JPH04244569A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively control both quick cooling and thawing functions by a simple operation by employing a storage chamber normally as an ice temperature chamber. CONSTITUTION:A through fan 9 is provided at the back surface of a storage chamber 3, a temperature sensor A10 for controlling the chamber 3 at an ice temperature chamber temperature is mounted, a chilled gas introduction passage 4 is connected to a suction inlet 9a of the fan, a storage chamber chilled gas damper 5 and a temperature sensor B11 are mounted, a thawing heater 8 is mounted in a duct 7 of a storage chamber ceiling, a temperature sensor C12 is mounted at the center 3b of the bottom of the storage chamber, and a storage chamber door 4 and a door switching detecting switch 15 are provided on a front surface. Thus, in the case of quick cooling, setting of a cooling time corresponding to the quality and temperature of food is eliminated, quick cooling is effectively conducted, the food is maintained at a suitable temperature after the quick cooling, and erroneous thawing of food which was forgotten to be removed is eliminated. Setting of a conducting time of a heater corresponding to quality and package of the food in the case of thawing is eliminated, it is effectively thawed, and erroneous quick cooling of the food which is forgotten to be removed is obviated.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the control of a refrigerator having a storage chamber with both defrosting and rapid cooling functions.

0002

[Prior Art] A conventional device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-10587.
As described in Publication No. 9, high-temperature air from the refrigerator compartment is introduced into the storage compartment for thawing, and when rapid cooling is performed, cold air is introduced into the storage compartment from the cold air inlet connected to the storage compartment. It had a structure.

[0003] When performing rapid cooling, the cooling time must be set according to the mass and temperature of the food, and when thawing, the heat capacity and energization time of the heater must be set according to the mass and packaging of the food. I had to.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above prior art, when performing rapid cooling, the cooling time must be set in accordance with the mass and temperature of the food, and when performing thawing, the The operation is complicated because the heat capacity and energization time of the heater must be set to correspond to the mass and packaging of the food, and if the operation is performed incorrectly, the food may become too cold or insufficiently cold after being rapidly cooled. Otherwise, the quality of the food may deteriorate due to over-thawing.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the need to set a cooling time corresponding to the mass and temperature of food during rapid cooling, prevent food from becoming too cold or insufficiently cold after rapid cooling, and to This eliminates the need to set the heater's heat capacity and energization time according to the mass of the food, prevents deterioration in food quality due to over-thawing, and enables reliable food cooking with simple operations.

[0006]

[Means for solving the problem] When using the storage room as a rapid cooling room, temperature sensor B at the opening of the cold air introduction path is used.
By detecting the antifreeze temperature at , opening and closing the cold air damper, and calculating the slope of the temperature change at which temperature sensor B cools,
The system estimates the mass and temperature of the food, sets the number of operations to detect the antifreeze temperature and close the cold air damper, and ends rapid cooling when the number of operations reaches the number of operations within a preset time.

When the storage room is used as a thawing room, the thawing heater and the cross-flow fan are operated, the slope of the temperature change of the temperature sensor C is calculated, the presence or absence of packaging is determined based on the slope, and the temperature The slope of the temperature change of sensor B is calculated and the mass of the food is estimated. Furthermore, the final cooling time after the heater energization is stopped corresponding to the mass of the food and the previously determined presence/absence of packaging is determined by fuzzy reasoning, and when the temperature sensor C reaches the set temperature range during the final cooling time, thawing control is started. finish.

[0008]

[Operation] When using the storage room as a rapid cooling room, the temperature sensor B at the opening of the cold air introduction path detects the anti-freezing temperature, opens and closes the cold air damper, and the temperature sensor B calculates the slope of the temperature change as it cools. By this, the mass of the food is estimated and the number of operations for detecting the antifreeze temperature and closing the cold air damper is set, and when the number of operations is reached within the preset time, rapid cooling is terminated, corresponding to the mass of the food. It is possible to eliminate the need to set a specific cooling time.

When the storage room is used as a thawing room, the thawing heater and the cross-flow fan are operated, the slope of the temperature change of the temperature sensor C is calculated, the presence or absence of packaging is determined based on the slope, and the temperature The slope of the temperature change of sensor B is calculated and the mass of the food is estimated. Furthermore, the final cooling time after the heater energization is stopped corresponding to the mass of the food and the previously determined presence/absence of packaging is determined by fuzzy reasoning, and when the temperature sensor C reaches the set temperature range during the final cooling time, thawing control is started. finish.

0010

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to FIG. 1 is a freezer compartment, 2 is a refrigerator compartment, and 18 is a freezer compartment cooling fan that operates in synchronization with a compressor 19 to circulate cold air to the freezer compartment 1 and the refrigerator compartment 2.

A control circuit 16 is equipped with a microcomputer 16a, and executes control commands and calculations.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a temperature sensor for the refrigerator compartment, which detects the temperature of the refrigerator compartment and controls the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2 by opening and closing the refrigerator compartment cold air damper 6 according to commands from the control circuit 16.

3 is a storage room installed above the refrigerator room 2;
A cold air introduction path 4 for introducing cold air from the freezer compartment 1 is connected to the upper rear surface 3a of the storage compartment, and a storage compartment cold air damper 5 is provided at the opening to keep the storage compartment 3 at the temperature of a normal ice room. Detect the temperature with temperature sensor A10 to maintain the temperature at
The connection portion with the cold air introduction path 4 is opened and closed in response to a command from the control circuit 16.

A cross-flow fan 8 is installed below the cold air damper 5 in the storage room.
A temperature sensor B11 is provided at the upper intake port 9a of the cross-flow fan.
has been installed. A defrosting heater 8 is installed in the ceiling duct 7 of the storage room 3, and the ceiling duct 7 has a front opening 7a in the front ceiling of the storage room 3.

When the storage room 3 is used as a rapid cooling room, the storage room cold air damper 5 is opened and the storage room cooled for a preset period of time.
The cross-flow fan 8 is operated, and the compressor 19 is forced to operate continuously.

The cold air from the freezer compartment 1 is guided through the cold air introduction path 4 → the storage compartment cold air damper 5 → the cross-flow fan upper suction port 9a → the cross-flow fan 8 → the storage compartment 3, so that the food placed in the storage compartment 3 is quickly can be cooled to

2 and 3 show temperature changes during rapid cooling, 21 is the temperature change of the temperature sensor B11, 22 is the temperature change of the food, 23 is the antifreeze temperature Tc, and 24 is the antifreeze release temperature To. , 25 indicates a preset rapid cooling limit time t.

The temperature sensor B11 at the opening of the cold air introduction path detects a preset freezing prevention temperature Tc23 and closes the storage room cold air damper 5, and detects the freezing prevention release temperature To at 24 and opens the storage room cold air damper 5. After that, the microcomputer 16a calculates the slope of the temperature change at which the temperature sensor B11 cools down, and sets the number of closing operations of the storage room cold air damper 5 corresponding to the slope of the temperature change.

FIG. 2 shows a case where the mass of the food is light or the temperature is low, and the slope of the temperature change at which the temperature sensor B11 cools is large, and the number of closing operations of the storage chamber cold air damper 5 is set to be large. If the number of operations reaches the set value within the preset 25 rapid cooling limit time t, or the preset 2
5. When the rapid cooling limit time t is reached, the rapid cooling control is terminated.

FIG. 3 shows a case where the mass of the food is heavy or the temperature is high, and the temperature sensor B11 has a small slope of temperature change, and the number of times the storage room cold air damper 5 closes is set to be small. The rapid cooling control is ended when the number of operations reaches the set number within the preset 25 rapid cooling time limit t, or when the preset 25 rapid cooling time limit t is reached.

In the front ceiling interior 3c of the storage room 3 in FIG.
A storage room door opening/closing detection switch 15 is installed at the front of the storage room 3 to maintain a preset refrigerator temperature until the storage room door 14 is opened or closed after rapid cooling and the food is taken out, and the storage room 3 is thawed. It is prohibited to use it as a function,
The display/operation unit 17 blinks to warn you that the prohibited state is in effect, and after opening and closing, the temperature changes to the ice room temperature.
The storage room 3 is allowed to be used as a thawing function.

When defrosting, the storage room cold air damper 5 is closed according to a command from the control circuit 16, and the ceiling duct 6 of the storage room 3 is closed.
The defrosting heater 8 installed inside the storage compartment 3 is energized, and the cross-flow fan 8 installed at the back of the storage compartment 3 is operated. During the defrosting control, the compressor 19 is forcibly operated continuously, and the set temperature of the refrigerator compartment temperature control is set to the lowest temperature side to suppress a rise in the temperature inside the refrigerator. The air heated by the defrosting heater 8 is circulated through the cross-flow fan upper inlet 9a → the cross-flow fan 8 → the storage room 3 → the front opening 7a → the ceiling duct 7 → the cross-flow fan upper inlet 9a, and is frozen. Thaw food 20.

A temperature sensor C12 is installed inside the bottom center 3b of the storage chamber, and the slope of the temperature change of the temperature sensor C12 is set in advance by the microcomputer 16a.
The calculation is performed during the packaging determination time tp.

FIG. 4 shows the temperature change of the temperature sensor C12 when the frozen food 20 is covered with an insulated package. Since the frozen food 20 is covered with an insulated package, the temperature sensor C12 at the center of the bottom of the storage chamber is not easily cooled down by the low-temperature frozen food 20, and the thawing heater 8
Since the temperature rises due to the heated air, the slope of the temperature change of the temperature sensor C12 increases with the passage of time.

FIG. 5 shows the temperature change of the temperature sensor C12 when the frozen food 20 is not packaged. Frozen food 20
Since it is in an unpackaged state, the temperature sensor C12 at the center of the bottom of the storage chamber is cooled by the low temperature frozen food 20, and the slope of the temperature change of the temperature sensor C12 temporarily decreases over time, and then the heating for thawing is performed. It rises due to the air heated by the heater 8.

Therefore, the packaging state of the frozen food 20 can be determined based on the temperature change of the temperature sensor C12 during the packaging determination time tp26.

Thereafter, the slope of the temperature change of the temperature sensor B11 is calculated by the microcomputer 16a during the 27 mass determination time tm. Since the amount of heat from the thawing heater 8 is constant, when the mass of the frozen food 20 is large, the slope of the temperature change of the temperature sensor B11 is small, and the temperature change of the frozen food 20 is small.
When the mass of 0 is small, the slope of temperature change of temperature sensor B11 becomes large.

Temperature sensor B corresponding to mass and packaging condition
The energization stop temperature Ts28 and the energization time 29 of the No. 11 defrosting heater 8 are determined by fuzzy reasoning.

Fuzzy inference will be explained with reference to FIG. A mass corresponding to the slope of the temperature sensor B11 measured at mass determination time tm27 is set.

The energization stop temperature Ts is determined depending on the three types of mass: light, normal, and heavy. For example, suppose that in the antecedent part, 20% of the mass belongs to the "light" region and 80% belongs to the "normal" region. Based on this ratio, if we assume that the energization stop temperature Ts should be set low in light cases, medium in normal cases, and high in heavy cases, the consequent part , 20 to "lower energization stop temperature Ts"
%, ``In normal cases, the energization stop temperature Ts is medium'' 80
%belong. Integrate the area of the hatched part of the consequent and calculate the center of gravity of the area. The value of the X coordinate of the center of gravity becomes the desired energization stop temperature Ts, and the value of the X coordinate is set high when there is packaging and low when there is no packaging. Next, the final cooling time 30 after the energization of the defrosting heater 8 is stopped, which corresponds to the mass and packaging state, is determined by fuzzy reasoning.

Fuzzy inference will be explained with reference to FIG. A mass corresponding to the slope of the temperature sensor B11 previously measured at mass determination time tm27 is set.

The final cooling time tf is determined depending on the three types of mass: light, normal, and heavy. For example, in the antecedent part,
Assume that 20% of the mass belongs to the "light" region and 80% belongs to the "normal" region. Based on this ratio, shorten the final cooling time tf for light cases, and shorten the final cooling time tf for normal cases.
If the logic is to set f to a medium value and to lengthen the final cooling time tf in heavy cases, then in the consequent part, set 20% to "shorten the final cooling time tf" and "in normal cases, set the final cooling time tf to a medium value". ” belongs to 80%. Integrate the area of the hatched part of the consequent and calculate the center of gravity of the area. The value of the X coordinate of the center of gravity becomes the final cooling time tf. The value of the X coordinate is set long when there is wrapping, and short when there is no wrapping. As thawing progresses, the energization of the thawing heater 8 is stopped when the temperature previously determined by the temperature sensor B11 installed at the cross-flow fan suction port 9a is reached.

Shifting to the previously determined final cooling time tf30, the once-through fan 9 continues to operate during the final cooling time tf30, and the cold air damper 5 is opened to introduce cold air into the storage compartment 3, thereby defrosting. To reduce the temperature difference between the surface and the center of a frozen food 20 and to reduce uneven thawing. When the temperature sensor C12 reaches the thawing end set temperature range 31 during the final cooling time tf30, the thawing control is ended and the temperature sensor A10 controls the storage chamber 3 to the temperature range of the ice room.

Further, the compressor 19 is forcibly continued to operate continuously for a preset period of time after the defrosting control is completed, thereby suppressing the rise in temperature inside the refrigerator.

After thawing, until the storage chamber door 14 is opened and closed and the thawed food is taken out, the use of the storage chamber 3 as a rapid cooling function is prohibited, and the display/operation unit 17 indicates that the storage chamber 3 is in a prohibited state. will alert you by flashing, and after opening and closing, the storage chamber 3 will be allowed to be used as a rapid cooling function.

FIG. 7 shows the structure of the opening/closing detection section of the storeroom door 14. The storage room door 14 is supported by a rotating shaft 14b and rotates around the rotating shaft 14b to open and close. The inside of the rotating shaft 14b is provided with a switch push part 14a that protrudes toward the front ceiling part 3c of the storage room, and when the storage room door 14 is closed, the switch push part 14a is activated by the storage room door opening/closing detection switch 1.
When the switch actuator 15a of No. 5 is pressed, the storage room door opening/closing detection switch 15 is turned on, thereby detecting the closing of the storage room door 14. Further, when the storage room door 14 is opened, the switch push part 14a moves away from the switch actuating part 15a of the storage room door opening/closing detection switch 15, and the storage room door opening/closing detection switch 15 is turned off. Detect.

[0037]

[Effects of the invention] It is not necessary to set a cooling time corresponding to the mass and temperature of the food during rapid cooling, and rapid cooling is possible with a simple operation, and the food is prevented from becoming too cold or insufficiently cold after rapid cooling. To prevent.

[0038] After rapid cooling, the temperature of the refrigerator compartment is maintained until the storage compartment door is opened and closed and the food is taken out, and after opening and closing, the temperature shifts to the ice compartment temperature, so even if you forget to take out the food, the temperature at which it is ready to drink and eat is maintained. And there is no need to worry about freezing. In addition, the use of the storage room as a defrost function is prohibited until the storage room door is opened/closed, and the operation display flashes to remind you that this is prohibited, so you can avoid accidentally defrosting food you forgot to take out. There is no.

[0039] It is not necessary to set the heater energization time according to the mass of the food when defrosting, making defrosting possible with a simple operation, and preventing deterioration of food quality due to over-thawing, so food can be cooked reliably. This makes it possible to do this through simple operations.

[0040]Furthermore, the use of the storage compartment as a rapid cooling function is prohibited until the storage compartment door is opened/closed after thawing and the food is taken out, and the operation display section flashes to alert you to the prohibited state. There is no need to accidentally rapidly cool food that you have forgotten to take out.

During the defrosting control and for a preset time after the defrosting control ends, the compressor is forcibly operated continuously, and the set temperature of the refrigerator compartment temperature control is set to the lowest temperature side to suppress the rise in the temperature inside the refrigerator. It is possible to provide a refrigerator having a storage chamber that has both thawing and rapid cooling functions without affecting stored food in the refrigerator.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator showing the structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing temperature changes during rapid cooling when the mass of the food is light or the temperature is low.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing temperature changes during rapid cooling when the food is heavy or the temperature is high.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing temperature changes during thawing when the mass of food is light.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing temperature changes during thawing when food is heavy.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the logic of fuzzy inference.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the storage compartment door and the storage compartment door opening/closing detection switch section.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Freezer room, 2...Refrigerating room, 3...Storage room, 3a...Upper back of storage room, 3b...Center of bottom of storage room, 3c...Inside front ceiling, 4...Cold air introduction path, 5...Storage room cold air damper, 6... Refrigerator room cold air damper, 7... Ceiling duct, 7a... Front inlet, 8... Thawing heater, 9... Cross-flow fan, 9a... Cross-flow fan inlet, 10... Temperature sensor A, 11... Temperature sensor B, 12...Temperature sensor C, 13...Refrigerating room temperature sensor, 14...Storage room door, 14a...Switch push part, 14
b...Rotating shaft, 15...Storage room door opening/closing detection switch, 15a
...Switch operating section, 16...Control circuit, 16a...Microcomputer, 17...Display/operation section, 18...Freezer compartment cooling fan, 19...Compressor, 20...Frozen food, 21...Temperature change of temperature sensor B11, 22... Temperature changes in food, 23
... Freeze prevention temperature Tc, 24 ... Freeze prevention release temperature To, 2
5...Rapid cooling limit time, 26...Packaging judgment time tp, 27
...Mass determination time tm, 28...Electrification stop temperature Ts, 29...
Current supply time, 30...Final cooling time tf, 31...Defrost end set temperature range

Claims (9)

[Claims] Claim 1: A control circuit equipped with a microcomputer, an independent storage room with a door installed in the refrigerating room, a fan installed at the back of the storage room, and a cold air introduction path connected near the fan. In a refrigerator equipped with a cold air damper at the opening of the cold air introduction path and a temperature sensor B for detecting the temperature of circulating air in the storage room, the cold air damper is opened, the fan is operated, and the compressor is forced into continuous operation. Then, temperature sensor B detects the cold air damper “closed” temperature Tc, and after closing the cold air damper, temperature sensor B detects the cold air damper “open” temperature Tc.
When the temperature rises to To, open the cold air damper, and then calculate the slope of the temperature change as temperature sensor B cools down.
The rapid cooling control is terminated when a predetermined number of openings and closings determined by the relationship between a preset slope of temperature change and the number of openings and closings of the cold air damper is reached, or when a predetermined time is reached. Refrigerator. 2. A temperature sensor A for controlling the storage chamber from a normal ice temperature to a refrigeration temperature is provided in the storage chamber, and after the rapid cooling control is completed, the storage chamber is controlled at the refrigeration temperature. Refrigerator described in 1. 3. A switch is provided on the door of the storage room to detect the opening/closing of the door, and after rapid cooling control, the fan is stopped until the storage room door is opened/closed, and sensor A and the cold air damper are switched off. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein a preset refrigeration temperature is maintained by opening and closing the storage compartment door, and the temperature shifts to freezing temperature after opening and closing the storage compartment door. Claim 4: A control circuit equipped with a microcomputer, an independent storage room with a door installed in the refrigerator compartment, a fan installed at the back of the storage room, a duct in the ceiling, and heating for defrosting in the duct. In a refrigerator equipped with a heater and a temperature sensor B for detecting the temperature of circulating air in the storage room and a temperature sensor C for detecting the temperature of the tray installed at the bottom of the storage room, the thawing heater and fan are operated to The microcomputer calculates the temperature change of the temperature sensor C until the preset time tp, determines the thickness of the frozen food packaging based on the slope of the temperature change, and then returns to the preset time t.
A temperature sensor that calculates the slope of the temperature change of temperature sensor B up to p, and uses fuzzy inference from the slope of the temperature change and the previously determined thickness and thinness of the packaging of the food to be frozen to instruct the defrosting heater to stop energizing. A refrigerator characterized by determining the detected temperature of B. 5. A cold air introduction path is connected to the vicinity of the fan of the storage room, a cold air damper is installed at the opening of the cold air introduction path, the cold air damper is closed during thawing control, and the cold air damper is closed after the thawing heater is turned off. The cold air damper is opened and the fan is operated to cool the frozen food for a time determined by fuzzy inference from the thickness of the packaging of the frozen food determined by temperature sensor C and the slope of the temperature change of temperature sensor B. The refrigerator according to claim 4. 6. A temperature sensor A for controlling the storage chamber from a normal ice temperature to a refrigeration temperature is provided in the storage chamber, and after thawing control is completed, the storage chamber is controlled at an ice temperature. Refrigerator according to item 4. [Claim 7] The compressor is forcibly operated continuously during the defrosting control and for a preset time after the defrosting control is completed, and the set temperature of the refrigerator compartment temperature control is set to the lowest temperature side to suppress a rise in the temperature inside the refrigerator. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that: [Claim 8] An independent storage room with a door is installed in the refrigerating room, a fan is provided at the back of the storage room, a cold air introduction path is connected near the fan, and a cold air damper is provided at the opening of the cold air introduction path. , a duct is provided on the ceiling of the storage room, and a thawing heater is provided in the duct, a temperature sensor B for detecting the temperature of the circulating air in the storage room, a temperature sensor C for detecting the temperature of the tray provided at the bottom of the storage room, and the storage room. A temperature sensor A for controlling the temperature of the storage room from an ice temperature to a refrigeration temperature is provided in the storage chamber, and the temperature of the storage room is normally controlled to an ice temperature, and the temperature is changed to a thawing room or a rapid cooling room by operation of a control circuit equipped with a microcomputer. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is used by switching to the refrigerator. 9. A refrigerator in which an independent storage compartment with a door is installed in the refrigerator compartment, and the storage compartment can be used by switching between a thawing compartment and a rapid cooling compartment by operating an electronic control circuit. There is a switch on the storage room door that detects the opening and closing of the door, and the detection of this switch prohibits the storage room from being used as a thawing room until the storage room door is opened or closed after rapid cooling control. A refrigerator comprising: a control means that prohibits the storage chamber from being used as a rapid cooling chamber until the storage chamber door is opened/closed after the control; and an operation section that displays the prohibited state.