KR100292269B1 - Operation control apparatus of refrigerator and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an operation control apparatus and a method of a refrigerator, comprising: a key input unit having a plurality of function keys for operating a refrigerator, and a high temperature detection unit for detecting an internal temperature through a temperature sensor installed in a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment; And a compressor driving unit for driving a compressor and a fan driving unit for driving a circulation fan, wherein the operation control apparatus for a refrigerator for driving the compressor and the circulation fan according to the internal temperature of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment is provided in the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively. A door opening / closing detection unit detecting an opening / closing state of each door through a door switch; When the user selects a power saving function through the key input unit, the compressor and the circulation fan are driven according to the high temperature detected by the high temperature detecting unit in a state in which the preset high temperature of the preset freezer and refrigerating compartment is increased by a predetermined temperature. When the refrigerator is operated in the power saving operation mode and the door is opened through the door opening / closing detection unit during the power saving operation, or when a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator occurs, A control unit configured to drive the compressor and the circulation fan according to the high temperature detected by the high temperature detection unit and to perform the freezer refrigerating operation in a normal operation mode while returning to the high internal setting temperature; And a display unit displaying selection and release of a power saving function according to a control signal of the controller.

Description

Operation control apparatus and method of the refrigerator

The present invention relates to an operation control apparatus and a method of the refrigerator, and in particular, when the user selects a power saving function when the user goes out, the refrigerator performs a refrigeration operation under a state in which the high preset temperature of the refrigerator is increased, and the door is opened or the refrigerator is operated. The present invention relates to an operation control apparatus of a refrigerator and a method for automatically canceling a power saving function by a predetermined key input.

Generally, the refrigerator includes a main body 1 having a freezer compartment 2 and a refrigerating compartment 3 provided therein, a freezer compartment 4 and a refrigerating compartment door that open and close the freezer compartment 2 and the refrigerating compartment 3 as shown in FIG. (5), door switches (9a) and (9b) for detecting the open / closed state of the freezer door (4) and the refrigerating chamber door (5) are opposite sides of the freezer door (4) and the refrigerating chamber door (5). Each is provided in. In addition, a refrigeration duct 6 is provided on the rear wall of the refrigerating chamber 3, a discharge port 7 is formed in the lower part of the refrigerating duct 6, and a suction port 8 is formed in the upper part.

In such a refrigerator, a refrigeration operation is performed according to a key input by a user. A typical example thereof is illustrated in FIG. 2.

2 is a configuration diagram of a driving control apparatus of a refrigerator according to the prior art, the temperature inside the high temperature through the key input unit 11 is provided with a plurality of function keys for operating the refrigerator by the user, and the temperature sensor installed in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment The internal temperature is detected by driving the compressor and the circulating fan according to the high temperature detecting unit 12 and the high temperature detected by the high temperature detecting unit 12 and the set temperature set by the user through the key input unit 11. The control unit 13 to control, the compressor drive unit 14 for driving the compressor and the circulation fan in accordance with the control signal of the control unit 13, the fan drive unit 15 and the display unit 16 for displaying the operation state is composed of. .

In the conventional refrigerator, a temperature sensor is installed in each of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to control the inside temperature of the refrigerator, and the inside temperature and the user's setting detected by the controller 13 to control the overall operation of the refrigerator through the temperature sensor of each chamber. The compressor is operated by comparing the high preset temperature. To this end, the user sets the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment through the key input unit 11 in advance. The control unit 13 controls the compressor driving unit 14 and the fan motor driving unit 15 according to the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment sensed by the high temperature detection unit 12 when the internal temperature is set by the user. The compressor and the circulating fan are driven. That is, the control unit 13 controls the compressor driving unit 14 and the fan motor driving unit 15 when the inside temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment detected by the inside temperature detecting unit 12 are out of the high preset temperature, respectively, to control the compressor and the circulation. The fan is periodically driven. As shown in FIG. 3, the high temperature internal temperature curve S1 of the freezer compartment is changed based on the freezer high internal temperature set by the user, and the high temperature internal temperature curve S1 of the refrigerating compartment is applied to the user. It is changed based on the refrigerating compartment high internal temperature Tb set. In addition, the control unit 13 recognizes the opening and closing state of the freezer compartment door and the refrigerating compartment door through a door switch (not shown), and stops the compressor and the circulation fan when the door is opened.

However, the refrigerator according to the prior art is a compressor for controlling the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment according to the high preset temperature set by the user even if the load fluctuation of the refrigerator is in a weak state when the user goes out and the load fluctuation is excluded. And driving the circulation fan caused unnecessary waste of power. In other words, even if the load fluctuation factors such as opening the door of the refrigerator or storing food additionally do not occur, the internal temperature of the refrigerator is inevitably lower than necessary to maintain the high preset temperature set by the user. Accordingly, there is a problem in that power consumption is wasted.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce power consumption by operating a compressor and a circulation fan by adjusting a high preset temperature when a user selects a power saving function by inputting a predetermined specific key, while opening a door or operating a refrigerator. By automatically canceling the power saving function by a predetermined key input, the refrigerator can be restored to its original high temperature and return to normal operation even if the user does not inadvertently cancel the power saving function. An operation control apparatus and method are provided.

1 is a front view showing a typical refrigerator,

2 is a block diagram of an operation control apparatus of a refrigerator according to the prior art,

3 is a graph showing a conventional high temperature control operation,

4 is a configuration diagram of an operation control apparatus for a refrigerator according to the present invention;

5 is a graph showing the internal temperature control operation of the present invention;

6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation control method of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

21: key input 22: high temperature detection unit

23: door opening and closing detection unit 24: control unit

25: compressor driving unit 26: fan motor driving unit

27: display unit

An object of the present invention as described above is a key input unit having a plurality of function keys for operating a refrigerator, a high temperature detection unit for detecting the high temperature inside the temperature sensor installed in the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, and a compressor drive unit for driving the compressor And a fan driving unit for driving a circulation fan, and an operation control apparatus for a refrigerator for driving the compressor and the circulation fan according to the internal temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, wherein each door is provided through a door switch provided in the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively. Door opening and closing detection unit for detecting the opening and closing state; When the user selects a power saving function through the key input unit, the compressor and the circulation fan are driven according to the high temperature detected by the high temperature detecting unit in a state in which the preset high temperature of the preset freezer and refrigerating compartment is increased by a predetermined temperature. When the refrigerator is operated in the power saving operation mode and the door is opened through the door opening / closing detection unit during the power saving operation, or when a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator occurs, A control unit configured to drive the compressor and the circulation fan according to the high temperature detected by the high temperature detection unit and to perform the freezer refrigerating operation in a normal operation mode while returning to the high internal setting temperature; And a display unit displaying selection and release of a power saving function according to a control signal of the control unit.

The object of the present invention as described above is to detect the internal temperature through the temperature sensor provided in each of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively, and drive the compressor and the circulation fan according to the detected temperature difference between the preset internal temperature and the preset internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment. An operation control method of a refrigerator for controlling temperature, the method comprising: an operation determination step of determining whether a user selects a power saving function through a key input unit provided in a refrigerator main body; When the power saving function is selected in the operation determination step, the high set temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment for the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment are respectively increased by a predetermined temperature, and the high preset temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment are adjusted. A power saving operation step of controlling the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment by driving the compressor and the circulation fan according to the temperature difference of the internal temperature; A door opening determination step of determining whether the freezer compartment door and the refrigerating compartment door are opened through the door switches provided in the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment during the power saving operation according to the power saving operation step; A key input determination step of determining whether a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator is generated through the key input unit during the power saving operation according to the power saving operation step; And when the freezing chamber door or the refrigerating chamber door is opened in the door opening determination step or when a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator occurs in the key input determination step, the adjusted high internal set temperature is returned to the original high internal set temperature. And the compressor and the circulation fan are driven according to the temperature difference between the high set temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment and the internal temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to control the internal temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 is a block diagram of an operation control apparatus of a refrigerator according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the present invention senses a high internal temperature through a key input unit 21 provided with a plurality of function keys for selecting a driving and power saving function of a refrigerator, and a temperature sensor installed in a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment. Branch 22, the door opening and closing detection unit 23 for detecting the opening and closing state of the freezer door and the refrigerating chamber door, respectively, and when the user selects the power saving function, A control unit 24 for driving the circulation fan and driving the compressor and the circulation fan when the door is opened or a predetermined key input is made, and the elevated high set temperature is returned to the original high set temperature; Compressor driving unit 25 for driving the compressor in accordance with the compressor control signal of the fan, fan driver 26 for driving the fan motor in accordance with the fan motor control signal of the control unit 24 and the power saving function line The display unit 26 which displays the selection and release is provided.

The key input unit 21 is provided in the main body of the refrigerator and includes a power saving function key for selecting a power saving operation and a plurality of function keys for operating the refrigerator when a load variation factor is excluded, such as when going out. The key signal of the corresponding function key according to the selection is output to the controller 24. The controller 24 analyzes the key signal input from the key input unit 21 to perform a function corresponding to the user's key selection.

The inside temperature detecting unit 22 detects the inside temperatures of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment through temperature sensors installed in the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively, and outputs a temperature detection signal corresponding thereto. The controller 24 recognizes the internal temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively, according to the temperature detection signal input from the internal temperature sensor 22.

The door opening / closing detecting unit 23 detects the opening / closing state of the freezing compartment door and the refrigerating compartment door through door switches installed in the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, respectively, and outputs a door detection signal to the controller 24. The control unit 24 analyzes the door detection signal input from the door open / close detection unit 23 to recognize the open / closed state of the freezer door and the refrigerating chamber door.

The control unit 24 has already stored the high preset temperature of the freezer compartment and the high preset temperature of the refrigerating compartment set by the user, and if the power saving function is selected through the key input unit 21, the set high preset temperature is set by a predetermined temperature. Adjust it up. In the embodiment, the control unit 24 adjusts the high internal preset temperature by about 1 ° C. to 2 ° C., but the adjustment value may be changed.

An operation and effect on the operation control apparatus of the refrigerator of the present invention configured as described above will be described.

First, when the user selects the power saving function key of the key input unit 21 when going out, the control unit 24 sets the preset high temperature for the preset freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment in response to the input of the power saving function key. After adjusting the temperature by 2 ℃, the compressor and the circulation fan are driven according to the adjusted high set temperature and sensed temperature to control the inside temperature. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the power saving function is selected, the control unit 24 adjusts the high internal setting temperature upward by about 1 ° C. to 2 ° C. The temperature T1 is stored, while the preset internal temperature Tb of the refrigerating compartment is adjusted by about 1 ° C to 2 ° C (ΔT), and the upwardly adjusted high temperature T2 is stored. Subsequently, the controller 24 drives the compressor and the circulation fan according to the temperature difference between the inside temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment sensed by the inside temperature detecting unit 21 and the preset internal temperature T1 (T2). Done.

For example, the control unit 24 maintains the internal temperature of the freezer compartment, that is, the internal temperature of the freezer compartment, between the upper limit temperature and the lower limit temperature set based on the elevated internal preset temperature T1. The high temperature curve S2 of the refrigerating compartment, that is, between the upper and lower limit temperatures set on the basis of the set high internal set temperature T2, that is, the compressor and the circulation fan are turned on or off to maintain the high temperature of the refrigerating compartment, thereby controlling the compressor. A signal and a fan motor control signal are output to the compressor driver 25 and the fan motor driver 26, respectively. The compressor driving unit 25 drives the compressor in an on or off state according to the compressor driving signal from the control unit 24, and the fan motor driving unit 26 according to the fan motor control signal from the control unit 24. The circulation fan is driven on or off.

As such, when the power saving function is selected by the user, the controller 24 may reduce the periodic driving of the compressor and the circulation fan by adjusting the high preset temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment by a predetermined temperature (ΔT). do.

On the other hand, the control unit 24 recognizes the opening of the freezer compartment or the refrigerating chamber door according to the door detection signal from the door open / close detection unit 23 when the user opens the freezer door or the refrigerating chamber door while the power saving operation is performed. Returning the adjusted high internal temperature T1 (T2) to the original high internal temperature T (Tb) and circulating the compressor according to the returned high internal temperature T (Tb) and the detected internal temperature The fan is driven on or off to control the internal temperatures of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment.

Hereinafter, the operation control method of the refrigerator according to the present invention will be described according to the operation flowchart of FIG.

First, when the user selects the power saving function key through the key input unit 21 when the user goes out, the controller 24 interprets the key signal input through the key input unit 21 to determine whether the power saving function is selected (the first). Step 101). When the power saving function is not selected as the determination result of step 101, the controller 24 returns to perform normal operation. On the other hand, when the power saving function is selected as the determination result of step 101, the control unit 24 controls the preset freezer and refrigerator compartments. The compressor and the circulation fan are periodically adjusted according to the temperature difference between the elevated internal set temperature and the elevated temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment sensed by the elevated internal temperature sensing unit 22. In operation 103, refrigeration and freezing operations are performed in a power saving operation mode. Subsequently, the controller 24 determines whether a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator is generated through the key input unit 21 while performing the power saving function according to the adjusted high preset temperature (step 104). As a result of the determination in step 104, if a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator does not occur, the controller 24 determines whether the freezer compartment door or the refrigerating compartment door is opened through the door opening / closing detection unit 23 ( Step 105). When the freezing chamber door or the refrigerating chamber door is not opened as a result of the determination of step 105, the process returns to step 104.

On the other hand, when the freezing chamber door or the refrigerating chamber door is opened as a result of the determination in step 105 or when a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator occurs as a result of the determination in step 104, the preset high preset temperature is initially set. Returning to the high internal setting temperature, the display unit 27 is controlled to display the canceled state of the power saving function (step 106). Subsequently, the controller 24 periodically drives the compressor and the circulation fan according to a temperature difference between a preset internal preset temperature and the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment sensed by the internal temperature detector 22 to return to a normal operation mode. The refrigeration freezing operation is performed (step 107).

As described above, in the present invention, when the user selects the power saving function key provided on the operation panel of the refrigerator main body and switches to the power saving function, the preset high temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment is increased by a predetermined temperature (about 1 ° C. to 2 ° C.). In the adjusted state, the internal temperature of each chamber is controlled. Therefore, the present invention has the effect of preventing the waste of power consumption by reducing the driving of the compressor and the circulation fan when the load fluctuation factor is excluded and it is not necessary to keep the high internal temperature at a lower state than necessary. Moreover, even if the user does not inadvertently cancel the power saving function, the present invention can return to the original high preset temperature when the door is opened or a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator automatically cancels the power saving function. There is an effect that can be planned.

Claims (6)

In the operation control apparatus of the refrigerator having a key input unit, a high temperature detection unit for detecting the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, a compressor drive unit, and a fan drive unit, and to drive the compressor and the circulation fan according to the internal temperature of each chamber. , A door opening / closing detecting unit detecting an opening or closing state of the freezing compartment door and the refrigerating compartment door; When the power saving function is selected by the operation of the function key provided in the key input unit, the high internal set temperature of each chamber is increased by a predetermined temperature to control the compressor driver and the fan driver to perform power saving operation. A control unit configured to return the high-adjusted high preset temperature to the original high preset temperature and control the compressor driver and the fan driver to perform normal operation when the key is opened or a predetermined key input occurs. And And a display unit for displaying selection and release of a power saving function according to a control signal of the control unit. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the power saving function is selected, the control unit performs a power saving operation by adjusting the preset high internal temperature for the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment by about 1 ° C. to 2 ° C. 6. In the operation control method of the refrigerator to control the internal temperature of each chamber by operating the compressor and the circulation fan according to the internal temperature of the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, An operation determination step of determining whether the user selects a power saving function by operating a function key of the key input unit provided in the refrigerator main body; When the power saving function is selected in the step, adjusting the high internal temperature of each chamber and driving the compressor and the circulating fan according to the high internal temperature of the room to save power; Determining whether the doors of the chambers are opened during the power saving operation; Determining whether there is a key input during the power saving operation; And operating the compressor and the circulating fan to return to a preset internal preset temperature for each chamber when the door is opened or a key input occurs as a result of the determination. The method of claim 3, wherein the power saving operation comprises adjusting the preset high internal preset temperature by about 1 ° C to 2 ° C for the freezer compartment when the power saving function is selected in the operation determination step. Operation control method of the refrigerator. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the power saving operation step further comprises a power saving function displaying step of displaying a state in which the power saving function is selected through a display unit provided in the refrigerator main body when the power saving function is selected in the operation determination step. Operation control method. The power saving function release display according to claim 3, wherein the power saving function is displayed to display a state in which the power saving function is released through a display unit provided in the refrigerator main body when a predetermined key input for operating the refrigerator occurs in opening the door or in the key input determination step during the power saving operation. Operation control method of the refrigerator comprising a step.