JP2002090037A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a refrigerator, in which load in defrosting operation is reduced to shorten the defrosting time, and dissipated power can be reduced by controlling so as to operate continuously a cooling fan of a refrigerating chamber at least until the operation reaches a predetermined time after the cooling operation of the refrigerating chamber is finished. SOLUTION: The inside of the refrigerator main body of the refrigerator is partitioned into a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber. In the refrigerating chamber, a refrigeration evaporator, a defrosting heater 24, and a cooling fan 11 for the refrigerating chamber are installed. A compressor, a condenser, evaporators for refrigeration and freezing are connected in circulation to constitute a refrigerant flow path, in which a transfer valve 21 is provided to cool the refrigerating and freezing chambers by switching alternately the valve 21. An in-chamber temperature sensor 22 for detecting in-chamber temperature and a defrosting sensor 23 for detecting temperatures of respective evaporators are provided. The fan 11 is continuously operated at least until a predetermined set time is reached, after a temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the refrigerating chamber has reached a predetermined temperature for finishing the refrigerating chamber-cooling.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control technology for a refrigerator having an evaporator and a cooling fan in a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, and more particularly, to operate a refrigerator compartment cooling fan even when a compressor is stopped. The present invention relates to a refrigerator capable of reducing a load in defrosting and shortening defrosting to reduce power consumption.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional refrigerator of this type includes, for example, FIG.
There is something like that shown in In FIG. 5A, the refrigerator
30 has a freezer compartment 31 and a refrigerating compartment 32 which are partitioned so as not to mix cold air with each other.
And a first fan 34, and a second evaporator
35 and a second fan 36 are arranged. FIG. 5 (b)
In the refrigeration cycle, a compressor 37, a condenser 38, a capillary tube 39, a first evaporator 33, and a second evaporator 35 are sequentially connected by a refrigerant pipe 40 to form an annular closed circuit.

In the above configuration, the refrigerant that has passed through the first evaporator 33 passes through the second evaporator 35, is compressed in the compressor 37, is condensed in the condenser 38, and expands in the capillary tube 39. A portion evaporates while passing through the first evaporator 33, and the remaining evaporates while passing through the second evaporator 35, thereby performing the heat exchange function in each compartment. Thereafter, the refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 37 again in a gaseous state, thereby completing the refrigeration cycle. This refrigeration cycle is repeated as the compressor 37 is driven. Also,
The first fan 34 is rotated together with the operation of the first evaporator 33, the second fan 36 is rotated together with the operation of the second evaporator 35, and the air in the freezing room 31 and the refrigerator room 32 is forcibly blown, respectively, and each evaporation is performed. Heat is exchanged in vessels 33 and 35. The first fan 34 and the second fan 36 are operated only while the compressor 37 is operating,
When the compressor 37 stops, the fan also stops.

However, in the conventional refrigerator, since the fan is started only when the refrigerant is passing through the evaporator, defrost control is performed in this state only by increasing the frost in the evaporator. In this case, the load increases, the power consumption increases, and there is a problem in terms of energy consumption.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has been made so that after the cooling operation of the refrigerator compartment is completed, the refrigerator compartment cooling fan is continuously operated at least until a predetermined set time is reached. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of reducing the load in defrosting and shortening the defrosting to reduce power consumption.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the inside of a refrigerator body is divided into a refrigerator compartment, a vegetable compartment, and a freezer compartment by a plurality of heat insulating partitions, and the refrigerator compartment is provided. Refrigerator evaporator, defrost heater, and cooling room cooling fan are disposed in the freezer compartment, and refrigeration evaporator, defrost heater, and freezer compartment cooling fan are disposed in the freezer compartment, respectively, and a compressor, a condenser, and the refrigeration evaporator are provided. And the refrigerant evaporator is connected in a ring to form a refrigerant flow path, a switching valve is provided in the refrigerant flow path,
A refrigerator for cooling the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment by alternately switching the switching valve, wherein a refrigerator temperature sensor for detecting a refrigerator temperature in the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, and a temperature of each of the evaporators, respectively. Providing a defrost sensor to detect, the refrigerator temperature detected by the refrigerator temperature sensor of the refrigerator compartment, reaches the refrigerator compartment cooling end set temperature, after the cooling operation of the refrigerator compartment, at least until a predetermined set time has elapsed, The refrigerating compartment cooling fan is controlled so as to be continuously operated.

[0007] Further, the refrigerating compartment cooling fan is operated after the refrigerating compartment cooling operation is completed until the temperature detected by the defrost sensor reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0008] Further, the refrigerating compartment cooling fan is operated after the refrigerating compartment cooling operation is completed until the temperature in the refrigerating compartment reaches a predetermined set temperature.

[0009] The refrigerating compartment cooling fan is configured to start operating when the compressor is started, irrespective of the open / close state of the switching valve.

[0010] Further, the refrigerating compartment cooling fan is operated irrespective of the cooling mode.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a refrigerator of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a refrigeration cycle of the present invention.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator body, and a refrigerator room 2 from above.
The refrigerator compartment 1 has a vegetable compartment 3 and a freezer compartment 4, and the interior of the refrigerator body 1 is divided into a vegetable compartment 3 and a freezer compartment 4 by a heat insulating partition body 5 that partitions the refrigerator compartment up and down. It is partitioned by the body 6. Each room has its own door 7,
Foods can be taken in and out by opening and closing 8, 9 so that the cool air in each compartment is not mixed.

An evaporator 10 for refrigeration is provided above the rear of the refrigeration compartment 2.
Refrigerator compartment cooling fan 11 is arranged, and freezing evaporator 12 and freezer compartment cooling fan 13 are arranged behind freezer compartment 4.
A variable capacity compressor 15 and a condenser and a capillary tube (not shown) are arranged in a machine room 14 at a lower rear portion of the refrigerator main body 1.

As shown in the flow path a in FIG. 2, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 15 is supplied to the condenser 16 → dryer 17 → capillary tube 18 → refrigeration evaporator 10 → refrigeration evaporator 12 → accumulator 19. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 15 passes through the condenser 16 → the dryer 17 → the capillary tube 20 → the refrigeration evaporator 12 → the accumulator 19 as shown in the flow path b of FIG. To form a refrigeration cycle. Here, the switching of the flow paths a and b is performed by a switching valve 21 composed of a three-way valve, and the switching valve 21 is alternately switched to cool the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3 by the refrigerator evaporator 10, Only the freezing room 4 is cooled by the freezing evaporator 12.

The refrigerating room 2 is provided with a refrigerating temperature sensor 22 for detecting the temperature in the refrigerator, and the refrigerating evaporator 10 is provided with a refrigerating room defrost sensor 23 for detecting a defrosting temperature. . Further, a defrost heater 24 is provided below the refrigerating evaporator 10. FIG. 3 is a control block according to the present invention.
Signals from the refrigeration temperature sensor 22 and the refrigeration compartment defrost sensor 23 are input to a control device 25 including a microcomputer and the like provided in the refrigerator main body 1. Based on these input signals, the refrigeration compartment The cooling fan 11, the three-way valve 21, the defrost heater 24, the compressor 15, and the like are controlled.
Then, the refrigerator temperature detected by the refrigerator temperature sensor 22 is a preset refrigerator compartment cooling start temperature T0 and a refrigerator compartment cooling end temperature T1.
Thus, the compressor 15 and the refrigerating compartment cooling fan 11 are controlled to maintain a predetermined internal temperature. In addition, the refrigerator defrost sensor 23
The defrost control of the refrigerating evaporator 10 is performed based on the detected temperature and the preset set temperature.

The internal temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor 22 of the refrigerator compartment 2 reaches the refrigerator compartment end setting temperature T1, and after the cooling operation of the refrigerator compartment 2 is completed, at least a predetermined set time elapses. By controlling the refrigerating compartment cooling fan 11 to operate continuously, a refrigerator capable of reducing the load in defrosting and shortening the defrosting to reduce power consumption.

FIG. 4 shows these in a flowchart. The temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 2 is the cooling compartment cooling start temperature.
When the temperature reaches T0, the compressor 15 and the refrigerator compartment cooling fan 11
Starts booting (ST1). Thereafter, in step ST2, it is determined whether or not the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 2 has reached the refrigerator compartment cooling end temperature T1. If the cooling end temperature T1 has been reached, and it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed in step ST3.
11 is stopped and terminated, and this operation is repeatedly performed in step ST5.

After the refrigerating compartment cooling operation is completed, the refrigerating compartment cooling fan 11 operates until the temperature detected by the defrost sensor 23 reaches a predetermined temperature (for example, approximately + 3 ° C. at which the frost of the evaporator melts), or By adopting a configuration in which operation control is performed until the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2 reaches a predetermined set temperature, a refrigerator capable of reducing the load in defrosting and shortening the defrosting to reduce power consumption.

The refrigerating compartment cooling fan 11 is configured to operate regardless of the open / close state of the switching valve 21 and the cooling mode.

As described above, the internal temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor 22 of the refrigerator compartment 2 reaches the refrigerator compartment end setting temperature T1, and after the cooling operation of the refrigerator compartment 2 is completed, at least a predetermined setting is completed. A refrigerator capable of reducing the load in defrosting and reducing the defrosting and reducing power consumption by controlling the refrigerator compartment cooling fan 11 to operate continuously until time elapses. Become.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the inside temperature of the refrigerator detected by the inside temperature sensor of the refrigerator reaches the refrigerator end setting temperature, and at least the predetermined temperature is set after the cooling operation of the refrigerator is completed. By controlling the refrigerating compartment cooling fan to continue to operate until the time elapses, a refrigerator capable of reducing the load in defrosting and shortening the defrosting to reduce power consumption.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a refrigeration cycle of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the present invention.

5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a conventional example, and FIG. 5B is a configuration diagram illustrating a refrigeration cycle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator main body 2 Refrigerator room 3 Vegetable room 4 Freezer room 10 Refrigerator evaporator 12 Refrigerator evaporator 15 Compressor 16 Condenser 21 Switching valve (three-way valve) 22 Refrigeration temperature sensor 23 Refrigerator room defrost sensor 24 Defrost heater

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerator body is divided into a refrigerator compartment, a vegetable compartment, and a freezer compartment by a plurality of heat insulating partitions, and a refrigerator evaporator, a defrost heater and a refrigerator compartment cooling fan are provided in the refrigerator compartment. Refrigeration evaporator and defrost heater and freezer compartment cooling fan are respectively arranged, a compressor, a condenser, and a refrigerant flow path formed by connecting the refrigeration evaporator and the refrigeration evaporator in a ring, A refrigerator in which a switching valve is interposed in the refrigerant flow path, and the switching valve is alternately switched to cool the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment. A temperature sensor and a defrost sensor for detecting the temperature of each of the evaporators, wherein the temperature in the refrigerator detected by the temperature sensor in the refrigerator reaches the temperature at the end of cooling the refrigerator, and the cooling of the refrigerator is performed. After the operation is completed, at least until a predetermined time elapses Refrigerators characterized by being controlled so as to operate continuously the serial refrigerating compartment cooling fan. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator-cooling fan is operated until the temperature detected by the defrost sensor reaches a predetermined temperature after the refrigerator-cooling operation is completed. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator-cooling fan is operated until the temperature in the refrigerator reaches a predetermined set temperature after the refrigerator-cooling operation is completed. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the refrigerating compartment cooling fan is started when the compressor is started, regardless of whether the switching valve is open or closed. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator cooling fan is operated regardless of a cooling mode.