KR100251903B1 - Method for controlling low-noise operation in a refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for controlling low noise operation of refrigerator is provided to reduce the noise of the refrigerator by temporarily shutting down the operation of the compressor and the second fan for a predetermined time period during night time. CONSTITUTION: A method comprises a step(200) of judging whether a sleep function key is input; a step(202) of turning off the compressor and the second fan, if it is judged in the previous step that the sleep function key is input; a step(204) of displaying sleep mode for user recognition; a step(206) of judging whether the time period preset as a sleep mode duration has lapsed; a step(208) of judging whether the refrigerator door is open, if the preset time period has not lapsed; a step(210) turning on the compressor and the second fan if it is judged in the step(106) that the preset time period has lapsed; and a step(212) of controlling the display unit to cancel the sleep mode display.

Description

METHOD FOR CONTROLLING LOW-NOISE OPERATION IN A REFRIGERATOR

The present invention relates to a low noise operation control method of a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a low noise operation control method of a refrigerator capable of performing quiet operation control for sleep at night based on a user's selection.

In general, a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator includes a compressor that compresses and outputs a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and a condenser and a condenser that cools, condenses, and liquefies the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the compressor by external air. It is made through a capillary tube for depressurizing and outputting a high pressure liquid refrigerant from the capillary tube and an evaporator for absorbing and cooling heat by evaporating to a low temperature in a low pressure state. In particular, the fan-cooling refrigerator includes a fan for discharging cold air, and discharges cold air around the evaporator to the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to cool the inside of the refrigerator, and performs temperature control as a driving / stop control of the fan and the compressor. do.

On the other hand, among these fan-cooling refrigerators, which convectively cool the air around the evaporator by a fan, the refrigerator that controls the temperature centered on the temperature of the refrigerator compartment has one fan in the freezer compartment and detects it in the refrigerator compartment. In order to liquefy the refrigerant in the gas state and the fan that discharges the cold air around the set temperature, the compressor controls the low pressure low temperature refrigerant gas into the high pressure high temperature refrigerant gas to drive and discharge the cold air around the evaporator to the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment. Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature.

In addition, in the refrigerator that controls the temperature of each of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, two fans for discharging cold air into the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment are independently driven and controlled in response to the temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment. Drive control is performed depending on the fan to be discharged to discharge cold air around the evaporator to the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator at an appropriate temperature.

On the other hand, the noise caused by the operation of the refrigerator described above is the main cause of the drive of the compressor, in particular, at night when the surroundings are relatively loud, there is a problem that disturbs the user's sleep.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a low noise operation control method of a refrigerator to limit the operation of the compressor in accordance with the user's selection in the refrigerator to perform the quiet operation control with minimal noise.

The low noise operation control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention is a method of controlling the refrigerator with low noise in preparation for sleep, and when there is a sleep function key input, the low temperature low pressure gas state refrigerant is compressed and output as a high temperature high pressure gas state refrigerant. And forcibly stopping the compressor and displaying the sleep mode, and when the predetermined time elapses, operating the compressor in response to the temperature of the refrigerator and releasing the sleep mode display.

In addition, after stopping the compressor driving force, if the opening and closing of the refrigerator door is detected even if a predetermined time has not elapsed, it is characterized in that it further comprises the step of operating the compressor normally and release the sleep mode display.

The method may further include forcibly stopping the fan for discharging the cold air into the freezing chamber after the compressor force driving stops.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a refrigerator employed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a low noise operation control process of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: sleep function key 20,30: first, second temperature detection unit

40: microcomputer 50,70: first and second fan drive unit

60, 80: first and second fan 90: compressor drive unit

100 compressor 110 display unit

120: door detection unit

The above objects and various advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments of the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings by those skilled in the art.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which includes a sleep function key 10, first and second temperature detectors 20 and 30, a microcomputer 40, and a first and second fan drivers. 50 and 70, first and second fans 60 and 80, a compressor driving unit 90, a compressor 100, a display unit 110, and a door detection unit 120.

In this configuration, the sleep function key 10 is a key input means for selectively switching the sleep mode in which the user quietly operates, and is provided to the microcomputer 40 which describes the sleep function key signal later based on the user's key operation. Is authorized.

The first temperature detector 20 is installed at a predetermined position in the refrigerating compartment to detect the room temperature of the refrigerating compartment to describe the detected refrigerating chamber temperature (generally, a DC value voltage value). Analog to Digital) port.

In addition, the second temperature detector 30 is installed at a predetermined position in the freezer compartment to detect the room temperature of the freezer compartment and applies the detected freezer compartment temperature to the A / D port of the microcomputer 40.

Meanwhile, the microcomputer 40 is applied to the respective A / D ports through the first and second temperature detectors 20 and 30 to maintain the appropriate temperature of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. In order to independently drive and control the first and second fans 60 and 80 which will be described later in comparison with each preset reference temperature, the compressor 100 is typically a second fan 80 for blowing cold air into the freezer compartment. The normal driving mode for controlling the driving in accordance with the driving of the control.

In addition, when the sleep function key signal is applied from the sleep function key 10, the microcomputer 40 forcibly stops the compressor 100 to be described later to control the quiet operation and to control the display 110 to display the sleep mode. When a predetermined time (for example, about 30 minutes) elapses, the compressor 100 controls the normal operation according to the temperature of the refrigerator and controls the display unit 110 to release the sleep mode display.

In addition, the microcomputer 40 controls the quiet operation by forcibly driving the second fan 80 for discharging the cold air to the freezing chamber after the compressor 100 is stopped forcibly and controlling the quiet operation. When opening or closing of the refrigerator door is detected based on the door detection signal from the door detector 120, the compressor 100 and the second fan 80 are normally operated, and the sleep mode display is released.

The first fan driver 50 outputs a predetermined driving signal to the first fan 60 under the control of the microcomputer 40 using a driving element, a relay, and the like, and the first fan 60 is dedicated to the refrigerator compartment. The fan is driven on the basis of the drive signal from the first fan driver 50 to discharge cold air around the evaporator (not shown) into the refrigerating chamber.

In addition, the second fan driver 70 outputs a predetermined driving signal to the second fan 80 under the control of the microcomputer 40 using a driving element, a relay, and the like, and the second fan 80 is dedicated to the freezer compartment. The fan is driven on the basis of the drive signal from the second fan driver 70 to discharge cold air around the evaporator (not shown) into the freezer compartment.

Meanwhile, the compressor driver 90 outputs a predetermined drive signal to the compressor 100 under the control of the microcomputer 40 using a drive element and a relay, and the compressor 100 is vaporized in the aforementioned refrigeration cycle. As a preliminary step for liquefying and reusing the used refrigerant, the refrigerant gas of low temperature and low pressure from the evaporator, not shown, is compressed and converted into a refrigerant gas of high temperature and high pressure, and outputted to a condenser, not shown.

In addition, the display unit 110 selectively displays the sleep mode under the control of the microcomputer 40 using a light emitting diode (LED).

In addition, the door detector 120 detects opening / closing of the door of the refrigerator using a photo coupler and the like and applies a door detection signal to the microcomputer 40.

Next, a low noise operation control process of the refrigerator in the refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention including the above-described component will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2.

First, in the normal operation mode, the microcomputer 40 has the first fan 60 when the refrigerator compartment temperature detected based on the first temperature detector 20 is equal to or lower than a predetermined refrigerator compartment lower limit temperature (for example, −1 ° C.). ) Is turned off, and when the detected refrigerator compartment temperature is higher than the preset refrigerator compartment proper upper limit temperature (for example, 0,65 ° C.), the first fan 60 is driven on to cool the air around the evaporator (not shown). Normal control to blow air is carried out.

Moreover, when the freezer compartment temperature detected based on the 2nd temperature detector 30 is below the preset freezer compartment lower limit temperature (for example, -22.5 degreeC), the 2nd fan 80 is driven off and the detected freezer compartment temperature is detected. Is higher than the preset freezer proper upper limit temperature (for example, -17.5 ° C.), the second fan 80 is driven on to perform normal control of blowing the cold air around the evaporator into the freezer compartment. Drive control is performed depending on the drive on / off of the second fan 80.

On the other hand, when the sleep function key signal is applied from the sleep function key 10 (step 200), the microcomputer 40 forcibly drives off the compressor 100 and drives off the second fan 80 (step off). 202, quiet control is performed to not disturb the user's sleep.

Next, the microcomputer 40 controls the display 110 to display the user in the current sleep mode (step 204).

Next, the microcomputer 40 determines whether a predetermined time (for example, about 30 minutes) which has been set as the sleep mode progression time has elapsed (step 206).

At this time, if the predetermined time has not elapsed, it is determined whether the refrigerator door is opened or closed based on the user based on the door detection signal from the door detection unit 120 (step 208).

In this case, if the refrigerator door is not opened or closed, the process proceeds to step 210 described above to determine whether a predetermined time has elapsed, and when the refrigerator door is opened and closed, the user recognizes that the user is not sleeping. In order to prevent the refrigerator temperature from rising due to heat exchange with the process, the operation of the compressor 100 and the second fan 80 is normally performed (210).

On the other hand, when the predetermined time elapsed in the above-described step 206, the microcomputer 40 switches the compressor 100 and the second fan 80 in the forced driving stop state to normal operation (step 210).

Next, the microcomputer 40 controls the display unit 110 to release the sleep mode display (step 212).

On the other hand, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, the compressor 100 and the second fan 80 are temporarily stopped for the user's sleep, especially at night, thereby minimizing noise generated by the refrigerator operation. This will help you get a good night's sleep.

Claims (3)

As a method of operating the refrigerator with low noise in preparation for sleep, Compressing the low-temperature low-pressure gas state refrigerant when the sleep function key is input, forcibly driving the compressor outputting the high-temperature high-pressure gas state refrigerant, and entering a sleep mode; And operating the compressor in response to a temperature of the refrigerator and releasing a sleep mode when the predetermined time elapses. The method of claim 1, wherein the entering of the sleep mode includes stopping the normal operation of the compressor and releasing the sleep mode display when the opening or closing of the refrigerator door is detected even after the predetermined time has not elapsed after the forced driving of the compressor is stopped. A low noise operation control method for a refrigerator. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the entering of the sleep mode includes stopping the driving of a fan for discharging cold air into a freezing chamber after the compressor is forcedly stopped.

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