JP2023098320A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator which can alternately perform cooling of a cold room and cooling of a refrigeration room with one evaporator in an efficient manner.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 includes: a cold room 7 and a refrigeration room 6 disposed in the refrigerator 1; a cooling circuit having a compressor 21 and an evaporator 24; a fan 12 which causes a gas in the refrigerator 1 to flow; a cold room opening/closing unit 14 which opens or closes an area between a cooling passage 10 in which the evaporator 24 is disposed and the cold room 7; a refrigeration room opening/closing unit 13 which opens or closes an area between the cooling passage 10 and the refrigeration room 6; and a control unit which controls the compressor 21, the fan 12, the cold room opening/closing part 14, and the refrigeration room opening/closing part 13. The control unit controls so that a cold room cooling cycle and a refrigeration room cooling cycle are performed alternately. After the cold room cooling cycle ends and before the refrigeration room cooling cycle starts, the refrigerator 1 performs a pressure equilibrating process in which the compressor 21 is operated, the fan 12 is stopped, and the cold room opening/closing part 14 and the refrigeration room opening/closing part 13 are closed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator that alternately cools a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment.

Some refrigerators are equipped with an evaporator dedicated to cooling the refrigerating compartment and an evaporator dedicated to cooling the freezing compartment, and alternately cool the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment (for example, Patent Document 1 reference).

JP-A-2004-36975

However, since it is necessary to provide separate cooling lines for the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment including the evaporator, the manufacturing cost of the refrigerator increases and the storage efficiency in the refrigerator decreases. In order to solve the problem, it is preferable to provide one evaporator and alternately cool the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment by switching dampers. In this case, however, the cooling of the refrigerating compartment increases the pressure on the refrigerating compartment side, and relatively decreases the pressure on the freezing compartment side. As a result, high-temperature gas may flow into the freezer compartment from outside or from the refrigerator compartment. As a result, the temperature of the freezer compartment rises, and the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator may decrease.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of efficiently alternately cooling a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment with a single evaporator.

The refrigerator of the present invention is
a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment arranged in the refrigerator;
a cooling circuit having a compressor and an evaporator;
a fan for circulating gas in the refrigerator;
a refrigerating compartment opening/closing unit for opening and closing between the cooling channel in which the evaporator is arranged and the refrigerating compartment;
a freezer compartment opening/closing part that opens and closes between the cooling channel and the freezer compartment;
a control unit that controls the compressor, the fan, the refrigerator compartment opening/closing unit, and the freezer compartment opening/closing unit;
with
The control unit
By operating the compressor and the fan and opening the refrigerating compartment opening/closing section, the gas that has passed through the evaporator due to the flow by the fan flows into the refrigerating compartment through the cooling channel to cool the refrigerating compartment. terminating the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle by performing a cycle and closing at least the refrigerating compartment opening and closing;
By operating the compressor and the fan and opening the freezer compartment opening/closing part, the gas that has passed through the evaporator due to the flow by the fan flows into the freezer compartment from the cooling channel to cool the freezer compartment. terminating the freezer compartment cooling cycle by performing a cycle and closing at least the freezer compartment opening and closing part;
controlling the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle and the freezer compartment cooling cycle to be performed alternately;
After the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle is completed and before the freezer compartment cooling cycle is started, the compressor is operated, the fan is stopped, and the refrigerating compartment opening and closing parts are closed. It is characterized by performing a balancing process.

When the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle and the freezing compartment cooling cycle are alternately performed, the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle increases the pressure on the refrigerating compartment side and relatively decreases the pressure on the freezing compartment side. As a result, high-temperature gas may flow into the freezer compartment from outside the freezer or from the refrigerator compartment, and the temperature of the freezer compartment may rise. However, in the present invention, before the freezer compartment cooling cycle is started, the fan is stopped and the refrigerating compartment opening/closing part and the freezer compartment opening/closing part are closed to perform pressure equalization processing. The pressure on the chamber side is equilibrated. As a result, a relative decrease in the pressure in the freezer compartment can be suppressed, high-temperature gas can be suppressed from flowing into the freezer compartment from the outside or the refrigerator compartment, and an increase in the temperature of the freezer compartment can be suppressed. can.

Furthermore, in the pressure balancing process, the compressor is operated to cool the evaporator, so the gas in the cooling channel and the gas in the refrigerator compartment are cooled. As a result, the pressure on the side of the refrigerator compartment and the pressure on the side of the freezer compartment are promoted to be equilibrated, and when the freezer compartment cooling cycle is started, sufficiently cooled gas can be supplied to the freezer compartment. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that can efficiently alternately cool the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment using one evaporator.

Moreover, in the refrigerator of the present invention,
Between the freezing chamber and the entrance side of the evaporator, when open, the freezing chamber and the entrance side of the evaporator are communicated, and when closed, the freezing chamber and the entrance side of the evaporator are communicated. Equipped with a freezer compartment suction opening and closing part that cuts off between
The control unit
During the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, the freezer compartment intake opening/closing section is closed;
During the pressure equalization process, the freezer compartment suction opening/closing unit is closed;
The freezer compartment suction switch is opened during the freezer compartment cooling cycle.

According to the present invention, the freezer compartment suction opening/closing section is closed during the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle and the pressure equalization process, thereby blocking the connection between the freezer compartment and the inlet side of the evaporator. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the high-temperature, high-pressure gas that has entered the inlet side of the evaporator from the refrigerator compartment from flowing into the freezer compartment. Thereby, the temperature rise of the freezer compartment can be suppressed, and the freezer compartment can be cooled more efficiently.

Moreover, in the refrigerator of the present invention,
During the pressure equalization process, the control unit operates the compressor at a higher rotational speed than during the cold storage cooling cycle.

According to the present invention, during the pressure equalization process, the compressor is operated at a higher rotational speed than during the cold room cooling cycle, so the evaporator temperature can be lower than during the cold room cooling cycle. . This further promotes pressure equalization between the refrigerator compartment side and the freezer compartment side, and at the start of the freezer compartment cooling cycle, it is possible to reliably supply gas having a temperature suitable for cooling the freezer compartment to the freezer compartment. .

Moreover, in the refrigerator of the present invention,
After starting the pressure balancing process, when the temperature of the evaporator detected by the defrosting sensor becomes lower than a predetermined temperature, the control unit terminates the pressure balancing process and the freezer compartment cooling cycle. is characterized by starting

According to the present invention, when the temperature of the evaporator becomes lower than the predetermined temperature after the pressure equalization process is started, that is, when the freezing compartment cooling cycle is started, the temperature of the gas supplied to the freezer compartment changes to that of the freezer compartment. When it is determined that the temperature has decreased to a temperature suitable for cooling, the pressure equalization process is terminated and the freezer compartment cooling cycle is initiated. Thereby, the temperature rise of the freezer compartment can be suppressed, and efficient cooling of the freezer compartment can be realized.

Moreover, in the refrigerator of the present invention,
The freezer compartment opening/closing unit includes a fan cover arranged to cover the outside of the fan, and when the fan cover is in the open position, the gas discharged from the fan flows into the freezer compartment, and the It is characterized by comprising a shielding device that prevents gas discharged from the fan from flowing into the freezer compartment when the fan cover is in the closed position.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a freezer compartment opening/closing unit that can reliably switch the gas flow while saving space by using a shielding device that includes a fan cover arranged to cover the outside of the fan. .

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the refrigerator which can alternately cool a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment efficiently with one evaporator can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is side sectional drawing which shows typically the refrigerator which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a cooling channel according to the first embodiment having a freezer compartment damper and a refrigerator compartment damper. FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a cooling channel according to a second embodiment having a freezer compartment damper, a refrigerator compartment damper, and a freezer compartment suction damper. FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a cooling channel according to a third embodiment provided with a shielding device and a refrigerating compartment damper; FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a cooling channel according to a fourth embodiment provided with a shielding device, a refrigerator compartment damper and a freezer compartment suction damper; 1 is a diagrammatic view of a control system for internal cooling of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a case where a refrigerating compartment cooling cycle is performed in the cooling channel according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a case where pressure equalization processing is performed in the cooling channel according to the fourth embodiment; FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a case where a freezer compartment cooling cycle is performed in the cooling channel according to the fourth embodiment. 4 is a time chart showing an example of control for performing a refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, a pressure equalization process, and a freezer compartment cooling cycle; 4 is a flow chart showing an example of control for performing a refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, a pressure equalization process, and a freezer compartment cooling cycle.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The refrigerator described below is for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and unless there is a specific description, the present invention is not limited to the following. In each drawing, members having the same function may be given the same reference numerals. In consideration of the explanation of the main points or the ease of understanding, the embodiments may be shown separately for the sake of convenience, but partial replacement or combination of the configurations shown in different embodiments is possible. The sizes and positional relationships of members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view schematically showing a refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. First, an outline of a refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

A refrigerator 1 has a housing 2 and includes an upper door 3 and a lower door 4 rotatably attached to the front portion of the housing 2 when placed on a horizontal floor surface. A freezer compartment 6 and a refrigerator compartment 7 are arranged inside the housing 2 (hereinafter referred to as “inside”). A heat insulating material is arranged between the inner surface of the housing 2 and the outer surfaces of the freezer compartment 6 and the refrigerator compartment 7 .

<Cooling channel>
As shown in FIG. 1, behind the freezer compartment 6 and the refrigerator compartment 7, there is a cooling channel 10 composed of a lower cooling channel 10A and an upper cooling channel 10B partitioned by partition plates 11A and 11B, respectively. is provided. An evaporator 24 is arranged in the cooling channel 10 (more specifically, the lower cooling channel 10A). Evaporator 24 constitutes a part of the cooling circuit of refrigerator 1 .

The cooling circuit includes a compressor (compressor) 21 , a condenser (condenser), a capillary tube, and an evaporator 24 . The components of the cooling circuit are fluidly connected by piping in the order described above, and the evaporator 24 is cooled by the refrigerant circulating in the cooling circuit. The rotation speed of the compressor 21 is variable, and when the rotation speed of the compressor 21 increases, more refrigerant circulates and the cooling of the evaporator 24 can be strengthened.

A fan 12 is arranged above the evaporator 24 in the cooling channel 10 . The fan 12 allows the gas in the refrigerator to flow, and the gas that has been cooled by passing through the fins of the evaporator 24 can be supplied from the cooling channel 10 to the freezer compartment 6 and the refrigerator compartment 7. .

A freezer compartment damper 13 is arranged in the upper opening of the lower partition plate 11A. When the freezer compartment damper 13 is open, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows from the cooling channel 10 (lower cooling channel 10A) to the freezer compartment 6 . On the other hand, when the freezer compartment damper 13 is closed, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 does not flow from the cooling channel 10 (lower cooling channel 10A) to the freezer compartment 6 . FIG. 1 shows a state in which the freezer compartment damper 13 is closed.

When the fan 12 is in operation and the freezer compartment damper 13 is open, the gas that has flowed into the freezer compartment 6 from the cooling channel 10 (lower cooling channel 10A) circulates through the freezer compartment 6 and moves to the lower side. From the lower opening of the partition plate 11A, it returns to the entry side of the evaporator 24 of the cooling channel 10 (lower cooling channel 10A). This causes the gas to pass through the evaporator 24 again and be cooled, repeating a similar flow cycle. This is called a freezer compartment cooling cycle. While the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 in the freezer compartment cooling cycle circulates through the freezer compartment 6 , it can cool the stored items in the freezer compartment 6 .

However, the switching of whether to flow the gas into the freezer compartment 6 is not limited to the use of the freezer compartment damper 13 . For example, as will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2C and 2D, a shielding device 17 having a movable fan cover 17A that covers the outside of the fan 12 can be used. When the fan cover 17A is open, the gas discharged from the fan 12 flows into the freezer compartment 6. When the fan cover 17A is closed, the air discharged from the fan 12 is prevented from flowing into the freezer compartment 6. can be

Furthermore, a refrigerator compartment damper 14 is arranged between the lower cooling channel 10A and the upper cooling channel 10B. When the refrigerator compartment damper 14 is open, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows from the lower cooling channel 10A to the upper cooling channel 10B. Furthermore, the gas that has flowed into the upper cooling flow path 10B flows into the refrigerator compartment 7 from the cooling flow path 10 (upper cooling flow path 10B) through openings provided at a plurality of height positions. On the other hand, when the refrigerator compartment damper 14 is closed, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 does not flow from the lower cooling channel 10A to the upper cooling channel 10B. In FIG. 1, the refrigerating compartment damper 14 is shown in an open state, and the flow of gas at that time is schematically shown by dotted arrows.

When the fan 12 is in operation and the refrigerating chamber damper 14 is open, the gas that has flowed into the refrigerating chamber 7 from the cooling flow path 10 (upper cooling flow path 10B) circulates in the refrigerating chamber 7 and reaches the refrigerating chamber 7. flows into the inlet 15A of the return channel 15 that opens downward.

(return channel)
The return flow path 15 is a flow path through which the gas that has circulated in the refrigerator compartment 7 flows into the lower side of the cooling flow path 10 (lower cooling flow path 10A) without flowing inside the freezer compartment 6 . The return channel 15 is arranged to be separated from the cooling channel 10 . The gas that has flowed into the refrigerator compartment 7 from the cooling channel 10 (upper cooling channel 10B) and circulated in the refrigerator compartment 7 flows into the return channel 15 from the inlet 15A. Then, the inflowing gas flows through the return channel 15, flows into the lower side of the cooling channel 10 (lower cooling channel 10A) from the lower outlet 15B, and returns to the inlet side of the evaporator 24. . This causes the gas to pass through the evaporator 24 again and be cooled, repeating a similar flow cycle. This is called the cold room cooling cycle. During the refrigeration compartment cooling cycle, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 is circulating through the refrigeration compartment 7, allowing the contents of the freezer compartment 6 to be cooled.

A machine room 40 is arranged in the rear and lower part of the housing 2, and a compressor 21, a condenser (not shown), an evaporating dish (not shown) and the like are arranged.

A freezer compartment temperature sensor 30 for detecting the temperature in the freezer compartment 6 is arranged in the freezer compartment 6 , and a refrigerating compartment temperature sensor 32 for detecting the temperature in the refrigerating compartment 7 is arranged in the refrigerating compartment 7 . A defrosting sensor 34 for detecting the temperature of the evaporator 24 is attached to the evaporator 24 .

(Cooling channel according to the first embodiment)
FIG. 2A is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the cooling channel 10 according to the first embodiment provided with the freezer compartment damper 13 and the refrigerator compartment damper 14. FIG. The cooling channel 10 according to the first embodiment is the same as the cooling channel 10 shown in FIG. A freezer compartment damper 13 that switches whether the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows into the freezer compartment 6, and a refrigerator compartment damper 14 that switches whether the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows into the refrigerator compartment 7. Prepare. The lower side of the lower partition plate 11A, which is the entry side of the evaporator 24, is open without a damper or the like.

(Cooling channel according to the second embodiment)
FIG. 2B is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the cooling channel 10 according to the second embodiment provided with the freezer compartment damper 13, the refrigerator compartment damper 14, and the freezer compartment suction damper 16. FIG. The cooling flow path 10 according to the second embodiment also includes a freezer compartment damper 13 that switches whether or not the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows into the freezer compartment 6, and the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows into the refrigerator compartment 7. A refrigerator compartment damper 14 is provided for switching whether or not to flow in. - 特許庁

Furthermore, the cooling channel 10 according to the second embodiment includes a freezer compartment intake damper 16 below the lower partition plate 11A on the entrance side of the evaporator 24 . The freezer compartment suction damper 16 communicates between the freezer compartment 6 and the inlet side of the evaporator 24 when it is open, and blocks the link between the freezer compartment 6 and the inlet side of the evaporator 24 when it is closed. become.

(Cooling channel according to the third embodiment)
FIG. 2C is a side sectional view schematically showing the cooling channel 10 according to the third embodiment provided with the shielding device 17 and the cold storage damper 14. FIG. The cooling channel 10 according to the second embodiment includes a shielding device 17 instead of the freezer compartment damper 13 . Further, a refrigerator compartment damper 14 is provided for switching whether or not the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows into the refrigerator compartment 7 . The lower side of the lower partition plate 11A is open without a damper or the like.

The shielding device 17 has a movable fan cover 17A that covers the outside of the fan 12 . The fan cover 17A is moved between an open position and a closed position by driving an actuator such as a motor. When the fan cover 17A is open, the gas discharged from the fan 12 flows into the freezer compartment 6. When the fan cover 17A is closed, the air discharged from the fan 12 is prevented from flowing into the freezer compartment 6. become. When the fan cover 17A is closed, the gas discharged from the fan 12 flows upward through the cooling channel 10 through openings provided around the fan 12 . Therefore, when the refrigerator compartment damper 14 is open, the gas discharged from the fan 12 flows into the refrigerator compartment 7 via the upper cooling flow path 10B.

In this manner, the shielding device 17 having the fan cover 17A arranged so as to cover the outside of the fan 12 can reliably switch the gas flow while saving space.

(Cooling channel according to the fourth embodiment)
FIG. 2D is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the cooling channel 10 according to the fourth embodiment provided with the shielding device 17, the refrigerator compartment damper 14 and the freezer compartment suction damper 16. FIG. The cooling channel according to the fourth embodiment includes a shielding device 17 that switches whether or not the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 flows into the freezer compartment 6 by movement of the fan cover 17A, and the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24. and a refrigerating chamber damper 14 for switching whether or not to flow into the refrigerating chamber 7. - 特許庁Further, a freezer compartment intake damper 16 for switching whether or not the refrigerator compartment 6 and the entrance side of the evaporator 24 are communicated is provided on the lower side of the lower partition plate 11A, which is the entrance side of the evaporator 24.例文帳に追加

In the above description, the dampers 13, 14, 16 or the shielding device 17 are used to open and close the flow path, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, any other device, including automatic valves, may be used. Therefore, these means for opening and closing the flow path can be collectively referred to as the freezer compartment opening/closing units 13 and 17, the refrigerator compartment opening/closing unit 14, and the freezer compartment intake opening/closing unit 16.

(Control system for internal cooling)
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control system for cooling inside the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Next, a control system for cooling the interior of the refrigerator 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

A control unit 100 constituting a control system is electrically connected to a freezer compartment temperature sensor 30 arranged in the freezer compartment 6 to receive detection data (signal) of the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 . The control unit 100 is also electrically connected to a refrigerating compartment temperature sensor 32 arranged in the refrigerating compartment 7 to receive detection data (signal) of the temperature of the refrigerating compartment 7 . The control unit 100 is electrically connected to a defrosting sensor 34 attached to the evaporator 24 and receives temperature detection data (signal) of the evaporator 24 .

The control unit 100 can transmit control signals to control the operations of the compressor 21 and the fan 12 . The rotation speed of the compressor 21 is variable, and the controller 100 can change the rotation speed of the compressor 21 . In the freezer compartment cooling cycle in which it is necessary to supply gas at a lower temperature, the controller 100 controls the compressor 21 to operate at a higher rotational speed than in the normal refrigerator compartment cooling cycle.

In addition, the control unit 100 can transmit control signals to the shielding device 17 (or the freezer compartment damper 13) and the refrigerator compartment damper 14 to control opening and closing. Furthermore, when the refrigerator 1 is provided with the freezer compartment suction damper 16, the control part 100 can transmit a control signal to the freezer compartment suction damper 16, and can control opening and closing.

(Control processing for internal cooling)
FIG. 4A is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a case where a refrigerating compartment cooling cycle is performed in the cooling channel 10 according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 4B is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a case where pressure equalization processing is performed in the cooling channel 10 according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 4C is a side sectional view schematically showing a case where a freezer compartment cooling cycle is performed in the cooling channel 10 according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 5 is a time chart showing an example of control for performing a refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, a pressure equalization process, and a freezer compartment cooling cycle.

In Figures 4A-4C, gas flow is indicated by dashed arrows. The compressor 21 and the fan 12 are shown uncolored when not operating, lightly colored when rotating at low speed, and darkly colored when rotating at high speed. ing.

Next, specific contents of control processing for cooling inside the refrigerator will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 5 . Here, the control processing for cooling the inside of the refrigerator will be described by taking as an example the fourth embodiment provided with the shielding device 17 and the freezer compartment suction damper 16. 16 is not provided, the control process is basically the same.

In the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 100 controls to alternately perform the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle and the freezer compartment cooling cycle. In the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 due to the flow by the fan 12 flows into the refrigerating compartment 7 from the cooling channel 10 (upper cooling channel 10B), and the gas that has circulated in the refrigerating compartment 7 evaporates again. Return to the entry side of vessel 24 . In the freezer compartment cooling cycle, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 due to the flow by the fan 12 flows into the freezer compartment 6 from the cooling channel 10 (lower cooling channel 10A), and the gas that has circulated in the freezer compartment 6 is again Return to the inlet side of the evaporator 24 .

In many refrigerators, the gas that has passed through the evaporator is supplied to the freezer compartment, and part of the gas is also supplied to the refrigerator compartment, so that the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment are cooled at the same time. In that case, it is necessary to always operate the compressor at a high rotation speed corresponding to cooling of the freezer compartment, so high energy consumption continues. On the other hand, when the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle and the freezing compartment cooling cycle are alternately performed as in the present embodiment, the compressor 21 is operated at a low rotational speed corresponding to the cooling of the refrigerating compartment 7 when performing the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle. Since it can be operated, energy consumption can be reduced compared to the above.

Furthermore, some refrigerators are equipped with an evaporator dedicated to cooling the refrigerator compartment and an evaporator dedicated to cooling the refrigerator compartment, and alternate between the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle and the freezer compartment cooling cycle. However, such refrigerators also increase manufacturing costs and reduce storage efficiency. In this embodiment, one evaporator 24 can be used to alternately perform the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle and the freezing compartment cooling cycle, so that the manufacturing cost of the refrigerator 1 can be suppressed, and the deterioration of the storage efficiency inside the refrigerator can be suppressed. and energy consumption can be reduced.

<Refrigerator cooling cycle>
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 5, the control unit 100 performs control processing for implementing the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle. Specifically, the controller 100 operates the compressor 21 at a rotational speed corresponding to the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 7 . The rotation speed of the compressor 21 in the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle is lower than the rotation speed of the compressor 21 in the freezer compartment cooling cycle. The control unit 100 closes the shielding device 17 , opens the refrigerator compartment damper 14 , and closes the freezer compartment suction damper 16 . When the freezer compartment damper 13 is provided instead of the shielding device 17, the freezer compartment damper 13 is closed. Then, the control unit 100 operates the fan 12 at a rotation speed corresponding to the cooling of the refrigerator compartment 7 . The rotation speed of the fan 12 in the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle is lower than the rotation speed of the fan 12 in the freezer compartment cooling cycle.

Due to such control, the gas that has been cooled by the flow of the fan 12 through the evaporator 24 arranged in the lower cooling flow path 10A passes through the cold storage damper 14 and passes through the upper cooling flow path 10B. , and flows into the refrigerator compartment 7 from the upper cooling channel 10B. The gas that has circulated in the refrigerator compartment 7 flows through the return channel 15 to the lower side of the lower cooling channel 10A without passing through the freezer compartment 6 and returns to the entry side of the evaporator 24 . By continuing such gas circulation, the stored items in the refrigerator compartment 7 can be cooled. At this time, since the shielding device 17 (the freezer compartment damper 13) and the freezer compartment intake damper 16 are closed, no gas flows into the freezer compartment 6 from the cooling flow path 10 (lower cooling flow path 10A). When the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 7 detected by the refrigerating chamber temperature sensor 32 falls below the target temperature T1 of the refrigerating chamber 7, the refrigerating chamber cooling cycle is terminated.

<Pressure equalization process>
Next, the control unit 100 performs control processing for pressure equalization processing performed between the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle and the freezer compartment cooling cycle. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 5, the controller 100 operates the compressor 21 at a higher rotational speed than the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle. Basically, it operates at the same number of rotations as the number of rotations in the freezer compartment cooling cycle, but the compressor 21 can be operated at a number of rotations between the number of rotations in the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle and the number of rotations in the freezer compartment cooling cycle. can also

Then, the control unit 100 closes the shielding device 17, closes the refrigerator compartment damper 14, and closes the freezer compartment suction damper 16. When the freezer compartment damper 13 is provided instead of the shielding device 17, the freezer compartment damper 13 is closed. The control unit 100 also stops the operation of the fan 12 .

When the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle is performed, the pressure on the refrigerator compartment 7 side increases, and the pressure on the freezer compartment 6 side relatively decreases. At this time, when the freezer compartment cooling cycle is started, high temperature outside air flows into the freezer compartment 6 from the drain hole that discharges liquid that has fallen from the defrosting evaporator 24, or high temperature gas from the refrigerator compartment 7 flows into the freezer compartment 6. , and the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 may rise. However, in this embodiment, before starting the freezer compartment cooling cycle, the fan 12 is stopped and the refrigerator compartment opening/closing part 14 and the freezer compartment opening/closing part 17 (13) are closed to perform pressure equalization processing. The pressure on the side of the refrigerator compartment 7 and the pressure on the side of the freezer compartment 6 are balanced. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 from rising due to high-temperature gas flowing into the freezer compartment 6 from the outside of the freezer compartment or from the refrigerator compartment 7 during the freezer compartment cooling cycle.

Furthermore, in the pressure balancing process, the compressor 21 is operated to cool the evaporator 24, so the gas in the cooling channel 10 and the gas in the refrigerator compartment 7 are cooled. This promotes the equalization of the pressures on the refrigerating compartment 7 side and the freezing compartment 6 side, and can supply sufficiently cooled gas to the freezing compartment 6 when starting the freezing compartment cooling cycle.

In particular, since the evaporator 24 is cooled more strongly than in the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, the pressures on the refrigerator compartment 7 side and the freezer compartment 6 side are further balanced, and the cooling channel 10 (lower cooling The temperature of the gas in the flow path 10A) can be reliably lowered to a temperature suitable for cooling the freezer compartment 6. As a result, when the shielding device 17 (the freezer compartment damper 13) is opened at the start of the freezer compartment cooling cycle, low-temperature gas suitable for cooling the freezer compartment 6 can flow into the freezer compartment 6 without fail.

Furthermore, when the refrigerator 1 is provided with the freezer compartment suction damper 16, closing the freezer compartment suction damper 16 prevents the gas returning from the refrigerator compartment 6 to the inlet side of the evaporator 24 to flow into the freezer compartment 6. can be prevented. Thereby, it can suppress more effectively that the temperature of the freezer compartment 7 rises.

<Timing of Ending Pressure Balancing Processing>
The following control process can be considered for the timing of ending the pressure equalization process.
One conceivable method is to end the pressure equalization process when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the start of the pressure equalization process. As this predetermined time, the pressure on the side of the refrigerator compartment 7 and the pressure on the side of the freezer compartment 6 are balanced by a verification test or the like, and the temperature of the gas supplied to the freezer compartment 6 at the start of the freezer compartment cooling cycle is equal to the temperature of the freezer compartment. It is preferable to define a time period during which it has been demonstrated that the temperature of the chamber 6 has decreased to a temperature suitable for cooling.

As the control process for ending the pressure equalization process, a control process for ending the pressure equalization process based on the temperature of the evaporator 24 detected by the defrosting sensor 34 is also conceivable. When the temperature of the evaporator 24 detected by the defrosting sensor 34 falls below a predetermined temperature T2, the pressure balancing process can be controlled to end. As the value of the predetermined temperature T2, it is preferable to set a temperature at which it is determined that the gas around the evaporator 24 has decreased to a temperature sufficient to cool the freezer compartment 6.

In this way, when the temperature of the evaporator 24 becomes lower than the predetermined temperature T2 after the pressure equalization process is started, that is, at the start of the freezer compartment cooling cycle, the temperature of the gas supplied to the freezer compartment 6 reaches the freezer compartment temperature. When it is determined that the temperature has decreased to the temperature suitable for cooling in step 6, the pressure equalization process is terminated and the freezer compartment cooling cycle is started. Thereby, the temperature rise of the freezer compartment 6 can be suppressed and the efficient cooling of the freezer compartment 6 can be implement|achieved.

<Freezer cooling cycle>
After the pressure equalization process is completed, as shown in FIGS. 4C and 5, the control unit 100 performs a control process for implementing the freezer compartment cooling cycle. Specifically, the controller 100 operates the compressor 21 at a rotational speed corresponding to the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 . The rotation speed of the compressor 21 in the freezer compartment cooling cycle is higher than the rotation speed of the compressor 21 in the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle. Then, the control unit 100 opens the shielding device 17 , closes the refrigerator compartment damper 14 , and opens the freezer compartment suction damper 16 . When the freezer compartment damper 13 is provided instead of the shielding device 17, the freezer compartment damper 13 is opened. Then, the control unit 100 operates the fan 12 at a rotation speed corresponding to cooling of the freezer compartment 6 . The rotation speed of the fan 12 in the freezer compartment cooling cycle is higher than the rotation speed of the fan 12 in the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle.

With such control, the gas that has been cooled by the flow of the fan 12 through the evaporator 24 arranged in the lower cooling flow path 10A passes through the shielding device 17 (the freezer compartment damper 13), It flows into the freezer compartment 6 from the lower cooling flow path 10A. As described above, the pressure equalization process allows sufficiently cooled gas to flow into the freezer compartment 6 from the beginning of the freezer compartment cooling cycle.

The gas that has circulated through the freezer compartment 6 passes through the freezer compartment intake damper 16 , flows into the lower side of the lower cooling flow path 10A, and returns to the entry side of the evaporator 24 . By continuing such gas circulation, the stored items in the freezer compartment 6 can be cooled. At this time, since the refrigerating compartment damper 14 is closed, no gas flows into the refrigerating compartment 7 . When the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 detected by the freezer compartment temperature sensor 30 falls below the target temperature T3 of the freezer compartment 6, the freezer compartment cooling cycle is terminated.

<Cooling pause processing>
After the freezer compartment cooling cycle ends, as shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 100 performs cooling suspension processing. Specifically, the control unit 100 stops the operation of the compressor 21 . Then, the control unit 100 closes the shielding device 17, closes the refrigerator compartment damper 14, and closes the freezer compartment suction damper 16. If the refrigerator 1 is provided with the freezer compartment damper 13 instead of the shielding device 17, the freezer compartment damper 13 is closed. Then, the control unit 100 stops operating the fan 12 .

Through such control, the cooling suspension process in which all cooling is stopped is performed. Thereby, energy consumption can be suppressed. Since cooling is not performed, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment 7, which has previously completed the cooling cycle, rises more remarkably. Therefore, when the refrigerating compartment temperature detected by refrigerating compartment temperature sensor 32 exceeds a predetermined refrigerating compartment cooling cycle start temperature T4, the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle shown in FIGS. 4A and 5 is started. Thereafter, as described above, the pressure equalization process and the freezer compartment cooling cycle are performed in this order, and the cooling suspension process is resumed.

(flowchart)
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of control for performing a refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, a pressure equalization process, and a freezer compartment cooling cycle. Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the control flow for performing the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, the pressure balancing process, and the freezer compartment cooling cycle will be described.

First, the control unit 100 performs control processing for implementing the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle. Specifically, the control unit 100 operates the compressor 21 at a rotation speed corresponding to the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 7, closes the shielding device 17 (freezer compartment damper 13), opens the refrigerator compartment damper 14, and The room suction damper 16 is closed, and the fan 12 is operated at a rotation speed corresponding to cooling of the refrigerator compartment (step S2). Next, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 7 detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 32 is lower than the target temperature T1 of the refrigerator compartment 7 (step S4).

In this determination, if it is determined that the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 7 is equal to or higher than the target temperature T1 of the refrigerating chamber 7 (NO), a standby state is entered in which this determination process is repeated. If it is determined in step S4 that the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 7 has fallen below the target temperature T1 of the refrigerating chamber 7 (YES), the control unit 100 terminates the refrigerating chamber cooling cycle and performs pressure equalization processing. Perform control processing to start. Specifically, the control unit 100 operates the compressor 21 at a higher rotation speed than the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, closes the shielding device 17, closes the refrigerator compartment damper 14, and closes the freezer compartment intake damper 16. , the operation of the fan 12 is stopped (step S6).

Next, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the evaporator 24 detected by the defrost sensor 34 has fallen below the target temperature T2, or whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the pressure balancing process was started (step S8). In step S8, one of these two judgments is made. In this determination, if it is determined that the temperature of the evaporator 24 is equal to or higher than the target temperature T2, or that the predetermined time has not elapsed since the start of the pressure equalization process (NO), this determination process is repeated. state. If it is determined in step S8 that the temperature of the evaporator 24 has fallen below the target temperature T2, or that a predetermined time has passed since the start of the pressure equalization process (YES), the control unit 100 controls the pressure A control process is performed to terminate the equilibration process and initiate the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle.

Specifically, the control unit 100 operates the compressor 21 at a rotation speed corresponding to the temperature of the freezer compartment 6, opens the shield device 17 (freezer compartment damper 13), closes the refrigerator compartment damper 14, and closes the freezer compartment damper 14. The room suction damper 16 is opened, and the fan 12 is operated at a rotation speed corresponding to cooling of the freezer compartment 7 (step S10). Next, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 detected by the freezer compartment temperature sensor 30 is lower than the target temperature T3 of the freezer compartment 6 (step S12).

In this determination, if it is determined that the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 is equal to or higher than the target temperature T3 of the freezer compartment 6 (NO), a standby state is entered in which this determination process is repeated. If it is determined in step S12 that the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 has fallen below the target temperature T3 of the freezer compartment 6 (YES), the controller 100 terminates the freezer compartment cooling cycle and starts the cooling suspension process. (step S14).

Specifically, the control unit 100 stops the operation of the compressor 21, closes the shielding device 17 (freezer compartment damper 13), closes the refrigerator compartment damper 14, closes the freezer compartment suction damper 16, closes the fan 12 is stopped (step S14). Next, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 7 detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 32 has exceeded the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle start temperature T4 (step S16). In this determination, if it is determined that the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 7 is equal to or lower than the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle start temperature T4 (NO), a standby state is entered in which this determination process is repeated.

If it is determined in step S16 that the temperature of the refrigerating compartment 7 has exceeded the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle start temperature T4 (YES), the control section 100 returns to step S2 to perform the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle. start control processing. In this manner, the control unit 100 repeats a series of cycles in which the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, pressure equalization process, freezer compartment cooling cycle, and cooling stop process are performed in this order. Through such control processing, the refrigerator compartment 7 and the freezer compartment 6 can be efficiently cooled.

As described above, the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment includes the refrigerating chamber 7 and the freezing chamber 6 arranged inside the refrigerator, the cooling circuit having the compressor 21 and the evaporator 24, and the fan for causing the gas in the refrigerator to flow. 12, a refrigerator compartment opening/closing part 14 for opening and closing between the cooling channel 10 in which the evaporator 24 is arranged and the refrigerator compartment 7, and a freezer compartment opening/closing part 17 for opening and closing between the cooling channel 10 and the freezer compartment 6. (13), and a controller 100 that controls the compressor 21, the fan 12, the refrigerator compartment opening/closing unit 14, and the freezer compartment opening/closing unit 17 (13), and the controller 100 operates the compressor 21 and the fan 12 Then, by opening the refrigerator compartment opening/closing part 14, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 24 due to the flow by the fan 12 is allowed to flow into the refrigerator compartment 7 from the cooling channel 10, thereby performing the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle. By closing the opening/closing part 14, the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle is terminated, the compressor 21 and the fan 12 are operated, and by opening the freezing compartment opening/closing part 17 (13), the flow by the fan 12 causes the evaporator 24 The gas that has passed through flows into the freezer compartment 6 from the cooling channel 10 to perform the freezer compartment cooling cycle, and at least the freezer compartment opening/closing part 17 (13) is closed to end the freezer compartment cooling cycle. Control is performed so that the cooling cycle and the freezer compartment cooling cycle are alternately performed, and after the end of the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle and before the freezer compartment cooling cycle is started, the compressor 21 is operated, the fan 12 is stopped, and the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle is performed. The opening/closing part 14 and the freezer compartment opening/closing part 17 (13) are closed to perform pressure equalization processing.

When the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle and the freezing compartment cooling cycle are alternately performed by switching the opening/closing parts 17 (13) and 14, the pressure on the refrigerating compartment 7 side increases during the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle. side pressure drops. If the freezer compartment cooling cycle is started at this time, high-temperature gas may flow into the freezer compartment 6 from the outside or the refrigerator compartment 7 and the temperature of the freezer compartment 6 may rise. However, in this embodiment, before starting the freezer compartment cooling cycle, the fan 12 is stopped and the refrigerator compartment opening/closing part 14 and the freezer compartment opening/closing part 17 (13) are closed to perform pressure equalization processing. The pressure on the side of the refrigerator compartment 7 and the pressure on the side of the freezer compartment 6 are balanced. As a result, a relative decrease in the pressure in the freezer compartment 6 can be suppressed, and high-temperature gas flows into the freezer compartment 6 from the outside or the refrigerator compartment 7, effectively preventing the temperature rise in the freezer compartment 6. can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in the pressure balancing process, the compressor 21 is operated to cool the evaporator 24, so the gas in the cooling channel 10 and the gas in the refrigerator compartment 7 are cooled. As a result, the pressure on the side of the refrigerator compartment 7 and the pressure on the side of the freezer compartment 6 are promoted to equilibrate, and at the start of the freezer compartment cooling cycle, it is possible to supply sufficiently cooled gas to the freezer compartment 6. can. Thus, it is possible to provide the refrigerator 1 that can efficiently alternately cool the refrigerating compartment 7 and the freezing compartment 6 using one evaporator 24 .

In addition, in the present embodiment, during the pressure balancing process, the control unit 100 operates the compressor 21 at a higher rotational speed than when performing the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, so the temperature of the evaporator 24 is adjusted to that of the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle. Can be lower than in practice. This further promotes pressure equalization between the refrigerating chamber 7 side and the freezing chamber 6 side, and reliably supplies gas having a temperature suitable for cooling the freezing chamber 6 to the freezing chamber 6 at the start of the freezing chamber cooling cycle. can be done.

Furthermore, between the freezer compartment 6 and the entrance side of the evaporator 24, the freezer compartment 6 and the entrance side of the evaporator 24 are communicated when open, and the freezer compartment 6 and the evaporator 24 are communicated when closed. It is also possible to provide a freezer compartment suction opening/closing part 16 that blocks communication with the entrance side. In that case, the control unit 100 closes the freezer compartment intake opening/closing part 16 during the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, closes the freezer compartment intake opening/closing part 16 during the pressure equalization process, and closes the freezer compartment intake opening/closing part 16 during the freezer compartment cooling cycle. The chamber suction opening/closing unit 16 is opened.

During the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle and pressure equalization process, the freezer compartment intake switch 16 is closed, so that the connection between the freezer compartment 6 and the inlet side of the evaporator 24 is cut off. As a result, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas that has entered the inlet side of the evaporator 24 from the refrigerator compartment 7 can be prevented from flowing into the freezer compartment 6 . Thereby, the temperature rise of the freezer compartment 6 can be suppressed and the freezer compartment 6 can be cooled more efficiently.

Although embodiments and implementations of the present invention have been described, the disclosure may vary in details of construction, combinations of elements in the embodiments, implementations, changes in order, etc. It can be implemented without departing from the scope and spirit.

1 refrigerator 2 housing 3 upper door 4 lower door 6 freezer compartment 7 refrigerator compartment 10 cooling channel 10A lower cooling channel 10B upper cooling channel 11A lower partition plate 11B upper partition plate 12 fan 13 freezer compartment damper (freezer compartment opening/closing part)
14 Refrigerating compartment damper (refrigerating compartment opening/closing part)
15 Return channel 15A Inlet 15B Outlet 16 Freezer compartment suction damper 17 Shielding device (freezer compartment opening/closing part)
17A fan cover 21 compressor 30 freezer compartment temperature sensor 32 refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 34 defrosting sensor 40 machine room 100 control unit

Claims (5)

a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment arranged in the refrigerator;
a cooling circuit having a compressor and an evaporator;
a fan for circulating gas in the refrigerator;
a refrigerating compartment opening/closing unit for opening and closing between the cooling channel in which the evaporator is arranged and the refrigerating compartment;
a freezer compartment opening/closing part that opens and closes between the cooling channel and the freezer compartment;
a control unit that controls the compressor, the fan, the refrigerator compartment opening/closing unit, and the freezer compartment opening/closing unit;
with
The control unit
By operating the compressor and the fan and opening the refrigerating compartment opening/closing section, the gas that has passed through the evaporator due to the flow by the fan flows into the refrigerating compartment through the cooling channel to cool the refrigerating compartment. terminating the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle by performing a cycle and closing at least the refrigerating compartment opening and closing;
By operating the compressor and the fan and opening the freezer compartment opening/closing part, the gas that has passed through the evaporator due to the flow by the fan flows into the freezer compartment from the cooling channel to cool the freezer compartment. terminating the freezer compartment cooling cycle by performing a cycle and closing at least the freezer compartment opening and closing part;
controlling the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle and the freezer compartment cooling cycle to be performed alternately;
After the refrigerating compartment cooling cycle ends and before starting the freezing compartment cooling cycle, the compressor is activated, the fan is stopped, and the refrigerating compartment opening and closing parts are closed. A refrigerator characterized by performing an equilibration process. Between the freezing chamber and the entrance side of the evaporator, when open, the freezing chamber and the entrance side of the evaporator are communicated, and when closed, the freezing chamber and the entrance side of the evaporator are communicated. Equipped with a freezer compartment suction opening and closing part that cuts off between
The control unit
During the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle, the freezer compartment intake opening/closing section is closed;
During the pressure equalization process, the freezer compartment suction opening/closing unit is closed;
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said freezer compartment suction switch is opened during said freezer compartment cooling cycle. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein during the pressure equalization process, the control unit operates the compressor at a higher rotational speed than during the refrigerator compartment cooling cycle. After the pressure equalization process is started, when the temperature of the evaporator detected by the defrosting sensor becomes lower than a predetermined temperature, the control unit terminates the pressure equalization process and 4. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it starts the The freezer compartment opening/closing unit includes a fan cover arranged to cover the outside of the fan, and when the fan cover is in the open position, the gas discharged from the fan flows into the freezer compartment, and the 5. A shielding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, when the fan cover is in the closed position, it comprises a shielding device that prevents the gas discharged from the fan from flowing into the freezer compartment. refrigerator.

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