KR20010003967A - Refrigerator and controlling method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A refrigerator and method of controlling operation of refrigerator is provided to maintain cooling state by rapidly repairing the abnormality of components. CONSTITUTION: A refrigerator with a cabinet for forming one or more cooling chambers, a door installed to the cabinet, and a cooling system arranged within the cabinet, comprises an operation state sensing unit for sensing the operation state of each component of the cooling system, a control unit(14) for allowing a display control unit(12) to display the operation state of each component in accordance with the sensed result output from the operation state sensing unit, and a display device having a display unit(11) arranged at a portion of the door, and a display control unit(12) for changing the screen of the display unit in accordance with a signal applied from an external source. The operation state sensing unit includes a signal sensing unit(20) for sensing signals output from each of the components, and a plurality of temperature sensors(21-24) for sensing the temperature of the components and the cooling chamber.

Description

Refrigerator and its control method {REFRIGERATOR AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a control method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a refrigerator and a control method thereof capable of displaying an operating state of a refrigeration system and an abnormality of device components.

In general, a refrigerator is used to refrigerate and freeze food by a refrigeration system using a refrigerant, and the refrigeration system includes a compressor for refrigerant compression, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant from the compressor, and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant.

Among these refrigerators, a large-capacity SIDE BY SIDE type refrigerator has a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment left and right, and a refrigerator compartment evaporator and a freezer compartment evaporator are respectively installed in the rear regions of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment to exchange heat with air in the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment. In addition, refrigerating chamber blowers and freezer compartment blowers are respectively provided in regions adjacent to each evaporator, and each blower fan circulates air in the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment to assist in heat exchange between the air inside and the evaporator.

On the other hand, for the smooth operation of the refrigeration system, the cooling fan for the cooling of the compressor is installed in the adjacent area of the compressor, the refrigerator compartment evaporator and the freezer compartment heater are respectively installed for eliminating defrosting. . In addition, the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment are equipped with a freezer compartment temperature sensor and a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor for sensing the refrigerator compartment temperature and the freezer compartment temperature. It becomes a criterion for judgment and a driving criterion for the compressor and each blowing fan. In addition, the freezing chamber defrost sensor and the refrigerating chamber defrost sensor are installed in an area adjacent to the freezer compartment evaporator and the refrigerator compartment evaporator, and the detected value from each defrost sensor is a driving reference of each defrost heater.

However, such a conventional refrigerator has no knowledge of what load is currently operating during normal operation of the refrigerator and whether it is operating normally. Only by the self-diagnosis performed at initial startup, it is possible to diagnose the abnormality of various sensors. I'm trying to. Therefore, in order to perform such a self-diagnosis, the operation is cumbersome since the power supply of the refrigerator is cut off and then re-supplied, and there is a problem that the compressor goes large when the power is cut off and supplied again during the operation of the refrigerator.

On the other hand, even if such a self-diagnosis can only detect the abnormality of the sensor, there is a disadvantage that the operation state of the compressor, each blowing fan, cooling fan is not known at all.

Accordingly, it is necessary to search for a method of displaying the operation state of the refrigeration system and the presence or absence of each sensor by using the display device of the present applicant.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator and a control method thereof, which are capable of displaying an operating state of a refrigeration system by using a display device and at the same time displaying an abnormality of an appliance part.

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

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a display initial screen of FIG. 1;

3 is a plan view at the time of selecting a cooling state display function in the initial screen of FIG.

4 is a control block diagram for displaying the cooling state of FIG.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

1: Cabinet 2a: Refrigerating Room Evaporator

2b: freezer evaporator 10: display device

11 display unit 12 display control unit

13: Select Button 14: Control

21: refrigerator compartment sensor 22: freezer compartment sensor

23: Refrigerated room defrost sensor 24: Freezer room defrost sensor

According to the present invention, the object is a refrigerator having a cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber, a door provided in the cabinet, and a refrigeration system installed in the cabinet to cool the cooling chamber, wherein the freezing is performed. An operation state detection unit for detecting operation of each device component of the system; And a control unit for displaying the operation state of each device component of the refrigeration system to the outside according to the detection result from the operation state detection unit.

The display apparatus may further include a display device installed in one region of the door, and a display control unit configured to change a screen of the display unit according to a signal from an external device, wherein the control unit may be configured to control the display controller from the operation state detection unit. It is desirable to convey the detection result.

The operation state detection unit detects the temperature and the operation signal of the device part, including a signal detection unit detecting a signal from each device part, and a plurality of temperature sensors for detecting the temperature of the device part and the cooling chamber. .

The control unit preferably displays an abnormality of the device component on the layout when the detection result from the operation state detection unit detects an abnormality of the device component.

In addition, when the device parts of the refrigeration system are in an operating state and in an abnormal state, it is easy to distinguish between the operating state and the abnormal state by displaying the device parts in different colors.

On the other hand, the object is, according to another field of the present invention, a cabinet for forming at least one cooling chamber, a door installed in the cabinet, a refrigeration system installed in the cabinet to cool the cooling chamber, and A control method of a refrigerator having a display device which is formed in one region of a door and displays information on the cooling chamber and the refrigeration system, the method comprising: detecting operation of each device component of the refrigeration system; According to the operation detection result of the load can be achieved by the control method of the refrigerator comprising the step of displaying the operating state of each device component of the refrigeration system on the display device.

The detecting of the operation of the device components may further include detecting a signal from each device component, and sensing the temperature of the device component and the cooling chamber.

In addition, it is preferable to further include displaying an abnormality of the corresponding device component on the arrangement diagram when detecting the abnormality of the device component.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the SIDE BY SIDE type extra large refrigerator, a pair of refrigerating compartments and a freezing compartment divided left and right are formed in a rectangular cylindrical cabinet 1 having a front opening. The refrigerator compartment door 5 and the freezer compartment door 3 are attached to the front of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, respectively.

In one region of the refrigerating chamber door 5, a groove opening through the refrigerating chamber door 5 is formed so as to store and withdraw food and beverages in the refrigerating chamber without the refrigerating chamber door 5 being opened. Is opened and closed by a groove bar door 6 attached to be rotatable about a hinge below the groove bar opening.

Meanwhile, a dispenser device 7 having a water dispenser and an ice dispenser is installed in one region of the freezer compartment 3 so that the ice or water stored in the freezer compartment can be supplied from the outside. The display device 10 for displaying the frozen and refrigerated state of the is installed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the display apparatus 10 includes a display unit 11 formed of an LCD and a lower portion of the display unit 11 to select or set information displayed on the display unit 11 as desired. It includes a plurality of selection buttons 13 which is a selection unit for. The selection unit may be formed as a touch screen stacked on the surface of the display unit 11.

When power is applied to the display apparatus 10, an initial screen is first displayed on the display unit 11. On the initial screen, as shown in Figure 2, the refrigerator function that can identify and adjust the refrigeration and freezing state of the refrigerator, the calendar function to input and display the date, the time function to display the clock, a specific day The company's logo is displayed along with a menu that displays functions such as a schedule function for displaying a calendar on a carander and a status display function of a refrigeration system for displaying an operation state of a refrigeration system.

When the selection button 13 corresponding to the refrigeration system status display function is selected on the initial screen, as shown in FIG. 3, the layout of the refrigeration system is displayed on the display unit 11. The layout of the refrigeration system includes the compressor 8, the condenser 4, the condensation pipe 17 disposed over the entire area of the cabinet 1, the refrigerating chamber evaporator 2a and the freezing chamber evaporator 2b respectively installed in the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber. It includes. The compressor 8 is provided with a cooling fan 16 for cooling the compressor 8, and in the adjacent regions of the refrigerator compartment evaporator 2a and the freezer compartment evaporator 2b, respectively, the refrigerator compartment blower fan 9a and the freezer compartment blower. The fan 9b is provided. In addition, the freezer compartment evaporator (2b) and the refrigerator compartment evaporator (2a) is provided with a freezer defrost heater and a refrigerating chamber defrost heater for defrosting, respectively. The defrost sensor 24 is provided. In the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, a freezer compartment sensor 22 and a refrigerating compartment sensor 21 are provided.

Here, in the layout diagram, the graphic showing the compressor 8, the condenser 4, the refrigerating chamber evaporator 2a, and the freezing chamber evaporator 2b is provided with the respective names so that the user can know the names of the device parts. It is possible to recognize whether a component part is faulty. It goes without saying that names can be described in other parts of the apparatus. In addition to the arrangement, it is also possible to display the device parts in other ways that are easy for the user to recognize, such as simply listing the names and graphics of the device parts.

Such a layout of the refrigeration system is displayed on the display unit 11 by selection of a selection button, but an indication of the operation state on the refrigeration system layout is indicated in accordance with signals from the control unit 14 controlling the load and the sensor of the freezer compartment. That is, the control unit 14, as shown in Figure 4, the detection result from the freezer compartment sensor 22, the refrigerator compartment sensor 21, the freezer compartment defrost sensor 24, the refrigerator compartment defrost sensor 23, and the compressor 8 ), The display control unit determines whether each sensor and each load are operated or not according to the detection result from the signal detection unit 20 receiving the operation signals from the cooling fan 16 and each blower fan 9a or 9b. The display controller 11 displays the input state on the display unit 11.

For example, the controller 14 controls the freezer compartment evaporator 2b temperature detected by the freezer compartment defrost sensor 24 and the freezer compartment sensor 22 even though the compressor 8 and the freezer compartment fan 9b are commanded to operate. If the freezer compartment internal temperature does not fall, it is determined that one of the compressor 8, the freezer compartment sensor 22, and the freezer compartment blower fan 9b is in a broken state. In addition, the controller 14 transmits such a state to the display control unit 12, and the display control unit 12 displays the defective part by a specific color or flashing method.

On the other hand, when it is input from the control unit 14 that the refrigeration system is operating normally, the display control unit 12 shows the form that the arrow proceeds along the flow direction of the refrigerant on the refrigeration system layout. The currently operating load is displayed in a specific color. Here, the colors indicating the display of the faulty parts and the display of the load in the current operating state are different from each other.

Thus, in the present invention, the layout of the refrigeration system is shown on the display unit 11, and the operation state and abnormality of each sensor and load detected and determined by the control unit 14 are displayed on the layout. Accordingly, since the user can easily determine the operating state of the refrigerator, when the abnormal state of each component occurs, it is possible to immediately identify the abnormal state and receive after-sales service. Therefore, it is possible to prevent food corruption due to the refrigerator failure.

As described above, according to the present invention, by displaying the operating state of the device component to the outside through the display unit. In case of abnormal condition of equipment parts, it is possible to solve the problem quickly and maintain the cooling state.

Claims (8)

A refrigerator having a cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber, a door installed in the cabinet, and a refrigeration system installed in the cabinet for cooling the cooling chamber, An operation state detection unit for detecting operation of each device component of the refrigeration system; And a control unit for displaying an operation state of each device component of the refrigeration system to the outside according to a detection result from the operation state detection unit. The method of claim 1, And a display device having a display unit installed in one area of the door and a display control unit for changing a screen of the display unit according to a signal from the outside, wherein the control unit detects the detection result from the operation state detection unit in the display control unit. Refrigerator characterized in that to deliver. The method of claim 2, The operation state detection unit, the refrigerator comprising a signal detection unit for detecting a signal from each device component, and a plurality of temperature sensors for detecting the temperature of the device component and the cooling chamber. The method of claim 2, And the control unit displays an abnormality of the corresponding device component on the arrangement diagram when detecting the abnormality of the device component as a result of detection by the operating state detecting unit. The method of claim 2, The display control unit, characterized in that the appliance parts are displayed in different colors when the device parts of the refrigeration system in an operating state and abnormal conditions. A cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber, a door installed in the cabinet, a refrigeration system installed in the cabinet for cooling the cooling chamber, and formed in one region of the door, and the cooling chamber and the refrigeration system. In the control method of the refrigerator having a display device for displaying information relating to, Detecting the operation of each component of the refrigeration system; And displaying the operation state of each device component of the refrigeration system on the display device according to the operation detection result of the load. The method of claim 6, The detecting of the operation of the device component may include detecting a signal from each device component, and sensing the temperature of the device component and the cooling chamber. The method of claim 6, And detecting an abnormality of the corresponding device part on the arrangement diagram when detecting the abnormality of the device part.