KR100727027B1 - Refrigerator having a control function of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerating chamber and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having efficient detection by installing detection units at side and rear sides of a refrigerator compartment to control the discharge amount of cold air discharged to the refrigerator compartment according to the volume of food stored in the refrigerator compartment. For this purpose a refrigerator compartment partitioned into a plurality of constant spaces via shelves; At least one side volume detection unit installed at an inner side of the refrigerating compartment and detecting a height of a food loaded on the shelf in a depth direction of the refrigerating compartment; At least one rear volume detector installed at an inner rear side of the refrigerating compartment and detecting a height of a food loaded on the shelf in the width direction of the refrigerating compartment; Based on the height in the depth direction detected by the side volume detector and the height in the width direction detected by the rear volume detector, a current volume ratio is calculated, and a cooling control signal so that the discharge amount of cold air varies according to the calculated current volume ratio. A control unit for outputting; And a cooling cycle for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment according to a cooling control signal output from the controller. Therefore, there is an advantage that efficient cooling can be achieved by driving an appropriate cooling cycle according to the volume and weight of the food stored in the refrigerator.

Description

Refrigerator with controlling function of cold air using volume ratio of refrigerating chamber and its control method {Refrigerator with controlling function of cooling air using capacity of cold room and method for controlling the same}

1 is a front view showing the inside of a refrigerator capable of displaying a conventional food residual amount.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating a shelf of a refrigerator capable of displaying a remaining food amount of FIG. 2.

3 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator having a control function of cold air using a volume ratio of a refrigerator compartment according to the present invention;

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a refrigerating compartment configuration of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a refrigerator configuration for detecting a refrigerator compartment capacity of FIG. 3. FIG.

6 is a flow chart schematically showing a control process of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerator compartment according to the present invention.

7 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process of detecting weight and capacity loaded on a shelf of a refrigerator compartment and controlling cold air accordingly.

(Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawing)

100: refrigerator 110: first refrigerator compartment

120: second refrigerator compartment 130: third refrigerator compartment

140: display unit 150: input unit

200: weight detector 201: second weight detector

202: third weight detection unit 210: first weight sensor

211: second weight sensor 212: third weight sensor

300: side volume detection unit 301: second side volume detection unit

302: Third side volume detector 303: Fourth side volume detector

310: first side sensor 311: second side sensor

400: rear volume detection unit 401: second rear volume detection unit

402: third rear volume detection unit 410: first rear sensor

411: second rear sensor 412: third rear sensor

500: control unit 600: cooling cycle

The present invention relates to a refrigerator capable of controlling the discharge amount of cold air in accordance with the storage amount of food stored in the refrigerator, and more specifically, by installing a detector on the side and the rear of the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to the volume of the food being stored in the refrigerator compartment The present invention relates to a refrigerator that performs efficient cooling by controlling the discharge amount of cold air discharged to the air.

Generally, a refrigerator includes refrigeration cycle components such as a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator, and is a device that generates cold air through these refrigeration cycle components to maintain food freshness for a long time.

The refrigerator has a freezer compartment for freezing and storing food and a refrigerating compartment for storing food in the main body forming the exterior, so that the food can be classified and stored in any one of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer according to its storage temperature.

Recently, a refrigerator for detecting a residual amount of food stored in the refrigerator and displaying the same to a user has been proposed, and a refrigerator for detecting and displaying a residual amount of food is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator compartment 1 includes a freezing compartment 7 and a refrigerating compartment that are divided and partitioned inside the refrigerator body 1, and the plurality of guide members 9 are integrally formed with the side walls of the refrigerating compartment. The guide member 9 is detachably fixed to a plurality of shelves 10 for storing food.

The guide member 9 is formed to protrude in the refrigerating compartment in such a way that the shelf 10 can be slid, and an insertion groove 11 in which the shelf 10 is coupled and slid is formed therein.

In addition, a square connecting groove 12 is formed at one side of the guide member 9, and the first connecting terminal 13 for transmitting and receiving an electrical signal is provided inside the connecting groove 12.

In addition, the shelf 10 is provided with a second connecting terminal 14 which is connected to the first connecting terminal 13 so that the connecting groove 12 of the guide member 9 can be attached and detached.

In addition, the inside of the shelf 10, the weight sensor 15 for detecting the weight of each food placed on the shelf 10 is installed at a predetermined interval.

In addition, the weight sensors 15 are connected to the second connection terminal 14 to exchange electrical signals. The weight information detected from each weight sensor 15 is outputted to a control device (not shown) through the second connection terminal 14 and the first connection terminal 13, and the control device displays the detected weight information. Based on the remaining amount of the food is determined, the remaining amount of the identified food is displayed to the user through the display unit (4).

Such a conventional refrigerator calculates a residual amount relative to the initial weight by comparing the current weight of the stored food with an initially set weight, and displays the calculated residual amount relative to the initial weight, so that the user can check the variation of the residual amount of the food. However, there is a problem of supplying cold air regardless of the volume and weight of the food stored in the refrigerator.

In addition, the discharge amount of the cold air is not controlled according to the weight and volume ratio of the food loaded in the refrigerator, so that the temperature inside the refrigerator is constantly controlled so that the cooling efficiency and the cooling rate cannot be controlled.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention calculates the volume ratio and weight of the food stored in the storage compartment of the refrigerator and displays it to the user, and controls the discharge amount of cold air according to the calculated volume ratio and weight of the refrigerating compartment capable of efficient cooling control An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a function of controlling cold air using a volume ratio and a control method thereof.

The present invention to achieve the above object is a refrigerator compartment partitioned into a plurality of constant space through the shelf; At least one side volume detection unit installed at an inner side of the refrigerating compartment and detecting a height of a food loaded on the shelf in a depth direction of the refrigerating compartment; At least one rear volume detector installed at an inner rear side of the refrigerating compartment and detecting a height of a food loaded on the shelf in the width direction of the refrigerating compartment; Based on the height in the depth direction detected by the side volume detector and the height in the width direction detected by the rear volume detector, a current volume ratio is calculated, and a cooling control signal so that the discharge amount of cold air varies according to the calculated current volume ratio. A control unit for outputting; And a cooling cycle for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment according to a cooling control signal output from the controller.

In addition, at least one or more weight detection unit is installed on the shelf to detect the weight of the food loaded on the shelf; And a display configured to display a current volume ratio calculated from the controller, a weight detected from the weight detector, and an operation state of the cooling cycle, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the current volume ratio and the weight detector. And outputs a cooling control signal of the cooling cycle so that the discharge amount of cold air is controlled according to the detected weight.

The control unit may compare the calculated volume ratio of the predetermined space partitioned through the shelves with the calculated current volume ratio and display it as a percentage.

In addition, the present invention comprises the steps of: a) detecting the height of the food loaded in the depth direction on the shelf of the refrigerator compartment from the side volume detector for detecting the height of the food loaded in the refrigerator compartment depth direction; b) detecting the height of the food loaded in the width direction on the shelf of the refrigerating compartment from a rear volume detector for detecting the height of the food loaded in the refrigerating compartment width direction of the refrigerating compartment; c) analyzing, by the control unit, the volume ratio of the food loaded on the shelf based on the height of the food loaded on the shelf in the depth direction and the width direction detected in steps a and b; And d) controlling, by the control unit, an operation of a cooling cycle for supplying cold air to the refrigerating chamber according to the volume ratio of the food analyzed in step c.

In another aspect, the present invention, e) detecting the weight of the food loaded on the shelf from the weight detection unit for detecting the weight of the food loaded on the shelf; And f) controlling, by the control unit, an operation of a cooling cycle for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment according to the weight detected in step e and the volume ratio analyzed in step c.

Further, the present invention provides that the cooling cycle of step d causes the discharge amount of cold air to increase when the calculated current volume ratio exceeds a preset reference volume ratio, and the cooling cycle of step f includes the calculated current volume ratio and the detected food. When at least one of the weight exceeds the predetermined reference volume ratio and the reference weight is characterized in that for driving to increase the discharge amount of cold air.

In addition, the present invention is characterized in that the volume ratio analyzed in step c is displayed as a percentage by comparing the volume ratio of the predetermined space partitioned through the shelf and the calculated current volume ratio.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, repetitive description of the same technology as in the prior art will be omitted.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator having a function of controlling the cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerator compartment according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the refrigerator compartment of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a block diagram showing a refrigerator configuration for detecting the refrigerator compartment capacity It is also.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the refrigerator 100 having a control function of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerating compartment may include a first refrigerating compartment 110, a second refrigerating compartment 120, and a third refrigerating compartment 130 by shelves. A refrigerating compartment having a vegetable storage compartment, at least one weight detection unit 200 for detecting the weight of the food loaded in the refrigerating compartment, and at least one side volume detection unit for detecting the height of the food loaded in the depth direction of the refrigerating compartment ( 300 and a value detected from at least one rear volume detector 400 for detecting the height of the food loaded in the width direction of the refrigerating compartment, the weight detector 200, the side volume detector 300, and the rear volume detector. A control unit 500 for calculating a current volume ratio and the weight of the food, and outputting a cooling control signal to vary the discharge amount of cold air according to the calculated current volume ratio and weight; And a cooling cycle 600 for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment according to the cooling control signal output from the fisherman 500.

The refrigerator compartment is regularly partitioned into a first refrigerator compartment 110, a second refrigerator compartment 120, a third refrigerator compartment 130 and a vegetable storage compartment by a shelf, and the divided first to third refrigerator compartments 110 to 130. ) Volume to have a predetermined volume and the set volume is stored in the control unit 500.

In addition, the shelf allows the refrigerator compartment to be partitioned into a predetermined space, and at least one weight detector 200 for detecting the weight is installed on the shelf to partition the refrigerator compartment into a predetermined space. Detect.

In addition, a second weight detector 201 and a third weight detector 202 are installed on each shelf to be partitioned into the second and third refrigerator compartments 120 and 130, so that the second and third refrigerator compartments 120 and 130 are provided. It is possible to detect the weight of the food loaded on each shelf, respectively.

On the other hand, the weight detection unit 200 is provided with a weight sensor in the A space, B space, C space partitioned by the dotted line along the width direction of the refrigerator compartment to detect the weight of the food loaded on the shelf, preferably in the A space A first weight sensor 210 for detecting the weight of the loaded food, a second weight sensor 211 for detecting the weight of the food loaded in the B space, and a third for detecting the weight of the food loaded in the C space And a weight sensor 212.

In addition, a side volume detection unit 300 and a rear volume detection unit 400 for detecting a volume of food stored in the first refrigerating chamber 110 are installed at the inner side and the rear surface of the first refrigerating chamber 110.

In addition, the second side volume detector 301, the third side volume detector 302, and the third side volume detector 301 for detecting the volume of food stored in the refrigerator compartment in the inner side and the rear side of the second refrigerator compartment and the third refrigerator compartment 120 and 130, respectively. A four side volume detector 303, a second rear volume detector 401, and a third rear volume detector 402 are provided.

The side volume detection unit 300 is installed at the inner side of the first refrigerating chamber 110, and at least one side sensor is installed to detect the height of the food loaded in the depth direction of the refrigerating chamber and whether the food is loaded.

To this end, the side volume detection unit 300 is a first side sensor 310 for detecting the height of the food loaded on the front side of the refrigerator compartment among the food loaded on the shelf, and the height of the food loaded on the back side of the refrigerator compartment It includes a second side sensor 311.

In addition, the side volume detection unit 300 is installed to be located at the center of the side of the first refrigerating chamber 110 in the present embodiment.

Meanwhile, the second and third side volume detection units 301 and 302 installed in the second refrigerating compartment 120 are installed at regular intervals on the side of the second refrigerating compartment 120 to more accurately adjust the height of the food loaded on the shelf. Can be detected.

Such a configuration can be similarly applied to the side volume detection unit 300 provided in the first refrigerating chamber 110 and the third side volume detection unit 303 provided in the third refrigerating chamber 130.

The rear volume detecting unit 400 is installed at the inner rear side of the first refrigerating chamber 110, and at least one side sensor is installed to detect the height of the food loaded in the width direction of the refrigerating chamber and whether the food is loaded.

That is, the rear volume detecting unit 400 includes a rear sensor in the A space, the B space, and the C space, which are divided by dotted lines along the width direction of the refrigerating chamber, in order to detect the height and presence of the food loaded on the shelf. A first rear sensor 410 for detecting the presence and height of the food loaded in the space, a second rear sensor 411 for detecting the presence and height of the food loaded in the B space, and a load in the C space And a third rear sensor 412 that detects the presence and absence of food.

The controller 500 detects the weight detected from the weight detectors 200 to 202, the height in the depth direction detected from the side volume detectors 300 to 303, and the rear volume detectors 400 to 402. The weight and volume ratio of the refrigerating compartment are calculated based on the height in one width direction, and a cooling control signal is output so that the discharge amount of the cold air is varied according to the calculated current volume ratio and weight.

In addition, the control unit 500 compares the volume ratio of the predetermined space partitioned through the shelf with the calculated current volume ratio to display the percentage.

That is, the controller 500 may calculate the volume ratio as follows. For example, when the volume set to be stored in the first refrigerator compartment 110 is 30ℓ, and the spaces A, B and C of the first refrigerator compartment 110 divided by dotted lines each have a volume of 10ℓ, the first refrigerator compartment ( It is detected that food is loaded in the first side sensor 310 and the second side sensor 311 of the side volume detection unit 300 provided on the side of 110, and is a detection sensor of the A space in the rear volume detection unit 400. When only the first rear sensor 410 detects the loading of food, the first refrigerating chamber 110 determines that the volume occupies 10 l and calculates a volume ratio of 30%.

In addition, when two or more side volume detection units 301 and 302 are installed to detect the height like the second refrigerating chamber 120, more accurate volume ratio can be calculated.

In addition, the controller 500 calculates volume ratios of the first to third refrigerating chambers 110 to 130, respectively, and then outputs a cooling control signal so that the cooling cycle 600 is driven according to the discharge amount of the pre-set cold air according to the volume ratio.

That is, the discharge amount of the cold air is adjusted according to the volume ratio of the food loaded in the refrigerating compartment so that the user can quickly reach the temperature set by the user. When the volume ratio is high, the discharge amount of cold air is increased, and when the volume ratio is low, the discharge amount of cold air is reduced.

In addition, the controller 500 increases the discharge amount of the cold air for rapid cooling when the weight detected from the weight detector 200 exceeds a preset reference weight (for example, a weight for determining whether the amount of cold air discharge is increased). The cooling control signal is output to the cooling cycle 600 as much as possible.

The refrigeration cycle 600 is composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator, and operates to generate cold air according to a cooling control signal output from the controller 500.

Reference numeral 140 is a display unit for displaying the current volume ratio, the weight, and the operation state of the cooling cycle 600 calculated by the control unit 500, and reference numeral 150 is an input unit for inputting operation settings of the refrigerator.

The following describes the operation of the refrigerator having a control function of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerator compartment according to the present invention.

6 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process of controlling cold air using a volume ratio of a refrigerator compartment according to the present invention.

A process of calculating the volume ratio of the first refrigerating chamber 110 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6.

The control unit 500 of the refrigerator 100 has a depth direction on the shelf of the first refrigerator compartment 110 from a side volume detector 300 that detects the height and presence of food loaded in the depth direction of the first refrigerator compartment 110. In the width direction on the shelf of the first refrigerator compartment 110 from the rear volume detection unit 400 for detecting the height and presence of the loaded food, and detects the height of the loaded food in the refrigerator compartment width direction of the first refrigerator compartment 110. The height of the loaded food is detected (S100).

The control unit 500 is loaded on the shelf based on the height and storage of the food detected from the side volume detection unit 300 and the height and storage information of the food detected by the rear volume detection unit 400 in step S100. The volume ratio of the food is analyzed (S110).

In addition, the control unit 500 performs steps S100 and S110 again to analyze the volume ratios of the second refrigerating chamber 120 and the third refrigerating chamber 130 to determine the volume ratios of the first to third refrigerating chambers 110 to 130. Calculate each.

The volume ratios of the first to third refrigerating chambers 110 to 130 analyzed in step S110 are displayed through the display unit 140 (S120), and the volume ratios displayed through the display unit 140 are first to third. 3 Compared to the volume ratio partitioned regularly in the refrigerating chamber (110 to 130) and the current volume ratio calculated in step S110 to be displayed as a percentage.

After performing steps S110 and S120, the control unit 500 outputs a cooling control signal to the cooling cycle 600 to adjust the discharge amount of the cold air supplied to the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator 100 according to the volume ratio analyzed in step S110. The cooling cycle 600 is controlled to operate (S130).

On the other hand, the process of adjusting the cooling cycle 600 according to the volume ratio of the refrigerator compartment and the weight of the stored food as shown in FIG.

The control unit 500 of the refrigerator 100 detects the height and presence of the food loaded in the depth direction on the shelf of the first refrigerating chamber 110 from the side volume detection unit 300, and from the rear volume detection unit 400, the first and the same. The height of the food loaded in the width direction on the shelf of the refrigerator compartment 110 is detected (S200).

The controller 500 is loaded on the shelf based on the height and storage of the food detected from the side volume detection unit 300 and the height and storage information of the food detected by the rear volume detection unit 400 in step S200. The volume ratio of the food is analyzed (S210).

After performing the step S210, the control unit 500 detects the weight of the food loaded on the shelf from the weight detection unit 200 for detecting the weight of the food loaded on the shelf of the first refrigerating chamber 110, and the weight Cooling cycle to adjust the discharge amount of the cold air supplied to the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator 100 according to the weight of the food detected from the detector 200 and the volume ratio of the first to third refrigerator compartments 110 to 130 analyzed in the step S210 The cooling control signal is output to 600 to control the cooling cycle 600 to be operated (S230).

In addition, the control unit 500 allows the volume ratio and weight analyzed in step S230 to be displayed through the display unit 140, where the volume ratio displayed through the display unit 140 is the first to third refrigerating chambers 110 to 130. Compared to the volume ratio, which is regularly partitioned) and the current volume ratio calculated in step S110 to be displayed as a percentage, the weight is to display the current weight.

Therefore, the amount of cold air supplied to the refrigerating compartment can be properly adjusted according to the storage amount and the weight of the food stored in the refrigerating compartment.

As described above, the present invention has the advantage that efficient cooling can be achieved by driving an appropriate cooling cycle in accordance with the volume and weight of the food stored in the refrigerator.

In addition, the present invention has the advantage that can be cut off the supply of unnecessary cold air according to the use volume and weight of the refrigerating chamber, there is an advantage that the consumption efficiency of the refrigerator is improved thereby.

In addition, the present invention has the advantage that the user can check the information on the use volume ratio and weight inside the refrigerator through the display unit.

Claims (7)

A refrigerator compartment partitioned into a plurality of constant spaces through shelves; At least one side volume detector installed at an inner side of the refrigerating compartment and detecting a height and presence of food loaded on the shelf in a depth direction of the refrigerating compartment; At least one rear volume detection unit installed at an inner rear side of the refrigerating compartment and detecting a height and presence of food loaded on the shelf in the width direction of the refrigerating compartment; Based on the height in the depth direction detected by the side volume detector and the width in the width direction detected by the rear volume detector, a current volume ratio is calculated, and a cooling control signal so that the discharge amount of cold air varies according to the calculated current volume ratio. A control unit for outputting; And The refrigerator having a control function of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerating compartment including a cooling cycle for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment in accordance with a cooling control signal output from the control unit. The method of claim 1, At least one or more weight detector installed on the shelf to detect the weight of the food loaded on the shelf; And And a display unit for displaying a current volume ratio calculated from the control unit, a weight detected from the weight detection unit, and an operation state of the cooling cycle. And the control unit outputs a cooling control signal of the cooling cycle so that the discharge amount of the cold air is controlled according to the calculated current volume ratio and the weight detected by the weight detection unit. Having refrigerator. The method of claim 2, The control unit is a refrigerator having a control function of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerating compartment, characterized in that the volume ratio of the predetermined space partitioned through the shelf and the calculated current volume ratio is displayed as a percentage.  a) detecting a height and presence of food loaded in a depth direction on a shelf of the refrigerating compartment from a side volume detector for detecting a height and presence of food loaded in a refrigerator compartment depth direction of a refrigerator; b) detecting the height and presence of the food loaded in the width direction on the shelf of the refrigerator compartment from a rear volume detector for detecting the height and presence of the food loaded in the refrigerator compartment width direction of the refrigerator compartment; c) analyzing, by the control unit, the volume fraction of the food loaded on the shelf based on the height and the presence or absence of the food loaded on the shelf in the depth direction and the width direction detected in steps a and b; And d) a control method of a refrigerator having a control function of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerating compartment, including controlling the operation of a cooling cycle for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment according to the volume ratio of the food analyzed in step c. The method of claim 4, wherein e) detecting the weight of the food loaded on the shelf from a weight detector for detecting the weight of the food loaded on the shelf; And and f) controlling the operation of a cooling cycle for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment according to the weight detected in step e and the volume fraction analyzed in step c. Control method of a refrigerator having a control function of cold air. The method of claim 5, The cooling cycle of step d causes the discharge amount of cold air to increase when the calculated current volume ratio exceeds a predetermined reference volume ratio, and the cooling cycle of step f includes at least one of the calculated current volume ratio and the weight of the detected food. Is controlled so that the discharge amount of the cold air is increased when the predetermined reference volume ratio and the reference weight are exceeded, the control method of the refrigerator having a cold air control function using the volume ratio of the refrigerating compartment. The method of claim 4, wherein The volume ratio analyzed in step c is a control method of a refrigerator having a control function of cold air using the volume ratio of the refrigerating compartment, characterized in that the volume ratio of the predetermined space partitioned through the shelf and the calculated current volume ratio is displayed as a percentage. .

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