it is detected that the refrigerator compartment door 140 has been opened, and the process proceeds to step a3.

In step a3, the measurement of the opening time of the refrigerator compartment door 140 is started by, for example, a timer, and the process proceeds to step a4.

When it is detected in step a4 that the refrigerator compartment door 140 has been closed, the measurement of the accumulated time of the door open time ends, and the flow proceeds to step a5.

In step a5, if the accumulated time of the door opening time is equal to or longer than T1 (for example, 5 minutes), the flow proceeds to step a6, and if less than T1, the flow proceeds to step a8 to continue the normal alternating cooling operation.

In step a6, since the accumulated time of the door opening time is equal to or longer than T1, it is determined that the temperature in the refrigerator is rising, and the switching valve 68 is switched to switch from the freezing mode to the refrigeration mode. Thereby, forced cooling of the refrigerator compartment 14 starts. In addition, the display unit 144 displays that the door has been opened for a long time, so that forced cooling is currently being performed. Then, the process proceeds to step a7.

In step a7, it is determined whether or not the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 14 is lower than the cooling stop temperature (for example, 1 ° C.).
Proceeding to 8, the process returns to the normal alternating cooling operation, and if the temperature is equal to or higher than the cooling stop temperature, the refrigeration mode is continued.

As described above, according to the first control method,
When the refrigerator compartment door 140 is opened for a certain period of time or more and the internal temperature rises, the refrigerator mode is forcibly switched to the refrigeration mode, so that the internal temperature can be cooled before adversely affecting the food. In the above description, the state where the door of the refrigerator compartment 14 and the refrigerator compartment door 140 are open has been described.
The same applies when the vegetable compartment door 160 is opened.

(2) Second Control Method Hereinafter, the second control method will be described with reference to FIG.

The second control method is almost the same as the first control method. However, since the control method after the accumulated time of the door opening time becomes equal to or more than T1 is different, only that part will be described below.

In step b1, since the accumulated time of the door open time is equal to or longer than T1, it is determined that the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 14 is rising, and the switching valve 68 is switched from the freezing mode to the refrigerator mode. In the display unit 144, it is displayed that the door has been opened for a long time, so that forced cooling is currently being performed. Then, the process proceeds to step b2.

In step b2, measurement of the time from the switching of the switching valve 68 is started. Then, the process proceeds to Step b3.

In step b3, if the accumulated time after the switching of the switching valve 68 has reached the predetermined time T2 (for example, 20 minutes), it is determined that the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 14 has dropped, and the process proceeds to step a8. To return to the normal alternate cooling operation.
If the temperature has not reached T2, the refrigerator compartment 14 is not yet reached.
It is determined that the temperature in the refrigerator has not fallen, and the refrigerator mode is continued.

Even in the second control method, even if the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 14 rises due to the door opening time exceeding a predetermined time, the mode is switched to the refrigerator mode, and the refrigerator mode is continued for the predetermined time T2. As a result, the temperature in the refrigerator is reduced, so that the food is not adversely affected.

(3) Third Control Method Hereinafter, the third control method will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The third control method will be described only on the points different from the first control method.

When the accumulated time of the door opening time becomes T1 or more,
In step c1, the switching valve 68 is forcibly switched to the refrigeration mode. In addition, the display unit 144 displays that the door has been opened for a long time, so that forced cooling is currently being performed. Then, the process proceeds to step c2.

In step c2, the rotation speed of the compressor 20 is set to the maximum rotation speed, the flow rate of the refrigerant is increased, and the R
Then, the process proceeds to step c3 so that No. 4 is cooled.

In step c3, the rotation speed of the R fan 36 is set to the maximum rotation speed so that the air cooled by the R fan 34 can be sent to the refrigerator compartment 14 at the maximum. Thereby, the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 14 can be more strongly reduced. Then, the process proceeds to step c4.

In step c4, since the rotation speed of the compressor 20 is the maximum rotation speed, the cooling of the compressor 20 is promoted by setting the C fan 21 to the maximum rotation speed. Then, the process proceeds to step c5.

In Step c5, if the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 14 reaches the cooling stop temperature (for example, 1 ° C.), Step a8 is performed.
To return to the normal alternate cooling operation, and if the cooling stop temperature has not been reached, this refrigeration mode is continued.

According to the third control method, the compressor 20
In addition, the operating state of the R fan 36 can be maximized to lower the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 14 more powerfully, and the rotational speed of the C fan 21 can be higher than normal or maximized, and Promotes cooling. Therefore, the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 14 can be reduced more reliably, and the operation of the compressor 20 can be continued.

3. Modification Example In the above embodiment, the refrigeration cycle shown in FIG. 2 has been described. Instead, as shown in FIG.
A refrigeration cycle having the eva 24 arranged in parallel may be used.

[0074]

As described above, according to the refrigerator control apparatus of the present invention, even if the door of the room on the side not cooled in the alternate cooling operation is opened for a certain time or more,
Since the room is forcibly cooled, foods stored in the room are not adversely affected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a refrigerator according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a refrigeration cycle.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a first control method in a door open state.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a second control method.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a third control method.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a refrigeration cycle of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Refrigerator 20 Compressor 24 F eva 30 F eva sensor 34 R eva 38 R eva sensor 44 Control device 68 Switching valve 140 Refrigerator compartment door 142 Refrigerator compartment door switch 144 Display unit 160 Vegetable compartment door 162 Vegetable compartment door switch 180 Freezer compartment door 182 Freezing Room door switch

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Atsushi Kusunoki 1-6 Ota Toshiba-cho, Ibaraki-shi, Osaka Inside the Toshiba Osaka Plant Co., Ltd. (72) Takuya Kishimoto 1-6 Ota Toshiba-cho, Ibaraki-shi, Osaka Toshiba Abu E Co., Ltd. Osaka Office F-term (reference) 3L045 AA02 BA01 CA02 CA03 DA02 EA01 GA07 HA02 HA08 JA15 LA17 MA04 MA15 NA16 PA03 PA04 PA05

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A compressor, a condenser, a refrigeration throttle mechanism,
A refrigerating evaporator corresponding to a refrigerating compartment, a refrigerating throttle mechanism,
A refrigeration mode in which a refrigerant flow path is formed by connecting a refrigeration evaporator corresponding to a freezing room, a refrigerant flow path is switched by a switching valve, and refrigerant flows to the refrigeration evaporator side via a refrigeration throttle mechanism. In a refrigerator capable of performing an alternate cooling operation capable of alternately realizing a refrigeration mode in which a refrigerant flows only to a refrigeration evaporator via a refrigeration throttle mechanism, when a door of a freezing room is opened in a refrigeration mode, Refrigerant mode is switched to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time is longer than a certain time, and when the door of the refrigerator is opened in the freezing mode, the refrigerant is switched to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time is more than a certain time. A control device for a refrigerator, comprising a flow path control means. 2. The refrigerant flow path control means continues the mode for a predetermined time when the mode is switched to the freezing mode or the refrigeration mode when the door opening time becomes a predetermined time or more. Item 2. The refrigerator control device according to Item 1. 3. The refrigerant flow path control means switches the refrigerator mode to the freezing mode or the refrigeration mode when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time, and then sets the temperature in the freezing room or the refrigeration room to a predetermined temperature. The control device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the mode is continued until the following conditions are satisfied. 4. The refrigerant flow path control means increases the number of revolutions of the compressor when the mode is switched to a refrigeration mode or a refrigeration mode when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time. Item 2. The refrigerator control device according to Item 1. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan sends the air cooled by the cooling evaporator to the cooling room, and the cooling fan sends the air cooled by the freezing evaporator to the freezing room. A cooling fan for cooling the compressor, wherein the refrigerant flow path control means includes a cooling fan and a cooling fan when switching to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time. And operating the refrigeration fan and the radiating fan when switching to the refrigeration mode when the door opening time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. Control device. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying a state of the refrigerator, wherein the refrigerant flow path control means comprises: a refrigeration mode or a refrigeration mode when the door opening time exceeds a predetermined time. The control device for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein when the mode is switched to the mode, the display means displays the fact.