JPH06147716A - Controller for electric refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve a quick freezing operation by raising the number of revolutions of a cold air circulation fan when temperature in a freezing chamber exceeds set temperature over a long time. CONSTITUTION:Temperature in a freezing chamber is detected by a temperature sensor 1, which is compared with predetermined set temperature by a control portion 2, and when the temperature exceeds the set temperature, a timer 3 starts clocking. Provided the temperature is lowered to a predetermined temperature or lower while a desired time is passed, a quick freezing operation is not performed, but provided the temperature is yet above the predetermined temperature after the clocking is completed, a control signal is issued from the control portion 2, whereby the number of revolutions of a driving motor 5 for a cold air circulation fan is raised by a motor driving portion 4 and the quick freezing operation is performed for the desired time clocked by the timer 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device for an electric refrigerator, and more particularly to a device for performing a quick freezing operation when the temperature of a freezing room is above a predetermined temperature for a required time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The temperature of a freezer compartment of an electric refrigerator rises when a door is opened or closed. In particular, when a large amount of food is put in, it takes time for the temperature of the freezing room to fall to an appropriate temperature range for freezing, together with the opening and closing of the door. In such a case, there is a device in which, by manually operating a quick freezing button or the like, the freezing capacity is increased and the temperature of the freezing room is rapidly lowered, so that deterioration of food quality can be prevented. However, if the manual operation of the quick freezing button is neglected, the cold air circulation fan in the freezer compartment operates at the normal rotation speed, and it takes a long time for the temperature of the freezer compartment to reach a temperature suitable for freezing.

[0003]

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention continues the normal freezing operation when the door of the freezer is opened for a short time, but since a large amount of food etc. is put in, An object of the present invention is to provide a quick refrigerating operation by automatically increasing the rotation speed of a cold air circulation fan in a freezing room when the temperature of the freezing room does not drop below a required set temperature for a long time.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention outputs a signal for controlling a cold air circulation fan in a freezer, and a motor of the cold air circulation fan driven by the signal from the control portion. A motor drive unit, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the freezer, and a timer.The control unit compares the temperature detected by the temperature sensor with the set temperature, and the detected temperature is the set temperature. In the above case, when the detected temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature until the timer starts time measurement and the timer times out, a control signal is output from the control unit, and the cool air is required for the required time. The control device of the electric refrigerator is configured so that the rotation speed of the circulation fan is increased to perform the quick freezing operation.

[0005]

With the above-mentioned structure, in the control device for an electric refrigerator according to the present invention, when the temperature of the freezer compartment exceeds the set temperature and this state continues for a predetermined time by the timer, the cold air in the freezer compartment is cooled. The motor that drives the circulation fan is controlled to increase the number of revolutions, and quick freezing operation is performed.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a control device for an electric refrigerator according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of essential parts of an embodiment of a control device for an electric refrigerator according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the freezer compartment. A control unit 2 compares the temperature of the freezer compartment with a set temperature based on a signal from the temperature sensor 1, outputs a signal when the temperature of the freezer compartment is equal to or higher than the set temperature, and outputs a signal from a timer 3 described later. Based on the above, the control signal of the cold air circulation fan in the freezer is output. The timer 3 starts clocking by a signal output from the control unit 2 when the temperature of the freezer compartment is equal to or higher than a set temperature, or a control signal output from the control unit 2 for quick freezing operation, and each time required. Tick the time. A motor drive unit 4 drives a motor 5 that rotates a cold air circulation fan in the freezer compartment based on a control signal from the control unit 2.

Next, the operation of the control device for the electric refrigerator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the temperature diagram of FIG. 2 and the flowchart of FIG. The temperature sensor 1 detects the temperature of the freezer compartment of the electric refrigerator, inputs the temperature to the control unit 2, and sets the temperature T2 set as an appropriate temperature range for freezing stored in the memory (for example, −
21 ° C.) and temperature T3 (eg −23 ° C.) respectively. And when the temperature of the freezer rises to the temperature T2,
The operation of outputting a control signal from the control unit 2 to start the freezing operation and stopping the freezing operation when the temperature of the freezing compartment decreases to the temperature T3 is repeated. During this period, the timer 3 is reset (step 1, hereinafter abbreviated as ST1 and the like). Then, at time A, the door is opened, the temperature of the freezer rapidly rises, and at time B, the set temperature T1 (for example, -15
When the temperature exceeds (° C.) (ST2: Yes), the control unit 2 determines this based on the signal from the temperature sensor 1, and the timer 3 starts counting time (ST3). The timer measures from time B to time C, but if the temperature of the freezer drops to T1 or lower before the time is up (ST4: No) (ST2: N above).
o), the timer 3 is reset (return to ST1), the time measurement is stopped, the electric refrigerator performs the normal freezing operation, and the temperature sensor 1 continues to monitor the temperature of the freezing room (ST2).

At time D, the freezer compartment door is opened to freeze food and the like. The temperature of the freezing room rises rapidly and exceeds the set temperature T1 at time E (ST2: Yes). At this time, the control unit 2
Is the timer 3 based on the determination of the signal from the temperature sensor 1.
Starts the time measurement (ST3 above). At time F, the door is closed and the temperature of the freezing room is once lowered, but the heat of food and the like is released into the freezing room, so the temperature of the freezing room rises gently. After that, the amount of heat released from the food and the refrigerating capacity are balanced and the temperature rise stops, and thereafter, the temperature in the freezing compartment gradually decreases according to the refrigerating capacity.

During the time counting by the timer 3, the electric refrigerator operates normally and continues to monitor the temperature of the freezer compartment. And
At time G when the timer 3 is up (ST4:
Yes), but if the freezer temperature is still above T1 (ST2: Yes
), And outputs a control signal for quick freezing from the control unit 2 (ST
5) Then, the motor drive unit 4 increases the rotation speed of the motor 5 of the cold air circulation fan in the freezing room to increase the wind speed (ST6), and the quick freezing operation is started. At the same time, in response to a quick-freezing control signal from the control unit 2, the timer 3 starts counting the time set as the quick-freezing duration time (ST
7). At the end of the set time, a signal output from the timer 3 (ST8: Yes) causes the control unit 2 to drive the motor drive unit 4
A control signal is output to and the rotational speed of the motor 5 of the cold air circulation fan in the freezer is returned to the rotational speed during normal operation (ST9).

[0010]

As described above, according to the control device for an electric refrigerator according to the present invention, when the temperature rises because a large amount of food or the like is put in the freezer, the mode is automatically switched to the quick freezing operation. There is no need to manually operate the "quick cooling" button, and there is no problem that the temperature of the freezing room rises and the food being frozen deteriorates. However, when the opening / closing time of the door is short and the temperature of the freezing compartment is lowered in a short time, the unnecessary electric quick freezing operation is not switched, so that the electricity bill is not wastefully consumed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of an embodiment of a control device for an electric refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a temperature change in a freezer compartment of an electric refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control device for the electric refrigerator according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Temperature Sensor 2 Control Section 3 Timer 4 Motor Drive Section 5 Cold Air Circulation Fan Drive Motor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A control unit for outputting a signal for controlling a cold air circulation fan in a freezing chamber, a motor drive unit for driving a motor of the cold air circulation fan according to a signal from the control unit, and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the freezing chamber. And a timer, comparing the temperature detected by the temperature sensor with the set temperature in the control unit, and if the detected temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature,
When the detected temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature until the timer starts time measurement and the timer times out, the control unit outputs a control signal to rotate the cool air circulation fan for a required time. A control device for an electric refrigerator, characterized by increasing the number to perform a quick freezing operation.