KR100549060B1 - Self-examination device and method for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a self-diagnostic apparatus for a refrigerator having a main body having at least one cooling chamber and a refrigerant circulation cycle unit installed in the main body and circulating a refrigerant having a compressor, an evaporator, and a fan motor, the refrigerant circulation cycle unit. A power supply unit supplying a power voltage; A temperature sensing unit sensing a temperature of at least one of the cooling chamber and the evaporator; A display unit for indicating that at least one of the compressor and the fan motor is defective; And a time counter unit for counting the operation time of the compressor and the fan coater, and supplying the power voltage under a predetermined condition to operate the compressor and the fan motor, and at the predetermined operation time of the compressor and the fan motor. If the cooling temperature is not lowered to the reference change amount from the temperature sensing unit is characterized in that it comprises a control unit to determine that the drive failure and to display on the display. This enables rapid processing while providing an inspection process with improved reliability.

Description

Self-diagnosis device for refrigerator and its method {SELF-EXAMINATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REFRIGERATOR}

The present invention relates to a self-diagnostic apparatus of the refrigerator and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a self-diagnostic apparatus of the refrigerator and a method for self-diagnosing the defect of the refrigeration cycle unit and the fan motor.

The refrigerator has a main body having a pair of cooling chambers (one of which is relatively low temperature is referred to as a freezing chamber and the other of which is called a refrigerating chamber) partitioned from side to side by an intermediate partition not shown, and a door that rotates the opening surface of each cooling chamber. Have In each cooling chamber, a plurality of shelves are horizontally arranged at predetermined intervals along the vertical direction, and a plurality of food accommodation spaces are formed therebetween.

The door on the side of the refrigerating compartment has a rectangular food entrance, which is formed so that the inside and the outside of the refrigerating compartment communicate with each other so that the food compartment can be accommodated or withdrawn without opening the refrigerating chamber door. The groove bar door is installed to open and close upward and downward.

In such a refrigerator, a circulating refrigerant cycle unit including a compressor, an evaporator, and a fan motor is installed at the rear of the cooling chamber in order to generate cold air in the cooling chamber. The cold air is generated by the fan motor installed in the evaporator while the water is circulated through the circulation passage.

However, such a refrigerator is manufactured by a predetermined work process, and after completion of manufacturing, the worker operates the circulating refrigerant cycle part of the refrigerator and manually checks the temperature of each cooling chamber with a separate temperature sensor to determine whether there is a failure of the compressor. In addition, the operator can determine whether there is an abnormality after confirming the operation of the fan motor visually and visually by manually switching the door switch to operate the fan motor after opening the door. Therefore, such a manual inspection process may have a different inspection standard according to the operator, there is a problem that the reliability and efficiency of the inspection is inferior.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a self-diagnosis apparatus and a method of a refrigerator for automatically inspecting the cooling performance to be self-diagnosable.

According to the present invention, a self-diagnostic apparatus for a refrigerator having a main body having at least one cooling chamber and a refrigerant circulation cycle unit installed in the main body and circulating a refrigerant having a compressor, an evaporator and a fan motor, A power supply unit supplying a power voltage toward the refrigerant circulation cycle unit; A temperature sensing unit sensing a temperature of at least one of the cooling chamber and the evaporator, and a display unit for indicating that driving of at least one of the compressor and the fan motor is defective; And a time counter unit for counting operating time of the compressor and the fan motor, and supplying the power voltage under a predetermined condition to operate the compressor and the fan motor, and at the predetermined operating time of the compressor and the fan motor. If the cooling temperature is not lowered to the reference change amount from the temperature sensing unit is determined by the self-diagnostic apparatus of the refrigerator characterized in that it comprises a control unit to determine that the drive failure and to display on the display.

Here, the display unit may include an alarm unit for generating any one of an audible and visual alarm of the user.

The user may further include an input unit having a pair of button keys for inputting a self-diagnostic command to the system toward the controller.

 Preferably, the operation time is a time when the compressor and the fan motor are operated for at least one minute, and the reference change amount is at least 0.1 ° C.

On the other hand, the object of the present invention is a self-diagnosis method of a refrigerator having a main body having at least one cooling chamber and a refrigerant circulation cycle unit installed in the main body and circulating a refrigerant having a compressor, an evaporator and a fan motor. The method may include: supplying a power voltage under a predetermined condition to operate the compressor and the fan motor; Counting operating times of the compressor and the fan motor; Sensing a temperature of at least one of the cooling chamber and the evaporator at a predetermined operating time of the compressor and the fan motor; It is also achieved by the self-diagnosis method of the refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises a drive failure if the cooling temperature is not lowered to the reference change amount from the temperature sensing unit at a predetermined operating time of the compressor and the fan motor.

Here, the method may further include indicating that at least one of the compressor and the fan motor is defective based on the determination.

The display can be either an audible or visual alert of the user.

The operation time may be a time when the compressor and the fan motor are operated for at least one minute, and the reference change amount may be at least 0.1 ° C.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the self-diagnostic apparatus and method of the refrigerator according to the present invention. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control block diagram illustrating the self-diagnostic apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the self-diagnostic method of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator has a main body having a pair of cooling chambers (not shown; one of the relatively low temperature is called a freezer compartment and the other side is a refrigerator compartment) partitioned left and right by an intermediate partition not shown. (3) and doors 17 and 19 for rotating and opening the opening surface of each cooling chamber. In each cooling chamber, a plurality of shelves (not shown) are horizontally arranged at predetermined intervals along the vertical direction, and a plurality of food accommodation spaces are formed therebetween. In the lower region, a plurality of drawer-type retractable food storage rooms (not shown) arranged in layers are provided.

On the other hand, the door 19 on the side of the refrigerating compartment communicates with the inside and outside of the refrigerating compartment, so that the food entrance 21 is opened so as to accommodate or withdraw food in the refrigerating compartment without opening the refrigerating compartment door 19. The groove bar door 23 is provided on the opening face of the food entrance 21 so as to be able to rotate up and down. The door 17 on the freezer compartment side is provided with a dispenser 5 recessed into the door, and an upper side of the dispenser 5 is provided with a control panel 8 for operating the freezing cycle according to a predetermined program. . The control panel 8 is provided with an input unit (not shown) having a pair of button keys (not shown) for the user to input a self-diagnosis command.

The groove bar door 23 is rotatably supported by a groove bar body 29 having a front plate and a back plate of a substantially rectangular plate shape and a handle accommodation groove (not shown) formed in the groove bar body 29. Has (not shown). The door handle is mutually connected to a handle portion (not shown) exposed to the front of the home bar body 29 so as to be externally operated, and a non-illustrated locking jaw formed at the upper edge of the food entrance 21 in conjunction with the operation of the handle portion. It has a hook hook portion 37 which is held or released by acting.

As shown in FIG. 2, the self-diagnostic apparatus of the refrigerator includes a power supply unit 33 for supplying a power voltage, and a refrigerant circulation cycle unit for generating cool air by allowing the coolant to flow along the circulation passage by the power supply voltage. 40. The refrigerant circulation cycle unit 40 is a compressor 36 for circulating a refrigerant, an evaporator 35 for generating cold air from the circulating refrigerant, and heat exchanged so that air is converted into the cold in the evaporator 35 and supplied to the cooling chamber. It has a fan motor 37.

In addition, the self-diagnostic apparatus detects the temperature of the cooling chamber and the temperature of the evaporator 35 to generate a predetermined electrical signal according to the temperature change, and the sensing from the temperature sensing unit 41. The control unit 31 for intermitting the power supply voltage supplied to the refrigerant circulation cycle unit 40 according to the distribution of the temperature change, and the input unit 30 through which the user inputs a self-diagnosis command to the control unit 31. Include. On the other hand, when a self-diagnosis command is input by the input unit 30, the control unit 31 operates the compressor 36 and the fan motor 37 using the power voltage under a predetermined cooling condition, and then the compressor 36 ) And at least one of the compressor 36 and the fan motor 37 is defective if the temperature from the temperature sensing unit 41 does not decrease to a reference change amount at a predetermined operating time of the fan motor 37. To judge. In response to a control signal based on the determination of the control unit 31, a display unit 42 for alerting the user that at least one of the compressor 36 and the fan motor 37 is poor is connected to the control unit 31. Here, the operating time of the compressor 36 and the fan motor 37 is the time of operation for at least one minute, the reference change in temperature is 0.1 ℃. Here, the self-diagnostic apparatus may perform self-diagnosis by receiving a self-diagnosis command through the input unit 30, or may continuously perform self-diagnosis in the refrigerating process of the refrigerator.

The control unit 31 may be provided inside the time counter unit for counting the operating time of the compressor 36 and the fan motor 37.

The display unit 42 may include an alarm unit (not shown) for generating any one of an audible and visual alarm of the user. For example, when the display unit 42 is a visual alarm, when the fan motor 37 of the freezer compartment is poorly driven as a visual light emission alarm, the weak light emitting device among the strong, medium, and weak light emitting devices is turned off. The light emitting element in the case where the drive of the fan motor 37 in the refrigerating chamber is bad is turned off, and the light emitting element in the steel is turned off when the driving of the compressor 36 is bad. In the normal case, all of the strong, medium, and weak light emitting devices may emit light.

The self-diagnosis method of such a refrigerator is as shown in FIG. 3.

First, when a power supply voltage is applied through the power supply unit 33 (S1), the refrigerant circulation cycle unit 40 is operated to flow refrigerant through the purified flow path and discharge cold air toward the cooling chamber (S2). At this time, the time counter unit installed in the control unit 31 counts the operation time of the compressor 36 and the fan motor 37 of the refrigerant circulation cycle unit 40 (S3), the temperature sensing unit 41 is the cooling chamber and each evaporator The temperature is continuously detected from at least one of 35 and sent to the control unit 31 (S4).

Then, the control unit 31 determines whether the initial temperature of the refrigerating chamber from the temperature sensing unit 41 is 12 ° C. or less, and whether the initial temperature of each evaporator 35 is 0 ° C. or less (S5). When the time elapses (S6 and S18), the user determines whether a self-diagnosis command is input through the input unit 30 (S7 and S19). Subsequently, when the self-diagnosis command is input from the input unit 30 in the determination that the initial temperature is less than or equal to the controller 31, the controller 31 detects the detected temperature from the temperature detector 41, that is, the evaporator of the refrigerating compartment, the evaporator of the refrigerating compartment, and the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. By recognizing the temperature of (S8) it is determined whether each of the temperature is lowered by the reference change amount (k1 ℃) than the initial temperature (S9, S11, S13, S15). Here, the reference change amount k1 ° C is at least 0.1 ° C or more, and the predetermined time is at least 1 minute or more.

Thus, the controller 31 generates a control signal to the display unit 42 when the initial temperature of the evaporator 35 of the refrigerating chamber is not lowered by the reference change amount (k1 ° C.) so that the user can drive the compressor 36 and cycle the cooling cycle. If the alarm is generated (S10) and the initial temperature of the evaporator 35 of the freezer does not fall by the reference change amount (k1 ° C.), a control signal is generated on the display unit 42 to allow the user to drive the compressor 36 and If the initial cycle of the freezer compartment does not fall by the reference change amount (k1 ° C.), a control signal is generated on the display unit 42 so that the user drives the fan motor 37 of the refrigerating compartment. If the alarm is generated (S14) and the initial temperature of the refrigerating compartment is not lowered by the reference change amount (k1 ° C), a control signal is generated on the display unit 42, so that the user has a poor driving of the fan motor 37 of the freezing compartment. Alert Occurs (S17).

However, when the initial temperature is abnormal (S5), when the self-diagnosis command from the input unit 30 is input (S19), the control unit 31 detects the detected temperature from the temperature sensing unit 41, that is, the evaporator 35 of the refrigerating chamber. And the temperature of the evaporator 35 of the freezer compartment and the temperature of the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment (S20) to determine whether the respective temperatures are lowered by the reference change amount (k2 ° C.) than the initial temperature (S21, S23, S25, S27). . Here, the reference change amount (k 2 ° C) is at least 0.2 ° C or more, and the predetermined time is at least 1 minute or more.

Then, the control unit 31 generates a control signal to the display unit 42 when the initial temperature of the evaporator 35 of the refrigerating chamber is not lowered by the reference change amount (k2 ° C.), thereby allowing the user to drive and cool the compressor 36. If the alarm is generated (S22) and the initial temperature of the evaporator 35 of the freezer does not fall by the reference change amount (k2 ° C), a control signal is generated on the display unit 42 so that the user drives the compressor 36 and If the initial cycle of the freezer compartment does not fall by the reference change amount (k2 ° C.), a control signal is generated on the display unit 42, and the user drives the fan motor 37 of the refrigerating compartment. If an alarm of this failure is generated (S26) and the initial temperature of the refrigerating compartment is not lowered by the reference change amount (k2 ° C), a control signal is generated on the display unit 42, so that the user has a poor driving of the fan motor 37 of the refrigerating compartment. Alert Occurs (S28).

The self-diagnostic apparatus and method thereof of the refrigerator as described above can make use of the advantages of the electronic device to the maximum by allowing the user or operator to easily check the important functions of the refrigerator by simply operating a button key.

The present invention has the effect that the inspection process of the refrigerator can be quickly and reliably due to the operation of the button key to improve the inspection efficiency.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing the self-diagnostic apparatus of FIG. 1;

3 is a flowchart illustrating the self-diagnosis method of FIG. 2.

[Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings]

30; Input section 31; Control

33; Power supply 35; evaporator

36; Compressor 37; Fan motor

40; Refrigerant circulation cycle section 41; Temperature sensor

42; Display

Claims (7)

A self-diagnosis apparatus for a refrigerator having a main body having at least one cooling chamber and a refrigerant circulation cycle unit installed in the main body and circulating a refrigerant having a compressor, an evaporator and a fan motor, A power supply unit supplying a power voltage toward the refrigerant circulation cycle unit; A temperature sensing unit sensing a temperature of at least one of the cooling chamber and the evaporator; A display unit for indicating that at least one of the compressor and the fan motor is defective; And a time counter unit for counting operating time of the compressor and the fan motor, and supplying the power voltage under a predetermined condition to operate the compressor and the fan motor, and at the predetermined operating time of the compressor and the fan motor. A control unit for determining that the cooling temperature is not driven by a temperature change unit and not displaying a change in the reference unit, and displaying the driving failure; And an input unit having a pair of button keys for inputting a self-diagnosis command to the system by the user toward the control unit. The method of claim 1, The display unit includes a self-diagnostic device of the refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises an alarm for generating any one of the user's audio and visual alarm. The method of claim 1, The operation time is the time the compressor and the fan motor has been operated for at least one minute, the reference change amount is at least 0.1 ℃ self-diagnostic apparatus of the refrigerator. A self-diagnosis method of a refrigerator having a main body having at least one cooling chamber and a refrigerant circulation cycle unit installed in the main body and circulating a refrigerant having a compressor, an evaporator and a fan motor, Inputting a self-diagnosis command through an input unit; Operating the compressor and the fan motor by supplying a power supply voltage under a predetermined condition; Counting operating times of the compressor and the fan motor; Sensing a temperature of at least one of the cooling chamber and the evaporator at a predetermined operating time of the compressor and the fan motor; And determining a driving failure if the cooling temperature does not fall from the temperature sensing unit to a reference change amount at a predetermined operation time of the compressor and the fan motor. The method of claim 4, wherein And indicating that the driving of at least one of the compressor and the fan motor is defective based on the determination. The method of claim 5, And said display is one of an audible and visual alarm of a user. The method of claim 4, wherein The operation time is the time the compressor and the fan motor has been operated for at least one minute, the reference change amount is at least 0.1 ℃ self-diagnostic method of the refrigerator.