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US 12,529,505 B2Granted
Refrigerator
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsKyong Bae Park, Sangbok Choi, Sungwook Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator in which a performance cycle for a next frost detection operation according to a logic temperature (ΔHt) checked through a frost detection operation may be changed. Thus, unnecessary power consumption may be reduced and power consumption efficiency may be improved.
Claims14
An operation control method for a refrigerator, the method comprising:
- checking in a frost detection operation a logic temperature (ΔHt) which is a temperature difference of fluid passing through an inside of a frost detection flow path based on a cycle of the frost detection operation is reached or after a defrosting operation is performed,
- the defrosting operation is performed for removing frost on an evaporator based on the logic temperature (ΔHt) being within a defrosting temperature difference range,
- performing the frost detection operation every first performance cycle in response to the logic temperature (ΔHt) checked after performing the defrosting operation is within a set initial temperature difference range, and
- performing the frost detection operation every second performance cycle in response to the logic temperature (ΔHt) checked after performing the defrosting operation is within a first temperature difference range between the set initial temperature difference range and the defrosting temperature difference range, and the first performance cycle is performed to have a longer term of time than the second performance cycle,
- wherein the first performance cycle of each frost detection operation performed for each logic temperature of the initial temperature difference range is controlled to have a shorter term of time as the logic temperature ΔHt decreases.
2 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a casing which provides a storage compartment;
- an evaporator which cools fluid;
- a duct which supplies fluid cooled by the cold air source to the storage compartment;
- a frost detection device which detects frost formed on the evaporator, a controller which controls the fluid supply module and the frost detection device based on whether frost detected by the frost detection device is present,
- the frost detection device comprises:
- a frost detection flow path which guides a portion of the fluid flowing from the storage compartment or a portion of the fluid flowing back from the evaporator to bypass the evaporator without passing therethrough in a state in which the frost detection flow path is separated from a heat exchange flow path and the portion of the fluid flows toward the storage compartment;
- and a frost check sensor provided at the frost detection flow path and measures a physical property of the portion of the fluid passing through the frost detection flow path,
- the frost check sensor comprises:
- a heater;
- and a sensor which detects a logic temperature (ΔHt) which is temperature difference of the portion of the fluid between turning on and off of the heating element;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- perform a frost detection operation every first performance cycle based on the logic temperature (ΔHt) checked after performing a defrosting operation is within a set initial temperature difference range,
- perform the frost detection operation every second performance cycle based on the logic temperature (ΔHt) checked after the performance of the defrosting operation is within a first temperature difference range between the set initial temperature difference range and a defrosting temperature difference range, and
- control the first performance cycle to be performed by having a longer term of time than the second performance cycle,
- wherein the first performance cycle of each frost detection operation performed for each logic temperature of the initial temperature difference range is controlled to have a shorter term of time as the logic temperature ΔHt decreases.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.