JP2008070023A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the operation time of a compressor and to reduce power consumption, when air distribution to an independent ice-making chamber becomes unnecessary by properly adjusting the air distribution to the independent ice-making chamber, by increasing the volume of air to other compartments to increase the cooling speed of the other compartments. <P>SOLUTION: This refrigerator is provided with an air volume adjusting device 10c for the independent ice-making chamber in a cold air return air trunk 9a for the ice-making chamber to control the cold air outflow amount to the ice-making chamber, thus the air distribution to the independent ice-making chamber 3 is properly adjusted. As the air volume to the other compartments is increased to increase the cooling speed of the other compartments, when the air supply to the independent ice-making chamber 3 is unnecessary, the operation time of the compressor can be shortened, and the power consumption can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with an independent ice making chamber.

  In recent years, refrigerators having a plurality of chambers have been put on the market with an ice making function, an ice storage unit for storing ice making ice, and an independent ice making chamber that is an ice making chamber installed independently from other rooms. Yes.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional refrigerator described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the refrigerating chamber 1 in the upper stage, the switching chamber 2 in which the temperature zone can be freely switched to the lower portion of the refrigerating chamber 1, and an ice storage function provided in parallel with the switching chamber are also provided. The independent ice making chamber 3 installed independently from the other chambers and the freezing chamber 5 at the bottom are provided between the switching chamber 2 and the independent ice making chamber 3 installed in parallel with the freezing chamber 5. To the vegetable compartment 4, the cooler 6 that generates cool air, the blower 7 for supplying the cool air generated by the cooler 6 to each room, and the freezer compartment 5 that guides the cool air supplied by the blower to each room Freezing room cold air discharge air passage 8 a, independent ice making cold air discharge air passage 8 b to the independent ice making chamber 3, refrigerating room cold air discharge air passage 8 c to the refrigerating room 1, and switching room cold air discharge air to the switching room 2 A path 8d and an independent ice making air return air passage 9a for returning the cold air from the independent ice making room 3 to the cooler 6. Refrigeration room cold air return air passage 9b for returning cold air from the refrigerator compartment 1 to the cooler 6, switching room cold air return air passage 9c for returning cold air from the switching chamber 2 to the cooler 6, and a cold room cold air discharge air passage 8c. The refrigerating room air volume adjusting device 10a that adjusts the amount of cold air to the refrigerating chamber 1 and the switching room air volume adjusting device 10b that adjusts the amount of cold air to the switching chamber 2 provided in the switching room cold air discharge air passage 9c. .
JP-A-8-261627

  However, in the conventional configuration described above, when the supply of cold air is not so much required, such as when the ice is full or when ice making is stopped, it is structured to send unnecessarily cold air to the independent ice making chamber, which requires more cold air. This hinders an increase in the amount of air blown to other rooms, which inevitably increases the operation time of the compressor, and hinders a reduction in power consumption.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and by adjusting the amount of air blown to the independent ice making chamber to an appropriate amount, when the air blowing to the independent ice making chamber is not necessary, to another room. The purpose is to shorten the operation time of the compressor and reduce the power consumption by increasing the air volume of the air and increasing the cooling rate of the other rooms.

  In order to solve the above conventional problems, the refrigerator of the present invention has an ice making function, has an ice storage part for storing ice made ice, and has an independent ice making room which is an ice making room installed independently from other rooms. The refrigerator includes a cooler that generates cold air, an independent ice chamber cold air discharge air passage that supplies cold air to the independent ice chamber, and an independent ice chamber cold air return air passage that returns the cold air from the independent ice chamber to the cooler. An independent ice making air volume adjusting device for controlling the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room is provided in the cold air return air passage for the independent ice making room.

  In this way, by adjusting the air flow to the independent ice making room to an appropriate amount, if air blowing to the independent ice making room is unnecessary, the air flow to the other room is increased and the cooling rate of the other room is increased. The operation time of the compressor can be shortened.

  The refrigerator of the present invention is provided with an independent ice making air volume adjusting device for controlling the amount of cold air flowing into the independent ice making chamber in the independent ice making cold air return air passage, so that the amount of air blown to the independent ice making room is appropriately adjusted. By adjusting the volume, the air flow to the other room is increased when the ventilation to the independent ice making room is unnecessary, and the operation time of the compressor is shortened by increasing the cooling rate of the other room, and the power consumption is reduced. Can be reduced.

  The invention according to claim 1 has an ice making function, has an ice storage part for storing ice made, and generates cold air in a refrigerator provided with an independent ice making room which is an ice making room installed independently from other rooms A separate ice making room cool air discharge air passage for supplying cold air to the independent ice making chamber, and an independent ice making air cooling air return air passage for returning the cold air from the independent ice making chamber to the cooler. Inside, an independent ice chamber air volume adjustment device that controls the amount of cold air flowing into the independent ice chamber is equipped, and by adjusting the air volume to the independent ice chamber to an appropriate amount, When is not required, the air flow rate to the other room is increased and the cooling rate of the other room is increased, thereby shortening the operation time of the compressor and reducing the power consumption.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the open / closed control of the independent ice making air volume adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the independent ice making chamber is provided in the independent ice making chamber. Since the amount of cold air supplied to the independent ice making chamber can be adjusted appropriately, the power consumption can be further reduced.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second aspect, the temperature sensor provided in the independent ice making chamber is provided in the ice making tray in the independent ice making chamber so that the temperature of the ice making tray is directly sensed. By heating, the accuracy of the ice making can be improved, and the amount of cold air supplied to the independent ice making chamber can be adjusted more finely, so that the power consumption can be further reduced.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an automatic ice making device in which the ice making function is automatically performed, and the temperature of the independent ice making chamber is stopped when the ice making function is stopped. By controlling the independent ice-making room adjusting device so as to change the temperature in the upward direction, the amount of cold air supplied to the independent ice-making room can be adjusted in the decreasing direction, so that the power consumption can be further reduced.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, when the defrosting function of the cooler is operated, the independent ice chamber air volume adjusting device is closed, so that the warm air can be It prevents intrusion into the room, shortens the time from resuming operation to completion of cooling / stopping, reducing the operation rate, and reducing power consumption.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, by adjusting the open / close time of the independent ice making air volume adjusting device during the automatic ice making function operation, Air bubbles are less likely to be trapped, making it possible to make highly transparent ice.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the air volume adjusting device for an independent ice making room in the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the refrigerating room 1 in the upper stage, the switching room 2 in which the temperature zone can be freely switched in the lower part of the refrigerating room 1, and another room having an ice making function provided in parallel with the switching room and having an ice storage part An independent ice making chamber 3 installed independently from the freezing chamber 5, a freezing chamber 5 provided at the bottom, and the switching chamber 2 installed in parallel and the vegetable chamber 4 provided between the independent ice making chamber 3 and the freezing chamber 5. A cooler 6 that generates cool air, a blower 7 for supplying the cool air generated by the cooler 6 to each room, and a freezer compartment to the freezer compartment 5 that guides the cool air supplied by the blower 7 to each room A cold air discharge air passage 8a, an independent ice making cold air discharge air passage 8b to the independent ice making chamber 3, a refrigerating room cold air discharge air passage 8c to the refrigerating chamber 1, and a switching room cold air discharge air passage 8d to the switching chamber 2. An independent ice chamber return air passage 9a for returning cold air from the independent ice chamber 3 to the cooler 6, and a refrigerator room The cooler chamber cool air return air passage 9b for returning the cool air to the cooler, the switching chamber cool air return air passage 9c for returning the cool air from the switching chamber to the cooler, and the cooler chamber cool air discharge air passage 8c are provided. The refrigeration room air volume adjusting device 10a for adjusting the temperature, the switching room air volume adjusting device 10b for adjusting the amount of cold air to the switching room 2 provided in the switching room cold air discharge air path 9c, and the independent ice making room return air path 9a are provided. An independent ice making air volume adjusting device 10c for adjusting the amount of cold air to the independent ice making room 3 is provided.

  In FIG. 2, 11 is an ice tray that performs ice making, 12 is an ice tray sensor that detects the temperature of the ice tray, 13 is a refrigerator sensor that detects the temperature of the refrigerator compartment, and 14 is a switching chamber that detects the temperature of the switching chamber. Reference numeral 15 is a freezer compartment sensor for detecting the temperature of the freezer compartment, 16 is a set temperature detecting means for setting the temperature of each room, and 17 is a temperature detecting means for detecting the internal temperature. The ice tray sensor 12, the refrigerator compartment A temperature data signal from the sensor 13, the switching chamber sensor 14, and the freezer compartment sensor 15 and a set temperature data signal from the set temperature detection means 16 are input. Reference numeral 18 denotes an internal temperature adjusting means for adjusting the internal temperature based on the detected internal temperature data and set temperature data, and controls opening and closing of the air volume adjusting devices 10a, 10b, and 10c for adjusting the temperature. To decide.

  Next, the operation of the refrigerator of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the independent ice making air volume adjusting device 10c according to the present invention. Opening and closing of the independent ice chamber air volume adjusting device 10c is controlled by temperature data Ts of an ice tray sensor 12 which is attached to the ice tray 11 and detects the temperature of the ice tray 11.

  The ice tray sensor 12 determines whether the temperature data Ts of the ice tray 11 is equal to or less than A (step 101). If the temperature data Ts is larger than A (goes in the NO direction of the flowchart), the independent ice chamber air volume adjusting device 10c is opened and the independent ice making is performed. Cool air is supplied to the chamber 3 (step 102). If the temperature data Ts of the ice tray 11 is A or less (proceeding in the YES direction of the flowchart), then it is determined whether Ts is B or more (step 103). If it is B or more (proceeding in the YES direction of the flowchart), the independent ice making air volume adjusting device 10c is opened to supply cool air to the independent ice making chamber 3 (step 104), and if smaller than B (proceeding in the NO direction of the flowchart). The independent ice making room air volume adjusting device 10c is closed, and cold air is not supplied to the independent ice making room 3 (step 105).

  Here, the temperature of A is about 0 ° C. that is the temperature at which ice is generated, and the temperature of B is about −10 ° C. that is the temperature at which the water supplied into the ice tray is completely iced. In the case of NO in step 103 (when Ts is smaller than B), it is considered that the water supplied into the ice tray 11 is completely iced, and it is necessary to send cold air to the ice tray 11 of the independent ice making chamber 3. The independent ice chamber air volume adjusting device 10c is closed. The control for opening the independent ice making air volume adjusting device 10c and sending the cold air to the independent ice making chamber 3 is performed in steps 102 and 104. If the ice making tray temperature Ts in step 102 is compared with that in step 404, the step is compared. Since it is higher at the time of 102, the air volume adjusting device 10c for the independent ice making room is opened widely and a lot of cold air is sent.

  In this example, the two constants A and B are compared with the temperature data Ts of the ice tray sensor 12, but the step 101 for comparing Ts and A is omitted, and the step for comparing Ts and B is omitted. The opening / closing control of the independent ice chamber air volume adjusting device 10c can be performed only by 103. That is, the control is to close the independent ice making room air volume adjusting device 10c when the ice tray temperature data Ts is lower than the temperature at which the ice making temperature is considered to be completely ice.

  When configured as described above, when the ice in the ice tray 11 is completed, it is not necessary to send unnecessary cool air to the independent ice making chamber 3, the amount of cool air blown to the other chamber is increased, and the cooling speed is increased. Compressor operation time is shortened and power consumption is reduced. Therefore, it is not necessary to use unnecessary energy more than necessary.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the air volume adjusting device for an independent ice making room of the refrigerator in the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 4, it is determined whether the defrosting function (DEF) is operating (ON) or not operating (OFF) (step 201), and if it is operating, the independent ice making air volume adjusting device 10c is turned on. Close (step 202). If not, the process proceeds to step 203, where the control of the first embodiment described above is performed. By closing the independent ice making air volume adjusting device 10c during the defrosting function operation, the warm air generated by the defrosting is prevented from entering the independent ice making chamber 3, and the time from when the operation is restarted until the cooling is completed and the operation is stopped. Shorten, reduce operating rate, reduce power consumption.

  Moreover, it becomes possible to make ice with high transparency by installing the independent room air volume adjusting device 10c in the independent ice making cold air return air passage 9a and adjusting the opening / closing time of the independent ice making air volume adjusting device 10c. . Because of ice making, the supplied water contains air, and if the ice making time is fast, the air contained in the water is trapped inside the ice and appears white and cloudy. By adjusting the open / close time of the independent ice chamber air volume adjusting device 10c and slowing down the ice making time, air bubbles are less likely to be trapped inside the ice, making it possible to produce highly transparent ice.

  As described above, the refrigerator according to the present invention is provided with the independent ice making room air volume adjusting device for controlling the amount of cool air flowing into the ice making room in the ice making room cold air return air passage. By adjusting the air flow to the appropriate amount, the air flow to the other room is increased when air to the independent ice making room is unnecessary, and the compressor operating time is increased by increasing the cooling rate of the other room. Since it can shorten and can reduce power consumption, it can apply also to the use of the cooling method of refrigeration equipment in general.

Front view illustrating the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Sectional drawing explaining the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention The flowchart explaining the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention The flowchart explaining the refrigerator in Embodiment 2 of this invention Front view explaining a conventional refrigerator

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Independent ice chamber 6 Cooler 8b Independent ice chamber cold air discharge air path 9a Independent ice chamber cold air return air path 10c Independent ice chamber air volume control apparatus 11 Ice tray 12 Ice tray sensor

Claims (6)

  A refrigerator having an ice making function, having an ice storage part for storing ice made ice, and having an independent ice making room which is an ice making room installed independently from other rooms, a cooler for generating cold air, and the independent ice making room An independent ice making room cool air discharge air passage for supplying cold air to the ice cooler, and an independent ice making air cooling air return air passage for returning the cold air from the independent ice making chamber to the cooler. A refrigerator having an independent ice making air volume adjusting device for controlling an outflow amount of cold air.   2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein opening / closing control of an independent ice making air volume adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the independent ice making chamber is performed by a temperature sensor provided in the independent ice making chamber.   The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor provided in the independent ice making chamber is provided in an ice tray in the independent ice making chamber.   An automatic ice making device that automatically performs an ice making function is provided, and when the ice making function is stopped, the independent ice making chamber adjusting device is controlled so as to change the temperature of the independent ice making chamber in an increasing direction. The refrigerator as described in any one of.   5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the independent ice making air volume adjusting device is closed when the defrosting function of the cooler is operated.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the opening / closing time of the independent ice-making room air volume adjusting device is adjusted during the automatic ice making function operation.

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