KR19990038585A - Defroster and defrosting method of refrigerator evaporator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a defrosting device and a method of an evaporator in a refrigerator, and in particular, to detect the amount of implantation of the evaporator to achieve an optimal defrosting operation and the defrosting device and the defrosting device is determined when the start or return time of the defrosting operation A method of performing a defrosting operation.

The present invention, the evaporator unit for performing a heat exchange action; Weight sensing means for sensing a weight change as frost is formed on the evaporator; Heating means for removing frost formed on the evaporator; In addition, the refrigerator evaporator unit is provided by providing a defrosting device of the refrigerator evaporator configured to include a control means for controlling the start or end of the defrosting operation by the heat generating means by inputting the weight sensing value of the weight sensing means. Irrespective of the conditions under which frost is formed, that is, the temperature and humidity of the surroundings, regardless of changes in the use of the refrigerator, ie the type of storage in the refrigerator and the number of times of user's involvement, it is possible to accurately detect the condition of the evaporator and optimize it. Has the technical effect of performing defrost operation.

Description

Defroster and defrosting method of refrigerator evaporator

The present invention relates to a defrosting apparatus and method of the refrigerator evaporator, in particular, a defrosting device that detects the amount of implantation of the evaporator so as to achieve an optimal defrosting operation and the start time or return time of the defrosting operation is determined and the defrosting device as such a defrosting device. It relates to how to perform the operation.

The general principle of the cooling action by the refrigerant in the refrigerator is as follows.

In the refrigerator the refrigerant reaches the evaporator via a compressor, condenser and capillary and is evaporated therein. At this time, the heat in the refrigerator is absorbed by the absorption of the vaporization heat according to the evaporation action, and thus the cold air cooled is circulated to the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment to cool the inside of the refrigerator.

Part of the cold air deprived of heat from the evaporator is circulated to the freezer compartment, and the rest is circulated in the refrigerator compartment to cool the inside of the refrigerator. On the other hand, the cold air heated during the circulation between the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment repeats the heat exchange operation, which loses heat by passing through the evaporator again.

At this time, the cold air circulated in the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment is returned to the evaporator in a state containing moisture in the high temperature, and the moisture contained in the cold air adheres in the form of frost on the surface of the evaporator as the evaporator passes through a very low temperature. .

When such a state accumulates, a large amount of frost is formed on the surface of the evaporator, thereby reducing the heat exchange performance of the evaporator unit. Therefore, the frost is removed by operating the heater located in the evaporator every predetermined time. This action is called defrosting.

1 and 2 are views for explaining the conventional defrosting operation, Figure 1 is a structural diagram showing the structure of the conventional evaporator, Figure 2 is a flow chart of the conventional defrosting operation.

In this defrosting operation, the method of determining the defrosting timing of the prior art accumulates the operation time of the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator using a timer or a microcomputer, and when a certain time is reached, defrosting is started and the defrosting heater generates heat. When the ambient temperature increases, the temperature sensor mounted on the evaporator detects the temperature of the evaporator and when the temperature reaches a constant temperature, the heater is switched off.

While the defrosting is in progress, the refrigeration cycle of the compressor or the like is stopped, and the freezer compartment temperature is also slightly increased due to the heat generation of the defroster heater.

On the other hand, the frost is formed in the refrigerator evaporator unit may be changed by various peripheral factors. That is, the concept of the evaporator unit varies depending on the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator, the type of storage stored in the refrigerator, the number and habits of the user's involvement.

However, the conventional defrosting time determination method is a method of determining the defrosting time only by detecting the accumulation of the operation time of the refrigerator without considering various conditions described above. Therefore, since the defrosting method is not determined in consideration of the amount of frost formed, the defrosting operation may be started earlier than the optimum time or the defrosting operation may be started too late.

In addition, in the prior art, in the method of determining the timing of returning to the original state after the start of defrosting (heating off), it is simply a method of detecting and determining whether the temperature around the defrosting sensor has reached a predetermined temperature. This is hard to be done.

That is, since the defrost return time is determined by the temperature around the defrost sensor, a complete defrost may not be performed on a part of the entire evaporator part. On the contrary, despite the completion of the defrost of the evaporator part, the temperature around the sensor is still at the set temperature. If not, the heater continues to operate to increase the power consumption value of the refrigerator.

In addition, as described above, when the operation of the heater continues and the heat generation is prolonged, the temperature of the freezer compartment also increases, which may cause a decrease in the refrigeration or freezing state of the internal storage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a defrosting method that can achieve an optimal defrosting operation by sensing the evaporator implantation state.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a sensor unit capable of detecting an implantation state of an evaporator and a defrosting device having the sensor unit.

1 is a structural diagram showing a structure of a conventional refrigerator evaporator.

2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the defrosting operation of the conventional refrigerator evaporator.

3 is a mounting view showing a mounting state of a conventional refrigerator evaporator.

4 is a mounting state of the refrigerator evaporator according to the present invention and a detailed view thereof.

5 is an operation flowchart showing the operation sequence of the defrost operation of the refrigerator evaporator according to the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

10; Evaporator 20; Inner case

25; Hanger groove 26; Hanger

30; Weight sensor 40; Elastomer

An object of the present invention described above, the evaporator unit performing a heat exchange action; Weight sensing means for sensing a weight change as frost is formed on the evaporator; Heating means for removing frost formed on the evaporator; And it can be achieved through a defrosting device comprising a control means for controlling the start or end of the defrosting operation by the heat generating means by inputting the weight sensing value of the weight sensing means.

At this time, as an embodiment of the present invention, the weight sensing means is an elastic body of which the length is changed in response to the weight change according to the implantation and defrost state of the evaporator unit, and the elongation of the evaporator by detecting the elongation of the elastic body It may also be configured to include a detector for outputting a detection signal for identifying the defrost state.

In another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described configuration, the control means receives the weight signal detected from the weight sensing means, and compares the preset weight value to determine the start or end of the operation of the heating means. It may be configured to be characterized as a micom means for performing the algorithm.

On the other hand, an object of the present invention, an evaporator unit for performing a heat exchange action, a weight sensing means for detecting a weight change of the evaporator, a heat generating means for removing frost on the evaporator unit, and a defrosting operation of the heat generating means A refrigerator comprising a control means for controlling the start and end of the invention, comprising: an input step of receiving a weight signal of an evaporator from the weight sensing means; A comparison step of comparing the weight signal in the input step with a predetermined reference value; A heating step of outputting a heating signal to the heat generating means according to the comparison result in the comparing step; It can be achieved by a defrosting method comprising a heating end step of blocking the heating signal of the heater according to the comparison result in the comparison step.

Defrosting time determination method of the present invention, instead of the conventional defrosting timer method or time accumulation measurement method by the microcomputer, by detecting the weight of the evaporator by the weight sensor mounted on the mounting hook portion of the evaporator, the optimum defrosting start time and defrosting return It is characterized by determining the timing.

The defrosting method of the present invention is a method of determining the start time and the defrost return time of the defrosting by using the property that the weight of the evaporator is increased by the weight of the frost formed, and the weight of the evaporator is reduced by the defrosting action. That is, when the evaporator reaches a predetermined weight, it is determined that defrost is necessary, and the heater is operated. When the evaporator is defrosted by the heating of the heater, the weight of the evaporator decreases to a predetermined weight, the defrost is determined to be completed. do.

Accordingly, the present invention achieves the action of determining the optimum defrosting start and defrosting return timing in response to the change in the concept of the appearance according to the conditions around the refrigerator.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a structural diagram showing a mounting state of a conventional evaporator, Figure 4 is a structural diagram showing a mounting state of an evaporator as an embodiment of the present invention.

3 and 4 will be described in detail an embodiment of mounting the evaporator of the present invention.

In the related art, as shown in FIG. 3, two hook grooves 25 are formed on both sides of the rear inner case part 20 of the evaporator, and the hook parts 26 on both sides of the evaporator are hooked thereto to mount the evaporator.

However, in the present invention, after forming the groove 25A of a predetermined size in two places where the hook groove 25 of the existing inner case portion 20 is located, as shown in Fig. 4, the inside of the groove 25A. The hook groove 25 is formed on the surface. A weight sensor 30 is installed on the bottom surface of the groove, and an elastic body 40 is positioned on the upper side thereof, and then the evaporator 10 is mounted in the inner hook grooves 25 and 25A.

When a large amount of frost is formed on the evaporator and the evaporator sag due to its own weight, the weight sensor detects the weight. This detection signal is input to control means, for example, a microcomputer, operating according to a predetermined algorithm to determine the defrosting timing.

The microcomputer operates according to the detection signal of the weight sensor and outputs a signal for operating the heater according to a predetermined algorithm.

When the defrost heater is heated to generate heat, the frost on the evaporator melts and the evaporator returns to its original weight. At this time, the elastic body 40 helps the evaporator to return to its original position, and has a function of helping the sensing function of the weight sensor.

The weight sensor detects the weight of the evaporator and inputs the detection signal to the microcomputer. As an example of such a weight sensor, the weight change of the evaporator may be formed using a sensor that detects a change in length that is elongated against the elasticity of the elastic body. This detection signal is input to a microcomputer operating according to a predetermined algorithm to determine the defrosting return timing.

The microcomputer operates according to the detection signal of the weight sensor and outputs a signal for stopping the operation of the heater according to a predetermined algorithm.

5 is a flowchart showing the flow of operation of the defrosting operation according to the present invention.

The defrosting operation according to the present invention comprises a weight signal input step S10, a weight value comparison step S20, a heater heating step S30, and a heating end step S40.

In the weight signal input step S10, a detection signal from the weight sensor 30 in FIG. 3 is input. This step may comprise, for example, an A / D conversion step of converting an analog signal from the weight sensor into a digital signal.

In the comparison step S20, the microcomputer compares the input signal value (= M) from the weight signal input step S10 with a predetermined set value (= K). The set value (= K) at this time is a value that is set in advance to predict the weight increase value as the frost is implanted in the evaporator. In other words, it refers to the weight value of the evaporator unit at the time when the defrosting operation is desired to start.

The microcomputer determines that the defrosting operation is necessary when the comparison result in the comparison step S20 is YES, that is, when the weight signal input value is larger than a predetermined set value (M> K), and the heater heating step S30. To perform. On the other hand, if the comparison result in the comparison step (S20) is NO (NO), that is, the weight signal input value is smaller than the predetermined set value (M <K), it is determined that the defrosting operation is not necessary, and the heating end step ( S40) is performed.

At this time, the above-described heater heating step (S30) and heating end step (S40) may be configured to include a D / A conversion step for converting the digital signal from the microcomputer to an analog signal, for example.

In the heater heating step (S30), the heater generates heat by applying a predetermined voltage to the heater according to the command signal from the microcomputer. The heating action of the heater may be the same as the heater structure of the conventional defrosting apparatus.

On the other hand, in the heating termination step (S40) is a step of blocking the voltage applied to the heater. Therefore, no exothermic action from the heater is achieved.

Defrosting method according to the present invention is irrespective of the conditions that the frost is formed in the refrigerator evaporator, that is, regardless of the ambient temperature and humidity, regardless of the use of the refrigerator, that is, the type of storage in the refrigerator and the number of times of user's door opening, etc. In addition, it provides a way to accurately detect the implantation situation of the evaporator.

Therefore, the defrosting method according to the present invention achieves the technical effect of determining the optimum defrosting start time and the defrosting return time in response to the change of the frosting type according to the conditions around the refrigerator.

In addition, the defrosting apparatus of the refrigerator evaporator according to the present invention operates according to the optimum defrost start time and defrost return time, thereby preventing the unnecessary power consumption, thereby achieving a technical effect of reducing the power consumption value of the refrigerator.

In addition, the defrosting apparatus of the refrigerator evaporator according to the present invention prevents unnecessary operation of the heater, thereby achieving a technical effect of preventing the refrigeration or freezing of the internal storage.

Claims (5)

An evaporator unit performing a heat exchange operation; Weight sensing means for sensing a weight change as frost is formed on the evaporator; Heating means for removing frost formed on the evaporator; And, And a control means for controlling the start or end of the defrosting operation by the heat generating means by inputting the weight sensing value of the weight sensing means. The method of claim 1, The weight sensing means may include an elastic body whose length is changed in response to a weight change according to an implantation and defrost state of the evaporator; And, Defroster of the refrigerator evaporator characterized in that it comprises a detector for detecting the elongation of the elastic body and outputs a detection signal for determining the state of implantation and defrosting of the evaporator. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The control means is a defrosting apparatus of the refrigerator evaporator, characterized in that the microcom means for receiving the weight signal detected from the sensor and performing an algorithm for determining the start or end of the operation of the defrosting means by comparing with the preset weight value . Evaporator unit for performing a heat exchange action, weight sensing means for detecting the weight change as the frost is implanted in the evaporator, heat generating means for removing the frost formed on the evaporator, and start of defrosting operation by the heat generating means And a control means for controlling the termination, the refrigerator comprising: An input step of receiving a weight signal of an evaporator from the weight sensing means; A comparison step of comparing the weight signal in the input step with a predetermined reference value; A heating step of outputting a heating signal to the heat generating means according to the comparison result in the comparing step; And a heating termination step of blocking a heating signal to the heating means according to the comparison result in the comparing step. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the input step further comprises an A / D conversion step of converting an analog signal input from the weight sensing means into a digital signal. The heating step and the heating end step of the defrosting method of the refrigerator evaporator, characterized in that the heating step and the heating end step further comprising a D / A conversion step of converting the digital signal output from the control means into an analog signal, respectively.