KR20210117513A - Refrigerator and control method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, a method for controlling the same, and a refrigerator system including the refrigerator. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator is provided with a control unit for inputting information about food and controlling the temperature of a super-cooling compartment based on the input information, thereby realizing optimized storage conditions for each food. Since the information on the food includes food type and food load information, it is possible to determine the storage temperature and cold air supply amount for each food, so that the food can be stored in a fresh state for a relatively long period of time.

Description

A refrigerator, a control method therefor, and a refrigerator system including the refrigerator {Refrigerator and control method for the same}

The present specification relates to a refrigerator, a control method thereof, and a refrigerator system including the refrigerator.

BACKGROUND ART A refrigerator is a home appliance that can store food at a low temperature in an internal storage room that is shielded by a door. Such a refrigerator is configured to store stored food in an optimal state by cooling the inside of a storage compartment using cold air generated through heat exchange with a refrigerant circulating in a refrigeration cycle.

The ambient air of the evaporator exchanges heat with the low-temperature refrigerant passing through the inside of the evaporator to change into low-temperature cold air. Then, the low-temperature cold air is supplied to the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to perform a cooling function, and is then repeatedly circulated to flow back into the evaporator.

On the other hand, the internal temperature of the storage room in which the food is stored in the refrigerator is an important factor affecting the quality and storability of the food.

Conventionally, a technique for storing food using a supercooling phenomenon in a refrigerator has been disclosed. This supercooling phenomenon refers to a phenomenon in which the melt or solid does not change even when cooled to below the phase transition temperature in the equilibrium state.

When food is stored in a supercooled state, there is an advantage that it can be stored for a relatively long period of time in a fresh state without damage to cells or tissues of the food.

As such a technology, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2010-0022860, which is a prior patent, discloses a non-freezing storage, a supercooling device, and a control method thereof. The prior literature discloses a non-freezing storage bin capable of storing food at a sub-zero temperature without freezing, and a supercooling device using the same.

In the prior patent, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of food is installed in a non-freezing storage, and when it is detected that the temperature of the food falls to the freezing point when freezing occurs, the heater is operated to raise the temperature of the food and thaw it. A control method is disclosed.

However, the prior patent does not maintain the food in a supercooled state, which is the state before freezing, but thaws the frozen food. .

In addition, the lower the storage temperature, the lower the storage temperature of the food, the higher the storability and the longer the quality assurance period. There is this.

Meanwhile, the freezing point and the nucleation temperature of the food vary according to the type and component of the food stored in the refrigerator. When several types of foods are stored together in the supercooling room, it is necessary to control the temperature of the supercooling room according to foods having a relatively high freezing point in order to prevent certain types of foods from freezing.

In this case, since it is difficult for food having a relatively low freezing point to reach a supercooled state, there is a problem in that the period during which it can be stored in a fresh state is shortened.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0022860 (published on March 3, 2010)

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and a method for controlling the same, which allow food to be stored at a temperature below zero without freezing for a supercooled state of the food.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of storing food in a non-freezing and cooling state without significantly changing the configuration of an existing refrigerator, and a method for controlling the same.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of extending the quality maintenance period compared to refrigeration storage and a method for controlling the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of recognizing information about food stored in a supercooling chamber and forming an optimized storage temperature for each food type and a control method thereof.

In addition, the purpose of providing a refrigerator capable of determining not only the type of food, but also a control factor according to the size of the food load, the amount of the food load, or the storage behavior, and performing precise control of temperature according to the determined control factor, and a control method thereof do.

In order to solve the above problems, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a control unit that inputs information about food and controls the temperature of the supercooling room based on the input information, so as to optimize storage conditions for each food. can be realized

Since the information on the food includes food type and food load information, it is possible to determine the storage temperature and cold air supply amount for each food, so that the food can be stored in a fresh state for a relatively long period of time.

In addition, since the food load information includes the size and load amount of the food load, it is possible to easily determine the volume of food stored in the supercooling chamber, and accordingly, precise temperature and cold air supply amount control of the supercooling chamber may be possible.

In addition, since the food load information includes information on the storage behavior in the supercooling room, that is, whether there is existing stored food in the supercooling room or whether it is put in for the first time, whether different types of food are stored together in the supercooling room can be easily determined. In addition, when different types of food are stored together, temperature control for each food is possible so that the food is not frozen.

The refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention may arrange a supercooling case insulated from the outside in the refrigerating compartment, and supply and return the cool air of the freezing compartment to the inside of the supercooling case by using a cold air duct and a return duct.

The case for supercooling includes an outer case and an inner case that is drawn into and out of the outer case, and the inner temperature of the inner case may be maintained between the first reference temperature and the second reference temperature.

In this case, the first reference temperature may be set as the freezing point of the corresponding food, and the second reference temperature may be set as the nucleation point to preserve the food stored inside the case stored inside the inner case in a supercooled state.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a main body forming a supercooling chamber in which an internal temperature is set at a temperature below zero so that the supercooled storage of food is made; a cooling fan driven to supply cold air to the supercooling chamber; a door for opening and closing the supercooling chamber; a display unit provided on the door and capable of inputting information about food stored in the supercooling chamber; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the cooling fan based on the food information input through the display unit.

The control unit may be configured to store the inside of the supercooling chamber based on information on a food type of any one of meat, fish, and shellfish input through the display unit, and information on a food load of any one of meat, fish, and shellfish. A control reference temperature for adjusting the temperature may be determined.

The information on the food load includes information on the load size of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish and information on the load amount of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish.

The controller may determine that the control reference temperature is lowered as the size of the load increases or the amount of the load increases.

The control unit, based on the information on the storage behavior of any one of the meat, fish, and shellfish food, information on the food stored in the supercooling chamber is reset or information about the food stored in advance through the display unit is output can be

When the food stored in the supercooling chamber is input as input to the supercooling chamber for the first time, the controller resets information about the food stored in the supercooling chamber, and the food stored in the supercooling chamber is stored in the supercooling chamber. When it is input as additional input to the pre-stored food, information on the pre-stored food may be output through the display unit.

The control unit determines a first control factor related to the type of food, a second control factor related to the size of the food load, a third control factor related to the load amount of the food, and a fourth control factor related to the storage behavior of the food and the value of the control reference temperature may be determined based on the first to fourth control factors.

When any one of the meat, fish, and shellfish food is selected, the display unit selectively outputs information on the food of a sub-category to the selected food, and when the food of the sub-category is selected, it is stored in the supercooling chamber The type of food to be used can be determined.

and a damper selectively opening and closing a flow path of cold air supplied to the supercooling chamber, wherein the control unit controls the cooling fan and the damper so that the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber reaches a gentle cooling section and a precise control section in turn. can do.

The control unit turns on the cooling fan and the damper when the measured internal temperature of the subcooling chamber is higher than the first reference temperature (T1), and when the measured internal temperature falls to the first reference temperature, a first set time ( During t1), the cooling fan and the damper may be repeatedly turned on/off to maintain the first reference temperature.

After the first set time, the control unit turns on the cooling fan and the damper to further lower the internal temperature, and when the internal temperature falls and reaches an intermediate temperature, the corresponding intermediate temperature for a second set time (t2) In order to maintain the cooling fan and the damper may be repeatedly turned on/off.

The intermediate temperature includes a first intermediate temperature, a second intermediate temperature lower than the first intermediate temperature, and a third intermediate temperature lower than the second intermediate temperature, and the internal temperature is the third intermediate temperature Tm3. If the time is maintained, the gentle cooling section is terminated, and the precise control section can be entered.

After the second set time t2, the controller turns on the cooling fan and the damper to further lower the internal temperature, and when the internal temperature further falls to reach the second reference temperature, a third set time t3 ), the cooling fan and the damper may be repeatedly turned on/off to maintain the second reference temperature.

The first reference temperature T1 is set as a freezing point of the food stored in the supercooling chamber, and the second reference temperature T2 is a nucleation point of the food stored in the supercooling chamber. is set to

According to another aspect, there is provided a control method of a refrigerator, comprising: a main body forming a supercooling chamber in which an internal temperature is set at a sub-zero temperature so that food is supercooled and stored; a cooling fan driven to supply cold air to the supercooling chamber; a door for opening and closing the supercooling chamber; In the control method of a refrigerator, which is provided in the door and includes a display unit capable of inputting information about food stored in the supercooling chamber, the type of food of any one of meat, fish and shellfish input through the display unit entering information; inputting information about a food load of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish; inputting information on a storage behavior of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish; and determining a control reference temperature for adjusting the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber based on the input information.

The information about the food load includes information about the load size and the load amount of the food.

The information on the storage behavior of the food is characterized in that it is information for determining whether the food to be put into the supercooling chamber is first put in, or whether other food is added in a stored state.

A refrigerator system according to another aspect includes a main body forming a supercooling chamber in which an internal temperature is set at a sub-zero temperature so that food is supercooled and stored, a cooling fan driven to supply cool air to the supercooling chamber, and the supercooling chamber a refrigerator including a door for opening and closing and a controller for controlling driving of the cooling fan; a mobile device provided to communicate with the refrigerator and capable of inputting information on food stored in the supercooling chamber; and a server for storing storage information of food stored in the supercooling chamber, wherein the control unit includes information on any one food type of meat, fish, and shellfish input through the mobile device, and the meat, fish and Based on the information on the food load of any one of the shellfish, a control reference temperature for adjusting the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber is determined.

Information on the storage behavior of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish is inputted through the mobile device, and the control unit includes a first control factor related to the type of food and a first control factor related to the size of the food load. A second control factor, a third control factor related to the load amount of the food, and a fourth control factor related to the storage behavior of the food are determined, and the value of the control reference temperature is determined based on the first to fourth control factors refrigerator to do.

According to the above-described embodiment, for the supercooled state of the food, the food may be stored at a temperature below zero without freezing in the supercooling chamber.

In addition, food can be stored in a non-freezing and supercooled state without significantly changing the configuration of the existing refrigerator.

In addition, it is possible to extend the quality maintenance period compared to refrigerated storage of food.

In addition, by recognizing information about food stored in the supercooling room, it is possible to form an optimized storage temperature for each food type.

In addition, it is possible to determine a control factor according to the type of food as well as the size, load, or storage behavior of a food load, and perform precise control of temperature according to the determined control factor.

1 is a view showing a front configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a front view illustrating a partial configuration of a refrigerator with an open refrigerating compartment door according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a schematic view showing a storage space of the refrigerator.
4 is a perspective view of a case for supercooling installed in the refrigerator.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V' of FIG. 4 .
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI' of FIG. 4 .
7 is a schematic view showing the flow of cold air through the cold air duct in the case for supercooling.
8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a graph showing changes in the internal temperature and control temperature of the inner case in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a flowchart illustrating a detailed state of determining information about food in the control method of the refrigerator according to FIG. 10 .
12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, in describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the components from other components, and the essence, order, or order of the components are not limited by the terms. When it is described that a component is “connected”, “coupled” or “connected” to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component is between each component. It will be understood that may also be "connected", "coupled" or "connected".

Hereinafter, a structure for supplying cold air from a refrigerator to a storage space and a process of supplying cold air according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

At least one storage space may be formed in the interior of the refrigerator, and each storage space may be divided into several smaller storage spaces by a plurality of partition walls. The partition wall can be formed, for example, of a barrier filled with insulating material. The storage space may include, for example, a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment.

In the present embodiment, the interior of the refrigerator may be divided into a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment by a partition wall. The refrigerating compartment may in turn be divided into several storage compartments by partition walls. For example, the refrigerating compartment may be divided into a vegetable compartment, a supercooling compartment, and the like. In another embodiment, a supercooling chamber may be formed inside the vegetable compartment.

Looking at the supply structure of cold air in the refrigerator, a part of the cold air heat-exchanged in the evaporator through which the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant passes may be supplied to the freezing chamber or the refrigerating chamber by a blower fan.

The cold air supply to the refrigerating chamber is freely falling through the cold air duct installed in the longitudinal direction at the rear of the refrigerating chamber, and cold air is discharged from the rear of the refrigerator toward the front through the plurality of cold air outlets formed in the front of the cold air duct. have.

Through this process, the cold air supplied to at least one of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber becomes relatively high temperature through heat exchange with the food stored therein, and the high temperature air moves back to the vicinity of the evaporator through the return duct.

To this end, the refrigerator may include a freezing cycle for supplying cold air to the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber. The refrigeration cycle may include a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant passing through the compressor, an expansion member for expanding the refrigerant passing through the condenser, and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant passing through the expansion member. The evaporator may include, for example, an evaporator for a freezer compartment.

In addition, the refrigerator may include a fan for allowing air to flow toward the evaporator for circulation of cold air, and a fan driving unit for driving the fan. The compressor and the fan driving unit may be operated to supply cold air to the refrigerating chamber by the refrigerating cycle. Accordingly, supplying cold air to the refrigerating chamber may mean that the compressor and the fan (or the fan driving unit) are driven.

A damper may be installed inside the cold air duct through which the cold air heat-exchanged in the evaporator is introduced, and a cold air barrier may be installed in the damper. As the cold air barrier is opened and closed, cold air flows into the cold air duct, and a flow path for delivering cold air to each part of the refrigerating chamber is formed in the cold air duct.

On the other hand, the cold air by the refrigerating cycle may be first supplied to the freezing chamber, and the cold air of the freezing chamber may be supplied to the refrigerating chamber through a cold air duct installed between the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber. The cold air supplied to the refrigerating chamber in this way may be returned to the freezing chamber again through the return duct. In this case, a damper may be installed in the cold air duct or the return duct, and if necessary, the cold air flow from the freezing compartment to the refrigerating chamber may be controlled by opening and closing the damper.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator and a control method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

1 is a view showing a front configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a partial configuration of a refrigerator with a refrigerating compartment door opened according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a storage of the refrigerator A schematic diagram showing the space.

1 to 3 , the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment is formed by a cabinet 11 forming a storage space and doors 20 and 25 for shielding the open front of the cabinet 11 . A contour may be formed.

A storage room may be formed inside the cabinet 10 . The storage compartment may include a refrigerating compartment 12 and a freezing compartment !6. For example, the refrigerating compartment 12 may be formed above the cabinet 10 , and the freezing compartment 16 may be formed below the cabinet 10 .

Each of the refrigerating compartment 12 and the freezing compartment 16 may be partitioned into at least one or more smaller storage compartments. The drawing shows an example in which the vegetable compartment 13 and the supercooling compartment 14 are partitioned inside the refrigerating compartment 12 as an example.

Of course, the cabinet 10 may further include another storage room. In addition, a supercooling chamber 14 may be formed in the vegetable compartment 13 .

The doors 20 and 25 open and close the storage compartment of the cabinet 10 . The doors 20 and 25 may include a refrigerating compartment door 20 for opening and closing the refrigerating compartment 12 and a freezing compartment door 25 for opening and closing the freezing compartment 16 . The doors 20 and 25 may have an exterior that is exposed to the front by being formed of a metal material.

The refrigerating compartment door 20 and the freezing compartment door 25 may be provided in two or more, and a door may be arranged in each partitioned space.

The refrigerating compartment door 20 and the freezing compartment door 25 may be configured as rotatable doors rotated by hinges. As another example, the refrigerating compartment door 20 or the freezing compartment door 25 may be configured as a drawer-type door that is drawn out forward or retracted rearward.

The doors 20 and 25 may include a display unit 50 for displaying operation information of the refrigerator 10 and receiving a predetermined operation command from a user. For example, the display unit 50 may be provided on the front side of the refrigerator compartment door 20 .

The display unit 50 includes a display unit that outputs information regarding the operation of the refrigerator 10 . The display unit includes a temperature display unit 61 for outputting temperature information of the refrigerator 10 and a food information display unit 65 for displaying stored food information.

The temperature display unit 61 outputs the temperature of the refrigerating compartment 12 and the temperature of the freezing compartment 16 . In addition, the food information display unit 65 may display information about the food stored in the supercooling chamber.

The display unit 50 includes an input unit for inputting a user's operation command. The input unit includes a temperature input unit 71 for inputting a set temperature of the refrigerating compartment 12 or a set temperature of the freezing compartment 16 . In addition, the input unit includes a food information input unit 75 capable of inputting food information stored in the supercooling chamber.

Through the food information input unit 75, it is possible to input information about the type of food to be stored in the fruit cabinet, the size of the food load, the amount of the food load, storage behavior, and the like. The food information input unit 75 is separated from the food information display unit 65, and includes a plurality of input units capable of inputting information about the type of food, the size of the food load, the amount of the food load, and storage behavior, respectively. can do.

As another example, the food information input unit 75 is an input unit provided in the food information display unit 65 region, and is provided to input a predetermined command for each step according to the content guided by the food information display unit 65 . it could be

Meanwhile, as an embodiment of the present invention, the bottom freezer type refrigerator 10 in which the refrigerating compartment is disposed above the freezing compartment is illustrated in the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the present invention can also be applied to a side-by-side type refrigerator in which a refrigerating compartment is provided on the left side and a freezing compartment on the right side, a top mount type refrigerator in which the freezing compartment is disposed above the refrigerating compartment, etc. .

The refrigerating compartment 12 and the freezing compartment 16 may be partitioned into separate spaces by a partition wall 15 . In this embodiment, for example, the partition wall 15 may be formed by a barrier filled with a heat insulating material.

The supercooling chamber 14 is formed in the space on the lower side of the refrigerating chamber 12 , and may be disposed on the upper surface of the partition wall 15 .

A supercooling case 30 for supercooling storage of food may be disposed inside the supercooling chamber 14 . In the case 30 for supercooling, a cold air duct 31 for supplying cold air from the freezing compartment 16 to the inside of the case 30 for supercooling and a return for returning the cold air of the case 30 for supercooling to the freezing compartment 16 . A duct 32 may be connected.

The cold air duct 31 and the return duct 32 may be connected to the inside of the freezing compartment 16 , respectively. The cold air of the freezing compartment 16 can be supplied to the inside of the supercooling case 30 through the cold air duct 31 and the return duct 32 , and the cold air of the supercooling case 30 through the return duct 32 again It can be returned to the freezer (16). As such, cold air may be circulated between the freezing compartment 16 and the refrigerating compartment 12 through the supply and return of the cold air.

4 is a perspective view of a case for supercooling installed in the refrigerator, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along V-V' of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along VI-VI' of FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the cold air duct in the case for supercooling, FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the flow of cold air through the cold air duct in the case for supercooling, and FIG. 8 is a block showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention It is also

4 to 8 , the storage compartment of the refrigerator 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a refrigerating compartment 12 and a freezing compartment 16 partitioned by a partition wall 15 .

In the refrigerating chamber 12, a supercooling chamber 14 capable of supercooling storage of food may be formed. The temperature of the supercooling chamber 14 may be controlled as an independent storage temperature different from other spaces of the refrigerating chamber except for the supercooling chamber. To this end, the supercooling chamber 14 may be partitioned from the refrigerating chamber 12 above the supercooling chamber 14 by an insulating structure.

A supercooling case 30 may be provided in the supercooling chamber 14 . The supercooling case 30 includes an outer case 33 and an inner case 34 .

The outer case 33 has a hexahedral shape as a whole, and a heat insulating material 38 may be provided along the outer shape to insulate from the outside.

The inner case 34 may be formed so as to be able to withdraw into and out of the outer case 33 . A handle 35 may be formed at one end of the inner case 34 so that a user can easily pull the inner case 34 into or out of the outer case 33 .

The inner case 34 may have a hexahedral shape as a whole, and in this embodiment may have a shape in which the height decreases from the front where the handle 35 is formed to the rear.

This shape is to allow the cold air inside the outer case 33 and the cold air inside the inner case 34 to move more efficiently to the return duct 32 as will be described later.

Specifically, when the cold air inside the inner case 34 is returned to the return duct 32, the height of the rear portion of the inner case 34 connected to the return duct 32 is lowered to form the inner case 34. This is to ensure that the internal cold air is returned to the return duct 32 well.

If the height of the corresponding part is not lowered, the corresponding part blocks the entrance of the return duct 32 , so that it is difficult to return the cold air inside the inner case 34 to the entrance of the return duct 32 .

In addition, since the height of the rear portion of the inner case 34 is formed low, it is easy to put food in the inner case 34 , and the inner case 34 can be easily withdrawn from the outer case 33 . appear. For example, when withdrawing the inner case 34, by pressing the handle 35 to slightly lift the inner portion upward, the withdrawal can be made easily.

The cold air duct 31 and the return duct 32 are connected to the outer case 33 . In detail, the cold air duct 31 and the return duct 32 may be connected to the rear bottom surface of the outer case 33 . In addition, the cold air duct 31 and the return duct 32 may extend into the outer case 33 .

The cold air duct 31 and the ear expansion duct 32 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the left and right direction when the refrigerator is viewed from the front.

The connection structure of the cold air duct 31 and the supercooling case 30 is shown in FIG. 5 . One side of the cold air duct 31 may be connected to the freezing compartment 16 through a supply hole 31a formed in the partition wall 15 , and the other side may be connected to the inside of the outer case 33 . Accordingly, the cold air of the freezing compartment 16 may be supplied to the inside of the outer case 33 through the cold air duct 31 .

The other side of the cold air duct 31 may extend upwards of the inner case 34 . In detail, the cold air duct 31 includes an upper duct part 36 positioned above the inner case 34 . At least one slit 37 may be formed on a bottom surface of the upper duct part 36 . The upper duct part 36 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The at least one slit 37 is a discharge port through which the cold air supplied through the cold air duct 31 is discharged, and the cold air supplied from the freezing compartment 16 is discharged through the at least one slit 37 and the outer case 33 ) may be supplied to the inside of the inner case 34 in which the inside and the top are open.

Since the inner case 34 is installed inside the outer case 33 and has an open top, the cold air supplied into the outer case 33 flows downward through the slit 37 to the inner case 34 . can be supplied inside of The storability of the food contained in the inner case 34 can be improved by the supplied cold air, and in particular, the food can be stored in a supercooled state by controlling the internal temperature of the inner case 34 .

Meanwhile, the upper duct part 36 is disposed at a position spaced upward from the upper end of the inner case 34 . In addition, the at least one slit 37 is formed on the bottom surface of the front part of the upper duct part 36 , and the cool air discharged from the slit 37 may be supplied while spreading to the rear of the inner case 34 . have. According to such a cold air supply structure, it is possible to prevent the cold air from being intensively supplied to a specific region of the inner case 34 , thereby preventing the food stored in the inner case 34 from being frozen.

The structure of the return duct 32 is well illustrated in FIG. 6 . One side of the return duct 32 may be connected to the freezing compartment 16 through a return hole 15b formed in the partition wall 15 , and the other side may be connected to the inside of the outer case 33 . Accordingly, the cold air inside the outer case 33 may be returned back to the freezing compartment 16 through the return duct 32 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , cold air from the freezing chamber 16 is supplied through the cold air duct 31 and flows along the upper duct part 36 extending to the upper part of the inner case 34 , and the at least one slit It may be supplied to the inner case 34 through (37).

In addition, the cold air of the inner case 34 is returned to the return duct 32 , and the returned cold air 45 may be returned to the freezing compartment 16 through the return duct 32 .

A cooling fan 40 and a damper 42 may be provided in the return duct 32 . The cooling fan 40 may suck in the cool air inside the outer case 33 and discharge it in the direction of the damper 42 , that is, to the freezing chamber 16 . The cooling fan 40 may be disposed on the rear side of the inner case 34 .

The cooling fan 40 is driven by the fan driving unit 41 , and the control unit 100 may operate the fan driving unit 41 to drive the cooling fan 40 .

The damper 42 may be opened and closed so that cold air discharged by the cooling fan 40 is returned to the freezing chamber 16 . The damper 42 may be provided inside the return hole 15b of the partition wall 15 .

The damper 42 is driven by the damper driving unit 43 , and the control unit 100 may operate the damper driving unit 43 to drive the damper 42 . The damper driving unit 43 may include a small motor or actuator.

In this specification, the driving of the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 may mean that the controller 100 operates the fan driving unit 41 and the damper driving unit 43 . In addition, operating the fan driving unit 41 and the damper driving unit 43 may mean that the control unit 100 turns on the fan driving unit 41 and the damper driving unit 43 . In this case, the cooling fan 40 may operate and the damper 42 may be opened.

Conversely, stopping the fan driving unit 41 and the damper driving unit 43 may mean that the controller 100 turns off the fan driving unit 41 and the damper driving unit 43 . In this case, the cooling fan 40 may not operate and the damper 42 may be closed.

The controller 100 may control the degree of opening of the damper 42 . For example, the opening angle of the damper 42 may be adjusted.

Meanwhile, a temperature sensor 39 may be installed inside the inner case 34 . The temperature sensor 39 may measure the internal temperature of the inner case 34 . The temperature sensor 39 may be installed in various positions. For example, the temperature sensor 39 may be installed on the bottom surface of the upper duct part 36 . The internal temperature of the outer case 33 measured by the temperature sensor 39 may be transmitted to the controller 100 .

The controller 100 may turn on/off the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 using the measured internal temperature so that the internal temperature follows the set control reference temperature. For example, when the internal temperature is higher than the control reference temperature, the control unit 100 turns on the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 to supply cool air from the freezing compartment 16 to the inner case 34 to lower the internal temperature. .

On the other hand, when the measured internal temperature is lower than the control reference temperature, the control unit 100 turns off the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 so that the cold air of the freezing compartment 16 is not supplied to the inner case 34. It can raise the internal temperature.

The flow of cold air in the refrigerator will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 .

First, a flow path for supplying cold air will be described. As described above, one side of the cold air duct 31 may be connected to the freezing compartment 16 through a supply hole 15a formed in the partition wall 15 .

In addition, the other side of the cold air duct 31 may include an upper duct part 36 that is connected to the inside of the outer case 33 and extends upwardly of the inner case 34 . That is, the cold air supply passage 31a may be formed in the outer case 33 by the cold air duct 31 .

A plurality of slits 37 are formed on the bottom surface of the upper duct part 36 and may communicate with the inner case 34 through the slits 37 .

Accordingly, the cold air of the freezing compartment 16 passes through the cold air duct 31 and the slit 37 from the freezing compartment 16 and is supplied to the inside of the outer case 33 as well as the inside of the inner case 34 with the upper part open. can be supplied. That is, the flow 44 of the supplied cold air may be formed inside the outer case 33 .

Next, a flow path for the return of cold air will be described. As described above, one side of the return duct 32 may be connected to the freezing compartment 16 through a return hole 15b formed in the partition wall 15 . In addition, the other side of the return duct 32 may be connected to the inside of the outer case (33).

A portion of the bottom surface of the outer case 33 may be opened and connected to the return duct 32 . Accordingly, the inside of the outer case 33 and the return duct 32 may be connected to each other through the opening. That is, the cold air return flow path 32a may be formed in the outer case 33 by the return duct 32 .

A cooling fan 40 and a damper 42 are disposed inside the return duct 32 , and the cool air of the inner case 34 is cooled inside the outer case 33 and the cooling fan 40 of the return duct 32 . ) and the damper 42 and may be returned to the freezing compartment 16 . That is, a return flow 45 of cold air may be formed inside the outer case 33 .

In this way, the flow of cold air is formed in the order of the freezing chamber 16 - the cold air duct 31 - the slit 37 - the inner case 34 - the return duct 32 - the freezing chamber 16, so that the circulation of cold air can be made. have

The circulation of the cold air may be performed by turning on/off the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 . Specifically, when the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are turned off, the flow path for the flow of cold air may be blocked. That is, when the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are turned off, cool air is not supplied to the inner case 34 .

Conversely, when the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are turned on, a flow path for the flow of cold air is formed, so that the cold air can be supplied to the inner case 34 .

The control unit 100 turns on/off the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 based on the internal temperature of the inner case 34 measured by the temperature sensor 39 so that the internal temperature follows the control reference temperature. can

The controller 100 may drive the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 so that the internal temperature is maintained lower than the set first reference temperature and higher than the set second reference temperature. That is, the controller 100 may control the on/off of the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 to maintain the internal temperature between the first reference temperature and the second reference temperature.

In detail, when the measured internal temperature is higher than the first reference temperature, the controller 100 turns on the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 so that cold air from the freezing compartment 12 passes through the cold air duct 31 in the inner case 33 . When the internal temperature is lower than the second reference temperature, the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are turned off to control so that the cold air of the freezing compartment 12 is not supplied to the inner case 34 .

In this regard, the temperature control of the supercooling chamber will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 9 .

9 is a graph showing changes in the internal temperature of the inner case and the control reference temperature in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the controller 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention controls the cooling fan 40 and the damper so that the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber can reach the gentle cooling section (section A) and the precision control section (B). (43) can be controlled.

First, with respect to the gentle cooling section, in the process of controlling the lowering of the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber, the control unit 100 does not rapidly lower the temperature, but provides a section for maintaining the temperature at a constant temperature for a set time and gently cooling the temperature. to form a section.

Time integration may be performed by the timer 120 .

Specifically, the controller 100 turns on the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 when the measured internal temperature is higher than the first reference temperature T1, and when the internal temperature falls to the first reference temperature, a first setting In order to maintain the first reference temperature for the time t1 , the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 may be repeatedly turned on/off to repeatedly supply and stop the supply of cold air to the inner case 34 .

At this time, when the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber reaches the lower limit range of the first reference temperature T1, the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are turned off, and the first reference temperature T1 is in the upper limit range. When it arrives, the operation of turning on the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 may be repeated until the first set time t1 elapses.

And, after the first set time, the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 may be turned on again to further lower the internal temperature. When the internal temperature falls and reaches the set intermediate temperature, the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are repeatedly turned on/off to maintain the corresponding intermediate temperature for the second set time t2, so that the cold air into the inner case 34 is turned on/off. Supply and interruption of supply can be repeated.

At this time, when the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber reaches the lower limit of the intermediate temperature, the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are turned off, and when the upper limit of the intermediate temperature is reached, the cooling fan 40 and the damper In step (42), the on operation may be repeatedly performed until the second set time t2 elapses.

This intermediate temperature may be configured to have several temperature values. For example, the intermediate temperature may have first to third intermediate temperatures (Tm1 to Tm3). However, the number of intermediate temperatures is not limited thereto.

The internal temperature may be controlled to be maintained at the first intermediate temperature Tm1 for a predetermined time, and if the internal temperature is decreased, the second intermediate temperature Tm2 lower than the first intermediate temperature may be controlled to be maintained for a predetermined time. And, when the internal temperature is further lowered, it is possible to control the third intermediate temperature (Tm3) lower than the second intermediate temperature to be maintained for a predetermined time.

After the gentle cooling section (A), in relation to the precision control section (B), the controller 100 turns on the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 again after the second set time t2 to increase the internal temperature. can be lowered When the internal temperature falls further and reaches the second reference temperature, the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are repeatedly turned on/off to maintain the second reference temperature for a third set time t3 to turn on/off the inner case 34 ) to repeat the supply and stop of supply of cold air in the freezer.

At this time, when the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber reaches the lower limit of the second reference temperature, the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 are turned off, and when the upper limit of the second reference temperature is reached, the cooling fan ( 40) and the damper 42 may be repeatedly turned on until the second set time t3 elapses.

The temperature range from the upper limit to the lower limit of the second reference temperature may be smaller than the temperature range from the upper limit to the lower limit of the first reference temperature. In addition, the temperature range from the upper limit to the lower limit of the second reference temperature may be smaller than the temperature range from the upper limit to the lower limit of each of the first to third intermediate temperatures. Accordingly, precise control at the second reference temperature can be achieved.

In order to maintain the food stored in the inner case 34 in a supercooled state, the first reference temperature T1 may be set as a freezing point of the corresponding food, and the second reference temperature T2 is It can be set as the nucleation point of the food. For example, the first reference temperature T1 may be determined in the range of -0.5 to -1.5°C, and the second reference temperature T2 may be determined in the range of -3.5 to -2.5.

That is, by maintaining the internal temperature of the inner case 34 at a temperature between the freezing point and the nucleation temperature, it is stored in a cooled state while being stored in a state in which freezing is not made, that is, to be maintained in a supercooled state. In addition, the storage state of the supercooled state can be better improved by maintaining it for a set time at one or more intermediate temperatures between the freezing point and the nucleation temperature.

As described above, the process in which the internal temperature becomes the first reference temperature - the intermediate temperature - the second reference temperature can be set as one cycle. At least one intermediate temperature may be set. Meanwhile, the control unit 100 may turn off the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 when the third set time elapses after maintaining the second reference temperature for a third set time.

In this case, since the cold air of the freezing compartment 12 is not supplied to the inner case 34 , the internal temperature may rise. When the internal temperature rises to reach the first reference temperature, the cycle may be resumed as described above.

10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a detailed state of determining information about food in the method for controlling the refrigerator according to FIG. 10 .

10 and 11 , the refrigerator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention can perform optimal temperature control suitable for the user's food storage conditions. The freezing point (first reference temperature, T1) and nucleation temperature (second reference temperature, T2) of the food may vary according to the type and component of the food stored in the supercooling chamber 14 .

For example, the freezing point and nucleation temperature of the food may vary depending on the moisture content of the food, the concentration of salt, the fat, the marbling state, and the presence or absence of bones.

Therefore, based on the type of food stored in the supercooling chamber 14, load information, and information on storage behavior, the control unit 100 controls the first reference temperature T1 and the second reference temperature (T1) of the supercooling chamber 14 ( T2) may be set differently, and control of the cooling fan 40 and the damper 42 may be performed accordingly.

First, predetermined food is put into the supercooling chamber 14 of the refrigerator 10 , and information about the inputted food may be input through the input units 65 and 75 ( S11 ).

First, information on the type of input food may be input. Meat, fish, and shellfish capable of maintaining fresh quality in a supercooled state may be stored in the supercooling chamber 14 .

Food information may be displayed on the food information display unit 65 so that any one of “meat”, “fish” and “shellfish” can be selected as a type of food. In addition, any one of "meat", "fish" and "shellfish" is selected, a sub-category of the selected food type is displayed, and food information can be displayed so that any one of them can be selected.

For example, when the user selects “meat” through the food information input unit 75, food information is output to the food information display unit 65 so that any one of “beef” and “pork” can be selected as a sub-category. Accordingly, when the user selects "beef", related food information may be output to the food information display unit 65 so that either one of "loin" and "loin" can be selected as the sub-category.

On the other hand, when the user selects "fish" through the food information input unit 75, the food information display unit 65 so that any one of "choi", "hairtail", "mackerel" and "salmon" can be selected as a sub-category. Food information can be output to.

When any one food is selected in this order, a first control factor Fr1 related to the type of food is determined, and the first control factor Fr1 can be used as a factor for controlling the temperature of the supercooling chamber 14 . There is (S12).

As described above, after information on the type of food is input, a step of inputting information on the load size of the food to be stored may be performed.

The “load size” of food may refer to the volume of the food itself. In the case of "meat" or "fish", it may be stored in large chunks or in small pieces. When meat or fish is stored in large chunks, it may not be easy for the food as a whole to enter and remain supercooled.

In detail, the food information display unit 65 may display a selection of "load size". For example, the content of the load size may be output to the food information display unit 65 so that any one of “large”, “medium” and “small” can be selected as the load size.

The user can select any one of "large", "medium" and "small" as the load size. When the user's selection is completed, the second control factor Fr2 regarding the load size of the food is determined, and the second control factor Fr2 may be used as a factor for controlling the temperature of the supercooling chamber 14 .

The second control factor Fr2 may be determined as a value such that the control reference temperature of the supercooling chamber 14 decreases or the amount of cool air supplied to the supercooling chamber 14 increases as the load size increases (S13) .

A step of inputting information regarding the “load” of the food may be performed. In the drawings, it is shown that the load amount is selected after the load size of the food is selected. Alternatively, it may be configured to select the load amount information first and then select the load size thereafter.

A “load” of food may refer to the number or total amount of food. For example, in the case of "meat" or "fish", it may mean the number of pieces when stored in small pieces, and in the case of "shellfish", it may mean the number.

The user may select any one of "large", "normal" and "low" as the load amount. When the user's selection is completed, the third control factor Fr3 related to the load amount of food is determined, and the third control factor Fr3 may be used as a factor for controlling the temperature of the supercooling chamber 14 .

The third control factor Fr3 may be determined as a value such that the control reference temperature of the supercooling chamber 14 decreases or the amount of cool air supplied to the supercooling chamber 14 increases as the load increases (S14).

The step of inputting information about the storage behavior of food may be performed. The storage behavior may be understood as information for selecting whether to put food into the supercooling chamber 14 for the first time, or whether to additionally add food to the previously stored food.

When the user puts food into the supercooling chamber 14 and inputs food information, the input information may be stored in the memory unit 150 (refer to FIG. 8 ) of the refrigerator 10 . However, when the user takes out food for cooking after inputting food information, the refrigerator 10 may not recognize the fact that the food is excluded.

Accordingly, when the user inputs “first input” after putting food into the supercooling chamber 14 , the food information in the supercooling chamber stored in the memory unit 150 may be reset.

On the other hand, when the user inputs food into the supercooling chamber 14 and then inputs "there is stored food", the food information display unit 65 displays the supercooling chamber 14, which has been previously stored in the memory unit 150, in the food information display unit 65. Food storage information is output. In addition, a message asking whether the printed food storage information is correct may be output.

If the output food storage information is the same as the actual stored food information, the user can input “Yes”, and if it is not the same, the user can modify and input the output food information, that is, the food type, load size, or load amount.

When the user's selection is complete, a fourth control factor Fr3 regarding the storage behavior of food is determined, and the fourth control factor Fr3 can be used as a factor for temperature control of the supercooling chamber 14 (S15). ).

In the above method, the user can put food into the supercooling chamber 14 and input information about the food, and the control unit 100 controls the first to fourth control factors Fr1 to Fr4 based on the input information. can decide In addition, the control unit 100 determines the first and second reference temperatures and intermediate temperatures of the supercooling chamber 14 according to the first to fourth control factors Fr1 to Fr4, and controls the optimum temperature suitable for the stored food. can be performed.

12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 12 , a refrigerator system according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a refrigerator 10a provided to communicate with each other, a mobile device 200 , and a server 300 .

The user may input the set temperature or food information of the storage room using the mobile device 200 , and may check the temperature information and food information of the storage room through the display screen of the mobile device 200 .

The mobile device 200 includes a display unit, and the display unit includes a temperature display unit 61a, a food information display unit 65a, a temperature input unit 71a, and a food information input unit 75a. For their description, the description of the temperature display unit 61 , the food information display unit 65 , the temperature input unit 71 , and the food information input unit 75 described in FIG. 1 is cited.

The server 300 may store storage information of food stored in the refrigerator 10a. That is, the server 300 may perform the function of the memory unit described with reference to FIG. 8 . Accordingly, the storage capacity of the memory unit can be expanded through the server 300 .

In this way, the user can input information on food stored in the supercooling room through the mobile device 200 and check the storage information of the food, so that the user can increase convenience of use.

10: refrigerator 20: refrigerator door
25: freezer door 30: supercooling case
33: outer case 34: inner case
40: cooling fan 42: damper
50: display unit 61: temperature display unit
65: food information display unit 71: temperature input unit
75: food information input unit 100: control unit
200: mobile device 300: server

Claims (17)

a body forming a supercooling chamber in which an internal temperature is set at a temperature below zero so that the supercooled storage of food is made;
a cooling fan driven to supply cold air to the supercooling chamber;
a door for opening and closing the supercooling chamber;
a display unit provided on the door and capable of inputting information about food stored in the supercooling chamber; and
a control unit for controlling the operation of the cooling fan based on the information about the food input through the display unit;
The control unit is
Information on any one food type of meat, fish, and shellfish input through the display unit, and
A refrigerator for determining a control reference temperature for regulating the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber based on the information on the food load of any one of the meat, fish, and shellfish. The method of claim 1,
The information on the food load includes information on the load size of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish and information on the load amount of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish,
The controller determines that the control reference temperature is lowered as the size of the load increases or the amount of the load increases. 3. The method of claim 2,
The control unit is
Based on the information on the storage behavior of any one of the above meat, fish and shellfish,
information about the food stored in the supercooling chamber is reset, or
A refrigerator in which information on pre-stored food is output through the display unit 4. The method of claim 3,
The control unit is
When the food stored in the supercooling chamber is input as being put into the supercooling chamber for the first time, the information about the food stored in the supercooling chamber is reset,
When the food stored in the supercooling chamber is input as additional input to the food stored in the supercooling chamber, information on the food stored in the supercooling chamber is output through the display unit. 4. The method of claim 3,
The control unit is
determining a first control factor for the type of food, a second control factor for the size of the food load, a third control factor for the load amount of the food, and a fourth control factor for the storage behavior of the food,
A refrigerator for determining a value of the control reference temperature based on the first to fourth control factors. The method of claim 1,
When any one of the meat, fish, and shellfish food is selected, the display unit selectively outputs information on food of a sub-category to the selected food,
A refrigerator in which a type of food stored in the supercooling chamber is determined when the food of the sub-category is selected. The method of claim 1,
Further comprising a damper selectively opening and closing the flow path of the cold air supplied to the supercooling chamber,
The controller controls the cooling fan and the damper so that the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber can sequentially reach a gentle cooling section and a precise control section. 8. The method of claim 7,
The control unit turns on the cooling fan and the damper when the measured internal temperature of the supercooling chamber is higher than the first reference temperature (T1),
When the measured internal temperature falls to the first reference temperature, the refrigerator repeatedly turns on/off the cooling fan and the damper to maintain the first reference temperature for a first set time t1. 9. The method of claim 8,
After the first set time, the control unit turns on the cooling fan and the damper to further lower the internal temperature,
A refrigerator for repeatedly turning on/off the cooling fan and the damper to maintain the corresponding intermediate temperature for a second set time (t2) when the internal temperature decreases and reaches the intermediate temperature. 10. The method of claim 9,
The intermediate temperature includes a first intermediate temperature, a second intermediate temperature lower than the first intermediate temperature, and a third intermediate temperature lower than the second intermediate temperature,
When the internal temperature maintains the third intermediate temperature (Tm3) for a predetermined period of time, the gentle cooling section ends and the refrigerator enters the precision control section. 11. The method of claim 10,
After the second set time (t2), the control unit turns on the cooling fan and the damper to further lower the internal temperature,
A refrigerator that repeatedly turns on/off the cooling fan and the damper to maintain the second reference temperature for a third set time t3 when the internal temperature further decreases to reach a second reference temperature. 12. The method of claim 11,
The first reference temperature T1 is set as a freezing point of food stored in the supercooling chamber,
The second reference temperature T2 is set as a nucleation point of food stored in the supercooling chamber. a body forming a supercooling chamber in which an internal temperature is set at a temperature below zero so that the supercooled storage of food is made; a cooling fan driven to supply cold air to the supercooling chamber; a door for opening and closing the supercooling chamber; In the control method of a refrigerator comprising a display unit provided on the door and capable of inputting information about food stored in the supercooling chamber,
inputting information about any one food type among meat, fish, and shellfish input through the display unit;
inputting information about a food load of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish;
inputting information on a storage behavior of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish; and
and determining a control reference temperature for adjusting the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber based on the input information. 14. The method of claim 13,
The information on the food load is a refrigerator including information about the load size and the load amount of the food. 14. The method of claim 13,
The information on the storage behavior of the food is information for determining whether the food to be put into the supercooling chamber is first put in, or whether other food is added in a stored state. A main body forming a supercooling chamber in which an internal temperature is set at sub-zero temperature so that food is supercooled and stored, a cooling fan driven to supply cold air to the supercooling chamber, a door opening and closing the supercooling chamber, and the cooling fan a refrigerator including a control unit for controlling driving;
a mobile device provided to communicate with the refrigerator and capable of inputting information on food stored in the supercooling chamber; and
and a server for storing storage information of food stored in the supercooling chamber,
The control unit is
Information on any one food type of meat, fish, and shellfish input through the mobile device, and
A refrigerator for determining a control reference temperature for regulating the internal temperature of the supercooling chamber based on the information on the food load of any one of the meat, fish, and shellfish. 17. The method of claim 16,
Information on the storage behavior of any one of the meat, fish and shellfish is input through the mobile device,
The control unit is
determining a first control factor for the type of food, a second control factor for the size of the food load, a third control factor for the load amount of the food, and a fourth control factor for the storage behavior of the food,
A refrigerator for determining a value of the control reference temperature based on the first to fourth control factors.

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