Apparatus and method for controlling lamp of refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a lamp in a refrigerator, wherein a time period when the refrigerator lamp is turned on is added up while the lamp is repeatedly turned on and off at least once, and the lamp is temporarily turned off when the added time period reaches a predetermined time period value, so that the lamp can be prevented from being overheated and parts positioned adjacent thereto from being thus deformed due to heat generated from the lamp. The method of the present invention comprises (a) calculating a time interval from a point of time when an refrigerator door is closed and the lamp is thus turned off to a point of time when the door is opened again, (b) determining whether the calculated time interval exceeds a predetermined time interval value, and (c) controlling temporarily turning off the lamp when it is determined in step (b) that the calculated time interval does not exceed the predetermined time interval value and simultaneously an accumulative sum of the time period when the lamp is turned on exceeds a predetermined accumulative sum value. Therefore, according to the present invention, there is an advantage in that a time period for cooling heat generated near the lamp can be provided such that the deformation of injection molded parts near the lamp and the fire hazard due to the heat generated from the lamp can be prevented. Further, there is another advantage in that unnecessary consumption of electric power due to frequent opening/closing of the refrigerator door can be reduced.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.